Main
Features
 FOTD
 Toy Fair 2023
 SDCC 2023
 Toy Fair 2020
 NYCC 2019
 SDCC 2019
 Toy Fair 2019
 SDCC 2018
 Toy Fair 2018
 HasCon 2017
 SDCC 2017
 Toy Fair 2017
 SDCC 2016
 Toy Fair 2016
 SDCC 2015
 Toy Fair 2015
 SDCC 2014
 C2E2 2014
 Toy Fair 2014
 SDCC 2013
 C2E2 2013
 Toy Fair 2013
 SDCC 2012
 C2E2 2012
 Toy Fair 2012
 NYCC 2011
 SDCC 2011
 Toy Fair 2011
Archives
 Books
 DVD
 Music
 Statues
 Prop Replicas
 Toys
 Video Games
Credits
Contact


This site is part of Amazon, Walmart, eBay, and Entertainment Earth affiliate programs. We may earn a commission when you click one of their links.


Related Links:
16bit Tumblr
16bit Twitter
16bit Instagram
ASWN
EE Podcast
Galactic Hunter
Glyos News
OSM News

Samus Aran Joy Ride Studios, 2003

Samus Aran Review Capsule
In 2003, Joy Ride Studios released Samus Aran from Metroid to an eager public. Even though the figure seems to have been produced on the cheap, its price tag didn't exactly match. Still, as the only known Samus Aran action figure, it's worth tracking down. Originally sold for roughly $10-$12, and at that price, is well worth it.
WARNING/GUARANTEE
This item is presented for review and entertainment purposes only. It is not for sale. Please search eBay, Google, or your favorite source of collectibles to determine if you can purchase this item.

Introduction

With nearly two decades of gaming history behind it, Metroid has been fairly low-key as far as Nintendo's big titles have gone, with half the franchise's games having been released in the past couple of years. With the revival of the character, it seemed that someone finally got the clue and decided to release Samus Aran in plastic.

She has a removable, interchangable head and fairly limited articulation, but she's all Samus.

There's a lot to like about this figure, but most of it is about the character.

Figure

As a statue, it's a nice piece. As a toy, it starts to fall apart.

The figure has limited detail on her suit, and limited articulation. Oh, and limited paint applications. In short, the figure really doesn't seem worthy of the $13 or so most game store were charging for her upon her release, but as of now, she goes for a little bit more on the secondary market.

The choices of colors and the overall look of the figure is adequate, and for roughly 10 years ago, would have been really something. Between McFarlane and so many other companies, though, we've come such a long way that a figure of this quality doesn't seem nearly as impressive. They did make sure to paint some details that might have gone missed, like the grey at her shoulders, elbows, and wrists, and for this I am quite happy.

Samus' articulation clocks in at 12 points, although some are hindered. Her neck cannot turn, and the ball joints at her shoulders are restricted by the large shoulder armor. Her elbows are given a good range of motion, as are her ankles, knees, and hips. Her hips are completely unrestricted, which is nice but really won't help you find a pose that's all that much better than the default one. Also, it's worth noting that the articulation is fairly well hidden, a detail the folks at Joy Ride seem to do quite well.

There are some decent grooves, vents, and plates sculpted on the power suit, but on the whole, it doesn't really "wow" as much as it could. Of course, once you take into account that this is the only real Metroid toy on the market today, you can get past these faults very quickly.

Accessories & Gimmicks

This figure includes an interchangable head to show Samus unmasked.

One head pops out, and the other pops in. This reveals a hollow torso which, again, makes the figure seem cheap. The unmasked head seems to be fairly well done in terms of production values, but let's face it, it really doesn't look like any of the artwork for the character. Admittedly, official shots of Samus unmasked are far and few between, but the end result here isn't exactly impressive. Odds are Joy Ride would have been better off axing this spare head in favor of another accessory. Perhaps, oh I don't know... an actual Metroid.

The head can be swapped out without a hitch, and it performs its function as expected. As such, it's not a total failure, but for a character like Samus, odds are many fans will have expected a little something more.

Packaging

While our sample's packaging was lost to the ages, it came on a large, colorful blister card sporting a "Nintendo Power" logo, the same as the long-running magazine. The package had velcro on the back which opened up to reveal Metroid gaming tips, which at this stage in the game seemed like an odd choice that only added cost to the already pricey figure. Still, there has been far worse, and it performed its function admirably.

Fin

Fans of Metroid probably already have this, and passive fans of the series probably won't care. Samus Aran is one of Nintendo's great classic heroes, and it's great to see that she finally made it to the third dimension. Unfortunately, the quality may not be up to snuff for some fans, but for those that just wanted something that was fairly priced, nicely sized, and of a quality far beyond that of the Metroid Prime bobblehead, this is the toy for you.

Reviewed and photographed by Adam Pawlus
Sample purchased from a local GameStop for roughly $11.99 in 2003
Reviewed on February 17, 2004.

Other Toys
 Adult Swim
 Master Shake (Toy Fair)
 Battle Beasts Minimates
 Alligator (Toy Fair)
 DC Pocket Super Heroes
 Catwoman
 Emperor's New Groove
 Kuzco (100 Years of Disney)
 Final Fantasy VII (Japan)
 Cloud Strife
 Gladius
 Mongrel Man
 Go-Bots (Tonka)
 Leader-1
 Jurassic Park (2009)
 Tyrannosaurus Rex
 Kubricks
 The Count
 Lord of the Rings
  Ringwraith
 Microman
  Gatchaman
  Micro Trainer Machine
 Nightmare Before Christmas
 Jack Skellington Wind-Up
 Nintendo
  Samus Aran
 Q*Bert
 Q*Bert on Skateboard
 Real Ghostbusters
 Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man
 Rockman
 Rockman 8
 (Ironbuster)
 Shockinis
 Toy Fair 2004 Figures
 Shooting Game Historica
 Vic Viper T301
 Shrek 2
 Dragon
 Spider-Man
 Spider-Man 2
 Magnetic Spider-Man
 Classics
 Spider-Man
 Spider-Man (Black)
 Venom
 Star Wars
 Boba Fett
 Titan A.E.
 Akima & Phoenix
 Universal Monsters
 Creature from the Black Lagoon (12")

16bit.com is best not viewed in Apple's Safari browser, we don't know why. All material on this site copyright their respective copyright holders. All materials appear hear for informative and entertainment purposes. 16bit.com is not to be held responsible for anything, ever. Photos taken by the 16bit.com staff. Site design, graphics, writing, and whatnot credited on the credits page. Be cool-- don't steal.
We know where you live and we'll break your friggin' legs.