TMNT Gets Another Big Hit With Rat King & Cockroach Terminator

The latest TMNT figures bring a pair of short-packed bad guys that add to the diverse lineup of Turtle adversaries.

Playmates’ TMNT toy line is rolling on, and by all counts remains one of the biggest successes in the toy aisles.  Figures fly on and off the shelves at lightning speed, and the toymakers have been releasing a new set every 3-4 months like clockwork.  The availability and diversity of the line makes it a joy to collect, especially when the figures are as cool looking as the two latest villain figures, The Rat King and Cockroach Terminator.

The two bad guys are both based on the hit Nickelodeon series, and make great additions to the toy series.  Rat King, one of the oldest villains the Turtles have faced over the years, has had many wildly different appearances in his history.  The current look of the lord of the sewer rats is pretty creepy, with his tattered black robes and hat, scraggily hair and bandaged face and body.  Like the best of the new TMNT, I appreciate his design now, but he harkens back to the exact kind of creature that would have terrified AND fascinated me as a kid.  The nostalgia factor remains very high here.

The Rat King figure is pretty good– he looks great, an excellent rendition of the cartoon villain, and he’s sculpted with rats draped on his shoulders and arm, which looks great.  But he gets the short end of the stick when it comes to articulation, with the very limited, pre-posed legs that have plagued many of the TMNT figures.  With a little doing, he can still stand fine, and his accessories– a white rat and his walking stick– add a lot to the figure.

Cockroach Terminator is a new character in TMNT continuity, and his figure looks just like the cartoon version.  He’s bulky and has a very interesting shape, with his husk-like back shell, big sloping arms and half-robotic antennae.  I wish he had been slightly bigger overall to be more accurate (like the previously released Leatherhead) but he looks so good I can’t complain if he clocks in a little too small.

The Terminator includes a buzz saw tendril which feeds through his abdomen, allowing it to extend and contract and move slightly in a small circular pattern.  It’s a fun piece, but it’s a bummer that without it in place, there’s a giant hole in this guy’s stomach.

I love how unique the mutant designs have been in the new TMNT, and some of the brand new characters like Cockroach Terminator and Snakeweed feel like designs that would fit in perfectly with the vintage toys.  I’m very impressed by what Playmates has done with this dormant property in the span of just one year, and the latest series with these two villains should keep that winning streak going.  Toys R Us is currently releasing this latest assortment, including both bad guys as well as the new Stealth Tech Turtles figures.  And they’re getting a LOT of them, so check your local store to track down these TMNT toys!