REVIEW: Playmobil Wiltopia

Review and Photos By Andy Jones

Playmobil has launched a whole new theme, centered on ecology and preservation. But it’s not just new playsets and animals. Playmobil takes the plunge and used a whole new plastic composition and packaging. While your klickys are saving the Earth, you are making an impact as well.

Each set in the Wiltopia theme focuses on a different region. They feature animals and scientists studying or helping the ecosystem in that area. I love the ocelot and kittens with the large lodge. There’s a great variety of sets and activities. While the Animal Care Station (71007) is huge and full of accessories, I think my favorite was the Research Tower (71088), it comes with a ton of animals including two howler monkeys.

This set the explorers get their own drone! There’s even a remote control.

This roof features a removable compass that your kid can use in their own exploration. That’s not the only role-playing feature these sets boast. Each of these playsets comes with a collector card that has facts and a real-life photo of an animal included in the set. There’s a QR code on the card that can be scanned for more facts and you can even take a selfie with that animal seemingly next to you thanks to VR. I love that there are some fun educational elements organically mixed in to encourage some learning along the way.

This theme also has a nontraditional playset that I really enjoyed. The Rainforest Nightlight 71009 appears to be a basic rainforest-themed diorama in the light, but turn off the lights and activate the nightlight and the scene comes alive with soothing jungle sounds. The lights in the base illuminate the designs etched into the clear plastic. A jungle kitten and the moon appear in the glow and give the scene some depth. You also get two explorer klickys so there is not just a passive display.

71010 Boat Trip to the Manatees has a boat that floats with a special bed that the manatee can rest on. The kit comes with veterinarian instruments. I love the sheet of decals of band-aids and bandages that you can apply. You get a manatee and two calves. Since playmobil is using 80% post-consumer recycled materials to produce this theme, there are new materials that we’re not used to. There’s a large lilypad that floats, and the many of the female klickys across the theme have a soft foam skirts.

The flagship playset of this theme is 71007 Animal Care Station. This lodge features three levels plus a dock and ground level animal pens. So I guess that’s four levels? I love that there’s tons to do and play with the interior and exterior. On the interior there’s an upper level with an aviary. The main level has medical equipment that lights up including an X-Ray viewer and a “heat lamp” for the young animals that need to kep warm.. There’s a hatch that the vets can drop food into the tapir’s pen. There’s a separate pen for the ocelots. I love the small details such as a clip for the key ring and small signs for the pens as well as the

I also love the ocelots. There’s a mom and two kittens. The detail is fantastic, but they still fit the playmobil design aesthetic. I love the soft rubber flexible cone that you can put on the mom ocelot. There’s also a bunch of baby bottles for feeding the kittens. There’s some lovely meat bits you can feed them with too.

The front dock has a small boat you can tie up, and a platform for hoisting supplies to the upper levels. Its also great for display.

I like the light-up features and tons of accessories and tools that come with this set. There are thousands of adventures you could get with this one set alone. However, there’s a whole series of individually packaged animals that you can add on with.

We got to check out the tiger and the panda bear. The tiger comes with some meat you can put in his mouth and the panda came with a patch of bamboo. There’s mazes and puzzles printed on the inside of the recyclable packaging, as well as collector cards that feature photos and QR codes. There’s a whole line of animals you can pick up to add to your sets.

I appreciate that Playmobil is trying new things to be more ecologically responsible. The open packaging of the individual animals solves the problem of plastic bubbles, and lets you see and touch the toy. There is a subtle difference in the feel of the plastic. The consumer can be reassured by being able to touch and feel it first. There are a few growing pains here and there, as with anything new. One of the trees in the aviary didn’t completely fill the mold and is missing some branches. I’ve also found that the yellow system X connectors didn’t have quite the satisfying “click” when putting it together. The pillars under the lodge popped out a lot when I was putting it together. Once I got it together, it stayed in place.

We’ve seen other toy companies address the need to be more environmentally responsible in their packaging and production. I really appreciate Playmobil’s foray and think they’re making great strides along the path of becoming sustainable. I like how their introductory line mirrors the care and conservation that we can be, should be doing, in real life. I also liked how the sets represent different regions of the world and didn’t just focus on one area.

I had fun with these sets and don’t see it as a fad or horrible misstep in delivering fun, educational, collectible products. I feel like there’s something here for everyone. Collectors, kids, parents, and educators.

-Review and Photos By Andy Jones
-Review Samples Courtesy of Playmobil

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