Subject:
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REVIEW: Set 8012 Super Battle Droid
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.reviews
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Date:
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Mon, 8 Apr 2002 15:07:18 GMT
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Viewed:
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4342 times
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Set Number: 8012
Set Name: Super Battle Droid
Theme: Star Wars / Technic
Ages: +9
Release: April 2002
Price: $35 (USD; pre-tax at Wal-Mart)
Pieces: 381 (in 3 bags)
Decals: None
RATING: Excellent!
For detailed pictures, see:
http://www.texbrick.com/quick_pics/8012/
(includes shots of assembled model, parts, and close-ups of the new joints)
Being one of the lucky ones, I was able to obtain this set last week before
Wal-Mart pulled the Episode 2 sets off the shelves. (They will reappear
later this month after the proper release date.)
The ppp (price per piece) is just over 9¢ USD (closer to 10¢ per piece if
you include tax). The set has relatively few highly specialized parts. There
are a couple of disk thingys and two clunky feet.
The SBD (super battle droid) includes the new joints that allow the model to
be "fully poseable". Although this isn't completely true, the SBD has much
more "poseability" than its predecessors, the other Star Wars Technic sets:
8008 Storm Trooper, 8010 Darth Vader, 8001 Battle Droid, etc. The SBD's
legs are fully poseable, with 3 joints per leg. The arms simply rotate at
the shoulders, but have one of the new joints at the elbows.
The joints work well and with careful balance, you can pose the SBD in a
variety of positions. The joints click as they rotate, and hold their
position well. There are limits, however. If you held the SBD by the lower
legs and stuck it out horizontally, the knee joints would give and he'd flop
over.
The mechanical feature of the model is a lever-actuated arm. It has a handle
sticking out the back that makes the right arm rotate up and down. It's
farily simplistic and not as cool as the 8001's ability to reach back, grab
a weapon, and then draw it out.
The colors used in the SBD are nice, IMO. The main colors are a light blue
and a new metallic-swirly blue (which looks purple when photographed- so
don't let the pictures fool you). This differs from the color printed on the
box, which appears a nice uniform metallic blue.
Construction is easy. The parts come seperated in three bags: the torso,
legs, and arms. The instruction book is large, but the steps are very
simple, usually adding only 3 to 4 pieces per step. Keep in mind this set is
for ages +9.
This set is worth getting, IMO. It has very few specialized pieces. The bulk
of the parts are good "accessory pieces" (small pieces that are always
needed in large quantities, e.g. small liftarms, small axles, axle
connectors in different angles, etc.).
The SBD has a nice appearance, although a little sparse. The legs could use
some beefing up. The new colors used definitely set it apart from the other
Technic models.
The new joints make this model high in playability, and despite all the
movement, it holds together well when handled.
TJ Avery
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Message has 1 Reply:
 | | Re: REVIEW: Set 8012 Super Battle Droid
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| I disagree with the "Excellent" rating. This model is very poorly designed. Major design flaws: -The left arm is connected at the shoulder by...a friction peg! This can't support the weight of the arm extended, and is really sad considering all the (...) (23 years ago, 19-May-02, to lugnet.reviews)
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