Great Playsets 2.0 - Wizard World ATL 2014 Panel Presentation

RetroBlasting's encore of its playsets presentation is reworked with more content, added panelists and a few new surprises!
#RetroBlasting #80sPlayset #vintagetoys

[@josephbrowning2968]

Once again, great video. I'm seeing playsets I wasn't even aware of.

[@cronocomics]

The glorious 80's. I am so happy I grew on those years. Cartoons in the afternoons and then playing with the toys after the cartoon was over. Our childhood was awesome.

[@gjkdesign]

Another great Retroblasting episode! You guys bring back so many memories. Keep up the great work! Greg K.

[@HarryPartridge]

Another great panel and video, guys. This is absolute dream content for me. I'm curious about Mike saying he has a background in film. I'd like to know more about that.

[@trans8010]

There are actually two playsets that predate the Death Star that wasn't fall apart vinyl or carboard. One was 1973's GI Joe Training Center by Hasbro. It is essentially a larger version of the Rambo tower from 1985, it had a large tower with a zipline, targets and other training impliments. The other was the Mego Wayne Foundation, a very unconventional playset for boys toys since it is essentially a Bat-Dream House. A plastic column exterior with corkboard flooring. The features had real Neal Adams art, a working elevator and a secret entrance leading to the roof for the batcopter access. There were also the Little People playsets like the schoolhouse, house, farm and the classic Sesame Street 123 Neighborhood set. All this predates Star Wars. I believe Kenner was able to produce these playsets with durable plastics in lieu of cardboard because of the smaller scale. The Mego sets were larger and to produce the same quality areas with the same plastics would have with no doubt jacked the price so no parent could afford them. It even took Kenner a while to abandon cardboard possibly because it's cheaper to produce a set this way and you could use the money in your budget for your vehicles and figures or a massive playset like the Death Star, Millenium Falcon, and AT-AT which are guaranteed to generate more interest and sales.

[@3faltigeralexandro]

The Brontosaurus of the "Dino Riders" line also was quite huge and had a whole base on its back (you can argue its not a base if it moves - but then you'd have to discount the Millenium Falcon also). StarCom also had a huge base of operations (another line I would like to see you review).

[@TheRackits]

Good call. they never mention dinoriders

[@kirbymarchbarcena]

I really like this kind of convention wherein the audience can have conversations with the presenters and make the event more interactive

[@YodaPagoda]

You guys sure did improve that playset presentation! But I might surprise you in saying that the one memory that hadn't been jogged by previous videos was that Strawberry Shortcake house. You see, the girl in my apartment complex that agreed to play Star Wars with us (she played Princess Leia), on the condition we helped her with Strawberry Shortcake. I think it was a fair enough trade, but Melinda's right, there is WAY too much furniture involved.

[@JamesKenobi1138]

Outstanding presentation and great video. Some of those play sets were new to me, thanks for sharing.

[@lunacy05]

Another awesome panel, and really love the presentation on the huge playsets throughout the years in the late 70s to late 80s

[@valosweet666]

Great video! I didn't even know most of these existed. I have alot of mine still, Ghostbuster Fire hall, Technodrome. Recently got one of those multiple released Wayne Manor/ Bat cave sets, cant believe how many times it was 're used when I looked it up!

[@shoestringscifi]

This isn't retro, but on the subject of Batman playsets, it seems to me that Mattel has released about 500 Batcave playsets for its Imaginext toy line. :)

[@Iamnotspecialandneitherareyou]

That was amazing. Great job retroblasting crew. If you ever come to calgary, I'll make you grilled cheese.

[@kirbymarchbarcena]

Wow,I wish have enough dough and spaces to collect these playsets.Brings the child back out of me when I saw some of the pictures presented.

[@pferreira1983]

That G.I. Joe flagship playset was massive!

[@SamuraiXGray]

Love the channel and love every video you guys do, always informative.

[@ehawkins1971]

I gotta say the G.I. Joe Mobile Command Center was not as fragile as you made out. I remember my brother and I playing with this all the time...we would close it up, push it off of the couch and open it up to see all the Joes scattered about and have to prepare for a Cobra invasion after they fell from a cliff. It never broke. And now sits in a garage collecting dust.

[@georgeward6986]

I am George with Wretched Hive Collectibles in Cincinnati Ohio. I am a member of your Web channel and simply love it. I watch every episode. I buy, sell and collect vintage toys and I own a collectible toy store. I love what you guys are doing and would like to contribute to your archive /collection. I understand you guys need a Berry Happy Home Strawberry Shortcake playset. If you are willing to pay for shipping on this massive toy I can send you a complete and mint example in exchange for a

[@geertmein1842]

Awesome video! It brings back a lot of memories for me :) I just subscribed to your channel. i missed one toyline representation from 1987; StarCom the U.S. Space Force! It has lots of little playsets and 2 large ones. The Starbase Command is the largest and has a few great features, all used with the magnets! Come to think of it, Major Matt Mason from the '60's has playsets as well. I love the mention of the Filmation's Ghostbusters! The playset and ghost buggy car are truely amazing, but unfortunately also very fragile.

[@basher20]

That Ewoks tree at the end was actually a recycle of a Fisher Price treehouse from the mid-1970s. if I'm not mistaken, it showed up 3 or 4 times as parts of different lines.

[@Tinytraveler]

I really enjoy your videos, thanks!

[@OrionA]

My grandfather actually has Crystar's Crystal Castle. I used to play with it when i was younger. He also has a bunch of G.I. Joes that used to invade said castle.

[@OrionA]

I would also like to note: It's still stored in the ORIGINAL box!

[@OrionA]

And the Go-Bots command center.

[@1701Tex]

Never had (or even saw) the STTMP bridge set, or the Raiders one either. I'd've played the HELL out of those if I had. Tex (happy with a kitteh appearance, even if only in a still)

[@skinflutey]

I used to have pretty much the complete Marshall Bravestar toy line. It actually might be at my parents house or at least what's left of it.

[@jojst1]

Excellent vid. Lots of cool content. Great job guys and gals

[@Sturmdude]

I wonder if Retro Blasting would ever be comfortable talking about the Jurassic Park toy line by Kenner. It's getting a little far into the 90's, but whenever I reflect on that decade, Jurassic Park was sort of the last great horah for Kenner before the flood of beefy Star Wars figures and the company's demise by the destructive force of Hasbro's weight.

[@Cavillier1970]

Amazing prestation Mel & Mike. (Ladies first. LOL) Brought back alot of memories,because I had growing up the Mego Star Trek bridge, the Mego Batcave, the SP Hall of Justice, the Raiders Well of Souls, Castle Greyskull. But as I got older I got into Lego, now let me ask you guys would you consider the Lego sets as playsets according to Melinda's defentions. Now let me say this, this past Christmas my nephew got the Lego Death Star as a gift, and believe me guys this KICKS ASS as a playset. You have 360 degrees of playablity with it, inside and out. 24 figures, 3 Lukes, 2 Hans, toopers, droids, the Emperor, the Garbage Pit monster, the mouse droid Chewie scared and Darth's personal Tie fighter w/ garage space. A working elevator, moveable outside cannons and the planet killer beam, so there's no confusion as you talked about in the Death Star resteration videos. I don't know if you guys are into Legos but if you are serious SW fans and want the ultimate Star Wars playset consider getting one. But theyre in the $400.00 range these are a few years old and you know how those damned collectors can be. lol If you guys have any questions about the playset let me know since I helped build it.

[@Harpfrmhel]

Technically the infamous Masters of the Universe "Slime Pitt" should have been a She-Ra playset. I'm not sure how many boys realize this because I don't think a lot of boys watched She-Ra, but Hordak and The Evil Horde were all She-Ra's main antagonists, not He-Man's. Hordak was to She-Ra what Skeletor was for He-Man. For some reason every She-Ra figure was female except for Bo. All of She-Ra's villains were released under the Masters of the Universe brand, except for Catra. I think when I was little that my brother and me were some of the only boys who even had She-ra figures. We had a lot of He-Man action figures and our sentiment was that having She-ra toys made perfect sense because She-ra sort of existed in the same realm as He-man and even had that one episode where they met.

[@JamesKenobi1138]

Also, I was surprise you didn't mention the 'Darth Vader Stardestroyer' from the Kenner ESB toy line.

[@actionjackman]

Great show guys!

[@fdfkjow]

you guys are awesome

[@WolvesInferno]

Fantastic presentation. You mentioned all the great playsets that I remember. The only thing is I wish you had talked more about 'Boulder Hill'. It's the only playset as far as I know that has licensed car parts on it like 'STP', Champion and Penzoil. It's also one of the few playsets that transforms in something else. The only thing I don't like about it is that there are no rooms inside it.

[@josephzanabria9369]

amazing video !

[@phillipdry3696]

Damn You two look good as Han And Leia!!!!!

[@jdigitalseven7]

I used to have that 1989 batcave with box..shouldn't have gotten rid of it as a teenager

[@vasili1207]

I had the hall of justice only remember what its called by seeing your videos....

[@benjaminbrunson4805]

Why would you say there was never a Cloud City playset? Is this judgment based solely on the standard-sized figures? One of my all-time favorite sets growing up was the Bespin playset that came with half a dozen or more miniature pre-painted metal figures. It had an incredible freezing chamber, two or three locations where the lightsaber fighting took place (one of which hurled Luke through a breaking window), the location for the "I am your father" scene, and was just boat-loads of fun! I believe Kenner did a handful of various miniature Star Wars playsets that year (I don't recall the exact year but it was very shortly after the release of Jedi).

[@jaws5dog]

Speaking of 1980's playsets, the one I didnt notice on your list was 'Eagle Island' from EAGLE FORCE. It was a not so great rip off of GI JOE but I loved it for about 2 months and I got Eagle Island for Christmas 1982. I loved it!!!!!! Any memories of that one????

[@SteelbeastsCavalry]

Guys! You've got to review the HUGE Constructicon Devastator set that has been released in comparison to the original G1! Melinda, if you love Voltron, you'll love this!

[@maxbrandt6]

Melinda is such a cool woman!

[@steveganschow9451]

Didn't Ft. Kerium get released as two play sets? the original without the "laser tag style light" capabilities, and the second version with it? Just found your videos, great job keep up the good work.

[@jeremysnead9233]

You should check out Mantech Play-set by Remco. My older brother got the terror Drome the year before. My dad was sick of us fighting over it so I got the Battlesation Laser II.

[@GarouLady]

That was so cool. I am glad you guys put up these videos for those of us who can't go to these conventions. My brother and I use to play with his GI Joe mobile command. My little ponies didn't have a house, they got to play in the mobile command center, LOL. I actually think we still have that. Unfortunately its behind our garage buried. I am so tempted to see if its still back there still. and Where was that ewok family hut when I was growing up? Forget it being a preschool thing. I would have been playing with that as a teenager. sorry folks but I didn't like Barbie (I know Gasp!). I played with G1 Transformers, GI Joes and MLP. Anyone know what the Ewok Family Hut is going for now?? Currently looking for a decepticon he was an alligator/crocodile transformer,(forgot the name) and Laserbeak. Thank you so much for the video. that was a great walk down memory lane.

[@jboypacman]

Another great one guys.

[@mattsimmons5148]

I can't get enough playset talk! I know this is more recent than what you guys really have interest in, but do you have an opinion on the new Ninja Turtles sewer lair from the Nickelodeon show?

[@AllBreaksLoose]

I had the secret wars tower of doom. Worked great as a cobra base

[@michaelcabrera794]

I don't like this video because it made me buy a Transformers S.T.A.R.S. Command Mail-In exclusive (1985), Castle Grayskull and Eternia playsets all within a 1 week period. (and I'm on the verge of buying a Cobra Terror Drome.) Damn you Retroblast for making great videos!

[@ArabKatib]

@ 22:09 . .LMAO!!! She killed me!

[@edwinsmith-jones6205]

Probably produced too early to be covered in this panel, as it's mid 70's, the (12" scale) G.I.Joe/Action-man Training tower was petty impressive size wise.

[@adamw9030]

I've thought that the 'furniture fetish' of "girls playsets" was caused by fear and doubt of the manufacturers: "for girls, we can't stray _that_ far from a traditional DOLL'S HOUSES can we?"

[@Jedi3671]

Mike and Melinda this was a great video! Made me feel like I was there at the Con! I am a Star Wars and G.I. Joe guy. Really great stuff

[@josepablolunasanchez1283]

I did regret not having the Millenium Falcon and AT-AT in the 1980s because it was unaffordable. But in 2010 magic happened and Hasbro did better ones.

[@boeingnz]

10:00 it's on youtube: Crystar The Crystal Meth Warrior | Robot Chicken | Adult Swim

[@mongrel-starcomics.109]

Why don't you like Robin Hood:Prince of thieves? For me it's one of the best examples of an action/adventure like Indiana Jones and Romancing the stone.

[@viper575theviperiscoming4]

I guess i was the kid who played with the flagg. Oh the adventures. Not a table for me

[@jonnybaker9930]

I love your chanol

[@hosomi1833]

Why no ark playset for tf

[@jonnybaker9930]

I got the death star for crismas

[@RetroBlastingFan]

This was really great, guys (and gal)! I found this to be really entertaining and thorough. NICE JOB!!!

[@jayfkncool4258]

common people u think this videos are from newbies u can tell this guys are pro, not like all this clowns on the net they dont even know how to talk pay attention to what they say why they do the art of retro anyways mike when can u do tigersharks ljn toys please reply i saw ur pics on facebook cool ones and this video about playsets kick ass congrats to u melinda and ur team