Review – Hot Wheels Battle Force 5 Zelix with Zemerik

Line: Hot Wheels * Manufacturer: Mattel * Year: 2009 * Ages: 3+

“Sleek, high-tech vehicle outfitted with dark matter energy blades.”
— from the card back

I’ve seen moments here and there of Cartoon Network’s Battle Force 5 series, but nothing I’ve seen has led me to watch an entire episode. Recently, though, a trip out to ToysRUs had me looking over the Battle Force 5 vehicle and mini-figure packs. 3-inch tall action figures with wacky cars snagged my attention and, eventually, my wallet. I haven’t decided if I’ll buy any more toys in this series (I’m thinking yes), but the one that I grabbed makes a good addition to the toy collection.

Packaging

A basic blister and card design, the packaging for this series is right at the size where I start to think a box may have worked better. I can’t deny that this package works — it hangs nicely in stores and you can see both the car and driver without any problems — but I think I would have rather seen a box with more artwork. I’ve mentioned in the past how I love toys with artwork, and this feels like a line that would have benefited from more stylized artwork.

The back of the box features some colored line art, but only of the characters. I would have loved to have seen a painted box with the Zelix in battle with one of the heroic Battle Force 5 vehicles. It doesn’t matter all that much, but it would have been a nice addition to the package.

Zelix

Over 11-inches long and 6-inches wide (measuring from tip of blade to top of blade), the Zelix is a large toy car with a design that looks like it came out of a video game rather than a concept car show. This is a great thing, since it’s exactly what drew me to the car in the first place. If you’ve read some of my diecast Hot Wheels toy car reviews (Jet Threat 4.0 or Tread Air, for example) then you know I’ve got an interest for cars that don’t look like what we see on the road. Well, Zelix doesn’t disappoint when it comes to “unusual design.”

Curved design, with massive tires and semi-translucent blue parts, the most distinguishing feature of the Zelix design has to be the “dark matter energy blades” that jut out from the vehicle’s sides and extend both forward and back. I’m not completely sure what these are supposed to do, but my imagination says that they’re brutal weapons that shred through other cars. A terrible bite when this machine sideswipes you!

Made primarily of plastic (the only metal I can find is in the screws, axles, and (I’m assuming) the spring in the car’s missile launcher), it just feels wrong to me that a Hot Wheels car doesn’t have a diecast metal chassis or body. That’s unfair to Mattel, I know, because of the car’s size, but I just associate the Hot Wheels brand with durability and heft, and I’m not feeling that with the Zelix design. And there’s no doubt metal would have drastically increased the car’s cost — retail on these is $13 (but I got mine on sale at Target for $9) — but it’s one of those little things that’s bugging me about the toy.

The forward-firing missile launcher works just fine — the button is semi-concealed on the hood of the car — and is a nice touch, but it’s a low-powered launcher and doesn’t have a lot of range. This is a good thing for the little kids (I can see how a 4 or 5 year old could love this car), but it’s a little sad for me since I prefer the older-style launchers that could throw a missile all of the way across the room.

I promise I won’t get into a “in my day” rant, but in my day we had missile launchers that led to changes in missile launcher/spring rules. Hell, it even led to killing Boba Fett’s spring-loaded missile (information here). Oh well, not every toy can change an industry. And besides, it has been over 30 years since Mattel last dealt with spring-loaded missile problems so it’s not surprising that this is an underpowered weapon.

Open the Hatch!

Oh yeah, there’s a mini-figure with this toy. The rear section of the vehicle features an opening cockpit and a seat where Zemerik — “The Evil leader of The Sark.” — rides. Or, if you’re me, your Glyos System Rothan Pheyden (review here) can go for a ride. Pheyden doesn’t fit perfectly — you’ve gotta apply some pressure to get the hatch closed — but it works well enough for play time.

Zemerik

Standing right at about 3-inches tall, the Zemerik action figure features five points of articulation — legs, arms, and head — and a very basic sculpt and paint job. That’s not really surprising, since the car is the important toy in the pack, but I think there’s enough action figure here to make most kids happy. Hardcore toy collectors who love poseability and statue-like sculpting won’t like what they see here, but anyone who looks at the car/figure as a package will see that Zemerik offers plenty of play value for his role as driver.

Zemerik really reminds me of the old M.A.S.K. mini-figures (because of his size and articulation), which is fitting since the Battle Force 5 vehicles make me think of M.A.S.K. I haven’t tried swapping figures between the two lines, but I suspect that they’re a close enough match in size that it wouldn’t be a problem.

Closing Thoughts

$13, the price I’m seeing these sold for at Wal-Mart, Target, and ToysRUs, feels a little high, but if you can find one of these on sale for $10 or less — and if you like the look — I say grab one. The Zelix vehicle is more toy than collectible, yes, but it’s a large toy car with a great style and a missile launcher so you can’t go wrong.

With the Battle Force 5 series slowly growing in popularity I expect to see these featured during some Christmas sales over the next few months, so keep your eyes open for sales. Until then, take a look at the Battle Force 5 website for a look at all of the toys in this series. I’m thinking the Tangler ATV may be next on my list to grab.

Playable, semi-durable, and a great style combine to make this a good choice for kids and an okay choice for adults who something think they are kids.

Philip Reed finds this to be a very cool toy and mini-figure set, but wishes that the car had some metal in it. Plastic just doesn’t feel right for a Hot Wheels toy.