First Order Driver & Treadspeeder - TROS - Galaxy Of Adventures

Hasbro seems adamant about rolling about the revised Galaxy Of Adventures line in every manner they can. With a strong first wave of “basic” figures, the First Order Driver & Treadspeeder set takes the line to figure plus vehicle territory and we’re not sure if the final toy makes the line stronger, or confuses it. The price point for the miniature-boxed 5” line is $9.99 each. But the First Order Driver & Treadspeeder sets jumps to $24.99 and it doesn’t feel like you get a whole heck of a lot more to warrant that price. Also, while the 5” figures are animated and we’re sure Hasbro thinks they’re geared for kids, the basic figure line is collector friendly. The “figure and vehicle” set forces the Galaxy Of Adventures line to take a few steps backwards as the vehicles included with this figure is evidently geared towards a younger market. Maybe the Galaxy Of Adventures vehicle line will pay off, maybe it won’t. But one thing it does is it appears to confuse what seemed like an auspicious approach to a line that didn’t appear to exclude adult collectors. We believe this release may change that direction a little bit.

The Treadspeeder is an interesting vehicle. We have been avoiding spoilers, so at the moment, we don’t know if this vehicle will make an appearance in Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise Of Skywalker. Maybe it will. Maybe it won’t. Whatever happens, it feels like a strong vehicle from the Star Wars universe. Borrowing designs from the speeder bikes as well as some of the speeders seen within The Clone Wars universe, the Treadspeeder takes the best of all of them and offers kids and collectors a believable new vehicle that the First order utilizes to keep the galaxy under their control. The top panels “blast off” with an action feature, and you can also send your First Order Driver flying when activated. It’s a neat play features if you’re into such things, but we wonder if Hasbro abandoned it altogether if a better toy wouldn’t result. There is no bio on the Galaxy Of Adventures packaging, so we don’t get an inkling of how the First Order utilizes these vehicles. Until we find out where these vehicles will be part of the Star Wars saga, we’re going to have to use our imaginations. Maybe that’s all part of the plan.

We were surprised to learn that the First Order Driver was more than a First Order Stormtrooper. If you look closely, you will see that Hasbro was inspired to create a First Order hybrid of an Original Trilogy Biker Scout and Stormtrooper. While the character doesn’t break any new ground as an action figure, it is noticeably different from other members of the First Order. Also, we don’t know if this character exists in Episode IX or not yet. It will be interesting to see how that pans out. The First Order Driver does, however, have all the marks of a great action figure. It’s loaded with super-articulation, has an action feature in both shoulders, and has a stunning paint job. The figure can be posed in a variety of ways and that includes kneeling on one leg. Hasbro included a First Order blaster pistol that fits into the right hand of the figure perfectly. Sadly, there is no place to stow it on his thigh armor when not in use. Hasbro didn’t make this a reality for figures in this scale, unfortunately. Overall the First Order Driver & Treadspeeder set is decent. We think it’s overpriced. The First order Driver is the star of the set. And that’s about it.