What do you get when you cross Buzz, Mr Potato Head, a Piggy Bank, and a Monkey?
Written: Jul 09 '04 (Updated Oct 19 '04)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Small, inexpensive, and cute. Includes a few popular characters. Retractable fun.
Cons: Not many
The Bottom Line: Great mini-Toy Story set. My son likes making Buzz "fly"
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| mizgnomer's Full Review: Toy Story - Intergalactic Emergency |
My husband and I both work in office buildings where our name badges are also swipe cards to get us into the high-security parts of the building (the data centers, etc). Because we use these cards to get around, we each wear them on little retracting belt clips -- you can pull the card out to swipe it, then let it go and it automatically zips back up to your belt via a little string. My son has been fascinated with our retracting badges ever since he could grasp objects, and I've always figured that if someone could turn that concept into a safe children's toy they'd make a mint. Just recently I chanced upon the Toy Story Intergalactic Emergency set which, lo and behold, has a retractable Buzz attached to a Barrel-of-Monkeys monkey! So of course I had to purchase one for my own little Toy Story loving monkey...
Product Description:
The Toy Story - Intergalactic Emergency set is one of the new "Toy Story and Beyond" small playsets put out by Hasbro, which all feature characters from the popular Disney/Pixar Toy Story movies. The main characters in these sets are roughly 3 inches tall, and all accessories fit that tiny scale.
The figures and accessories included in this set are:
→ Buzz Lightyear - he stands just under 3 inches tall. He's nicely detailed, even though his various buttons don't actually work. As far as articulation goes, his arms rotate at the shoulder and he can swivel at the hips (which also turns his head within his clear-domed helmet). One hand is in a fist with an open circle as though he could hold a gun or something, however no accessories are included for him to hold. Unlike most Buzz toys, this one is a metallic blue wherever the normal Buzz is green. My son calls him "Blue Buzz".
→ Mr. Potato Head - he's a tiny little figure at just 1½ inches tall. His expression looks as though he's just gotten done telling someone off -- slightly perturbed with his hands on non-existent hips. He's not articulated at all, yet is still one of my son's favorites.
→ Hamm - The sharp-witted piggy-bank is just a little shy of 2 inches tall. He is standing on two legs in an upright position (something I don't recall him doing very often in the movie - he was usually on all fours). The cork that keeps the change inside is very visible in the center of his belly, and a coin is half-protruding from the slot in his back. Like Mr. Potato Head, he is not articulated at all. On the back of the packaging he's listed a "Hamhock", which I think must be a mistake as he's not called that in the movies or in any of our Toy Story books.
→ Traffic Cone - This is a cute, chunky traffic cone that measures 2 inches tall. In Toy Story 2 the toys hid under orange traffic cones to get across the busy street to Al's Toy Barn (to attempt to find Woody). Only Mr. Potato Head fits under the cone in this set (Hamm almost fits, but is just a touch too tall).
→ Backpack w/ monkey - The nifty backpack attaches via a hole on Buzz's back (and matches his white & blue coloring). At the top of a backpack is a string which is attached to a red "Barrel of Monkeys" monkey. You can hook the monkey's arm over something, then pull Buzz down roughly 5 inches. When you let Buzz go the string will automatically retract back into the backpack, so Buzz will go flying up to wherever the monkey is anchored.
The manufacturer recommends this toy for children ages 4 and up (which is 1 year older than most other toys in the "Toy Story and Beyond" toy line -- perhaps because of the retracting string?)
Our Experiences:
This set was actually a "potty award" for my little guy, who is currently attempting to make diapers a thing of the past. Because my son is so Toy Story obsessed currently it was just what he needed to encourage him to tell Mommy or Daddy when he needed to go.
One of the things I love about this set is the inclusion of Mr. Potato Head (one of my son's favorite characters) and Hamm. We've got quite a collection of "Toy Story and Beyond" sets now, but none of the ones we had included these 2 popular characters. My son loves pulling down on Buzz and watching him zip back up to the monkey, of course.
Another thing I like is the fact that the characters are interchangeable with the other small Toy Story sets we already have. For example, because Buzz has a hole in his back (for attaching the backpack) and one hand is in a circular holding position, you can attach Zurg's gun (from the Zurg play set) to Buzz, or even attach the monkey-backpack to Zurg. Since Zurg and his gun are another of my son's favorites from this toy line, the interchangeability is a definite plus.
My son also likes to reenact some of the scenes from the movies. He tells us that Mr. Potato Head is crossing the street under the cone to get to Al's Toy Barn (from Toy Story 2), or tells us that Buzz fell out the window (after which the other toys build a chain out of the "Barrel of Monkeys" monkeys in an attempt to get him back up to Andy's room in the first Toy Story).
I can't find too many bad things to say about the toy. I wish that Hamm could fit under the cone as well as Mr. Potato Head does, but it doesn't bother my son too much when Hamm's feet stick out. The worst thing for me is the fact that the Barrel of Monkeys monkey doesn't have a very large opening for attaching him to objects. For example, the opening between his looping hand and head is too small for me to attach him to the dresser in my son's room, which would be a perfect place to suspend him for play. As it is, I can attach the monkey to a small coat hanger which I then hang from my son's dresser, so it still works out pretty well. Finally, Buzz is a bit off-balance with the backpack attached, and is rather difficult to stand upright (although he balances perfectly fine without the backpack)
I had an ulterior motive for giving my son this toy set shortly before his birthday. His party is going to be "Toy Story" themed, and I've ordered a cake made to look like Andy's bed. After I pick up the cake I'm going to add various figures from our mini-Toy Story sets to complete the scene of all of Andy's favorite toys awaiting him on top of his bed. Prior to this set I had Woody, Buzz, Lenny, Rex, a Little Green Man, and Wheazy, but it just wouldn't seem right without Mr. Potato Head and Hamm. Now if only they'd put out a set with the Slinky Dog it would be perfect...
Quickie Summary:
Pros:
+) Set includes popular characters Buzz Lightyear, Mr. Potato Head, and Hamm
+) We love the retractable monkey/backpack
+) Can reenact the crossing-the-highway scene from Toy Story 2, or the search for Buzz out the window from Toy Story 1
+) This Buzz is a bit different than the Buzz that came with his other set (this one has metallic blue accents)
+) Figures are all interchangeable with the other sets from Hasbro's mini-Toy Story toy line
+) Functional fun with no batteries required
Cons:
-) Only Mr. Potato Head (not Hamm) fits under the traffic cone
-) Cannot attach the monkey to anything large
-) Buzz figure doesn't stand very well when backpack is attached (tends to fall over backward)
Final Thoughts:
I've been really happy with the Toy Story - Intergalactic Emergency set so far. My son loves the retracting backpack, and I love the additional Hamm and Mr. Potato Head figures (which I wanted for his upcoming birthday cake). It has been a real winner in our house.
Related Reviews:
Buzz Lightyear's Intergalactic Spaceship
Buzz Lightyear's Intergalactic Headquarters
Woody's Wacky Fire Truck
6-inch Disney Exclusive Woody
Buzz Lightyear Kid-Sized 30 Piece Puzzle
Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 7.99
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Epinions.com ID:
mizgnomer
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Location: Tennessee
Reviews written: 306
Trusted by: 202 members
About Me:
Don't meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you're crunchy and taste good with ketchup
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