STORMTROOPER Mech Force Suit
Epic World of Action "Power the Force" Mech Figure
Item No.: Asst. G0776 No. G1158
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster, Mech, black rifle, big red blaster
Action Feature: Mech opens, red blaster mounts on any of a number of spots
Retail: $19.99
Availability: March 2025
Appearances: n/a
Bio: Power up the Dark Side with a Stormtrooper at the helm of an armored mech suit! (Taken from the packaging)
Image: Adam's photo lab.
Availability: Click here to buy it at Entertainment Earth now!
Click here to buy it at Amazon now!
Click here to buy it at eBay now!
Commentary: I was surprised to find that I like the
Stormtrooper with Mech Force Suit as the best of the three. I think it may have long-term problems - specifically, I worry that clear red plastic may crack or bleed on the white plastic - but I guess that's Future Adam's problem. The figure on the inside may be based on the same design as the
2024 Epic Hero Series Stormtrooper [FOTD #3,137] but has far superior articulation. Also red paint that looks like someone is evoking Target stores with
Batman Beyond toy-esque gratuitous circuits. Truly, this is a Stormtrooper that went surfing on the internet and was zapped to cyberspace.
Of note, the 4-inch trooper now has elbow and knee joints. The hips and shoulders can pivot out as well as swivel. You'd be very happy to have more of these without the red paint. The back of the hands are all black now, and a few key paint details were left off - like the body suit at the elbows - but it looks pretty good otherwise. The joints allow him to be posed quite nicely, and this may be the best "kid" toy Stormtrooper Hasbro has ever manufactured. (I'd like the helmet to be a bit bigger.) No other Stormtrooper has this deco and I assume we'll never see it in a story somewhere, but it looks interesting and I'll buy another one if this gets marked down. As a set, it may be really good as parts.
The basic blaster is nothing special, but the big red blaster is really something. It's clear red with a 5mm grip and a 5mm hole in the barrel. What does this mean? Transformers compatibility. Most modern (and many classic) robots in disguise use the same size peg for their fists and accessories, so you can hand this to almost any recent robot needing a blaster. You can also use the C.O.M.B.A.T. System blast effects in it, if you have any, for fireblasts and explosions. I like the idea of having a big candy cherry Stormtrooper blaster to hand to any Autobot or Decepticon that comes up short.
The mech suit is similarly gifted with 5mm ports on the shoulders, fists, forearms, feet, and shins. If you have other Takara or Hasbro toys with the proper sizes of accessories, you can really load it up with firepower. The armor is jointed at the shoulders and elbows with swivel wrists. The ankles have just a little give. Sure, Destro might be annoyed that Darth Vader copied his plans for the S.N.A.K.E. armor, but I think it looks good. The circuit pattern and red deco looks a little silly, but it's a toy for kids. The exaggerated sculpt, robot vents, and giant feet will probably confuse kids and collectors despite being a very good design. This is the kind of thing that would probably have done better in the 1980s, as it was the norm in other toy lines. Today's adult
Star Wars fan lacks the whimsy of most collectors of toys, so you probably already know if this is for you or not. I think it's way more interesting than yet another remake of something that I already own, so I'd recommend it for weirdness.
I feel like my writing about
Star Wars online has gone from being one of the first, loudest, and most annoying voices in the hobby back in 1995 to being one of the more alienating ones in 2025. This isn't why most people are here - they want stuff from the movie, they are old and cranky and want their toys to have tons of articulation they'll never use. I just want something fun and cheap. At $20 this battle mech suit is a rocket launcher away from being the best time on the toy aisle. If you collect
Transformers and
Star Wars, get this mech. If you leave everything in the box you might not want to bother, but I'm having fun messing around with it and swapping in other robot accessories. There's no good marketing blitz this year so I assume kids won't be gifted this fine toy, but at least it'll be easy for you to go get yours.
Collector's Notes: I got mine from Entertainment Earth.
--Adam Pawlus
Day 3,248: June 10, 2025
2 comments:
I am loving this whole line for exactly what you said. Toys keep forgetting to be fun.
This to me is the closest we have gotten to the original design for the Zero-G stormtrooper from the old West End games Star wars source books.
I bought a couple and put them in my death star scene diorama and they look great!
The 5mm connections are awesome. Spin master did something similar - mechs - in their metal force line but sadly no holes. Love how you use these to have adventures with / fight 6 inch figures.
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