Is it just me, or is there a major GI Joe Sting Raider vibe to this?
That Figures: REVIEW: Imaginext Cosmic Chaos Alpha Pod
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I have to admit the Alpha Pod is a bit of a mixed bag.
Starting with the negatives (so I can end on a positive note) I have a few issues with the overall design and playability of this set. For one, I really dislike the ''animated'' style of the figure's head sculpt. It just looks goofy and wrong, especially when compared to the other astronauts in the line-up. It's odd that Fisher-Price elected to mix the ''standard'' and ''animated'' styles of characters together in one line of toys and it's a decision I'm really having trouble understanding. There's no reason why they couldn't coexist but mixing the two just feels wrong.
(And again, I dislike the idea of ''guided'' play and feel that one of the strengths of the Imaginext brand is the way it encourages children to develop stories and characters. The Imaginext Adventures idea is the antithesis of this and makes it feel instead like Generic Branded Toy Line. And that's not good.)
Then there's the lack of functionality with the pod itself. I'm not a massive one for one-trick pony gimmick toys, certainly, but at the other end of the spectrum, I've come to expect a certain level of interactivity and engineered play features in the Imaginext line. And whilst the Alpha Pod has an opening canopy and firing missile, it's a real shame that there's really nothing much else to this toy. Perhaps it's due to my expectations not being met but I'm disappointed to see that the front grabber doesn't, well, grab. When I first saw the Alpha Pod I was reminded of the Action Man/GI Joe Capture Copter and remembered how much fun I used to have capturing my Intruder with its front-mounted pincers. To learn, then, that the Alpha Pod's claw was a stationary, solid piece came as a disappointment and I was really surprised to see nobody at Fisher-Price thought to make this a functioning piece. I can only assume they simply didn't have the budget for it, which is a shame...
Now onto the positives.
In terms of visual design, the Alpha Pod looks absolutely superb and is probably the best-looking and ''grown-up'' of all the Cosmic Chaos Alpha toys. I love the sleek-yet-functional lines and the way somebody designed this thing with the mindset of ''OK, how would this actually work...'' Sure, that simply comes down to ''molding some jets on the base and rear'' but you do get a sense of this as a vehicle that could - if the technology existed - function in the real world as a flying vehicle. It's certainly a touch I appreciate.
And then there's the pricing. For around $8 you get a neat spaceman figure (providing you keep his helmet on) with some cool-looking, semi-transparent accessories (which match the pod's coloring perfectly) and a great-looking mini spaceship with a few neat features and a fantastic design. Not even the super-cheap True Heroes/Legends toys can match that.
It's not without its faults, for sure, and perhaps I'm unfairly expecting it to be something it's not but even so, the limited play features and an odd-looking figure do little to hamper the overall impression, as the Alpha Pod manages to get by on its great pricing and awesome looks.
A great-looking toy that, despite its minor flaws, still represents superb value for money.
REVIEW AND MORE PICS HERE:
That Figures: REVIEW: Imaginext Cosmic Chaos Alpha Pod
That Figures: REVIEW: Imaginext Cosmic Chaos Alpha Pod
I have to admit the Alpha Pod is a bit of a mixed bag.
Starting with the negatives (so I can end on a positive note) I have a few issues with the overall design and playability of this set. For one, I really dislike the ''animated'' style of the figure's head sculpt. It just looks goofy and wrong, especially when compared to the other astronauts in the line-up. It's odd that Fisher-Price elected to mix the ''standard'' and ''animated'' styles of characters together in one line of toys and it's a decision I'm really having trouble understanding. There's no reason why they couldn't coexist but mixing the two just feels wrong.
(And again, I dislike the idea of ''guided'' play and feel that one of the strengths of the Imaginext brand is the way it encourages children to develop stories and characters. The Imaginext Adventures idea is the antithesis of this and makes it feel instead like Generic Branded Toy Line. And that's not good.)
Then there's the lack of functionality with the pod itself. I'm not a massive one for one-trick pony gimmick toys, certainly, but at the other end of the spectrum, I've come to expect a certain level of interactivity and engineered play features in the Imaginext line. And whilst the Alpha Pod has an opening canopy and firing missile, it's a real shame that there's really nothing much else to this toy. Perhaps it's due to my expectations not being met but I'm disappointed to see that the front grabber doesn't, well, grab. When I first saw the Alpha Pod I was reminded of the Action Man/GI Joe Capture Copter and remembered how much fun I used to have capturing my Intruder with its front-mounted pincers. To learn, then, that the Alpha Pod's claw was a stationary, solid piece came as a disappointment and I was really surprised to see nobody at Fisher-Price thought to make this a functioning piece. I can only assume they simply didn't have the budget for it, which is a shame...
Now onto the positives.
In terms of visual design, the Alpha Pod looks absolutely superb and is probably the best-looking and ''grown-up'' of all the Cosmic Chaos Alpha toys. I love the sleek-yet-functional lines and the way somebody designed this thing with the mindset of ''OK, how would this actually work...'' Sure, that simply comes down to ''molding some jets on the base and rear'' but you do get a sense of this as a vehicle that could - if the technology existed - function in the real world as a flying vehicle. It's certainly a touch I appreciate.
And then there's the pricing. For around $8 you get a neat spaceman figure (providing you keep his helmet on) with some cool-looking, semi-transparent accessories (which match the pod's coloring perfectly) and a great-looking mini spaceship with a few neat features and a fantastic design. Not even the super-cheap True Heroes/Legends toys can match that.
It's not without its faults, for sure, and perhaps I'm unfairly expecting it to be something it's not but even so, the limited play features and an odd-looking figure do little to hamper the overall impression, as the Alpha Pod manages to get by on its great pricing and awesome looks.
A great-looking toy that, despite its minor flaws, still represents superb value for money.
REVIEW AND MORE PICS HERE:
That Figures: REVIEW: Imaginext Cosmic Chaos Alpha Pod
