Welcome back to Toy Aisle, io9’s regular round up of the coolest new toys around. This week, TMNT’s Michelangelo goes Gundam Heavyarms, Rise of the Beasts’s Optimus Prime and Optimus Primal get slick new Transformers toys, and Hasbro is turning Twister into… an AR game? Check it out!
Lego DC Batmobile Batman vs. The Joker Chase and Batwing: Batman vs. The Joker
Lego has already given us fantastically detailed versions of both the 1989 Tim Burton-era Batmobile and Batwing, but at $250 and $200, respectively, they’re both pricey options for even avid Lego collectors. Arriving in August are two smaller-scale versions of both vehicles that both include lots of fun details without breaking the bank. The 438-piece, $48 Batmobile (available for pre-order now) features a cockpit large enough for a Batman minifigure to occupy (or the included Joker minifig), an opening trunk, a flaming exhaust, and a lever that raises a pair of blasters into firing position. The 357-piece, $38 Batwing has a pair of stud launchers, a storage compartment for Battoys, Batman and Joker minifigures, and, like the larger version, an “indentation on the underside that allows it to be hung on the wall” for display purposes.
Hasbro Transformers Studio Series Optimus Prime
Released as part of a new “Buzzworthy Bumblebee” collection, Hasbro’s new Transformers Studio Series Optimus Prime is based on the character’s appearance in the upcoming Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, which is a design being carried over from 2018’s Bumblebee, and one that more closely resembles the ‘80s G1 toy. Standing 6.5-inches tall, the figure includes sword and arm cannon accessories, and goes from robot to truck mode in 34 different transformation steps. It’s available from Target for $35, but also through Hasbro Pulse in limited quantities, with shipping starting in August.
Hasbro Transformers: Rise of the Beasts Command & Convert Optimus Primal
Reminiscent of Robosen’s self-transforming Optimus Prime toy, last week Hasbro revealed a similar toy for Transformers: Rise of the Beasts’ Optimus Primal as part of the film’s merchandise push. It comes with a $125 price tag instead of the $750 Robosen is asking for its Prime, and watching Optimus Primal transform in response to a voice command helps explain why: you probably do more transforming when getting ready for bed. But it could be a fun toy for a kid who can’t be bothered to use their imagination, boasting over 100 combinations of sound and motion. It’s available for purchase now through Hasbro Pulse.
Hot Toys Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Miles Morales and Spider-Man 2099 Sixth-Scale Figures
If you’re a Spider-Man fan unfamiliar with the term, ‘budget,’ then Hot Toys has some good news for you. The company revealed new sixth-scale figures of both Miles Morales and Miguel O’Hara (aka Spider-Man 2099) based on their appearances in the upcoming sequel, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. Both figures stand around 12-inches tall and feature 30 points of articulation, with the Morales figure’s joints hidden behind hidden behind a spidey suit featuring an embossed web pattern. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse will hit theaters on June 2, but these new figures won’t be released until late 2024.
Snap Design Development and Heat Boys TMNT Mecha Michelangelo Figure
Late last year, someone’s TMNT fan fiction came partly true as Snap Design Development and Heat Boys revealed a new line of figures with the ninja turtles turned into towering, heavily armed mechs. The collection launched with a Mecha Leonardo, but the second addition, Mecha Michelangelo (come on, Mecha-langelo was right there) is now available for pre-order from online stores like BigBadToyStore. The nine-inch tall figure features lots of articulation, and incredible arsenal of guns and rockets including super-sized nunchaku, and a tiny Mikey figure to serve as the mecha’s pilot. You can pre-order one now for $180, with shipping expected later this year.
Takara Tomy Studio Ghibli Die-Cast Anime Vehicle Collection
Last year’s collaboration between Takara Tomy and Studio Ghibli on a line of die-cast toy cars based on vehicles appearing in the studio’s animated films was so popular that it’s now being expanded. The new additions to the line include Jiji the cat from Kiki’s Delivery Service who rolls around in a bird cage on wheels, and the tiny three-wheeled moving truck from My Neighbour Totoro over-packed with furniture and other belongings. Both vehicles will be available starting in mid-July for about $10 each, but can also be pre-ordered now for those who live in Japan.
Hasbro Transformers Studio Series Voyager 103 Rhinox
With the upcoming film rekindling interest in the Beast Wars Transformers who chose animals over vehicles for their alt-modes, we’re also getting some modernized toys featuring improved detailing, better paint jobs, and more complex transformations. The 6.5-inch tall Studio Series Voyager 103 Rhinox goes from robot to rhinoceros mode in 29 steps, and includes a hammer weapon accessory that switches to a rocket launcher. It’s available for pre-order now from Hasbro Pulse for $35, with shipping expected in early October.
Hasbro Twister Air
Of all the classic party games that have been around for decades, Twister, which first debuted back in 1966, is often the most challenging to play because you need a large space to lay down the playmat, and you need participants willing and/or able to twist and contort their bodies. The new Twister Air needs neither. The game now takes place on the screen of a mobile device through an app that can detect colored wrist and ankle straps worn by one or two players. Similar to the classic game of Twister, players attempt to reach for colored dots appearing on screen through augmented reality technology. It seems similar to video games like Just Dance, and while Twister Air doesn’t require players to contort their bodies as much, it still looks like it could be a real workout. The game is available now for $20, while the app is a free download.
