Droid Factory, The - DD

All different types of Astromech droids populate the galaxy. Each droid is different and has their own unique personality and colors. These droids have the special ability to change color!

Perhaps it would have made the most sense if Disney called the Galaxy’s Edge exclusive The Droid Factory playset “The Droid Spa” instead. If you grew up with the original vintage Kenner line, you'd recall the 1979 Star Wars Droid Factory set, the one that was Jawa-themed. In that set kids and Star Wars fans had the distinct pleasure to create their unique droids as the set came with multiple parts to make them. It also came with parts to create a third-legged R2-D2 figure. It went over big and sold well, and everything produced since under the “Droid Factory” theme has been approached differently. The Galaxy’s Edge The Droid Factory set is another example of the deviation. IT’s not terrible, however. If you like the color-changing gimmick in this line, then this playset is a creative manifestation of how it all happens. Disney included two dunk tanks, one for cold water, the other for hot water, so you can color-change your droids as needed. The concept is different, fun, and maybe not your first instinct. But it works, and the design of the playset is very nice. Think of the Echo Base medical bay mixed with the classic Kenner Jabba The Hutt’s Dungeon or Droid Factory playset bases. It’s the best of all worlds, with a fresh new approach.

Many will feel that the greatest inclusion of The Droid Factory playset is the unique GONK Droid. Longtime Star Wars fans refer to this Star Wars character as a Power Droid. Not nearly as detailed or with a fraction of the features included with Hasbro figures, Disney adds the first “gray” color-changing GONK Droid to their line. It is a simple figure, but it fits into this playset nicely. (We still don’t have the Lars; homestead power droid and it boggles the minds of all collectors how this character is continually ignored from any toymaker or the licensee). Like the other 3.75” droids in the Droid Depot line, GONK Droid changes color based on the temperatures introduced to it. Room temperature and other warm temperatures will keep it a medium gray. But putting the droid in cold temperatures will convert it to a deep purple. (Wouldn’t blue been a step closer to that classic vintage Kenner action figure?) The GONK Droid is the star of The Droid Factory playset, but not the only focus. It feels that Disney should have included, at minimum, another pack-in figure here to give purchasers optimal value, but that wasn’t part of the plan. Still, getting any pack-in figure is a huge selling point, and it was wise of them to include the GONK Droid to give the set more value.

So what about the included playset. As we’ve mentioned, it feels like a screencap of something from Echo Base. The white parts along with translucent blue tuns make this feel like an unused prop from The Empire Strikes Back. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. Customizers may feel they can use the bulk of this to develop their Echo Base backgrounds, especially the medical areas. Disney worked in electronics (which seems a little perverse when water is required to interact with the figures). When do water and electronics ever mix well? But instead of lights (which would have been preferred by us), they added four sound effects buttons to help add realism to this playset). Each button ignites a distinct sound, like a droid talking, the conveyer belt whirling, and other related sounds. We don’t think these sounds were needed, but if you’re into them, they will help develop playtime for fans of all ages. The set also comes with an articulated crane (you can hand any droid with a hole in its “head” from it. And in addition to the conveyer belt, there is a spiral “staircase” to have completed droid walk down after their spa treatments. For $39.99, The Droid Factory feels a bit overpriced. But whatever the cost, it is a nicely tooled set, brilliantly colored, and offers a physical play area for fans to color-change their droids.