Last year, Walmart and other big box stores carried Arcade 1-Up's classic arcade game cabinets.  They're a little smaller, but with a riser they're roughly normal height.  At E3 this week, they announced Star Wars with The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi included.   It looks like the old stand-up unit from roughly 1983, which admittedly isn't as cool as the cockpit cabinet but it's neat.  We're told it'll be under $500.

In "I can't believe it either" news, a bunch of the 1990s Star Wars video game library is coming back in print!  Limited Run Games announced a bunch of retro game cartridge and boxed PC software reissues - Monkey Islands, Dark Forces, and so on.  The games are expected to have extras, and most special physical games include things like posters, maps, or other fun flat things.  We don't know what these will be yet, and I speak from experience that the NES and GameBoy Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back games were not impressive when they were new.  (Shadows of the Empire was great, though.) 

Weirdly this 2019 reissue of Han Solo (Carbonite, The Vintage Collection) did not get Hasbro's fancy new face painting.  Rather, it got a playset, a vintage cardback, and a magnet in the back of the carbonite block.  All in all, still a worthy purchase.  Read on!

This week in Q&A - Block Party Summer! Or rather, there's a new Carbonite block - is it different enough to warrant buying? Also the rest of 2019 is shrouded in mystery! With good cause! Read on!

Be sure you send in your questions for next time. Our mail bag is empty. Read on!

What has Derryl DePriest been up to?  Since exiting Hasbro, he, Rich Alot, and D. Martin Myatt have started work on a new book! The hardcover Star Wars The Vintage Collection Archive Edition Book covers the 3 3/4-inch line and if the stretch goals hit, some of its black-and-silver siblings.   I was waitint a few hours to see if it would smash its goal on the first day - and it has been a very successful Kickstarter.  In addition to the book, a really cool poster is coming too.  Click here and check it out.

Also at Target in the clothing section this week is Han Solo (Stormtrooper, The Vintage Collection) which seems to be a retooled Sandtrooper from 2009 with an all-new head.  The hair seems to be a separately molded piece, and the new-style face paint makes this an even better Harrison Ford portrait.  Read on!

At a Target near you - most likely near Menswear, possibly near golf stuff and BBQ tongs - is this pretty great Luke Skywalker (Stormtrooper, The Black Series 6-Inch)  upgrade.  We first saw the head sculpt previewed at HasCon in a diorama with no real fanfare, and now we have it on the Stormtrooper Luke body complete with commlink, whiter plastic armor, and a lot of dirt.  Let's say it's dirt.  Let's not think about what brown smudges in a space station's sewer really are.  Read on!

This week in Q&A - Deleted scene figures! You know I love 'em. Also The Future of High Price Points will affect people like you in the future. We also have an opening for next week.

Be sure you send in your questions for next time. Our mail bag is empty. Read on!

With a new head, this Han Solo (Echo Base, The Vintage Collection)  is probably worth a look.  Harrison Ford never looked  better, is what I would like to say, but the just-released Stormtrooper one is even better.  This is still plenty good.  Read on!

While it still doesn't have ankle joints, the ship of Theseus that is the 2004 version of this figure begets the Imperial TIE Fighter Pilot (The Vintage Collection)!  Packed with a big-wing TIE Fighter, the helmet is glued to the molded-in-black head and has unique deco.  So, add one to your armies if you're so inclined.  Read on!

This week in Q&A - Let's talk tariffs! Are your toys going to get more expensive just as stores seem to be phasing out Star Wars? Distribution! The mail bag must be empty if we're going there now. And does size matter - no wait, this is about scales. Well, close enough, that sounds more audacious. Read on!

Be sure you send in your questions for next time. Our mail bag is empty. Read on!

Hasbro tricked you into buying a 42-year-old board game you didn't want so you could own the Grand Moff Tarkin (The Retro Collection).  It's appropriately old-school feeling, and you can see it borrows elements from the Imperial Commander figure from The Empire Strikes Back line. They even left the gloved hands and painted them in a flesh color, with some modifications to the right hand's fingers to better grip a gun.  Hasbro did a good job here - should you run out and buy it?  Read on!

The 2019 Princess Leia Organa (Hoth, The Vintage Collection) is an improvement from the 2010 release.  The head has been given the new face-printing technology and she has a less-pale fleshtone.  The outfit is cleaned up with no layer of dirt or grime on it.  Also, you can probably order it online right now.  Read on!

This week in Q&A - Meet the new stores! Well... they might be the same as the old stores. If they happen at all. Size in Star Wars! Digital assets are a thing now, are they hurting toy development? Well, yeah, but it's not like I can tell y'all all of why just yet. Also themes, which like memes are everywhere.

Be sure you send in your questions for next time. At press time I've got one question on deck for next week. Read on!

This new Luke Skywalker (Endor, The Vintage Collection)  is the 2010 figure with new packaging and new paint on the head.  Other than that, it's pretty simialr to what you got a long time ago - are things like improved lips and eyes worth the upgrade?  Read on!