Today’s MS-QOTD comes to you via my daughter, Widget, who is often part of the brainstorming process of our daily queries. Sometimes, she has deep philosophical reasons for her questions, other times it’s fifth dimensional thinking that even *I* am unable to follow. Today, she came up with an idea immediately, and when I asked where it might have come from, she sagely responded: “There’s nothing worse than a broken toy, even if you’re an adult.” She’s absolutely right, especially since I’m at the age where my toys tend to be technological or expensive (although I really want a Generation 1 Rodimus Prime, if you see one at a decent price), leading to today’s disappointing query…
The MS-QOTD (pronounced, as always, “misquoted”) was disappointed a Chrimmus or two ago when my Sonic Screwdriver Wii-mote was broken right out of the box, asking: What’s the most disappointing broken toy you’ve ever had to contend with?
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This is difficult to choose, as I’ve collected toys as far back as I can remember and have also plenty of “high tech toys” (though not as expensive or as many as some of you have).
My handheld D-Ark/D-Power Digivice comes to mind as it broke years after they were no longer being sold on store shelves, and replacing it will cost a pretty penny. The originals go for more than it costs to buy a new middle range computer, and even the recent re-releases for the 15th anniversary of “Digimon Tamers” in Japan cost a pretty penny (about $150+ compared to the $15 I spent on the original). I could buy a different Digivice for much cheaper, but it isn’t just the game itself, it was an item from a particular entry of the franchise I really enjoyed. I won’t even go into the bootlegs (they look similar, but the game isn’t the same). Perhaps someday I can replace it, but it won’t be anytime soon.
I also had several old Star Wars and Transformers figures from the 80’s that finally broke. They weren’t exactly mint condition to begin with as they were picked up at yard sales or flea markets and the like, but they were still in reasonably good condition until they broke (in the case of TF figures, I like to change their modes when I display them once in a while, and sometimes a simple move made an old piece snap off). And then there are some that are still mostly together, but a piece or two has gone missing (anyone remember the G1 era Optimus Prime and similar figures made from that sculpt having hands that came off to be stored in the chest? And how many of us that have the figures are lucky enough to still have those hands?).
I cant really tell exactly what it is, but one thing that super annoying is stuck joints on action figures. Its usually a problem of cheaper (western, like Mattel or such) figure problem but nothing is worse than completely stuck arm or leg joint on expensive action figure, the kind you can’t get to move, not even with hot water/hairdryer treatment. Its too expensive, so you are careful to not use too much force so it doesn’t break but its too stuck to move with anything less than forcing it to move or break off. Stuck joints are the worst.
So about two decades ago, an older girl who was my grandparent’s neighbor gave my brother and I a really awesome, big, mostly metal transformer fighter jet. And I being the shit head that I was, had to take it apart to see how everything fit together. And 100% unable to return it it’s awesome fighter jet/robot forms. Then years later when the internet gave easier access to the older cartoons of yesteryear, I realized that wasn’t a transformer but a robotech veritech fighter. To this day I regret that because it was the most amazing toy I had ever saw.
As a kid, my grandmother bought me the Devastator GIFTSET for Christmas. Five minutes out of the box, and I managed to break Hook in half at the waist, making poor Devvy just a torso in all the Transformer battles to come…
Man, there have been so many. When my 3rd party Transformers break, that’s pretty difficult to take especially because of their price. I had a giant masterpiece Snarl snap one of his articulated fingers in a way I couldn’t fix.