Power Team Elite Quad ATV
Available as always through G.I. Joe HQ
The Power Team Elite series of figures really shines in the execution of it's accessories. There's no doubt among anyone, Joe fans or not, that the items that come with the sets other than the figures are some of the great things about this line, and this is a decent example of that.
Now everyone loves their action figures...if we didn't we wouldn't be here. Even with the G.I. Joe line, vehicles are peripheral...the figures are what are cool to me. So how can a line with only a few basic mold and paint apps possibly hold my interest? By spicing up these figures with a load of cool, and realistic (not to mention inexpensive) vehicles and accessories.
First we cover the Quad itself- the essence of simplicity, this four-wheeler is definitely not the most detailed or intricate piece of military paraphenalia, but you know what? It doesn't have to be. Designed as a support craft, this military green ATV is designed to be realistic. No oversized cannons or missile launchers, this is the basic all terrain vehicle that the military might use, and it definitely serves that purpose well. With an authentic, streamlined design, four nicely treaded tires, a nice front grill and back rack, this small travel craft fills many holes and serves many purposes.
Sure, there is no hyper-detailed engine or oversized wheels, but the back to the basics look really works for this, and since it's not meant to be a main assault vehicle, it blends nicely into the background.
Now, I know what you're thinking. There are plenty of choices for G.I. Joe/1:18 scale ATV's out there. I have used Ertl's stuff in the past and there is a plethora of other die-cast models to choose from. Why this one?
Simple- price and accessories.
While this ATV is not die-cast, it is priced accordingly, and not only comes with the ATV, but comes with a great Army Ranger figure, a LAW rocket launcher, a crate of rockets, and an awesome SAW heavy machine gun. For my money, I'll take this package, which not only comes with the ATV, but comes with a ton of other great accessories to staff your support team with, or to equip your Joes with.
Now, since this if my first review of these items, I should touch on the figure construction itself, which was quite surprisingly cool I quickly found out.
I've dabbled in the "knockoff" series of figures out there... BBI, InToyz and others, and they all lack something that the Joe stuff has. Whether it's articulation or character, they just don't seem to have it. While the Power Team items are still very generic (something that is due for a change, from what I'm told) they have a definite edge over their non-Joe competition.
First of all, the small addition of ball-jointed hips makes an absolutely huge difference with military themed figures. There are scores of positions that this figure can maintain that others cannot, due to his ball jointed hips and soft plastic. The swivel wrists work very well, too, although sometimes I wish that one hand wasn't molded into a trigger finger.
As you can see, the figure is pretty plain in design, which, like the plainness of the ATV itself, works to provide a great support unit. But these figures have some elements of character to them that other off-brand military toys seem to lack.
The blocky construction and soft plastic just make the figures feel more moveable and more playable. That works against them in the weapons department, since it ends up with some slightly warped guns, but for the figures themselves, I find them much more enjoyable to use due to the flexibility and increased articulation. The facial sculpts really add some serious character as well, and don't just look like faceless soldiers. When I look at each face of these figures I get an image in my mind of a particular character based only on the look of their facial sculpt, which does it's job well. Plus, for a plain mold, the uniform is nicely detailed with buttons and pockets that look pretty authentic, and painted with a woodland camo pattern that, while probably a little dated compared to today's military look, still looks like some great camouflage, and actually uses a number of different colors to get the look down.
All in all, for a pretty small amount of cash, you end up with a great little ATV and a nicely equipped soldier. While it doesn't have a plethora of different accessories like some other sets do, for the price, there is some decent playability here and a great support troop for your Joe forces.
