Back in 1987, a new generation of Trekkies was about to be born. When Star Trek the Next Generation hit airwaves September 28, 1987, many of us had no idea the legacy that would soon follow. The show itself broke the rule that television budgeted special effects could not match that of feature-length films. Although the visual effects still fell behind large Hollywood blockbusters, they were a breath of fresh air and putting televised sci-fi dramas in the right direction.
This review will center not on the show, but one of Galoob's discarded vehicles, Shuttlecraft Galileo from the Star Trek the Next Generation toy series.
Galoob was first in line to get the rights to the anticipated new Star Trek saga for 1988/89, and they wasted no time developing toys that were excellent representations of the cast. Sticking with the smaller 3 3/4 size, left options for playsets and vehicles that could be made relatively cost-effective. That brings us to the Galileo. Except for the Ferengi Fighter, the Shuttlecraft was the only vehicle available in the entire toy line.
The Shuttlecraft Galileo is a reasonably accurate representation of the shuttle used in the T.V. show. Galoob's iteration allows approx six figures to fit inside. Two in the front and five in the rear. The construction is somewhat robust with a handful of moving pieces. Entry is achieved by gullwing opening doors on each side of the vessel. The rear hatch also lowers to get entrance to the rear. Another gimmick is the box promoted, "Pop-up Sensor Unit." This small plastic part lifts from the fuselage and can be rotated 360 degrees. The interior is well done and captures that the design of what was viewed on the show. The leather seat mold is a nice touch. This is a solid toy that doesn't add too many frills, yet I feel it could have had a bit more detail. Perhaps a sound feature or even lights? All in all, this isn't a poor vehicle and feel it is a very nice display piece.
It's sad Galoob cut this line so short in its inception. IMO, I would have loved to see this take off. Playmates eventually picked this license and ran with it. Although they did a thorough job producing a vast character list, my choice would still be with Galoob, as I just prefer the smaller sized figures.