Jurassic Park Series 1: Triceratops

Year of release: 1993

Accessories:

-Removable Dino Damage wound patch

-Collector’s Card #10 (alternate card (#63) for 1994 re-release)

Description: this big Triceratops figure is the second largest figure in the JPS1 toy line: only the Electronic T-Rex beats it qua size. It measures some 30 centimetres in length and stands in a walking mode with its left hind leg and right front leg posed backward. The rest of the sculpt takes on a neutral posture. Like the other big dinosaurs of this toy line it features “realistic” dinosaur skin, made of softer and more flexible material than regular hard plastic. All of the figure except for the head and lower legs is made of this material, including the removable dino damage wound patch located on the right flank. Removing the skin patch reveals bones and red muscle tissue underneath. Triceratops also features a genuine action feature: squeezing its torso makes its large head move upward as if the creature is giving a head butt defending itself from a predator with its impressive horns. A large button is located underneath the skin around the left shoulder area to activate this attack option.

This figure sports a mostly dark brownish green paint job (though a common variation exists which is more brighter green instead) with darker green stripes running from its back down the flanks, tail and legs. The lower parts of the body (belly, underside of the tail, throat, lowest part of the lower jaw, insides of the legs) are coloured bright green instead. The figure has rather a short tail. Trike’s body and frill are covered in small oval lumps, sporting the same paint job as the skin. Triceratops’ hallmark, one small thick horn on the nose and two elongated ones above the eyes, as well as a large round frill covered in tiny horns on the back of the head, are well established on this figure. All horns (19 in total on the frill) are coloured beige. Trike also features a large parrot like beak (no different paint job) and small yellow eyes with black pupils. The claws on its feet aren’t painted in a different colour. On its right lower hind leg a large beige JP logo is found with the number .08 next to it.

Analysis: this is one of the best large dinosaurs of the first toy lines and an absolute classic Triceratops toy many will always carry a warm place in their hearts for. Though it has a somewhat dull and monochromatic paint job it has wonderful soft skin and a cool action feature (unlike the Stegosaurus and Young T-Rex figures, which are much lacking in the action department). The animal’s skin is quite detailed up close, though the paint job could have used more work in that area (a real shame the beak and claws aren’t coloured differently from the skin).

Like the other big dinosaurs (apart from the large Electronic Rex) of this line this figure carries a removable dino damage skin patch, revealing a bloody mess underneath. The patch itself doesn’t look fake (like the Young T-Rex’s) but more like a randomly torn out piece of skin some nasty big carnivore bit out of the poor herbivore. It is easy to remove due to a small piece of its skin sticking out and can also be put back with no difficulty.

This Trike is equipped with a great attack action feature, which is all the more welcome because of the lack of such an option on most other big dinosaurs of the first toy lines. Squeezing the creature’s shoulders and thus pressing the button underneath the left shoulder makes the head rear up forcefully. It’s enough to knock most human figures and smaller dinosaurs down, and can also be used to flip over cars and bigger dinosaurs in combat. It works and looks great, except for one minor downside; the mechanism activating the attack action is too exposed under the figure’s neck, making it look too artificial. It would have helped if there was a flexible stretch of dinosaur skin to make the neck run inside the figure’s head as well, but because it’s such a neat action feature it’s only a small complaint.

This big Triceratops is an excellent sculpt with the best head butting action of all the JP dinosaur figures. Since the TLWS2 Triceratops figure, which would also have featured such an attack option and would have been about equally large, didn’t get released this is really the most successful and appealing Trike figure of all the JP toy lines, and one of Kenner’s finest accomplishments.

Playability: good enough, despite a lack of poseable body parts. The position of the legs, though not neutral, doesn’t hinder the creature. The head butt is a great action feature which is easy to use and rather powerful as well. The dino damage also adds to the playability, as does the flexible skin. Trike is also very good for use in dioramas.

Realism: the shape and size of the beast’s head make it unmistakably a Triceratops. The roundness of the frill also sets it apart from most of its closest Ceratopsian relatives which featured differently shaped frills. However, the frill on this Trike is somewhat small compared to the rest of the face. The horns above the eyes could also have been made a bit longer, though they’re not bad the way they are. Overall this is a good representation of the famous Triceratops, with a decent likeness to the one seen in the JP movie except for the different paint job (green instead of brown).

Repaint: as part of the first JP toy line this figure is not repainted in any way. It would not be repainted for later toy lines either.

Overall rating: 8/10. A good sculpt with a great attack feature, nice soft skin and a funky dino damage wound, what more could you want (except a more elaborate paint job maybe)? This toy is definitely worth purchasing and fortunately not hard or costly to find (even MIB) after all these years since its release.