Minecraft is one of the most successful video games around, so it’s hardly surprising that Jazwares has an extensive toy line inspired by the characters and creatures from Mojang’s open world video game. Jazwares’ line shares the same retro visual style as the game, which is highly geometric and unique to say the least, and now it’s back with an all-new second series of action figures and plush.
One of my favorites among the plush dolls is Baby Ocelot, which may not resemble an actual ocelot—baby or otherwise—so much as an 8-bit rendition of the South American wild cat. Yet Minecraft aficionados should find Baby Ocelot to be more than a fair approximation of the blocky feline they’ve grown to love, respect, and possibly even train during the course of their games. The plush has the same appealingly bright-yellow exterior, not to mention such fine details as spots along its body—which of course, resemble pixelization—and legs that are stubby, but manage to hold the doll upright just fine. Compared to specimens from Jazwares’ first series of Minecraft plush, Baby Ocelot is quite possibly the company’s cutest creation yet, even with a face largely dominated by squares.
Meanwhile, Baby Ocelot hits all the right buttons as plush, thanks to soft texture and squeezability that makes it suitable for comforting even the youngest Minecraft players.
Anyone who has read my review of the first series of Minecraft toys knows that I especially loved the action figures, what with their fascinating details and functional designs. I have the same affection for Jazwares’ second series; specifically, the new Steve with Diamond Armor, in which the player avatar is doffed in one of the most durable substances in the game’s universe. The base figure resembles the first series’ Steve, with the same poseable head, arms, waist, and legs. It also comes with cool accessories, such as a sword with jagged edges, making it look fresh out of an old school video game, a block, as well as my favorite, a square-shaped helmet that easily fits his square-shape head.
Like the aforementioned plush, the Steve with Diamond Armor figure looks a lot like its digital counterpart. Just as important, it is surprisingly easy to pose upright, even when made to look like he’s walking or charging. Overall, Jazwares’ latest Minecraft items are as faithful to the hit game as its initial series. They can help young players carry on their imaginative adventures away from the TV or computer monitor, while giving older players a series of licensed objects worthy of collecting and displaying.
This product and more from Jazwares will be on display at The Big Toy Book’s Sweet Suite 14 event in New York City on July 17. Part of Blogger Bash, a two-day conference connecting bloggers and brands nationwide, Sweet Suite will feature the hottest toys and games for the upcoming holiday season. Visit thebigtoybook.com for more info, and follow the conversation on Twitter!
