The Toy Box: Dinosaurs rule playtime with release of 'Jurassic World Rebirth'

The Star

10-07-2025

The Toy Box is an occasional online exclusive column where we take a look at the latest in toys and collectibles out there.
In case you haven't heard the roars, Jurassic World Rebirth is out in cinemas right now, and since there are few things kids (and grown-up kids) love more than dinosaurs, there are also a number of dinosaur-related toys being released at the same time.
For today's edition of The Toy Box, we will be featuring a few items from Mattel's Jurassic World Rebirth range, as well as a few playsets from Lego's official Jurassic World Rebirth theme.
Mattel's range of official Jurassic World toys have consistently been some of the most movie-accurate figures out there, combining high playability with some great depictions of the dinosaurs.
The Rebirth range is no different, with toys ranging from high-detail dinosaur figures to imaginative playsets and action-ready characters.
Mattel's dinosaur figures are known for their realistic sculpts and fun play features.
The three sets Mattel sent us for review cover all the bases of a cool dinosaur range, from a really fun T-Rex mask, a cute little 'mascot' type figure, and last but not least, one of the largest dinosaur figures in the range.
If you love dinosaurs, then you really can't go wrong with Mattel's Jurassic World action figures, and the Tail Thrasher Spinosaurus is no exception.
The sculpt of the toy is excellent - with a menacing look complete with fearsome teeth (don't worry, they're made of rubber so, not sharp), and a solid body that comes with an impressive sail and tail combo.
The Spinosaurus is suitable fearsome, and the play feature is fun as well.
The 'button-activated dual attack' play feature is quite fun too - press it, and the Spinosaurus' tail swipes from side to side.
The head does the same, but with an added chomping action that is quite cool. If you press it three times or more, the movements will continue on for a longer time.
The electronic Primal Protector Aquilops is another fun toy. In the movie, one of the child characters, Isabella, befriends a little dinosaur called an Aquilops, which she names 'Dolores'.
The Mattel Aquilops toy is actually pretty cute and has some fun play features as well.
The toy has a few interactive play features, including a slider on its head which has a 'calming effect' on Dolores, giving her a more softened gaze and open mouth.
It also has a tail activated 'protect' action mode – press down its hind legs, and press a button on the back, and the toy jumps forward.
Do you have a kid who always likes to pretend he is a T-Rex? Well, now he or she can look like one while doing it, with the T-Rex Rage 'N Roar Mask, a fun role-playing mask for ages 6 and up.
Get ready for a lot of T-Rex ambushes around the play area if you get this mask. — Photo: Mattel
in its 'resting' state (meaning with no one wearing it), it already looks intimidating enough with its teeth, blinking eyes and soft growl sounds.
Strap it on, however, and the playability increases, with a jaw-activated growl and light-up eyes. Building a (Jurassic) world
Since we're on the subject of Dolores the Aquilops, Lego has also released a buildable figure of the cute little critter, which makes for a nice counterpart to the Mattel version.
With only 339 pieces, the Lego Jurassic World Rebirth Baby Dinosaur Dolores: Aquilops is an easy enough set to assemble for kids, and can move its head, arms, legs and tail, allowing a range of fun poses. It also comes with a buildable plant.
Lego's Aquilops figure is a little more fragile than Mattel's but is equally cute. — Photo: Lego
The Baby Dolores model is one of six new Lego Jurassic World Rebirth sets released. The company started making Jurassic Park sets back in 2001 when Jurassic Park III was released, and were an instant hit thanks to the unique moulds of the dinosaurs featured in the movie.
It was rebranded to Jurassic World in 2015, when the first movie of that name was released, and has remained a regular theme since then.
The new Jurassic World Rebirth sets offer a diverse range of building experiences – from the aforementioned buildable Aquilops baby dinosaur, to recreations of the scenes from the new movie, with new figures of the dinosaurs ranging from the Spinosaurus to the gigantic Titanosarus, and a new T-Rex as well.
It's not a Juurassic Park/World movie without a T-Rex, and the same goes for the toys.
Speaking of which, it's not a Jurassic World movie without a T-Rex, and happily, Lego has also recreated the one in the new one through the T-Rex River Escape set.
This set comes with a molded, fully articulated T. rex dinosaur, two minifigures – Teresa Delgado and Xavier Dobbs. The playset itself is a simple little build, with only 199 pieces that makes for a boat dock with a boat, and an ATV.
The molded T-Rex is the highlight here though. Its movable arms, legs, head and jaw make for a fun figure to play with, and it's easily one of the best molded versions of the iconic dinosaur Lego have come up with so far.
The Titanosaurus molded figure is one of the most impressive ones Leog has ever made.
Another impressive dinosaur mold in this particular range is that of the Titanosaurus, from the Raptor & Titanosaurus Tracking Mission set.
The Titanosaurus is one of the movie's biggest dinosaurs, and the molded figure captures the majesty of its long neck and tail perfectly.
There's another molded figure included in this set – Velociraptor, so kids can use it to hunt for the characters in the playset's abandoned charging station build.
There's also an off-road vehicle (hey, they need something fast to get away form the Velociraptor), and also minifigures of Zora Bennett, Martin Krebs and Dr. Henry Loomis.
Quick! Get away from that raptor, Zora!
Other sets in the new range include the smaller Raptor Off-Road Escape, the larger Spinosaurus & Quetzalcoatlus Air Mission (which comes with molded figures of both dinosaurs), and finally, the Brick-Built Mosasaurus Boat Mission, which, unlike the other sets, you have to build the Mosasurus itself.