Arrr! We're taking to the high seas maties, to shiver our
timbers and scrub our poop decks. That's because we've been weighing anchor
with a new addition from Playmobil, the Remote Control Pirate Ship. So set sail
ye scurvy dogs, as we test the bejesus
out of it, right the way down to Davy
Jones' Locker!
Playmobil, those stalwart toy makers, is a company whose products we haven't played with since we were kids ourselves . We can happily report that not much has changed since the play sets we had in the '80s, but now that most of us are parents we were keen to see how Playmobil held up against the might of our own children.
The Remote Control Pirate Ship is, thankfully, an actual toy
ship. By that we mean that the included underwater motor can be completely
detached leaving the ship as a play set in its own right. At the end of the
day, remote control boats are only usable when the weather is fair, and the
thing about British weather...
So first, the ship. There's lots of detail here with play
features such as a storage hold (for ye booty, me hearties), cannons that
actually shoot, and lovely black and flexible sails. Included also are three
figures; a captain, the first mate, and a wee lad to shimmy up the mast to the crow’s
nest. The piratical trio come complete with accessories like swords, a treasure
chest (with treasure), shovels, an anchor and other bits and bobs.
So in terms of playing, the kids will adore this. There's
plenty going on to recreate all manner of Pirate adventures, and that's before
we've even taken it outside.
The included twin-prop motor clips onto the underside of the
Pirate Ship when you and the kids are ready to set sail (it also says it can attach
to other Playmobil boats, but we've not tried that). It hangs down quite low
from the ship and does a good job of keeping it upright and stable in the
water. One note on that: most baths will be far too small for this thing, so
get inflating the paddling pool or head to the nearest pond.
The remote control itself is well laid out and clearly built
with little hands in mind. The controls couldn't be easier, with one stick
handling the throttle (which gets the ship going quite gently) while the other
manages the rudder. It's the kind of thing that really doesn't require much
practice at all, and although the recommended ages are 7-12, we had a three
year old confidently captaining at one point (and a vicious hound she was, the
scourge of the local park's pond, the botherer of ducks, the destroyer of lilly
pads).
We really love the Playmobil Remote Control Pirate Ship, but
not nearly as much as the kids did. You get two toys in one here; an
accessory-laden play set complete with figures, and an outdoor RC toy that will
work for hours at a time. Making the motor detachable is a genius move on
Playmobil's part, and people who own other Playmobil boats will be able to use
it with those.
An awesome toys, for both the wee ones and mum and dad.
Arrr!
£59.99
