It’s big, bad and its finally here: The AT-AT. A lot has been said about this toy already and to be honest I have struggled with this review to try to figure out something to say about this vehicle that hasn’t been said. Add to the tension is the fact I have a new camera that I don’t quite have the hang of and half my pictures needed to be reshot because they were blurry. Also one of my lighting lamps was knocked over my cat, in other words it’s no longer useable. Thus I had to shoot this thing with half the lighting I normally have. Yep this one was kind of a pain to put together, but at the same time this toy is a masterpiece and well worth it.
In 1980, at the tender age of ten, I was watching Empire Strikes back for the first time and when the giant walkers appeared, well it took my breath away is the best way to describe it. This was up on the big screen and in the theatre, in other words the walkers looked as huge as they did to the characters in the movie.
As a kid, my parents could not afford the original AT-AT so I didn’t get one until I was nearly 29. The one I had was pretty beat up and I eventually gave it to a friend of mine to use for customs. So I can say this is much, much larger than the original, but sorry I can’t show a comparison.
There have been a great many comparison shots of this to many things including AT-TE, old AT-AT, the GI Joe Pitt playset, The GI Joe MCC, ect. I thought I would try some comparisons that haven’t been as seen like the WM exclusive AT-ST.
Masterpiece Optimus Prime
Gigantic Battles Goliath
A 3 year old child.
Yes this is one pretty big item. While the big items over the past few years haven’t really done much for me (besides the Millennium Falcon) this one is iconic and a definite must have. I am not sure if there is anything else from the Star Wars line that can compare to the AT-AT in just shear awesomeness. I have heard some suggestions but none of them invoke the same response in me as the AT-AT.
One of the aspects that hasn’t been mentioned very often about the AT-AT is the figure that comes with it, the AT-AT Driver. This is not the same Driver we got last year in the Legacy series, which is kind of confusing. That Driver had much more updated articulation and fit with the modern figures much better. Still he serves his function and if you were thinking ahead last December you probably have the Legacy version, so you have two to drive the sucker.
One feature I have not heard much about is the rope elevator out of the side. I really like this cause for years there was ton of speculation about exactly how the troops got out of the AT-AT. One of the odder explanations I remember was saying the AT-AT leaned down and let the troops out. Even as a kid I thought this left the AT-AT vulnerable in a battle.
The interior is awesome, great for troop caring and it looks like it would be functional. There are rails and stations that just sell it as a working and workable space. This is a huge step up from the basically hollow original AT-AT.
There is also the rope that helps you simulate Luke’s climb up the AT-AT to deliver his grenade that destroyed it. The motor on this rope is very, very slow and very loud, much louder than I would have expected. The loudness extends to the sound effects too. Personally I think they should have been left out (leaving more room in the interior for troops as well as access from the cockpit to the rest of the AT-AT.
Another fun feature is the AT-AT poops speeder bikes. This is pretty nifty even though the only time I ever remember speeder bikes being on Hoth was in the Lego Star Wars game. Still I am notThis appears to be the same as the recently released Hoth battle pack as well as the Hoth recon patrol from a few years ago. It might not be because I missed the recon pack to save money and have no intention of buying the battle pack. I think this would be better served with an additional Hoth Biker Scout trooper though, it is only slightly different (with little to no black as on the Endor version). Maybe I am being a bit greedy too, but it is odd to have a bike without a pilot. opposed to the idea.
This appears to be the same as the recently released Hoth battle pack as well as the Hoth recon patrol from a few years ago. It might not be because I missed the recon pack to save money and have no intention of buying the battle pack. I think this would be better served with an additional Hoth Biker Scout trooper though, it is only slightly different (with little to no black as on the Endor version). Maybe I am being a bit greedy too, but it is odd to have a bike without a pilot.
Now the cockpit has been said to hold 5 figures, some descriptions say it sits 5 figures, well that isn’t 100% accurate. Five figures will fit, but they will be crowded. The best arrangement is 2 in the cockpit driving and one behind the screen. The other two are forced to stand and in doing so make it a bit hard to shut the top of the cockpit. It can be done, but not with the ease as some sources have presented.
You might note I have a vintage Pilot in the shot with the figures loaded in. This is to show that, unfortunately, the vintage (meaning older of course) figures don’t really work with this new AT-AT. The pilot seats require the figures sitting in it to bend their knees, which of course means only modern figures will work.
None of this is major problems, but should be noted. I still say this is a must have if you have collected Star Wars or are a collector. It’s the AT-AT we all wanted as kids and is worth every penny of the $100 price tag. I seriously consider it a pinnacle of my collection already and in my mind I set it on par with such classics as the GI Joe USS Flagg, GI Joe HQ, Cobra Terrordrome, The Big Millennium Falcon, ect. In all seriousness I doubt something like this will come back within our lifetimes. I am hard pressed to imagine anything from any toyline that could be released (in the current atmosphere especially) that can come close to matching this in both iconic resonance and instant desirability as well as universal appeal. Maybe some awesome Death Star Playset, but I doubt something like that is in the works. In other words: BUY IT, IT”S AWESOME!!!
A few words on the Snowspeeder before I am done, it’s a great update. I hate that Hasbro feels the overwhelming need to pack in missile launching guns with decent ones, but that is what they did, of course it could be worse and we could only get the missile launchers.
This version actually appears to be smaller than the vintage version. I went to get my vintage version but it is kind of out of the way. Still I know I had it just a year ago (so no blaming the proportions on youth) and I could swear this new one looks smaller.
Also with the Speeder we can see that the AT-AT isn’t quite to scale. The speeder cannot easily pass under the legs of the walker as they do in the movie. Still the thing is so massive I am hard pressed to believe we should demand a larger one. Any larger and storage becomes a huge problem.
Still like yin and yang or the coyote and the Road Runner, The AT-AT needs a Snow Speeder, and if you get one, get the other, they work great together (and yes you get string to tie around the AT-AT’s legs) and of course the classic David and Goliath battle can be redone for as long as you want.
Both of these receive my highest recommendations.