TMNT Cowabunga Forever 1988 Classic Figure 2 Packs First Look
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Cowabunga! Huge thanks to @heroesandvillainstoys for posting these images and giving us our first look at some really cool new Playmates Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles product! We’re getting a brand new wave of 1988 Classic Figure 2 Packs as part of the Cowabunga Forever line, and they’re heading to Target in the US. Boy are we thrilled to see Playmates continuing to dig into that iconic 1988 original toy line for inspiration, because those vintage figures are where it all started for so many of us. There’s also a 90s themed 5 pack on the way, so it looks like Playmates is giving us a real celebration of the Turtles’ toy legacy here. They keep finding ways to honor different eras of the franchise, and these 2 packs look like so much fun. But can I insert a short editorial note here, that I can’t stand when Playmates adds these scratch marks to the figures! What aesthetic benefit do they think they are giving us by doing that to all their figure 2 packs? Why are these guys so scuffed up? Are they out street fighting at night?! It seriously ruins the figures for me, and I was looking forward to these but it’s such a shame they have to keep doing this. Anyways back to our article, I just had to vent! So let’s take a look at the TMNT Cowabunga Forever 1988 Classic Figure 2 Packs!
The packaging leans hard into that classic late-’80s TMNT aesthetic, with a sewer brick border done in bright greens and a torn-paper strip running down the left side featuring cartoon artwork of all four turtles. Leonardo and Shredder are displayed together inside the window box, with a set of brown accessories tucked off to the side behind Shredder.
The Donatello vs Foot Soldier two-pack packaging uses that same sewer brick design, this time with the cartoon turtle lineup running down the left edge. I like how the Foot Soldier’s purple and silver armor contrasts sharply against Donatello’s warm brown and yellow tones, the two figures framed together behind the window with a pair of blue blade accessories included alongside the Foot Soldier.
Here’s a closer look at the Raphael vs Bebop two-pack, and it’s fun seeing these two classic rivals packaged side by side. Bebop’s chunky sculpt towers over Raphael, with his teal goggles, mohawk, red open vest, and chain belt creating a ton of visual contrast against Raph’s simpler green-and-yellow color scheme.
Michelangelo and Rocksteady fill out this two-pack nicely, with Mikey’s orange bandana and knee pads popping against his deep green skin and yellow plastron. Rocksteady’s grey rhino head sculpt has some great personality to it, and those red-and-olive striped pants paired with his black tank top and military helmet give him that unmistakable ’80s cartoon look.
