With NECA‘s classic video game series figures, they’ve mainly focused on classic Nintendo Entertainment System themed characters. Thsi summer, they bagan to branch out of that with the introduction of a Sega Master System inspired Rocky Balboa, and the 16-Bit Robocop vs Terminator Figures. Unlike previous releases, the Robocop vs Terminator figures featured a full lineup of characters, as opposed to a one-off figure. Also, the packaging would be changed from window boxes with a flap to standard window box designs. Included are the following releases:
- Robocop with Flamethrower
- Battle Damaged Robocop with Rocket Launcher
- Terminator T-800 Cyborg with Plasma Rifle
- Terminator T-800 Endoskeleton Heavy Gunner
- Terminator T-800 Endoskeleton 2-Pack
I finally got my hands on the figures, and I have a full photo shoot to check out. After the jump you can find over 130 photos as well as my review of the series.
NECA Robocop vs Terminator 16-Bit Video Game Series Figures
Pros
- Best Paint Jobs of the Video Game Series
- Battle Damaged Robocop looks amazing in person
- Robocops are a vast paint improvement over the previous (already good) video game Robocop
- New weapons look great
- Endoskeletons each have unique paint apps
- Blue Endoskeleton looks particularly nice
Cons
- Robocop can’t hold Flamethrower when fire effects are added to the gun
- The heavy gunner machine gun doesn’t actually attach to stand
- T-800 Cyborg has no lower body articulation
- Endoskeletons feel super fragile
- Almost all joints are stuck due to paint (handle with care)
Overall
As a fan of the video game series by NECA, I was excited and slightly baffled by this reveal. The original game it’s based on is a genuinely fantastic 16-bit era game. However, we had already had a Robocop release in the series and the Terminator figures can be hit or miss. After getting them in hand, for the most part, I’m really satisfied with them. However, all isn’t perfect.
The packaging is, sadly, a departure from the video game series to this point. I get why they had to approach it this way. The licenses for Robocp and Terminator come from two different companies. This meant having the flap over it with the original game box art just wasn’t an option. So, technically, these are separate “Robocop” and “Terminator” releases with similar packaging. NECA, however, was clever enough to use the rear of the packaging and the overall design to make them feel like they are part of the same series.
From and aesthetic point of view, these figures are near perfect. As is usual for NECA, the sculpts are fantastic renditions of the licensed characters. The T-800 Endoskeletons feature absurdly small details such as pistons and wires. Robocop looks like a near movie miniature. The paint apps on them are astounding as well. The colors, chose shadow and highlight apps as well as other detail paints make them the best ECA has released in the series so far. The Robocop figures have a great purple shadow on their backs, and the Battle Damaged Robocop has flame highlights painted onto the figure in spots, to make the flames look even more bright. Each of the T-800’s have their own paint masks, making them each uniquely different. The Cyborg T-800 has some nice bright red battle damage spots and the small purple highlights bring out the details on the jacket and other black areas. On the shelf, these are going to look amazing.
Each figure also includes some new weapons. Each one looks like the stepped right out of the game, with consistent paint apps and great sculpting. The first batch of problems start to creep in here. One minor, one a bit more concerning to me. The T-800 Heavy Gunner’s weapon, which requires the included stand (for the most part), doesn’t actually attach to the stand. Instead it simply rests on it as you wedge a piece of the stand onto the gun. Move it even slightly and it will fall off. The bigger weapon issue, though, is Robocop’s Flamethrower. The weapon hand seems to have been modified a bit, with the interior featuring a larger cut out for the weapons. This causes the Flamethrower itself to sit very loosely in his hand. When I tried to attach the flames to the gun, the weight was too much and it would fall out of his hand. The other weapons, thankfully, don’t suffer these issues.
The other negatives are mostly minor annoyances. If you aren’t a fan of the fragile T-800 Endoskeletons, these won’t win you over. The thin plastic feels like it will snap with even the lightest pressure being applied. The Cyborg T-800 features no useful lower body articulation. Robocop still suffers from limited movement in his arms and legs. Most of that stuff is simply a carry over from the previous releases. So, if you’re familiar with the past releases of these molds, you know what to expect. The larger concern is joint stiffness. The way that the paint is applied causes painted joint connections to almost fuse together. Both Robocop’s and all three Endoskeletons suffered from this. I highly recommend using a hair dryer to loosen those spots up prior to posing them. Once I loosened them, they were fine, but you must use caution.
In the end, I am happy that I grabbed these. They do look stunning together as the sculpts are all great looking and the paints are beautifully applied. A few carry over negatives from the original molds, and a few new issues, prevent them from being perfect. Recommended for people who are fans of the games and/or want a superior video game Roboocop.
Below, find some select photo highlights. After that, you can see he 130+ photos from the shoot.