We go hands-on with this unique toy!
If you’re looking for a cool, Iron Man toy to grace your desk, boy do we have something special for you. UBTECH’s Iron Man MK50 is a neat little toy for the die-hard Tony Stark fan and is fully controllable via an Android or iOS.
Packaging and contents:
It’s clear that this particular Iron Man MK50 was made specifically to be a movie tie for this year’s massive blockbuster, Avengers Endgame. The movie’s logo can be seen on the carton sleeve, as well as a sneak peek at the actual Iron Man MK50 inside.
Once you open the box, you’ll see quick-start documentation, an AR mat, the toy itself as well as a long USB cable for charging.
A cartoony take on Iron Man
The actual toy is pretty big, coming in at around 30cm tall. UBTECH’s take on Tony Stark’s MK50 suit certainly isn’t for everyone, since it’s a very stylized, chunky version of the suit we’ve seen in the movies.
But the chunky exterior is necessary, thanks to the multitude of servos and motors that make the toy move.
Turning it on is pretty easy, as the switch is located at the rear of the neck. There’s a charging port hidden in one of the flaps at the shoulder.
Once you turn it on, the toy calibrates itself and goes through a startup sequence complete with lights and sound, including Tony Stark speaking.
Unfortunately, it’s pretty clear that it’s not actually Robert Downey Jr. that’s speaking the lines, but some voice actor that they hired to deliver a performance that’s close enough.
Once you turn on the toy, you can download the Android/iOS app and connect to it via Bluetooth. A quick tutorial will guide you through the functions of the MK50, which features a few Easter eggs about what happened in previous movies in the MCU.
There are three “Protocols” that you can use once you’re connected to the MK50: Nanotech Development, Mobile Command, and Iron Guard, with a fourth one that you can customize yourself.
Mobile Command is just a fancy way of saying remotely controlling the MK50. You can move its arms, head and make it move forward or backward.
You can also make it play pre-recorded snippets of audio, as well as pull back the faceplate of the MK50, revealing Tony’s face rendered on an LCD screen.
Nanotech Development is basically a way to play with the MK50 via an augmented reality game. You’ll need to use the included AR mat with the MK50, as well as ample room around it.
Iron Guard basically lets you set the MK50 as a sort of guard dog, spewing catchphrases when it detects motion, lights or sound.
You can also customize a protocol by yourself, as well as change the face in the LCD panel behind the helmet to your own.
There’s a lot of polish in the execution of the protocols as well as the AR game, despite the Tony Stark and Friday audio stand-in.
Verdict: It’s a great toy for the die-hard fan, but it’s pretty expensive
The Iron Man MK50 by UBTECH is a great little toy that has a surprising amount of charm once you get past its aesthetics. If you have a kid or nephew, they’ll definitely go crazy with the AR game and remote control functionality of this particular piece of Iron Man merchandise.
The biggest issue you’ll have with it is obviously cost. With the number of motors and servos in this thing, as well as the Marvel branding, UBTECH’s Iron Man MK50 isn’t cheap, retailing for around Php 16,990, distributed by Quantum Mobile Gears. That’s plenty of cash for a toy, but that’s small beans for the die-hard fan.
