176 replies to this topic

[Blitzwulf]

Let's see if I can simplify my statement. You're a kid, and standing in the toy isle. On one side you have the cardboard minimates BB playset, and on the other you have the Gormiti fire mountain playset. What are you going to choose?
I'm not trying to go off on a tangent here about which toyline is better,or more successful, but 30 bucks is 30 bucks. I'm simply stating that I don't see much value in the MM BB playset, as compared to the value of the Gormiti one for almost the same money. I actually kind of like the gator figure, for one reason or another, and will probably end up owning it, and others from the line. I love battle beasts, but I think most will agree, that this isn't exactly what we were hoping for, and personally, I was SERIOUSLY hoping that the display for the figs was haphazard, and not meant to actually be produced as the finished product.

[lord]

Let's see if I can simplify my statement. You're a kid, and standing in the toy isle. On one side you have the cardboard minimates BB playset, and on the other you have the Gormiti fire mountain playset. What are you going to choose?
I'm not trying to go off on a tangent here about which toyline is better,or more successful, but 30 bucks is 30 bucks. I'm simply stating that I don't see much value in the MM BB playset, as compared to the value of the Gormiti one for almost the same money. I actually kind of like the gator figure, for one reason or another, and will probably end up owning it, and others from the line. I love battle beasts, but I think most will agree, that this isn't exactly what we were hoping for, and personally, I was SERIOUSLY hoping that the display for the figs was haphazard, and not meant to actually be produced as the finished product.

Let's see. On one side a plastic playset with 1 unarticulated figure and on the other side a cardboard transforming playset with 2 articulated figures with removable parts.
I'm not sure the childrens will immediatly take the Gormiti one. Not counting the fact that the Minimates figures can be used with others Minimates products like the Marvel line.

[WhiteLeo]

Who else wants to pre-order

http://www.diamondse.....ategoryID=381

dabbuu

Battle Beast Gator Guard

What the eff is that? They don't even give him a name? Come ON!@!!!!!! effing Gator Guard?!?!?! Dude I was already dissapointed in this relaunch and now that?

Diamond Select Toys is not getting a cent from me.

WhiteLeo

[lord]

Battle Beast Gator Guard

What the eff is that? They don't even give him a name? Come ON!@!!!!!! effing Gator Guard?!?!?! Dude I was already dissapointed in this relaunch and now that?

Diamond Select Toys is not getting a cent from me.

WhiteLeo

I know that this relaunch is not perfect when we look at it through our "always fans eyes". In fact it can't be. The old line will always be appart in my hearth like the MOTU line is. Even if the new MOTUC are really good (I buy them every month) they will never be better than the vintage ones for me. It's something called nostalgia.

But there are some complaints that couldn't be. Could you please tell me what was the name of the lion (#1) from the old line when it was first released in USA ?

[asator]

Dude, why are you pushing so hard for everyone to like these? Are you like, in on the creation process or something? Am I missing something. It's almost like you are personally offended that everyone thinks these things suck.

[lord]

Dude, why are you pushing so hard for everyone to like these? Are you like, in on the creation process or something? Am I missing something. It's almost like you are personally offended that everyone thinks these things suck.

I'm not trying to convince everyone to like them. I just want you to understand that you make complaints about things that could have been made about the vintage line.

But there is one thing I really don't understand. We all here have been waiting for a new line for years. Now this day as come and all I can read are complaints and just complaints. So I can return you the question. why are all of you pushing so hard to everyone hate them ?

[Blitzwulf]

Dude, why are you pushing so hard for everyone to like these? Are you like, in on the creation process or something? Am I missing something. It's almost like you are personally offended that everyone thinks these things suck.

I'm not trying to convince everyone to like them. I just want you to understand that you make complaints about things that could have been made about the vintage line.

But there is one thing I really don't understand. We all here have been waiting for a new line for years. Now this day as come and all I can read are complaints and just complaints. So I can return you the question. why are all of you pushing so hard to everyone hate them ?

I don't think anyone needs to be "pushed" here to have an opinion. You either like it or you don't. You either justify the cost, or you don't.

Edited by Blitzwulf, 18 August 2009 - 06:29 PM.

[asator]

Dude, why are you pushing so hard for everyone to like these? Are you like, in on the creation process or something? Am I missing something. It's almost like you are personally offended that everyone thinks these things suck.

I'm not trying to convince everyone to like them. I just want you to understand that you make complaints about things that could have been made about the vintage line.

But there is one thing I really don't understand. We all here have been waiting for a new line for years. Now this day as come and all I can read are complaints and just complaints. So I can return you the question. why are all of you pushing so hard to everyone hate them ?

First of all, I hope that when you say "you", you mean the rest of the board, because I doubt that anyone reading my other post would say that I'm trying to do any kind of convicing. I simply stated my opinion.

Second, in my post, I didnt even compare the new figure to the old figures. The old figures have nothing to do with my opinion on the new figure. Saying that my complaints could be applied to the old line is just wrong because its a matter of opinion, and my opinion is that I dont like the new figure, regardless of how I feel about the old ones.

As for people who waited years for this, then do nothing but complain about the new line, I can see why the Battle Beast guys are upset. This isn't a re-launch of the Battle Beast line, these are Battle Beast themed Mini-Mates. It's like, I dont know, lets say someone is REALLY into the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and they hear that the line is going to be redone. AWESOME!! But then when they re-do the line, they do them as Playmobil figs. BOGUS!!

I know that isnt the best analogy but hopefully its gets my point across. And like I said before, if the Mini-Mate guys dig them, then I'm happy for them, really. But they just dont stack up to what they could have been.

Basically, I think the fans of Battle Beasts wanted something a little better and they just didnt get it. You can say that the old figures and the new figure are basically the same only the new one has more articulation, but for me, you can have all kinds of articulation and if the figure isn't good looking, I'm not going to like it. I just dont understand why some people get off so hard for articulation.

On a side note, I think its funny that the folks over at the Mini-Mate site suggests that the Battle Beast guys here are only upset because they live in the past. And what, Mini-Mites are the wave of the future? OB-SO-LETE! OB-SO-LETE! Gimme a break. Did they ever stop to think that the reason the guys here dont like them is because they are ugly?

I'm sorry to say though that your question will have to be answered by someone else, because like I said before, I'm not here to convince others to think the way that I do. If I were to do that I would have to, say, reply to all the people who are saying how awesome they are, disagree with them, and then offer reasons as to why they are wrong for liking them. And I would have to do it at least a few times, coming up with new reasons as to why the other poster wrong.

[WhiteLeo]

Dude, why are you pushing so hard for everyone to like these? Are you like, in on the creation process or something? Am I missing something. It's almost like you are personally offended that everyone thinks these things suck.

I'm not trying to convince everyone to like them. I just want you to understand that you make complaints about things that could have been made about the vintage line.

But there is one thing I really don't understand. We all here have been waiting for a new line for years. Now this day as come and all I can read are complaints and just complaints. So I can return you the question. why are all of you pushing so hard to everyone hate them ?

I get where you are coming from Lord. But I am still very disappointed. The thing that gets me is how square looking they are. The arms are two skinny, and there is just something I don't like about it.

To answer your question no I couldn't tell you Leo's name when they first came out. But that was a marketing error on Hasbro's part. Our vintage line could have been so much more. Just like the re-launch had so much potential.

I waited so long for a re-launch and these figures have me feeling as if I was let down.

WhiteLeo

Edited by WhiteLeo, 18 August 2009 - 06:07 PM.

[Ghost Lion]

Ok. I'm going to go ahead and pre order this thing. Even if the Gator figure turns out to ultimate crap at least I'll have a neat display to use with my Glyos figures. The human figure is worthless in my opinion. The Gator.....not perfect by any means, but could be a nice addition to the collection, IF the elemental symbols are utilized somehow. If not then they just aren't Battle Beasts. I think the figure looks ok, but that growth on its left shoulder looks weird to me. And if these do come out in two packs, I really hope its not a beast paired with a human every time.

[garsh]

Hi!

If you'll all be so kind as to allow a total newbie to interject on this heated debate, I have to say, I can really see both sides.

The opposition is right that the sculpt is at least somewhat lacking, and mostly, the square-ish parts really are extremely ugly. However, in the case of this Battle Beast, at least the only visible square part is the top of the thighs. It hardly seems like anything worth complaining about.

For regular Mini-Mates, yes, they're mostly atrocious to look at. They have very simplistic, geometric corners, and repugnant, perfectly cylindrical heads. What I don't get is that no one complains about this when it comes to Lego minifigs. Star Wars fans have gone nuts about the Lego stuff, and Lego is almost the exact same kind of ugly, plus they look more junior-ized, plus they lack anything even approaching the level of articulation in a Mini-Mate.

That's another thing. I'm one of those guys who gets off so hard about articulation. That's what's selling me on this Battle Beasts re-release. Even though I too would be happier if there were no overly simplified geometric design elements, at least it's possible to pose them much more to my satisfaction. The original Battle Beasts couldn't even sit! That's lame!

I loved the original series in spite of the way they were designed. Really, I'm not even so keen on the idea of anthropomorphic animal men, at least not the way they did it; trying to make each one a different animal. I'd rather see a variety of different individuals from a single species, like a whole series of frog people unique from one another instead of just one with a giant yellow spike for an arm.

Interestingly, Mini-Mates might actually enable that kind of thing for me. Since they seem to be at least as interchangeable as Lego, it should be a simple matter to pop the animal head of my choice onto a variety of bodies, pop on the armor I like, and maybe even swap out arms and stuff. I'm not sure about any of that, because I don't own any Mini-Mates -- because they're so horrible to look at.

Another thing that's always bothered me about Mini-Mates is the pinheaded concept. Why would you go out of your way to specialize in making licensed figures that so closely ape the Lego design aesthetic, going so far as to build a figure with such superior articulation, but not even build it to the same scale as real Lego so that it's truly compatible? That's nonsense to me. Maybe they work okay in a sense, but I'm sure pre-fabricated Lego door elements and seats and steering wheels and so on will most definitely not suit Mini-Mates.

Anyway, if they release stand-alone figures (and I expect they will) instead of packaging them all with garbage gimmicks like that laughably pitiful excuse for a playset, I'll probably break down and buy some to at least see how I like them in person. If they're even remotely as god-awful as my experience has been with Kubrick and Mez-Itz, I almost certainly won't buy many.

However, I do love that mech armor and the stunted physique proportions enough to at least have my interest piqued. That's what I loved about the original Battle Beasts, and that's what I'm seeing here.

[lord]

I can understand that some members here can be disappointed by the new look of the Battle Beasts. I was in the same mind when Mattel released the MOTU 200x line. I couldn't even think of them as part of the MOTU universe. I give them a try and bought 2 figures but immediatly re sold them. But I have never post any kind of message in MOTU board saying that Mattel was wrong doing it this way. It was my feeling and I keep it for me. Some members of the MOTU community like them and I was happy for them. That's all.

So sorry but when I read post with such words I'm really upset :
"the line will most likely fail and fail miserably"
"blocky pieces of crap"
"Personally, I think Mini-mates are some of the most depressingly ugly and boring figures out there. To find out that they are going to merge Battle Beasts with these gross little abominations makes me want to vomit with rage."


@asator : I will stop here as I see we are not the same kind of collector. Not that there is a good collector and a bad one. We are just different. If you (and it also include other angry members as you guessed right) want to keep complaining about the new line and how it would have been better with another company just do it. I'm happy with the new Minimates BB line and that's the most important for me.


@Blitzwulf : Wrong answer. The Pirate Lion hadn't official name when it was first released in US. American people had to wait for the poster to give a name at all the figure. Before they only had a #.

[WhiteLeo]

[qoute]
@Blitzwulf : Wrong answer. The Pirate Lion hadn't official name when it was first released in US. American people had to wait for the poster to give a name at all the figure. Before they only had a #.
[/quote]

You are correct! No one in the US new the names until the posters release. I still think that was stupid on Hasbro's part. So much more could have been done with this line. But that is the past and you can't change it.

And just so People know he had three names. English - Pirate Lion, Japanese - White Leo, French/Canadian - Lion Pirate

Back to the mini-mates. I hope this is just a stepping stone for the line and it grows to be something so much bigger than the mini-mate line.


Oh and Welcome to the boards garsh!!!

Edited by WhiteLeo, 18 August 2009 - 07:03 PM.

[Blitzwulf]

Thanks for the history lesson.

[garsh]

...Welcome to the boards garsh!!!

Thanks! I hope I don't wear out that welcome while it's still fresh.

Mostly I signed up just so I could see attachments, but it looks like now I've sprung the booby-trap of actually posting.

I couldn't help it, this topic was riveting.

[asator]

...Welcome to the boards garsh!!!

Thanks! I hope I don't wear out that welcome while it's still fresh.

Mostly I signed up just so I could see attachments, but it looks like now I've sprung the booby-trap of actually posting.

I couldn't help it, this topic was riveting.

We hooked ya! Looks like you're stuck now. Welcome to the board.

[THEGODBEAST]

I would rather have nothing...meaning no re-launch at all (if all they are gonna make figures like this single gator).

Don't kid yourselves...the playset was around way before they acquired the BB property (at least to my understanding). Now they are trying to push off their over stock (or $ wrapped into this) of these playsets to BB collectors w/ a single figure...NO WAY! The human is not BB and never will be. So if you spend $30 on this set, you are basically paying $30 for a single gator. Sure you can use the playset for Glyos or other toylines, but, why? There are real playsets that cost the same price that are plastic and have way more playability. So what if the playset opens up and sort of transforms. It is laminated cardboard. Make your own.

Eric's Anglefish BB sketch (Eric, could you please post your sketch in this thread) and Hasbro's Hyena are the direction a toy company needs to take w/ these...a step forward w/ the sculpting, design, articulation and new animals...not a step back w/ the blocky sculpting and some articulation. Sorry...I agree Gormiti are kewler by far than mini mates figures. Gormiti playsets shouldn't even be compared to that cardboard junk.

Nope, I am w/ Steve...not a penny from me or my sons. Diamond had better rethink this and they should have done what Hasbro did and contact some collectors w/ knowledge before they just dumped this crap out. No wonder there is only one figure...looks like they too are scared to truly go into full production w/ an entire line...Better waste the $ on a single figure and find out, than 24+ figures and see them bomb.

If they want to launch mini mates BB for the mini mate collectors...kewl. If they want the majority of BB collectors, they had better have a better product similar to the vintage line or even better. Hell, they could remake the old figures w/ the molds and I would buy them...just make them different color plastic and paints. Then if they want to make more detailed sculpts, new animals and are more/better articulated than the vintage line...kewl, I'll buy that.

Not this mini mates stuff.

TGB

Edited by THEGODBEAST, 18 August 2009 - 08:02 PM.

[THEGODBEAST]

I've seen them being blown out at clearance prices and clogging the shelves.

Either way, the point is that Mini-Mates have a history of sustained performance. They don't need to look at other lines for help or guidance. Of course, that doesn't mean that everybody will like what they do.

I think I said this before, I don't see BB's "new" release as any different than MUSCLE as Ultimate MUSCLE. Both were niche products that sported significantly different looks in the re-release. Some people loved it, some people will hate it, and there won't be many people left in the middle.

That is because they had to clear out series 1 for series 2.

Chad...let me ask you this...

When they released G2 Muscles here in the states...would you have been more pleased w/ what they did release here or mini mates block figures of Muscles?

Seriously...Bandai kept w/ the flesh and the sort of rubbery plastic. Made the sculpts way more detailed and even added clear colors (red and blue), silver, gold and red/blue colored muscles. They had what 12 sets and CCG figures? That is a lot of figures compared to a single gator mini mate. They tried hard...the kids just didn't bite. That was a descent attempt to try to get our generation and the kids to get into them.

Would you have paid $30 for a Kid Muscle mini mate, an additional non-character (nothing to do w/ Muscle) and a generic cardboard playset that had nothing to do w/ Muscle? I don't think so.

These mini mates are a ZERO attempt to snag our generation. No symbols, no sculpting, 1 character, no weapons, nothing... (wow a quadruple negative sentence). Sorry, Chad...this gator is by no means a re-launch. It is a weak attempt to get BB collector's $.

TGB

Edited by THEGODBEAST, 18 August 2009 - 08:00 PM.

[Ericnilla]

i think these are cool, but not in a battle beast sort of way. im not a fan of mini-mates, so i doubt i would even get these.

i.ve had the idea to sculpt my own battle beast for awhile. i should just do it and package it myself.

i'll release it for the 25th anniversary.

[lhssenior]

If they want to launch mini mates BB for the mini mate collectors...kewl. If they want the majority of BB collectors, they had better have a better product similar to the vintage line or even better. Hell, they could remake the old figures w/ the molds and I would buy them...just make them different color plastic and paints. Then if they want to make more detailed sculpts, new animals and are more/better articulated than the vintage line...kewl, I'll buy that.

Not this mini mates stuff.

TGB

I think TGB hit the nail on the head with this one. It doesn't seem like many here have looked at this release from the perspective that maybe they are not trying to specifically target this re-release to those who are the die-hard fans of the original BB figures from the mid 80's. I think if they were specifically trying to target this re-release towards us, they would have likely done their market research and solicited some advice or opinions from the BB community here. Since that was not done for this re-release to my knowledge then they are probably targeting them to a different or broader market.

My take on this whole 'controversy' is that the re-release is a step in the right direction. At least the license is back in play. Who knows how successful they will be or where they will go from here? Superhero Squad is right there on the shelves next to the Marvel Minimates, I'd love to see some SHS style BB in the future and maybe if we give these a chance (and let their target market buy them if you don't want to) we'll see the license receive a broader span of offerings. I'll wait to see the rest of the line if there is any before making judgment or buying in but regardless of how I feel about the figures themselves, I wish the line the best of luck and hope for its success beyond any of our wildest dreams in the hopes that it branches out and something truly great comes out of it rather than wishing no one picked up the license at all as many of you are, and holding my breath for another 20 years in the hopes that someone else picks up the license down the line should it ever resurface.
-Barry

[Ericnilla]

For those who haven't seen my Angler BB sketch yet. TGB wanted me to post it here.
I would love to have a new BB line that looked like this.

[THEGODBEAST]

For those who haven't seen my Angler BB sketch yet. TGB wanted me to post it here.
I would love to have a new BB line that looked like this.

Yup! Thanks Eric! Now THAT is a frickin' BB!!!

TGB

[Tars Tarkas]

Not impressed. Warily awaiting the other figures in the line.

[Universal Ruler Supreme]

Marty is 100% correct. Good post man!

I can only add this. DS apparently feels that they would sell more of these in the Mini-Mate style. They know, and we know that there are plenty more Mini-Mate collectors out there than Battle Beast collectors. Right? Am I wrong on that? So their reasoning is to try and pull more collectors into their Mini-mate black hole! And it is a black hole line, just like Legos are. They will never end, they are a universal medium that can absorb any kind of franchise into their ranks. I think they just figured they could get some of the BB collectors in on it, and then maybe get them into other Mini-Mate lines. If anything, it surely has refreshed some Mini-Mate collectors memories of Battle Beasts. So maybe vintage prices will go back up.

Not liking this right now. As already said. Battle Beasts = Cool Names, Cool Designs/Sculpts, Character Specific Weapons, and Allegiance/Elemental Symbols. With out most of all of these, they are only Battle Beasts by name. I'm just hoping Diamond Select is just screwing with everyone.

[BaltanII]

It's "Minimates". There's no space, there's certainly no hyphen, just one word.

I'm sorry, that's the only remotely constructive thing I have to add to this conversation.