Figure of the Day: Day 190: R3-D3

R3-D3 Star Tours
Star Tours Collection 1
Item No.: No. 21091
Number: n/a
Includes: n/a
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $10.00
Availability: 2002
Appearances: Star Tours

Bio: Whenever your plans call for intergalactic transport, call on STAR TOURS for state of the art travel excitement! Tour the galaxy aboard the STARSPEEDER 3000, the most advanced transport vessel of its kind, and experience the expertise of the sector's newest and most reliable Droid pilots! Reservations are limited, so book your STAR TOURS adventure today! (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam's toy shelves. Whoopee.

Commentary: When first rumored, the Star Tours line was said to be a bunch of R2-D2 and C-3PO repaints and Captain Rex. What we got was a little more diverse, as seen with R3-D3 which was part of the first series of these figures. The figure was a revised version of the very nicely designed R2-D2 from Power of the Jedi with a retooled head and, of course, new paint. The figure is jointed at the "shoulders" and "neck," and that's it-- he also has wheels. His coloring is actually fairly incorrect compared to the model used on the ride, which didn't have the red paint on the eye and, well, there's more wrong too. Basically, this figure isn't what you would call authentic, just neat. For those looking to add yet another astromech droid to their collection, this is a good one. It's also unique in that it's the only clear-domed droid to use this body, at least so far.

Collector's Notes: While initially somewhat hard to get as a theme park exclusive, interest has cooled significantly in recent years. (Which is a little surprising given how hard these were to get if you didn't have someone who could do you a favor.) A number of Star Tours figures got closed out and appeared by the case on eBay for very cheap, and as such, the going rate of these little guys is about $10 or less-- so $10 plus shipping is about as high as you should go. Due to the figure's lack of accessories, articulation, etc., you might be left feeling $10 is too high. And it is. But it's not like you can buy one at Wal-Mart.

Day 190: November 12, 2006