By Jonathan Alexandratos

Ricky Gluski is a genius. His insights on articulation, toy history, and design are top-notch. What’s more, he clearly poured all of that (and more) into Plunderlings, the smash indie success that took Kickstarter by storm. I heard about them through Dan Larson’s “Secret Galaxy” YouTube channel, but I didn’t know how great they are until I played with them in person.

Turns out, Plunderlings have magnetic heads and hats, so they stay on. They make special minifigures so you can attach stray hands onto new bucks so you can have fresh figures. The colors pop. The toys tell the story of Ricky’s fantasy realm, springing forth from his experience in the Dominican Republic, imagining pirate characters making adventurous use of the surrounding waters. Check out his stuff:

Sometimes, Toy Fair is about seeing old faves. Sometimes, it’s about learning something new and becoming obsessed. Plunderlings have me hooked!