General Thoughts: Mandalorians are a peculiar race. In the Original Trilogy we only got to see one, Boba Fett, and he was quite the notorious secondary character at that. This prompted “Mando-Mania” in which everyone wanted to see more of this type of character. So out comes Episode II, and we get to meet Boba’s “father” as well as a young Boba, and we learn why he has become a bounty hunter in the first place. Through the Expanded Universe, and the new Clone Wars TV series, we’ve gotten quite the wealth of Mandalorian characters, and as a result, figures as well. Now, let me precedent this by saying I, on no uncertain terms, have little interest in the Star Wars TV series “The Clone Wars”, as I saw the movie and was entirely dissatisfied with its portrayal of the SW universe. This being said, I had a large amount of prejudice when the toy line came out, and planned to purchase zero of the product offered in this goofy, cartoonish style. I then began to notice some of the incredibly detailed, and unfortunately, for the time being, unique characters in this line, and decided to bite my tongue and purchase a few. To this date, I have purchased 4 single carded figures, 2 battle packs, and one of the deluxe figure and vehicle packs, with the possibility of buying three or four more single figure. The fact is, this line is too good to pass up, as a lot of the figures being released are entirely unique to this show and, as a result, this line of toys, which is such a shame, because minus the cartoonish aesthetics, they are some of the most amazing work Hasbro has done in years.
Detail: 9.5/10
This battle pack includes 4 figures, down from the original five figure setup that started in 2006, and for the first time in Hasbro history, they are all exactly the same. Hasbro finally listened to collectors who said they want army building packs, and they actually did it. All four of these figures feature the same sculpt and paintjob, and the accessories differ only a little from figure to figure. This being said, it is almost a curse, in my opinion, as I would have liked just a small deco change on each one in order to make them more distinct, but that’s just my minor nit-pick. Aside from that, they are absolutely beautiful figures.
Accuracy: 10/10
Having not watched the Clone Wars TV series, I can’t say that I’ve seen too much of the Mandalorians, but given the reference material, I’d say that Hasbro has nailed the likeness of these guys, and produced a solid figure that incorporates all kinds of articulation without sacrificing detail. If only the designers of the Vintage Collection figures would take a feather out of these guys’ caps when making their character designs.
Playability: 10/10
These figures have an incredible range of motion, which allows for many poses, as well as the ability to fit into almost any cockpit. In addition to that, the figures each fame with their own accessories, as well as an extra set that wasn’t being used by anyone, which is an absolute dream, as all the weapons can be switched out for one another, and this provides lots of play value to an already great set.
Overall Design: 10/10
This battle pack is one of the best that Hasbro has ever produced. It finally answers the prayers of so many collectors begging for the line’s foray into army-building support, and it did so spectacularly. As such, it is incredibly well designed and thought out, and Hasbro would be foolish to not try this format with other figures going forward. Army sets sell very well, as I have only seen this pack in stores twice, the first of which I bought, the second I passed up only due to lack of funds, and it was gone before I could return.
Final Thoughts:
In an age where money is the root of everything, and all people are pinching their wallets tighter to preserve funds to survive the economic downturn, getting the most for your money has become increasingly important. This battle pack delivers in that department, as you get 4 hyper-articulated figures, meaning standard super articulation, but with the addition of ball-hinged wrists and hips, and they are an entirely new sculpt. It’s rare that Hasbro will do this sort of thing, as we have yet to see a decent army-building worthy battle pack in the realistic style line, so count your blessings that this one is as tremendous as it is.
Grade: 39.5/40 A+
Verdict: Definitely Purchase This
SW Collector
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