[56K] Jazwares is actually kind of awesome

[Esrever]

I still haven't seen the Metal Sonic figures anywhere up here in Canadia, but most of the other Jazwares figures are kicking around here and there. I was actually quite surprised by how well made some of their other figures are made... especially the sculpt of the Werehog, of all things! And the matching-sized regular Sonic is pretty good too... much nicer and more on model than those old Resaurus or Toy Island ones, and they're a lot cheaper, too. I would have killed to have Sonic toys like this when I was a kid.

[P.P.A.]

There we go.

I love you.

Also, as soon as I get money again I need to ask an American friend of mine to buy this and ship it over here to me.

[Xyton]

@ Opa-Opa: That is ridiculous. And awesome. You win an internet:

[Dr. BUGMAN]

Don't ever change, Opa-opa.

[Yami CJMErl]

That. Is. AWESOME.

[Crowbar]

I think that one image makes up for all the years of mediocrity this franchise has given me!

[P.P.A.]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Sonic-the-Hedgeho ... 960wt_1165

lol

[CM August]

What the fuck is that.

[Esrever]

I got one when I was at Comic-con. I think it's kind of cute!

[Opa-Opa]

Hahah thanks! I reinstalled my Sonic CD today with that XP patch and all... I didn't quite remember how fun it was travelling back and forth in time. Good times.

I have kind of mixed feelings about those JUVI things. They're cute, but weird. I think the Metal Sonic JUVI figure is the best one so far. I had to import my Metal Sonic figure, which ended up something around 50 dollars, but totally worth it.

What do I do with one free internet?

[Dr. BUGMAN]

Yeah, I used that XP patch myself (I'm pretty sure there's only one?), and the game started crashing when I didn't get the Time Stones in sequential order or something.

[Yami CJMErl]

MOAR NEW STUFF!

I went to FYE yesterday because I was bored, and it turns out they're selling some pretty neat Sonic-based stuff, too. I saw Sonic plushies (pre-'99 style), Sonic/Tails beanie caps that look like the tops of their respective heads, and Knuckles gloves.

[Opa-Opa]

Sonic/Tails beanie caps that look like the tops of their respective heads

Those are pretty popular in anime conventions around here. I guess there are Knuckles and Shadow ones too. I don't remember seeing Knuckles gloves... those could be nice.

[Yami CJMErl]

So you remember the pics I took of those tiny 3-inch figures (Sonic, Tails, and the comic pack w/ clear Sonic and Knuckles)?

Apparently, there's more coming out, including Shadow, Silver...and the Werehog. Also rumored are Eggman and Amy (who might have a hammer). Also also, the SSMB thread linked to in the news report shows that later releases of the Metal Sonic figure that was the basis for this thread might be getting a minor paint fix in the way of his feet having the stripes on them (which mine lacked).

[The Turtle Guy]

I don't remember seeing Knuckles gloves... those could be nice.

They could be like the Hulk gloves that talk when you hit them. "SHIT! ROCK! ERRRAA!"

[j-man]

I'd want them to be functional, actually allowing you to dig through walls. WOOLAWOOLAWOOLAAAAHHH

rats

[Opa-Opa]

If you could climb and glide with them as well, I'd buy it.

[Segaholic2]

http://www.toyglobe.com/SonicRacing.php

[Crazy Penguin]

Eggman's monster truck could be pretty cool.

[Opa-Opa]

Alex Kidd with his Sukopako Bike and Ryo Hazuki with the Forklift plz. kthxbye.

[Arcade]

I always thought that Alex bike was a homage to Hang On, since they where both red bikes...

And after beating the Genesis Alex kid game, I really want to kick the programers in their "blue balls". They didnt realize Alex became popular DESPITE the yankendo, not because of it. It was like Sonic Adventure 2 had 50% more of fishing than Sonic Adventure.

[Opa-Opa]

Alex Kidd in the Enchanted Castle is vastly inferior to Miracle World and Shinobi World. The game is a bit broken in some aspects, plus the enemy design is horrible, even though it kind of draws back to the Lost Stars game. Feels to me like they had no idea what to do with the Mega Drive back then, and treated it just like some kind of better Master System (which is actually what it is, but you get the point).

[Yami CJMErl]

IT'S THAT TIME AGAIN, KIDS!


Found this at the local Toys R Us (as usual, due to ALL the Sonic toys being exclusive to there) for $12.99. I know the Metal Sonic has an individual release, but I'm fairly certain that Eggman is only available in this set.


The box is very pretty. It'd actually make a nice display piece if you're one of those "mint-in-sealed-box" kind of collectors. (It's hard to tell, but the top of the clear section has the Sonic logo embossed on it.)


The usual Sonic Channel artwork for Metal Sonic...


...but oddly enough, not for Eggman. I'm trying to remember which game this art was from--the Rush series, maybe?


Bios! I think this is the first instance in Jazwares' run of the series that has anything like this on it--everything else is either "upcoming figures" or artwork...or blank. Note Metal's bio, which almost exclusively refers to Sonic Heroes.


In case you couldn't tell, yes they DID take the effort to put Metal inside his own capsule. Reminds me of his cameo in Sonic Adventure...


For additional display purposes, the external parts of the box come off, leaving everything inside intact.

Okay, now for the figures themselves. Let's start with everyone's favorite mad roboticist...


...Ovi Kintobor Ivo Robotnik Dr. Robotnik Dr. Eggman!


Like Jazwares' other Sonic figures, Eggman is very faithfully sculpted, and has a relatively decent range of articulation for his stature: hips, knees, shoulders, elbows, and wrists. I think there might be some head articulation, but either I'm wrong or Eggman suffers the same problem my giant Metal Sonic figure has, and there's a blob of dried paint blocking the articulation.


He's got some good posability, though he's a bit top-heavy (obviously)--which is why I'm glad he doesn't have the same problems as nearly every other Sonic figure JW has made--more on that later.


He is also, predictably, in-scale with the other small-sized Sonic figures.


And now for Mr. Robot Doppelganger. Metal's another nice sculpt--he's got almost the same level of detail as his much larger counterpart, and a better hand scuplt, to boot!


He has the same metallic blue flake color as the bigger M. Sonic toy, too.




You may have noticed that I'm using a stand (included with the toy) to prop Metal upright. This isn't due to him having loose joints (like almost every other figure in the line)--in fact, the toy also shares the same "assembling painted joints before the paint has dried" issues of stiffness, though everything loosens up in due time. No, I think the figure has a slight molding or asembly error, in which the feet are molded so that without his stand, Metal Sonic will lean a great deal to the left or right. Combined with the top-heaviness that goes with making toys of Sonic characters, this makes him VERY prone to spontaneously falling over.




He can still get a few good poses in, though.


(I suppose one could paint the bigger one red and pretend he's the model from Knuckles' Chaotix)





Closing off, I'll say that Jazwares' run on the Sonic figures actually reminds me a lot of the post-Adventure games themselves. Yes, the packaging and sculpts are nice, full of detail, and accurate to the games, but the figures themselves tend to be consistently marred with quality control issues, ESPECIALLY when it comes to joints. Both my Metal Sonic figures apparently fell victim to the assemblers painting the joints/pieces, and then building the figure before giving the paint a chance to dry. My larger Metal Sonic has REALLY loose hip joints, my smaller Metal Sonic has a foot problem, Tails can only stand up because he's got his tails as a natural support (his hip joints are also way too loose), and Sonic's knees can't seem to support his head. Ironically, the only figure I own WITHOUT any of these problems seems to be Eggman.

[Opa-Opa]

Eggman does look sweet though. Damn, I don't want two Metal Sonic figures. I already have the huge one. I really like how the hands of the small one look though.

What I really don't like are those bulbs on Sonic's and Tails' arms. That's the main reason I didn't buy them. Metal Sonic is a robot so that's ok if they show. I see they kinda managed to not show it on Eggman, probably due to his large size. Maybe they are getting better at this.

[G.Silver]

I still can't get over how those "bulbs" make the characters (especially Tails) look like creepy, muscular, furry art versions of themselves. I keeping expecting Tails to take Sonic in his thick, strong arms and OH GOD GET OUT OF MY MIND LA LA LA LA LA