Mega Blocks Neo Shifters

Sorry about the absence, it's been a couple days since I posted. I've just had a busy weekend, is all. The 4th of July, or Kaboom Day as I call it, was fun. We went to a nearby stadium and sat so close to the fireworks that firework debris fell on us and around us.

Whatever the fireworks are that don't do a starburst or flares, but just do a really loud, really bright flashbang, I want some. A whole lot. I wanna wake up the neighbors for three miles! Actually, blowing up things is a pastime of mine, but that's not what I'm posting about today.

Today I'm going to impart some thoughts on a Mega Blocks toy, called a Neo Shifter. My first thought, being raised on Legos since a small child was Hisssss! The enemy!! but it's actually pretty nice. The Mega Blocks that are basically bootleg Legos are still evil though.


The basic idea of a Neo Shifter is that you have a robot, and it folds into a ball. Now, one of the things that I love in life is robots, especially transforming robots. Why Lego doesn't do transforming things, I don't know. But they should. (actually, Lego should license with Hasbro to do just that, but that's for another discussion.) My brother bought this, and he built it, and he took it home, and I started messing with it. My first thought was that it played more like a figure than a building toy. It's joints are kinda like the Lego Exo Force figures, but they don't click. Actually, I was suprised by how well the whole thing is put together.


Basically, the whole thing just crams itself into this little space of the ball. The ball is about the size of a bocci ball, but I think they come in a bigger size and a smaller size. When unfolded, it stands a good 11 inches tall or so. In some respects I think it could have done better with ball joints in some of it's joints, instead of the straight swivels (single axis). I especially would have loved some lateral movement in the elbows.


It's got this propeller launcher gimmick, that I didn't try out, but I like the way it looks. Like a big fusion cannon. I positioned it kinda reminiscent of Megatron.


The large hold in the chest holds, I dunno, a pilot, operator, something like that. A little ball, that turns into a little robot. It's molded all in black except for the face, which is reddish orange.


The little hunched over guy it turns into is actually pretty well articulated, since it's held together with ball joints. Also, he holds these little guns that came with the figure, and are attached to the big fusion cannon.


All in all, I think it's a pretty nice figure. I mean, for $20, and for being Mega Blocks, it's not bad at all. If you like transforming building toys and Lego doesn't cut it, go looking into one of these, they're pretty nice.