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Captain Toy/Michael's Review of the Week

Review of Ghostbusters ECTO-1, Janine, Zeddemore

Playmobil
Date Published: 2017-06-07
Written By: Michael Crawford
Overall Average Rating: 4 out of 4

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Ghostbusters Zeddemore, Janine, ECTO-1 action figures by Playmobil

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Introduction

I recently came across a big box of old Playmobil goodies in my barn. I was pondering selling the whole lot - I love them, but I just don't have any plans for them.  And then Playmobil announced their foray into licensed territory with the Ghostbusters line, and I had to reconsider.

As I said, I love Playmobil. If you told me I could only collect toys from one company going forward and I had to get rid of everything else, Playmobil would be in the running as the single source. Ten years ago they would have won, but ten years ago Hot Toys wasn't the force it is today.

They've stuck a toe into the waters of licensed properties before, most notably with the NHL, but this is the first real dive into the pool. There are currently four sets: a small set with the Staypuft Marshmallow Man and Ray Stantz; a small set with Slimer and the hot dog cart; a large set of the Firehouse with Ray and Janine; and the set I'm reviewing tonight, the Ecto-1 with Zeddemore and Janine in a Ghostbuster's outfit. These four are now shipping, with a small set of Spengler with a ghost and Venkman with the Terror Dogs still to come.

The two smaller sets should run you around $20, with the Firehouse coming in at $70 and the Ecto-1 around $50.  As I said, these are now shipping to retailers, and I picked mine up at Toys R Us.

Click on the image below for a Life Size version
Ghostbusters Zeddemore, Janine, ECTO-1 action figures by Playmobil

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Packaging - **1/2
These are toys - not collectibles.  Although, like Lego, I'm sure Playmobil won't argue with adult collectors buying them.  The boxes are NOT collector friendly in any way, shape, or form.  You tear open the box to get at the multiple bags of plastic parts, and you rip open those bags to begin assembly.

The box is attractive and very sturdy however, for those who are interested in buying it and leaving it packaged.  It seems like a shame though for such a fantastic toy...

Ghostbusters Zeddemore, Janine, ECTO-1 action figures by Playmobil

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Sculpting/Design - ****
This is Playmobil - those that love the design of the figures, sets, and vehicles will love it...those that don't, well...

The Ecto-1 is sweet in and of itself. The exterior has an appropriate amount of detail to the style, and there's a ton of tiny little extras that will wow you as you go over the features. The top pops off to allow you to put figures inside in the front or back seats, and there are four racks to put the full set of proton packs in place. It's a fantastic representation of a classic vehicle, done up the Playmobil way.

Remember, these figures are only 3" tall. That means you won't be using this with your Mattel or DST figures, do don't even ask.

The two figures are in classic Playmoble style of course, with the majority of the details coming from the paint work. There are some sculpted details - like the pockets on the sides of the pants - but they are far and few between. The girl bodies are *slightly* different than the boy bodies, but the differences aren't extreme. These figures are built for play, with hands that work great with the specially designed handles on the various accessories, and just enough articulation to be fun.

Ghostbusters Zeddemore, Janine, ECTO-1 action figures by Playmobil

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Paint - ***1/2
Yes, there's a sticker sheet. And yes, I hate stickers.  After 50 years of drinking too much Mountain Dew, I can't put a sticker on straight to save my life. I don't want to hear any complaints about my crooked stickers in the photos either - I'm sure you will have more luck than I...or maybe not, depending on your skills.

But not everything is a sticker. The Ghostbusters logos on the side are already there, as are the major colors and details on the body of the car. And the tiniest detailing on the figures is already painted, including all the areas of the costume and the minutia you see on the packs. There are about a dozen stickers in total for areas like the PKE Meter, the Ghost Trap, the plates, etc, and with some care - and a steadier hand than mine - you should be happy with the end result.

Ghostbusters Zeddemore, Janine, ECTO-1 action figures by Playmobil

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Articulation - ***1/2
Both the figures and the vehicle have their own articulation. And don't forget the ghost trap!

The figures have a cut neck, cut shoulders, cut wrists, and a hinge waist. That means pretty basic posing, but they can sit inside the vehicle easily, and even hold the steering wheel.

The Ecto-1 has rolling wheels of course, but it also has an opening rear hatch, and the center of the top pops off to allow easy access to the interior. The side doors do not open.

And that ghost trap? Yep, it opens and closes too!

Ghostbusters Zeddemore, Janine, ECTO-1 action figures by Playmobil

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Accessories - ****
This is a little tricky, because there's a car, two figures, and a lot of various parts going into the assembly of these things. But there's also some specific accessories outside of these, which I'm counting here.

Since this is the first set I've bought, there's no re-use to me. I do know though that some of these extras will be in other sets - with the Ghostbusters, that's the norm.

There's a nifty PKE Meter, as well as a full blown Ghost Trap. The trap is particularly fun, since not only does it open, but there's a hole inside designed (I'm assuming) to hold the Slimer figure in place! I suspect that set will be the next one I pick up...

Of course, they also have their packs, complete with wands and hoses.  The assembly is simple, and they look fantastic. The wand fits neatly on the side or in their hands, and the packs can also be carried inside the Ecto-1.  There are racks to fit four packs for the complete team, creating a perfect spot to store them.

You can't have them firing their Proton Packs without some sort of beam, and there's a cool plasma effect for both figures. These attach easily to the ends of the wands, and are light enough to allow the figures to remain standing.

There's also a set of 'slime' globs, which can be slapped on the car or figures.  These are a rubbery material, and when you're storing the car and figures, I'd keep them in a separate bag.  Remember what the rubber saddles used to do to the hard plastic Marx horses? Yep, you don't want that to happen.

Ghostbusters Zeddemore, Janine, ECTO-1 action figures by Playmobil

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Sound/Light Feature - ****
The sound and light feature are pretty straight forward, but they work great.  There's a battery compartment inside the roof assembly that holds three AAA batteries (not included). Once the batteries are in and the roof in place, you can press one button to activate the sounds, one to activate the lights. These buttons are right on top and easy to reach, but small enough to be unobtrusive.

The sound is the screechy European style siren, which repeats and repeats, perfect for driving parents and pets crazy.  The four blue lights flash on and off in a cyclic order, tough to photograph (how many you see lit in any photo will depend on the shutter speed), but fantastic looking in person. There's also a small red light on top, easy to overlook. Since there are two separate switches, you can have one or the other or both going at the same time.

The feature is super easy to use, which makes it perfect for kids. The quality is top notch too, with really bright lights that are easy to see in a well lit room, and a warbling siren that any 8 year old would love.

Ghostbusters Zeddemore, Janine, ECTO-1 action figures by Playmobil

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Assembly - ***1/2
I didn't count them out, but there's at least 75 pieces (the box claims 79) to this set. I took perhaps a half hour to build it, but if you're working with a six year old, it will go much quicker.  The instructions are clear and simple, similar to most Lego booklets. Most of the assembly can be completed by kids, although you might want to help here and there. Besides, building the set is half the fun, and gives the parent a chance to spend some quality time with the kids 'playing'.

These aren't Lego - once it's built, it's built. That doesn't mean parts can't be disassembled, but the final product is generally solid and sturdy, ready for full bore play time. Everything here snapped together without extreme force, and there was no fear of breakage or damage.  There was one part - the small, white dome with the red and white sticker that sits on top of the white post on the roof - that does tend to fall off too easily. They actually included an extra one (and one extra headlight as well), perhaps in anticipation of you losing it.

Even the small rubber hoses, which can be tricky to work with, popped on and off their intended locations with ease. I can't stress enough how sturdy and well made Playmobil sets are - they are fully designed for tons of play.  The proton packs pop on and off tightly but smoothly, easy for little hands to manipulate. The plastic is tough, and the figures can handle just about any adventure your youngsters throw at them.

Ghostbusters Zeddemore, Janine, ECTO-1 action figures by Playmobil

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Fun Factor - ****
Playmobil are full on, all out, fun. They combine the best of construction sets with action figures, creating an opportunity for parents and kids to build the sets together, and then the kids to have a blast playing with them just like any other action figures and vehicles. I know that construction nerds love their Lego (and I own far too many sets), but for me the winner will always be Playmobil.

Ghostbusters Zeddemore, Janine, ECTO-1 action figures by Playmobil

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Value - ***
One area where Playmobil definitely has it over Lego - cost.  I paid about $50 for this at Toys R Us, and with the inclusion of the light and sound feature, that's a solid bang for your buck.

Ghostbusters Zeddemore, Janine, ECTO-1 action figures by Playmobil

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Things to Watch Out For -
Take your time with the stickers - you can adjust them if you don't push them all the way down, but once you do, you're stuck. Get it?

Also, the small white dome with the red sticker pops off pretty easily, at least on mine. Try not to lose it, or if this is going to be played with, use a little glue to make it permanent.

Last note - store the rubbery slime in a plastic bag by itself, just in case it reacts with the harder plastic in bad ways over long periods.

Overall - ****
If you're not really a fan of Playmobil, then liking these Ghostbuster sets is up in the air. Maybe you love the 'busters so much you can overlook any aversion you have to the funky looking figures. Maybe not.

If you are a big fan of Playmobil, it's still not necessarily a done deal. There's something to be said for cowboys, knights, and pirates that have no license connection, but are just fun, exciting, interesting toys.  When Playmobil steps into a licensed product, they leave some of that 'innocence' (and creative control) behind.

As a huge fan of both Playmobil AND Ghostbusters, it's a done deal for me. I thought I might be able to hold out - I have skipped the Lego Firehouse so far - but when I saw them in person, the dominoes started to fall. They will all be mine, and my wallet is glad their next announced property - How To Train A Dragon - is not a personal favorite.

Score Recap (out of ****):
Packaging - **1/2
Sculpting - ****
Paint - ***1/2
Articulation - ***1/2
Accessories - ****
Sound Feature - ****
Light Feature - ****
Assembly - ***1/2
Fun Factor - ****
Value - ***
Overall - ****

Ghostbusters Zeddemore, Janine, ECTO-1 action figures by Playmobil

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Where to Buy 
I grabbed these at Toys R Us, where prices are a bit cheaper. Online options include these site sponsors:

- has this set for $53.

- Entertainment Earth has this set for $53.

- or you can search ebay for a deal.

Related Links -
Ghostbusters has had a resurgence in the last couple years, thanks to the new film. I've been covering the Diamond Select series of figures, including Janine, Slimer, and Quittin' Time Ray, Ray, Louis, and Winston, and Dana, Egon, and Peter.

Other Ghostbusters figures include the Mattel 12" Zeddemore, and the 12" Ray and Venkman. In the six inch scale, they also released the SDCC exclusive Egon, Ray, Venkman, and Winston. Mattel's classic line was also re-released recently, and they did a wave based on the new film with Rowan and Jillian and Patty, Abby, and Erin.

And I have reviews of some related merchandise, like the Neutrino Wand prop replica, the Trap, and the PKE Meter.

You should also hit the Search Reviews page, in case any other applicable reviews were done after this one was published.

Discussion:
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Ghostbusters Zeddemore, Janine, ECTO-1 action figures by Playmobil

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This product was purchased for the review by the reviewer. Photos and text by Michael Crawford.

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