General Thoughts:
If you’ve read my previous reviews, you know that I am a huge Star Wars fan, and the only thing that rivals that love is my love for Toy Story. The movies and characters have been with me almost since birth, and I find them to be even closer to my heart now that I’ve grown older. One of my favorites, however cliché it may be, is Woody, the Cowboy ragdoll that Andy has played with and loved for many years. Well, until now, there hasn’t been a truly accurate recreation of Woody in the real world, and as such I always felt some sort of emptiness whenever I played with my older version. When this version was announced I was really excited, and, like with Buzz, when I saw him sitting on the shelf next to his best pal Buzz Lightyear, I was four years old again, and I was more excited than any other kid in that store. And you know what? I was 17 when that happened. If a toy can have that dramatic of an impact on a 17-year-old guy, then I think it’s safe to say the folks at Pixar are doing something right.
Detail: 10/10
This toy is the most accurate version of Woody ever created, as they used the exact digital data from Pixar’s computers to create him, and the quality is surreal. His hat has the actual stitching around the brim, his belt buckle, badge, and spurs are all panted gold, and every little thing on this cowboy is absolutely superbly executed. Even the box looks like he's right from the Toy Story universe where Woody's Roundup is in full swing.
Accuracy: 7/10
Unfortunately, while this guy is the most accurate version ever produced, he still has his flaws, as do the rest of the Collection toys. For starters, his mouth has an open smile, while his toy mode in the movie has a closed smile, and his eyes are more open in the movie than on the toy. Clearly the company was going for a more “alive” feel for this guy, and I can understand and appreciate that, but these are being touted as the “Exact same toys that Andy would have bought at the store in the movie”, and as such I think they need to be 95-100% accurate for that to be true. Second, his voice is done by Jim Hanks, Tom’s brother, and while they sound fairly similar, you can clearly tell it’s not the true voice of Woody from the movie. He is also missing some key phrases such as “Somebody’s poisoned the waterhole”, and “I’d like to join your posse boys but first I’m gonna sing a little song”. Thirdly, his pullstring is not a traditional pullstring, in the sense that in the movie it winds itself back in slowly, whereas this one shoots back inside. This is due to the fact that they are using a newer, more up to date voice box rather than the old ones that would’ve been used in the time when Woody was made. I hate to dock this guy any points, or any of the other toys for that matter, because I’m just so happy that finally, after 12 years of waiting, I can have all these accurate versions of my favorite characters, but I just wish that they could be what they are marketed as.
Playability: 10/10
Woody has an interesting design just like Buzz and most of his other friends in the Collection. They have two modes, toy and alive, and they act differently depending on the type. If they are in toy mode they talk like they would if a human were to play with them, and in alive mode, it’s as if you just left the room and they have come to life. This gives kids a lot of playability with their toys, and the inclusion of a talkback sensor, however minimal, is really cool too. Definitely allows for hours of creative play with your favorite deputy and his pals.
Overall Design: 10/10
I’m really impressed at the level of quality in these toys, especially since they are mass-produced. They have all, or at least most, of the bells and whistles of their on-screen counterparts, and they look like they’ve just walked off the screen and into your arms. I couldn’t be happier with the toys that Thinkway has given us in these past two years, and I will be forever grateful that I now have my life-long buddy to keep by my side.
Final Thoughts:
For all of their flaws, and the price, which is somewhat high, these toys are absolute treasures. They have awesome play features, they’re almost exactly accurate to their on-screen counterparts, and they just are cool to look at, all assembled on a shelf, or in a toy chest. $50 may seem like a lot to you, and if so they have produced cheaper, less accurate but close versions, but in reality you’re not buying this toy for the toy itself, but for the memories that it will create and the lifetime bond that you or your child will create with this toy. Woody, Buzz, and the gang have kept me company growing up in my thoughts and on the TV, but now they can physically be with me to infinity and beyond, and I don’t see that changing anytime soon.
Grade: 37/40 A-
Verdict: Get This Toy
SW Collector
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