Zitz (Battletoads (Premium DNA)) Review

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Zitz (Battletoads (Premium DNA)) Review

Zitz
Battletoads (Premium DNA) (Premium DNA)One of the most fondly remembered video games of the 90s, Battletoads was characterized by a mixture of fun beat-em-up levels balanced out by infamously frustrating platform levels (I wouldn't know too much, I only played the super fun arcade game). Even with a new game released a few years back, it seemed unlikely that any new merchandise would be produced for it. Same year the new game was announced, Premium DNA, responsible for reviving niche, nostalgic properties such as Madballs and Barnyard Commandos with modern action figures, nabbed up the license and three years later, they're finally out there.

The packaging design is rather simplistic, with the slipcover having the Toads' emblem on the front and back, and the game logo on the side. The cover slides off to the left rather than the top, revealing a window box underneath. The sides have a cross-sell and old game sprites respectively, and the back contains pics of the figure + accessories and credits of all those involved in the line's production. There's no ties holding things down; just snip a piece of tape on top of the box and everything comes out easily.

Zitz could've been sculpted by anyone - the box credits Aaron Doyle, Richard Force, Brian Baity, Dan Mitchell, and Ryan Bucklen as sculptor, but they don't specify if he was done by one or more of those. Zitz is outfitted with a big, somewhat deranged grin on a wide head, and it's accurate to the franchise's art style prior to the 2020 game. The colors are great, but the paint isn't as much, as it suffers from fuzzy edges and a mark on his upper lip. If you pre-ordered the figure directly from Premium DNA (or if you're me, got it from your local comic shop), you'd get a bonus open mouth head. Getting extra portraits is always a good thing, and this look is great for Zitz. Well, aside from the fact that paint could've been better.

At about 6" tall, Zitz is a solid, muscular figure with an excellent body sculpt. There's plenty of detailed musculature, and I love the shades of green used on him. He wears two big gloves, the right of which has a communicator as I recall from the arcade game, as well as a funky belt and spiked knee guards. The belt can be removed with ease, if you decide you want to strip him down a bit for some reason, and the knee guards are separate from the body as well, but they can't be removed. Overall, the sculpt is great, and the articulation blends in with it well.

Speaking of articulation, the more humanoid designs compared to the stocky Madballs and farm animals of the Barnyard Commandos world mean DNA was able to outfit these guys with more joints. Zitz has a barbell head that moves great, but the design means he can't turn his head side-to-side all that well. The arms have swivel/hinge shoulders and wrists, swivel biceps, and double-hinged elbows, allowing for plenty of punching poses. The chest is another barbell with excellent range, but the end of the joint going into the lower body is a bit tighter than I'd like it to be, and the joint is a bit too long, resulting in a upper body that's somewhat detached from the lower torso. The hips are special as they're not only ball pegs that go in and out, kick forward, and even twist, but also get drop-down hinges that aid in more dynamic poses. Round things out with double-hinged knees and swivel/hinge ankles and you have a figure that has a lot to do.

Although Zitz doesn't have a ton of accessories, he gets some rather big ones. He comes with three pairs of hands - closed, gripping, and grasping - and they swap with ease. What really defines him are the big weapon attachments from the arcade game; he has a giant right fist (for knocking out rats and other enemies), a drill (for finishing off downed enemies), and a huge spiked plow (his running attack). While the big fist and drill fit snugly over the forearms, the plow pegs into both arms like the hands would, but I noticed some tightness pegging them in, so you may want to heat up the forearms before popping in. Lastly, there's the pre-order exclusive alternate head I mentioned, and it swaps with the regular head easily.

While it's quite a surprise to see Battletoads get a full-fledged action figure line in the 2020s, it's also a surprise to see it done this well. Zitz, aside from some paint issues and a teeny, tiny bit of joint tightness, is an excellent figure, and a must-have for any fans of the games, even if you've only played just one of them.

- 11/25/23