Review – G.I. Joe: Sigma 6 Snake Eyes with Timber
I suppose it’s a little odd that with as many Snake Eyes action figures were released in the G.I. Joe: Sigma 6 series (Amazon.com search*) it has taken me this long to write my first Sigma 6 Snake Eyes review. And as my first Snake Eyes from the line it’s pretty damned cool . . . but then I’ve mentioned before how much I love arctic-themed action figures so I’m sure none of you are surprised that I’m happy with the toy.
Retool or New?
Since I have not yet opened any of the other G.I. Joe: Sigma 6 series (Amazon.com search*) Snake Eyes action figures the entire design is new to me, but the info at Sigma 6 Central and yojoe.com are in disagreement when it comes to the toy’s status: one site says it is a retool of an existing Snake Eyes while the other calls this a new design. I guess I’ll know for sure once I buy some of the other Snake Eyes action figures.
Sculpt
Removing the vest and balaclava from the Sigma 6 Snake Eyes* shows just how lean and wonderfully sculpted the toy is. Standing a bit under 8-inches tall, the figure’s torso, upper legs, and upper arms are especially thin, no doubt to both help with the ninja-look and to allow the vest to fit the body without making the toy too bulky. The armor on the shins and the boots are some nice touches, but the real winning portion of the sculpt has to be that Snake Eyes head design with a visor closer in design to the 1991 Snake Eyes action figure than earlier versions of the character.
Gear Up!
The below pics of this Sigma 6 Snake Eyes* shows just how well that vest transforms the look of the figure, adding some real mass and color to the thin body design. And the balaclava, which looks pretty good, helps with the arctic-styling of the toy.
Accessories
As with the other G.I. Joe: Sigma 6 series action figures, (Amazon.com search*) Snake Eyes comes loaded with awesome stuff. He’s part of the “Commando” line so his box turns into a storage case (see my Zartan review), and with all of the gear those cases come in handy to pack the loose accessories away.
- Vest – A soft plastic piece that slips over the body and snaps at the waist. The sockets can be used to carry the stars, but I personally feel the toy looks best without any gear attached to the vest.
- Balaclava – Made of cloth and pulls right down over the head. Neat, but I prefer the figure with the sculpted head showing.
- Tonfa Sword – Sigma 6 Snake Eyes*, not surprisingly, comes equipped with a sword. The handle’s a bit too thick — because the sword is meant to serve double duty and work with the sled — but once Snake Eyes has a sword he looks exactly like he should. What’s a ninja without a sword?
Timber
One of the best parts of the Sigma 6 Snake Eyes with Timber pack* has to be this articulated version of Snake Eyes’ companion, the wolf Timber. The sculpt carries the angular look of the other Sigma 6 toys, and playing with this guy has me immediately wishing Hasbro had done more with the Adventure Team sets that came at the end of this 8-inch action figure series.
Timber’s articulation is far better than I was expecting, with swivel joints at each hip, swivel-hinge knees and ankles, a hinged mid-section that moves vertically, a hinged jaw, a swivel neck, and a ball-joint where the fur of the head meets the body. Balance can be a bit of an issue if you go for too expressive of a pose, but overall the articulation is great and Timber really helps make this a fun set.
Closing Thoughts
The Sigma 6 Snake Eyes with Timber pack* is a blast, with an arctic version of Snake Eyes that looks incredible and a fun Timber action figure that beats any version of Timber I’ve had in the past. Some of the accessories aren’t the best in the Sigma 6 line, but Timber and Snake Eyes with his vest and sword in place more than make up for any weakness of the sled, stars, and balaclava.
I don’t have enough experience to call this the best Snake Eyes in the Sigma 6 series, but if this one’s an average version of the character for the line then I cannot wait to see the best one.
If I remember correctly, Arctic Snake Eyes was an all-new sculpt, but most or all of him was later reused for Samurau Snake Eyes.
A few years ago I had a friend needing toys for his kids’ Christmas presents, so I sold him 10 figures for $25. At least 5 of those were Sigma 6.
I did have the foresight to keep Timber, but still this is one of the figures I wish I had back, he is just a fun guy. I am pretty sure his unique parts when he was released were his head, hands, shins, and feet.
Also, my timber is gray, and I knew there was a black variant, but this is the first time I’ve seen one colored like yours; I like it.
@Monte – I’ll be sure to check this Snake Eyes against others as I open/review them. Maybe I can track down which is reuse and which is new when it comes to the figures.
@clark – Is it wrong that I want all three versions of Timber? I’ve been looking around for loose gray and black Timbers; so far no luck. But I will keep watching.
No it’s not wrong! Are you insane!? If you weren’t looking for a way to get the other Timbers I would think something was weird about you.