I finally got to Target. After searching fora Sandtrooper to no luck, I scanned one of the many Derlins and the basic figures were listed as in stockroom. I asked an employee if the Sandtrooper was there and five crazy minutes later, he brought it back and said "This one?". Yep it was! Review:
I'm finally starting to bore of the Saga Collection package. However, as a trooper builder, Hasbro does not fail to supply some good pictures onto the box. The trooper stands in a neutral pose inside the card, which upsets me, considering the fact that other figures have been action posed and yet he's not. Oh well, I'll live, I mean, I don't keep figures carded. That would ruin the purpose of the TOY.
Just like all the other revision cases, the Sandtrooper includes a pamphlet that advertises the Naboo and Endor waves. It brings me to wonder what pamphlet, if any, will be included in the battle of the repaints waves. The figure was easy to get out and so now to it.
We all realize that there are many figures that need resculpts. Hasbro gave us several this year: AT-AT Driver, Death Star Gunner, among others. Last year the Evolutions multipacks included a Sandtrooper, that had a (Especially in the varient pack) "I just emerged from the toilet" battle damage job and NO waist articulation. Flash forward, and I'm sitting in front of my computer typing about what could very well be, the ultimate original trilogy figure.
I usually cover the price point and value of a figure last, but I need to get to that now. He's a $6.64 figure with "more gadgets than a swiss army knife" and a sculpt that included a smaller bubble and one accesory that was great but sold for ten bucks. So I'm impressed with this.
Next, we see the sculpt. It's a superior thing from two years ago. With some modifications, including the backpack hole and removable thermal detonator. It's an all around good model. The head to toes are perfect. I guess Saga has been good with sculpts. And it usually means bad paint and articulation, but unfortunately for all you pesimests, it's not.
The paint is delicous and the sand damage does not resemble a toddler after an "accident" like previous figures. The slop is nowhere to be found.
The articulation is by far the best feature in this figure next to accesories. The Sandtrooper can go into several dynamic poses. The only bad thing is the torso articulation doesn'tgo backwards as far as other figures with ball joints in that area.
The accesories, as I have hinted are wonderful. The vibro lance makes for some great guarding poses and the blaster is in perfect scale. It fits nicely in the holster, however it's a bit of a pain to do that sometimes. The thermal detonator can be stored in the pack while it is on, seeing as the detonator cannot be attached while the pack is in use. Speaking of the pack it too is a goody goody sculpt. The paint job on these accesories is great too. The final accesorie isn't really one. The pauldron is probably older but I don't know. It's sufficient though, and we've all seen those bad things that can happen when Hasbro tries to fix already good figures. Also included is a base which reads "Sandtrooper". This guy looks quite impressive on the stand.
Th quality is fine, and I've got to say, I'm still excited about this trooper. He could quite possibly be the best figure of 2006. But I've got my eyes on that Clone Seargent as far as my next buys go.
So I do highly suggest this figure. He's now shipping in revision packs. Som get him while he's still available, this Sandtrooper will be gone by 2007.
