Fisher-Price Planet Heroes Turbo Shuttle

This is a great toy. My son had asked for a spaceship for Christmas and knew of the Planet Heroes line from a particularly well-placed DVD episode on the Geo Trax DVD they have that came with that toy. But I was aable to purchase this same toy from another location, TRU, for only $19.95. Action figures are $8.95 compared to $12.95 here. Good toys, but you might want to look elsewhere to purchase. In fact, I've found most of their toy prices considerably higher than at the stores. Significantly higher in fact. But this is a really good -- but very big! -- toy. Loads of fun!

Do keep in mind that not all action figures fit in all of the seats. We don't have all of the figures, but I do know that Venus/Dazzle doesn't fit in the wing pods -- only the cockpit. But all the bells & whistles worked on ours, contrary to some other reviews. You just have to press the right button.

The Fisher-Price web site has some great games and "movies" to watch to keep the kids interested in the toys and to help them learn more about the planets as well.

I kind of stumbled across the Fisher Price Line of Planet Heroes accidentally. Over the holidays I was looking for christmas gifts for my 3yo and found this rocket ship through Amazon's "Todays Deals". I had never heard of Planet Heroes but my son loves rockets, so I gave it a shot. Then we received a few of the planet heroes action figures from santa. He loves them; and this rocket ship was by far the favorite christmas gift. 6 months later, it is still one of his favorite toys.


The rocket ship is really durable and easy to manipulate for young children. It has a handle on the bottom with a "trigger" that works the sounds and the "flames" that come out of the back. There are a couple of buttons/levers that also activate the rocket sounds.

There are 2 pods that detach from the main ship. One has a pincher like tool on the front that works to grab things. The other pod has an arrow that you can "launch" by pressing a button on the steering column. I do agree with a previous reviewer that the arrow tends to get lost. Other than that, this is a great toy for young kids!

I noticed some reviewers mentioned the possible safety hazard of the plastic "flame" that pokes out the back of the rocket when the trigger is pulled. We haven't had any issue with it. it is made of pretty flimsy plastic, overlayed with fabric. My son thinks it's funny to poke himself with it, and hasn't been hurt. Although I don't doubt that if a child were running with the toy and fell on it, an accident could occur. I wouldn't call it a safety issue, but it's worth mentioning.

We also purchased Mars Digger and Earth Ace to go along with this toy. The figures are chunky and sturdy and easy to stand and manipulate the limbs and fit well into the rocket. I won't say they are impossible to break, but my son is really hard on toys and these have now lasted us 6 months with lots of use and no casualties. They do not really have any tiny pieces to lose or break off.

I like that this toy line is educational - each figure teaches about his/her home planet and comes with a trading card that has great facts about the solar system. One of my favorite details is that each figure has a number on his/her chest that represents it's position from the son. My son just thinks they are cool and tough and take all the abuse he can muster and keep coming back for more.

Figures are just slightly smaller than Fisher Price's line of "Rescue Heroes". We have a few of those figures as well, but unfortunately the Rescue Hero characters do not fit into the rocket ship (their feet are too big). Not a big deal, but as we play with them all together, it would have been great if they could all pile into the rocket for a ride. :)

I would absolutely recommend these figures for a toddler or young child.

Also, if you check out the planet heroes website, they have games, information about planets and the solar system, and even a couple of free dvds that you can sign up for to receive through the mail.

The Planet Heroes line is fantastic for play, for story-telling, and for light-hearted education / planet recognition. My three year old nephew loves the characters, but his all time favorite product from the series is this ship. He absolutely loves it, and it is well designed, appropriate for little hands and minds. He literally will spend an hour dreaming up games and adventures with this toy. With lights, sounds, and spinning "rocket" flame, he is carried away into the land of imagination and often independent play. He enjoys the fact that the bigger ship has two smaller ships with it, and each of these little ships have special features. (This ship makes a rainy day more exciting.)

I like the product's sturdy landing gear, big buttons and levers, and handle because I believe these features help a little child play easier with such a large toy.

The family enjoyed the DVD story that came with this product, and I've noticed that my nephew, while playing, will uses phrases and plot points from that story to enhance his own adventures.

NOTE: The character Sun Commander is quite larger than the other heroes, so he doesn't fit in this space ship accessory. But hey, he is the sun, so maybe he doesn't need a ship to fly....at least that is our story, and we are sticking to it! :) Digger fits quite well, even with his rocky toes!

And he has abused it and still plays with it nearly 6 months later! Still works. Had to change the batteries once for the 1st time just the other week and you can actually turn the sound OFF! Worth it!

When we received the DVD in the mail, along with the poster, my son was immediately hooked. He carried the poster around with him and daily pointed out characters that he wanted, and also requested to watch the movie at least once a day. He had a Planet Heroes Christmas- almost every toy was one of the figurines, and he absolutely LOVED them! The shuttle is really cool, the way the "flames" leap out the back, and it sounds like a real rocket blasting off. Also, the pods are neat because he can detach them and race them around the room, as well as attach them to the backs of some of the bigger action figures. He acts out the movie with his characters, and we CANNOT WAIT for a new movie!! Fortunately his birthday is in a month and he can complete his collection.