Thank you to Playmobil for sending us a sample remote control pirate ship for us to base this review upon. All opinions expressed are our own.
We receive toys to review several times throughout the year. You would think that when we review the toy, we just watch the kids play and interact with the toy and take notes for the review, but we don't. The truth is that my kids aren't allowed to get anywhere near the toys until I have played with them first! Any excuse I can have to play with toys is welcome. “Sure I will review that toy….”
Playmobil sent us the Pirates Ship with RC Underwater Motor to try out and review. I will admit I was excited to get my grubby hands on this one, likely more than any other toy we have reviewed. And we have reviewed some amazing toys.
The Pirates ship comes in a giant box and all of the parts are separated and bagged nicely. I love how Playmobil boxes are large enough to assemble your toys in, reducing the chance of lost parts.
At first, the assembly seemed a little bit intimidating (some kits are complex), but the ship came together fairly easily. My 10 year old son was able to help with just about everything.
One aspect of the build was a bit hard and would have kept a child from assembling the ship alone. The rigging definitely requires an adult. To rig the ship you must carefully measure and cut string and then tie the pieces in a very particular way. Honestly, there may be some adults who would find it not so easy, but the detail of the rigging is wonderful when done and really adds to the impressiveness of the ship. The total build time with rigging was under 45 minutes, half of which was the rigging.
Like with all Playmobil sets, this RC Pirates Ship was designed with many fun details. For example, the anchor has a perch and can be lowered down into the water with a crank. There's also a hideaway for a treasure chest that is can be filled with golden doubloons, chalices, and other treasure. The three included figures, came with a whole slew of swords, pistols, and more.
The ship looks fantastic, but how well does it work? . . . A great deal better than I was expecting. The ship moves faster than I expected and can turn in a much tighter radius than I would have guessed. Reverse is lethargic, but that didn't bother me at all. Masted pirate ships don't go in reverse in real life at all! The motor was also surprisingly quiet.
The kids had a blast playing with the ship in water (after it was pried from my hands). Our 4 year old nephew had no problem controlling the ship. The wireless controls are intuitive and responsive.
I don't think I have ever met a Playmobil toy I didn't like, but I certainly like the Pirates Ship with RC Underwater Remote the most so far. The kit is well designed, very high quality, and the play value is through the roof. The issue I had was not unexpected: The ship does not like rough or choppy water. It can handle a little bit, but this toy would not do well at the beach or a large lake, it really is for very small bodies of water like a pool or small fish pond. That being said, the kids had a blast making waves in the pool so that the members of the ship's crew would lose their balance and fall down, just as they imagined pirates would do on the rough seas.
This Playmobil RC Pirate Ship has tremendous play value. It can be played with outdoors in the water during the warmer months, but can also stand alone without the motor for indoor play. This would be the perfect toy to keep in mind for upcoming Holiday gifts. You can find out more about this and the other Playmobil pirate-themed toys at www.playmobil.us.
