G.I. Joe Classified Series Tunnel Rat review

Tunnel Rat was one of the four 1987 Joes to benefit from getting slotted into G.I. Joe: The Movie. It’s why he’s more popular than fellow wave mates Crazy Legs, Fast Draw or Psyche Out.

And he got some memorable lines that helped him stand out. In the Larry Hama comics, Tunnel Rat had some standout moments as well. The 87 roster hasn’t been as well represented in the G. I. Joe Classified Series lineup, but Hasbro is starting to make some progress.

I’m pulling for Tunnel Rat’s movie partner Big Lob to show up, but for now let’s pull up the grates  and go belly up in a storm drain to see how Tunnel Rat turned out.

Package: The Classified Series fared just fine with closed window packaging thanks to fun intricate rendered artwork. Tunnel Rat’s image isn’t as elaborate as some of the others, but it works since he’s navigating a winding tunnel.

He’s got a strong portrait with a confident/cocky smile with the usual white stripe laying out all the accessories.

Tunnel Rat’s stats are as followed: 4s in explosives and siegecraft, a 3 in ordinance and a 2 in light weapons.

I definitely miss the bios Pulse added to help flesh out the character backstory. His old 87 file card is reused:

Nicky “Tunnel Rat” Lee’s Brooklyn family is Trinidadian Chinese with branches of Irish, Spanish, and Native American thrown in. “Tunnel Rat figures he can shoot straighter, bite harder, and run faster than anything he’s ever encountered in an enemy tunnel, so what’s to worry.”

Likeness: Hasbro has opted to shift more towards the Real American Hero look for the Classified Series figures with a few minor adjustments.

For Tunnel Rat, that just means adding kneepads — a smart inclusion — some pouches strapped to his thighs and the Go Pro to his holster. As usual, the CS sculpting team plussed up the presentation so elements like his scarf, magazine and holster are separate pieces now.

This does tend to make him look a bit sloppy since those elements don’t rest in place particularly well. He’s likely to get the superglue treatment for some parts to keep them flat.

You’re a Joe fan, chances are you’ve heard this only a million times. Tunnel Rat’s likeness was based off of Larry Hama. The RAH version was more of a late 80s take while this one looks like a younger Hama.

The head sculpt definitely has some personality. I can almost hear him mouthing off to Beach Head. And I look the little tuft of hair peeking out from under the nicely sculpted bandana.

He retains the band (watch?) on his left arm and small gloves, this time with some ridges on the knuckles. His kneepads look fully capable of keeping his knees from getting scraped up though it’s interesting he doesn’t have elbow pads as well.

Paint: TR’s paintwork is mostly consistent with his RAH version. He’s got the tiger stripe style face paint and an olive green shirt. I love the detail of his tunnel rat badge.

Like the original, the tiger stripes come up to his forearm and stop. The studs on his knuckles are painted brown as are the pouches, straps and boots. His kneepads are a lighter grey.

I suppose the biggest “controversy” is the slate grey used on his bandana, gloves and pants as opposed to the black of the RAH figure. Most of the paintwork is clean with the knuckles and wrist lining for the gloves the weakest areas.

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Scale: Tunnel Rat has typically been portrayed shorter than the other Joes. That carries over to the Classified Series line too. He’s noticeably shorter than his teammates, which is helpful in scurrying through tunnels.

Articulation: Tunnel Rat has excellent articulation like your regular Classified Series figure. You might want to superglue some of the sculpted elements down to secure everything down, however.

His butterfly shoulders really help for scurrying in tunnels poses. The detachable hips aid in deep crouching poses as well.

Tunnel Rat has:

• head
• neck
• shoulders (butterfly)
• elbow (double-jointed)
• wrist
• wrist hinge
• mid-torso
• torso
• waist
• hips (ball-jointed)
• drop down hips
• knees (double-jointed)
• ankles

Accessories:  Tunnel Rat has a nice haul of accessories.

He’s got his bulky backpack. It’s got great detail with straps and pouches. It’d be cool for the buckles to get some paintwork and a little grime since Tunnel Rat wouldn’t be worried about keeping his gear pristine. Fortunately, it plugs into his back securely, which is very helpful since it’s a heavy pack.

Like the RAH version, the backpack has two flashlights that plug into the top ends of the pack. They have some green paint to add a little depth.

He’s got a knife with a solid serrated blade and a revolver. The blade gets a silver paint app while the gun handle is painted brown.

For hairier situations, TR has his air-cooled 7.62 caliber machine gun with the scope. The original figure’s scope was much further up, but this one is positioned so Tunnel Rat could actually use it while aiming at Cobra targets. As always, I love the detailing on the weapon and the olive-green accents to help break up the black.

There is also a removable extra ammo clip.

In keeping with the RAH figure, TR gets his satchel. I really appreciate how the CS team tries to include as many of the RAH accessories as possible with the figures.

The final accessory is a new one as it’s a set of four lens night goggles. That’s a cool modern accessory that makes sense. While TR can rock all of his gear you can toss the additional parts in the included storage locker.

Worth It?  Tunnel Rat is the normal Classified figures price of $24.99. He’s got a ton of accessories and thoughtful design work so I wouldn’t complain about the price. I grabbed him during a Target sale and got him for $17.49 so I’m very happy.

Rating:  9.5 out of 10

Where to Get It?  You won’t find Tunnel Rat at retail these days, but you can still get him from Amazon, Target or Entertainment Earth.

As an Amazon, Target and Entertainment Earth affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases.