Mr. JabbaJohnL
11-05-2004, 07:12 PM
All the other VOTC figures have been reviewed, so now it's time for little Artoo. I've had this figure for some time, but was just recently able to purchase it from my parents and open it.
The sculpting is very good. It looks just like R2-D2 form any of the movies. It's not overly big or small, it seems right. The head is chrome, but the only time it really seems chrome is on Jabba's Sail Barge's deck - but seeing as how this is a ROTJ figure, it works. Like the 1995 POTF2 figure, it features a light-up eye when his head is held under a light. Stupid then, stupid now, as that eye never lights up (it's the smaller one right under it that does the flashing in the films). When his head is turned, it clicks. It's not as loud as some of the more recent R2s, who sound like they're firing off cannons. Again, a feature not in the film anyway. Also when his head is turned, a periscope comes up. It pops up twice in a full revolution, and doesn't hinder this figure's ability to turn its head 36o degrees, as it did on the Datalink & Periscope version.
His body has all the correct bumps and things where they should be. On his "chest," two of the closed panels can be removed (as one piece) and replaced by opened ones with holes for his accessories. They really should've given us one where only one is opened, as it is in the movies, but it's still okay. The panels are a little bit whiter than his body and stand out a little bit.
His legs are really great. For the first time, the foot hoses are raised off his feet, and are hard plastic like the rest of the foot, as opposed to actually feeling like hoses. His feet are articulated like they have been for some time, but they also have wheels. This is the first only astro droid to have both articulated feet and wheels, ever. However he does not have feet pegs, but it's no big loss as he can stand up pretty well. His third leg is a separate piece, which is something they used on the vintage Droid Factory playset (I think). It too has a wheel, and plugs in quite nicely to R2's underside. There's a triangular hole on one side and a same-shaped bump inside him, so you'll know which way to put it in. The third leg has no articulation, unless you count the wheel.
R2-D2 is the only figure in the VOTC line to have a major change to his packaging reproduction. The vintage figure was named "Artoo-Detoo (R2-D2) with Sensorscope" and it exclaimed "NOW!! WITH SENSORSCOPE". For whatever odd reason, Hasbro opted to change the nameplate to replace "Sensorscope" with "Extension Arm" and the other words say "NOW WITH EXTENSION ARM!!" Go figure, as both R2s have the same periscope coming out of their head. Other than that, and the small number/legal notice changes, the cards are identical.
If you've been waiting for a great R2-D2, this is it. The pros (articulated ankles with wheels, great accessories and sculpt) outweigh the cons (slightly different whites). I'd say that this figure is worth the $10 asking price. Grade: A-
The sculpting is very good. It looks just like R2-D2 form any of the movies. It's not overly big or small, it seems right. The head is chrome, but the only time it really seems chrome is on Jabba's Sail Barge's deck - but seeing as how this is a ROTJ figure, it works. Like the 1995 POTF2 figure, it features a light-up eye when his head is held under a light. Stupid then, stupid now, as that eye never lights up (it's the smaller one right under it that does the flashing in the films). When his head is turned, it clicks. It's not as loud as some of the more recent R2s, who sound like they're firing off cannons. Again, a feature not in the film anyway. Also when his head is turned, a periscope comes up. It pops up twice in a full revolution, and doesn't hinder this figure's ability to turn its head 36o degrees, as it did on the Datalink & Periscope version.
His body has all the correct bumps and things where they should be. On his "chest," two of the closed panels can be removed (as one piece) and replaced by opened ones with holes for his accessories. They really should've given us one where only one is opened, as it is in the movies, but it's still okay. The panels are a little bit whiter than his body and stand out a little bit.
His legs are really great. For the first time, the foot hoses are raised off his feet, and are hard plastic like the rest of the foot, as opposed to actually feeling like hoses. His feet are articulated like they have been for some time, but they also have wheels. This is the first only astro droid to have both articulated feet and wheels, ever. However he does not have feet pegs, but it's no big loss as he can stand up pretty well. His third leg is a separate piece, which is something they used on the vintage Droid Factory playset (I think). It too has a wheel, and plugs in quite nicely to R2's underside. There's a triangular hole on one side and a same-shaped bump inside him, so you'll know which way to put it in. The third leg has no articulation, unless you count the wheel.
R2-D2 is the only figure in the VOTC line to have a major change to his packaging reproduction. The vintage figure was named "Artoo-Detoo (R2-D2) with Sensorscope" and it exclaimed "NOW!! WITH SENSORSCOPE". For whatever odd reason, Hasbro opted to change the nameplate to replace "Sensorscope" with "Extension Arm" and the other words say "NOW WITH EXTENSION ARM!!" Go figure, as both R2s have the same periscope coming out of their head. Other than that, and the small number/legal notice changes, the cards are identical.
If you've been waiting for a great R2-D2, this is it. The pros (articulated ankles with wheels, great accessories and sculpt) outweigh the cons (slightly different whites). I'd say that this figure is worth the $10 asking price. Grade: A-