Reindeer Games Rudolph

So I was in Toys R Us the other day when I came across some Christmas merchandise, specifically for Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer.

Like most everyone, I love the special it was based on.  Is it my favorite Christmas special?  No: Charlie Brown and The Grinch both have it beat, and there are two or three other Rankin/Bass stop motion productions that I think are at least as good.  But Rudolph also has a special place in my heart.

"Reindeer Games Rudolph" is one of several figures produced by "Forever Fun," a company I know next to nothing about... but am interested to see more of.  There were several other figures in the same line, and I'm planning on picking up at least one or two others.

Appearance: 7 out of 10


Rudolph's score is dragged down by the articulation and the battery compartment - not that I'm complaining.  Well, okay, so I am complaining, but what do you expect from a review?  I'll make it up to Rudolph when we get to the "Play and Display" section.

The knee joints do hurt the over all look a bit - not that I'd trade them, but that's later.  Likewise, the panel and screws on Rudolph's stomach are visible.

Other than that, he's a good approximation of the character.  The head sculpt looks fine, and the proportions look right.

I should add that you want to take a close look at what you're buying before you buy it: some of these had problems with the paint application for the mouth.  I found a few that were fine and a few that weren't: just look closely at the figure and choose one that looks like it should.

Packaging and Extras: +2

The package is attractive enough, though it appears a bit generic.  There's an opening in the pack, so you can try out Rudolph's nose.  I could do without this, though, since it means children could have run down the battery.  I like the inclusion of other figures from the same line on the back, though, especially since I'm still deliberating which others to pick up:


I also want to draw your attention to another aspect of the packaging.  Instead of using twist ties to keep Rudolph in place, Forever Fun has developed plastic fasteners which loosen or tighten.  This means that the toy is secured and yet you can actually remove Rudolph WITHOUT HURTING YOURSELF.  It wasn't a huge detail, obviously, but it was a welcome surprise.

In terms of extras, Rudolph comes with quite a bit.  You get four woodland pals, a base, and a "nose cover": not too shabby at this price.

Lets start with the nose cover.  It works well, and the end result looks more or less identical to the look in the special.  It's not something I intend to use for display purposes, since I prefer him without it, but it's a nice detail that was well executed.  Just make sure you don't lose it: it's pretty small.

Next, there's the base, which isn't necessary for Rudolph to stand but does open up some additional posing possibilities.  The stand looks fine, nothing exceptional, but it certainly does the job.  I wish it was big enough to hold the woodland pals or, even better, if it opened and contained a spot you could fit the nose cover... but that would be asking an awful lot.

Finally, you get Rudolph's woodland pals: two rabbits and two raccoons.  I don't know where to begin: this is far above and beyond what I'd expect for a variety of reasons.  First of all, the quality of these little guys is impressive.  Rather than include two identical rabbits and raccoons, each is individually sculpted.  The paint work is better than you'd expect, as well: someone took pride is doing these right.

The sheer quantity alone here deserves acknowledgement: that the quality is likewise exceptional is a pleasant surprise.  I'm awarding Rudolph 2 bonus points for the base and accessories.

Play and Display: +2

The articulation on Rudolph is good, though somewhat limited.  The knees are connected by ball joints, but the joints connecting the legs to the body somewhat limit your options.  Likewise, the head can turn, but not as far as you might expect.  The tail isn't articulated, because it serves as a button for the light-up nose.

The package boasts that Rudolph is "super-poseable", which is an unusual description.  It's also fairly accurate: while Rudolph doesn't have a huge amount of articulation, he'll hold the pose you give him.  His base includes small pegs which fit into his feet, opening additional options.  You want him standing upright?  No problem!

In addition, Rudolph has a light-up nose.  Press on his tail, and it turns on.  Unfortunately it goes off the second you stop applying pressure.  I'd rather if it stayed on for a few seconds, but it's a minor complaint.  The light itself is bright red and looks great: well worth not having an articulated tail.


The accessories open up a range of display options, of course.  You can arrange the woodland pals however you see fit, use the base or not, and display him with black nose cover or red nose.

Between the options, the poseability, and the light-up nose, Rudolph is both a nice toy and a nice collectible.  I'm giving him an extra 2 points for this.  I'd have gone to 3 if he had a little more articulation, but that's being greedy.

Price Tag and Final Analysis: 10+/10

Over the last year we've seen prices increase across the board at toy stores.  Well, apparently someone forgot to send Forever Fun the memo, because Rudolph is selling for eight bucks.  That's not a clearance price or a sale: that's full retail.

And that's a good deal.  While this is clearly being marketed to a large audience, the quality of the figure and its accessories is on par with collectibles costing twice as much.  This is an excellent figure, and I'm thinking about picking up one or two more from this line.

I also want to add that while I'm picking these up as collectibles, they'd also be appreciated by kids who like the special.  The light up nose and accessories make it a great toy as well as a great display piece.

When all's said and done, Rudolph gets a score of 10+.  If you're a fan of the special, you owe it to yourself to check these out.

Any questions or comments can be directed to The Middle Room, my tribute to all things geek.