Written by: Jon Espinoza
Mornin’, fellow ’90s kids. While cartoons dominated most Saturday mornings, this isn’t about Saturday morning TV—it’s about a toyline that dared to break the mold. Kenner’s 1992 "Aliens" collection wasn’t tied to a show, and most kids probably hadn’t seen the film—but if you did, you were in for something special. "ALIENS" wasn’t just a sci-fi/action/horror classic—it also inspired one of the most inventive toy lines of the era.
WATCH THE ORIGINAL TOY COMMERCIAL FOR "ALIENS" FROM KENNER
Marines With Personality
Kenner took creative liberties with the human characters, keeping marines alive and playable rather than following the film’s grim attrition. Bishop became a sunglasses-sporting android with a Gatling gun. Ripley rocked yellow boots and a red shirt, while Apone came with a backwards ballcap, a sleeveless “No Bugs” shirt, and a mechanically enhanced arm. Each marine also included a sticker sheet for customizing weapons and gear. The only two figures that really looked like Marines were Drake and Hicks, but even Hicks came with a huge ricket launcher that was never even mentioned in the film. Drake came with his custom "Smart Gun" and he was the toughest-looking figure of the series. Each marine also included a small sheet of stickers to customize their gear and accessories.
Xenomorphs Reimagined
The Aliens themselves were even wilder. Kids could collect a Gorilla Alien, Scorpion Alien, Mantis Alien, Snake Alien, and more—each with unique designs and action features like exploding bodies, gripping arms, or mouth-squirting mechanisms. Many came with small comics that created a continuous story across the toy line, encouraging collectors to grab every figure.
Vehicles for Maximum Mayhem
The toyline delivered several vehicles. There was the Stinger XT-37, an off-road-style vehicle with a driver seat, a standing turret position, and a retractable rocket launcher beside the driver. The HoverTread vehicle seated one figure and featured electronic sounds, a rotating gunner/driver seat, and adjustable treads to simulate a hover feature—powered entirely by imagination. Then there was the EVAC Fighter, which seated a pilot and included a detachable capsule for capturing an Alien of your choice. It also launched several “Alienator” missiles. Finally, there was the Power Loader, and let’s be honest—there’s really only one thematically appropriate pilot for that one: Ripley.
Collectible Waves
The first two waves set the standard for creativity and expanded later into the Predator franchise. We'll be diving into those other waves soon because this whole line is massive and, in some collector groups, very sought after. Later lines, as we will get into, have full-on battle scenes and micro plays as well as huge Aliens that we have never even imagined before, but for now, let's stick with this first wave that made us fans. Some favorites include:
Marines:
• Lt. Ripley
• Bishop
• Corp. Hicks
• Sgt. Apone
• Drake
• Atax
Aliens:
• Scorpion
• Bull
• Gorilla
• Queen
• Snake
• Mantis
• Queen Facehugger
• Rhino
• Flying Queen
Vehicles:
• Stinger XT-37
• EVAC Fighter
• Power Loader
• HoverTread
Nostalgia Reloaded
That’s just the first two waves. The Aliens toyline proved that you could take a serious, R-rated sci-fi property and turn it into an endlessly imaginative, action-packed experience for kids—without losing the film’s iconic edge. There’s plenty more, but let’s take a break and grab a Pop-Tart before we get back to watching Aliens before our parents—
…Never mind. We’re both adults here. Let’s get back to it before we miss the good stuff.