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jjwr
Jun 1st, 2000, 11:23:28 AM
I'm curious what people think are the top 5 - 10 action figure lines? I'm not sure if Transformers should be included in this seeing as they're not really action figures but definetly some cool toys. I'm leaving out 12" stuff and I'm sure I'm missing some great toy lines but I'm not that familiar with a great numbef of them so I'll just go with my stuff.

1. G.I.Joe: A real American Hero
How can this line not be the top? Over 550 different figures(though some are rescults of the same figures), hundreds of vehicles and playsets. The figures themselves are still unequaled as far as articulation goes, each figure has a back story behind them and personalized accessories. They've got Ninja's!!!! Then there are the vehicles and playsets. I think the only line that comes close to G.I.JOe on this is Star Wars, but it still loses. The range of the stuff G.I.Joe had to work with is incredible, from little one man tanks to a 7 1/2 ft Air-Craft carrier playset. They had everything, rifle ranges, bunkers, tanks, jeeps, etc, etc, etc....it never ends!

2. Star Wars: POFT2 & TPM.
I'm putting these seperate from the original line because they're so improved over them. The first run of these figures left much to be desired but they kept with it and put out some awesome figures, the vehicles leave a bit to be desired but the figures are top notch. Only complaint with them is lack of articulation.

3. Robotech
THey had some cool stuff, neat figures and some very cool vehicles.

4. Star Wars: ANH, ESB, ROTJ, POFT, Droids
Classic Toyline, basically redefined the action figure market. The figures were cool, more accessories would have been nice and the articulation was good for the time they came out. The vehicles and playsets were awesome, I think the best part of the line. Falcon, AT-AT, and B-Wing remain three of my favorite toys to date.

5. T.M.N.T
I was majorly into these for a while and they were cool toys. Tons of different characters, good articulation, oodles of accessories. I never got any of the playsets or vehicles so I can't comment on those but definetly a good line of toys.

I'm gonna stop at 5, if I had included Transformers I would have placed them at #2 and bumped everything else down a notch.

Honorable mention:

Battle Beasts(Awesome!!!)
He-Man - Huge line, tons of vehicles and such
Mask - interesting concept, ok toys
M.U.S.C.L.E - Can't remember exactly what that stands for but those pink little wreslters are cool!

Ok thats it, I could have probably include some Superhero stuff but the lines are so varied and change so much I wouldn't know where to begin.

Bromine
Jun 1st, 2000, 05:34:22 PM
1) G.I. Joe was the best, by far. It also gets credit for standing on its own without a movie or TV show, although a TV show based on the toys came out. It's rare to find toys not based on TV characters that can do well. My parents never let me get any G.I. Joes, because they're so war-like, I guess, but they were still an awesome line.

2) TMNT were cool figures. They were solid and big, which was a plus. These things didn't break easily. Another bonus was the weapons they came with. Sure, they were all one colour, but there were a lot of them! And the figures could actually HOLD their weapons, too!

3)Transformers were awesome. I liked the solid construction. For a toy with so many moving parts, it held up well. Another toy line that spawned a TV show.

4) MASK was a cool concept. Great vehicles and they actually DID something cool, like transforming and shooting. They were kinda fragile, though, and if I remember they were expensive.

5) Star Wars all lines. Great detail, but poor articulation.

bronto
Jun 1st, 2000, 08:56:46 PM
I forgot all about those little pink M.U.S.C.L.E.
guys.

Best toy lines are the original Star Wars toy line from Kenner and the current Star Wars toy line from Hasbo. I only say that because that's the only action figure line I've ever really collected. In the 80's I did have a few of those big rubbery WWF Figures with that huge wrestling ring. They didn't have any articulation, but you could bounce them on the floor! Throw them down just right on their feet and you could make them do sumersalts and backflips.

jjwr
Jun 2nd, 2000, 08:13:53 AM
Those big wrestling guys were cool, I used to play with mine so much, would make my own belts for them and they must have wrestled each other tons of times.

Bronto you should check out some Joe stuff, they're very cool. yojoe.com has a picture of every G.I.JOe figure and the first few years of vehicles if your curious about some of the stuff.

bronto
Jun 2nd, 2000, 08:18:03 PM
Thanks jjwr, I'll check that out. I have owned three Joes in my life time. I use to have Snake Eyes, Serpentor (spelling?. That guy that was created by Destro with DNA from all these great military leaders), and Alpine.

Jedieb
Jun 3rd, 2000, 11:27:21 AM
My favorite lines are the Vintage SW line, Battlestar Galactica, and Thransformers. Basically, because those were the toys I had as a kid. But if I had to objectively pick the best toy lines I'd go with;
G.I. Joe
Transformers
Star Wars (SW-POTF)
The Joes had so much to offer; great figures, vehicles and playsets. And it wasn't hard for kids to come up with scenarios that were better than the TV show.

The Transformers, robots that can change into cars or jets?! Two toys for the price of one!!! 'Nuff said.

SW
Death Star playset, telscoping sabers, and an electronic X-Wing that I could use to buzz the DS and knock out the trooper firing at me. The bests toy I ever played with! :)

Jedi Master Kyle
Jun 3rd, 2000, 12:21:26 PM
army ants!
G.U.T.S.!

IndianaJones
Jun 20th, 2000, 05:43:25 PM
1. All Star Wars Lines

2. HE-MAN

3. TRANSFORMERS

4. Thunder Cats

5. GI JOE

HONERABLE MENTION:
Centurians- Talk about accessories, and customizable.
TNMT- It got agrevating when they just started to make retarded figures like rock star Leo, firman Don, etc
There was this other figure that I loved, it was based on an 80s cartoon about these half insect half human people. The main character rode a giant dragon fly like a hover board. Tons of accessories and belts and such.
Marvel Secret Wars (I still halve 2 Cpt. Americas, Spidey, Spidey Black, Wolverine, Dr. Doom)
WWF


Right Now, I like McFarlane's Movie Maniacs. I have one fig, the Scream Killer. I want several others.
I hope McFarlane does a line of classic TV and Movie personalities of past and present such as: The Fonz, James Dean, Back to the Future (Marty and Doc), Forrest Gump, and other famous pop culture film/tv icons.

Bromine
Jun 20th, 2000, 09:07:09 PM
Totally agree about TMNT. They just kept giving the main characters really lame themed costumes. I was lucky to get one each of the "normal-looking" turtles.

Jonce
Aug 12th, 2000, 01:41:30 AM
Come on, the vintage Star Wars figures where the best. Other lines I collected when I was a kid where He-Man, Transformers and Action Force (GI Joe to you Yanks).
I spent the rest of my pocket money on Commodore 64 games and sweets. :p

predhunter
Aug 14th, 2000, 12:21:41 PM
Hi new to the board I normally reside on the props board.

1) GI JOE/ACTIONFORCE mainly due to the articulation, range and the names of the figs, so cool!
2) BIO something or other, can`t rememeber the name but they were metal 3/4" fully articulated figs.
3) STARWARS EP1, POTF better detailing than the older ones and an amazing range!
4) STARTREK TNG Cool show good figures, good size and not bad in the articulation stakes either. The Counseller Troi figure is reason enough!
5) SPAWN excellent detailing but poor in articulation
6) THUNDERCATS nuff said
7) TMNT cool weapons but some of the range did look quite poor

can`t think of anymore that i liked, sorry

jjwr
Aug 14th, 2000, 01:13:57 PM
G.I.Joe Yaaaay! I still think its easily the best toy line. Star Wars is cool but side by side the figures just don't compare. G.I.Joe has more articulation, better construction, more accessories.

Jedi Master Kyle
Aug 14th, 2000, 02:10:30 PM
And you could mix and match their body parts!