Toy Sheet Review of Spike the Ultra Dinosaur

While walking through Toys R' Us before Christmas this past year, my parents bought Spike the Ultra Dinosaur by Imaginex for our newly two-year-old to enjoy.  For weeks, our son had been ogling the dinosaur, which was enclosed in a glass case with a play button on the outside.  He would run up to the glass case, push the big red button, and stand back a couple of inches, shaking with excitement while Spike would growl and sniff and stomp.   We were happy he would finally have his dinosaur, and we had gotten out of buying it too, since grandma and grandpa fit the bill (whew).

At that time, Spike the Dinosaur was $139.95.  While that seemed like a bit of a reach, you could tell that Spike the Ultra Dinosaur was a well-made toy, worth the extra money.  When we got it home and snapped it together, we were so surprised to find just how solid this toy is!  Our two year old can not break it.  Sure, he could break it if he were to throw it, but he can't throw it because he can barely lift it.  :)

As for appearance, Spike the Ultra Dinosaur has it all.  It has a tough plastic exterior with spikes that run down it's back, some of which light up.  The lights are covered with heavy plastic so that they won't break easily.  The eyes open and close, the tail bends to  prevent breaking, the neck, jaw, legs, and mouth also move, which help Spike not to break when in a tight corner.  Another feature that is very handy for keeping Spike in working order is the automatic shut off feature, which allows Spike to power down when he can no longer move forward.  This feature has saved Spike on numerous occasions while our two-year old son learned about cause and effect and how to use the remote control.

Maybe Spike the Ultra Dinosaur seems to be over priced, but once you witness the quality of the toy, you will be happy with your purchase.

Imaginex thought of everything when designing Spike.  When spike is activated, he breathes and lights up. You can make him pick up objects in the room, get down on all fours and beg, stand on two legs and roar, or even "cock-a-doodle doo" like a rooster!  There is a music option, which makes spike a little less scary for toddlers, and a bit more interesting too.  If you put something in his mouth while he is busy doing something else, he might go "peh" and spit the object out.   If he's not busy with something else, you can get Spike to carry the item around the room indefinitely.

So, would I buy it again?  Absolutely.  After seeing the quality of Spike the Ultra Dinosaur, I'm now a big fan of Imaginex and will buy more of their toys this coming holiday season.  I'm sure our son will approve as well.

See a video of Spike the Ultra Dinosaur in action: