Main
Features
 FOTD
 Toy Fair 2023
 SDCC 2023
 Toy Fair 2020
 NYCC 2019
 SDCC 2019
 Toy Fair 2019
 SDCC 2018
 Toy Fair 2018
 HasCon 2017
 SDCC 2017
 Toy Fair 2017
 SDCC 2016
 Toy Fair 2016
 SDCC 2015
 Toy Fair 2015
 SDCC 2014
 C2E2 2014
 Toy Fair 2014
 SDCC 2013
 C2E2 2013
 Toy Fair 2013
 SDCC 2012
 C2E2 2012
 Toy Fair 2012
 NYCC 2011
 SDCC 2011
 Toy Fair 2011
Archives
 Books
 DVD
 Music
 Statues
 Prop Replicas
 Toys
 Video Games
Credits
Contact


This site is part of Amazon, Walmart, eBay, and Entertainment Earth affiliate programs. We may earn a commission when you click one of their links.


Related Links:
16bit Tumblr
16bit Twitter
16bit Instagram
ASWN
EE Podcast
Galactic Hunter
Glyos News
OSM News

Kenner Q*Bert Wind-Up Q*Bert Action Figure Kenner, ca. 1983
Day #133: April 18, 2011
Kenner Q*Bert Wind-Up Q*Bert Action FigureQ*Bert
Wind-Up Figure

Q*Bert Wind-Up Figure
Item No.:
n/a
Manufacturer: Kenner
Includes: n/a
Action Feature: Bounces when wound up
Retail: n/a
Availability: ca. 1983
Other: Orange... very orange

  PREVIOUS RSS NEXT  

Kenner Q*Bert Wind-Up Q*Bert Action FigureWhile licensed products based on video games in the USA seemed pretty scarce up until the 1990s, there were actually a few cranked out in the 1980s by big toy companies. Kenner, while still riding high on the Star Wars brand, even picked up Q*Bert as a wind-up figure, a pair of plushes, and a series of collectible PVC figures. I even have a Q*Bert flying disc with a figure in the middle. Despite being largely forgotten compared to some other video game mascots like Pac-Man or Mario, Q*Bert did manage to lead the way with a fairly strong merchandising push. There were a lot of Pac-Man items as well, but it seemed at least when I was out and about that the little orange guy got a surprising amount of attention.

Before you say "Well, Q*Bert is hardly obscure!" let me ask you this-- have you played Q*Bert? And if you were born after 1983, have you ever seen a Q*Bert arcade machine?

Standing a mere 2 1/4-inches tall, this turned out to be a neat product that's very much of its time. Wind-up motors were still totally acceptable in toys in the 1980s, with lines like Starriors, Zoids, and Robo-Strux out of Tomy all involving the little twisty white knobs. Today it's largely all about batteries, but it wasn't at all unusual to see some form of wind-up toy back then. Kenner didn't make it as important to their offerings as Tomy, but we did see a few figures like this one. I've owned Q*Bert since the 1980s and as you can see, he's in great shape. He has been in my toy boxes growing up, and I just pulled him out to take pictures weeks before posting this review. His orange is quite vibrant, his black and white paint is intact, and nothing snapped off. This is a durable toy, made from fairly hard plastic and as far as I can tell, he looks almost as perfect as the day he was removed from his blister card packaging.

Seeing the imagination put into this toy line, it's more than a little surprising that we didn't see even more game stuff back in the 1980s. While unlicensed goods existed, it's not like there were extensive lines based on The Legend of Zelda or Joust! or any of a number arguably popular titles. The mid- to late-1990s were a real boom time for game toys, with companies like Toy Biz picking up all sorts of licenses while BanDai made some really neat stuff in Japan, some of which made it to US shores. And of course today, we've got NECA, DC Direct, Jazwares, and others focusing on game toy development.

But I digress. Q*Bert is a nice little figure that is a neat artifact of the 1980s. Were I to set up a toy shelf based on the decade, this guy would go on it. The plastic has a fuzzy pattern sculpted into it, and the wind-up motor still works great nearly 30 years later. If you can find it cheap, I suggest you get one. Few closed auction listings are available for viewing, so it looks like this could cost anywhere from $3 to $50, so I suggest patience and additional research before splurging for one.

--Adam Pawlus

Additional Images

Kenner Q*Bert Wind-Up Q*Bert Action Figure Kenner Q*Bert Wind-Up Q*Bert Action Figure
Kenner Q*Bert Wind-Up Q*Bert Action Figure

See more Kenner figures in Figure of the Day:
Day 98: Kenner Beast Wars Transformers Noctorro Action Figure
Day 99: Kenner Beast Wars Transformers Air Hammer Action Figure
Day 100: Kenner Beast Wars Transformers Torca Action Figure
Day 101: Kenner Beast Wars Transformers Terragator Action Figure
Day 102: Kenner Beast Wars Transformers Quickstrike Action Figure
Day 114: Kenner Total Justice Mail-In Superman Action Figure
Day 133: Kenner Q*Bert Wind-Up Q*Bert Action Figure
Day 138: Kenner Jurassic Park Chaos Effect Compstegnathus Action Figure
Day 172: Kenner Jurassic Park The Lost World Chasmosaurus Action Figure
Day 195: Kenner ALIENS Arachnid Alien Action Figure
Day 211: Kenner Predator Cracked Tusk Predator Action Figure
Day 234: Kenner ALIENS Scorpion Alien Action Figure
Day 250: Kenner ALIENS Panther Alien Action Figure
Day 256: Kenner ALIENS Gorilla Alien Action Figure
Day 261: Kenner ALIENS Bull Alien Action Figure
Day 285: Kenner ALIENS Hive Wars Warrior Predator
Day 317: Kenner ALIENS vs. Predator 10-Inch Alien Action Figure
Day 346: Kenner Jurassic Park Ian Malcolm Action Figure
Day 356: Kenner Action Masters Predator
Day 359: Kenner ALIENS Hive Wars Acid Alien Action Figure
Day 365: Kenner ALIENS Vasquez Action Figure
Day 366: Kenner Jurassic Park Ellie Sattler Action Figure
Day 381: Kenner ALIENS Action Masters Ripley
Day 397: Kenner ALIENS Mantis Alien
Day 398: Kenner Batman: The Animated Series Clayface
Day 408: Kenner Legends of Batman Future Batman
Day 421: Kenner Bone Age Crag the Clubber Action Figure
Day 437: Kenner SilverHawks Copper Kidd Action Figure
Day 441: Kenner Batman: The Animated Series Harley Quinn
Day 443: Kenner Batman: The Animated Series Machine Gun Joker
Day 444: Kenner Batman: The Animated Movie Mask of the Phantasm Phantasm
Day 446: Kenner Legends of Batman Knightquest Batman
Day 457: Kenner Batman: The Animated Series Ra's Al Ghul
Day 533: Kenner Jurassic Park Chaos Effect Amargospinus
Day 848: Kenner Transformers Beast Wars Terrorsaur
Day 903: Kenner Transformers Beast Wars Rattrap
Day 956: Kenner Transformers Beast Wars Claw Jaw
Day 1,140: Kenner M.A.S.K. T-Bob with Scott Trakker Action Figure
Day 1,180: Kenner Jurassic Park Alan Grant Action Figure
Day 1,198: Kenner Jurassic Park Tim Murphy Action Figure
Day 1,212: Kenner Jurassic Park Chaos Effect Ian Malcolm Action Figure
Day 1,248: Kenner M.A.S.K. Condor with Brad Turner Action Figure
Day 1,445: Kenner Transformers Beast Wars Cybershark
Day 1,452: Kenner Beast Wars Transformers Fuzors Injector
Day 1,486: Kenner Beast Wars Transformers Spittor
Day 2,179: Kenner Aliens Wild Boar Alien Action Figure
Day 2,190: Kenner Batman: The Dark Knight Collection Tec-Shield Batman Action Figure
Day 2,199: Kenner Batman Returns Penguin Commandos Action Figures
Day 2,217: Kenner Batman: The Dark Knight Collection Iron Winch Batman Action Figure
Day 2,622: Kenner Batman: The Animated Series Killer Croc Action Figure
Day 2,645: Kenner Batman: The Animated Series The Riddler Action Figure

See more otherwise uncategorized figures in Figure of the Day:
Day 22: Tamagoras Get Back To Job Lion
Day 35: Mattel Xtractaurs Comic Series Battlespike Styracosaurus
Day 133: Kenner Q*Bert Wind-Up Q*Bert Action Figure
Day 200: Hasbro Cloverfield Electronic Action Figure
Day 216: BanDai Tick Bounding Tick Action Figure
Day 286: Mugo Kung Fu Panda 2 Po Designer MP3 Player
Day 325: Spy Monkey Creations Doppelganger Armory Series 1 Accessory Pack
Day 352: Mezco The Goon Action Figure
Day 357: McFarlane Toys The Maxx Action Figure
Day 384: Beeline Creative Parks and Recreation Ron Swanson Bobble Head
Day 392: Blizzard Starcraft Zerg Hydralisk Action Figure
Day 399: Tyco Looney Tunes Marvin the Martian
Day 483: Pineapple Ltd. Glow Ghosts Baggs Collectible Figure
Day 485: Remco Mel Appel Extraterrestrials Captain Evets Collectible Figure
Day 494: October Toys Zillions of Mutated Bodies Infecting Everyone (ZOMBIE) Series 1 Neon Orange Minifigures
Day 524: NiStuff Terrestrial and Outer Anomalies Metallic PVC Figures
Day 526: Jazwares Mortal Kombat 20th Anniversary Shao Kahn Action Figure
Day 541: NECA Terminator Kyle Reese Action Figure Day 615: Deep Fried Figures Mechawhales Action Figure
Day 645: Tim Mee Toys Battle Mountain Playset
Day 700: Elly Font Art Elephant Magnets Overview
Day 748: Funko Land of the Lost SDCC Exclusive Glow in the Dark Sleestak
Day 751: October Toys Zillions of Mutated Bodies Infecting Everyone (ZOMBIE) Series 1 Blue Glow in the Dark Minifigures
Day 785: Topps MiniKins 4-Pack Mini-Figures
Day 874: Yujin Shooting Game Historica Metarion Capsule Toy
Day 1,049: Tim Mee Toys Galaxy Laser Team Blue and Green Figure Set
Day 1,065: Tim Mee Toys Green Galaxy Laser Team Star Patrol Jumbo Figure Set
Day 1,087: Tim Mee Toys Green and Grey Legendary Battle Figure Set
Day 1,092: Tim Mee Toys Brown Backwoods Battle Frontiersmen Figure Set
Day 1,146: Wendy's Night at the Museum 3 Jedediah in the Wild West
Day 1,189: Remco Mel Appel Extraterrestrials Trebor
Day 1,215: Tim Mee Toys People at Play Atomic Family Putty and Green Figure Set
Day 1,232: Tim Mee Toys Green vs. Green Soldiers Figure Set
Day 1,237: Tim Mee Toys Tank Command Desert Command Vehicle Set
Day 1,241: Funko Hikari Vinyl Gigantor Power Vision Gigantor
Day 1,276: Tim Mee Toys Combat Patrol Army Vehicles and Artillery Vehicle Set
Day 1,330: Tim Mee Toys Shadow Ops Black Helicopter Strikeforce Figure and Vehicle Set
Day 1,372: Tim Mee Toys Tan vs. Green Soldiers Bucket Figure Set
Day 1,396: Funko Pop! Television Last Week Tonight with John Oliver Vinyl Figure
Day 1,406: McDonald's Changeables Egg McMuffin Robot
Day 1,418: Jesse Narens Stegoforest Brown Stegoforest with Acorn Warrior
Day 1,423: McDonald's Changeables French Fries Robot
Day 1,458: BanDai Gamera Heisei Gamera Action Figure
Day 1,474: Remco Mel Appel Extraterrestrials Egroeg
Day 1,539: Pineapple Ltd. Glow Ghosts Catcherpillar Collectible Figure
Day 1,563: A&A Global Industries Dogs in Disguise Nanner Action Figure
Day 1,620: Funko Son of Zorn Zorn Action Figure
Day 1,637: Funko E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial Elliot, E.T., and Gertie ReAction Figures
Day 1,746: Hasbro Littlest Pet Shop Pets in the City Puttin' on the Glitz #24 Pony
Day 1,773: BanDai Xyber 9 New Dawn Ikira's Speeder
Day 1,777: Funko Pop! Television Ash vs. Evil Dead Entertainment Earth Exclusive Bloody Ash Pop! Vinyl Figure
Day 1,841: Funko Pop! Animation Glow in the Dark Reptar Pop! Vinyl Figure
Day 1,852: Funko Son of Zorn Office Zorn
Day 1,891: Parker Bros. Q*Bert Flying Disc Action Figure
Day 1,957: Funko VYNL The Life Aquatic Steve and Ned Vinyl Figures
Day 1,976: Burger King Smurfs: The Lost Village Brainy Smurf Action Figure
Day 1,980: BanDai Saban's BeetleBorgs Metallix Mega Spectra Titanium Silver Sector Cycle Vehicle with Action Figure
Day 1,982: Titan Merchandise Cartoon Network Collection Samurai Jack
Day 2,021: BanDai Mystic Knights of Tir Na Nog The Drageen Action Figure
Day 2,026: Unknown Diplodocus Figure
Day 2,045: Funko GLOW Debbie Eagan vs. Ruth Wilder Action Figures
Day 2,054: Max Toy Co. Designer Con 2018 Exclusive Glow in the Dark Otta Otter Sofubi Vinyl Figure
Day 2,061: Just Toys Intl. Fallout Mega Merge Nuka T-51 Power Armor
Day 2,070: Mechazone Mechanauts Epsilon Buggy NP-03 Action Vehicle
Day 2,077: ThreeZero PopFuzz Glow in the Dark The Robot Vinyl Figure
Day 2,132: Pineapple Ltd. Glow Ghosts Boohoo Collectible Figure
Day 2,203: Sonic Kidrobot Dunny Strawberry, Lime, and Red Button Action Figure
Day 2,211: Super7 Toxic Crusaders Glow in the Dark Toxie Action Figure
Day 2,235: Super7 Ultimates Voltron Action Figure
Day 2,244: Funko Pop! Television Schitt's Creek David Rose Action Figure
Day 2,315: Funko Soda Devo Satisfaction Vinyl Figure
Day 2,344: Orbitdyne Gee Two HEAP Vinyl Figure
Day 2,358: Super7 Killer Bootlegs Rhamnusia's Revenge Action Playset with Draco Knuckleduster and Phantom Starkiller Action Figures
Day 2,526: Super7 Vincent Price Master of Mayhem ReAction Figure
Day 2,574: Garden State Kaiju Space Beasts Mudbelly "Wild Type" Soft Vinyl Figure
Day 2,582: Orbitdyne HEAP Glow Head Vinyl Figure
Day 2,594: Super7 Mars Attacks Destroying A Dog ReAction Figure

Want to buy this figure? Check video games toy availability at our sponsors:
Entertainment Earth

HTML Comment Box is loading comments...

Figure of the
Day 2010-2011
October 2010
101112 13141516
17181920212223
24252627282930
31
November 2010
123456
78910111213
14151617181920
21222324252627
282930
December 2010
1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
262728293031
January 2011
1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
3031
February 2011
12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
2728
March 2011
12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
2728293031
April 2011
12
3456789
10111213141516
17181920212223
24252627282930
May 2011
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
293031
June 2011
1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
2627282930
July 2011
12
3456789
10111213141516
17181920212223
24252627282930
31
August 2011
123456
78910111213
14151617181920
21222324252627
28293031
September 2011
123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
252627282930
October 2011
1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
3031
November 2011
12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
27282930
December 2011
123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728293031
Click Here for 2012

16bit.com is best not viewed in Apple's Safari browser, we don't know why. All material on this site copyright their respective copyright holders. All materials appear hear for informative and entertainment purposes. 16bit.com is not to be held responsible for anything, ever. Photos taken by the 16bit.com staff. Site design, graphics, writing, and whatnot credited on the credits page. Be cool-- don't steal.
We know where you live and we'll break your friggin' legs.