It’s Yoda, the legendary Jedi Master, and he’s here to train YOU! That’s right, now you can learn to use the Force and acquire all of the skills of a fully trained Jedi, right from the Master himself. Become a brave warrior, just like Luke Skywalker did when he trained with Yoda in the murky swamps of Dagobah. With the new Star Wars 16″ Legendary Yoda Interactive Robotic Toy, all is now possible. So keep on reading to find out how to get started with your own Jedi training. And don’t waste another second. Much to learn you still have!
Initial Impressions
The Star Wars 16″ Legendary Yoda Interactive Robotic Toy is truly an amazing piece! The second I saw his box, my mind was instantly blown! He was heavy, and he felt very sturdy & substantial. And as cool as he looked in his packaging, he was even more impressive once he was outside. He’s got real cloth robes & premium latex skin with a lifelike look and feel. His lightsaber really lights up, and he knows when he’s holding either his saber or his cane (and he reacts accordingly). He’s got 360 Degrees of movement / rotation & impressive lightsaber skills. And he speaks 115 different phrases of invaluable Jedi wisdom to teach you the ways of the Light side of the Force. What’s not to like?
Charting the Key Considerations
| How much set up time is required? | With Yoda, there’s no set up time whatsoever required (beyond putting in his batteries). Within 3 minutes of Yoda emerging from his box, your Jedi training is underway. Actually getting him out of his box, on the other hand, may take you a while. He’s very well secured in there and takes about 10 minutes to get out. |
| What type & quantity of batteries does the Legendary Yoda use? | Yoda requires 6 C-cell batteries which are not included. You simply unscrew the 2 flat head screws from Yoda’s battery cover on the bottom (lower back) section, insert the batteries, and replace the cover. Just above the battery compartment is Yoda’s On / Off switch. Flip the switch when you’re ready to begin learning. |
| What are Yoda’s mobility (& range) characteristics? | Yoda features “breakthrough motorized movement” that allows him to roll forward & backward and spin around at a full 360 Degrees on 6 different wheels that are located on his heavy base (2 wheels for forward & backward movement and 4 wheels & a turntable piece for spinning side to side). He also has a full range of motion in his arms (for expertly wielding his lightsaber) and the ability to turn his head in the direction he wants to look. Better still, his mouth really moves when he speaks. There are a total of 8 internal motors that power Yoda’s movements, as well as a special sensor that allows him to react to your movements (such as when you use a Force Push to move Yoda backwards). |
| Does Yoda feature any special lights & sounds? | Yes, several. Along with the 115 phrases of Jedi humor and wisdom (including the ability to answer any Yes / No question you can throw at him), Yoda demonstrates considerable lightsaber skill. He moves with grace & fluidity (with a 360 Degree range of motion) as well, and he has an actual light-up saber (complete with the requisite sound effects). Yoda even knows when he’s holding his saber (Warrior Mode) or cane (Wisdom Mode). While in Wisdom Mode, Yoda dispenses the advice of a true Jedi Master. |
| What is the suggested age range for Yoda? | The suggested age range for Yoda is 6 years old and up, and this seems just about perfect for this toy. There’s no upper limit on this one as far as I am concerned. I think anyone of pretty much any age can have heaps of fun with this Yoda. |
| How much of a WOW factor (on a 0-5 scale) does Yoda have? |
I have to go all out on this one and give Yoda a full 5 out of 5. He’s just got so many different things going for him, from his light-up saber, to his dynamic movement & 115 phrases. Quite honestly, he’s just about the perfect toy embodiment of the one and only Master Yoda! |
Testing & Play
Playing with Yoda is an absolute ball! He’s infinitely fun to work with, and I’m still unlocking more and more of his features every time I fire him up. My favourite aspects of play are probably Yoda’s lightsaber training sessions and asking him Yes / No questions (he can get pretty creative with his answers). Of course, this barely scratches the surface of what this little guy is capable of. He’s a fully interactive robotic toy that’s very well disguised as the true to life organic alien we all know (and love) as Yoda. I don’t think there’s ever been a Yoda toy as impressive as this one!
When you place Yoda’s cane in his hand, a circuit is completed that tells Yoda that it’s there. There’s a very specific way to insert Yoda’s cane into his hand, and when the connection is made, Yoda enters his Wisdom Mode. In this mode, Yoda uses voice recognition to detect key words (such as “training”) and other details (such as when you wish to ask him a question). You simply say “Can I ask a question?” and Yoda responds in the affirmative. At this point, you pose any Yes or No question you’d like to know the answer to and Yoda will give you his opinion. He’s also capable of sensing the Dark Side of the Force, so beware & don’t let your thoughts betray you. You may wise to ask him about it.
Yoda’s 2 other modes are “Warrior Mode” & “Force Mode.” In Warrior Mode, Yoda can ignite his lightsaber and demonstrate his impressive skills. He can also go on the attack in this mode, and he trains you in advanced lightsaber techniques. When in Force Mode, Yoda allows you to Force Push him (if you’ve got the power) and reveals his glowing “Force Blast” hand (his palm glows blue as if he were about to shoot Force Lightening from his fingers). In this mode, he also teaches you some of his most valuable Force Wisdom through his iconic movie quotations. What makes this extra fun is that Yoda’s little mouth actually moves as he talks. He’s quite an expressive little dude, and you can’t help but have fun while playing with him!
In case you were wondering what that funny looking thing in the very last photo at the bottom of the mini image gallery is, it’s actually a kind of stand. It keeps Yoda securely in his box before you open him up, and later it can be used to hang Yoda on the wall as a method of display if you like.
For & Against
The arguments in favour of picking up a 16″ Legendary Yoda are pretty overwhelming. This guy really has a lot going for him, and I just can’t recommend him enough. The key factors in his favour include his size (at 16 inches tall, he’s probably not too much smaller than the real flesh and blood Yoda would be—if he really existed somewhere), his lights and sounds are amazing, his lightsaber skills are as legendary as the man (or whatever) himself, and his latex skin & real cloth robes add realism & authenticity to this amazing Jedi Master. I could go on listing Yoda’s positives all day long. He’s fantastic!
As for what’s wrong with Yoda (aside from that fact that there’s really nothing wrong with him at all), there’s the difficulty I first experienced in getting his lightsaber to work. It took a few tries before the saber finally lit up, even though he was reacting to its presence in his hand the whole time. He knew it was there, and the sound effects were going, but it just didn’t light up at first. Don’t get discouraged if this happens to you. Just keep trying. Once this issue was resolved, everything worked just fine. The only minor complaint I might have is that the saber mainly seemed to be lit only at its base and at its tip (but not so much in the middle). This is not always very noticeable though. It kind of depends on how much light is otherwise present while you’re using him. Secondly, Yoda’s realistic latex skin could be persuaded to tear if you were to handle him roughly or pick him up in a haphazard way. Just be careful with the little guy. He is nearly a millennium old, after all!
Examining the Video Evidence
Please check out my short video review of the Star Wars 16″ Legendary Yoda Interactive Robotic Toy…
And, just for good measure, a brief lightsaber training session with the Master…
Final Thoughts
In the final analysis, Yoda is a must have toy for the hard core Star Wars fan and a near must have toy for almost everyone else. He’s as much fun as any toy I’ve tested recently, and a whole lot more fun than most. While Yoda is certainly not a low cost item, I very highly recommend him. You really can go wrong with training like this!
If Star Wars is your thing, be sure to check out my other Star Wars related toy reviews. There’s:
Star Wars Force FX Lightsabers Review: Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader, Yoda, & Kylo Ren,
Air Hogs Star Wars RC Ultimate Millennium Falcon Review,
& Air Hogs Star Wars RC X-Wing Starfighter Review.
Have a great day and I’ll see you again soon with more reviews of the 25 best toys of 2015!
Mini Gallery of Additional Photos
I bought yoda and his light saber never lit up. Does anyone else have this problem?
I had to show my boys your light saber battle and they confirmed that it was ‘epic!’
I’m going to have a hard time narrowing down which of these toys to buy them for Christmas this year. We already have the light saber (also epic) and I’m torn between the droid and a few others.
It’s defiitely shaping up to be a very difficult year. I can’t recall another year where there’s been so much awesome stuff available. Yoda is really a can’t miss item, but then again, I thiink BB-8 & the Force FX lightsabers probably are too. And those Star Wars drones are nothing to turn up one’s nose at. And that’s just the Star Wars based stuff! This could be a very expensive year for all of the Santa’s out there!!
Leo B
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