Review – G.I. Joe (2013) Basic Assortment Snake Eyes
Last year I reviewed the Cobra Commander (review here) from the dollar chains’ Basic Assortment series (Amazon.com search*). That entire concept of G.I. Joe action figures in basic packaging with fewer accessories was a great idea on Hasbro’s part, and this Basic Assortment Snake Eyes* holds up quite well and is a strong addition to any G.I. Joe collection.
The Second In A Series
What’s even more stunning is that Hasbro launched the Basic Assortment series (Amazon.com search*) twice! This is the second version of the Basic Assortment Snake Eyes action figure, and if you look at the first version reviewed at That Figures then you’ll see the differences between the two are in coloring only.
It was a bit of a strange move in my eyes to offer the same figures in alternate colors, but in looking at the two waves of Basic Assortment figures (Amazon.com search*) I must admit that it does make more sense than redesigning a completely new set of toys. And besides, how many Snake Eyes fans were likely to pass on two versions of the toy priced at $5 to $6/each? Not all that many is my guess.
Frankenstein’s Joe
As the yojoe.com entry points out, this Basic Assortment Snake Eyes* was constructed from earlier releases in the G.I. Joe line. Parts came from three different figures (from 2008 and 2011), and looking at the finished action figure I’m left impressed with the way Hasbro’s toy designers continue to recycle and mix body parts to create new toys. Smart reuse keeps costs down, and if the finished toy looks this good then I’m 100% behind recycling the past.
Closing Thoughts
As the yojoe.com entry points out, this Basic Assortment Snake Eyes* is getting a little tougher to find these days, but with patient digging you can uncover this guy for $5 to $10, and that’s a perfectly fine price for a modern G.I. Joe action figure.
The colors may not be quite perfect for a ninja/commando, but if you’re built yourself a Snake Eyes collection then I suspect you’re quite happy with adding a splash of color here or there to the display. And this figure does add color, though not quite as much as the first version of the toy does (see the It’s All True review).
Is this the perfect Snake Eyes action figure? No way. But it is neat and worth chasing down if you’re after more than just the simple black costuming the character is often shown wearing into battle.
These figs were a great idea! I preferred the other colorway for him, as it looks just like v2 or v3 Snake Eyes from just prior to Ninja Force. Keep meaning to buy him, but haven’t got to it. However I did buy the Storm Shadow — black and white, which is a good fascimile of the Ninja Force version. A toy which I loved as a child, but never actually bought for some reason (probably because a friend had it and I didn’t want to double up).