When Ben 10 launched the first time around, my wife and I were still some years off from becoming parents, and thus the multi-dimensional adventures escaped us for a bit. While the series has evolved over the past decade and a half, 2017 brought the opportunity for a fresh start and a new series of Ben 10 was born – the perfect opportunity for a new generation of kids to enjoy the adventures of 10-year-old Ben Tennyson, his cousin Gwen and their grandfather, Max. With the power of the Omnitrix on his wrist, Ben can transform himself into one of 10 different alien creatures as the family embarks on great adventures in their Rustbucket – a combination RV/laboratory. With a great new show comes some great new toys, and Ben 10 is being handled by Playmates Toys – the same team behind the long-running success of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and the recent Voltron: Legendary Defender collections.
Launched during a limited exclusive window through Toys “R” Us and now spreading out to retailer nationwide, Ben 10 has been an immediate hit here at Rock Father HQ – with the Rustbucket Deluxe Playset and a few basic action figures sent to us for review. It was so much of a hit, we soon paid a visit to the local Toys “R” Us for more.
In terms of scale, the Ben 10 line is right on-par with the TMNT line that Playmates has done so well with. In fact, they may be from different networks (Cartoon Network vs. Nickelodeon!), but it hasn’t been an uncommon sight to see the Rustbucket adventuring alongside the Shellraiser on occasion. Playmates does a fantastic job of creatively packing a lot of play features into a reasonably-sized space, with the Rustbucket transforming from a vehicle into a 3-level playset that stands nearly 2-feet tall.
It’s important to note that the Rustbucket is designed to work with the basic action figures – not the deluxe versions, which are a bit taller. Inside the Rustbucket, kids can have countless hours of imaginative play with the included changing chamber, working winch/elevator, alien lab, blasters and more.
When it’s time to wrap-up, the Rustbucket easily transforms back into a motorhome – ready for the next adventure… or for space-saving storage.
Playmates Toys’ Ben 10 collection is an early pick for my 2017 Holiday Wish Guide™ here at The Rock Father™ Magazine, and both Rock Father & Rock Daughter approved!
Sidenote: When I was with The Toy Insider at Sweet Suite ’17 in New York City, they had some really cool Ben 10 cookies. I grabbed a couple and brought them home to enjoy with the girls.
