Luke Skywalker And Landspeeder - SW [S - P1] - Vehicles (Exclusive)

Accompanied by C-3PO, Luke pilots his landspeeder into the rocky canyons of Tatooine. He is searching for R2-D2, who has left the Lars moisture farm without permission in order to deliver an important message to Obi-Wan Kenobi. As Luke parks the landspeeder and searches on foot, he and C-3PO are attacked by savage Tusken Raiders and are rescued just in time by the old hermit Ben Kenobi.

Although strongly focused on Star Wars Episode II: Attack Of The Clones, Hasbro really made the second half of 2002 all about collectors. After all, it was the 25th anniversary of Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. On top of a very balanced basic figure line, Hasbro ensured that their exclusive program for the year would impress collectors, and it did. Perhaps the most awaited exclusive of 2002 was Luke Skywalker And Landspeeder, a Toys R Us exclusive that arrived right on time for the Fall shopping season and provided both kids and collector with more newness than they probably expected. Although strangely named with “Luke Skywalker” starting off the title of this release, the star and focus of this is the all-new sculpted Landspeeder. It’s a vehicle Star Wars collectors have wanted Hasbro to attack from the ground up for years now. You’ll be happy to know that the sculpt is excellent and the features are welcomed. They managed to maintain the spirit of the original Kenner release while still bringing it up a few notches for authenticity’s sake. What’s more, the Luke Skywalker pack-in figure, while not necessary for inclusion here, is a welcomed addition as collectors of all ages want to have a pilot for any new vehicle they get. (But in this case you’re going to find that difficult. (More on that shortly.)

As mentioned, the Landspeeder has received an all-new modern sculpt. Hasbro removed some of the gimmicks like the opening hood (something that never was scene in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope) and instead concentrated on recreating an accurate toy based on the prop in the film. For all intents and purposes we believe that Hasbro has succeeded here, but that success is relegated solely in the sculpt. While an excellent replica has been designed here, our excitement has been diminished by the awful paint job the Landspeeder has received. In the film, Luke’s Landspeeder was a rosy tan with maroon/burnt orange trim decorating the vehicle’s body. It also had a ton of chips and scratches on it as well. Sadly, the paint job that the 2002 version received is just not accurate to the film at all. The bulk of the Landspeeder’s color is a faded pink/tan. It’s so pale that it’s very hard to gauge its exact color. Also, the decorative maroon stripes and accents are silvery gray. Obviously the colors are not on par to the ones seen onscreen. Even the chips and scratches on the front nose of the Landspeeder look more like a reflection of silhouettes of birds flocking in the sky (we hope that visual makes sense) than the daily damage from wear and tear of Tatooine’s harsh climate. What is so grueling about the paint job is that the sculpt is incredible. It’s disappointing to see a great sculpt “go to pot” because of poor deco. But that’s where the Landspeeder falls completely flat. Interestingly, the vehicle’s interior looks pretty good by comparison.

We don’t intend to demean the Landspeeder. We do like this release very much, but we’re just disappointed by its deco. This is a perfect example of how bad deco can affect a stunning sculpt. There is so much new and accurate detail that will make this the definitive vehicle once it’s correctly painted. The lever in the console activates the Landspeeder’s hovering effect. It’s a charming addition to the new version because this was the same technology used for the vintage Kenner vehicle. The interior driving area looks amazing, but the included Luke Skywalker figure doesn’t fit well into his seat. Likely because it’s POTF2 sculpt, the figure is too bulky and its skirt prevents the legs from creating a 90 degree angle with his body. A smaller bodied version of Luke Skywalker will be required to drive the Landspeeder. One last feature we’d like to mention is the inclusion of Luke’s long blaster rifle. While it’s great that this accessory can interact with the pack-in figure, it really is meant to interact with the vehicle more so. There is actually a hook designed into the side of the hood of the Landspeeder which secures the long blaster rifle to it (lengthwise down the edge of the hood). It’s a cool feature and it’s awesome that Hasbro noticed this screen accurate detail. Anyway, Luke Skywalker And Landspeeder is a really great and needed release for the Star Wars “Saga” line, but Hasbro has to revisit the paint job to make it perfect. (Editor’s Note: The paint job was perfected with 2011’s TVC Landspeeder (Vehicle) TARGET exclusive.)