Hasbro's line of re-releases is bringing back one classic Real Ghostbusters roleplay toy in a big way, whether you're a kid or a kid at heart.
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Hasbro's Real Ghostbusters Ghost Popper Is a Throwback in the Best Ways
Hasbro's line of re-releases is bringing back one classic Real Ghostbusters roleplay toy in a big way, whether you're a kid or a kid at heart.
BY CHRISTOPHER BAGGETT4 DAYS AGO
If I regret anything from when I was a kid, it’s that at some point, I decided I had outgrown my
Ghostbusters toys. I had the full range, including the classic Proton Pack and Trap, but I just decided I was too old for them; this was long before I knew I could decorate my office with various collectibles and toys.
Fortunately, I may get another chance to own these toys. We’ve been slowly getting reissues of
The Real Ghostbusters line, including the four Ghostbusters themselves, alongside Slimer and Stay Puft. But for actually catching those ghosts, you’re going to need a Ghost Popper, which
Hasbro sent to CBR to review.
The Ghost Popper is a call back to a simpler time when all you needed for a roleplay toy was a simple plunger mechanic and some foam darts. The foam darts themselves took me back right away; with everyone trying to replicate Nerf these days, you can’t really find anything made of this same classic, hard foam anymore.
The Ghost Popper is packaged in a retro box with the classic
The Real Ghostbusters logo,
which you may have seen in our recent unboxing video. Included on the back are some cardboard targets of Slimer and Stay Puft you can cut out, which are perfect for practicing your aim. The packaging itself is a box with a cut-out to give you a good look at the Popper, though you obviously won’t be able to try out the action features in the box.
The Popper works on a simple plunger mechanic. The body itself is a solid chunk of plastic with a handle sticking out the back; insert one of the poppers into the barrel and pull back on the handle to arm the plunger. An orange gradient accent on the interior simulates a “charging” effect, as well as letting you know you’re cocked back all the way. Then just push the plunger forward to fire. It’s elegant in its simplicity, and we got some great range just firing it down the hallway. The darts fired a good 8-10 feet without putting in too much effort and were surprisingly accurate when aimed at the Playskool Heroes Stay Puft Marshmallow Man.
If you’re a collector, there’s not anything to watch out for in variations. The Ghost Popper body is a solid piece of blue plastic, with a
Ghostbusters logo sticker on either side of the body. Orange pieces in the barrel and interior hide the Popper’s plunger mechanism, which is activated by pulling and pushing on the handle, a separate piece of molded gray plastic. All the color from this piece stems from molded plastic, so there are no paint apps to watch out for.
The Ghost Popper definitely seems to be aimed at the adult collector rather than kids; in an era where dart guns have gotten more complicated and feature enriched, the Popper is a clear throwback to an earlier time. But it’s still an interesting toy, and kids who are fond of the
Ghostbusters franchise may eat this one up just because it’s got the logo on it. Adult fans will be more than happy, though, to find this piece of nostalgia looks and feels exactly like they remember, making it an excellent addition to any collection.