Zadzooks: Kessel Run Millennium Falcon and ‘Solo: A Star Wars Story’ toys review

Here’s a look at some toys and action figures devoted to the upcoming movie “Solo: A Star Wars Story.”

Kessel Run Millennium Falcon (Hasbro, ages 4 and older, requires 3 AA batteries, included, $99.99) — Lando Calrissian’s famed Corellian freighter now offers kids enamored with Hasbro’s 3.75-inch-tall “Star Wars” action figure collection a noisy and tactile way to interact in a galaxy far, far away.

This early version of the ship (more white than grey) features breakaway panels, an escape pod with foldable laser cannons, a pair of smuggler hatches and a cockpit that will fit one hero comfortably. It is not a truly in scale companion to the figures but more of a compacted version that measures 21 inches long and almost 14 inches wide.

The real magic comes when pushing a toggle switch underneath the ship. The switch empowers a pair of buttons on either side and motion control features to deliver an array of lights and familiar sounds for a genuine “Star Wars” flight experience.

Tap one button on the left side to get laser cannon fire effects, or hold down the button to enact a missile launch sound.

Even better, lift the Falcon and it makes noises as it takes off. Press the right button while in flight, and the craft flashes blue lights on its side and makes revving sounds signaling a jump to light speed. Press the button again, and move the toy back and forth to add rumble features and noises that sound like it’s ducking an asteroid field.

Press the button a third time while holding in the air, and the Falcon starts to have engine troubles, alarms go off, red lights flash, the ship rumbles more, and eventually four of the rear- and front-engine compartments pop off showing glowing red damage.

The ship includes an articulated Han Solo figure in black costuming with blaster and a metallic container containing Coaxium (expensive ship fuel) to carry or store in the cargo holds.

Also, break out the tweezers: The latest toy Falcon comes with 23 infuriatingly small stickers that need to be applied throughout (especially the cockpit) that will cause bursts of anger from adults or impatient children.

Now, Mom and Dad can also crack open the wallets a little wider because the ship’s escape pod and figure works with Hasbro’s latest Force Link 2.0 technology.

Owners must have the latest Force Link 2.0 starter set ($29.99, 3 AAA batteries required). It includes a 7-inch-long device (worn between the wrist and forearm) that looks like it fell off the Millennium Falcon, and another Han Solo action figure (wearing a brown jacket).

Before the magic happens, parents should take note that the product setup is now overtly complicated from its predecessor and requires the downloading of updates via a smartphone app.

Specifically, it was a 50-minute software upload for me, and it even stopped once during the process. Parents will need to handle this chore methodically and monitor the setup, like watching a boiling egg, because junior Padawans will not have the endurance.

Once updated, the device can aurally empower over 100 vehicles and figures in the “Star Wars” toy galaxy. For example, by holding the Falcon Han next to it, owners can hear from its speaker about six authentic phrases or sound effects, such as “Maybe you heard of me, best pilot in the galaxy,” or “Everything is under control.”

Tapping on the gauntlet or moving the wrist up and down will trigger different sequences of sounds. Now, despite the royal pain to get the Force Link activated, it’s a pretty cool concept that even has a way for a pair of devices to work in tandem with the figures, in theory, talking to one another.

Young collectors should note that some of the other Force Linked Hasbro 3.75-inch line of figures available for “Solo: A Star Wars Story” ($7.99 each) include Chewbacca with a blaster rifle (“Roarrrrrrrrr”); Corellia Qi’ra with blaster pistol (“Please tell me you have a plan”); and a very cool Range Trooper with blaster (“Trooper TK611 reporting for duty.”).

And, the deluxe-figure two packs ($14.99) offer such combinations such as Lando Calrissian with removable cape and blaster (“Cargo freighter? That’s a Corellian YT-1300, smoothest ship in the galaxy); and a Kessel Guard with a battle damaged tripod cannon (foot-marching sounds).

Mudtrooper (Jakks Pacific, ages 3 and older, $19.99) — Jakks’ latest additions to its generously large, mildly articulated Big-Figs “Star Wars” lineup includes a new style of the Empire’s feared Stormtroopers deployed to the swamp planet of Mimban.

The figure stands a whopping 18 inches tall with moveable joints at the shoulders, wrist, thighs and head, and holds a 9-inch-long blaster rifle.

Almost all molded in various textures of hard olive-green plastic, his costuming also includes jet black boots, a piece of red armor attached to its right arm, accessory belt, a green cloth cape and hood with a lower cloth waist jacket.

Most impressive is its olive-green helmet (similar to Darth Vader’s in design) with a silver visor and some type of gas mask attached using black tubes and silver canisters.

Despite my affinity for Hoth Snowtroopers, Shadow Stormtroopers and the new Range Troopers, the Mudtrooper is now nearly top of my list now as one on the coolest soldiers the Empire has to offer.

Pop! Chewbacca (Funko, ages 3 and older, $9.99) — The company that has nearly singled-handedly resurrected bobbleheads for pop culture collectors offers almost a dozen new figures in celebration of the Han Solo movie.

The best of the latest bunch offers a bushy, 5-inch-tall vinyl version of the famed Wookiee permanently holding a blaster rifle, sporting a pair of goggles with an opened mouth revealing a bit teeth, and mounted on a base with the “Star Wars” logo.

Considering the addiction surrounding these big-headed gems, I expect owners will be scoring the galaxy for other characters such as ornate pirate Enfys Nest, criminal Tobias Beckett, droid L3-37, Lando Calrissian and, of course, a young Han Solo that have been bobblized.

Mighty Muggs Lando Calrissian (Hasbro, ages 3 and older, $9.99) — Hasbro’s big-headed, highly stylized and mildly articulated statues return with a new smaller size and literally a welcomed twist for fans looking for an unusual collectible tied to the “Star Wars” universe.

Standing nearly 4.5 inches tall, this version of actor Donald Glover’s famed smuggler and gambler gets a rather large, afro-style hairdo, soft black cape and yellow shirt, black pants and has stubby moveable arms.

Owners can now press his hard plastic hair to twist his cylindrical head around to display three different, all cartoony facial expressions — furious Lando, devilish-grin Lando (with eyebrow cocked) and a suave, smiling Lando.

That’s a fun trick for a figure destined to stand in an office cubicle and guaranteed to elicit a smiling gasp for any fan of a galaxy far, far away.

Corellia Qi’ra (Hasbro, ages 4 and older, $9.99) — Han Solo’s new female friend and Crimson Dawn gang member gets immortalized in a 12-inch-tall, hard plastic doll offering seven points of articulation and a large, removable pistol.

Only mildly resembling the features of its onscreen doppelganger, actress Emilia Clake, the doll gets a bobbed hairstyle; grey jacket with rolled-up sleeves and fur lining; dark grey, acid-washed skirt; black boots; and red shirt. She is basically an enlarged version of the 3.75-inch-sized action figure sans the Force Link tech.

The better figure to this line is the black-and-white armored Imperial Patrol Trooper wielding an EC-17 blaster and blending a traditional Stormtrooper and biker scout design.

Qi’ra fans might prefer the 6-inch-tall Black Series version of the figure ($19.99), which offers much more detail and articulation.