Hayden’s Hobby Tool Review: AK Play Markers

Written By: Hayden Krile

Published: 2/11/2026

Welcome to the first installment in our new review series, where one of Ann Arbor’s own tries out the Hobby products in our stores and gives his honest opinions. Today, Hayden is reviewing AK Interactive’s Play Markers.

Shortly after joining The Upkeep Games, it became a part of my job to guide new potential hobbyists toward products that are best for getting started. On the back wall of the Ann Arbor store, people would point to the Playmarkers by AK Interactive display and ask me if they were worth using. I hadn’t used them myself yet, so I wanted to see if they’d be a valid alternative to the standard paints and brushes most people use.  It just so happened that the store’s Tyranid models still needed to be painted, so the opportunity was before me: a common starter army would be the best testing ground for these markers.

Initially I was skeptical. I mean, it’s a paint marker with a brush tip, how good could it be? I already had a pretty robust painting setup at home, so I didn’t see what the appeal may be for these.

But I gotta be honest, I’m quite surprised how well these markers get the job done. I can say after this experiment that these markers are perfect for someone who’s just getting into the hobby space and just wants to get paint on minis as soon as possible. 

This marker cuts out a lot of the frustrations someone new may encounter when establishing a painting setup. First off, you don’t gotta go out and buy both brushes and paints. Both are included with the pen. You also don’t need to replace a brush after it begins to curl or buy another pot after your first runs low. When the pen is out, throw it out and get another. Easy! 

They’re also pretty cheap compared to a traditional setup. A decent brush setup and good paints can easily creep into the triple digits if you let it, but the pen’s only about $4 per color.

But it goes further than that. These markers also cut out all the maintenance and setup you’ll need before laying your first layer on a mini. These markers’ paint is pre-thinned, so you don’t gotta worry about laying on a thick and globby layer. The marker also keeps your brush loaded with paint, so you don’t need to keep manually reloading your brush after each application. 

You also can start or stop painting whenever you’d like. With a standard setup, you’d need to get your brush, wet it, load it up with paint, wipe the excess off, apply the paint, then wash your brush, and dry it off. None of that nonsense with the pen. Just uncap, apply, and recap when finished.

You also can start or stop painting whenever you’d like. With a standard setup, you’d need to get your brush, wet it, load it up with paint, wipe the excess off, apply the paint, then wash your brush, and dry it off. None of that nonsense with the pen. Just uncap, apply, and recap when finished. The markers surprised even a veteran like myself, and after experiencing how fast you can go from wanting to paint to applying a layer has made me want to have these at my desk. For those times I’m just feeling like lightly dithering away at some batch paint where I may want to take frequent breaks in between coloring the millionth space marine shoulder pad.

So I’d recommend everyone give these a shot. 

Now, I wouldn’t recommend them for more precise detail work, since you’re stuck with using the #2 brush head that comes stock with the pen. But if you’re looking for a tool to speed up your base coats, or an easy way to test if painting is even to your tastes, pick one up next time you’re in the market for some paints.

About the Author:

Hayden is one of our amazing Ann Arbor Retail staff. He is a writing graduate from Grand Valley State University. Hayden mainly plays Warhammer 40K and paints miniatures, but has also plunged back into Magic the Gathering’s commander scene. He hopes to gain some experience on the business side of the hobby world, but also one day have a black kitty cat all his own.