So my preorder for the AWE Striker finally came in and now it’s time to give it a review! Let me start this off by saying that I have never owned a modern AWE Striker. I’ve read that this is the same as the 25th Anniversary AWE Striker, but it won’t impact my review at all. So here we go!
So we can start with a quick write up on the packaging. The box looks like it was pulled straight off the shelf from when A Real American Hero was still new. You get some nice artwork and you can see Crankcase through the box. Packaging gets an A+. Now I open all my figures so packaging doesn't really matter to me, but it’s still really nice.
So putting the AWE Striker together was simple. I had to apply stickers and I HATE adding stickers, but they look really good. The stickers were not numbered and some of them were hard to see/find on the sheet, but that’s a small issue to overcome. Over all getting it completed was pretty simple.
Now that she is together we can really take a look. I really like the look of the AWE Striker. It has the nice “retro” look and does a really job looking like a modern update of a classic vehicle. I think the white decals really pop off the green shell. I hope the stickers on the roll bars manage to stay on and don’t eventually start to pop off. The back engine comes off and everything looks really nice. The suspension feature is pretty nifty. The plastic gives it a nice “spring” when the chassis compresses. Sure it’s not needed, but it’s a really nice touch. I’m not quite sure what the hose from the passenger seat thing to the gun is. I think it’s supposed to be how the passenger aims and controls the gun up top. Either way it looks cool. I do prefer this vehicle over the Vamp because it to me it has a lot more play value.
The AWE Striker came with a vehicle drive, Crankcase. So I never had the original Crankcase, but it is a nice figure and the colors are really bright and stand out. I have NO idea if it reuses any parts because I’ve never nit picked my Joes down to that level. I tend to either like them or I don’t. I like this mold, but I’m not crazy about his hair. Lucky for me he comes with a helmet and I don’t have to see it so it doesn’t bother me. The helmet is a really nice piece and he has some nice web gear. I do know the original Crankcase had a mustache and this guy has a beard. I would have preferred if he had a mustache to match the original because I would say 90% of my collecting is all nostalgia based anyways. While I never had the figure, I would like them to be nice modern updates to the originals. I would have liked a weapon with the guy, but he is always going to be driving this vehicle so it’s not an issue.
So there was something pretty major missing from the vehicle, but I think this really applies to the whole line so far…. There were not any blue prints included and the file card was rather lame. These are minor things, but as far back as I can remember file cards and blue prints have been a part of the GI Joe line. The “file card” on the box has a short little saying and then it has the same thing in multiple languages. (I mean I’m guessing it says the same thing…). I guess Hasbro is saving money by being able to use the same box in different countries, but I just feel like something is missing. Minor complaints but I just don’t want GI Joe to lose its soul.
Over all I really like this and it’s a new Joe vehicle. I hope the Retro line really continues so that I can get more vehicles like this! While this AWE Striker may just be a reuse of an old mold it’s still a lot of fun. I now have a vehicle that I didn’t and it looks good. Not only do I get a new vehicle I get a new Joe to add to my team. Now if I can get them to repaint it as an Eco Striker to match the one I had many moons ago! Now that would really get me excited!