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This page covers the second line in the popular "3 Inch Line" Sonic figures. Many more different characters are planned as well, because the small size for the figures allows for more different people to be made. Despite the size, these figures are quite well articulated as well as well sculpted. All figures should retail for around $4.99 USD (a good price!)
Toys R Us started with an exclusive on all Jazwares figures, however the exclusive expired in 2010. (BigBad Toy Store has them now 2010, at a lower mark-up than all other online retail. If your TRU isn't stocking the figures, this may be the best place to get them. They can also be found at Suncoast Video stores in malls, in the USA! ForbiddenPlanet UK has added the figures too! They're 5.99 pound. Info by Dio Soth & |
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| Sonic Gear Main * Jazwares Small Line 1 * Jazwares Small Line 3 * Jazwares Small Line 4 * Small Line 5 * Small Line 6 Jazwares General * |
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These are the early shots on the 3 inch scale Werehog, Shadow and Silver. From these photos, they're looking good so far! They'll be released with bases to help them stand. Not a bad addition, as the bases are subtle and don't force you to use them, either. The box backs are the same, with Sonic Tails & Knuckles. Amy Rose should also be on this release, but as a "comic pak tie in" like Knuckles was on the first set. There should be plans to release both of them in the future on an individual card. |
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The Werehog is textured for the 'hair', and the face seems to be accurate. It was always thought they'd do a good job with the werehog because their first one of him was excellent. Shadow and Silver both seem fine, with good shoe detail and spikes pointing in the proper directions. Silver's hands are dynamic, which is fitting due to all the gesturing he did.
This is the START of the release, (Winter 2009) so begin calling your Toys R Us stores to see if they've got them in. Photos taken by shigamado
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UPC #s Provided by: Taaron
Werehog: 6 81326 65026 3 Shadow: 6 81326 65023 2
Silver 6 81326 65029 4 |
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This is what the figures will look like on the shelves of your Toys R Us. Note that the silver "R" sticker is still there (naturally) but that the Werehog has a "From Sonic Unleashed" dot on his package instead of the sticker that tells you about the articulation. |
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They're all posed 'walking' with a slight hip twist under the same 'Sonic spin' shaped bubble. The rest of the box front appears unchanged from the first wave. Discovered by News 4 Kids. |
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As expected, Shadow turned out just fine. He's accurate, with all the details including the small red stripe on legs/arms, glove flaps/rings and they even carved out and made 3D the undersides of his shoes with glide-emitting holes. (It's not just flat/painted on) which is a great touch. Here, his expression is neutral, which is a matter of opinion whether that's better or not. (sometimes, as you know his figures/items can be scowl-ey) he does have a mouth, but it's just a straight line. Again, like the Sonic he has 2 fists/no open hand. He has all the same articulation as the last set of figures. If this one is going to have a paint flaw, it's going to be on his shoe, so do inspect him when you see him in stores. |
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Silver is here to impress. If there were to be a figure to test their painting ability, it's him. With detailed gloves, boots & a very different head, he would be a challenge--however they got it all in. The rings on both sides of his gloves are present, his hands are in a decent open/psychic position, no detail was left off of his boots, & they textured in his mane-like upper hair. (However, it is not on his shoulders, as it is in the game, likely due to articulation problems) He also has a mouth but it's nearly impossible to see. The black eye-edge ridge is not over-done, and he's quite an accurate figure. |
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The 3 inch scale Werehog is just about like their 5 inch one. He's a bit of an improvement, actually (legs work better, poses easier) but isn't free of flaws. The 'hip area' is SUPER small giving him a funnel-like appearance as the torso narrows to the extreme to meet it. He's only short 1 joint that all the other figures have, which is the wrist (due to the textured fur) His bent shoes limit the pose-ability because by nature he's quite top-heavy due to being solid plastic--however that was dictated by the art they're going off of. |
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SOME Werehogs are defective. This one is. The knee of the leg that has the foot with the hole in it (to snap onto the base) has a defective catch on the front allowing it to bend 180 degrees (seen at right) which makes it totally impossible for the figure to stand, base or not. It's the most top-heavy figure so this flaw is especially bad for this figure. What's worse is |
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| it does not appear to be detectable 'on the shelf'. A bad knee is identical to a good one while he's still in the box. Only by de-boxing and moving the figure around (or trying to stand him up!) will reveal it. No solution is known except being forced to buy another one if you actually want to pose him. The problems MAY INCLUDE: 2 right shins, 1 backward shin, or 2 right shins with 1 of them on backward. He won't stand through any of these flaws. |
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The feet for this set are all great. They didn't miss any details, texturing in Werehog's shoe spikes on the top and bottom, texturing in Shadow's glide hole shoe soles, and even going so far as to paint in the futuristic hexagon blue/black pattern on Silvers' shoe soles. They didn't miss a detail here! Each figure has a hole in the heel of 1 shoe that allows them to snap onto the base you see here, which has a small peg on it. |
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The Bottom Line
GET this set! Line 2 is just as good as line 1, and the quality you expect is all still here. They're still a great value at around 5 dollars for such an articulated figure. With great detail & pose-ability PLUS the addition of bases for more poses they'll provide lots of fun. The bases are all the same (smooth, black, 'Sonic Spin' shaped with peg near 1 edge) & are actually hidden in the package directly behind the name-plate cardboard. They come as a surprise if you don't already know they're inside. With the ability to snap the figure onto the base, you can have a wider & more realistic array of poses. |
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Not all Werehogs will be flawed/defect, however he remains the 'weakest link' on the line...however that's likely due to all werehog reference art, with the bent/knobby shoes he's harder to snap onto the base, and never liked to stand especially because he's top-heavy. The loss of the wrist joints isn't a big deal, and he still displays and poses just fine. The waist/hip/butt area is a bit too small/strange looking.
All the figure expressions seem appropriate and the faces well-done. The werehog is nicely textured all over, and has the 'center mouth' complete with fangs.
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Detail- Great, nothing missing on any of the figures
Paint- Seems MOST of them are free of paint errors/overspray no missed paint detail (But not all- look carefully!)
Articulation- VERY good on such a small line, all figures work well
Extras- Including bases is fantastic it really helps the figures and is sure to please
Packaging- Same as before, detailed bubble with 2 piece interior to secure the figure--feels sturdy & safe -looks cool
Price- Excellent, very inexpensive & affordable by everyone - figures VERY well worth it
Availability: Should be better with Toys R Us losing its grip on Jazwares. Toywiz.com (online) is known to have them (SuperSonic1497) and other internet retailers/international shippers should follow suit.
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The figures are not 100% free of flaws all the time.
This is a photo of 2 SEPARATE Silvers. The left is missing the red detail to his shoe top, the right is missing the blue hexagons on the track of his shoe. Like any figure you should ALWAYS inspect while in the store to check for any visible flaw (such as these) before you buy. Photos by SupeSonicBoom |
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Shadow too is not always free of errors, though some may be natural (as in, he was based off of art that had them in it) Such as the red glove-cuff tongues that don't go all the way to the back of the cuff (as they should) and the glove cuffs being gray instead of black like the shoe cuffs are. These built-in ones are small and only noticeable if you hold him up to actual art and don't really affect much.
However, red paint from the shoe sole can frequently be found on some of the white parts of his shoes, likewise the yellow dots underneath spilling onto the the red there. Inspection=prevention.
Photo by RaeLogan |
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| When ordering this set online, you'll likely notice that the silver "R" sticker has not been applied to any of the boxes. This set is from BigBadToyStore, and while the area for the sticker is present, the sticker itself is not. Online retail may be buying direct from Jazwares, or TRU may be losing the exclusive. Photo by DioSoth |
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Is this comic 2-pack is a part of line 2. The long awaited arrival of the 3inch Metal Sonic is complete with this comic 2pak. With this, you get Archie Sonic Comic 207 (the number is not significant for any reason or plot, it is likely just whatever happened to be released at the time of production of these sets) 3 inch Metal looks great here, as expected. He even appears on the box art at the bottom, and will have all the articulation of the previous figures on the 3 inch lines. Photo discovered by BleachXVizard, taken by ActionFigs
WARNING: If you plan to de-box WAIT to buy this! Read Fragile Figure Post first! |
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| Notice the new box back, displaying all the figures on the 3inch line 1 & 2. |
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| This figure, for all of its anticipation, is a mixed-bag. It LOOKS fantastic. Once again, the sculpting is wonderful, as is the standard for Jazwares. Just look at all the detail on the bottoms of his shoes! The paint is also quite good, with his shoe stripe, engine detail, and all the colors placed properly. His one paint flaw is the red they chose for the eyes. It is VERY dark, so dark in fact, that it is hard to photograph, or even see when you own him. The silver portion of the chin area goes all the way to the neck, as it should.
Articulation:
See his shoulder guards? They're really unique as they can flip up or down independently, as well as rotate with his arms. This is a great addition for him. (see the photo above where one is raised while the other is lowered) Since he's a robot to begin with the mechanical look of the elbows & knees looks quite natural. The ankle (once again) LOOKS like it should move but it does not.
Problems-
Figure has VERY stiff elbows/knees. So much so in fact, that he can and will break before the joints bend naturally. This is an awful flaw, and it seems common. Also, the head on mine simply dropped off upon removal from the package. It can, of course, be put back on...but still. Hopefully future 'waves' of this figure will solve it. If a fix is found, it will be added here.
But what about the Sonic he comes with?
The Sonic is great. He's just like their first one, only with a foot hole and a base for more poses. You won't mind having another of him.
Bottom Line?
Buy the set anyway. If you get an early set, keep it MIB, and de-box a later one. That way the movement flaws won't matter. The package looks great and is also secure, so you shouldn't have any problems. The comic differs from the regular issue only in that it says "Special Collectors Edition" where the barcode would be. It's $13.99 in Toys R Us and other stores, which is quite reasonable with 2 figures and a comic. (also keeping in mind the single prices for each item as well.) You don't want to miss out on Metal Sonic! Above photos courtesy of Taaron
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Box-Back Differences:
If you look at the back of any of these individual-card figure's boxes, and it has a picture of the other figures on the line, you can be pretty sure it's a 'fixed version' of the figure (ie, the Tails tails will spin, etc) Also, these figures will have a base inside, and a hole in the foot. Even the older (line 1) are being released this way, so it could be ok to pick up another one if you really want the base. Still, paint problems may remain, so always inspect the figure before you buy. |
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Here's the next comic 2 pack. It doesn't really count as 'line 3', as it seems to be replacing the Sonic / Metal Sonic pack. It comes with the same issue of the comic (207) and the package is pretty much the same. They've added a nice Amy art to the front, and her figure looks good in the pack. However, why they didn't choose to individually card her is a mystery. This way, you're paying 13.99 JUST for her, if you bought the previous comic 2 pack. It isn't even a new comic. Also, unless they single-card Metal Sonic, this pack may squeeze him out of stores and render that figure rare due to having a short run, and reportedly selling out repeatedly on it.
Figure review/turn-arounds pending
Discovered by SonicRanger! |
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This Amy is the final figure from their "Line 2" set of small figures. On this line, you can only find her paired with Metal Sonic & the comic, seen above. |
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| They did another good job with Amy as well. Her details are correct, with nice thin eyelash lines, gold glove cuffs and small nose. You'll also notice that she is IN proportion, being shorter than Sonic. It's good they've started paying attention to this (if you remember, their Tails is actually larger than Sonic.) She has 'center smile' which looks ok, as she can be shown both ways (as evidenced on the box art.) Her skirt is made of a softer |
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| more rubbery plastic to help against breaking. Her hands are well posed (not boring fists) and she can maintain poses well on her stand. She is 1 joint short of the other figures on the line, as she's the one who lacks the waist-rotator joint (due to the dress, most likely) Photos provided by JSHedgehog |
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At around the same time the Amy 2 packs started appearing in stores, they released Knuckles on a single card. This is perfect for if you missed him in the comic 2-pack, or didn't want to spend 13 getting him. He should remain in stores for as long as 'line 2' is considered to be 'out'. No known improvements for this figure were made or needed. He still comes with the base, hidden behind the label on the front. Photo discovered by SonicRanger |
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Tails can have a bad shoulder pin. If he does, the arm won't sit right & |
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| won't pose well. You can't detect it in package. Photo by RaeLogan. |
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As you can see here, the Werehog isn't their only small line figure to be afflicted with the wrong leg syndrome...however, he is still the most common. Getting a Shadow like this is a disappointment to be sure (as there's no known fix) but it's much rare-er. Whether he'll stand or not is another issue, but his knee is definitely backwards, as evidenced by the red stripe that's on the outside of his leg still. (if it were just twisted, it wouldn't be there) Hopefully future figures will be free of this problem, even ones on this same line. How are you supposed to play with him like that? Photographed & owned by Berzerker
Silver:
Some on the (2nd?) wave of Silver figures CAN have all-white shoe bottoms. Always look before you buy, but if the whole/part of the run in your area has this, you may just have to wait to buy him.
Amy:
Some of them have loose boots. If they come off, they can be snapped back on.
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As expected, Jazwares released a Single Card Amy Rose for anyone who either couldn't get, or didn't want the 2 pack. It's a great idea in general to offer everyone as single-figures, because it's an inexpensive way to get only the characters you want, and provides a great 2nd chance at anyone you may have missed. She should be at Toys R US and online starting around August 2010. Photo discovered by TurboTheHedgehog
Singlecard Amy is not without her flaws. You can see a broken elbow joint here (missing the top piece) and she is also known to have loose boots. WATCH for her paint details to all be in place as well. Loose Amy photo by DioSoth. |
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There have been many 'jumble packed' figures on the 3 inch line, with limbs twisted the wrong way, Tails reportedly broken, and elbows & knees on backward. Odd poses in the package, and figures that look like they were just 'thrown in the tray' on the card. Eventually, someone would take the worst of it, and here it appears to be Silver. His backward knee is the least of his problems with his tail in the FRONT due to his hips being backward in the package. Will parents complain? Hopefully not too many of him got out like this...it's no good for the line's image. Photo discovered by Sonictoast, taken by Gnasher, and found at Forbidden Planet stores UK. |
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Some Silvers may have weak wrists, be careful when first rotating the wrist, or the hand could come off. Info by Psyic Ninja Bat |
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Here is a shot of the fixed paint for Shadow's glove cuffs. It was fixed on figures released some time after/at All-Stars Racing figures and the Sonic & Metal Sonic comic book pack was released. Now that it has been fixed, all future versions/releases of him should also reflect it. Photo by Pacmansonic138 |
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