16bit.com Figure of the Day Review: Playmobil 9440 Special Plus Bowler Action Figure

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Playmobil 9440 Special Plus Bowler Playmobil, 2021

Day #3,059: May 20, 2026

Bowler Secret Klingon? Special Plus Boxed Action Figure Item No.: No. 9440 Manufacturer: Playmobil Includes: 2 balls, ball return with scoreboard, 6 pins Action Feature: n/a Retail: $4.95 Availability: ca. 2018 Other: Double your fun
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I got this Playmobil Bowler years ago, with my boxed pics dating back to 2021. Playmobil has made at least one more bowler (series 26, with glove), but no proper bowling alley and certainly nobody with ten pins. To be honest I'm a little surprised there was no stealth The Dude yet.

This figure came from the Special Plus range, which was an upgraded version of the Special range. That's how they used to sell single figures - in a box, with a little bit of gear. The Plus ones sometimes had a small vehicle or environment piece, giving you a pretty decent bang for your buck before inflation and import fees really started to kick fun in the, well, balls. This is a pretty nice toy for its time, and at current secondary market prices ($13+) I wouldn't skip it. The series 26 blind bag figure might be a decent substitute if you missed this one.

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I picked this figure up because it reminded me a bit of me. I can't bowl as it's murder on my thumbs, but I do like a nice bowling shirt, and wear glasses, and have goofy hair. For whatever reason, the bowling shirt didn't strike me as funny until I started to write and I immediately thought the double pins coming out of his pants felt like a spectacular gag. This figure is from 2018, so it would probably have been in development before Star Trek Discovery Klingons changed their redundant organ subtext into actual text. But I digress. Anybody buying a bowling toy probably has at least some awareness of "Gutterballs" from The Big Lebowski so a mildly suggestive figure is to be expected.

Kids wouldn't get it, and this figure has two balls - so you know, have fun with it. His hands are standard fare, easily fitting in the ball's slot so he can look like he could roll on pretty much any day of the week. The six pins can be easily set up, or held in the hands. Or handed to clowns to juggle. You've got options.

You also get a swell bowling ball return for storage purposes or vibes. There hasn't been a bowling alley yet, so you can cobble one together using off-the-shelf parts, imagination, and this blue and silver piece. There is a swell printed graphic design on the sides that matches the figure's shirt just a little too well. Maybe he's an employee? It's a nifty piece of gear that, as far as I know, is unique to this small and discontinued set.

I am giving myself a huge pat on the back for writing weekly Playmobil toy reviews and not going out to buy more. These are some of the best, longest-running, non-licensed toys on the market. LEGO minifigures kicked off in 1978, but Playmobil has been around since 1974 with similar articulation. Both have a lot of wild, non-licensed figures that show off a variety of cultural differences from around the world. And they're not all going to sell in some countries, but we're seeing them come up with new ideas every year. For 2026, that big new idea is WWE which is a ballsy move. I don't know how American wrestling does overseas, but as of my writing this it is downright difficult to find a store that carries Playmobil in America. You can buy online, but you have to be thinking about these specific items to come across anything.

While I don't think "Playmobil-age child" and "bowling fan" intersect much, it's a neat toy and probably a solid gift for a bowler that already has his own custom-drilled ball with a skull in it. The figure looks great, and would probably be at home in any modern city set. I don't have high hopes for a bowling alley set, but I never would have expected the U.S.S. Enterprise [FOTD #2,354] or manatees [FOTD #2,538] either. If you're ever in that weird, crunchy toy and/or hobby store go look at the Playmobil aisle. It's fun, I promise.

--Adam Pawlus

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