Over the past year, there have been a ton of PJ Masks toys released. While I love what Just Play has done with the line, I do think that there comes a point when “overkill” comes into play, and it happens to the best of toy lines. When there’s duplication between characters and vehicles in different scales, it can become confusing for families – parents and kids alike. This has happened with PJ Masks, and earlier this year I shared a picture of four different scales of the Catcar, along with five variations of Catboy. Since that time, there’s been four additional versions, and an equal collection of Owl Gliders and Gekko Mobiles. Now comes yet a different scale, but it’s one that I don’t mind at all. In fact, it’s a whole new realm when it comes to PJ Masks, and these may be my personal favorites when it comes to this line… PJ Masks diecast. Launched as a Toys “R” Us exclusive to begin with, the first wave consists of five vehicles – the three heroes, alongside Romeo’s Lab and the Night Ninja’s Bus. I dig ’em.
It’s a rare thing to find licensed character vehicles rolling into the diecast aisle if they’re not manufactured by Mattel, who typically has that corner on lock thanks to their Hot Wheels, Matchbox and Disney•Pixar Cars collections. They’re even responsible for Mickey & The Roadster Racers diecast under the Fisher-Price banner, so seeing Just Play getting in on the action is notable.
When we received our review samples, I was more excited than our girls, the youngest of which is the resident PJ Masks expert around these parts. Cracking into them, I was taken back to a very specific moment, and I can’t really explain why. Back in 1989, Ertl made a diecast version of the Batmobile from Tim Burton’s BATMAN, and I loved that little 1:64-scale car. Opening these, there was a very similar vibe – perhaps just the uniqueness of seeing these animated vehicles come to life in such a small, yet tangible form. By my unscientific guesstimation, I’d say these are closer to 1:50 in scale than 1:64, but the kids are letting these hit the road with plenty of their other toy cars and trucks.
As of this writing, you’ll have to look for these at your local Toys “R” Us store, where single packs should be priced under the $5 mark. There’s also a Night Time Adventures Spiral Playset (MSRP $39.99), but keep in mind that if you see these for sale anywhere other than Toys “R” Us (as of December 2017), they’ll likely be sold through third-party sellers, and at an inflated price.
The PJ Masks Diecast collection is a late selection for my “Best of 2017,” as a great assortment of toys that kids – and dare I say, collectors – will enjoy. It’s an affordable way to build an entire fleet of vehicles from the hit eOne series (which airs daily on Disney Junior), and their small size makes them perfectly portable for adventure on the go!
PJ Masks Diecast are featured on The Rock Father™ Magazine alongside the ReadySetz Urban Playset (reviewed here), and considered one of my picks for the Best of 2017.
