Journey through space to infinity and beyond with Blast Off Buzz Lightyear, Space Ranger. Straight from Toy Story, this is a highly detailed replica that will delight his little fans who are at least 4 years old.
The basics: This Toy Story Buzz Lightyear action figure looks very much like the movie character, has moveable joints so you can put him into various poses, says more than 30 phrases, has large pop out wings, and produces several light and sound effects. It comes with 2 AAA batteries but it would be good to have some more on hand.
What’s to like?
His looks: This is a very good replica of the movie version. He is a full 12 inches high, just like in the movie, with wings that extend to more than 10 inches wide when opened. The green trim glows in the dark if you shine bright light on it ahead of time.
Light and sound effects: When you press the button on his right arm, the laser fires. The blue and green buttons on his chest make him say one of the 30 or so phrases he has at his command in the original Buzz LIghtyear voice. The red oval button activates Mission Mode which has blast off sound effects and several lights, including the ones from the exhaust ports on his wings. This gives a realistic look and sound when your little Space Ranger flies Buzz into action.
Moving parts: The wings pop open when the round red button on Buzz’ chest is pressed. The helmet opens and you can twist Buzz’ neck so he faces a different direction. The shoulders, elbows, wrists, and fingers can all be repositioned. If you need to raise his arm so he can get a better shot at the space demons, you can. The legs move at the hips, knees and ankles. There are ratchets at the knees and ankles so the position you put him in is locked until you change it.
Children like it: Of the 40+ reviews we read, virtually all of them said that the child’s face lit up when s/he saw it and that it was his/her favorite toy even after several weeks, even months, of playing with it. It got sky high “fun” scores. Parents liked the way it stimulated the imaginations of their little ones. Parents also commented on how realistic it looked.
What’s not to like?
The packaging: It comes in a very attractive box which, by the way, has the instructions printed on it. So keep the box. But the toy itself is really tied to the inner packaging. You will need a strong pair of scissors and considerable patience while you pull away strips of tape and undo many twisty ties to free the toy.
He falls over: He is top and back heavy because of the wings and their case so it can take some careful adjustments of his legs to keep him in a strong upright position. Of course, when your little Space Ranger is flying him around, he doesn’t need to stand up.
Other quibbles: There doesn’t seem to be any way to turn him totally off, which could be a drain on those little batteries. Actually the sounds and lights are produced only when a button is pushed and only keep going for a few seconds. So if no one is playing with Buzz and pushing buttons, no energy is being expended on those effects. One could just take the batteries out as a last resort.
There were mixed comments about durability. Sometimes the wings can be dislodged but it is apparently an easy task to put them back on. The maker has attached them with a small string so they don’t get lost. Some reviewers commented on how sturdy the toy is and how their children have played with it for many months, even dropped it repeatedly, and it is all still there and working fine. Others had problems within a few weeks but it is difficult to guess how the respective children had interacted with it. Nonetheless it seems fair to mention the point.
Bottom line: At about $35, the Blast-Off Buzz Lightyear toy is in the midrange for Buzz LIghtyear action figures. The cheaper ones, at about $10 less, seem to have fewer features, more defects, and fewer good reviews. There is a more expensive Collector series Buzz LIghtyear, at about $10 more, that has even more realistic sound and light effects, more than 60 phrases Buzz can say, a certificate of authenticity, and a degree of interactivity with the person playing with it. It is undoubtedly a fine toy, but the Blast-Off Buzz Lightyear version seems to give excellent value for the money with its ability to amaze and delight the young Space Ranger set.
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