When I went to the Time to Play Showcase last year I saw the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle toys that were coming out for the brand new show on Nickelodeon. I even received a Raphael toy to bring home. It has been on my desk at work ever since. I’ve had that figure posed in a dozen different ways. The new figures have several points of articulation which means that you can position them more ways that you can count. They are also pretty well balanced so you aren’t constantly readjusting them or picking them up. I had Raphael balanced on one leg on the flat screen monitor of my computer and he didn’t fall off unless I bumped the desk. So Playmates sent me two toys to review and they are a basic Shredder figure and a Flingers Donatello figure.

The Donatello Flingers Figure

Donatello is my all time favorite Ninja Turtle. He’s the smartest and I’ve always thought he was the strongest. He might not be the most skilled but with his bo staff and his inventions he is a huge asset to the team. I was excited when I saw the Flingers at Toy Fair because they actually worked. As you roll Donatello along on the wheels on his feet he reaches back and grabs a bo staff and flings it forward a pretty decent distance. Don’t fear because the bo staffs are of soft plastic so play time will be safe.

Connecting the Flingers Backpack to Donatello

Roll Donatello to the Right to engage his flinging

Donatello looks great and is very detailed. His left arm is articulated for posing but his legs and right arm are part of the flinging mechanics so they do not move. The figure stands, even with the heavy backpack. He stands about an inch taller than the basic turtle figures. Shredder is actually almost as tall as this figure.

The Shredder

Evil Shredder is imposing with his spiked armor and deadly sword. He doesn’t move very much though. His arms are fully articulated with the ability to bend and move at the shoulders, elbows and the hands rotate as well. I stated that his head does not move in the video but in fact it does. His torso swivels from side to side also. The one thing that I think would have been better would be for the knees to bend. Shredder is a decent figure and stands taller than the turtles which makes sense because he massive and unstoppable.

Shredder is dangerous just standing still.

I was impressed with these toys from Playmates and they are great additions to anyone’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles collection.

Disclosure: As I stated above I received these toys to try out and review. Opinions are 100% my own.