My Little Pony FIM Blind Bag Wave 4

HexBug Warriors Battling Robots with Kinetic Weapons!

HexBug Warriors are really amazing! I was very impressed with their performance. My Previous HexBug experience was with the smaller nanos that just moved around with no major goal, other than exploring habitats. The Warrior Bugs went farther by adding weapons and a spiffy battle mode. Each HexBug features one "Kinetic" weapon that moves (because of the intense vibrating motor). I was pleased to see how well that kinetic weapon works too (usually that stuff fails in toys). When the two bugs hit one another, a shock sensor damages the bug, until one is defeated. My custom arena was a little sloppy, and the actual sold arena makes for a more fluid battle. I will now have to pick that up too. They also look really cool, sharp, and colorful. I totally recommend you pick a few up!

Hotel Transylvania McDonalds Happy Meal Toys 2012 Set of 6 Review

Hotel Transylvania looks like a silly movie, and this month you can get a few silly toys at Mcdonalds. The Party time Murray figure is lots of fun with his torso firing action. The Crawling Zombie Hand is also lots of fun. Play on!

Thundercats Thundertank and Snarf Ban-Dai

Thundertank! Thanks to the new show's hiatus (or cancellation), the new Thundertank is pretty much everywhere on reduced price. I have been eyeing one at Walmart all summer at $23.50, but yesterday it finally made the real plunge to $14.50 (about half its original value). For a price like that, a toy like this is amazing!

I had low expectations about this toy, from photos and other reviews, but I am finding it better than expected, with yes, a few issues. The overall appearance is very nice. The Thundertank sports a spiffy blue and gray color scheme, and has a very layered dimension to it. Under the canopy and at the drive station, there is just enough room for Panthro to squeeze into. Notice how his hands fit smugly into the dash. On Panthro, Snarf, and other Thuder-lynx figure's backs, are blocks that fit into the tank seat and helps make some sound commands. They are not very inspiring; "Thunder Tank Activate" and "Thunder Tank Fire!" Those red eyes up front light up red. The canopy has some slight issues of staying on at its hinge point, not too big of a deal.

The back end features a small compartment. I would say you could fit Snarf and another Thundercat figure in, or two Thunder-Kittens, Or Cheetara and Lion-o, but probably not Panthro. It is disappointing that this was not an upper hatch with a cannon, as that would have made the toy epic.

The front end action feature is where things go a little askew. There are the two classic Thundertank Claws, mounted to wheel sleds, attached to the tank. Then there are two more wheel sleds attached to that. You can interchange the outside slides with sold separately figure sleds. There are hidden buttons on the back top flaps that launch the outside sleds, flipping the claws up, with the "Thunder Tank Fire!" sound effect. It works and looks pretty cool, but in doing so makes the front end kind of fragile. If you were to do some ramming with a Mutant Fist Pounder, things might start flying off!

I think the weakness lies in the attachment of the Claw Wheel assembly to the tank, That could have been more solid. On another  side note, the claws could have been stronger and extended more. They have like half an inch extension to them, thats it! The claw is also a bit fragile, it pops off really easy. Even though I complain a little, its still fun, and would make some good play.

For being a smaller scale toy line, its size is pretty large compared to the Original Thundertank. I should add, as dorky as all the features of the new tank are, the old tank had just as many. How goes those stiff moving treads that melt in a few years? Or that weakened spring assembly that shoots Panthro out the top back hatch from time to time.

 

The two tanks then, of course, immediately dueled on the padded coffee table.

So yes there are a few issues, but really, its just a toy, and a kick-ass playable toy it is! It's too bad that the show is on shaky if not sunk ground, as maybe there would have been other tanks, or add ons. For now, and the next twenty years, this is the New Thundertank!

Men in Black 3 - Agents K and J

I tried to talk about these guys on a failed Vlog a couple months ago, and I almost forgot to mention them. Agents K and J from MIB3. They were quickly price reduced ($4.98 TRU), so I used the opportunity to pick them up. 

The figures themselves are pretty darn good, especially for not being Hasbro or Mattel. Jakks Pacific's game is raising in the toy world in my book. Very good face likeliness and articulation. Their coats are a softer plastic which allows some good play. At my favorite 3 3/4" scale they can fit right into my GI Joe and Star Wars bins. I only wanted the single figure packs of K and J, but for K I had to get the step up deluxe option with the weapon. The noisy cricket is my favorite MIB weapon, but I didn't want to pay three dollars more for it, then I found out what it does...

It transforms into a sick ride! Okay, now I am totally in for the extra three bucks. J also has a ring like device that turns into a slick little sky sled.  Both vehicles are pretty well made, again this sort of thing usually misfires big time.

I totally recommend you pick these guys up, at reduced prices, they are a steal.

LEGO Marvel Super Heroes Wolverine's Chopper Showdown 6866

Last month when I was working on Epic Lego Minifigures Battles 6, at the last minute I decided to pick up this set for the Wolverine and Deadpool minifigures. This of course mixed a few battles up, and I had to reshoot some stuff, but I really wanted seven battles. I probably would have never bought this set, if not for the minifigures. I am glad I did though, as it is a pretty solid set. Most of the time when buying LEGOs you can feel a little short changed. Not with this set, at $19.98 Walmart, you get a pretty good amount of brick. The chopper is really spiffy, as it looks menacing, fits a few figures, and does a few tricks.

The set looks to be modeled after the first Wolverine Origins movie, which gives you an initial premise to play from. It feels like a bonus to get three high level Minifigure characters, plus a motorcycle (and an extra Wolverine claw if you can spot).

Out of the Marvel sets offered this year, I would now place this as the best one to get first.

GI Joe Pursuit of Cobra Jungle B.A.T.

I sat up all last night debating with myself if I liked the Cobra Jungle B.A.T. or not.  I am a huge fan of the campy classic Cobra B.A.T., with its black and yellow body and lenticular chest, it is one of the all time Cobra greats. The 25th anniversary B.A.T. was a pretty good update too (missing lenticular and all). The latest is a Jungle version, a part camo repaint, part accessory dress up. 

I want to say he is more of a last years toy, as I found one yesterday at a Paul's Supermarket, a store that is never current on popular toys. I had to pay a little more, $10.49, which is ridiculous, but I guess beats online prices. That price is getting to be the norm anyway, which will end my GI Joe collecting habits pretty soon.

That Jungle B.A.T. comes with a pretty heavy gatling gun, but its very clumsy in use, hard to hold. The ammo clip feeds into that back pack, which barely fits on the back. (Firing effects are my imagination).

The Jungle B.A.T. still comes with those neat interchangeable arm pieces, my favorite in this situation is the flame thrower.  (Firing effects are my imagination).

What sold me on the toy was the battle damaged chest plate (Old lenticular location), and interchangeable head. That just looks brutal, if that wasn't included I would have passed on the figure.

So did I decide to like it?

The final verdict is...

Nope, I hate it. Its too much. What makes the classic B.A.T. go is its ability to go anywhere in its standard suit. It would be scary to see the black and yellow army in the jungle, forest, tundra, ocean etc. I just don't see Dr. Mindbender asking the B.A.T.s to put on camo pants for their Jungle assignment. I bought merely for the battle damage, and on the fly decision.

I will say though, if its a single B.A.T., with more character then an army, I don't mind the camo look for a small Cobra Jungle Team. That way you can play it as the emotionless robot character opposite the jokester leafy guy, and grumpy faced Predator.