Distribution:
Hasbro, 1993 (Series I)
Hasbro, 1994 (Series II)

Introduction

In 1993 Kenner Parker received license from Amblin Entertainment to manufacture toys for the blockbuster hit film Jurassic Park. Just like the movie, the toys themselves quickly made history. Unequivocally one of Kenner's most successful lines, the toys generated massive sales, and flew from store shelves like no other. The action figures were, at the time, revolutionary, rendering them the talk of the toy industry, and proving once and for all that there is a reason for every success.

Of all the toys to be released for the Jurassic Park line (easily recognized thanks to the JP logo) none were as impressive as the larger dinosaur figures. Using innovative molding techniques to create amazingly realistic skin textures, coupled with incredible paintjobs, Kenner managed to create instant classics. To this day, many fans and collectors alike regard the originals as the best, and perhaps most beautiful.

The toy-line was split into two series; the first being released from March through December, and the second from January through October (coinciding with the release of the motion picture to home video). Series I was released nearly worldwide, but unfortunately due to constraints the second series was, for the most part, a United States exclusive. On top of that, series II was released in much smaller numbers, and therefore these toys are not as common.

Human Figures

Five human figures were released in series I; each approximately 4 inches in height, and articulated at the neck, arms, hips and legs. Although their likeness was not all that great, the toys were still topnotch thanks to excellent craftsmanship. Each toy came with a weapon, a collector's card sporting Brain Franczak's artwork, and a small dinosaur hatchling. The five figures were later re-released in 1994, and redesigned to resemble the actors from the movie a great deal more.

With the second wave of toys to hit retailers came an additional twelve human figures. Each came with completely new collectors cards featuring fun dino-facts, (the artwork was switched to real-life movie stills) and new PVC dinosaurs. Some were simple updates to previous toys, while five others were an entirely whole new concept. These were dubbed 'Dino Trackers' and 'Evil Raiders'. None of the humans included in this line appeared in the film, and evidently they were only produced to add to the overall fun factor of the toys.

Dinosaurs

Just like the dinosaurs were the main focus of the movie, the dinosaur figures were also the main attention drawers of the toyline. Luckily, in their creation Kenner Toys took into account that some people are allergic to a natural rubber called latex. This was commonly used to construct everything from toothbrushes to toys. In regard for kids' safety, Kenner decided to make their toys entirely of polyester fiber. This would ensure the products were safe to play with.

Eleven dinosaur figures were released in series I, and an additional eleven new ones in series II (three were simple repaints). Most were just straightforward dinosaur replicas, but the remaining others had integrated features that would allow them to make electronic sounds, move limbs, and snap their jaws. Some toys also came with 'Battle Damage' bite-marks. This would allow kids to remove pieces of skin from the figures, which sequentially would reveal the flesh and bone underneath. The presence of this feature allowed children to re-enact key scenes from the movie.

Vehicles and Playsets

Altogether six vehicles (three for each series) and one playset were released. The first series consisted of two Jeeps, one helicopter, and the huge compound. Series II came with vehicles specially designed for the Dino Trackers/Evil Raiders line. All of the cars could perform several actions, from firing tranquilizers, missiles, and blood samplers, to capturing dinosaurs. The effect-laden toys also had unique break-away parts that resembled dinosaur damage.

Because series II was never as extensively distributed as series I, some of the toys have become very rare. A good example of this is the Capture Cruiser, which is considered to be the rarest Jurassic Park toy ever produced.

Prototypes and Bootlegs

In general, none of the Jurassic Park toys are as rare as the prototypes. Prototypes are early models that never made it to the later stages of production, and were thus unreleased. There are various reasons for this, like productions costs, retail value, popularity, and so forth. For instance, an enormous brachiosaurus toy was planned for the series I release, but was scrapped because of its size. It would be hard to play with, but more than that it would take up too much space in store shelves. Another toy is the 1993 Gulper T. rex. This dinosaur was never released due to its cost, which, at about $26.99 in United States currency, was deemed to be too cheap. Yet another toy was the John Hammond action figure, which was never released to the public as Kenner believed the elderly figure would not be especially popular, and as a result not sell too well.

Bootlegs are illegal rip-offs of the actual product. A Jurassic Park logo on the package might convince buyers the toys were the actual thing, but these were usually cheap replicas which were illicitly produced and distributed. Usually they were manufactured and sold in foreign countries, but some were imported into the United States. Each legitimate Jurassic Park figure came with a unique ID number and JP logo stamped into the figure, usually underneath or on the sides. This helped buyers recognize genuine toys from their unlawful counterpart. Bootlegs can still be found in flea markets, among other places.

An unknown number of bootlegs were produced, but there were quite a few prototypes that eventually made their way into collectors' hands. These were normally sold at auctions for a huge price. There are about fifteen know prototypes in existence for the entire Jurassic Park toyline, which include two figures made completely out of die-cast metal.