Imperial AT-AT (All Terrain Armored Transport) - SW [SOTDS] - Vehicles

It is here. The big arsenal Imperial AT-AT (All Terrain Armored Transport) is finally available from Hasbro and words will likely never be able to express how incredibly amazing it is. Loaded with features collectors have only been dreaming of, this newly tooled vehicle will absolutely set a precedent for the "kids" of today to expect nothing less than this going forward. And this vehicle has been designed so incredibly well, we don’t know how Hasbro will be able to improve upon it ever again. Of course some of the parts are slightly out of scale simply for the fact that Hasbro was creating a toy first and not a miniature replica of the actual movie mechanical prop. Obviously we want to pack as many action figures as we can into the cockpit instead of having a more slim line head that may compromise this option. (And oh boy will you be able to pack figures into this cockpit indeed!) This giant beast will surely become the biggest Star Wars vehicle in your collection. It will be the shining star of it. It will be the centerpiece of it. And it will be the symbol of your collection! We thought of the best single word to describe the AT-AT and all we could come up with and that would be that describe the Imperial AT-AT is massive. This rather simple term really does say it all and it is just huge. We suspect that most won’t be able to comprehend its magnitude until they have it right in front of themselves. There is just too much to take in at once and a two-dimensional photograph or live video won't do it justice at all. With the capability to store over 20 Star Wars action figures, this "data" alone should impress upon you how large this vehicle is and what kind of room there is inside. Standing over two feet tall when fully assembled (and you will have to assemble the MANY pieces of this thing), the Imperial AT-AT will quickly become the quintessential Star Wars vehicle for any collection. And we suspect that not too many people will be holding off on this thing looking to get it for a better price. This vehicle is actually a steal at $99.99. (Just think of the Disturbance At Lars Homestead debacle. That thing was $49.99!) Even The Saga Collection Toys R Us exclusive Endor AT-AT retailed for $89.99 and it was a fraction of this size and had a lot less bells and whistles. What makes the Imperial AT-AT even better is that we have received a plethora of action figures based on The Empire Strikes Back within the last 12 months that will nicely outfit any scene you wish to include them with this huge vehicle. We all can put our multiple Snowtrooper, AT-AT Driver, Luke Skywalker [Snowspeeder Pilot] and many other action figures to great use now. And to be honest, the wait has been extremely grueling but more than worth it. The Imperial AT-AT is not only highly desired by all levels of consumers, but it is also basically a gift from Hasbro. When we get the opportunity to buy something this incredible (and at a more than fair price), we do need to show our gratitude to Hasbro so stuff like this keeps coming! They did this vehicle right and collectors (and kids) have a lot to be excited about with it. It is certainly a better time than ever to be a Star Wars collector. And it puts into crystal clear perspective how far the toy line has come.

Where do we begin explaining how awesome this new Star Wars vehicle is? The head of the AT-AT is spectacular. With the capability to fit a lot more than two action figures, you can almost set-up a miniature diorama right in the cockpit. You can have two AT-AT Driver action figures steer it while having General Veers or another AT-AT Commander stand behind them and study the view screen of the multiple targets ahead. The whole body of the AT-AT will provide for unlimited play options. The entire section is basically carved out and has multiple levels to store and stand the figures inside. If we went through every detail in this review, you would be reading it all day. But, in the middle section, there are three levels and many platforms on which you can set various Snowtrooper action figures. The rear of the AT-AT stores a speeder bike. It’s a little bit awkward that is shoots out backwards, but it is a cool feature nonetheless. If you purchased the 2008 TLC Hoth Speeder Bike Patrol Battle Packs set, this is your chance to dig it out and develop the Expanded Universe portion of this toy. Purists of the film may not be too crazy about this option, but we have to admit that is still is pretty cool. In the middle of the body arms attached to gears extend out and tied to them are ropes which serve as some sort of elevation system which explains how the Imperial army gets itself into the vehicle. This is another cool and clever explanation for something we didn’t really have an answer to until now. The Imperial soldier stands on a small platform and then gets pulled up into the body of the vehicle. (And it’s a long ride up!) Deep inside the middle section of the vehicle you will find ladders, railing and steering devices. All of these parts work in tandem with each other to create a very believable Imperial environment. This is the perfect “off screen” detail that seems as if it could have appeared in the movie as is, sort of like the earliest mini rigs. The AT-AT is loaded with tons of electronic phrases that mimmick the sounds and dialogue we heard in Episode V in addition to a whole bunch of new sayings as well. This is great stuff folks! And the play value that it brings is immeasurable.

The Imperial AT-AT while awesome in every way suffers from a slightly weak paint job. There are signs of battle-damage and staining which look great, but overall the figure is too light of gray. This of course should not alter your decision to pick this vehicle up. We would almost dare to say if this vehicle was hot pink that even that should not serve as a deterrent to purchase it. (OK, that is a bit dramatic.) But we hope you catch our drift. This vehicle has it all and more. And despite its large size, the vehicle doesn’t come with that many stickers to apply. This should make life a little bit easier for you, but we think the AT-AT could have used a few more decorative enhancements. (But we still nonetheless think this vehicle is perfect as is.) Surprisingly, the Imperial AT-AT only comes with a repaint of 2006’s TSC AT-AT Driver (SAGA 009) action figure. There are significant paint differences in the chest plate and helmet, but everything else is pretty much the same. But the inclusion of this figure is not the point of the vehicle. It is a nice pack-in bonus, but your AT-AT would be better suited with the super-articulated 2009 LC AT-AT Driver (BD49) figure. Once again, you’ll need to spend hours staring at all of the details and awesome sculpting inside this huge vehicle. The AT-AT truly needs multiple points of view, something as simple as the legs containing three points of articulation that will allow infinite ranges of motion! This vehicle is just stunning in every way. It honestly thrills us that Hasbro has this much steam left in them after a decade and a half of doing this for us. They somehow manage to keep the line exciting year after year, but we have to say that this is probably the most exciting news in a long time even rivaling the big Millennium Falcon vehicle announcement. The Empire Strikes Back is an unwavering fan favorite film and any toys based on this beloved film will always be a hit. But when Hasbro goes all out like they did for the Imperial AT-AT, well, it just is common sense that this massive vehicle will be an even bigger hit. Good things are in store for us with The Vintage Collection and the regular Star Wars [Shadow Of The Dark Side] lines. And as far as the Imperial AT-AT is concerned, please just get it. You will be a lost soul without it.

The Adventure Continues...

The AT-AT offers so much more than any one review can capture, So Jedi Temple Archives, Rebelscum and Yakface have joined forces to help provide the full coverage that this vehicle deserves. Be sure to check out Rebelscum's Photo Archive and Yakface's Toyguide for more amazing photos on this fantasic toy too!

And for an even greater experience with it, sit down and check out a roundtable discussion with Jedi Temple Archives staff Chuck Paskovics and Paul Harrison, Dan Curto from Rebelscum and Jayson Krebsbach from Yakface to read our candid conversation about the super deluxe Imperial AT-AT vehicle from Hasbro. In the spirit of collaboration we've taken our conversation and broke it down into three parts, one of which you can find on each site! And you’ll have to visit each site to read the entire discussion!

AT-AT Roundtable Review: The Head Dan: The head section is quite impressive, with a larger cockpit that has massive space in it, fitting at least 6 figures, but also the viewscreen and lights Paul: Yes, it is an incredibly resized cockpit. Just having the ability to seat two AT-AT Drivers next to each other with an AT-AT Commander behind them is so awesome. Chuck: I'm glad they kept the reciprocating guns similar to the vintage style AT-AT. Dan: Yeah, that was cool... there's a lot of similarities to the vintage. Paul: Yes, it's classically modern because of that yet a modern update. Chuck: The head control handle is nice, although I found it hard to move it side to side without feeling like I was going to break the handle. Jayson: Initially I thought I was doing it wrong as it was so hard to move but after a bit it became a bit easier to articulate. Chuck: That was my thought too, until I took another look at the instructions. Dan: You can also use the control bar as a handle to carry the AT-AT. Because that sucker's HEAVY! Paul: Yes, at first I wasn't crazy about the handle, but they made it into a believable gunning area, love it! Chuck: The accessory guns on the handle are a very nice touch. Dan: Yeah, a nice touch if you want to pop it open and just use it for a display. Otherwise the head just stares straight forward when it's locked down. Chuck: It makes the handle not look out of place when engaged. Jayson: The handle looks as if it could serve as an antenna array too with a bit of imagination. Dan: The flip-up canopy is very vintage-esque. Chuck: Agreed. Paul: Yes, that too. The whole cockpit is really mind blowing. It still is in proportion to the vehicle yet holds a plethora of "stuff", namely action figures! Dan: How many figures can you actually fit inside? Paul: Seven I think, right? Definitely Six. Chuck: It's amazing how they made the cockpit scaled to the figures and yet still scaled to the AT-AT. Dan: The firing guns are a great play feature, but they aren't accurate to the movie. Something some fans have been complaining about. Maybe they should have alternate attachments? Jayson: Interchangeable blasters like the AT-ST would have been a nice touch. Paul: I guess we need to look the other way since they did so many other things right with this vehicle, no? Chuck: They are a bit big. But, they do fit into how Hasbro has always built play features into their toys, regardless of what it does for the overall scale or realism. Dan: The POTF2 version also had firing canons on the side....didn't really bother me then. Paul: Yes, extra alternate parts would have been great, but I am in more favor of Hasbro sticking to what they can to keep the price-point right. Dan: I also like the front window used this time...MUCH better than a sticker! Chuck: Yes, the red hue that is cast on the AT-AT driver is nice! Dan: …and now the drivers can see where they are going! Chuck: The tactical screen inside was incredibly well done, right down to the etched surface. When it lights up it looks amazing! Paul: That is probably my favorite part! Dan: I had fun translating the phrases! I think I need stronger glasses now! Jayson: The screen is great! They went the extra mile there. And the easter egg was pretty cool too. Chuck: Yes, well done! Fantastic job by Hasbro for caring enough to make the Aurebesh writing even translate into something! Dan: Yes, a personal note from Brian Parrish, Hasbro's Design Manager on Star Wars. Very clever...and you can tell that they are fans as well. I sort of wish there was a way to connect the head to the body, but I doubt there's room to do so...the control is in the way. Paul: You mean like a walk through? Chuck: Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. Seems like a lot of wasted space there, space they could have made more troop holding rooms in. Dan: That front part of the body that's attached....seems like there's something that could be added there....weapons storage or something? Chuck: Or even another window to open. Paul: Yeah, that would have been smart. Jayson: I'm surprised there were more storage areas for weapons considering all the clone weapons locker we have. Rifle / blaster racks etc… Chuck: Some weapons storage would have been nice. Dan: Once the two parts (head and body) are connected, that's it....you can't get them apart. Chuck: NO! Believe me, I tried! My wife and I both tried together, but I didn't want to break it! Dan: Haha! Paul: Don't break that AT-AT! Dan: Still, they sculpted all kinds of details on the inside parts....strange, since no one will ever see them! The Rest of the Roundtable Review The Roundtable Review isn't over yet, because this is only part of the full review! The panel had a lot more to say about Hasbro's Imperial AT-AT, so read more details from this roundtable review after the jumps! The roundtable review for the AT-AT's Body section can be found over at Rebelscum.com The roundtable review for the AT-AT's Accessories & Features can be found over at Yakface.com Once again, A HUGE thanks to Hasbro and Hunter PR for providing us with this generous gift. We hope we have done it justice!