Picking up an action figure of your favourite character at the store is all well and good, but what if you could spend several hours assembling one from scratch? Putting together these Star Wars character kits from Bandai and Bluefin is a lot more fun than it sounds.

Bandai America's Dragon Ball Super Dragon Stars action figures have been flying off the shelves since the release of Dragon Ball FighterZ earlier this year, as fans and collectors scramble to pick up their favourite characters. I got hold of the first three waves, tore them open, and made them do stuff. Fun stuff.

As catchy as its opening theme was, music from the original Transformers cartoon has never had an official release. Hasbro and Legacy Recordings fix that grave oversight on March 9 with the release of Hasbro Studios Presents '80s TV Classics: Music from The Transformers. On vinyl, no less.

A movie so big it's split into two parts is going to have at least two waves of Marvel Legends action figures. Here's a look at the 15 figures from comics and movies making up series one and two of Hasbro's Avengers: Infinity War  line, including a trio of exclusive reveals (hint: Look up).

LEGO returns to J.K. Rowling's Wizarding World later this year, with new sets based on the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts series. These include the LEGO Harry Potter Hogwarts Great Hall, a $US99 ($124) set featuring 10 minifigures, two buildable creatures, and a ridiculous amount of detail.

Man, I don't know what it is about it, but this might be the best LEGO Millennium Falcon ever.

Last year, Rocket League developer Psyonix added iconic Hot Wheels vehicles to its popular car soccer video game. This year, Hot Wheels returns the favour, recreating the video game in miniature with the Hot Wheels Rocket League RC Rivals Set.

In season eight of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, debuting March 24 on Discovery Family, Twilight Sparkle and friends leave the pony empire of Equestria to found a school teaching friendship to the friendless hordes beyond. Is there a toy of this school? Of course there's a toy of this school.

Released by Coleco in 1985, Sectaurs: Warriors of Symbion was a children's toy line about a planet where giant insects and arachnids roam free and humans mutated with bug DNA wage war over control of a mysterious "ultimate power". Toys included action figures and giant rideable spider hand puppets. They were terrifying. Now Zica Toys wants to bring them back.

Last year Playmobil embarked on its first foray into licensed toys with a line of figures and playsets based on the original Ghostbusters. This year the plastic paranormal exterminators trade their tan jumpsuits for the dark grey gear of Ghostbusters 2. It looks good on them.

Clever artisans have been building bottled boats since the 1800s, using either long-handled tools or folding mast and sail trickery to create striking works of nautical art. Due out in February, the Lego Ideas version is more of a build-a-bottle-around-a-boat deal. Works for me.

Not every toy in 2017 was a fidget spinner or a tiny piece of collectible plastic in an unmarked box. Beyond the whirling kid distractors and blind box collectibles there were some outstanding things to play with this year. Just ask Roarin' Tyler.

Look at those smiling faces. They have had their difference in the past, but now they have bonded over the shared trauma of being stuffed and sold to children at the mall. Bowser and Mario join Yoshi, Toad, Luigi and Peach in Build-A-Bear's new Super Mario collection this weekend.

South Korean toy company Blitzway has created the perfect accessory for its line of 12-inch premium original Ghostbusters figures. The sixth-scale Ecto-1 replica is over 102cm long, more than big enough to fit all four figures and accessories. Also, it costs nearly $US1,400 ($1,856) dollars.

The ever-expanding city block that is the LEGO Creator Expert line of building sets gets a welcome splash of neon pink and green with the January 1 release of the Downtown Diner. It's 2480 plastic pieces that combine to form three floors of 1950s-style entertainment.

Shoryuken! Hadouken! Spinning Bird Kick! Psycho Crusher! Now transform into a car! Due out in Japan in May, Transformers X Street Fighter 2 figures turn four existing transforming robots into mechanical world warriors.

A modified spotlight used by the police as a call-to-arms for the Caped Crusader, the Bat-Signal has been shining hope into the skies of Gotham City since 1942. DC Gallery's $US300 ($392) replica Bat-Signal prop is a a faithful foot-tall replica of the iconic device with one major difference -- it works.

Fancy construction sets are nice, but there's plenty of building to do in Minecraft proper. The first wave of Minecraft Adventure Figures from Jinx are the perfect way to just hang out at your desk with Steve and the gang.

With the October 26 release of Thor: Ragnarok, the most exciting Thor film since 1988's The Incredible Hulk Returns TV movie, the folks at Build-A-Bear gird their cuddly line-up for battle with a US online exclusive team of Marvel's mightiest god and monster.