After a bit of a wait, we’ve finally got our hands on the limited release Robot Damashii toy for the White Dingo GM Sniper II, as originally seen in the Dreamcast game Rise from the Ashes. Whilst we’ve already reviewed the standard GM Sniper II toy, this variant is very much a gaming specific mobile suit. As such, whilst the toy is pretty much functionally identical, the context of it is something we wanted to cover in more detail. Especially, as the White Dingo team themselves in effect birthed a specific development studio within Bandai Namco games. Naturally, we’ve also included a variety of gameplay videos at the end of the review to give the toy some context.

Back in 1999 a new Gundam game was released on the then new Dreamcast. Entitled Rise from the Ashes, it was in first person and had the player boxed into a claustrophobic cockpit. Much like its Sega Saturn Blue Destiny lineage, the game didn’t feature any playable Gundam mobile suits. You were Feddy grunts on the frontline, tasked with taking back Australia from those pesky Zeeks in an array of pretty standard GM mobile suits.

The protagonist’s team was that of the White Dingos. An elite group of special forces mobile suit pilots given missions that required almost surgical precision. The player took on the role of the team’s commander, Pierce Rayer. Naturally, a silent but suitably stoic pilot. Over the course of the game, conspiracies were found and eventually a Zeon plot to escape the Earth too. In the last mission of the main game, the player was equipped with a top of the line RGM-79SP GM Sniper II. This time though in White Dingo colours.

The final mission had the player square off against a Zeon ace whilst destroying a multitude of HLV ships to thwart the Zeonic plan at reinforcing their compatriots in space. The game even had a nice nod to later events in Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory as one of the escaped HLV’s managed to make it to North Africa.

Rise from the Ashes was a game that engendered a very strong response from the fans. So much so that the team that made it went onto call themselves under the White Dingo moniker. As a rule, Team White Dingo was arguably the best at making a variety of Gundam games, annoyingly many of which have never been released outside of Japan. Subsequently, the White Dingo GM Sniper II has also gone on to be featured in a multitude of games since.

The latter is an important point as the Tactics Battle mode in the unfortunate Journey to Jaburo featured a specific White Dingo segment (with some nice animation to match). This in turn would prove out the theatre of war concept later seen in the far superior Lost War Chronicles. This toy then, is a lovely little nod to the mythos it represents. Whilst it’s sad that it was only released in limited quantities, the fact it was made at all warms our heart.

Toy: Robot Damashii White Dingo GM Sniper II
Price: 3,150 yen
Size/Weight: 19.5 x 15.2 x 5.6 cm / 160g

As with the standard figure, the lack of gimmicks are borne from the almost utilitarian design itself. It’s a very sturdy and well built figure that can hold a number of dynamic poses very convincingly. The paint job and sculpt are also exemplary, especially considering the relatively inexpensive asking price. Though, as this was a limited edition figure, expect to pay more if you want to get hold of one now.

Overall then this, like the previous figure, is a wonderful little toy made all the more brilliant for its connection to a lovely Dreamcast games that gives us all manner of fond memories.

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