If I were forced to choose, I would say that the original Nintendo Entertainment System “Action” and “Adventure” titles have left a larger, lasting impression on me than any other collection of video games (the Mega Man series notwithstanding). So many things were going right at the time, and the imagination, characters, and game value of many of those titles still get nothing but the highest praise from me, and thanks to virtual marketplace, they also get a lot of my limited gaming time. So the fact that Jakks Pacific is hitting two characters that find their origins in that hallowed stable in their new series of deluxe action figures is very exciting to me, to say the least; The Legend of Zelda and Metroid invoke a lot of memories, and the fact that I am finally getting a chance at some action figures feels like a long time coming indeed.
Not long ago, we noted on Facebook that while it is taking a village, after all this time, we are getting a very solid collection of action figures based on the great Nintendo properties. Figma and Bandai have been getting us characters sporadically for a while now, but now Jakks is knee-deep in bringing the entire World of Nintendo together under one umbrella to build out an extensive and encompassing line. I have been fortunate enough to talk with some of the guys guiding the line, and you can tell that there is a real passion there and they want to get to all kinds of cool and crazy characters as badly as we do, so I am keeping some guarded optimism that we are heading into an exciting era. We are already building out the Super Mario universe, but with the release of the Metroid (alongside Samus in the 4-inch line) and Ganon (to compliment the previously released Link) it is apparent that other Nintendo properties will be taking center stage too.
This new wave, dubbed Series 1-2 (like the levels in Mario) follows 1-1’s Bowser and Donkey Kong with a diverse offering of a classic Metroid and Ganondorf (Ganon) as he appeared in the Windwaker saga. While as a fan, I would certainly consider both of these to be “heavy-hitters” within the Nintendo universe, the fact that we are getting an entire release with nary a SMB character shows that, for a mass-market line, Jakks is not shying away from characters that might not be instantly recognizable, and I think that is really great. The first deluxe wave offered what I consider to be Jakks’ best for WON, and this second series follows course quite well.
GANONDORF
If I were forced to choose, I would name The Legend of Zelda and The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past as my favorite Nintendo property games for the NES and SNES, respectively. I love those games so much, and I count both of them as being pretty much perfect in terms of play and design, so to say I am excited to get lots and lots of Legend of Zelda characters in this line is an understatement. Getting this figure of Ganondorf, King of the Gerudos, is certainly a step in the right direction, especially for those that count the Windwaker game amongst their favorites. The Zelda mythos has changed and expanded over the years, and just as Link has experienced many different incarnations, Ganon, his most famous adversary, has undergone a lot of changes as well.
Affectionately referred to as “Toon” Ganon, this version portrays the character with more semblance to an actual human-like creature than his early incarnations. Since the Gerudo are kind of like an outlaw gang, this version of Ganon captures the look of a hefty crime boss rather than the demonic pig-man of the NES days. The Jakks team has pulled together the design quite well for this figure, even if the look and build are probably not the most “toyetic” of all of Ganon’s looks. The decision to put this figure in the deluxe line was a sound one, however, and this execution allows him to be big and imposing in the face of the spritely Link.
I think the sculpt is pretty much on-model in terms of the design, but this simplified look does tend to set him apart from the rest of the deluxe figures, at least stylistically. Now, that is probably not an issue for most as the prevailing want would be for all of the characters from a particular game/universe should go together first, but if you did not realize it before, the Windwaker aesthetic is pretty unique, and thus goes Ganon. He is the tallest of all of the deluxe figures so far, and most of his construction is of hollow plastic to accommodate his generous carriage.
I like that he is a big dude, and you can see it really comes out when you compare him to figures like Mario, but, at the same time, his character design does limit him somewhat in the ability to give him articulation at certain points. What he does have is nice – twist head, partial ball shoulders, hinge elbow and twist wrists, but since he is pretty much fully draped in black robes, his lower body isn’t getting much in terms of movement. I think that is okay, though; this is not really a “fighting” version of Ganon like his “Link to the Past” or “Ocarina of Time” incarnations, so I don’t miss the missing points, but your preference on that will vary.
Overall, I think this is a great first offering of what I hope are many Ganon offerings to come. I know that the PVC line has offered up a Windwaker Link, but I hope they get him into the 4-inch action figure line to go along with this figure. Like I said, I hope we get to see the “demoic pig/Dark World” version of Ganon at some point, and his “Ocarina of Time” look would make for a great toy too. There is a lot of potential for this character over the life of the WoN line.
METROID
Now this is what I am talking about. No, really, make no mistake – I think this Metroid figure is best Nintendo figure Jakks has produced to date and that is quite an accomplishment due to some previous releases, and the fact that this is not a “traditional” figure. By that I mean that most of the figures have a human/animal build with a head, body, arms, and legs, but this guy is a straight-up pulsating alien with a very unique form. Metroid has been a staple of the Nintendo stable for almost 30 years, so getting this figure in tribute is really exciting, especially since it turned out so well.
First of all, the figure is massive. I mean, you can see from the pictures how big it is compared to other figures, but the footprint of this figure is just enormous. This seems to keep with the more modern take on the Metroid alien, but as far as I am concerned, it does just great for all iterations. Second, the sculpt it just insane. It is by far the most detailed figure in the line thus far, and not one part of the figure is left without some kind of sculpted detail. The ribbing on the “talons” is great and all of the lines and crevices on the underside are really gross (in a good way) and are highlighted with some great paint applications. The “body” or “brain” section under the dome might just be the most detailed of all, though, and all of the little synapses and nerve endings are individually sculpted. Everything comes together so well and makes for a very cool figure.
Now, the articulation cannot be discounted either, and despite not having any arms or legs, the talons are not forgotten and are given some great points. Each of the four talons has a partial ball joint, and the talons have some great range of movement in and out and can twist 360⁰. This makes it so you can pose the figure in a variety of “standing” positions, but it looks great on a flying stand too. Furthermore, the talons can work together to grab and hold an unsuspecting figure, which is really cool for this frightening property. I have not been able to track down a Jakks Samus yet, but the Figma figure works great, as you can see.
The last thing I wanted to point out is that the dome is made of a very soft plastic that is almost squishy to the touch. Personally, I LOVE this detail and it gives the figure an almost “organic” quality. It can be reformed a bit, but it is not re-posable, really, but I am willing to bet that it will provide a little uniqueness from figure to figure. I hope that we see more little touches like in up coming figures; it shows a real thoughtfulness of the character and adds a lot to the play value. At any rate, it is a cool touch that makes this figure a home run.
After decades of drought, we are finally getting the Nintendo figures we have been waiting for. Two series in, and I definitely believing in Jakks and what they are looking to give us in terms of an expansive line. The deluxe figures are standing out from the crowd and are definitely the best offerings to date; Ganondorf and the Metroid are fantastic editions, and, as I said, the latter is probably the best offering from the line yet. I am very excited about the future of this line and what we will be seeing in the coming releases. World of Nintendo has the chance to be Jakks’ evergreen line, so we are in for a really fun ride. This series is hitting Big Bad Toy Store now, but it should be showing up at the brick and mortar store very soon.
*Thanks for the team at Jakks for sending these along for preview, we really appreciate it!
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