Post by Micro on Sept 7, 2011 15:04:24 GMT -8
Within every WWE toy section, there's a dark, terrible menace that makes nearly all collectors cringe. A line so despised that its name is practically a bad word here in WFigs...
FlexForce!
For some reason, the very sight of these Hook Throwin', Flip Kickin' figures seem to automatically induce collectors' Finger Flippin' action features. I've read so many complaints about them here; How they waste shelf space and sit for months or how the entire line should be scrapped so that the "true" collectors series can get restocked more often. It's like the FlexForce figures are intentionally being flooded in stores so that the gold mine of Legends 4-6 & Elite 9-11 remains in those distribution warehouses untouched. Meanwhile the Mattel Design Team laughs maniacally in their shiny vac-metalized thrones, cast from the siphoned belt budgets of doomed Elite lines!!
Ok, relax, these are just WWE figures for kids! I was out on the road and stopped by Walmart. I saw the Breakdown Brawl ring on the bottom shelf and took a good look at it. I remember passing on it a while ago but it looked neat so I checked the price again. Fortunately, it was marked down to only $10 so I decided to grab it!
Size-wise, this is no different from a Basic ring; Same Pro-Tesion springs, ring posts, and ropes. It comes with a set of blue ropes and the Smackdown apron stickers. One thing I did notice, though, is that the plastic ring apron that surrounds the ring is slightly thinner than the normal Basic rings. This makes it feel a little more flexable and kinda flimsy when you pick the ring up.
Still, this is no ordinary Basic ring, it's a FlexForce ring! This means built-in action features. The main feature to this one is that the ring mat panels collapse when you launch a figure into the ring. Yes, you can smash your opponent through the ring and take out Hornswoggle at the same time!
The design behind this action feature is simple and works really well. These are not flimsy panels that just fall apart and fly everywhere. The panels are attached to the ring and there's a locking tab underneath that holds the ring together if you don't want it to smash in all the time. Once you're ready for destruction, just swivel the tab to the unlocked position and watch that ring crumble!
Aside from the action feature, this playset comes with an extra accessory: A FlexForce launching pad that fits over the corner ring post. Depending on the figure's action feature, you can either stand them on the pad or have them hang off of it so you can swing or flip them through the air and into the ring. I tried launching some figures but it was kinda tricky to make it work right. I did get Body Slammin' Sheamus to hang upside down, spring back, and fly into the corner.
Finally, the playset comes with a Hook Throwin' Big Show as an added bonus. He's a decent figure but his wide stance makes it impossible to set him properly on the launching pad for takeoff.
Overall, this ring is a One-Trick Pony but it's a nice one for kids. Even though the action feature best resembles the time that Kane chokeslammed Undertaker through the ring, seeing it with Big Show and the Smackdown logos makes me wish there was a Mattel Brock Lesnar. I want to recreate that time Brock superplexed Show and made the ring fall apart! I think I'll save this ring for some special "Holy $#*!" moments in my pic fed or displays.
Say what you will about the FlexForce figures but these are meant for kids to smash and throw around and that's cool. They also come with nice accessories, like folding chairs, swinging camera rigs, concession stands, breakable tables, etc.
Before you hate on this kids-oriented toy subseries, remember that these figures are not going to be carefully put on displays or shelves but scratched up and banged up, ending up like old LJN figures. They may seem to be collecting dust in some stores but apparently this line is selling really well and that's good for both Mattel and collectors alike. Consider this: For every hardcore collection we see here, there's probably 10x more FlexForce figures in homes, scattered in children's rooms while kids make Body Slammin' Undertaker go 148-0 at Wrestlemania Z!
FlexForce!
For some reason, the very sight of these Hook Throwin', Flip Kickin' figures seem to automatically induce collectors' Finger Flippin' action features. I've read so many complaints about them here; How they waste shelf space and sit for months or how the entire line should be scrapped so that the "true" collectors series can get restocked more often. It's like the FlexForce figures are intentionally being flooded in stores so that the gold mine of Legends 4-6 & Elite 9-11 remains in those distribution warehouses untouched. Meanwhile the Mattel Design Team laughs maniacally in their shiny vac-metalized thrones, cast from the siphoned belt budgets of doomed Elite lines!!
Ok, relax, these are just WWE figures for kids! I was out on the road and stopped by Walmart. I saw the Breakdown Brawl ring on the bottom shelf and took a good look at it. I remember passing on it a while ago but it looked neat so I checked the price again. Fortunately, it was marked down to only $10 so I decided to grab it!
Size-wise, this is no different from a Basic ring; Same Pro-Tesion springs, ring posts, and ropes. It comes with a set of blue ropes and the Smackdown apron stickers. One thing I did notice, though, is that the plastic ring apron that surrounds the ring is slightly thinner than the normal Basic rings. This makes it feel a little more flexable and kinda flimsy when you pick the ring up.
Still, this is no ordinary Basic ring, it's a FlexForce ring! This means built-in action features. The main feature to this one is that the ring mat panels collapse when you launch a figure into the ring. Yes, you can smash your opponent through the ring and take out Hornswoggle at the same time!
The design behind this action feature is simple and works really well. These are not flimsy panels that just fall apart and fly everywhere. The panels are attached to the ring and there's a locking tab underneath that holds the ring together if you don't want it to smash in all the time. Once you're ready for destruction, just swivel the tab to the unlocked position and watch that ring crumble!
Aside from the action feature, this playset comes with an extra accessory: A FlexForce launching pad that fits over the corner ring post. Depending on the figure's action feature, you can either stand them on the pad or have them hang off of it so you can swing or flip them through the air and into the ring. I tried launching some figures but it was kinda tricky to make it work right. I did get Body Slammin' Sheamus to hang upside down, spring back, and fly into the corner.
Finally, the playset comes with a Hook Throwin' Big Show as an added bonus. He's a decent figure but his wide stance makes it impossible to set him properly on the launching pad for takeoff.
Overall, this ring is a One-Trick Pony but it's a nice one for kids. Even though the action feature best resembles the time that Kane chokeslammed Undertaker through the ring, seeing it with Big Show and the Smackdown logos makes me wish there was a Mattel Brock Lesnar. I want to recreate that time Brock superplexed Show and made the ring fall apart! I think I'll save this ring for some special "Holy $#*!" moments in my pic fed or displays.
Say what you will about the FlexForce figures but these are meant for kids to smash and throw around and that's cool. They also come with nice accessories, like folding chairs, swinging camera rigs, concession stands, breakable tables, etc.
Before you hate on this kids-oriented toy subseries, remember that these figures are not going to be carefully put on displays or shelves but scratched up and banged up, ending up like old LJN figures. They may seem to be collecting dust in some stores but apparently this line is selling really well and that's good for both Mattel and collectors alike. Consider this: For every hardcore collection we see here, there's probably 10x more FlexForce figures in homes, scattered in children's rooms while kids make Body Slammin' Undertaker go 148-0 at Wrestlemania Z!