Customer Reviews

Toy Story 12" Talking Buzz Lightyear

5 star:		(32)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

Buzz Lightyear, Space Ranger! Is he real or just a toy - you decide! I'm pretty sure you know who Buzz Lightyear is but if not he's a space ranger who's a toy, or a toy who's a space ranger... Just watch a Toy Story Movie already! This is the Toy Story Collection Buzz Lightyear and just... Wow.

For kids and adults:
You may look at the price tag and think, "Wow, that's expensive for a Buzz Lightyear," and certainly there are less expensive versions but this is THE Buzz to own whether you are a player (with toys) or a collector. First of all the box... I'm not a keep in the box kind of guy and usually just chunk `em but this box is an exacting (aside from some real world concessions) replica of the boxes Buzz comes in in the movies. Smartly the wings are not attached in the store (imagine the carnage) but are included so you can attach at home for display or when giving to that Pixar loving kid on Christmas day. A very nice box for a mass market toy.

This guy is a huge and bulky 12" figure and is impeccably sculpted to match the movie. From the bottom of his feet, pointed knees, rubbery waist up to his cocky face with arched eyebrow this guy is Buzz from head to toe. His backpack and wings are also picture perfect.

Paint is fairly simple but all clean. The work on his face, eyes, eyebrows, mouth... all look great and clean. The only slop at all is the around the edges of the purple tips on his fingers and the green patches on his hands. And speaking of the green - IT'S GLOW IN THE DARK! He has a clean green color used to highlight many parts of his body, the biggest area being his chest, but you wouldn't even know it glows until you get him in the dark it's such a normal looking paint. One downside is that some details, like warnings on his jetpack and his communicator and space ranger symbol, are stickers. It looks fine and is movie accurate but as stickers do they will peel over time and play.

Articulation is all high quality. The head is part of the features but can be moved when he's not on but I would not recommend excessive tampering with it. Ball shoulders and elbows offer smooth and stable positioning, the wrists turn and the four fingers on each hand move at the hand knuckle. The only down side to the arms is they cannot hang straight down from the shoulder - but they look so good with hand on hips or in a more action pose it's hardly missed. His waist is clicky with a couple of clicks to lean him front and back and side to side that add a lot of pose-ability. His hip joints have a full and smooth range of movement (forward, back and out), the knees are clicky and also rotate (clicky too) and the ankles have a small range. It may not sound like a lot but it really is perfect for this toy and more than you might expect and the quality of the joints is top notch. There's a little wobble but nothing a steady hand can't manage.

Special features? This guy is ALL special features. In toy mode he has a few phrases to say and standard wing pop and fold and helmet open and close and laser sounds. Also his voice and sounds are of a more tinny and old fashioned quality. But in Space Ranger mode he's much more interactive - or that is to say he has a lot more to say. His head turns side to side and as the box says, over 65 phrases, and add that to the lights (arm laser and wing tips) and sounds. His wings pop out at the push of a button and make appropriate noises both popping out and folding in and they do both well. The helmet opens and closes and makes noises and dialog (depending on mode) as appropriate. His laser lights up and makes movie accurate sound and his communicator opens and closes with appropriate sounds and dialog as well. Add on to that with wings out you can fly him in a horizontal fashion for swooping and swooshing sounds and when you make him vertical again he makes landing sounds and appropriate dialog you've got a feast of special features. Oh, did I mention he has a microphone and listens out for you as well and responds to noises you make? If you stay quiet he'll ask where you are and eventually enter "hypersleep" mode. The only possible downside is that, yes, some of the sounds and dialog are sequential, but there are so many and they are subject to several factors that it's hardly a bother.

A couple of things in leaving. One, for the price this guy does a lot. Compare to a leader class Transformer that may have 3 sounds and the only other advantage is transformation (but Buzz does have pop out wings and open and closeable helmet and communicator and glow in the dark paint) and the tiny bit more money translates to a lot of extra features. Two, this is such a collector toy that it comes with that great box and an actual certificate of authenticity while at the same time being economical and fun enough to be a great toy for kids too. And last, the box does not lie... I've easily cataloged 64 different sayings that Buzz says and I'm sure I either missed some or they counted some in different circumstances but he really does say a lot and makes many sounds and has lights and all. Because I know many would prefer the sayings to be a surprise I won't list here, but the first (maybe only) comment here will be me publishing all the sayings I've found (because some will want to know) so consider that a spoiler warning on the comments section. Oh and um, 5 out of 5, OK?

I remember when I was 11 years old and saw Toy Story in theaters. Not only did I instantly choose my future profession, I also instantly wanted my own Woody and Buzz. Even back in 1995/96, I always had a beef with how inaccurate those two toys were in looks and design (in the Woody doll it was always his face and the fact the stitching on the shoulders and where the legs connect with his waist were inaccurate with a voice that didn't sound like Tom Hanks' voice and in Buzz it was always lack of features and crappy wingspan).

When I caught wind of the movie-accurate versions, my inner-child annoyed me to the point where I HAD to have these toys. Once I got a hold of this new and improved Buzz Lightyear action figure, I was in love with it and was rejoicing. It was the Buzz I always wanted to have (he even came in a replica of his spaceship box!).

This toy is surprisingly more pose-able than past incarnations of this beloved character. And the ugly screws that usually littered the backside of almost every Buzz toy I have ever seen are no longer there. What really tickled me was the fact that his waist is rubber...RUBBER. Not only is it accurate, but it allows for him to be THAT much more flexible in positioning him. This does make him a bit wobbly, but still quite stable. I should also note that while his individual fingers (excluding the thumbs), arms, waist, and upper legs turn smoothly, his knees (bending and rotating), feet, and waist (when bending forward, backward, or to the side) are stiff and click into place. This may seem annoying to some, but highly welcome and understandable. This toy is quite hefty and top-heavy, so the stiff, clicking limbs allow for better balance if you like him to stand on his own. And while his pop-out wings are still not completely movie length or helmet fully retracts, this are more real world limitations than flaws. And the decal designs are stickers, but if you're a collector this shouldn't be an issue, but excessive play can make these fall off over time.

As for features, this guy is full of them! This guy spouts about 65 sayings overall. He has two basic modes: Toy and Space Ranger. In Toy Mode Buzz recites lines similar or verbatim as if he were the real toy from Andy's room (about 6 or 7 in all). While in this mode he has the light's on his wings flashing AND his wings unfold correctly (another thing I love about this thing) and the helmet makes the sound it does from the films when you open or close it (by hand, but the blue buttons on either side of the helmet). The deployment and retracting sounds of the wings are also present. He has his open-up wrist communicator (which also has sounds)...and of course...he has his laser and his green trim glows in the dark (once you expose him to a light source, of course). His Space Ranger Mode has the majority of the 65 sayings and boost a huge amount of interactivity. Anything you can do with him gets a response from Buzz. He responds to your voice with random sayings, he can tell if you aren't speaking or are too loud, he responds to you opening and closing his helmet, pressing his laser, opening his communicator, and when you get his wings out he plays flying sounds when you put him in a horizontal "flying" position and will make landing sounds when you turn him upright again. The best part for both parents and collectors is that you can disable his talkback feature while he's still on and leave him in Toy Mode to use his movie features so he isn't constantly responding to random noises (and possibly less irritation to parents, however turning the feature back on is easy so your kids will most likely figure it out on their own anyway). His head also turns whenever he speaks. This can also be positioned by hand, but it's best not to do it too often or you can risk damage (but don't be afraid to move it).

Overall, I recommend this toy for both kids and adults, though I also recommend that due to the price tag on this thing that the child should be roughly 8-10 so they won't damage this toy too much (if the child is younger, I suggest one of the many cheaper Buzz Lightyear toys available that may not have all the features...but is just as accurate in appearance, slightly more durable, and cheaper to boot. And due to his hard plastic body this toy can sustain noticeable damage if dropped (or be completely destroyed). But definitely the best 50 bucks I ever spent on a toy (not to mention it's almost a steal to me since these toys specifically have a strong meaning to me).

SPECIAL NOTE TO PARENTS: It is rather easy for an older child to manipulate Buzz's fingers into the unmistakable "middle finger salute". Just letting you guys know.

This is a deluxe Buzz model. In my opinion it really should be bought for older kids and/or collectors. Any parent knows the more electronic stuff and doodad's a toy has the more probability it might break (or at least that is the way it has always been for me). This is an expensive toy as well.

My son's 10 and has been asking for this toy for some time. At his age, where he knows how to play carefully with toys, I was fine with him using his allowance (of course we chipped in!) to purchase this version of Buzz. It does all sorts of things and, in general, is a blast to play with.

However, if I had a 2-8 year old who still tended to drop toys, bang on them, throw them around, drag them everywhere, and so on I would choose this toy instead Disney Ultimate Buzz Lightyear Talking Action Figure -- 12" or Disney / Pixar TS Blast-Off Buzz Lightyear TV Item. That was always my policy when my kids were little and it served me pretty well--cheaper versions only.

So far it is a solid toy. I would recommend for ages 10 and up only or for kids who are ultra careful with thier toys.

The first Buzz I received was very strange. The hole in the packaging used to demo it was on the wrong side, so if you wanted to demo it, you were pressing the deploy wings button. Every Buzz I have seen in the stores had the hole on Buzz's right side so you could press the buttons that make him talk. Upon opening him, I noticed VERY poor quality control. There were lots of chips in the paint, his helmet was scuffed up, and the wings had bad wear and tear. I emailed "Thinkway Toys" and they dismissed it as the first complaint they have received.
My only option was to use Amazon.com's exchange program. Wow. The replacement arrived the NEXT DAY and was in PERFECT condition. This toy is the best 50$ to be spent on any Toy Story replica. It sounds great, looks great, and not to quote the move, has an 'impressive wing span'! The packaging is amazing. The inside was given a lot of attention to look just like the inside of a spaceship. I highly recommend this toy.

Not to mix reviews, but I feel it is necessary to reiterate that Amazon.com QUICKLY getting me a replacement greatly effected my opinion of this toy. THANKS AMAZON!

After reading a lot of negative reviews centering around durability issues with Buzz Lightyear action figures, I was a little nervous about choosing this for our 4 year old's birthday present. We were not terribly price sensitive when choosing this model except not wanting to spend a lot of money for a toy that wouldn't last. Perhaps earlier / cheaper Buzz Lightyears were less well made, but I found this one to be pretty durable considering how sophisticated an electronic toy it is.

When he got it, I sat down with my son and showed him how to play with it, how to hold it (by the torso not the limbs or wings) and most importantly what NOT to do (throw it or crash it the way he does with his smaller / cheaper Buzz Lightyear toys).

After a few months, all is well. When it fell from a table to the patio a wing popped off, but was easily reattached with no permanent affects (they apparently are made to come off fairly easily for safety reasons).

In sum, if you think your child can follow directions and understand some toys need to be handled in certain ways, he or she will REALLY get a kick out of this toy. If not, perhaps another version would be better.

NB: 9 months later and all remains well.

Day 1 with Buzz - my son's #1 request of Santa. Overall, he's a big hit but has some definite issues. My son loves how talkative he is - 65 sayings advertised, which include a few great laugh-inducing lines. If you speak loudly at him he says: "Now, now. No need to raise your voice. I can hear you perfectly fine." Cracks us up every time. Tim Allen does the voice work (unlike the Woody toy he also received that does not use Tom Hanks). Other features my son loves: Buzz's helmet, fingers (each finger moves independently), and laser (of course!).

Buzz cons:
* Minor design issue: It's a bit challenging for a 5 1/2 year old to get him to stand up or sit up. He's top heavy and will stand if you get his feet and legs just right and sit if you use his arms to help prop him up. Both tasks required a little too much effort.
* Bigger complaint: Previous comments about the wings feature are dead on. I doubt they'll last long. Our Buzz isn't even 8 hours "old" and his left wing tip light already stopped working. We haven't had any major crashes or drops. It just seems to have quit blinking. My son hasn't noticed yet...Returning him will be a problem as I'll have to wait and do it while my son is at school after vacation ends so that he won't miss him and I won't have to explain why Santa delivered a Buzz with a dud wing.

This product was recently purchased for me as a gift. It was advertised as Thinkway's Talking Buzz Lightyear toy, the top of the line Buzz with over 65 voice clips, a movie accurate box, flying sounds, Space Ranger mode, etc. At the time the price was around $75. When the toy arrived it was not the advertised toy, but instead Thinkway's Advanced Talking Buzz Lightyear. Now, it's a great toy, only a step down from their top Buzz, but it is not what was advertised or payed for. Not to mention the toy received was in a very beat up box and had some superficial damage to its surface.

I notice that since then the price on this has dropped to be more in line with the price of the Advanced Talking Buzz, however it is still listed as "Toy Story 12" Talking Buzz Lightyear," the images are of the high end toy (you'll notice the certificate of authenticity, an item only received with the high end Buzz), and the Product Features, Details, and Description sections all describe the high end Thinkway toy, and NOT the Advanced Talking Buzz.

We're working on returning the item right now and I have every reason to believe the process will go smoothly, but I wanted to caution anyone considering purchasing this that they may not be receiving the toy that is advertised here. Advanced Talking Buzz is great, but nothing compared to Talking Buzz, and certainly not worth almost $80. I certainly hope Amazon corrects this problem.

We bought this Buzz Lightyear for our grandson's 3rd birthday. It was, without a doubt, the biggest hit of the day. He LOVES it!
Even though the manufacture recommends the toy for ages 4 and up, our 3 year old grandson figured out how to use all the features quite quickly. The only thing he struggled with was the button that spreads out Buzz's wings. His little finger had a hard time pushing that button at first, but after a few days, he was able to do that by himself.
The toy is amazing...Buzz's helmet opens, his wings pop out, he moves his head, he talks. He is multi-jointed so he can be posed many ways. Even his fingers can be moved. He has a laser light on one arm and the communicator door on the other arm actually opens and closes. It's amazingly detailed and seems to be pretty sturdy. Our grandson has hardly put it down since he got it and so far nothing has broken.
Even the box is cool. It looks just like the box in the movie and resembles a space ship. Our grandson puts Buzz away in the box every night to "sleep."
I would highly recommend this toy for any child who is crazy about Buzz Lightyear.

Buzz was treated with TLC for 6 months, that is until my toddler son saw Toy Story 3 on dvd. Then Buzz was subjected to being tossed, thrown, dismantled, etc. Eventually, Buzz suffered a fractured wing, leg, and torso. Miraculously, Buzz still works and looks great, thanks to the help of gorilla glue and careful handling. This is a remarkable toy with incredible features, but it is fragile. For $50, Buzz is a bit pricey, but worth it.

i am a colombian toy story fan, when i knew of the toy story collection, i say "i gotta have that buzz" i think the woody was a little too expensive and too much interaction, but buzz it suppose to do all of these stuff.

his helmet opens, his laser works as it suppose to, his wings open with the red round button and the little light bulbs shines, he's got his own sounds effects, he's fully poseable, he glows in the dark, he talks when you're talking to him, and he even talks when you're not talking to him, HE'S GOT EVERYTHING!!

i took him to work to make the office pretty, and everyone in there just want to grab him and play with him, even the older ones, its just too playable, even it works as a substitution for human companion, i just love when he says "how are you today?" and "we might say we'll be friends to infinity and beyond" i put him every night by my night stand when i go to sleep just to see his green trim glow in the dark, one bad thing though he spends a lot of batteries! but he has to for all the things he does!

there's a little gallerie of pictures i made with him
[...]