Welcome back to Toy Aisle, Gizmodo’s regular round-up of the latest and greatest toys. This week, we officially get on the objective for LEGO’s Overwatch line, Hot Toys unleashes the galaxy’s most kitted-out Astromech droid, and the new Bumblebee movie gets a very cool figure. Check it out!
Hot Toys Star Wars 1/6th-Scale R2-D2 Deluxe Version Figure
If you’ve ever lamented that your collectables didn’t come with enough tiny parts and accessories to lose, you might want to consider pre-ordering Hot Toys’ new deluxe version R2-D2 figure, which should arrive sometime late next year. The 17.8cm figure includes a die-cast metal dome, 10 points of articulation and motion, eight unique light-up features, 14 sound effects that can be triggered by a remote, a retractable third leg, and a tiny hologram Princess Leia.
But it’s the collection of 12 different utility arms that can be magnetically attached to the little droid that make this figure so memorable — especially when you panic and start screaming at your roommate for losing Artoo’s tiny life-form scanner.
LEGO Overwatch Sets
We got a taste of what to expect from LEGO’s Overwatch plans a few weeks ago when it revealed a little model of everyone’s favourite portable nightmare turret, Bastion. But to celebrate BlizzCon today, the company officially unveiled the first wave of six sets due out January 1, 2019.
The playsets include Widowmaker vs. Tracer, complete with a payload vehicle for Tracer to pilot ($US15 ($21), 129 pieces); Hanzo vs. Genji, a battle between bricky brothers that comes with a recreation of the Shimada Castle on the Hanamura map in the game ($US20 ($28), 197 pieces); Dorado Showdown, replicating the Dorado map and its hovertruck payload alongside Soldier 76, McCree, and Reaper ($US30 ($42), 419 pieces); and a massive Watchpoint Gibraltar launch tower based on the final objective of the Gibraltar map, complete with Winston, Reaper, Mercy, and Pharah ($US90 ($125), 730 pieces).
But interestingly, among the setpiece playsets are two kits that lean towards display models. The first, understandably named D.Va and Reinhardt ($US40 ($56), 455 pieces), pairs two of Overwatch‘s most beloved Tank characters as buildable mech models, complete with minifigures of both Rein and D.Va to insert into their respective battlesuits.
Second, there’s a deluxe-sized version of Bastion ($US50 ($69), 602 pieces) that not only has a light-up brick in its head, but can even completely transform between Bastion’s robot and turret configurations, just like in the game. Overwatch fans, put aside some of those loot box funds you’ve been saving and get ready to splurge early in the New Year.
Star Wars: The Black Series Six-Inch Battle Droid Figure
With no movie to market until Episode IX in December 2019, it seems like Hasbro is looking to the prequels to populate its upcoming waves of Star Wars action figures. Joining the likes of Mace Windu, Anakin, Padmé, and Obi-Wan next year is this newly announced 15cm-scale Battle Droid, the cutest little foot soldier of the Trade Federation you ever did see.
The droid is articulated enough that it can be posed both in the standard soldier form and hunched down in its little transportation mode, like it’s fresh out of the troop carrier and ready to be blown to bits by Clones and Jedi. The Battle Droid is due out in autumn next year.
3A Toys Transformers DLX-Scale Figure Series
Anyone who grew up with the original Transformers toys has probably come to grips with modern interpretations of the robots that don’t actually transform. As 3A Toys demonstrates with its new Transformers DLX-scale line (which stand between eight and 30cm tall), by sacrificing the vehicle modes, the robots benefit from considerably more detail and articulation — over 50 points of motion.
The line will debut in December alongside the upcoming Bumblebee movie, and will be cheaper than 3A Toys’ larger Transformers collectables, many of which come with price tags well north of $US500 ($695).
[h/t Plastic and Plush]
Hot Wheels Original 16 Collection in Replica Store Display
They are one of the most iconic toys of all time, and 2018 marks the 50th anniversary of Hot Wheels. To celebrate, Mattel has already released the original 16 tiny vehicles in the line, complete with throwback packaging. But the truly devoted/obsessed Hot Wheels collector is going to want this complete set that not only includes all 16 of the original toy cars, but also a cardboard reproduction of the in-store displays used to introduce the toys back in 1968.
Just 1500 of the sets are being produced, at a whopping $US500 ($695) each. It’s definitely cheaper to hunt down all 16 Hot Wheels individually, but really, where would you display them?
[h/t Autoblog]
Hasbro Joy For All Companion Pet Kitten
It’s been three years since Hasbro’s first revealed its Joy For All Companion Pets; a line of semi-realistic plush cats and dogs packed full of simple robotics and electronics that make them feel and sound alive when held. For $US99 ($138) they were created as a cheaper and easier way for the elderly to have a constant companion that didn’t need bathroom breaks and wouldn’t shred the furniture.
The newest addition to the line is an animatronic kitten that has most of the same features and behaviours as the original companion cat, but with an even cheaper $US60 ($83) price tag. It also comes pre-neutered.
Hero’s Armoury Sword Drives
We were first introduced to the Hero’s Armoury back in 2015 when it released its first product: a series of blank keys inspired by famous swords appearing in video games, pop culture, and mythology.
Instead of unlocking doors, the company’s latest product might unlock a bit of extra storage space on your computer with a series of sword-shaped flash drives. Made using genuine SanDisk USB flash drives and actual metal, the Sword Drives are available in five different designs including the Hero’s Sword, the Soldier’s Sword, the Kingdom Key, the King’s Blade, and the Eye of Thundera.
They’re available through a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign that has 13 days to go, and you can pre-order a 16GB drive of your choice with an $US18 ($25) contribution, or a 32GB option for a $US25 ($35) pledge.
Stern Pinball Beatlemania Pinball
Given that the height of pinball’s popularity seemingly coincided with the American invasion of the Fab Four, you’d assume there would have been countless Beatles-themed tables available to play. But you’d be wrong, at least according to Stern Pinball, which claims its new Beatlemania Pinball machine is the only Beatles-themed one ever made.
As a result, it’s limiting production to just 1964 units (get it?). In addition to Beatles-era graphics, the machine includes recordings of Ed Sullivan and DJ Cousin Brucie, as well as eight actual Beatles songs such as “Ticket to Ride,” “A Hard Day’s Night,” and “Help.” But with a starting price of $US8,000 ($11,113), you might want to think about opening an actual arcade and get those quarters flowing.
ThinkGeek Pokémon Poké Ball Waffle Maker
If you’re counting down the days until Pokémon: Let’s Go, Eevee and Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu arrive on the Nintendo Switch, you might as well plan ahead for countless weekends spent glued to your couch. ThinkGeek, a leader in novelty-shaped waffle technology, has a new $US35 ($49) appliance that churns out edible golden, fluffy, edible Poké Balls every five minutes or so.
You won’t find any actual Pokémon hidden inside your waffles, which is probably a good thing. But you can use them to trap half a bottle of maple syrup until it’s time to do battle with your hunger.