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Series: 1,
Sonic Adventure 2 Battle
Craftsmanship: 8.7
out of 10
- Bendy limbs are a plus/minus
- Excellent likeness
- Looks great on display base
- Stands easily on his own
- Great paint job
Playability: 8.0
out of 10
- Nose could succumb to rough play
- Overuse of bendy limbs could result in tragedy
- Good size for play with other action figures
- Head is easy to put back on
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Sonic the Hedgehog
by Joyride
Studios
Sonic the Hedgehog is no stranger to the action
figure world. He’s made at least two official appearances that gained widespread
distribution and it was only a matter of time before he got another action
figure. He’s a perennial favorite and
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owed to his “unarticulated” nature. I put
unarticulated in quotes because both his arms and legs are bendy.
I have a love/hate opinion of bendy limbs. Love because they can allow some
poses that just aren’t possible with conventional joints. Hate because often
they don’t hold their positions and overuse tends to break the wires, which can
then break through the rubber. In Sonic’s case, the bendy limbs hold their
positions very well (for the most part) and so far, no broken wires. The
articulation in this case works well enough to shape him into running positions.
If you’re looking for conventional articulation the only place you’ll find it is
his neck.
At first I was extremely apprehensive about popping his head off during the play
test. My fears were unfounded. Although his head does come off with a bit of
pressure, it easily pops back into place.
Joyride has done a good job capturing Sonic’s attitude and character with the
sculpt and paint job. Just look at him. The nubby nose, the half smirk, the
crazy (rubber) hair, the oversized shoes, and big-gloved hands are all
highlighted by the great combination of colors. With a signature character like
Sonic, one misstep or flaw comes instantly to attention. Whether from profile or
viewed from the front, there’s no doubting who you’re looking at. (Especially
when the base has “Sonic” written across it in big letters.) Everything is
right-on – right down to the green eyes.
It’s not often that I let my young son play with my toys, but Sonic is a special
case and (if it weren’t for our dog’s habit of chewing on anything not nailed
down) I might be confident enough to actually let him play with Sonic by
himself. (Though the package recommends Ages 8+ and “Not recommended for
children under 3.”) His nose certainly looks like it could be ripped off but so
far it has stayed firmly planted on his face. Sonic’s size also makes him
(almost) compatible with a lot of other action figures. Like for example, the
Simpsons, which are about the same size. Sonic can’t hold Simpson accessories
but acting out interesting scenarios is very fun. (Remember that episode when
Bart steals Bone Crusher?)
If you’re into collecting videogame action figures, you can do no wrong with
Sonic. He’s got everything you want: good likeness, great paint and sculpt, and
a strong display base.
- Omni
(September 29, 2002)
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