Purussaurus, like Deinosuchus and Sarcosuchus, is a top contender for the title of the biggest crocodyliforme of all time. Unlike those other two, it was a proper member of the order Crocodilia, a commodious caiman that dwelled in the rivers and lakes of South America during the Miocene epoch between 16 and 5.3 million years ago. And Mattel, with their penchant for producing prehistoric genera of all persuasion, is the first company to tackle it. It is also their second Cenozoic toy, the first being Gryposuchus, which was a contemporary of Purussaurus and probably included in its diet.
Released in mid-2025 as part of the Jurassic World Gigantic Thrashers series, this Purussaurus is sculpted with its limbs bent and flexed and its belly held off the ground, as though it were gearing up for a mad dash. The tail is twitching slightly to the right. It rivals the Sarcosuchus for the title of Mattel’s biggest pseudosuchian, measuring a good 38 cm long from the tip of its bulbous nose to the pointy end of its tail. Only skull material of Purussaurus has been uncovered thus far, so its exact size is unknown. Estimates range between around 9 to 12 metres in length and 4 to 8 tons in weight.
The colour scheme is rather unique. The main colours are navy blue on top and glaucous blue on bottom with glaucous markings over the pelvis and the tail. The eyes are orange, the teeth are off white, and the inside of the mouth is dark pink. You may have noticed by now that I’m partial to the colour blue, and for the life of me, I cannot recall any other crocodyliforme toy done in blue, so good on you, Mattel. And sure, it’s almost a given that the real Purussaurus wasn’t actually blue, but it’s still a more realistic-looking colour scheme than the one on the Sarcosuchus shown above. The JW logo and the scan code are printed on the soles of the left front foot and the right hind foot. And again, I really am glad that Mattel put an end to those slide-out tabs.
Purussaurus had a head quite distinct from that of any existing caiman, and from the heads of other giant prehistoric crocs. Not only was it ginormous, but it was also very wide and very deep, with a bulging tip. Indeed, it is thought to have possessed one of, if not the most powerful bite forces of any archosaur, falling somewhere in the range from 52,000 to 69,000 N. And it also would have been capable of performing the infamous “death roll” that modern crocs use to dismember their prey. The head on this toy is appropriately wide and deep and bulging, and covered in scales and bumps for a relatively realistic appearance. The palette and tongue are ribbed, and the latter is covered in small bumps. The many teeth are pointy, but present no risk of harm to young children, as they are all made of soft plastic. The arrangement of the teeth is surprisingly close to the real deal, although two of the ones at the very front of the mandible are angled forward instead of upward in order for the mouth to close properly.
Turning the Purussaurus‘ tail from side to side causes the head to turn from side to side as well, and for the jaws to open and close rapidly. And twisting the tail causes the head to twist, the jaws to snap, and the front limbs to raise one at a time. Fun action features to be sure, although it can be a bit hard to get the mouth to remain open if you wish to look at it or take a photo. The hind limbs rotate at the hips, but there’s not much point in doing so. They only look good in their default position.
All the limbs are covered in large scales, and the front ones have rows of spines along the forearms. The front feet have five digits and the hind ones have four, all with rather long, pointy claws. It must also be noted that the limbs are oversized in comparison to scientific reconstructions, not to mention modern caimans. But it’s Mattel, and it’s far from the most glaring anatomical inaccuracy they’ve committed.
Similarly, the torso probably should be a wider, but it’s still quite long and deep, and succeeds in helping to make this toy seem like a beefy, brawny predator. It is covered in scales ranging from large, flat ones on the belly to smaller and bumpier ones on the flanks. Multiple rows of osteoderms run down the back, with a tall row of tooth-shaped spines in the very centre, more like what you’d see on a lizard rather than a caiman. These are made of soft plastic.
The powerful-looking tail too is covered in scales, osteoderms, and spines, with the very largest ones near the tip. The entire tip is made of softer, more flexible plastic, and can rotate in either direction, but as with the hind limbs, it only looks good in standard configuration. It’s unlikely at best that the real Purussaurus had such spines, but they do look pretty cool here as opposed to pretty ugly.
Overall, I think that the Mattel Purussaurus is a great toy, yet another one that I would have been thrilled to own as a child. It’s big, it’s blue, it’s distinctive and scary-looking, it’s unique as of this writing, and it’s definitely a lot of fun to play with. Indeed, I’d say that it’s the best Gigantic Thrashers toy, and also the best Mattel toy I’ve reviewed here this year. I’m planning on gifting it to my older son come Xmas, and I have no doubt that he’ll be very pleased with it. And I do hope that CollectA or PNSO or Safari Ltd. tackles this species sometime in the future so that I can have a version to add to my own collection.
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