A Quick Look at Some ReBoot Merchandise

I hope you've been enjoying the Rapidly Reviewing ReBoot articles as they've been reupped to the blog these past few weeks. In order to add some fresh content to the blog and to be a nice little sidetrack, I figured we'd look at just how much merchandise and side stuff there was for ReBoot. As its well known, ReBoot saw the most success in Canada, its home and native land. And so the merch sold for the cartoon was mostly seen up here. But that doesn't mean the states and other places didn't get their hands on some alphanumeric swag.

ACTION FIGURES

Irwin Toys picked up the rights to a toy line for ReBoot. Starting in 1994, they would pump out several official lines for new content as the series ran for its first three seasons. The original set saw all the main characters get toys. Bob, Dot, Enzo, Frisket, Phong, Hack, Slash, Megabyte and Hexadecimal. Following toy lines saw gimmicks added like color changing with water, special CD-Roms available with the toy and special variants based on different moments from the series including Bad Bob, Dot in her dress from "Talent Night" and Web Creature Hex. They didn't limit themselves to just figures either as both Bob's car and the Exo-skeleton from Infected were added too.

So if you wanted your Aliens action on the side, the Exo-Skeleton worked fine.

Also released by Iwrin in 1994 were ReBoot mini playsets. This had hit just around the time Polly Pocket and Mighty Max were the rage. I remember wanting a Mighty Max set, but never got one. They always looked so cool. Though, knowing me, i'd have lost all the parts in a heartbeat. The sets released for the ReBoot line were based on the villains. There was even a playset based on MegaTruck from "Bad Bob". Now that would have been awesome to have.

TRADING CARDS

In 1995, Fleer picked up the rights to ReBoot trading cards. It was a one series line based entirely on season one. Actually a pretty decent size collection too. 175 cards basing on moments from every episode in the season. And it had all your favorite ReBoot characters like Dot, Megabyte...

Stripe. You know, all the key, pivotal characters around the world of Mainframe.

POGS

It was inevitable. If it existed in 1994, chances are there's a pog for it. Yes, there are probably actual Alf pogs. The milk cap toy/collection also had a ReBoot line. Again, like the trading cards, it was a one series line with images from the first season of the series. So if you want a really poorly cut picture of Hack and Slash on a small circular piece of cardboard, then these might be up your alley.

HOME MEDIA

ReBoot got a tone of home media over the years. Starting with VHS releases for season 1 and following with an early DVD line with episodes from season 3 and the two movies. The early versions of these were poor quality with slowed down audio for some reason. Thakfully for ReBoot fans Shout Factory delivered with the Definitive Mainframe Edition in 2011, giving fans easily the best resource for all their ReBoot media needs.

VIDEO GAMES

Seemingly out of nowhere, in 1998, ReBoot saw a video game release from Electronic Arts for the Playstation. The game contained in its cutscenes a completely original ReBoot story based around seasons 1-2. In the game you play as Bob who has to mend the tears caused by Megabyte, while also dealing with Hexadecimal. However, the gameplay is pretty awful as you control Bob on his zipboard with some of the worst tank controls on a PS1 game. This came out just before the dual analog stick became the norm with the system. It's an interesting curio from the franchise that is at least worth a look.

RIDES

ReBoot surprisingly had not one but two rides. In 1997, ReBoot: The Ride appeared at Playdium in Missisauga, Ontario. The plot involving Bob and Dot trying to help save Maxine, a search engine who is being attacked by Megabyte. The second and one that's more interesting to me is the sequel: Journey Intro Chaos, released later that year. In that one, Mike, Herr Doktor and the audience take a voyage into the warped mind of Hexadecimal. There isn't too much footage on either, but they definitely sounded like they would have been entertaining for at least one sit through.

And that really covers all the major ReBoot stuff. There was also the basics like apparel, puzzles and other little tchotchkes. Overall, not bad for a show that, if not for it being groundbreaking in its animation, probably would have faded out of the public consciousness way before its time. I hope you enjoyed this little nostalgia ride. If its well received, I may do others like this.