Review:1290 by Dorek

BS01

RETRO

Reviews

1290 Volcano Climber

Review: 1290 Volcano Climber

We're going way retro for this one! Released back in 2000 as a promotional accompaniment to the RoboRiders line, Volcano Climber was released twice; once as a Kabaya promotion with the number 1290, and again with the number 8003. The latter has been termed "Lava Buggy", which is a name I can't find a source for (but wouldn't surprise me given the Slizer localizations), but as I snagged the Kabaya promotionals for a song, we'll be reviewing the former.

The Box

Unlike it's presumed 8003 counterpart, 1290 actually did come in a box. Japanese product packaging in general has always fascinated me, and this is no exception. Each of the Kabaya promotionals are numbered for organization, with Volcano Climber the first. Unfortunately, my Japanese is non-existent, so I wouldn't be able to tell you if there's anything noteworthy to translate.

What IS noteworthy, however, is the combiners on the back. The designers (or possibly a separate team, that fact is probably lost to time) gave the Kabaya promotionals a bevy of combiners; there's a dual combi-model for each set, and a total combiner for all four.

But wait, you say. How can one make those combiners, short of simply eyeballing it? Well, dear reader, LET ME SHOW YOU. If you pop on over to our gallery, you'll notice the instructions. Where did they come from? They were printed INSIDE the box! Ingenious.

The Bits

Being a promotional set, 1290 doesn't have a plethora of pieces, but it's got the usual suspects; some Technic liftarms, and the signature headpiece of the RoboRiders. Volcano Climber also has a few rubber bands, indicating some kind of function; these have survived well in their packaging, though I imagine they won't last quite so long now exposed to the elements. I've sealed away the spares, for a rainy day.

The Build

Building Volcano Climber was actually a little tricky; LEGO building standards were... we'll say looser, back in the day. Not that there's anything wrong with the final build, but it requires holding a few finnicky bits in place to get there, and I don't think that would fly in instructions these days.

The rubber bands were, as suspected, for a function, although that might be a bit generous to call it. Really it just keeps the loose liftarms together to mimic a suspension; the idea is that the Volcano Climber is built for any rough terrain, hence the four wheels, where the others have fewer. I'm a little disappointed that the bands don't actually snap together to create some propulsion, like you see in some kids toys; it feels like that might have been possible, but maybe not on a promotional set budget.

The Brass Tacks

Did we like this set? Yes	What We Liked: • Rugged, tough look
	What We Didn't Like: • "Feature" not amounting to much
	Other Comments: I say rugged knowing full well those rubber bands are doomed. --Dorek

I liked Volcano Climber, although I'd probably rank him third out of the four sets. He's definitely the beefiest, but the halfhearted feature feels a waste. Still, it's true to the RoboRider theme, but also quirky and fun, which is what one expects from these promotional sets.