It would be a blackened lie if I tried to say I was a huge fan of the Mega Bloks Halo Universe Metal Series figures, but I decided I wanted to give the Halo Metal Series vehicles a chance. And what better vehicle to do that with than the largest one MEGA Brands has released thus far–the UNSC Scorpion? I definitely like the Scorpion a lot more than the figures, but is it worth your $20?

The Right:

What really sets this die-cast vehicle apart from other Halo die-cast vehicles, such as the ones by Jada Toys (besides the fact that Jada hasn’t made a Scorpion yet), is the fact that this isn’t just a die-cast UNSC Scorpion–it’s a die-cast toy of a Mega Bloks UNSC Scorpion. Though you don’t “build” the Scorpion at all, it’s covered in faux-studs and looks like its really made of Mega Bloks from underneath! It’s fun, it’s novel, and I think the idea of this is really ingenious.

Collectors used to die-cast toy lines like Hot Wheels or Pixar Cars will be surprised to find that this die-cast UNSC Scorpion actually has several smart and well-executed features. The hatch on the top of the Scorpion can be left lowered or raised to show the UNSC Spartan driving the tank, which is a neat and unexpected touch. In addition, each of the four treads on the iconic Halo tank are independent, so you can maneuver them however you please and make the Scorpion look natural even on rugged, bumpy surfaces. It sounds like a little thing, but it makes a big difference inmate appeal of the vehicle and works really great.

But chief among the features of the Halo Metal Series Scorpion is its coolest feature: a fully rotatable turret. The turret on the UNSC Scorpion can be swiveled a full 360 degrees, and can even be angled to shoot slightly upward or downward. But that’s not all! The set includes a large missile that can be launched by pressing the back of the turret, and the firing action is surprisingly strong and accurate. I’m not a stickler for toys that really shoot things, but I really enjoy the mechanism designed into the Scorpion.

Finally, I totally love the chunks of interlocking terrain that come with this and other Halo Mega Bloks Metal Series sets. The Battlescapes in the general Halo Mega Bloks line are a bit of a tough sell at around $40 each, and I would be ecstatic if MEGA Brands ever decided to package individual Halo Mega Bloks sets with pieces of expandable terrain like the ones that come with their Metal Series.

The Wrong:

I understand that this vehicle is die-cast, and metal is expensive, but I’m just not real happy about a vehicle that’s about 4″ long costing $20 plus tax. Once you get this out of the box, the vehicle feels small, and the figures only add about a dollar’s worth of value. At $15, I think the Metal Series UNSC Scorpion would be much closer to being a worthwhile value.

As for the UNSC Scorpion itself, the only thing that’s really bugging me is that all of the rubber antennas and appendages are ridiculously cheap and floppy. The large antenna coming off the turret was already warped coming out of the package and is permanently bent, unable to support its own weight. Considering that the purpose of having a die-cast metal vehicle is to make it look high-quality, this is a real oversight and let-down.

Finally, I outright hate the figurines in this set and the Mega Bloks Halo Universe Metal Series as a whole. The figures in this set are better-made than the ones I got in the Red Battle Pack I bought, but they still look like something out of 1988. The Spartan driver is particularly ridiculous-looking, fully-outstretched at 90 degrees to place into the cockpit. Galoob gave Star Wars Action Fleet drivers multiple points of articulation 20 years ago, so I don’t know why we’re stuck with these unarticulated little statue figurines today.

If you own any of the other vehicles or Battle Packs, you already have these figures (likely in different colors), so you know exactly what to anticipate here. The Halo Universe Metal Series 1 vehicles may grow on me, but I suspect I’ll always see the figures as being downright awful.

“Where Can I Buy It?!”
The Mega Bloks Halo Universe Metal Series initially appeared only at Walmart stores, but eventually it spread to Toys R Us and other chains as well. I’d advise against purchasing the set from Toys R Us, where it’ll run you an extra $5, but pretty much everywhere else the UNSC Scorpion 97039 is readily available for $19.99 + tax.

Overall: I like the Mega Bloks Halo Universe Metal Series UNSC Scorpion 97039 infinitely more than I like the figurines from the same series. A lot of love obviously went into the design of this vehicle, and the execution makes this set a winner. The opening hatch, independent treads, and awesome turret make this one of my favorite renditions of the Scorpion (not that we’ve seen a ton). On the flip side, I feel like the die-cast tank is a little undersized to be a fair value at $20, the rubber parts of the Scorpion are far too weak, and the micro figures included with the set are as underwhelming as ever. While I don’t think this set is a must-have or anything like that, it’s a nicely-done iteration of the iconic Halo tank that fans may want to consider purchasing.