So I was shopping on Amazon the other day for cat food, and as I was checking out they were like “hey we think you might like this too” and I looked and I’m like “HECK YEAH I need this product along with my cat food:”
I ordered the three different pixie riders that were in stock at the time (also available: Crystal Charlotte Pixie and Draggle Glider, and Moonlight Mia Pixie and Unicornix Glider), and I was very excited about them, because they were being sold as specific characters and not blind packs. So I know exactly what I’m getting! Wow! What a concept!
And that is exactly what I ended up getting in the mail, but the packaging, ugh, the packaging. Let’s just say I don’t have the stomach for modern toy packaging gimmicks.
But before we get into the rant, let’s start with the positive. They’re not packed in slime. And I am so, so disappointed in the toy industry that that is even a statement that needs to be made (lookin’ at you, Mattel, for the terrible sin committed with this product).
Anyway, regarding the packaging: Buying them from Amazon was nice, because they differentiated characters. In person, the packages are a mystery (you can tell the difference with code number on the bottom, but for the typical consumer without extra knowledge, it is essentially a mystery pack.) And I am very appreciative that Amazon took that step to make them more accessible.
This may be an unpopular opinion, but I hate this package design. (Note, I hate all modern package designs; it’s not that this is particularly bad, just on trend.) It’s busy, busy, busy. Nauseatingly busy. And really unclear of what comes in the box. Looking at the price and size, I would probably conclude it only comes with one animal and rider. But you really don’t know unless you find the tiny line of fine print on the back that says what is included.
There are ten different sets to collect in this wave (8 regular and 2 special edition).
After you’ve waded through the excessive layers of cardboard and plastic baggies, you do end up with a toy that is well-made, beautifully detailed, honestly quite gorgeous. I am utterly enchanted with my Seastallion Glider. The colors! The fins! The scaly details!
Wait, wasn’t there supposed to be a fairy pixie something rider? They’re not sold separately, are they? That would be a really under-handed move. No, don’t fear, the pixie is included. It’s in the heart-shaped winged “trinket box” in the top bubble on the card.
It’s a pretty trinket box. Except it’s not.
You have to destroy the lid in order to extract the toy.
Now you have a box without a lid. Wow.
Oh, but wait, you can flip it over and use it as a display stand. But it’s not nearly as intricate or pretty.
I had my heart set on a trinket box, and now I’m really disappointed. It was really pretty I was looking forward to tucking the accessories away in it.
But there is a pixie:
Ultimately, though, I did end up with the toy I was expecting, and the trinket box hadn’t figured into my calculation of what it was worth to me (that discussion with myself was along the lines of “OMG GIMME”). I just personally find it very discouraging that I’m expected to destroy a portion of what I spent my money on. But I guess I’m just being old-fashioned.
CODES
These are the numbers from my boxes. Each set seems to have a set of two unique numbers below the bar code. I’m not sure what their official meaning is, but if it helps someone with identification in the store, here goes:
(I also just noticed that the image on the top panel of the Glider box is different across the three I have, and visible from the main package, so you could also go by that.)
Crystal Charlotte & Draggle – #6059382, #20126609, faceted jewel graphics
Moonlight Mia Pixie and Unicornix – #6059380, #20127462, firework blasts graphics
Lagoon Lily Pixie and Seastallion Glider – #6059381, #20127515, scales graphics
I don’t know if the Special Edition versions of Seastallion and Draggle have unique code numbers, or if they are randomly inserted into the basic code boxes.