History of the Palitoy Star Wars Death Star Cardboard Playset

[@AnalogToys]

Kenner Vs Palitoy Death Star - which one is better?

[@benjaminkitaura498]

The palitoy one is definitely awesome! However I’m not sure that the 2 versions are actually comparable? They are both so different yet the pallitoy one definitely has better artwork and would be easier for kids to play with. The Kenner one was so big has a child I had difficulty moving it around to play with…….you couldn’t take it to a friends house on your bicycle to play.

had both,,, id say palitoy

[@michaelharrington75]

Both are just fantastic!

[@simpleanswer8954]

@@benjaminkitaura498 Toys too big to carry on your bike = awesome. Millenium Falcon, AT-AT, Castle Grayskull, GI Joe HQ, Cobra Terror Drome, MASK Boulder Hill, Ghostbusters firehouse... or the greatest of all time - GI Joe USS Flagg. You played with the big stuff at your friend's house, or they rode THEIR bike to your house.

[@elextrano7597]

e.e i would love a catdboard reproduction

[@TheSoundcrow]

I’m 47 and live in the UK, I always wanted this when I was a kid and remember seeing this down a market that sold various used items. I remember my mum asking how much for it but a woman said she had just bought it :( I never did see another one again. Thank you for uploading was great to see again :)

[@gordongraham7]

I had the Kenner Death Star set and I absolutely loved it. This one looks amazing, too.

[@retro_reflections]

9 year old me absolutely adored my Death Star playset (and my die-cast Falcon sat in the hangar bay, scale be damned)... thanks to all involved in the creation of this vid, absolutely made my day. 🤩

[@peterhyatt3635]

Born 71 , Xmas 77 ,got my palitoy and the rest , still got!

[@andrewamidala]

Was always my dream as a child, stared at it for hours in my local toy shop window. I finally got one almost complete for £84.00 on ebay 2 years ago. It has pride of place in my office and every visitor cannot stop talking about it.

[@mindbomb9341]

Very cool. But imagine what one could do these days with the printing and 3D printing that has become possible. A giant project like this could be INSANE. AND do-able.

[@bernardocoto8519]

I find it really heartwarming the homage to the people who designed the toy, this is rarely done in this kind of videos. Their story as to how the toy was developed provides a depth that many channels lack...

[@jimvalentine8952]

I remember walking for hours, day after day,across Bury as a kid to play with this at a mates. Amazing that someone had their own Death Star!

[@k-dawgbroadcasting5444]

No one else has said it that I've seen, but Palitoy always brings a special part of you out. It's amplified by having Bob and Mr. Turner able to contribute knowledge, but you've always raised your game to an unparalleled level when discussing such things. The video is topnotch, your editing and narrating are second to none, and you literally can feel your reverence for this toy. Don't get me wrong, your videos are always on point, but this is the Tony Roberts production that borders on award winning, if KZbin were ever vainglorious enough to produce a type of Academy Award production.

[@AnalogToys]

Thank you so much!

[@frejarlebrandlundmark1168]

​@@AnalogToysTony i just got the action force internationals heros havoc and all the parts that should be orange are insted red, can you help me understand

[@AnalogToys]

​@@frejarlebrandlundmark1168 there are two variations of that toy, one with red accessories and one with orange accessories.

[@J-T-A]

You gotta love that late 70s artwork aesthetic they had.

[@MrLuciousp]

Why did Palitoy never make a Bespin Cloud City playset in this style? I could SO see that working!

[@Its.Chad.]

Now we’re talking!! Such an amazing playset! I love how Palitoy just ramped up the cool on all their efforts.

[@scubapete9500]

Watched this again and boy did you pack this vid with facts and pics! This time around I noticed the box advertisement showing the Death Star with a Jawa and Han stuck in the Garbage Shoot.

[@KenSetzer]

I saw this at Hamley’s London in 1980 when visiting from NY. My older brother offered to buy it for me, but…sold out! I was amazed there were Star Wars toys other than what we had in the states. I guess I was only ten.

[@paulbarbacano1109]

I had the plastic one with trash compactor and green monster in it with the foam trash. Hours of fun 😊

[@robertsinfiniterealms1308]

I have admired this playset for a very long time. Palitoy really hit a massive home run with this one.

[@jonniehotdog]

A wonderful, in depth and definitive look at one of the most sought after, yet mysterious pieces in the vintage Star Wars line!

[@scottknudsen6611]

I know hindsight is 20/20, but can you imagine being the guy who said “we don’t really need the Star Wars license, we’ve got Man From Atlantis in the pipeline.” ? 😂😂

[@sillypolplays]

Now this is how you do a playset. The playability is phenomenal. 😍

[@dezt5108]

Great episode guys, the one thing I vividly remember while me and my brother played (for hours) with this set, was the fact that while we had the heroes walking around it, the 'cardboard' stormtroopers just stood there! I'm really surprised that this or any of the cardboard playsets haven't been re-released for the retro collection

[@jasonkauppinen3475]

These types of playsets should make a comeback. They can be sold disassembled in flat packages way smaller than a comparable set made of plastic.

[@VelvetPlatz]

My husband just loved this video!! He still has his Death Star playset from his childhood and it is in a place of honor in his display. Being Canadian, he was able to acquire this version, which has more play value than the Kenner model. Thanks for another great video, Tony.

[@DoctorInk20]

This is the kind of design insight I adore about toys. Maximum play value and presentation for reasonable cost - truly genius. 😁 As someone who used to make paper/card props and backdrops to go with my toys, I vibe with this a lot. Thanks, Tony.

[@ShaneChapman954]

Extremely well done and informative

[@Chronically0nline]

These magnum opus level deep dives are always a joy to see. Another fantastic video, Tony.

[@Mvargo97]

Great video, love the cardboard playsets that Palitoy did and all of this extra background was very informative

[@KasumiKenshirou]

I never had either Death Star playset as a kid (and didn't even know they existed until the internet), but it looks like Palitoy crammed a lot of play value into this set.

[@robotimustoys]

Once again, it's an excellent video!!! Great work, Tony!!!

[@jayt1077]

It would be amazing if some company would recreate this in plastic.

[@toysoldiernostalgia]

Aaargh why do I watch your videos??!! Now I want to start collecting Star Wars.

[@UncleScorch]

What an amazing playset. Thank you so much for the history of something that I was only marginally aware of for the most part. I much prefer this set over the Kenner offering, so much more playability and in the looks department conveys the Death Star’s appearance much better. Thanks again!

[@AllThings80s]

A truly excellent video, both informative and entertaining. 👍🏻

[@johnnycharco]

My favourite toy growing up, kept it for many years after childhood, then my mom threw it and all of my other toys in the trash. I moved around a lot back then and had them boxed and labeled in a quiet closet at my dad's house , I was furious. One element of play not mentioned is that you could use both sides of the trash compactor, slide the figures down the chute when the compactor is closed and you have a whole other secret room. :)

[@leespiderpod]

My brother handed all my star wars toys out to kids on the street - he was very popular!

[@LaserPants]

What a great playset!

[@britman1966]

I had the Action Force play set, I used it as the rebel base.

[@theprofessor_geeklounge]

Thanks for the trip down memory lane. I loved this and the action force playset as a kid. Which I still had my original Star Wars toys.

[@SteveMacias-f2h]

I absolutely love watching videos that focus on the history of vintage toys. Most definitely I'd choose the Palitoy version for being more detailed and being less cumbersome. Just seeing the classic Star Wars packaging brought back a lot of fun memories of trips to Toys R Us. Excellent video as always. 👍

[@Ksknight100]

Love the simplicity of this set and all the options of play there are. You ability to deliver these Palitoy videos is second to none mate. Your attention to detail and historical knowledge, coupled with the old footage of the toy legends who changed our childhoods, is always a very special touch. Thanks for sharing this mukka. Another total gem.

[@brycevo]

I kinda wish it was used in the US or modified to use plastic in the States. This is so much better

[@wilnewman5372]

Great video Tony !!! Really awesome how the people at Palitoy designed it !!! Love how they did the artwork on it and the plastic pieces too !!! They did an amazing job with what little they had to work with due to the budget they had etc...

[@TimHayes]

Excellent video Tony! :)

[@drewg809]

Such a great video! Your quality keeps getting better and better! Great job Tony!

[@RichPowell1138]

Great video, Still have my playset in the box, it's well loved but as far as I remember it is complete. 😊

[@a_world_made_of_cardboard]

Just beautiful. Just a beautiful toy. A fantastic, well made video. Tony, you have raised the bar again. You are right. This playset is the greatest Star Wars toy ever. I may be a little biased, but cardboard playsets really made toylines come to life.

[@GarysActionManChannel1970]

Had this playset in 1980 fantastic toy. Superb video 👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@campbellruleV1kiwiGI]

That’s another great video my friend. The cardboard play set is amazing & so simple that it works perfectly.

[@brendangriffiths9497]

The Palitoy Death Star is my favourite toy ever. I first played with it at a friend's house in the 80s when I was a child and this kixkstarted my Star Wars fascination. I never owned one as a child but bought my first one in 1994 for £12 which started my journey as a collector.

[@jambogeordie]

Simply awesome production Tony. This now becomes the pre eminent review and story of the best Star Wars toy ever. Left mine behind in Edinburgh when we moved to Canada in '81 but had 2 solid years of playing with it. Gun on top was awesome. Never knew about the Action Force playset...that roof landing, ground landing is absolutly brilliant engineering. Ps always had a hard time putting Chewbacca in the slide!

[@Wadyface]

I had this and wore it out. i only had a few figures but it kept me busy. Great insight into this toy. Thank you :)

[@batangbatugan]

I'm surprised they never made another Death Star playset later on in the line given how iconic it is and that the movies were so popular at that point that a more expensive set would still probably sell.

[@vindictive74]

Excellent video Tony. Look forward to more of your well researched work

[@AllBreaksLoose]

Definitely one of the best videos on this playset! I wish I had one as a kid. It looks more fun than the kenner death star.

[@TonyStark-uu9us]

Brilliantly presented ... as always

[@leiverikson1517]

There were rumours of a death star in the streets where i grew up. But no one had ever seen one irl 😂

[@jeremydoud4885]

When I was a wee lad I would have loved to have had them both!! Because they both have unique play features. Imagine the fun!

[@murraymccheyne5576]

Thank you so much Tony for this outstanding presentation of the Death Star I had this when I was a boy in 79 got it for my birthday along with with some figures , so much fun I wish I had it now 😊, cheers mate keep up the great work

[@darthwizzywizard]

Awesome video. Professionally put together too.

[@kamandi1362]

I remember seeing these all the time in toy shops. I should’ve bought a few and stashed them away. I never had one at the time, though. My whole house was my Death Star. I couldn’t see the point in having a tiny play set.

[@SQLJedi]

Great video Tony. When I was a kid, my best friend had the Kenner version. Then 40+ years later, I was having a garage sale this past May, and a local SW collector stopped by and showed me a picture of a complete in box Kenner version he found at another local to me yard sale a few years prior that he bought for $5.00 Canadian. He has it encased in acrylic.

[@superquad7]

This is an excellent video. I always love your work. Toy history is so fascinating to me.

[@SuperDuperToyBox]

Tony, I thoroughly enjoyed this video- had the American release in the '70s and several of the other vehicles with a lot of figures. I was 5 when Star Wars was released, and it changed our lives! Cheers!

[@benjaminkitaura498]

Thank you for your service and making awesome videos!

[@luisgarcia-km4se]

Excelente video como siempre 👍

[@dougjames4972]

Much needed video!! Thank you!!! Superb work!

[@leewilson001]

Another superb production tony- i always learn something i didnt know before from your videos

[@welcome2mytruth]

Dude. What a stunning video. As a kid growing up with Star Wars toys, we had just no idea what went on behind the scenes. Although I saw the Deathstar advertised, my local toy shop (pre- ToysRus days and run by a really nice family) never stocked it and even when a bigger player arrived in the town, a chain called Garnells, they never either stocked it, even though they had a huge Star Wars section and if memory serves, The Empire Strikes Back had just arrived as Garnells opened their store in town. So I had to make a Deathstar out of Lego!

[@juniusvindex769]

Never seen one in person myself. But it was contemporary considering the MB star base is of similar construction. Palitoy sure was a major part of kids' lives growing up. One thing I do remember is the letrasets that came in cereal boxes, we collected them and stuck them to school books, much to the dismay of the teachers 🤣 Anyhow, cheers Tony, great stuff 👏🏻👏🏻👌🏻

[@Sano1970]

Fantastic work, Tony! A true gem of a video! 🌟

[@BlacksburgEV]

First time ever seeing this and it is amazing, I would of had so much fun with that, even in the 90s. Thanks for making this awesome piece of history.

[@marceloferlin1057]

Top notch, as always, sir.

[@UsualmikeTelevision]

Great video Tony!

[@elcowabungahe-man6156]

Great video friend and you have my favorite version Luke in the back awesome content

[@A.Hanson]

This is awesome. I wish they would reprint this today on sturdy cardboard. I know some people are critical of companies who sell big playsets of things that get blown up but I would 100% buy this. Right now I use a ReadySet space base and some Cardboard playsets from the Solo movie for my Star Wars figure but I would totally add one of these to my collection.

[@MrGmilton]

Thanks for sharing, I’ve never heard of this toy. What a great video you made, this is what is awesome about you tube 🎉

[@SaturnCanuck]

Thanks tony. Great review/retrospective. I can see 12 year old me playing with this as, well, Canadian. I'm glad I came back and resubscribed.

[@portland-182]

Another top notch video Tony! Weirdly Denys Fisher ended up releasing the MPC model kits in the UK, so they must have had a change of heart.

[@seanwhitehurst5175]

I had one as a,kid.Plenty of fun hours were had in that Death Star

[@andygriffin4046]

Grt video as always tony brought back child hood memorys

[@Technologicalanimal-gr6ou]

Great video as ever, I didn’t have the Death Star play set as a kid but my friend from school did and he lived just two doors away so got to play with it, thanks for bringing back those memories. Also I had totally forgotten 😮 the Action force play set folded out to form the runway, which I did have😊

[@ooklathemok2941]

I had never seen this until today!

[@daschyt2225]

A comprehensive review and history of this truly classic piece! Thank you again Tony! PS - Toltoys Australia #1 😉

[@JETFORCEJUN0]

Epic mini documentary well worth the watch!

[@mdobbs74]

Great video i remember having this and the action force playset. So wish this would be released again.

[@THEOUTCASTSCREATIVE]

Everyone always wanted one of these

[@georgeaitken2719]

Great video well researched and informative you did it again tony

[@Retro-Fez]

I had this as a kid i loved it yes it was just cardboard but to me it was the real death star, great days

[@Throwmethewhip]

Another great video Tony.

[@toddsmith9598]

Outstanding video!

[@liamball728]

This is a great video. It's lead me to the Action Force headquarters for clips for my Palitoy Death Star. A lot cheaper but the same thing, just a different colour. Thank you.

[@nigelcarren]

Hello everyone, my name is Nigel... and I am a geek! Very interesting video mate. BRAVO 🇬🇧

[@teenagefc]

Such an awesome playset. I remember as a kid my grandmother gave us a price limit of $50 for birthday presents (this was the very early 80’s in Australia). She’d take us to our local Toyworld in Coffs Harbour and there we’d get to pick. I can’t remember the year exactly but the Tolstoys Death Star was my pick for a bday present that year. I didn’t have that many SW figures from memory and it was before MOTU and the A-Team, but I ended up picking the Death Star nonetheless. I’d have had battles with the few figures I had or put my LEGO men on it for extra fodder. Alas, as I turned to more sports based activities in my mid teens, I have strong memories of my Death Star playset packed down, laying flat in my wardrobe under cricket bats, pads and footballs. The plastic garbage shoot sections ended up in our box of Lego for many years. I’ve no idea what happened to my playset, but looking back oh how I wish I still had it. The only toys I still have from my childhood are my Mego KISS figures. It’s always astounded me that Kenner never or Hasbro have never made one of these playset when they kicked off the Vintage Collection. Being cardboard it would be cheap to make. Great video Tony. A true piece of nostalgia.

[@impossiblepie]

Love it! Thanks Tony.

[@NonsenseInBASIC]

I still have my Death Star. It needs fixing up a bit (and of course, the trash compactor door has gone) but it’s lovely. When I got it, my elder brother made a little hole in the bottom of the gun turret and threaded a piece of string down hanging into the ‘chasm’ so that Luke and Leia could swing across. Genius move, I thought.

[@wayneduckett1961]

Still got this up in my Mother’s attic in the UK. It’s in perfect condition as well.

[@JimboFettsToyTomb]

Definitely a grail item for me. Don’t know if I’ll ever be able to get one…but love the look of it.

[@Talks-Movies]

Love your channel, just discovered it.

[@derektorres6260]

Another excellent and informative video. I had to laugh at the repro comment you made. This was truly better than the Kenner playset. I wonder what it would have cost if they were able to make it in a plastic that would have still been as flexible as the cardboard was.

[@garym6315]

It seems insane to me that 3 and 3/4 sized figures was seen as a gamble not to be taken. I got figures from most of the 80s toylines when I was a kid, but it was always limited by the space they took up and the cost, so Star Wars was the first line that I got LOTS of figures from.

[@MartinFutter70]

Great video

[@joshuachristian5443]

The old commercial music playing in the background...nice touch. It's kinda odd they chose that music for the commercials though being that it has such a different sound than anything heard in the films.