We asked for it, and we - ahem - somewhat got it. It's the classic video game appearance of the Big G from the 1990 NES game, Godzilla: Monster of Monsters. Never did we think we that we'd ever get a video game version of Godzilla, period. However, given that NECA had the Godzilla license and were also doing a popular series of video game styled figures, it was somewhat inevitable that we'd get one for Godzilla. The "downside" of this, however, is that the figure is not of the 1964 Godzilla of which the original game sprite was based off of, but instead a rehashed and retooled version of NECA's existing Godzilla 1985 figure. How does that affect my judgement for this figure? Read on ahead to find out!
Before we start talking about the figure, I'd like to focus a bit on the box it came in. One of the first things that prompted me to buy this figure was the very nifty box art, which reflects the original box for the video game. It has custom weathering on the edges to make it look vintage. The box features artwork of Godzilla 1954 with the game's title written in a yellowish-green in the original Godzilla: King of the Monsters (1956) title font. On the backside, you have a description of the figure plus images of the figure and original game sprite.
The front of the box opens up like a book to reveal a window packaging with Godzilla inside. The inside of the cover has a little game table with Godzilla and various obstacles.
SCULPT & DETAIL:
When you take Godzilla out of the box, he comes in two parts: the main body and tail. In order to attach the tail to the body all you need to do is pop it onto the ball joint. Since the tail section is made of rubber, attaching it to the main body is pretty easy and quick.
As I have mentioned earlier, the figure primarily is a rehashed version of the Godzilla 1985 sculpt. The sculpt itself is not bad, and is pretty detailed for a $20 figure.
The only difference between this sculpt and the original 1985 Godzilla figure are the dorsal plates. The Video Game Godzilla features a brand new set of fins that are exaggerated in design to reflect those of the original game sprite. Much to my surprise, they're pretty solid and nicely detailed. For some reason, these larger spines work well with this sculpt, more so than the smaller spines of the original Godzilla 1985 figure.
To mimic Godzilla's in-game appearance, the paint-apps of this figure reflect the pixel placement of the game sprite. I only wish that the pixelation was done a bit more, but the end result does not look that bad, especially on the dorsal plates. The overall color is a light bluish-green with highlights and shadows throughout the body. The eyes are painted blood red with black pupils.
ARTICULATION:
Much like the Godzilla 1985 figure, the articulation is pretty much no different. You have a hinge joint inside the mouth, allowing you to open and close Godzilla's jaws. The head and neck are on ball joints, giving it a wide range of motion.
The torso is on a ball joint as well that lets Godzilla twist from side to side, and bend forward and just a little backwards. The tail is segmented to a certain extent, and it then transfers to the rubber tail section with a bendable wire inside the sculpt. The only issue in regards to articulation on this figure (and same goes for the original Godzilla 1985,) is that the knees don't have a decent hinge movement and can only swivel around.
SCALE:
The Video Game Godzilla stands at around six inches tall, making it display worthy next to its fellow NECA Godzilla figures and even some of the S.H. MonsterArts figures. Like all of the Classic Godzilla series figures, they're too short to be in scale with the Pacific Rim figures. However, it does look good next to the smaller prologue Jaegers such as Horizon Brave, pictured above.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
I admit, I was not too crazy about this figure when it was first unveiled at Toy Fair earlier this year. However, despite the fact that NECA didn't utilize a Godzilla '64 sculpt for this figure, the Video Game figure grew on me. When I finally saw it in person at Toys R' Us, I was hooked. It may not be the MOST accurate figure out there, but it sure makes for a really nice stylized figure. Coupled with the nifty box design, the Video Game Godzilla is a worthy purchase. If you have played the original game, this may be a neat purchase for you to satisfy your nostalgia. Even if you're a casual Godzilla collector, I still recommend it. It' ain't too shabby!
If you're interested in purchasing this figure, check out your local Toys R' Us locations, local comic book stores, or visit BigBadToyStore.
No comments:
Post a Comment