WWE Mattel Memories: Retro Series Six

Good day to you! It’s time for yet another fabulous foray into fighting figures. I’m talking of course about ~~Hasbro~~ Mattel Retro Memories!

If you’re all new or need to catch up, we’ve been taking an in depth, series by series look at both the 1990’s WWF Hasbro figure line, as well as the ongoing “tribute” line by Mattel (aka Mattel Retros).

If that sounds super fun and you have time to kill, check out the links below to read all of the ones we’ve published so far. It’s ok, we’ll wait.

And away we go!

RETRO SERIES SIX

Retro Series Six is the final batch of WWE Retro toys that Mattel put out in 2018. I’m still waiting to see any of them on shelves (same for Series Four and Five, for that matter), but they started hitting online shops around October/November.

Like the previous series, Retros Series Six features three current Superstars and one classic. Unlike Series Five, which featured all three New Day members, Series Six gives us some good diversity.

Series Six is again packaged on red cards and still promotes that WWE Mayhem app, which I have never even played. That means we still get the awful bases, which I’ve already complained repeatedly about. Long story short, the bases are cheap, foot pegs are often in a bad spot, and they take away from the overall “Retro” feel of the line.

I got Retro Series Six as a Christmas present from my mom. I sent her a link to Megalopolis.toys to buy them, so she got one big batch for like $55 shipped, which isn’t bad. I’m not a good enough son to have found a promo code for her. Having to buy these latest series online, in my opinion, takes away a lot of the fun of collecting them, but hey, at least I’m not sitting here still waiting to find Series Four at Target.

BRAY WYATT

GRADE: A-

It’s a hot start as we look first at The Eater of Worlds. Bray Wyatt has been a popular character in WWE for several years now, so it’s great to see him make his Hasbro-style debut. Bray has a good over-the-top gimmick, too, which lends itself to the line.

The likeness is really great here, they got Bray’s face and beard right on. Bonus points for the detailed tattoos. I’d liked to have seen a fedora accessory, but that’s just wishful thinking.

My only real complaints are Bray’s lack of a neck (between the beard and long hair, he looks a little hunched) and the plain black T-shirt. With Bray’s long history of cool merch, they could’ve at least slapped “Follow The Buzzards” on there or something cool. Not sure what to make on that one. Kevin Owens’ T-shirt says “KO”, so we know they have the technology.

Speaking of Owens, Bray uses the same “fat guy” mold as Kevin. His action is similar too, with the same pull-and-release torso to perform the “Sister Abigail”. It’s kind of a ho-hum action, but it’s not like we needed another fig with wind up arms, anyway.

DANIEL BRYAN

GRADE: B-

2018 was a banner year for Daniel Bryan. After being unable to compete for nearly three years and instead serving as the General Manager on Smackdown Live, Bryan made his return to the ring at Wrestlemania 34.

What a way to cap that year off, then, to see him immortalized in 4 inches of plastic!

Daniel’s likeness is, well, not awesome. He looks a little too angry. Turns out, that goes right with Bryan’s heel turn in November, but I’m not letting you off the hook that easy Mattel – don’t act like you knew about that when you made him.

D-Bry’s beard isn’t near as good as Bray either, and his haircut is off. Since everything above the Flying Goat’s neck is 90% hair, getting the haircut and beard wrong severely diminishes the likeness.

Bryan has that psuedo-handleback mold that we saw in Finn Bálor and kind of dates all the way back to the Hasbro Marty Jannetty. It’s not awesome, but at least there’s not a giant handle on his back. You push the figure’s torso down to perform the “Running Knee”. I’m trying not to be sarcastic about the figure actions, but if someone can tell me how Daniel Bryan can run with his legs fused together, that would be great.

STING

GRADE: C

Back in Retro Series Four, I took Mattel to task for a lazy repaint of Kevin Owens. At the time, I didn’t realize that the repaint had been a last-minute substitute for Enzo Amore, who parted WWE on bad terms.

I guess that makes sense, but what’s this Sting’s excuse?

We already got Sting in his iconic “Crow” look back in Retro Series Two. That figure must have been a big seller, because Mattel has slapped some red paint on him and called him Wolfpac Sting. Wow!

To be fair, red-and-black Wolfpac Sting is a cool look. You know what else is a cool look? Early 90’s Sting. You know what else is a cool look? Not having two handleback Stings. You know what else is a cool look? Releasing four new characters that have never been in the line.

I’m totally down with the multiple versions of Hulk Hogan and Ultimate Warrior that Hasbro did in the original line. But none of those were repaints – there were all new figures with all new molds. Why do we need to clog up the Retro line with repaints?

Bottom line – Wolfpac Sting looks cool, but he’s no different from Crow Sting, who was a B figure at best. Of course, collectors are going to buy him no matter what and hey, Wolfpac Sting has TWO scorpions painted on him instead of one!

SHINSUKE NAKAMURA

GRADE: A

Let’s close this one on a high note! Nakamura made his main roster debut for WWE right after Wrestlemania 33, so that makes him maybe the “newest” character to be released in the Retro line.

The King of Strong Style makes a strong first impression, too. Great expression, if not a little too kind. I guess this Shinsuke fig was before Nakamura became the low blow champion of the WWE. I’m REALLY down with Nakamura’s hair.

Shinsuke debuts a new action, meant to mimic the real-life Nakamura’s “Kinshasa” finisher. Like Sami Zayn, Nakamura has a springloaded leg. However, since Nakamura’s move is a knee strike, his figure actually has a knee joint on his action leg. That is pretty cool!

The knee joint is really loose and, honestly, the much maligned bases are handy for displaying these springloaded leg figs. Still, I do love little innovations that add to the Retro line, whose actions feel a little stale.

WRAP-UP

RETRO SERIES SIX GRADE: B

The Mattel Retro line bounces back from a bad Series Five, but not that hard. The Sting repaint really killed the grade on this one, and I just can’t forgive another repaint, even if it’s slightly more interesting than the “Fight Owens Fight” KO.

The packaging issues from the last several series still exists. These red card retros with the bases just lose a lot of the nostalgia. I do like the images of the Superstars that are used, though, so there’s that.

Overall, Series Six is decent from a play perspective. You get two great figures in Nakamura and Bray Wyatt and a long awaited Daniel Bryan who is just decent. Wolfpac Sting can go take a flying leap, which is convenient, since he has a handleback.

That wraps it up for another Mattel Retro Memories! I’ll be back soon to finally bring you Hasbro Series Ten! As for the Mattel Retros, Megalopolis.toys is currently listing Series Seven for March!

Good Brothers Wrestling

A Wrestling Blog & Home of the Good Brothers Wrestling Podcast

WWE Mattel Memories: Retro Series Six