14 Awesome Toys We Saw at Walmart (This Week)

Every once in a while, it’s important to take a break from Toy News reporting and make some time for toy listicles. One of my favorite things to do is just walk around stores and sort of take pictures and make note of all the weird and interesting toys I see. In fact, my last article surrounding this topic was also a trip to Walmart. And you know what? Even though all of the items in these articles aren’t necessarily brand-new to the store this week, sometimes it’s helpful for readers who haven’t been out in a little bit see all the hotness that’s happening in the toy world.

So, without further adieu, I present to you Toy Wizard’s list of the 14 most awesome (or interesting) toys we saw at Walmart (this week!)

14) Star Wars Action Figures

The packaging design and general aesthetic of these Star Wars figures are very attractive to me. The cylindrical boxes caught my attention, even if they look like iPod boxes. In a world where I’m sort of tired of seeing the black boxes (but very much enjoy the retro Kenner packaging) these action figures caught my eye in a good way.

13) LOOK AT ALL THE PLUG AND PLAYS

Licensed plug and play systems have been around for years now, but I feel like toy designers have finally tapped into a little secret; we want the systems to actually look like the old systems. Which means that we don’t want simple remote controls that plug into the TV. We’re hungry for MINI systems! Between the NES and SNES classics, the new Playstation classic, the Commodore keyboard that’s at GameStop, and this neat looking Atari machine, I think we can agree that it’s the attractive and charming aesthetic of these classic machines that help make them not only pluggable play items, but truly display/shelf items!

And seriously, the day Taito comes out with some sort of controller device, even though I have both Taito Collections for PS2, I will freakoutscream and purchase them all over again, because obsessed collector.

12) The Joker Funhouse Playset (For Hot Wheels)

I don’t even care what this thing does. I look at it, and to me it’s directly out of the old Beetlejuice cartoon, which makes my gross-out 90s kid sensibilities tingle with spew-laden joy. Because…you know…everything barfed in the 90s.

Asymmetrical, green, purple, yellow, black, and white. That’s it! That’s all you need to go back in time! You have the Toy Wizard’s secret in your hands.

11) Hollywood Rides Ecto-1

I don’t have a lot of model cars just hanging around, but this one is so freaking charming. And honestly, with its $6 price tag, this Ecto-1 model car would look adorable on any shelf. I totally almost bought it, except for that whole ‘spent too much money on MOTU toys’, which you’ll see later in the list.

10) NERF Zombie Strike Ripchain

Look at this monster! I’m not sure what’s better, how turbo charged and huge it is, or the excellent packing and illustrations on it. It transports me back to a world of play where you have to do backflips and barrel rolls in order to save your yard from zombie attacks.

9) Mega Construx Masters of the Universe Five Pack

I freak out screamed when I saw this item. At my local Walmart, this toy is brand new fresh. However, I’ve been hearing reports that people have been seeing them sporadically for upward of two years. The Teela and Beast Man figures have been everywhere, ramming rampant at my local Five Below store, but the He-Man and Skeletor? No where. I picked up this set with unabashed enthusiasm and took it home with me.

8) Mega Construx Masters of the Universe Evil-Lyn and Man-At-Arms

No evil skeleton face man is complete without his beautiful woman, and therefore, I needed to bring a new-in-box Evil-Lyn home with me. Now, I personally already have this Evil-Lyn on my desk because I love her, but it was a gift from a friend. This is the first I’m seeing her showing up in Walmart regularly. She and Man-At-Arms also came home with me.

7) Mega Construx Masters of the Universe Windraider Attack

Look at this packaging. Look at it! I saw this and I was immediately transported to a new world where war planes existed in Medieval times, the same as Ninjas exist in G.I. Joe. It doesn’t matter why, it’s just good! Mega Construx is killing it with these MOTU toys, and this little number came home with me as well. I’m so excited to see these toys showing up at Walmart; like I’d said, they may have been bopping around for a while, but this is the absolute first I’m seeing them at my local stores.

6) Adventure Force Astrobot

I continue to love and enjoy Walmart’s Adventure Force line of toys. From the robots to the roaring dinosaurs, I just get the biggest kick out of them. I feel like if they drop under $10, they will find a place in my collection, because there’s something about them that I find appealing. I have no shame saying that. Funny enough, this one in particular is called an Astrobot, and the color pallet is very similar to the Astro Megazord from Power Rangers In Space.

See? Totes cousins.

5) Disney Princess Latte Machine

Forget your EZ Bake Oven of yesteryear– make mommy coffee! While this item is for imaginary play and doesn’t really make coffee, something about it just makes me laugh. If kids my age were given Play Doh McDonald’s sets to really engrain that addiction and brand recognition, then getting kids ready for coffee at an early age is nothing short of…well…comedy!

4) Magical S&M Fairy Girl

With that rope around her neck, it really gives new meaning to the word Dungeon Master.

3) Kid Connection ‘Style My Hair Ponies’

I was personally never into My Little Ponies as a kid. I preferred playing with humanoid and robot toys. But there’s something that just delights me about seeing off-brand or bootleg toys in a national store. While you normally have to go all the way to China Town for delights like these, Walmart brings the humor and convenience of smug-faced horsies right to our back yard.

I can’t tell you how long I stood in front of this one, waiting for it to turn its head and bite me.

2) Battle of the Pigs: Peppa vs. Miss Piggy

Whomever set these two pop culture piglets on the shelf next to each other were damn geniuses. I’ve written about the mania surrounding ducks in pop culture, but it never occurred to me until now that the next battle on the dance floor is pig versus pig. Miss Piggy has tenure. Peppa gives children British accents. Both are cranky, bossy girls. Which Queen of Fighters will reign supreme?!?!

Don’t you think for a second I wasn’t ready to pull these ladies off the shelf and act out a Battle Royal Bacon-Style right in the middle of that store.

1) Jurassic Rex