G.I. JOE Heroscape: Rumble at the Rift review - "Continues to be one of the most approachable and welcoming tabletop miniature wargames"

GamesRadar+ Verdict

G.I. JOE Heroscape: Rumble at the Rift is another winner for the revitalized franchise, piling on nostalgia while keeping its wargaming accessible yet engaging. While cartoon fans will get the most out of it, this pack also introduces some cool new abilities that make it worth a look for more experienced players, too.

Pros

• +

  The look and personality of these characters have been expertly brought over from the classic cartoon into the world of Heroscape

• +

  The new terrain tiles provide some great new hazards and benefits for map setups

• +

  So many nods and throwbacks for old fans to pickup on

• +

  Compatible with all other Heroscape products

Cons

• -

  While there is some solid representation here, many classic characters have yet to make the jump to Heroscape (having more unique characters or vehicle representation would have been nice)

• -

  While the paint jobs on the premium miniatures is relatively solid, some of the finer details may need a touch up

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• Features & design
• Gameplay
• Should you buy
• How we tested

I fondly remember playing with little green army men in the dirt when I was little, pitting the soldiers against all manners of horrors and nefarious foes, from the Ninja Turtles’ Shredder to Lord Zedd from Power Rangers, and more. I would often recruit the beat-up and battle-worn soldiers of my older brother’s G.I. JOE squads to help turn the tide of battle, with the likes of Duke, Snake Eyes, and Shipwreck – decorated heroes of the cartoon character wars in my backyard. When I saw that Renegade Games was bringing the forces of the JOEs and COBRA to the hexes of Heroscape, these long-dormant memories came rushing back, and I was ready to fight off the forces of evil with the familiar faces from my youth in this new battle arena.

Heroscape has seen a revival in recent years with entries like Heroscape: Age of Annihilation thanks to Renegade Game Studios, and the new G.I. JOE Heroscape: Rumble at the Rift set marks the first crossover content of this new generation. This latest release gives players not only prominent members of both the JOEs and COBRA to add into their armies, from the Greenshirt grunts and COBRA Troopers to the Baroness and Duke, but also fun JOE-inspired glyphs like the Jump Pack that lets a unit fly for a round. And for fans of the ninjas (and frankly, who isn’t), both Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow are here too.

Heroscape G.I. Joe features & design

• A self-contained starter set for the wargame
• Adds beloved characters from the cartoon

In addition to some really neat new COBRA and G.I. JOE units, you will get some fun new terrain tiles to mix into your pool for building out your maps. An almost neon green version of your typical water and ground tiles, the dangerous Toxic Water and ground tiles reduce the defense of any unfortunate unit caught on them, along with the solid black Shadow tile that Storm Shadow utilizes to buff their defense. They all make for some great additions to any tub of Heroscape tiles.

Similar to the more recent sets that Renegade has put out, the G.I. JOE line includes both unpainted miniatures (with a slight wash on them to help details pop) or, for an extra fee, fully painted miniature options. That means whether you want to pick up the JOE or COBRA grunt army boxes, the strike boxes featuring extra heroes, or the self-contained battle box, Rumble at the Rift, you can enjoy surprisingly solid-looking painted figures right out of the box. All the colors and details pop, with Duke’s classic yellow top and the bright blue sleeveless suits of the Crimson Twins instantly taking me back to my childhood every time they hit the field.

Much like the ’80s-inspired looks, I found myself appreciating how the team has adapted the traits and personalities of these characters into the Heroscape format to really hit home the nostalgia. Abilities like Doctor Mindbender’s “Bend Mind 13,” which allows you to take control of one of your opponent’s units for the turn, or how Scarlet’s toolkit calls back to the classic saying that any kid who watched the show knows, with “Now You Know” and “Knowing Is Half the Battle,” both of which focus on learning about your opponent’s plans and, as a result, allowing her to exploit weaknesses and lower the defense of a unit she attacks. Perhaps my favorite of the bunch, though, is Cobra Commander’s “I’ll Get You Next Time,” strictly from a flavor standpoint – allowing him to escape to safety by moving a few spaces without taking leaving engagement attacks reminds me of the end of all those classic cartoons. So much personality is in these units that even if you have never played HeroScape before but just count yourself as a G.I. JOE fan, I think you will find something to enjoy here.

Gameplay

• An accessible yet engaging entry-point to wargames
• Provides everything you need to play
• A promising sign of things to come

I am someone who has really only gotten into Heroscape during its modern resurgence, so while I fondly remember the commercials from back in the day, my collection of miniatures and map pieces consists solely of the more fantasy-inspired armies. Seeing my polar bear warriors and dragons alongside the likes of army men and Cobra Commander has given me a bit of whiplash, but in the best way. This is also where the HeroScape system continues to shine due to the fact that all these new G.I. JOE units can be used with the rest of the Heroscape units and armies that have already been released.

As I mentioned back in my review of the big Age of Annihilation box set last year, one of the aspects I appreciate the most about Heroscape is how it manages to deliver an approachable yet still engaging tabletop miniature wargame experience, and the new Rumble at the Rift core box continues that trend. This box delivers an all-in-one Heroscape package with everything you need to get going right away, with G.I. JOE and COBRA armies ready to go, the tiles, and a scenario book to get you started. Even for longtime HeroScape players, the units in the box itself have some pretty neat abilities that will make it worthwhile to pick up, too.

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If you want a more traditional wargame that's still less intense than Warhammer 40K or Age of Sigmar, it's worth trying the Kill Team Starter Set (2024).

While G.I. JOE never was at the top of my list of favorite cartoons, it is still one that I remember fondly growing up, but what this has got me most excited for is the prospect of Renegade Games releasing even more crossover sets for other properties. I would love sets that let me run Optimus Prime and other Autobots alongside the JOEs (something that has happened numerous times in the comics), or even perhaps squads of Power Rangers taking out Putty Patrols spread across Heroscape’s signature hex tiles.

Should you buy Heroscape G.I. JOE?

So much of this first crossover release for modern Heroscape has left me with a smile on my face and hopeful dreams of what is to come down the line. For Heroscape players, there are some fun new mechanics and characters to roll into your army lists, and for fans of the old G.I. JOE cartoon and comics, there is plenty to love and check out too, even if it’s just the neat-looking pre-painted minis to put on your shelf. Heroscape continues to be one of the most approachable and welcoming tabletop miniature wargames out there for new players of all ages, and G.I. JOE: Rumble at the Rift battle box and accompanying products only plant that flag deeper into the ground.

Ratings

Buy it if...

✅ You're a huge JOE fan: It goes without saying that fans of the cartoon will get the most out of this pack.

✅ You want an accessible entry-point to wargaming: Much like the wider Heroscape system, this is a great jumping-on point for the hobby.

Don't buy it if...

❌ You're expecting classic wargaming on normal terrain: Heroscape uses a unique hex system for the game, which stands out from classic boards with scenery seen in the likes of Warhammer.

How we tested G.I. JOE Heroscape: Rumble at the Rift

This review was conducted using a sample provided by the publisher.

After familiarizing themselves with the rules for this specific expansion and comparing it to the core Heroscape system (which they were already familiar with), the reviewer tested the box's contents multiple times to get a better sense of how its armies handled.

For a more complete overview of our process, don't miss this guide to how we test board games or the full GamesRadar+ reviews policy.

Want more tabletop recommendations? Be sure to check out the best board games, the best card games, or the best tabletop RPGs.

Born and raised in Metro Detroit, Scott White has a particular fondness for RPGs, randomizers, fighting games, all things tabletop, Gundam/Gunpla, and Mega Man (OK, really anything involving fighting robots). You can find his words and videos featured all over the internet, including RPG Site, IGN, Polygon, Irrational Passions, and here at GamesRadar+! He also hosts the RPG podcast RPG University, which features guests from around the industry and more.

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