With the continued release of Marvel movies and series for years to come, the Avengers characters are a popular pick when it comes to superhero toys.

If you’re catching up with who’s who in the world of superheroes and need to know what to prioritize when choosing a toy for your favorite Avengers fan, the following guide can help. An excellent place to start is with the Avengers Marvel Titan Hero Series 12-Pack from Hasbro, which features Captain America, Iron Man, Hawkeye, Black Widow, Ant-Man, Black Panther, Thor, Falcon, Spider-Man, Star-Lord, Groot and Gamora.

What to know before you buy an Avengers toy

Who are the Avengers?

The Marvel Cinematic Universe can be used to identify Avengers toys that are guaranteed to be a hit with kids who are familiar with the recent movies. Based on the MCU, the Avengers characters most will recognize are: Iron Man, Captain America, Black Widow, Thor, Hulk, Hawkeye, Black Panther, Spider-Man, Scarlet Witch, War Machine, Falcon, Vision, Doctor Strange, Ant-Man, Winter Soldier, Okoye, Shuri and Captain Marvel. The Guardians of the Galaxy can also be included in this group: Star-Lord, Gamora, Drax, Rocket Raccoon and Groot.

Marvel vs. DC superheroes

Some toy sets include one or two superheroes from the DC universe. If you’re buying for a die-hard Avengers fan, pay attention if you’re buying a set, which may include popular DC heroes. Many kids love any and all superheroes, but if you want an Avengers-only set, you’ll have to weed out the toy sets that include heroes like Batman and Superman.

Popular Marvel superhero women

If you’re looking for superheroines, there are a number of toys available: Black Widow, Scarlet Witch, Captain Marvel, Gamora, Nakia, Okoye, Shuri, Wasp, Valkyrie, Nebula and Mantis, to name a few. You can also look for Ironheart, Ms. Marvel, Ghost Spider, She-Hulk and Spider-Girl, who are on the horizon for future films and series. You’ll also find action figures for Peggy Carter and Pepper Potts as Rescue.

Avengers villains

No one wants to play with only the heroes when reenacting a battle scene. Some of the Avengers villain toys you may want to look for are: Thanos, Loki, Ultron, Ronan, Corvus Glaive, Ebony Maw, Proxima Midnight, Hela, Red Skull, Chitauri, Klaw, Baron Zemo and Crossbones.

Other Marvel heroes and characters

There are a number of additional characters that are sometimes included in action figure series that will be recognized from the movies such as Odin, Heimdall, Yondu and Monica Rambeau.

One character that cannot be excluded from the Avengers is Nick Fury, the S.H.I.E.L.D. agent who formed the Avengers. Though he is not a superhero, he appears in nearly all the movies as he brings the superheroes together as a team.

Not all Marvel superheroes are Avengers; however, heroes like The Flash, Deadpool, Wolverine and the Fantastic Four may be included in future Avengers films and series as the Marvel universe continues to bring characters together on-screen.

Avengers toy features

What should I look for in a superhero toy?

There are a number of features that make one superhero toy more appealing than another.

Symbols and Colors: The correct colors and symbols for the character are important for making the toy feel less like a knock-off.

Weaponry: Even though many superheroes don’t need weapons, often their powers are represented by a blaster or similar accessory.

Moveable parts: Kids love to add and remove accessories from toys and figures, and it’s good for fine motor skills, too.

Lights: The flashier, the better.

Sound: Recognizable voices or sounds from the movies can be a great feature for a superhero toy.

Avengers toy cost

The smaller or less-moveable action figures are often less than $15. For the most part, you can buy Avengers toys, like action figures and LEGO sets, for $20-$60. The more high-tech toys with lots of features or sets with many characters can cost upwards of $60, with some coming in at over $100.

Avengers toy FAQ

Some of the action figures have multiple versions, so which one should I get?

A. It’s true, Iron Man has a lot of suits as do many of the other superheroes. If you’re buying a gift, and you’re not sure, going with the most recent version is often safest because the gift recipient may not have it yet, and usually action figures get progressively more interesting as the makers try to outdo the last figure with the latest movie’s uniform and accessories.

Where can I find Avengers toys?

A. Any retailer carrying children’s toys will likely carry Avengers toys, along with other popular superhero items.

Which Avengers toy should I get?

Best of the best Avengers toy

Avengers Marvel Titan Hero Superhero 12-Pack: available at Amazon

Our take: This 12-inch action figure series is impressive, and though the overall price is high, the individual price is $8 per figure. There’s also a 6-pack set for a smaller investment that includes Iron Man, Spider-Man, Black Widow, Hulk, Captain America and Star-Lord.

What we like: All the major players including two women and some of the Guardians of the Galaxy.

What we dislike: Less moveable than 6-inch figures and fewer characters in the series overall.

Best bang for your buck Avengers toy

NuGeriAZ Superhero Capes and Masks for Kids: available at Amazon

Our take: These cape-and-mask sets include four reversible capes and eight masks to dress up as Captain America, Iron Man, Black Panther, Spider-Man, Hulk, Thor, Wolverine and Deadpool.

What we like: Encourages more active play and imagination, and the double-sided capes make switching between heroes convenient.

What we dislike: The Marvel women are not included.

Honorable mention Avengers toys

Avengers Marvel Legends Endgame Power Gauntlet Articulated Electronic Fist: available at Amazon

Our take: The light-up infinity gauntlets are a great addition to any Avengers reenactment, but the Iron Man “Endgame” gauntlet is the ultimate choice because it represents the final sacrifice in the storyline.

What we like: Each finger can be manipulated and each stone’s sound effect is activated by specific finger combinations.

What we dislike: Very large in size (19.5 inches), which may be difficult for smaller children to use. It’s also not a great toy for group play, as it can only be worn and interacted with by one person at a time.

littleBits Avengers Hero Inventor Kit: available at Amazon

Our take: This educational STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) toy makes it fun to invent high-tech gadgets like Iron Man.

What we like: Teaches basic coding, includes step-by-step video instructions and features 18 activities with sound effects.

What we dislike: Not for smaller children; minimum age is listed as 8 years. You’ll also need a smartphone (iPhone 10+ or Android 5+).

Ashley Clayton Kay is a writer for BestReviews. BestReviews is a product review company with a singular mission: to help simplify your purchasing decisions and save you time and money.

BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. BestReviews and its newspaper partners may earn a commission if you purchase a product through one of our links.

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