James Spence

Last month, those super people at Toys R Us asked me to review the Playmobil Top Agents Detection Jet, a metal-detecting spy plane with secret agent character.  I liked it!  So, as a follow-up, I have now been asked to review the Playmobil Top Agents Gangster Lab, a villain’s lair where sinister ne’er-do-wells can experiment with robotics, chemicals and science!  It’s a bit like the Batcave, but for baddies.

The toy is full of little bits and bobs and while I’m sure it is inevitable that a few pieces may get lost or sucked up into the vacuum cleaner, it’s great to have so much to play with.

The torch is really fascinating.  It works by pumping the handle at the side, making me wonder how many other battery-eating toys could be powered in other ways?  Hmm… if only they could make a remote controlled car powered by toy reviews.  Seriously though, the torch works brilliantly and with the UV stickers and light-up robot station, demonstrates just how well thought-out this range is.

The villain figure supplied with the set looks delightfully sinister, with white hair and glasses like Andy Warhol would, if he had pursued world domination instead of pop art.  Assembling the robots is great fun and takes full advantage of the fact that Playmobil is a construction toy.  In this case, the building of the robot is both part of the play scenario and part of the way Playmobil works!

This toy goes to show that often Baddies have the coolest stuff!

 Playmobil Top Agents Gangster Lab is available from Toys R Us