I bought the Fangboat today for the "junior Joe" of the house. (Ok, Ok..., and I wanted to play with a new toy, too...) It was on sale at Kmart for $11.99, usually $14.99. (It really looks like I'm the first one to buy any Retaliation product at this store, too.)
I bought the TRU Sting Raider almost two years ago. I really like that boat. and I thought I had more of a review of it, but apparently not?
It's hard to believe for me, that I've had the Sting Raider sitting on a shelf in the basement for almost two years. I've made a lot of changes to my collection since then, but the Sting Raider is still here. (Almost in the same spot as when I first got it, which was something I was considering using as a replacement for my 2005 Hydrofoil.)
I wasn't very excited about the Retaliation Fangboat, though, from online images. The big missile launcher addition to any vehicle is usually a feature that makes a vehicle a "pass" for me.
Overall, the Fangboat is a pretty nice boat. Most everything that made the Sting Raider interesting to me, from the engine cover, storage compartments, enlarged canopy/ cockpit/ and improved turret, to name a few features are all still there.
With the exception of that big missile launcher. It doesn't add anything different or really even all that fun to our old-school Water Moccasin's design. The launcher sits just high enough so that it even impedes the gun turrets rotation to a certain extent. (see image above) The "gattling gun" detail added onto the launcher does not help, it seems more out of place to me here. Perhaps if the barrels were longer, or a different color that would have helped.
Still, it is what it is, and in its own way it is kind of interesting to look at; just not my thing.
As a toy, it is something that could be looked past, but, this launcher actually makes it a little more challenging to put the canopy cover on. It sits rather close, and watching the "junior Joe" play with the thing, kind of makes me really dislike the launcher more. I mean, if it takes effort to put the canopy on, that takes away from the fun of play time as I see it.
And most collectors will most assuredly not even touch the included figure with its limited articulated joints.
In some ways I like this figure for the simplicity, though. I mean, after watching the "junior Joe" fuddle around with all the joints on some of my modern style figures, this limited articulation figure almost made it seem enjoyable for the "junior Joe" to put it into the vehicle.
Personally, I find the head/ helmet is really kind of cool.
Here, with this limited articulation figure, the "layered" effect is achieved, just like the old days. It's just too bad the hips don't swivel, or elbows and knees don't bend.
Back to the boat, the overall colors are really pretty decent. A black hull, with a nice metal top deck. I think it has one of my more favored shades of "Cobra" blue, too. If I could have made the decision, I would have left the front window frame blue, but the red is ok, too.
Even though the overall colors aren't bad at all, I think I still prefer the TRU Sting Raider over this one. The Water Mocassin is an airboat/ swamp boat, more or less, and the swampy deck camo on the Sting Raider feels more at home in a swamp.
The Fangboat with its colors almost wants to be something it's not, possibly that air boat that is in the movie pictures and previews we've seen?
Still, at $11.99, I think this will be a fun toy to play with, I wouldn't recommend this boat at any higher of a price, considering it was released not long ago with TWO figures with more gear and articulation.. And not long before that as the 25 Anniversary Sting Raider with the colorization of the original Water Moccasin. With the Fangboat the only "extra" I can find here is a spring-fired missile launcher. (not my thing, usually.)
