Putting Together Robots 2

Robots 2 is a brand new idea in the world of Vinylmation. The premise... take 12 figures designed as retro robot toys. Pull off their arms, heads, bodies and feet. Mix them up and reassemble them with mix-match parts. Then have collectors search for the parts they need to assemble the Robots they desire. Sure, frustrating for completionists. OK, maybe a little gimmicky. But I truly enjoy this twist and think it's a fun addition to the hobby. It is at the same time an enjoyable game for kids and a fun challenge for collectors. 

The twelve designs are by Billy Davis (Sea Creatures) and the set has no chaser. Blind boxes cost $12.95 and a case includes two full sets of 12. I like these designs a little better than Robots 1 (designed by various Disney Store artists). I love the retro style that is achieved here, along with several accessory pieces such as the helmet, light bulb and antenna. The addition of a couple "human" faces behind the costumes is also a fun touch. There are a few features on the backs including "on/off" switches...

and batteries...

The color scheme plays a huge part in this series. The palette that is used contains the perfect shades of greens and reds and yellows to convey the feel of retro robot toys. The simple colors and patterns also help collectors line up and judge what parts go to what Robot. The chart above was released online, but is NOT inside the blind boxes. It is however available upon request behind the counter at D-Street. But there is a picture on the back of each blind box with both the mixed up and completed Robots, as well as a numbering system on the parts themselves I will show you below.

Let's start with one Robot. Oh no!!! It's parts were all mixed up at the factory!!!

As we pull it apart to right the "mistake", we see numbers on the body parts. On the bodies, the numbers are hidden here, near the neck. Visible after you pop the head off.

The feet numbers are well hidden by the post after you pull them off.

The head's number is underneath.

The arm numbers are on the underside near the post.

I'd like to reunite this head with it's parts. So I looked on the box and located the three Robots that had the correct 2 arms, body and feet needed to go with this head. 

After pulling off the needed parts, I had a messy pile of sad Robots. You can see how the color scheme and patterns match on "correctly" assembled Robots making it still possible to spot your needed parts without a guide.

And here is my assembled Robot! In some cases, I actually like the mix-match figures better. I personally will be making many of my own combinations to display. As we discussed in the podcast before, I am curious to see how this idea of mixed-matched parts will affect trading values. Will "correctly" assembled Robots be of higher trade value? Will we see pieces of Robots being traded? There is a trading night at Disneyland's Paradise Pier Hotel tonight from 7p-9p... let us know.