Schleich Knight's

 This castle is amazing in detail and quality. The working drawbridge is weighted and has metal details. Each tower has two floors above the ground floor, so soldiers can stage battles from higher angles. The castle comes with two towers, main entrance with drawbridge, four long walls, and two short walls. The pieces may be moved around and rearranged in whatever configurations you wish.

“ This castle, though, is very durable. ” 

“ This is a super durable toy and I think well worth the money. ” 

“ Both kids loved it and played together with it for hours and hours. ” 

This is a heavy castle, with all the pieces collectively weighing in at approximately 20 lbs. It is also a BIG castle, with towers reaching almost 18" height. While it seems incredibly sturdy, I would recommend children be at least 5 years old before receiving such a gift; they need to be at least strong enough to lift the towers, and coordinated enough to avoid knocking it over onto themselves. Even then, I'd guess it is best suited for children 7-13, and I hope it will be treasured by my son throughout his childhood, and passed on to his children some day.

There are other websites that sell Schleich World of Knights, and have a more comprehensive collection than what is shown here (not to mention better prices if you farm around). Some additional pieces not shown on Amazon include: stone steps and ladders, which let soldiers reach the ledges behind the walls of the castle and the 2nd and 3rd floors of the towers; additional short walls, long walls, and towers; catapult; war tent; an Arabian Knights collection; a Crusaders collection; and additional mythical characters such as a fairy, elf, pegasus, and phoenix. Beware the female characters: they have homely, masculine faces, and sort of look like drag queens.

Most of the figures themselves are a single molded piece, and are beautifully detailed with things like the quilted underside of the blankets on the princes' horses, silver painted horseshoes, dirt on the faces of the soldiers, an occasional bloodied knuckle, etc. A few soldiers have long-handled weapons which are removable, as are the jousting sticks used by the tournament knights. Also, the mounted figures are removable from their horses, though their legs remain bowed.

The castle arrives in a sturdy cardboard box with a built-in carrying handle, and is attractive enough that gift wrapping isn't necessary. This is a decidedly masculine toy; a boys' equivalent to a high-end doll house for girls. It is also a toy to be added to over time -- with all the accessories, this toy will stay exciting and provide new adventures for years to come.

UPDATE (Oct '08): It's been over 3 years since my son got his castle. It still looks perfect, and he still loves to stage battles with his knight

Schleich Knight's