Review
Monolophosaurus Jurassic World Rebirth Strike Attack Review
And nobody is surprised that the Monolophosaurus is back again. This is one of the if not the most frequently released dinosaurs in the entire modern Jurassic World toy range. The Rebirth Strike Attack makes no bones about being a paint variant on a familiar sculpt. What makes it worth your attention is the new dark brown and gold color scheme, which gives this crested hunter its most striking look in years. A moody, inspired by the awesome Indoraptor scheme that stands apart from every previous version.
How Does It Compare to Previous Versions?
With so many Monolophosaurus releases across the Mattel line, the honest question for any new version is: what’s actually different? The sculpt here is unchanged from several prior releases. Same body, same jaw snap action feature, same articulation layout. The differences are entirely in the paint, and on that alone this is one of the more distinctive Monolophosaurus versions so far.
Head-to-Head: Previous Versions vs Rebirth Monolophosauruus
Previous Mainline Versions
- Various greens, blues, grays, and orange ones
- Same jaw snap action feature
- Same sculpt (on this body type)
- Eye pupils inconsistent across releases
- The interior is often a single tone color
- Some versions had brighter, busier schemes
Rebirth Strike Attack Monolophosaurus
- New dark brown + gold colorway ✓
- Same jaw snap action feature
- Same sculpt (unchanged)
- Green eyes with a dark slit pupil
- Pink paint extends to the upper mouth ✓
- Moody, restrained. Overall Indoraptor-adjacent feel ✓
About the toy
1. Sculpt
The Monolophosaurus arrives with a fresh paint job but the very same body underneath. If you’ve been collecting Mattel’s Jurassic World line for any length of time, you already know this sculpt well – because it has appeared again and again across multiple waves and releases. That pattern continues here, for better or worse.
There are newer, more updated, and stylized Monolophosaurus in the previous releases. One with sharper, more impressive teeth and a more refined overall appearance, yet somehow the line keeps returning to this older version. It is a frustrating pattern, reminiscent of the Herrerasaurus situation where a clearly superior newer sculpt exists but the older, less impressive figures are pushed onto us.
Better teeth alone would make a significant difference here. The existing dentition is one of the weakest aspects of this sculpt, and it’s the kind of fix that would meaningfully elevate the figure without requiring a full remodel.
The new color is the entire selling point of this release, and it’s genuinely interesting, although not entirely realistic. The primary body color is very dark gray/brown/black and helps for the menacing look of this figure.
The most eye-catching element is a gold patterning that begins roughly halfway up the neck, sweeps back along the body. It briefly reappears in the hip area before fading out entirely before the tail.
The overall effect is reminiscent of the Indoraptor’s dark body with contrasting gold markings – a stylized, almost theatrical colorway rather than a naturalistic one.
2. Articulation
The action feature follows the same mechanism seen on previous versions of this sculpt — pressing the tail down causes the jaw to snap. It’s a familiar feature that works as expected, though like the sculpt itself, there’s nothing new here:
- Articulated jaw
- Articulated neck — good range, can look well upward
- Arm swivel (forward and back)
- Leg movement (forward and back)
- Swivel tail
Verdict Should I buy it?
If you’ve been following the Monolophosaurus across every Mattel release, you know the drill:
Same sculpt, new paint. The question is always whether the paint job justifies it, and this time the answer for me is yes – the dark gray/brown and gold scheme is one of the more visually stunning looks this figure has worn, and the attached Indoraptor energy suits it well. It will not satisfy collectors waiting for an updated sculpt with sharper teeth and more detailed features, but as a display piece or pack builder, this is a Monolophosaurus release worth owning.
Previous Monolophosaurus Releases
About the Monolophosaurus
Monolophosaurus was a medium sized theropod from the Middle Jurassic period. It was named for the single crest on top of its skull. The only known species, Monolophosaurus jiangi, measured 7.5 metres in length and weighed 1,565 pounds.
Monolophosaurus may have hunted in packs to take down Sauropods like Mamenchisaurus, although no evidence have been found of Monolophosaurus hunting in packs. Monolophosaurus was a crested dinosaur, but it wasn’t closely related to other crested dinosaurs like Dilophosaurus. In fact, it was closer related to the more advanced tetanurans, like Allosaurus.
How to unlock
How to unlock Monolophosaurus in Jurassic World Rebirth Collection?
Open up your Jurassic World Play App (previously known as the Jurassic World Facts App), press the Scan button and point it towards the DNA code here:
“Let me introduce you to Monolophosaurus. This is a no-frills predator straight from the Jurassic. Honestly, I could wax lyrical for days, ’cause it’s hard not to be impressed by such a colorful crest. But don’t be fooled; this is one minacious hunter!” – Isaac Clement
Open the Jurassic World Play App, tap the Scan button, and point it at the DNA barcode included with the Monolophosaurus Strike Attack just right above.
Yes, in most respects. The Rebirth version adds an articulated jaw, improved leg detail, and a new colorway. Paint coverage still not good enough on both figures, but the Rebirth figure is the stronger overall toy.
The figure has five points of articulation: an articulated jaw, a neck with good upward range, arm swivel (forward and back), leg movement (forward and back), and a swivel tail.
The Monolophosaurus Strike Attack is available at major toy stores and retailers, including Target and Walmart, and can also be found on Amazon. The Amazon link can be found just right above, and by clicking it, we might as well receive an affiliate bonus that would help us keep up the content on this website.
