1998 Hasbro Star Wars CommTech Reader

by Hasbro

Product Features

• Figures talk through this Commtech Reader with a Commtech chip!
• Ball chain to wear all your Commtech Chips
• Ages 4+

Product Details

• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• ASIN: B00000IW4C
• Item model number: 84151
• Manufacturer recommended age: 10 years and up
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #16,913 in Toys & Games (See Top 100 in Toys & Games)
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

Editorial Review

May the voice be with you. And since this baby is equipped with a belt clip, the voices of all the Star Wars: Episode I basic action figures can be with you wherever you go. Designed to resemble Qui-Gon Jinn's Jedi comlink, this memory module serves as a minicomputer that allows you to scan the CommTech chips (included with all of the action figures in the series), which record the characters talking in their own voices. Included in this package is a chip with sound bites from Obi-Wan, Jinn, and the infamous Jar Jar. Special features include buttons triggering the sounds of blasters and lightsabers, as well as a computer mechanism for communication between select characters (the unit retains memory of the last chip scanned). It was probably only a matter of time before dolls would be encoded with microchips so they could talk to each other, and special equipment would be required to listen in. For now, hearing Mr. Kenobi exhort, "You will be a Jedi, I promise" is pretty cool. But can Queen Amidala's "I order you to collect all 13 of my Star Wars colleagues" be far, far behind? --Tony Mason

Product Description

Star Wars Bust-Ups Series 7 Clone Wars Anakin Skywalker measures approx 2" tall.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

61 of 64 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Figures of Speech, August 1, 1999

By A Customer

= Durability:4.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:4.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:3.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: 1998 Hasbro Star Wars CommTech Reader (Toy)

A fun idea that takes action figures to a new level. The CommTech reader not only allows your SW action figures to talk, they'll say their corosponding lines to each other! I am really apreciative of the fact that the chips are separate from the figures so you can just play with them as regular action figures, making up your own dialogue. Another bonus is collectors don't even need to take figures out of their boxes to 'read' their chips, it will work through the cardboard if desired the figures can remain MIP. Comes with a handy chain to keep all to the chips in one place as well if you do want to take out the cards.

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars It's goofy, it's pointless, and I can't stop playing with it, July 20, 1999

By A Customer

= Durability:4.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:4.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:2.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: 1998 Hasbro Star Wars CommTech Reader (Toy)

A squawk-box toy with a twist -- it takes the sounds embedded in the Episode 1 figures' 'commtech chip' bases (along with a couple permanently stored in the reader), plays them individually or stores them (4 chips' worth at a time), and can play them at random or have certain figures engage in tiny conversations. Use it while playing with your figures, or carry it with you to torture friends and loved ones. The sound quality is a bit dodgy, but what the heck. Not an essential part of a Star Wars collection, but a surprisingly fun and addictive one. And rumor has it that chips from foreign figures will play on it as well -- though the prospect of Jar Jar speaking French and Spanish is a little alarming. (The instructions are mercifully simple. 9v battery not included.)

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best Way to Play, July 22, 1999

By A Customer

= Durability:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: 1998 Hasbro Star Wars CommTech Reader (Toy)

If you're a collector or a player this device works for you. Figures talk and interact with each other. TALK about fun. The more figures you have, the better it gets. Which I think was Hasbros idea (to get you to buy more figures). The only bad part is that some chips don't sound like the characters in the movie. It's really great to play a line in front of someone who has never heard of it before. Example:(Battle Droid) "Halt you're under arest". And Qui-Gon Jinn's line "May the force be with you" is perfect for the answering machine. This thing is a great gift for any kid (Just make sure you get a couple of figures to). I only have one suggestion for Hasbro, next time put more save spaces on it.