There’s been no shortage of Mandalorian and Grogu toys ever since Baby Yoda first graced our TV screens on Disney Plus. A 1:1-scale animatronic replica that can walk by your side, though, has to be the best one yet. That’s exactly what we’re getting with the Hasbro Pulse Star Wars Ultimate Grogu.
Designed to appear like a life-like recreation, the animatronic model can walk, laugh, and even invoke the Force by raising his arms forward and reaching out. All that motion is accompanied by sounds, too, allowing it to feel like a living, breathing creature right out of the Star Wars universe.
The Hasbro Pulse Star Wars Ultimate Grogu is a 1:1-scale model, so it’s the exact same size as the toddler character is supposed to be, as he appears on The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett. Standing at 14.6 inches tall, it’s such a detailed recreation, accurately capturing his large ears, beady eyes, and even the tiny standing hairs atop his ears and head. The skin is also soft, rather than plasticky, which means its probably some soft silicone compound that can pass off for alien skin. According to Hasbro, even the outfit is screen-accurate, from the robe and the chainmail to the satchel and Grogu’s protective rondel.
More importantly, it’s highly-articulated, incorporating four separate motors that power 18 different points of motorized articulation, allowing it to perform all sorts of actions, from opening its mouth and closing its eyes to tilting its head and moving its arms. It can even walk, albeit in the same plodding toddler walk the character does in the TV shows, so it won’t be keeping up with your strides if you want to walk with it down the street. There are also multiple touch sensors located across the character’s body, allowing it to recognize touch and respond accordingly, while onboard microphones let it interact with both the things you say and the different sounds around him. There’s an onboard speaker, too, which allows the character to make expressive noises, squeals, and other sounds.
The Hasbro Pulse Star Wars Ultimate Grogu comes with a total of over 250 animations that combine movements and sounds, making it feel like you’re interacting with a real alien creature any time you’re playing with this thing. For instance, when you talk to it, it will supposedly lean its head towards you to look like it’s listening, while sudden sharp noises in the vicinity will cause it to squeal in surprise. The model is powered by an internal battery that’s rechargeable via USB-C. In case you run out of charge, by the way, there’s also a battery slot that takes four D-cell units, which can come in handy for those times you don’t have time to plug in.
It offers three interactive modes. There’s the full-feature Explore mode that has it responding to your inputs, whether verbal or physical, as well as a Grab & Go mode that’s less reactive (they say this is ideal for cosplaying with Grogu in tow). Lastly, there’s a Display mode, which lets it cycle through different poses until you find the one you like, which it holds in place.
