12 Attachment(s)
Mega Bloks Iron Man 2 Aerial Attack Series
Get ready for some constructible flying action...
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Mega Bloks has been steadily growing in the constructible toy aisle over the last decade or so, with some really incredible and fun lines. Lately, they've been gobbling up major licenses, leading to even bigger and better things like HALO, and finally Iron Man 2! To celebrate the recent release of the blockbuster film Mega Bloks has put out a strong line of Iron Man sets in various sizes and price points. Today we're going to take a look at the "Aerial Attack" series, two sets that include a highly articulated mini-figure, base, and a new flying apparatus that kids will absolutely love!
The Iron Man 2 sets all share similar design elements in the packaging. Overall it's very stylish, with a lot of metallic and reflective surfaces. The Aerial Attack boxes are tall and thin, with a heavily photoshopped image of the included figure and base on the cover along with a small "Flying Action" image. The branding includes the Iron Man 2 logo at the top left, Mega Bloks in the bottom right, and the included mini-figure's name in the bottom left with an "Avengers Assemble" icon.
The backs of the boxes continue the dynamic imagery with more shots of the built sets and the figures flying through the air. Finally, there is a handy "Collect Them All" section showing the three basic sizes of Iron Man 2 Mega Bloks sets.
The sets with the fewest parts in the line, the Aerial Attacks have 42 (Iron Man) and 51 (Drone) pieces. Opening either box will reveal bagged sets of parts, instructions, and stickers. Every plastic bag has a tear-off edge, which is fantastic! Just be careful when ripping it off that the little bitty parts don't go flying. The instructions are very colorful and precise, with helpful color shading to show which parts go where. The stickers are easily peeled and applied, and each set comes with some extras so you can customize to your specifications.
The mini-figures both utilize a standard base body seen previously on the HALO heroic figures. They stand under 2 inches tall, with articulation that would make some other constructible figures run for the hills...
Both Iron Man and the Ground Assault Drone have ball-jointed necks, ball-jointed shoulders, elbows, wrists, waists, ball-jointed hips, and knees. Poseability is great, even with their small size and bulky armor.
The sculpts on the figures are also very good. Significantly less "pudgy" than some other constructible mini-figs, Iron Man and the Drone are nice tiny representations of the movie characters. This is a perfect scale for mechanical figures and powered armor, and the sculpts are covered in tech details and armor plating. It's really quite amazing, and basically requires a magnifying glass to see all of the elements. Paint applications are bright and bold on Iron Man, with resplendent red and gold with white details.
The Drone, meanwhile, is a military tan color with subtle gradations of black to liven it up. That figure too has a white chest circle. Iron Man has no specific figure accessories except for the "flying parts, while the Drone has the same shoulder rig and gatling cannon that War Machine uses. It settles around the figure's shoulders and plugs into the hole in its back, while the gun fits into either post behind its shoulders.
The bases in both sets are interesting. The Ground Assault Drone comes with a workshop area complete with two monitoring stations, additional tools, and two large articulated robotic arms. Front and center is a pedestal for standing the Drone, perfectly positioned for the arms to work on it. Stickers on the displays behind the figure really bring the set to life.
Meanwhile, Iron Man tests out his armor's capabilities at his own computer station decked out with terminal and experiment area. Again, stickers used on the computer screens and keyboard are great. This time, the figure stands in front of a small tower through which a clear plastic rod is inserted into Iron Man's back. By moving the end of the rod you can "test" Iron Man’s flight systems in his own lab!
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hPOK_lq26M]YouTube - Mega Bloks Iron Man 2 Aerial Attack Iron Man[/ame]
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZF4ldcOxb4]YouTube - Mega Bloks Iron Man 2 Aerial Attack Ground Assault Drone[/ame]
Finally, both sets come with the crucial "Flying Action" rig that proves the name Aerial Attack. The setup looks pretty daunting right out of the box, but the instructions are very clear. Simply loop the top string over a doorknob or chair post and tighten it. Then the flying rig plugs into a figure's back. Grab the bottom pieces, pull them apart, and watch the figure fly! Obviously this only works straight up and down, or at an angle toward the loop. It's a fun little feature targeted at kids, and strangely reminiscent of some '80s toys. I almost forgot the best part! To complete the illusion of flying, each mini-figure comes with really cool translucent orange flame effects that plug into the feet and hands.
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnqCkq6PzBI]YouTube - Mega Bloks Iron Man 2 Aerial Attack Iron Man vs. Ground Assault Drone[/ame]
The Aerial Attacks are good intro sets, with a manageable number of parts, a mini-figure (what everyone really wants anyway, right?), and the flying rig. Fans of Iron Man and constructible building sets will definitely like these, especially with the fun flame effects, and kids are sure to love playing with them. The Drone set also includes one of only two bad guys in the whole line, and every set's figure is unique so you must collect them all!
For even more images of these sets, CLICK HERE!
Review and Photos by Scott Rubin
Review samples courtesy of Mega Bloks
