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Review of Urban Trooper, Rescue Pilot - Lil' Troops figures

Party Animal
Date Published:
Written By:
Overall Average Rating: 3 out of 4

Lil' Troops figures by Party Animal

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Introduction

Remember the Teenymates? I reviewed those itty bitty football players awhile back, and now the company responsible, Party Animal, has a new series of larger figures called the Lil' Troops.

They've done similar larger figures (around 3" tall) for their other sports licenses as well, including the NFL and NBA under the Lil' Teammates banner. This is their first series of military figures, and it includes the Urban Trooper, Rescue Pilot (both reviewed tonight), Infantryman, Recon Scout, and Desert Trooper. Each figure runs about $10 each.

Click on the image below for a Life Size version
Lil' Troops figures by Party Animal

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Packaging - ***
These come in very sturdy clam shell packaging, pretty much impervious to serious shelf wear or storage damage. The graphics are decent enough on the interior card, and there's a listing of the rest of the series for those looking to pick them all up.

Lil' Troops figures by Party Animal

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Sculpting - ***1/2
The head sculpts on these are very similar to their other series - cute, in a way that would fit right in on the Target aisle with Hasbro's Galactic Heroes, but with a determined expression. No nonsense here!

The body designs and size are also intended to fit in with their other series, and these guys stand just under 3" tall. The hats are non-removable, as are the vests and other additional pieces.

There's quite a bit more detail in the sculpt than I expected, especially on the Pilot's helmet. These defined smaller details add quite a bit to the overall appearance of the entire series. The hands are sculpted to hold the accessories, and the feet are large enough to allow them to stay upright quite easily.

Lil' Troops figures by Party Animal

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Paint - ***
The paint work is solid all around, with good colors and only a little slop here and there. I particularly like the urban camo on the Trooper, but the pilot colors are eye catching as well. There's not a ton of small detail work, but there's enough here considering the style and price point.

Lil' Troops figures by Party Animal

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Articulation - **1/2
As smaller figures go, these have pretty standard articulation. There's a cut neck, cut shoulders, and a cut waist. That gives you some basic posing, and allows them to stand extremely well on their own, even with the large head.  They are designed to keep the center of gravity in line over the feet, a big plus for smaller kids with little patience.

Accessories - **1/2
Each figure has two.  They both have a radio for communicating with the rest of the troops, and each has one other special item. For the Pilot, it's a medical bag, and for the Urban Trooper, it's binoculars.

Yes, that's it. This line is going out of it's way to avoid guns, or the idea of guns. Even the troops pictured on the insert have nothing appearing in their silhouette that could be construed as a gun. I'm not a big fan of hiding from reality, but I understand the desire of some parents to keep their children away from guns.  Of course, I'd suggest not buying military figures for them if that's the case.

Each of the accessories has a post, and this post can be inserted into a hole on the figures back, allowing him to carry one accessory there while the other is in his hand.

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Fun Factor - ***1/2
Even without weapons, these are solid toys. The basic articulation and overall style will work well with smaller hands, and the cute faces are sure to appeal.

Value - **1/2
It seems that the days of the ten dollar action figure are getting short.  It is worth noting that Playmates is keeping their new movie Turtles down in cost, but everyone else seems to think $15 is a reasonable price point.

These guys are on the small side, coming in at less than 3", and they only have a couple accessories. But they make up for some of the height with volume, and because they are harder to find, almost a specialty item, the price is a bit more expected.

Things to Watch Out For -
Not a thing.

Lil' Troops figures by Party Animal

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Overall - ***
If you are hunting for some fun little military figures that aren't the standard 4" G.I. Joe style, these might be just what you're looking for. These will work great with younger children who have smaller hands and less motor co-ordination, and their style will appeal to the same crowd that loves Galactic Heroes. Don't be surprised if that same crowd asks where the guns are.

Score Recap (out of ****):
Packaging - ***
Sculpting - ***1/2
Paint - ***1/2
Articulation - **1/2
Accessories - **1/2
Fun Factor - ***1/2
Value - **1/2
Overall - ***

Where to Buy 
Your best bet is direct from Party Animal at their catch all store, Lil Teammates Shop, where you can get any of the figures from any line. They run $10. You may also find these at a local sports store.

Related Links -
As I mentioned earlier, I covered their very tiny football players, called the Teenymates. You should also check their main site for info on this series plus all the other lines.

You should also hit the Search Reviews page, in case any other applicable reviews were done after this one was published.

Discussion:
Want to chat about this review?  Try out one of these terrific forums where I'll be discussing it!

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Lil' Troops figures by Party Animal

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This product was provided for the review by the manufaturer. Photos and text by Michael Crawford.

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