Monday, April 13, 2015

TARA TOYS: Dark Adventure Playset

Tara Toys released the Dark Adventure Playset in 1983.  The figures are actually mini versions of colorforms aliens and robots.  Only the cardboard pieces are really fantasy themed.  This playset is unique in that you roll out the playmat (hence the roll-a-mat logo).

*


These colorforms mini figures are rare and very valuable to colorforms collectors.

I'm not sure how Tara Toys thought these aliens and robots would make a fantasy theme playset, but I'm glad they tried.

*

The cardboard backgrounds and the roll-a-mat are really the only fantasy themed elements in this playset. 

*

This photo is taken from an ebay auction.

Photo from ebay auction.

10 comments:

  1. Shaun what would you value a set of the grey colorforms figures from this set at? I have someone interested in trading them but I want to make sure I don't over pay/trade.

    ReplyDelete
  2. The most I have see them sell for on ebay is around $9-10 each when sold individually. Some sellers ask a lot more of course. I only buy in lots and paid more like $5 each for most of mine. The gray ones from the Alien Attack playset are harder to find. I picked a lot of 12 of those once for around $80.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Yep. those of mini knockoffs of the first wave of Colourforms Outer Space Men from the 60's by the great Mel Birnkrant [ check out his site!]. I had them on the bubble cards in the 60's, the most beautiful card art I'd ever seen. Alas, like everything else, my parents chucked the whole lot out! Toy tragedy!

    The little orange robots, which you cover elsewhere as Moon Platoon, had many other names. Issued primarily by LP and others like Mikephil. They were included as tiny grey versions in a large box space set called Miniature Apollo Exploration Set from 1970, a mash-up of Imperial's Apollo Moon Exploring, some Major Matt Mason mini clones, Moon Platoon and Giant and LP astronauts chucked in too!
    <http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RsCCizsWvNw/TKXtMa59QWI/AAAAAAAALBI/tjv_G5mwUy0/s1600/hippo+exploration+set+ebay+sept+2010.jpg

    ReplyDelete
  4. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Great info in this article. Did this set not also include a set of 6 coloured dinosaurs? I recently found a set that I'm trying to value. It is missing the cardboard items, but has 18 red robots, 6 black ones and 6 different dinosaurs. Some ebay listings also seem to have a few of these same dinosaurs included.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think you are correct, but I never got the dinos in the ones I found on ebay. I believe I have seen the auction you are talking about and I might grab a picture and post it when I can find more time. Thanks for the comment.

      Delete
  6. Pretty good post. I just stumbled upon your blog and wanted to say that I have really enjoyed reading your blog posts. Any way I'll be subscribing to your feed and I hope you post again soon. Big thanks for the useful info. toys under

    ReplyDelete
  7. I owned this as a kid. It definitely came with the coloured dinosaurs!

    ReplyDelete
  8. I have inherited this game from my Grandmother. Seems to be complete with all figures and cardboards. But I don't know how to play the game. Anyone have instructions??

    ReplyDelete

ALL NEW FOR SALE LISTS!

Labels

Blog Archive