BEST OF 2011 - Best Video Game Toys

**JeffSaylor** · 12-12-2011, 07:59 AM

Action figures that put our game on pause...

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#4 WIZKIDS' STREET FIGHTER/ HALO/ GEARS OF WAR HEROCLIX

Since HeroClix’s resurrection in 2009 the game has expanded by leaps and bounds. Not satisfied merely with releasing Marvel and DC expansion sets, WizKids Games has added several new properties made possible by its partnership with NECA. This year saw an explosion of video games ported into the miniature gaming system: Street Fighter, Gears of War, and Halo! With cool new special powers and expanded rules designed for fast paced 1 on 1 games, these HeroClix expansions bring the flavor and fierce combat of these games to the table along with highly detailed miniature figures. And the best thing is that all HeroClix figures and universes are fully compatible; whether you’re an old school fighting game player wanting to rock Ken and Ryu against Spider-Man or a FPS buff bringing a COG/Locust Horde or UNSC/Covenant team against the Injustice League or Intelligencia, it’s all good! WizKids has even used these properties to make it easier than ever for new players to get into the game with the Street Fighter Starter Set and single-figure booster boxes of SF and Gears. You may not need a controller, but this is classic video game fun in a whole new format.

#3 MCFARLANE TOYS' HALO

Since their debut all the way back in 2008, McFarlane's HALO action figure line has grown to incorporate every game in the hit video game series. It has also grown in scale, with last year's Halo:Reach introducing a better built, more collectible 6 inch size. 2011 saw the continuation of Halo:Reach with cool new additions like the coveted Spartan Gungnir, sleek Elite Ranger, high-flying ODST Jetpack Trooper and the remaining members of Noble Team - including unmasked variants. Most exciting was McFarlane's celebration of Halo's 10th anniversary (has it been that long already?) with a set of figures that rewarded collectors with pieces to build their very own Difficulty Plaque - a first for the Halo series. A unique figure of the Master Chief as seen in the very first Halo game (Combat Evolved) was one of the neatest figures Todd released this year, our mighty Spartan hero decked out in his trademark green armor - "pixilated" to reflect the more basic graphics of the early title. With even more Halo:Reach armor types, new Anniversary characters AND a proposed Halo 4 series, McFarlane's Halo action figures show no signs of slowing down in 2012.

#2 NECA'S CRYSIS 2 NANOSUIT 2/ GEARS OF WAR 3

The Figures.com team waffled back and fourth on this one until we decided it was a draw: NECA's Crysis 2 Nanosuit AND Gears of War 3 were equal contenders. "Alcatraz," as the main character is named in Crytek's phenomenal first-person shooter, kicked things off in early 2011 with an action figure that not only looked awesome, but sported the most enjoyable articulation we've seen in a NECA toy to date. This figure could MOVE, with exciting new points of movement like swing-back shoulders and articulated toes. You could strike about any action pose imaginable with this slick future soldier, all while having a blast doing so. The Nanosuit 2 action figure paved the way for NECA's best Gears of War action figure series ever produced. Based on the third title released this fall, NECA's Gears of War 3 Series 1 figures of Marcus, Clayton and Anya set a new standard in sculpt and well-engineered and concealed articulation. 30+ points makes these the most poseable action figures NECA has created, and while the lack of an upper bicep cut was sorely missed, the end result was still nothing short of remarkable. With GoW3 Series 2 right around the corner and 2012 promising tons of new video game action figures, we can't wait to get our hands on what NECA releases next.

#1 SQUARE ENIX'S DEUS EX: HUMAN REVOLUTION PLAY ARTS KAI

While more expensive than a mass market toy, but cheaper than a high-end 1:6th scale figure, Square Enix's $50 Play Arts Kai is money well spent. The thing we love the most about these figures is their meaty 9 inch scale - a size that's neither too small, nor too large for our collections. It's just right, the robust figure fitting well in the hand and looking great on a shelf. Tack on amazing sculpts, pitch perfect paint apps and an insane abundance of nice firm articulation (for the most part) and you have some of the most enjoyable action figures to both play with and display. For fans of Metal Gear Solid, Square Enix continued to pump out cool characters - Battle Dress Snake looking killer fully kitted up. With Halo, Square Enix showed how to do a Spartan action figure right by releasing all of Noble Team in the Kai format. The hulking Jorge looked sweet with his huge minigun, while Jun knocked it out of the park with his stealthy sniper attire.

All these video game Play Arts Kai figures were excellent, but it was Square Enix's release of characters from Deus Ex: Human Revolution that blew us away. Unlike Metal Gear Solid and Halo: Reach, Square Enix actually created the game Deus Ex: Human Revolution, making this trio of figures original in-house designs. And what designs they are! Taking a cue from near-future classics like Blade Runner, Square Enix has sculpted three cool characters - Adam Jensen, Lawrence Barrett, and Yelena Fedorova - that amaze with fantastic detail. Refreshing sci-fi designs paired with the amazing Kai body, Square Enix's Deus Ex: Human Revolution action figures rightfully earn our top video game slot for 2011.

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