Mama mia! It seems like it has been FOREVER since we have gotten a new World of Nintendo series, but I very happy to report that the line is back, and the new series might just be one of the very best yet. We are going to take a look at all four of the new figures in the wave, but to start, we have Metal Mario and much anticipated Hammer Bro!
I know this line can be divisive amongst the fan base, but I really like it. Yes, I wish the line was a bit more diverse and released with more of a regular cadence, but the fact remains, I have built up the best Super Mario Brothers action figure collection yet thanks to it. Again, I know this should be more representative of Nintendo as a whole, so long as the series keep coming, I am having a good time collecting, so here is to rejuvenated release pattern after a bit of a hiatus. I think Jakks has done a good job drawing us back in with Series 2-7, and while we have TWO Mario figures, they are pretty substantial variants, and the other characters are solid gold in terms of choice, and long overdue in terms of need.
HAMMER BRO.
One of those long overdue characters is the Hammer Brother, and while the wait has been long, now that he is here, I dare say it was worth it. After the Little Goomba and Koopa Troopa, the Hammer Bro. is arguably the most well-known and essential “in-level” baddie in the Mushroom Kingdom. Face it, he has been around since the original Super Mario Bros. (his most frustratingly difficult appearance by far) and many different iterations have permeated since that original killed us over and over again. Like most of the characters in the line, this is most certainly the modern take on the character, but just about everything has been handled well for this figure.
The sculpt is strong, and the style and details fit the overall aesthetic of the line. I mean, this looks like a Hammer Bro, and all of the specific details have been faithfully rendered. The HB has always been one of the larger denizens in Bowser’s stable, and this figure matches Mario pretty much toe to toe. The paint details are mostly good, though I have a couple of splotches on my figures, but nothing too egregious. Yes, of course, Jakks got me to buy TWO of these babies because, at least at the beginning, these guys always traveled in pairs, and the brotherS after all.
The figure comes with one accessory: his trusty hammer. Frankly, if you were expecting any other accessory other than this, I am not exactly sure what you are thinking, but like the figure, it has been rendered well. It fits right into the right hand, though I do wish we could have gotten two hammers and both hands were able to hold them, but it is not to be. That said, I was actually really surprised by this, but the figure is balanced correctly, and has enough articulation that the figure can actually pose on one leg in the classic Hammer Brother stance on one foot. I am really thrilled about this and frankly, I will likely never display this guy any other way.
Speaking of the articulation, that has always been a bit of a sticking point for this line, but I think this guy has some pretty good work. Now, I suspect that most of, if not all of, the articulation in this line is designed and cut in at the factory. That is to say, and I am not completely sure, that the joints are designed after the actual sculpt is complete, and not integrated into the sculpt as it is being created. So, all of the joints are serviceable, and all of the essential points are there, but if you notice that they don’t move quite as well as say, a Marvel Legend joint, this is probably the reason. The good news is that, like I said, the essentials are there and you can get him into just about any reasonable pose, especially that iconic one.
I am pretty thrilled to have this guy (finally) and now that he is here, I think he is one of the best figures in the line. Sure, he has to share series space with the best figure in the line yet (I will get to that in a couple of days), but he is so needed in the WoN line, I suspect he might be the most popular figure in this series. Plus, with a little bit of redesign and a different paint schemes, we can easily get guys like Boomerang Brothers, Fireball Brothers, etc., and I say BRING THEM ALL ON!
METAL MARIO
Let’s face it, every action figure series is going to have weak link, or least interesting figure, and for me, for this series it is Metal Mario. Now, don’t get me wrong, this is not a bad figure at ALL, but compared to the other three figures, it is just the least exciting. Fans of Mario Kart should get a kick out of this guy, but unlike the rest, I don’t think I would call this guy “essential” to a Mario collection. I am glad to have him for sure, and he will go great my Gold Mario (currently packed away), but for my collection, this is more of a novelty release.
So, if you have a Mario figure from the World of Nintendo, you pretty much know what you are getting here, he is just painted in shiny silver. The build actually matches the original WoN Mario as this figure has fists, but everything else has been seen as recently as the Ice Mario in terms of construction. That makes this guys perfectly great for this line, with a great looking silver finish and cleanly stamped eyes. The Mario Kart trophy is actually a fun accessory, and it is a nice touch for the overall display. It is accurately rendered and the paint is done well, so I don’t have any nitpicks to mention here.
Hey, it is great to be back with the World of Nintendo line! There is still so much more to do, even in the Mario Bros. corner of the universe, so I really hope the series keep coming at a regular pace going forward. I am ready for the whole milieu of the “Brothers” from Bower’s ranks, so thoughtful variants of the Hammer Brother will even be most welcome. Thanks for checking this out, and we will be back with the rest of the wave in a couple of days!
