Series 3 of Micro Galaxy Squadron introduces new models that will make every fan of the prequels like myself incredibly happy! Jedi Interceptors, Podracers, and the best LAAT ever designed are just some of the new releases.
It’s been almost a year since Jazwares launched the Star Wars Micro Galaxy Squadron line. This new collection of ships and vehicles includes multiple Star Wars media: Original, prequel, and sequel trilogies, Rogue One, animated shows like Clone Wars, Rebels, The Bad Batch, and shows like The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett and the Obi-Wan Kenobi Series.
After much hunting and some trading, I’ve finally gotten almost everything I want from Series 3. It’s time to see if Jazwares has improved their game or if they have a long way to go.
This is not a sponsored review, I paid for everything you see in the pictures.
Micro Galaxy Squadron Series 3 Lineup
The Micro Galaxy Squadron line is divided into different classes. These classes have different sizes, number of accessories included, and price tags that can go from $7.99 all the way up to $59.99 (Prices may vary depending on your location).
Scout Class
The Scout Class vehicles come in these mystery boxes. Each one includes a 2-inch vehicle with its respective 1-inch Micro Figure and a Fight Display Stand.
Just like with Series 1 and 2, there is a total of eight Scout Class Vehicles: Imperial Patrol Speeder (Patrol Trooper), Hover E-WEB (Stormtrooper), Treadspeeder (First Order Stormtrooper), Nikto Speeder Bike (Tusken Raider), BARC Speeder (Tech), 74-Z Speeder Bike (Snowtrooper)*, Flitknot Speeder (Count Dooku)* and Starhawk Speeder Bike (Cad Bane)**.
*Rare 1-of-15000
**CHASE 1-of-5000
In terms of lineup Series 3 is a downgrade from Series 1 and 2 but that’s expected. Not every Series is going to be full of iconic ships and vehicles. However, I was very lucky to get everything that I needed without having to buy multiple boxes. Tech, Cad Bane, and Count Dooku look amazing! The E-WEB came with a missing stand but it looks better without it so I don’t mind.
Light Armor Class
The smallest “real” ships of Micro Galaxy Squadron. A lot bigger than the Scout Class vehicles but not big enough to be a part of the Starfighter class. Light Armor Class ships and vehicles can include up to two 1-inch Mini Figures.
What we typically see on the Light Armor Class consists of fast, agile, and powerful ships that sacrifice shields and heavier weapons for maneuverability. Interceptor-type ships and TIE Fighters are what we typically see in this category.
Series 3 Light Armor Class vehicles: First Order TIE Fighter, Anakin Skywalker’s Jedi Interceptor, Obi-Wan’s Jedi Interceptor, Plo Koon’s Jedi Starfighter* and Aayla Secura’s Jedi Interceptor**.
Unlike Plo Koon’s ship, every other Jedi Starfighter is part of the Starfighter Class. This one doesn’t include the Hyperdrive docking ring so that’s probably why.
*Rare 1-of-15000
**CHASE 1-of-5000
Starfighter Class
Starfighter Class ships are bigger than the Light Armor ones. They are also heavier and with stronger weapons but sacrifice speed and agility.
The new Starfighter Class ships and vehicles include the V-Wing (Clone Pilot), Poe Dameron’s T-70 X-Wing, Anakin Skywalker’s Jedi Starfighter, General Grievous’s Starfighter*, and Poe Dameron’s T-70 X-Wing (Blue)**.
*Rare 1-of-15000
**CHASE 1-of-5000
Starship Class
Starships have powerful weapons, can transport multiple troops, and can do a lot of damage if the situation requires it. The Starship Class can have boarding ramps, opening panels or removable parts depending on the model. For Series 3, they include three two 1-inch Mini Figures.
The two new additions to the Starship Class are the Inquisitor’s Transport Scythe (Grand Inquisitor, Reva, Fifth Brother) and the Muunilinst Republic Gunship (ARC Troopers) from Genndy Tartatovsky’s Clone Wars (2003).
Boonta Eve Battle Pack
Battle Packs include enough ships to replicate a scene or a ship with lots of minifigures and extra accessories. Series 3 introduced the incredible Boonta Eve Battle Pack and four different versions of the LAAT. These are great options for those that love recreating specific scenes from movies and tv shows.
Jazwares Series 3 Collector’s Guide
Series 3 Features
Every new Series has shown improvement when it comes to details and paint job, from the small 1-inch figures up to the big Starships.
Series 3 didn’t have any vehicle wrongly scaled. This happened with Bo Katan’s Gauntlet Fighter in Series 2 and it was such a bummer to have such a great ship looking so out of place with the other ones. In fact, mine is not being displayed because of this.
It’s nice to have stands that support ships that need them. The Boonta Eve pack includes one for each racing pod, having them lay on the floor would be a little weird in my opinion.
I certainly hope that Jazwares eventually releases official stands or some sort of support platform for this line. Having to buy from third parties isn’t the worst thing in the world but I’d rather use my money on official and higher quality products.
There’s one small detail that I must point out, the Obi-Wan mini figure doesn’t match the looks of Revenge of the Sith. Instead, it’s the same one they used for the Jedi Starfighter that appears in Attack of the Clones. This is odd considering that Anakin’s figure does match his looks from the movie. I guess Jazwares really loves the mullet!
Distribution
After almost a year since its launch, it’s no big secret that distribution is probably the biggest problem of the Micro Galaxy Squadron line. It doesn’t matter where you live, getting everything without relying on trading or buying from other people is almost impossible.
The worst thing is that it’s not even a country or even a state difference. Even some stores within the same area might be stocked with MGS while others of the same chain have none.
Those of us who started collecting since Series 1 aren’t struggling as much as new collectors of MGS. Currently, it’s possible to find ships from Series 1, 2, 3, and even some of Series 4. Many stores skipped one or two waves so it’s not like the people could get everything from the same store.
Many stores in the US went from Series 1 to Series 4, while others got 1 and 3. And that’s just in the States. People in Europe, Asia, or Oceania have only gotten Series 1 and it’s been almost a year since that product first hit North America.
There are so many comments online of people who are quitting the line because of just how difficult it can be to get their favorite ships. Hunting, trading, and buying from someone else has always been a part of collecting but MGS is really taking everyone’s patience to the next level.
I have been very lucky to find almost everything I want with just a few exceptions like the extremely elusive Sabine Wren’s TIE Fighter but my struggle has been nothing compared to others.
The sad truth is that this isn’t Jazwares’ entire fault. Yes, they overproduced Series 1 and many of these ships are still sitting on shelves but it’s the retailers who order “x” quantity of product.
However, there is some good news regarding this topic. During SDCC 2023, Jazwares announced “The Vault”, a way for the consumer to directly buy from them. This is an attempt to help collectors get what they want without spending so much time hunting or paying obnoxious amounts of money to third parties.
It is supposed to launch in 2023 (though the image says 2024) and the people at Jazwares say that they’re taking a lot of measures to prevent the product from being acquired by bots. The plan is to launch it first in the US and then internationally. We shall wait and see how it’s executed but these are steps in the right direction.
Pros
The attention to detail has improved and the overall quality of the ships is still great. Some products are defective just like anything that is mass-produced, but the difference with other companies is that the Jazwares support team is great and they’ll replace the product or compensate the client if there’s a problem with the product.
With multiple Series now available it’s now possible to start fleet-building. This is one of the main reasons why I got into MGS and it’s finally becoming a reality.
I’m not the biggest fan of the weathering but other than that every ship and vehicle look pretty good. Multiple friends believe I’ve spent a lot more money on my collection just because of how good they look. It doesn’t matter if you want to play with them or just display them, almost every MGS ship and vehicle looks fantastic.
Maxwell Lux, the Senior Brand Manager at Jazwares constantly appears on Facebook lives that some members of the community do every now and then. This is where we’ve learned multiple times about upcoming releases, their approach to certain problems, and how possible (or not) it’s to see a specific ship.
I really appreciate the effort to be in touch with their consumers in an organic and friendly environment that doesn’t feel like a PR move. While not every one of our concerns might be solved in a way that pleases the majority, it’s still very refreshing to know that they are listening and more importantly, that they care about what we have to say.
Cons
Collecting Micro Galaxy Squadron requires a considerable amount of money and space. Up until Series 2 my shelves and wallet were fine but now I’m starting to think twice before buying multiple copies of a single ship. Don’t get me wrong, it’s great to be able to assemble a fleet but I have a limited amount of space and it’s going to get even more crowded.
Distribution issues are very frustrating. I don’t want to repeat what I just said in the distribution segment so I’ll just say that while I have been extremely lucky to get ninety-five percent of what I want, not many can say the same and I hope that things get better for everyone who’s still trying to get their favorite ships.
Rare and chase vehicles can be good or even great but I still don’t understand some of the decisions behind it. Sure, some repaints like all the X-Wings and even Sabine’s TIE are understandable but why choose a ship like Grievous Souless One and make it rare? I doubt it’ll be re-released with a different paint job.
General Grievous was very important in Revenge of the Sith and during the Clone Wars animated show. It makes little sense to make the Asajj’s Ginivex Starfighter a common ship and not Grievous’. As a long-time and die-hard Star Wars fan I’m obviously very biased and maybe there’s something that I’m missing but that’s just how I feel.
What’s next for the Star Wars Micro Galaxy Squadron toy line?
Series 4 was originally coming out in September but many of the ships have already appeared on shelves, that’s good for the collectors but bad for our wallets. If you can’t get them yet be patient, we still have until the end of the year to get Series 3 and 4.
Most of the Series 4 lineup (and even Series 5) was revealed during Star Wars Celebration 2023 but in case you’re not aware, this is what’s coming up with Series 4.
I find the Scout Class roster to be a lot better than Series 3. The list includes Echo + Swoop Bike, Luke + Speeder Bike, Scout Trooper + Speeder Bike, C-3PO + Escape Pod, Ewok + Glider, General Grievous + TSMEU-6 Wheel Bike (Rare), Captain Rex + BARC Speeder (Rare) and Paploo + Speeder Bike (Chase).
Starfighter Class new releases are going to make recreating epic space battles a lot easier with the Y-Wing, TIE Bomber, Wedge’s X-Wing (Rare) and even Biggs’ X-Wing (Chase)!
The light armor class ships are probably my favorite of this series. The Vulture Droid is a much-needed release for prequel and CIS fans. The TIE Interceptor is my favorite Imperial ship so to get not only the standard version but also the Royal Guard Tie Interceptor makes me incredibly excited. The A-Wing and Luke Skywalker’s Landspeeder are also fine additions.
The Battle of Hoth was my favorite moment as a kid and now it’s possible to make a diorama with the amazing AT-AT. The Imperial Shuttle looks impressive and the best thing is that the mini figures included are none other than Emperor Palpatine himself and his Imperial Royal Guards.
What’s your experience collecting Micro Galaxy Squadron? Is there a ship that you’d love to have? Personally, I’m really looking forward to getting the Ghost, Naboo N-1 Starfighters, and maybe something from the Old Republic era.
