Jabba the Hutt Action Playset

This playset was one of the first boxed items I acquired on my re-entry into the collecting hobby back in the early 1990s. As I recall, I attended a toy show of some kind in Toronto when I was in school there, and a dealer had absolutely stacks of these boxes at his stall. I can't remember what I paid but it was certainly not anymore than about $40. Should have bought all they had, I guess...

In any event, what we have here is the Sears (direct) version of the Jabba playset. This box version wasn't generally available in a true retail sense - I understand that it was what you got when you catalog-ordered the item from Sears. The box itself is pretty plain - two-colour litho, and the same image on the front and back of the box. There's nothing printed on the top and bottom nor on the end flaps.
 

Here's some images from the small "RotJ" catalogs with a nice tableau for me to re-create... which I am able to do because, back in the 1990s, I personally unsealed and opened up the packaging :-O

And here it is! The string on my production toy is obviously much shorter than on the version used for Kenner's photography, though.

A few words about the "action" feature of the playset (yes, "feature" is singular). The two "outboard" decorative "heads" along the front of the base are connected to the platform pieces on top of the base. When the heads are rotated, the two sections of the platform rotate upwards from the edges, as shown above.

"One look into his glassy eyes and kids will know - JABBA THE HUTT means business!"

And when Jabba means business you get dumped in the pit. Some sculpted detail there - bones, lizards, detritus from past victims, etc.

Copyright info on the bottom of the base. "Made in... who the %^&@ knows?"

As with many Kenner playsets, the Jabba set contains what seems to be an inordinate number of small parts... in addition to the base, there's the hookah stand, hookah bottom bowl, hookah chimney,  hookah top bowl, pipe and string, slave collar and string, and the Jabba and Salacious Crumb figures. Yikes!

Jabba's bong

The Jabba the Hutt Dungeon Action Playset

One of the later releases from Jedi was the Jabba the Hutt Dungeon Action Playset. Clearly this was one of Kenner's final desperate efforts, as it not only included three action figures, but it also recycled most of its content from the earlier Star Wars Droid Factory playset.

I wanted to spotlight this set in particular, for a few reasons. It features some more of that classic Kenner package design that I can't get enough of, as well as the great "bonus" seal call-out on the front. In addition, this set is probably the most complete playset I have in my collection - as you will see, it includes absolutely everything that originally came in the box (bar the packing cardboard) ;-)

Great honking piece of tape sealing the box, as you often see with vintage Kenner...

"Hey kids! Here's how you can make 8D8 torture Artoo-Detoo!" Step-by-step torture instructions are always helpful.

Free figure offer is prominently displayed. The classic yellow and blue seal on the box front looks awesome as well.

Instruction sheet, reply card and used sticker sheet was also included in the box :-)

Figures in original Kenner baggies. Although the baggies were opened, it was done in such a way as to preserve the original sealed appearance. I love when the original owners do that!

Free figures roaming in their intended habitat. 8D8 is ready to pull down the torture arm, cleverly modified from the factory boom from the original "Droid Factory" playset.

Who the heck are these guys now?? Strangely enough, the Jabba Dungeon set was recycled yet AGAIN with a late release that included three free Power of the Force figures: EV-9D9, Barada, and Amanaman.  I've set them up with the Dungeon to give an idea of what the later PotF set would look like in a play scenario.

The PotF figures do look good, don't they? Even Amanaman is starting to grow on me a bit, but Barada is cool and EV-9D9 is one of my favourites with her cool moving jaw piece. "You're a feisty one..."