Connecting with ReKennect

That magnetic piece that holds everything together.

Kids these days have new action figures, old action figures, and new action figures that look like old action figures. Something the last generation had that is harder to find for today’s children are the playsets that expanded the adventure.

Well, RetroWorlds playsets from ReKennect are trying to fill that space.

The RetroWorlds playsets come with a bundle of structures and accessories that are compatible with any 3.75” action figure. So whether you’re into classic G.I. Joe and Star Wars or new ReAction Figures the sets aim to enhance the playability of your collection. It’s kind of a BYOF (Bring Your Own Figure) playset.

The sets feature a mix of larger set pieces and smaller dressings like computer terminals and Ammo boxes… But ReKennect also wanted to add a new trick to modernize the old fashioned style. They call it MagKennect.

Remember when we put together our toysets we would have to snap one piece into the other, push until you heard the click. Then it was together forever and if you tried to pry it apart the clips would break or best case scenario the plastic would turn white and you could never really put it back together again? The MagKennect system replaces those clips with (you guessed it) magnets.

rekennect retroworlds robocop toy store guide

The first set produced by ReKennect is their Weather Dome. I got a chance to look at the set and let the “Toy Store Guide Little Toy Expert Team” play with it. The main piece of the set, the Weather Dome itself which is hollow allowing for much of the other parts to be stored inside when playtime is over. That design concept along with the MagKennect gun turret that comes apart assure that the playset will not take up much room when not in use.

rekennect retroworlds batman wide toy store guide

rekennect retroworlds robocop aim toy store guide

rekennect retroworlds chaos toy store guide

For me the set with its many props made for a great backdrop in a battle between RoboCop and the Terminator. Moments later for the Little Toy Experts it served as a lair for The Penguin and his penguin army to plan a takeover of Gotham (before Batman showed up and foiled the plot). “I like this, and this , and this, and everything” stated the six year old of the team, and the chaos left behind would echo the Experts official statement.

I got to chat with Rich Reinhardt, who along with Nate Leonard, started ReKennect. Rich told me the story about his nephew hitting that age when action figures become cool (we can all remember that time of our lives). Rich began toy hunting and buying figures for his nephew but noticed that there were no real playsets, at least not like he had back in the 80’s with G.I. Joe and other nostalgic lines.

With a background in art and a childhood worth of experience cannibalizing model kids, Rich was able to start making pieces for his nephew’s play adventures. However, he quickly noticed that parents and collectors seemed to also have a need for modern playsets. He and Nate then started to design sets that are nostalgic yet modern at the same time.

A main objective at ReKennect is to pull kids away from phones, tablets, and video games for a little while and revive the spark of imagination from yesteryear. They believe a few hours to allow children to enjoy the tactile experience of action figures could go a long way.

Check out a sneak peek of the redesigned battle pack. Codenamed “Strong Point”

rekennect retroworlds battlepack toy store guide

rekennect retroworlds battlepack 1 toy store guide

Talking to Rich Reinhardt, he stated that when he conceived RetroWorlds that toy photography and the collector community were the farthest thing from his mind. Reinhardt wasn’t fully aware of the “toys as art” community but wanted to build a playset that can blend itself to any toy line. The universal nature of the Weather Dome set and future sets to come can help upgrade everything from kids at play, to collectors dioramas, to photography backgrounds. Rich noticed that collectors of Diamond Select’s Minimates are among the early adopters, something he did not see coming. (Minimates by Diamond Select are mini action figures that come in almost every conceivable fandom from SuperHeroes to Horror.)

ReKennect hopes to expand with the goal of getting sets into Toy Stores, but for now sets can be ordered online. You can meet the team and see the RetroWorld playsets in person at the next Maryland Toy Expo in Lutherville-Timonium, Maryland on June 10th.

ReKennect: Light Speed Back to Playtime

Check out ReKennect’s website for more info. Follow ReKennect on Instagram for updates.

Written By: Dave at ToyStoreGuide (ToyDeLorean on Instagram)

Vintage Toys of Memphis

Midtown Comics – Downtown