Join the Squad! The Mystery Squad!

     As a young girl, I LOVED reading Nancy Drew and Trixie Belden books. I had almost the whole series of both. My friends and I would trade books and we even set up a "detective school" for ourselves. Alas, none of us became world famous detectives, but it was still fun. 
    Fast forward to 2002. Mattel releases a four doll set called Mystery Squad. It was phenomenal! The dolls were adorable and the accessories were to die for! There was also a headquarters playset, a cafe which transforms into their base. Unfortunately, no extra fashions were made for these lovely dolls.
     Each doll came with an outfit, a backpack, two items from the prom caper mystery, a paper board box of some sort to hide supplies in, ID card and other spy accessories. Also included were a pair of spy glasses for a child, which had mirrors on the lenses to see behind you. The cafe had all sorts of spy gear for the girls to use as well. 
      Each girl was a specialist in her field, so the team had various resources to call upon when the time arose. 
      The team consisted of Barbie, the Night Mission specialist, Kenzie, the Surveillance Specialist, Shawnee, the Data Information Specialist and Drew, the Communications Specialist. They each came with a booklet which was "confidential" telling about the dolls and their skills. 
       Barbie came with a backpack with night vision goggles, pop-out roller skate shoes, Yes/No electronic information analyzer, town map and detective glasses. She also came with glow-in-the dark stickers, which were clues to the mysteries. Her prom queen accessories were a pair of pink gloves and a white tiara. The night vision goggles were activated by a button on her backpack. 

Barbie

Barbie's spy gear

     Kenzie had the Teen Skipper body and came with a detective dog. Her backpack came with a grappling hook and retractable rope. She also had a digital camera, blue prints and detective glasses. Her prom queen accessories were a rose and a scepter. Her dog's collar also lit up to act as a camera. 

Kenzie and her dog

Kenzie's accessories

     Shawnee came with a hidden leg computer, which she could strap around her thigh. She also had a laptop with three interchangeable screens, a data scanner, detective glasses, fingerprint duster and dust bottle. Her backpack's data scanner was activated by a button on her backpack. Her prom queen items were a pair of pearly white shoes and a pink clutch purse. 

Shawnee

Shawnee's accessories

        Drew came with a wrist computer, which was concealed by the sleeve of her coat. She also had a hidden light up signaler, a satellite radio and detective glasses. The signaler is activated by her backpack. She also came with a Morse code chart for secret messages. Her prom queen items were a white necklace and the prom queen sash. 

Drew

Drew's accessories

     The Mystery Squad Headquarters looked like a normal cafe, but it had so many secret items for the girls to analyze their clues. The soda fountain transforms into a microscope. There is a secret panel hidden in the soda fountain. The cash register opens to reveal a satellite dish. The sign turns to reveal the headquarters. The countertop flips up to reveal disguises and a mirror. The food display hides a secret computer. The chip bags are really secret cell phones. The menu turns over to reveal a hidden radar screen. Flip the tabletop and it shows a map to track suspects. 

Mystery Squad Headquarters - I've not opened it yet.

The back of the box, showing all of the secrets in the cafe. 

     This line was just full of items for loads of imaginative secret agent play! I know my friends and I would have played with these dolls until they fell apart or we lost everything. There have been other secret agent Barbie dolls since this line was released, but in my opinion, this one is the best. 

Real Friends, Real Fun

     Now normally, I don't like cheap Barbie knockoffs. They're just that: cheap. The dolls are cheap, the clothes are cheap and they just don't look right. There was one exception to my rule though. In 1999, Toys R Us released a line of dolls that, while cheap, were so much fun! 
     Real Friends, a Toys R Us exclusive, consisted of a line of four dolls, Brandi, Tanisha, Maya and Jessie. They were released in a regular set for $6.99 and a deluxe set for $8.99. The beauty of these dolls, even though they were cheap, was the "magically changing outfit". Each doll had outfits, which could be changed somehow to become something else. So while the doll was dressed one way, a piece could be added or it could be turned inside out to become something else. Genius, really. 
      The deluxe dolls included pieces so you could make at least three outfits out of it, while the regular dolls could make at least two different outfits. I really love this feature and this is what makes these some of my favorite dolls. The deluxe dolls also included a headband for a little girl, since all of the dolls came with them. 
       I was able to get seven of the dolls while they were in the stores, but one has eluded me ever since. I'm not even sure the doll was made, but I really hope so and I hope to be able to get her one day.
       I'll start with my least favorite doll. Her name is Brandi and the blurb on the back of the box reads: "I'm Brandi...I love sports. I'm really good at skating, swimming and skiing. I was just elected Prom Queen!" The regular doll could be changed from a lifeguard to a skier, while the deluxe doll could be changed from a skater to a princess to a ballerina. 
      While I was taking these pictures, I noticed the hair on both of the dolls was shedding something fierce! She was the only one to do this and it was both dolls. I'm not sure why. 

 

Skier Brandi - the boots snap into the skis

Lifeguard Brandi - the skier jacket reverses into the lifeguard jacket

Lifeguard Brandi 

Brandi's clothes and accessories - I've turned half the jacket inside out so you can see the difference. 

The picture on Brandi's insert. The prototype is definitely a higher quality doll and it shows a whistle around her neck, not a triangle necklace. 

Deluxe Brandi - the base of all of her outfits

Ballerina Brandi - I didn't fasten the shoes as I didn't want them to break

Skater Brandi - just the ballerina outfit minus the tutu

Princess Brandi (or Prom Queen according to her blurb)

Brandi's clothing and accessories - Not a lot of things to mix up, but still kinda cute

Ballerina Brandi on the insert - Love her hair! Bet it wouldn't shed!

Skater Brandi - you can tell the arms and legs are more Basic Barbie like than the actual doll. Such a shame, but I'm sure more cost effective.

      My next least favorite doll (or would that be third favorite?) is Tanisha. It's not that I don't like her, but she didn't have as much flexibility clothes-wise as the other two. Tanisha was actually quite lovely. According to her blurb, she says, "I'm Tanisha...I love playing tennis and dancing. When I start my career, I'm going to hold all my meetings on the tennis court." The regular doll could be changed from tennis star to party time while the deluxe doll could be changed from a busy executive to dance star to glamour girl. 

Tanisha - tennis player. She also came with two rackets and a tennis ball.

Tanisha in her tennis dress. The illustrations on the side of the package show her wearing this dress both with the gold insert and without, but I've never been able to figure that one out. 

Tanisha in her party dress. Her tennis bag turns inside out to become her gold mesh party bag. 

Tanisha's clothing and accessories - I love they were able to use the Barbie mold for the sneakers as they can fit over socks. 

Tennis Tanisha on the insert - I love the curl coming out of the visor and she has such a sweet face. 

Glamour Girl Tanisha - the feathers on the boa were EVERYWHERE!

Business executive Tanisha - as you can see, the jacket is a little too snug

Business executive Tanisha without the jacket so you can see the detail of the skirt.
 

      

Ballerina Tanisha - I didn't fasten the shoes as I didn't want to break them. 

Tanisha's dress can be long...

 

or short! 

  

Tanisha's clothing and accessories - the boa was in the bag due to the flying feathers.

Business executive Tanisha on the insert

 

Ballerina Tanisha on the insert - once again, loving that curl!

     My next favorite doll is Maya. Her blurb reads, "I'm Maya...Hola! I love being outside, tossing a disc or playing soccer. After practice, let's try out some new dance moves." The regular doll can be changed from bell bottoms to today's hip leopard while the deluxe doll can be changed from soccer star to dance queen to school time! The deluxe doll features one of the best accessories in this set.

     

Maya in capris - Keep an eye on those as well as the purse...

Maya's capris are now bell bottoms! And don't the bottoms look familiar...

 

The bell bottoms are also reversible.

One more time for the bell bottoms! Not only are they a purse, which does open at the top, and the bell bottoms, but also her skirt! The shirt is also reversible!

Maya's clothing and accessories - so many possibilities!

Maya in her leopard skirt

Maya in her dance dress

Maya in her school outfit - the shirt is reversible to the lace side. 

Maya in her soccer outfit. The best accessory? The sign, which turns inside out to become her wrap for the dance!

Maya's clothing and accessories

     

School time Maya - she looks so sweet with the bow in her hair

Soccer Maya

     Finally, we come to my favorite doll of the bunch. I think she is my favorite because I love her colors and her school outfit. Unfortunately, I've never been able to find the regular version of her, so I only have the deluxe version. From what I've gathered, the regular doll should feature hiking and shopping as her blurb reads, "I'm Jessie...the "girl-next-door". I love hiking, dancing and shipping. Let's catch a movie then hit the mall to try on the latest makeup." 

Photo of regular Jessie from the back of the box - You can see a bag, binoculars and a hair attachment with two different colored braids.

Dance Jessie - I love the silver outfit with the pink highlights

Volley ball Jessie - the ball is the same as Maya's soccer ball

School time Jessie - the sleeves of her shirt are the gloves of her dance outfit reversed. The skirt is also the dance outfit skirt reversed and worn backward. 

Jessie's clothing and accessories 

Volley ball Jessie from the insert - her face reminds me of Barbie's cousin Jazzie

School time Jessie 

     I think for me, this is the only line of cheap Barbie knockoffs which are worth something. They have reversible clothing and can be imagined in many ways. I just wish I could find the regular version of Jessie. If anyone has one or knows where to find one, let me know!