As this is my very first review, I figured I should start off with a bang, and what better way to do that than to review what has to be one of the largest toys available this year. With this being the first one I’m doing, I’ll explain the process I use to grade these items. They will each be judged on four categories: Detail, Accuracy, Playability, and Overall Design. I’ll also post my general comments and observations at the beginning and end of the review. Each category is allowed a grade on a scale from 1-10, with some exceptions made for exceptionally brilliant material. So, without further dillydallying, let’s begin.
General Thoughts: Wow! Has it really been 30 years since The Empire Strikes Back was released? It seems like so long ago, and even though I wasn’t around when this wonderful film was in theaters it still is one of my favorite in the Saga. Each of the Star Wars films has at least one vehicle or character that really stands out as iconic and representative of that movie. For Episode II it was the AT-TE, the Republic Gunship, and the introduction of the Jedi Starfighter, and for Episode IV it was the Millennium Falcon. For Episode V, the one most iconic vehicle would have to be the AT-AT. You could argue that the Slave 1 is also iconic, but that sees a much larger role in Episode II and the Clone Wars TV series. What sets the AT-AT apart is that it was so massive and virtually indestructible. The Rebels threw everything at it that they could, and the only way they managed to take them down was with tow cable and of course Luke’s Jedi trickery. These beastly vehicles were able to take down the Rebel forces with little effort at all, and that is why on this year, the 30th Anniversary of The Empire Strikes Back, Hasbro decided to give the fans an amazing new AT-AT Walker.
Detail: 10/10
When Hasbro goes back and remakes something nowadays, they usually don’t spare any expense. This is definitely true when it comes to the AT-AT. The exterior of the vehicle is absolutely amazing, There’s occasional weathering marks peppered along the body, and just about every line, hatch, and other little detail possible on this thing. The blasters are very similar to their movie counterparts as well, complete with the alternating chin cannons. The viewport actually is transparent and you can see inside the vehicle, where there is room for two pilots and a commander to fit nice and spaciously. On the inside you have plenty of movie accurate items, like the viewscreen in the cockpit, and there are also many features that are only shown in reference material outside the film, and it is all done in terrific detail. They definitely went all out with this thing.
Accuracy: 11/10
The reason that this category gets an 11 out of 10 is because not only is the vehicle extremely accurate to the film, it also goes the extra mile by adding in lots of features we didn’t see on screen, but blending them in with the vehicle so that it seems entirely believable that they were there “behind the curtain” if you will. Excellent job in this category.
Playability: 10/10
While Hasbro has a firm stance on playsets (basically, no they won’t make any more) they always seem to find a way to incorporate the bells and whistles of a playset into their major vehicle releases. This is true with the AT-AT as well. In the cockpit, you have room for up to 6 figures, though admittedly I haven’t attempted this myself. In the main body of the vehicle you have opening panels on both sides that allow for complete access to the inner workings, which include a control panel, two viewscreens a ladder down into a lower level of the ship, which is also accessible by the grappling hook feature on the bottom of the ship, and two rappelling platforms that allow for deployment of troops. Like I said before, Hasbro went all out with this toy, and I wasn’t kidding. Numerous buttons throughout the vehicle activate phrases, sounds, and lights that will make any kid or fanboy happy. In the back of the vehicle, you have a storage compartment for a Speeder Bike, two more viewscreens, and two “flaps”, one on either side, that allow for troops to snipe their enemies from the safety of their impenetrable fortress. The side guns on the front of the head can fire missiles, and the chin guns can be “fired” as well, with the use of lights and sounds. Even though they’ve said no more playsets, Hasbro definitely knows how to incorporate the best of both worlds.
Overall Design: 9.5/10
The only reason why I wouldn’t give this ship a perfect 10 on this category is because it lacks one thing that could make it the ultimate version of this vehicle, and that would be making the hallway between the head and the body, the “neck”, hollow and allowing figures to walk from one to the other. While I understand that this may be difficult for a toy of this size, and I feel bad knocking an otherwise great toy for this one feature, I feel that it just would make it that much better to include this, just like on the new Millennium Falcon. Aside from that, this ship is flawless, excellent detail, great play value, and the size is just HUGE. This thing easily dwarfs the Power of the Force 2 version from 1997, and the added bits make it even more amazing.
Final Thoughts:
This vehicle is truly a testament to how far toy companies have come since the time of my childhood, when the best articulation you could hope for was swivel shoulders, hips, and neck. For only $99.99, this toy is easily going to be one of the hottest toys for the holiday season this year. I was lucky and managed to snatch one up for the insanely low price of $49.99, and many toy catalogs are pushing this thing down to the $80 price point, which is really a great deal. I would highly encourage any avid Star Wars fan to pick at least one of these up, as you won’t be disappointed. For as much effort that went into this toy, it really is a great present for kids and collectors alike. The AT-AT has set the standard for any new toys that Hasbro puts out, and they’ve got quite a reputation to live up to.
Grade: 40.5/40 A++
Verdict: Definitely Get This
SW Collector
Resources:
Rebelscum: http://rebelscum.com/
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