The Cobra Rat reminded me of when McDonald’s had UFO happy meals. Instead of a box, the food was in this plastic UFO clamshell. That was the toy. It came with stickers and you could throw it like a frisbee (kind of). Anyway, that’s what the Rat reminds me of.
I blame the parent groups who came after our favorite franchises in the 90s, claiming that there was "too much violence." All of our beloved 80s properties either took a nosedive into silliness or disappeared.
@@danielherrin 1987 was my last year collecting also. I bought many of the figures and vehicles before G.I. Joe: The Movie came out and just lost interest after I realized the Sunbow series had come to an end.
All the Pogo needed was a different leg assembly, one similar to the spring and shock absorbers found on cheap RC cars from that era. Being able to bend and flex the limbs during play could have made this one of the more beloved vehicles imo.
I sent away for the Pogo when I was a kid, I spent allowance money on it!!! I friggin' LOVED it, it was one of my favorites!!! Little wonder I grew up to be a Decepticon 🤣🤣🤣
I'm right there with you! Coastal Defender slander is unacceptable! In an era when things were getting pretty weird, the CD was very grounded. Army green, towable, compact, and disposable if need be. Cobra and the locals think it's just a trailer full of random supplies, but there's a mini missile emplacement in there, ready to do its part and get in a few punches. It's not meant to be the Rolling Thunder or the Mauler. The Coastal Defender does *not* suck!
I got the perfect version of the coastal defender as a kid: just the box itself, without the seat and the weapons. It fit perfectly with the aesthetic of the classic army-based vehicles and was great for carrying various cargo around. Even with its original intended purpose, I'd take it over most of the weird neon-colored mess from the 90s.
The ATV vehicle pack is hilarious. Not only does it make figures look like clowns when they ride them, the Joes have the option to carry these vehicles into battle on their backs. I love that concept. Carrying your own transport device. 😂
One thing to consider, not every vehicle is necessarily made for battle. I can see where the manta and those small vehicles could serve purposes for military, non combat travel.
I made a classified scale Pogo simply because its design is so unique like the Trouble Bubble. It's like a SAM equipped moon lander with an infusion of Tigger DNA. Having one of those things come hopping at your position would be absolutely terrifying, given how erratic its movement is
I'm glad the Rat got the shaming it so richly deserves. You should've mentioned the underside of it; the designers were so lazy that it doesn't have a bottom and is completely hollow underneath. It's also shaped kinda like an iron, which does it no favours in the cool department. Now compare it to the piranha: Also a boat, roughly the same era, roughly the same shape, and roughly the same colour. One ends up being an awesome little brother to the Moray, and the other ends up an obnoxiously coloured household appliance. While we're at it, look at the entire release of vehicles in 1990 and then compare it with 1992. It honestly doesn't look like the same toy line. Likewise, the inclusion of the Shedmobile was a surprise to absolutely no-one. Another great video, keep 'em coming!
Thanks! I did not have the Rat. I have most of everything 1990 and below and only bought a few things after that because I thought they were awesome. It sounds even crappier than it looks
Yep, totally agree about the vehicle construction. Even back then you could see the line going off the rails. The later vehicles had no sculpted details and were almost just shells with wheels
@bjpalm1994 with few details to boot. 1990 was the last good year for vehicles, imo. I used allowance money to send away for the Pogo, I couldn't WAIT for it to show up!!!
they lost me after the air craft carrier. that was a work of art. 1 kid in the neighborhood had it and we didn't take it outside or anything, which made it kind of a white elephant.
Regarding bad vehicle design, in addition to the bright color schemes that plagued the later Joe and Cobra vehicles. I was always annoyed by the fact the cockpits and the gunner’s stations/seats on some of the later vehicles like the H.A.V.O.C and the Rolling Thunder had no armor protection. Cross-Country up in his little gunner’s seat atop the H.A.V.O.C. always reminded me of a parade float.
@@DestroIsMySpiritAnimal My back hurts just thinking about it. BTW I just got my Joe Classified Dragonfly last week and it is so cool! I hope that they do a tricked out Classifieds version of the Cobra FANG, because that was my favorite cobra vehicle as a kid.
Im glad you started this vid by saying the POGO was cool, cause i had it as a kid and i loved it. Didn't have all the other stuff you talked about, some were nice and the RAT had potential... i see you received your Dragon Fly, that thing looks AMAZING!!!
I like to think the GI Joe squad has zero RnD department and just comes up with this themselves. "Hey guys, i put i giant rotating ax on a lawnmower! I'm trying it out in our next battle!" "Hopefully I'll have the RPG wired to my Power Wheel in time!"
I would love to see the Pentagon officials responsible for GI Joe's procurement department come up with excuses to defund programs such as the M2 Bradley so that they can finance a Pogo assembly line in some congressman's district in Texas or Missouri.
As I became a teen in the 90s, I would occasionally look at the toy aisle to see the new Joes and Transformers. The gaudy colors they started using and a bunch of crappy looking vehicles. Made me feel lucky I experienced the 80s.
Fun fact: A real-life Pogo-style military vehicle was proposed and patented in the 1940s, although it had too many flaws to be seriously considered. It was called the Wallace Leaping Tank.
Oddly enough I remember buying both Pogo, Slam, and featured characters from their introduction in Marvel comic. Guesss Larry Hama’s writing really sold me on these otherwise ridiculous vehicles.
I remember saving my earnings from chores/neighborhood work and walking down to Longs Drugstore to buy the pogo. I used it as a pop-up defensive turret.
Great and funny video!! I was laughing so much but you hit the nail on the head!! I think I had all of those in my old collection!!! Keep these coming!!!
I've got a few honorable mentions for this list: - Rolling Thunder. Unless they developed some new kind of ICBM engines, you're going to fry/asphyxiate pretty much everyone on the vehicle. The only one with a chance is the guy who gets to drive away in the little go-kart. And the guys in the rear turret are going to get a facefull of rocket exhaust from their missile. - Cobra Battle Barge. It didn't do anything. Just kinda floated there. But it had 3 huge machine guns and giant radars. You really should have included the Cobra Battle Barge in this list. It didn't do anything. Just kinda floated there. But it had 3 huge machine guns and giant radars. - Rope Walker. If you're going to include the wind-up backpack vehicles, you should probably throw this one in the list. It would slowly dangle a Joe from a rope and inch his way toward the target. See also: the Cobra Rope Crosser. That one had a sling for the figure to sit in like a playground swing. This last one is strange, because it's only a part of a vehicle, and it's part of probably the BEST GI Joe vehicle. I'm talking about the little motorbike that came with the Killer WHALE hovercraft. That thing was just goofy.
With the sonic ones, they just slotted into the back of most characters with the back peg...which had a tendency to snap off. You needed a screwdriver to replace the batteries for the damn things. For the Coastal Defender, it isn't that bad when you consider that it's more of an expansion for other vehicles since it's meant to be towed around and dropped off in places. I actually liked the RAT, the main issue was that unlike the various missile weapons, the flak blades would launch in ways you couldn't predict but it was still fun...though if there was one on both sides and the spinning cutting blades on the front didn't jam up with any kind of pet hair or grass to prompt field repairs it would have been a lot better. If it had a sealed underside and could float like the the commercials that showed it rocketing down rivers and through swamps, it would have been cooler...especially since it was advertised as opposition for the Joe submarine thing
I'm glad to see someone else who loves the Pogo as much as I did. On the other hand, I hated the Armadillo, Ferret, and especially the stun. Just for some reason, those 3 never did anything for me.
It's not a Power Wheel. What you were thinking of (according to the video) was the Big Wheel. Sorry, don't wanna be that guy. I loved my Big Wheel, parents couldn't afford a Power Wheel. But I always wanted one.
I clicked in order to defend the Pogo, so I'm glad it was just clickbait. However, the Manta and Coastal Defender aren't worse than these 80's vehicles: Cobra Battle Barge, Arctic Blast, Radar Rat and Tri-Blaster, let alone some of the junk from the 90's. The Manta is not a vehicle to ride into battle. It's a stealthy way to land troops on shore, like the Cobra Night Landing. And the Coastal Defender is simply a missile trailer like the MMS, but with the added capability to disguise itself as a nondescript cargo crate. Of course it's not as cool as riding into combat in the A.W.E Striker, but it's a utilitarian piece of equipment, not a status symbol. Apart from those two, you were on the money with the rest.
What's wrong with Arctic Blast? Someone just bought mine for $25 complete with Windchill driver so I want to make sure and not tell the buyer what you say lol
I think the concept of the flak rotor on the Cobra Rat were, if missiles came at the Rat from the sides, the rotors would be launched, the spinning blades forming improvised shields, impacting with, and blowing up the missiles, before they could hit the Rat, the spinning blades deflecting the shrapnel around them, and back in the direction it came from, rather then allowing it to continue forward momentum towards the Rat. Most likely, both would launch at the same time, so, they would only have one use to save them from missile attacks. More then likely, the spinning of the blades created enough heat to draw in heat seeking missiles, as well as providing protection from normal ones.
the Pogo makes sense if it's used for defending a base high in the mountains, the three legs can keep it stable on a very steep slope, the guns point down to where a road would be coming up the mountain or used to cause an avalanche to block roads, and the upward missiles are defense against aircraft. Plus several Pogos can be used to create a communication network relaying messages from one another in locations where normal signals might be blocked by mountain peaks.
I have to say that I agree with your list, even though I have a lot of these vehicles in my collection. 😅 I think the Cobra RAT would be my choice as worse. Anyways, I also wanted to mention two things. It was the Talking Commanders that had the backpack that needed to be unscrewed to remove, the Super Sonic Fighters just had the oversized backpacks that never stayed on, maybe that is why Hasbro decided to screw the backpacks for the Talking Commanders. As for Fort America, I don't think it was Transformers that inspired it, because at that time Transformers were basically non-existent, those were dark times for a Transformers fan. I have always thought it was to cash in on a concept from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles toyline. They had things like a pizza restaurant that was really an ooze cannon, and others among that vein.
What makes the Rat suck is that it is so close to being something cool but was poorly made. The design aesthetic is pretty cool, but it's just a plastic shell
I had a later version of the 12" wind surfing rig and as a kid I never thought it was anything but awesome, I think I have a guy with a wetsuit so it made slightly more sense.
During WW II, there was a patent for the Wallace Leaping Tank that would have worked much like the Pogo. There is little to no evidence that it ever got out of the drawing board stage. On the other hand, both the US and British had small, motorized scooters intended to be used for message carrying and to otherwise provide extended mobility to airborne troops. The US version was produced by Cushman and the British by Welbike. While both were too large and heavy to be jumped by the paratroopers themselves, they were carried in assault gliders and immediately put to use after landing. The idea of a packable scooter is not as absurd as it first seems.
Although not exactly portrayed as such, the Pogo is an airdropped disposable vehicle that is meant to support airborne troops dropping in by parachute behind enemy lines. The motorized vehicle and ATV pack is another disposable piece of equipment for light infantry scout and sappers to zip across the battlefield, as quickly as possible, to evade kamikaze drones.
KABOOM! I find it super funny that the driver of the Ninja Pile Driver, T'Gin-Zu got a new figure In the G.I. Joe Dollar General Exclusive series. But, he was instead called Storm Shadow instead of T'Gin Zu! The poor guy was so bad that he didn't even deserve the correct name.
I would say the function of the Coastal Defender is meant to be a SAM or ASM stationary battery. The box mode would be just for deployment, towed, and once in the coast to be defended, the system would be assembled.
The end of the line for me ? Modifying the Classic Hiss tank with a Red body ,yellow mutant canopy and a yellow water pistol firing "chemical waste sludge" . And then ,the final nail ? Naming it the "Septic Tank". Ever have the feeling the designers at Hasbro had simply run out of snake-related puns and words by this point ?
For 9, 8, and 7 entries harken back to the days of the Adventure Team vehicles that break down for transport. Good for the Adventure Team, lousy for the military line.
It wasn't the super sonic fighters who had screwed on backpacks. That was the Talking Battle Commanders. Though given they both had electronic backpacks the confusion is understandable.
@@DestroIsMySpiritAnimal The super sonics did require a screwdriver for replacing the batteries. But their big issue was the peg to slot them into the back holes on figures was relatively fragile
About the Ninja Raider spinning vehicles... I believe they may have stolen the idea from an issue of DC comics, for this one. I don't remember which it was, other then it was a Firestorm comic, but, there was one issue where one of his armored enemies was taking out a tank designed to take down several aircraft at once... and the thing had a giant sledgehammer on a metal arm attached to the front of it, for some reason.
Could you do a list of the best or your favorite Joe and Cobra small vehicles/playsets? The ones that did not come with figures. I enjoy your videos and would love to hear your opinions.
I’ve never seen the 9 and 8, so kudos to you, and so amazing dumb! Manta, nah that is not a top 10 worst, I’ve never used it in backpack form or for combat, but only like a stealthy night landing thing. Even got the 90s 12” version. 90s had a lot of shat vehicles lol. Besides the Manta, a good list 🤣👍
Okay piledriver, battle axe, the GI Joe mini bike and that ridiculous partner vehicle for the mini bike definitely belong on this list. And frankly I'm surprised you're the first person to put them on the list. Everything else though while it might be crap nowhere near top 10 crap. And things like the rat as a kid I spray painted that, actually came out pretty. good
Man, I wish we lived down the street from each other as kids, we would have had a blast!!! LOL!! Between us both we probably would have had everything in the Joe universe.
Flak is commonly used to defend AGAINST missiles. You know that scene they added to the hobbit where the elves and dwarves are fighting, and the elves fire a bunch of arrows, so the dwarves fire one big arrow that spins and unfurls sails to sweep up the arrows in mid-air? Think that. If they loaded up a spinning rotor with ball-bearings and fired it into the air as a missile was approaching, they might distract or damage the missile enough that it wouldn't damage the vehicle. Assuming you don't also claymore-mine yourself.
@@DestroIsMySpiritAnimal Traditional uses of 'flak' are the anti-aircraft guns of ww2. They'd fire a shell into the air that then burst apart in a cloud of heavy shrapnel, like a shotgun shell, to punch holes in enemy planes. It's an interception-weapon. Modern uses are like the CIWS (I think) on aircraft carriers, the automated turrets with machine guns to shoot down incoming missiles.
It’s really nice to see some else who enjoys the cobra pogo. I use to defend this vehicle on pit forums back in late 90s that many people would say it was the worst vehicle cobra ever design I mention the rat so many people would say they don’t collect 90s joes so they crap on me more. Let’s talk about the detonator for moment. I agree with all what you brought up but if you take away the whole plunger gimmick and replace it with a missile system like with rolling-thunder then we could have something pretty awesome. The actual design of the vehicle base is rather simple but really interesting and could see how be a great cobra mobile icbm launch a bit like the cobra Imp. But those backpacks vehicles like manta and tank and atv I quite fan of those both as kid and adult same with motorise backpacks too there something I do enjoy about them same with cobra hovercraft I quite fan of it along with hydro sled and cobra jet pack there something special about em perhaps it’s nostalgia playing with me here but I did buy these back in day and remember seeing and being excited about em and hanging over my pocket money for em that goes for the costal defender. I do agree with you that Pile Driver and battle axe are terrible designs but I did like this concert for em and can kinda work in my imagination ori just influenced by George Miller. Picture in your mind a post apocalyptic world with joe and cobra vehicles were Resources are hard to come by bit like mad max setting. You could see these two vehicles take on a joe convoy to get at there resources. But still nothing can win me over the rat being the worse joe vehicle ever and most poorly design one too. But I like to mention that destro dominator is on my list as a transforming helicopter into a tank just don’t work in my cannon and yes I saw it in dic cartoon and still it’s a terrible design and every time I look at it I think of mask. But anyway great video and was fun watch with my morning coffee Yojoe
Thanks. I am glad to see many others who also loved the Pogo. Yeah, The Dominator would be awesome if you killed the nerf missiles and got rid of the plunger. I love its barracuda teeth/spikes
I had 'The Box' and the Cobra Pogo. I always wanted the 'Trouble Bubble' I always thought it was a cool little vehicle and still do. Fortunately I outgrew G.I Joe just as they lost their minds when the vehicle designs. The 'Action Force' vehicles were some of the last G.I Joe toys I remember getting.
I like how they integrated the pogo into the star brigade later on. It’s an awesome looking Defiant assault vehicle. Its feet could magnetized to the hull. I’m going to repaint my pogo in cobra blue.
as a Transformers fan with a passing interest in GiJoe (mostly just the part where the 2 intersect) The Fort America Battle Bunker looks hella cool. and i kinda want one now to display with my TFx GiJoe Collabs
Needed a 2-man TrubleBubble & title it "DubbleBubble". Yeezy model Pogo: "YeeGo"! And CrystalBall has his version of PileDriver called the "Vertical Smile Diver". According to CB's card, he created the "alphabet" lick technique. Serious Up
The problem with the POGO is how it is portrayed in its use. In the commercial this thing was some sort of helicopter (doubt it had the fuel needed to do that with rockets. In the comic they showed it bouncing around like crazy. IF a vehicle like this existed it would serve Cobra operations well by providing anti air defense in locations that were difficult to reach in the mountains. Use the rockets to get to your site or redeploy if discovered. The hydraulic legs allow landing and stability on uneven terrain. The small laser provides limited anti-infantry defense. Also, the backpacks for the Super Sonic Fighters were removable as the normal backpacks were. He's thinking of the Talking Battle Commanders which was the first version of Overkill that we received.
These are perfect examples of how success can ruin something. I think Hasbro by the late 80’s was simply making everything that was pitched during design meetings. The quality of the figures and vehicles took a nose dive.
As a weapons platform, the Coastal Defender sucked. However, if you lose the missiles, repaint the control panel/seat a less gawdy color, and add a custom diesel generator to this thing, then you have a mobile communications station for your G.I. Joe firebase. To be fair, I've seen worse "budget" vehicles in the 1987 run....for example, the Road Toad, which looks more like a scaled-down version of a "kit-bashing" of a flatbed trailer for transporting tanks and artillery.
WH40K 2nd edition's over there, furiously taking notes to advance their own jank Edit: quite possibly ties for my quickest like on a video due to a shared love of silliness. Edit: Pogo the precursor to drop pods? Sorry, couldn't help but thinking about it during your discussion
You could use that Joe Box Gimmick Vehicle as like a trojan horse. "Mr. Commander we have a package you need to sign for" then SURPRISE !!!!! "Dammitt Major Bludd!!! I told you to quit ordering stuff off WISH to our HQ! You see why now? I told you this would happen!"
I had the Fort America when i was young and i honestly thought it was one of the better vehicles of the last years. I genuinely enjoyed it and have it in my current collection. They are ridiculous but i absolutely love the tank car and ATV. The vehicles for the most part were dumb and lazy in after 91. Only like the Battle Wagon, Ft. America, Headquarters, Storm Eagle and Liquidator.
The little vehicles were good for people who couldn't afford the big ones
Also good for little hands. I liked them for that reason.
The Cobra Rat reminded me of when McDonald’s had UFO happy meals. Instead of a box, the food was in this plastic UFO clamshell. That was the toy. It came with stickers and you could throw it like a frisbee (kind of). Anyway, that’s what the Rat reminds me of.
I blame the parent groups who came after our favorite franchises in the 90s, claiming that there was "too much violence." All of our beloved 80s properties either took a nosedive into silliness or disappeared.
Oh yeah. Those people suck
Im working on a video about it
I miss the 80's and 90's so much as a 40 year old man :(
The POGO was cool.
It was the perfect vehicle for Cobra Commander to swoop in and destroy Joes.
@raywallacefan7786 it was one of the last vehicles that I bought back in the day and it provided hours of enjoyment
@@danielherrin 1987 was my last year collecting also. I bought many of the figures and vehicles before G.I. Joe: The Movie came out and just lost interest after I realized the Sunbow series had come to an end.
Im very happy to see Im not the only one who loves the Pogo
All the Pogo needed was a different leg assembly, one similar to the spring and shock absorbers found on cheap RC cars from that era. Being able to bend and flex the limbs during play could have made this one of the more beloved vehicles imo.
The atv is kinda like the idea they have had for ww2 with the mini bikes for paratrooper. They air drop with the trooper.
The original motocompo lol
I sent away for the Pogo when I was a kid, I spent allowance money on it!!! I friggin' LOVED it, it was one of my favorites!!!
Little wonder I grew up to be a Decepticon 🤣🤣🤣
I had the manta! For a mail away it was cool from what I remember from as a kid.
Same here, I got one too!
Me too. Me and my brother each sent off for one
Never had the Manta, but thought it was cool. It had that quintessential 80s vibe to it.
Yeah, it's basically a board for windsurfing that they added a gun mount to...
Fun video as always, I also love the GI Joe Classified Dragonfly in the background;.It looks awesome!
I hated the hiss tank, first of all it's not a tank . Maybe an A.A. gun?
@@keithhorning7753 HiSS stood for HIgh Speed Sentry. More of a tracked cavalry vehicle than serious armor
Dude the coastal defender is awesome!!
Taking out hydrofoils from the beach or hiding in the bush
I'm right there with you! Coastal Defender slander is unacceptable! In an era when things were getting pretty weird, the CD was very grounded. Army green, towable, compact, and disposable if need be. Cobra and the locals think it's just a trailer full of random supplies, but there's a mini missile emplacement in there, ready to do its part and get in a few punches. It's not meant to be the Rolling Thunder or the Mauler. The Coastal Defender does *not* suck!
@G7M9W you have my Fusion Cannon!!!
I got the perfect version of the coastal defender as a kid: just the box itself, without the seat and the weapons. It fit perfectly with the aesthetic of the classic army-based vehicles and was great for carrying various cargo around. Even with its original intended purpose, I'd take it over most of the weird neon-colored mess from the 90s.
@@megatronjenkins2473 Coastal Defender Defenders unite!
I think it would be great on the Flagg. Disguised as an ammo/supply crate on the flattop.
The ATV vehicle pack is hilarious. Not only does it make figures look like clowns when they ride them, the Joes have the option to carry these vehicles into battle on their backs. I love that concept. Carrying your own transport device. 😂
Right, You can't carry it long, so you need a transport to transport the transport
One thing to consider, not every vehicle is necessarily made for battle. I can see where the manta and those small vehicles could serve purposes for military, non combat travel.
Makes sense.
"You can't go from McDonald's to being on the GI Joe team."
But you can apparently go from the Chicago Bears to the GI Joe team.
I made a classified scale Pogo simply because its design is so unique like the Trouble Bubble. It's like a SAM equipped moon lander with an infusion of Tigger DNA. Having one of those things come hopping at your position would be absolutely terrifying, given how erratic its movement is
I'm glad the Rat got the shaming it so richly deserves. You should've mentioned the underside of it; the designers were so lazy that it doesn't have a bottom and is completely hollow underneath. It's also shaped kinda like an iron, which does it no favours in the cool department.
Now compare it to the piranha: Also a boat, roughly the same era, roughly the same shape, and roughly the same colour. One ends up being an awesome little brother to the Moray, and the other ends up an obnoxiously coloured household appliance. While we're at it, look at the entire release of vehicles in 1990 and then compare it with 1992. It honestly doesn't look like the same toy line.
Likewise, the inclusion of the Shedmobile was a surprise to absolutely no-one.
Another great video, keep 'em coming!
Thanks! I did not have the Rat. I have most of everything 1990 and below and only bought a few things after that because I thought they were awesome. It sounds even crappier than it looks
Yep, totally agree about the vehicle construction. Even back then you could see the line going off the rails. The later vehicles had no sculpted details and were almost just shells with wheels
When I watched this, I IMMEDIATELY said, "That damn thing looks like an iron!!" 😆
@bjpalm1994 with few details to boot. 1990 was the last good year for vehicles, imo.
I used allowance money to send away for the Pogo, I couldn't WAIT for it to show up!!!
they lost me after the air craft carrier. that was a work of art. 1 kid in the neighborhood had it and we didn't take it outside or anything, which made it kind of a white elephant.
I was going to suggest the "Battle Force 2000" line (other then the jet), but those last few years were crazy.
Yeah, the vehicles were okay but the fort sucked hard
Regarding bad vehicle design, in addition to the bright color schemes that plagued the later Joe and Cobra vehicles. I was always annoyed by the fact the cockpits and the gunner’s stations/seats on some of the later vehicles like the H.A.V.O.C and the Rolling Thunder had no armor protection. Cross-Country up in his little gunner’s seat atop the H.A.V.O.C. always reminded me of a parade float.
Yeah, The Havoc also feels really not good ergonomically. Like, you really want to fight lying down in a cockpit?
@@DestroIsMySpiritAnimal My back hurts just thinking about it. BTW I just got my Joe Classified Dragonfly last week and it is so cool! I hope that they do a tricked out Classifieds version of the Cobra FANG, because that was my favorite cobra vehicle as a kid.
Im glad you started this vid by saying the POGO was cool, cause i had it as a kid and i loved it. Didn't have all the other stuff you talked about, some were nice and the RAT had potential... i see you received your Dragon Fly, that thing looks AMAZING!!!
Yeah, that Dragon Fly is awesome.
My first exposure to GI Joe was all the crazy wacky stuff from the 90s so i will gladly welcome the top 2 getting a Haslab in five years lol
When they started making the ninja force, the whole line was a joke after that, it was the beginning of the end.
I had those goofy backpack kart things, fair enough. But the Pogo, come on, that could be a rad little exploration craft
The Pogo rules. I need a classified Pogo. If they can make Raptor, they can make the Pogo
I love the Manta! Got one for my collection lol! A slow movie but quiet! The Defender lol! I wanted it at one time. It’s mix feeling.
I like to think the GI Joe squad has zero RnD department and just comes up with this themselves.
"Hey guys, i put i giant rotating ax on a lawnmower! I'm trying it out in our next battle!"
"Hopefully I'll have the RPG wired to my Power Wheel in time!"
I would love to see the Pentagon officials responsible for GI Joe's procurement department come up with excuses to defund programs such as the M2 Bradley so that they can finance a Pogo assembly line in some congressman's district in Texas or Missouri.
Muskrat shoots a Cobra trooper in the face.
Muskrat: "LOL, did you see the look in his face? It's gone now, but did you see the look on hid face?"
As I became a teen in the 90s, I would occasionally look at the toy aisle to see the new Joes and Transformers. The gaudy colors they started using and a bunch of crappy looking vehicles. Made me feel lucky I experienced the 80s.
I liked the Pogo. I only used it for that Darth Vader Cobra Commander like it was his life support machine (i was a child)
Vehicle pack is absolutely hysterical.
Ayyyyye, my favorite TH-camr dropping a video right when get out of work. Fantastic content as always.
Thanks! You rule
Fun fact: A real-life Pogo-style military vehicle was proposed and patented in the 1940s, although it had too many flaws to be seriously considered. It was called the Wallace Leaping Tank.
Your first double wham should have been for Tomax & Xamot 😂😂😂😂😂 Plus the car looked like a small riding lawn mower too😂😂😂😂
Great vid for a Friday evening
Oddly enough I remember buying both Pogo, Slam, and featured characters from their introduction in Marvel comic. Guesss Larry Hama’s writing really sold me on these otherwise ridiculous vehicles.
I remember saving my earnings from chores/neighborhood work and walking down to Longs Drugstore to buy the pogo. I used it as a pop-up defensive turret.
That nerf missile looks fun af
Great and funny video!! I was laughing so much but you hit the nail on the head!! I think I had all of those in my old collection!!! Keep these coming!!!
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it
I've got a few honorable mentions for this list:
- Rolling Thunder. Unless they developed some new kind of ICBM engines, you're going to fry/asphyxiate pretty much everyone on the vehicle. The only one with a chance is the guy who gets to drive away in the little go-kart. And the guys in the rear turret are going to get a facefull of rocket exhaust from their missile.
- Cobra Battle Barge. It didn't do anything. Just kinda floated there. But it had 3 huge machine guns and giant radars. You really should have included the Cobra Battle Barge in this list. It didn't do anything. Just kinda floated there. But it had 3 huge machine guns and giant radars.
- Rope Walker. If you're going to include the wind-up backpack vehicles, you should probably throw this one in the list. It would slowly dangle a Joe from a rope and inch his way toward the target. See also: the Cobra Rope Crosser. That one had a sling for the figure to sit in like a playground swing.
This last one is strange, because it's only a part of a vehicle, and it's part of probably the BEST GI Joe vehicle. I'm talking about the little motorbike that came with the Killer WHALE hovercraft. That thing was just goofy.
With the sonic ones, they just slotted into the back of most characters with the back peg...which had a tendency to snap off. You needed a screwdriver to replace the batteries for the damn things.
For the Coastal Defender, it isn't that bad when you consider that it's more of an expansion for other vehicles since it's meant to be towed around and dropped off in places.
I actually liked the RAT, the main issue was that unlike the various missile weapons, the flak blades would launch in ways you couldn't predict but it was still fun...though if there was one on both sides and the spinning cutting blades on the front didn't jam up with any kind of pet hair or grass to prompt field repairs it would have been a lot better. If it had a sealed underside and could float like the the commercials that showed it rocketing down rivers and through swamps, it would have been cooler...especially since it was advertised as opposition for the Joe submarine thing
I'm glad to see someone else who loves the Pogo as much as I did. On the other hand, I hated the Armadillo, Ferret, and especially the stun. Just for some reason, those 3 never did anything for me.
It's not a Power Wheel. What you were thinking of (according to the video) was the Big Wheel. Sorry, don't wanna be that guy. I loved my Big Wheel, parents couldn't afford a Power Wheel. But I always wanted one.
Yes, thank you. Big Wheel. Power wheel was a thing, but Big Wheel was the one everybody had. I brain-farted making the video
This is hilarious. Glad I found your show. Keep it up.
Thanks!
I clicked in order to defend the Pogo, so I'm glad it was just clickbait.
However, the Manta and Coastal Defender aren't worse than these 80's vehicles: Cobra Battle Barge, Arctic Blast, Radar Rat and Tri-Blaster, let alone some of the junk from the 90's.
The Manta is not a vehicle to ride into battle. It's a stealthy way to land troops on shore, like the Cobra Night Landing.
And the Coastal Defender is simply a missile trailer like the MMS, but with the added capability to disguise itself as a nondescript cargo crate. Of course it's not as cool as riding into combat in the A.W.E Striker, but it's a utilitarian piece of equipment, not a status symbol.
Apart from those two, you were on the money with the rest.
I see you're points
What's wrong with Arctic Blast? Someone just bought mine for $25 complete with Windchill driver so I want to make sure and not tell the buyer what you say lol
@@danalvin1184 $25? Sounds like he bought the figure, and you threw in the vehicle as a bonus!
I think the concept of the flak rotor on the Cobra Rat were, if missiles came at the Rat from the sides, the rotors would be launched, the spinning blades forming improvised shields, impacting with, and blowing up the missiles, before they could hit the Rat, the spinning blades deflecting the shrapnel around them, and back in the direction it came from, rather then allowing it to continue forward momentum towards the Rat. Most likely, both would launch at the same time, so, they would only have one use to save them from missile attacks. More then likely, the spinning of the blades created enough heat to draw in heat seeking missiles, as well as providing protection from normal ones.
That's kinda cool.
the Pogo makes sense if it's used for defending a base high in the mountains, the three legs can keep it stable on a very steep slope, the guns point down to where a road would be coming up the mountain or used to cause an avalanche to block roads, and the upward missiles are defense against aircraft. Plus several Pogos can be used to create a communication network relaying messages from one another in locations where normal signals might be blocked by mountain peaks.
I have to say that I agree with your list, even though I have a lot of these vehicles in my collection. 😅 I think the Cobra RAT would be my choice as worse. Anyways, I also wanted to mention two things. It was the Talking Commanders that had the backpack that needed to be unscrewed to remove, the Super Sonic Fighters just had the oversized backpacks that never stayed on, maybe that is why Hasbro decided to screw the backpacks for the Talking Commanders. As for Fort America, I don't think it was Transformers that inspired it, because at that time Transformers were basically non-existent, those were dark times for a Transformers fan. I have always thought it was to cash in on a concept from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles toyline. They had things like a pizza restaurant that was really an ooze cannon, and others among that vein.
What makes the Rat suck is that it is so close to being something cool but was poorly made. The design aesthetic is pretty cool, but it's just a plastic shell
I loved the Pogo too and M.A.N.T.A but yeah even as a kid I hated the Tank Car and ATV, if you think it's crap as a kid ITS CRAP!. Enjoyed this video
Flak rotor is deadly, like a runaway wheel on the freeway
Cobra said "Hit'em with the spinaroonie!"
I had a later version of the 12" wind surfing rig and as a kid I never thought it was anything but awesome, I think I have a guy with a wetsuit so it made slightly more sense.
During WW II, there was a patent for the Wallace Leaping Tank that would have worked much like the Pogo. There is little to no evidence that it ever got out of the drawing board stage.
On the other hand, both the US and British had small, motorized scooters intended to be used for message carrying and to otherwise provide extended mobility to airborne troops. The US version was produced by Cushman and the British by Welbike. While both were too large and heavy to be jumped by the paratroopers themselves, they were carried in assault gliders and immediately put to use after landing. The idea of a packable scooter is not as absurd as it first seems.
I used the Rat as a batmobile of sorts for my Batman-esque crime-fighting version of Interrogator.
I'd watch that show
Lol...just before you said "other people have done this" I was like ....😖
Solid save 🤘
Also, HELL YEAH to the Pogo! It's GREAT! ✌️✌️✌️
Those vehicle packs are like the Joes are riding Big Wheels into combat 🤣
They look absolutely ridiculous
Although not exactly portrayed as such, the Pogo is an airdropped disposable vehicle that is meant to support airborne troops dropping in by parachute behind enemy lines.
The motorized vehicle and ATV pack is another disposable piece of equipment for light infantry scout and sappers to zip across the battlefield, as quickly as possible, to evade kamikaze drones.
That is an interesting way to look at it.
Thank you for sharing this. Also you just became my new favourite GI Joe reviewer
Thanks!
KABOOM! I find it super funny that the driver of the Ninja Pile Driver, T'Gin-Zu got a new figure In the G.I. Joe Dollar General Exclusive series. But, he was instead called Storm Shadow instead of T'Gin Zu! The poor guy was so bad that he didn't even deserve the correct name.
I would say the function of the Coastal Defender is meant to be a SAM or ASM stationary battery. The box mode would be just for deployment, towed, and once in the coast to be defended, the system would be assembled.
The end of the line for me ? Modifying the Classic Hiss tank with a Red body ,yellow mutant canopy and a yellow water pistol firing "chemical waste sludge" . And then ,the final nail ?
Naming it the "Septic Tank".
Ever have the feeling the designers at Hasbro had simply run out of snake-related puns and words by this point ?
Pogo is one the best and underrated vehicles in 82-94 line. Fun and different.
For 9, 8, and 7 entries harken back to the days of the Adventure Team vehicles that break down for transport. Good for the Adventure Team, lousy for the military line.
It wasn't the super sonic fighters who had screwed on backpacks. That was the Talking Battle Commanders. Though given they both had electronic backpacks the confusion is understandable.
Oh right. I just remember using a tiny screwdrv=iver for something
@@DestroIsMySpiritAnimal The super sonics did require a screwdriver for replacing the batteries.
But their big issue was the peg to slot them into the back holes on figures was relatively fragile
Hell yeah brother. I love the Pogo too. The Pogo and Buzz Boar both were great low cost vehicles.
About the Ninja Raider spinning vehicles... I believe they may have stolen the idea from an issue of DC comics, for this one. I don't remember which it was, other then it was a Firestorm comic, but, there was one issue where one of his armored enemies was taking out a tank designed to take down several aircraft at once... and the thing had a giant sledgehammer on a metal arm attached to the front of it, for some reason.
Could you do a list of the best or your favorite Joe and Cobra small vehicles/playsets? The ones that did not come with figures. I enjoy your videos and would love to hear your opinions.
Wow, you choose violence within the first minute of the video! 😮😂
Edit: Good list, even with the Troublebubble slander.😊
Small point of correction: it was the talking battle commanders figures that had the permanently attached backpacks.
Subscribed within the first 15 seconds. Don't care about other Channel lists, You are my Retro Connect, so ramble away, brother!
I still have all my joes and weapons they came with
I used the MANTA as a surfboard for Rock 'N Roll....
I’ve never seen the 9 and 8, so kudos to you, and so amazing dumb!
Manta, nah that is not a top 10 worst, I’ve never used it in backpack form or for combat, but only like a stealthy night landing thing. Even got the 90s 12” version.
90s had a lot of shat vehicles lol.
Besides the Manta, a good list 🤣👍
Yeah, I enjoyed the MANTA as a kid, but in retrospect, it would move really, really slow
Manta Crew!!!
Okay piledriver, battle axe, the GI Joe mini bike and that ridiculous partner vehicle for the mini bike definitely belong on this list. And frankly I'm surprised you're the first person to put them on the list. Everything else though while it might be crap nowhere near top 10 crap. And things like the rat as a kid I spray painted that, actually came out pretty. good
The Trouble Bubble is essentially the belly gunner seat on Flying Fortress
Man, I wish we lived down the street from each other as kids, we would have had a blast!!! LOL!! Between us both we probably would have had everything in the Joe universe.
That’s what I thought! No one would ever say the Road Toad! We NEED Haslab of it!
Flak is commonly used to defend AGAINST missiles. You know that scene they added to the hobbit where the elves and dwarves are fighting, and the elves fire a bunch of arrows, so the dwarves fire one big arrow that spins and unfurls sails to sweep up the arrows in mid-air? Think that. If they loaded up a spinning rotor with ball-bearings and fired it into the air as a missile was approaching, they might distract or damage the missile enough that it wouldn't damage the vehicle. Assuming you don't also claymore-mine yourself.
Interesting
@@DestroIsMySpiritAnimal Traditional uses of 'flak' are the anti-aircraft guns of ww2. They'd fire a shell into the air that then burst apart in a cloud of heavy shrapnel, like a shotgun shell, to punch holes in enemy planes. It's an interception-weapon. Modern uses are like the CIWS (I think) on aircraft carriers, the automated turrets with machine guns to shoot down incoming missiles.
I used to get a box every Christmas of GI joe and Transformers rejects from an uncle who worked at Hasbro back in the 80's. If only I had known....
It’s really nice to see some else who enjoys the cobra pogo. I use to defend this vehicle on pit forums back in late 90s that many people would say it was the worst vehicle cobra ever design I mention the rat so many people would say they don’t collect 90s joes so they crap on me more.
Let’s talk about the detonator for moment. I agree with all what you brought up but if you take away the whole plunger gimmick and replace it with a missile system like with rolling-thunder then we could have something pretty awesome. The actual design of the vehicle base is rather simple but really interesting and could see how be a great cobra mobile icbm launch a bit like the cobra
Imp.
But those backpacks vehicles like manta and tank and atv I quite fan of those both as kid and adult same with motorise backpacks too there something I do enjoy about them same with cobra hovercraft I quite fan of it along with hydro sled and cobra jet pack there something special about em perhaps it’s nostalgia playing with me here but I did buy these back in day and remember seeing and being excited about em and hanging over my pocket money for em that goes for the costal defender.
I do agree with you that Pile Driver and battle axe are terrible designs but I did like this concert for em and can kinda work in my imagination ori just influenced by George Miller. Picture in your mind a post apocalyptic world with joe and cobra vehicles were Resources are hard to come by bit like mad max setting. You could see these two vehicles take on a joe convoy to get at there resources.
But still nothing can win me over the rat being the worse joe vehicle ever and most poorly design one too. But I like to mention that destro dominator is on my list as a transforming helicopter into a tank just don’t work in my cannon and yes I saw it in dic cartoon and still it’s a terrible design and every time I look at it I think of mask. But anyway great video and was fun watch with my morning coffee
Yojoe
Thanks. I am glad to see many others who also loved the Pogo. Yeah, The Dominator would be awesome if you killed the nerf missiles and got rid of the plunger. I love its barracuda teeth/spikes
I had 'The Box' and the Cobra Pogo.
I always wanted the 'Trouble Bubble' I always thought it was a cool little vehicle and still do.
Fortunately I outgrew G.I Joe just as they lost their minds when the vehicle designs.
The 'Action Force' vehicles were some of the last G.I Joe toys I remember getting.
I like how they integrated the pogo into the star brigade later on. It’s an awesome looking Defiant assault vehicle. Its feet could magnetized to the hull. I’m going to repaint my pogo in cobra blue.
You’ve convinced me on the pogo 😂😂😂
It is awesome
as a Transformers fan with a passing interest in GiJoe (mostly just the part where the 2 intersect) The Fort America Battle Bunker looks hella cool. and i kinda want one now to display with my TFx GiJoe Collabs
I always thought the eco-warriors stuff seemed so cool….all those commercials made everything seem so badass
The Triple T was a glorified motorized wheelchair
Which exposed the driver to all kinds of fire/ bullets, etc. Yeah, it doesn't make much sense
@ A sniper’s dream 😂
Right? Completely insane. They coulda put a plow on the front and made it like an assault bulldozer but noooo.
@@feisarthe Killdozer before it was cool!🤣🤣🤣🤣
@@feisari had to GoogleImage that, I HAD THAT🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣I'd forgotten!
Agreed Pogo was amazing
Sir, the Manta does not deserve this shaming 😆
had the piledriver! didn't make sense to me even as a kid
Yes, kids are smart. We look at shit and go--that makes no sense
That pullback ATV RULED. Great to go along with the Desert Fox 6wd
Those two ninja vehicles remind me of BattleBots. I'm surprised there's not one designed to be a flipper to tip over the other two ninja vehicles.
Needed a 2-man TrubleBubble & title it "DubbleBubble". Yeezy model Pogo: "YeeGo"! And CrystalBall has his version of PileDriver called the "Vertical Smile Diver". According to CB's card, he created the "alphabet" lick technique. Serious Up
It's the reverse-Letterman; start off with corny ones and slap 'em with the Smut at the end.
Bro, I loved the POGO too!!
The problem with the POGO is how it is portrayed in its use. In the commercial this thing was some sort of helicopter (doubt it had the fuel needed to do that with rockets. In the comic they showed it bouncing around like crazy.
IF a vehicle like this existed it would serve Cobra operations well by providing anti air defense in locations that were difficult to reach in the mountains. Use the rockets to get to your site or redeploy if discovered. The hydraulic legs allow landing and stability on uneven terrain. The small laser provides limited anti-infantry defense.
Also, the backpacks for the Super Sonic Fighters were removable as the normal backpacks were. He's thinking of the Talking Battle Commanders which was the first version of Overkill that we received.
That makes sense. I remember unscrewig somebody's backpack
These are perfect examples of how success can ruin something. I think Hasbro by the late 80’s was simply making everything that was pitched during design meetings. The quality of the figures and vehicles took a nose dive.
My two favorite (OG) vehicles were the Cobra Hiss Tank and the GI Joe Jeep!
As a weapons platform, the Coastal Defender sucked. However, if you lose the missiles, repaint the control panel/seat a less gawdy color, and add a custom diesel generator to this thing, then you have a mobile communications station for your G.I. Joe firebase. To be fair, I've seen worse "budget" vehicles in the 1987 run....for example, the Road Toad, which looks more like a scaled-down version of a "kit-bashing" of a flatbed trailer for transporting tanks and artillery.
I only got the Viper fro the Sonic Fighters line and his ridiculous oversized gold backpack attached with the peg like every other accessory.
I only remember the coastal defender. I don't remember any of the other ones. Makes me wonder what else I missed.
THE DREADNOK SWAMP BEAST!!!!
WH40K 2nd edition's over there, furiously taking notes to advance their own jank
Edit: quite possibly ties for my quickest like on a video due to a shared love of silliness.
Edit: Pogo the precursor to drop pods? Sorry, couldn't help but thinking about it during your discussion
You could use that Joe Box Gimmick Vehicle as like a trojan horse. "Mr. Commander we have a package you need to sign for" then SURPRISE !!!!! "Dammitt Major Bludd!!! I told you to quit ordering stuff off WISH to our HQ! You see why now? I told you this would happen!"
I was a poor kid and only had enough money for the POGO. It was cool to me!
The pogo rules!
I had the Fort America when i was young and i honestly thought it was one of the better vehicles of the last years. I genuinely enjoyed it and have it in my current collection. They are ridiculous but i absolutely love the tank car and ATV. The vehicles for the most part were dumb and lazy in after 91. Only like the Battle Wagon, Ft. America, Headquarters, Storm Eagle and Liquidator.
It is weird, but I;m sure it was fun to play with!