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Transformatorium, Transformer Toy Reviews

Toys Review – Micron Micromasters

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With the Transformers Kingdom toy line hitting the stores we are seeing a shift away from the Micromasters that have made up a decent part of the Siege and Earthrise toylines.  Whilst some may be happy for this, others will miss not being able to complete the sets of these classic (if obscure) characters in their updated forms.

Luckily for us, if not so lucky for those with limited online store access, there are still a few sets being released under the Generations Selects line. Today we will look at the latest to be released; it containing three old characters and three (well, 2 1/2) brand new ones! So lets look at the Micron Micromasters set from the Galactic Odyssey Collection.

 

Motorhead & Runner

Both are recolours of their teammates and will give fans the ability to complete the classic Race Track Patrol.  Runner was originally named Barricade in G1, but with the name Barricade firmly affixed to the Movieverse character, this figure has been renamed Runner which was his pre-war name in the Dreamwave comics.

 

Fireguard & Roadburner

Once again these two are recolours, this time of the Decepticon Micromasters Direct-Hit & Power Punch.  And once again we have a name change.  Fireguard is most obviously Wheel-Blaze, but since Wheel-Blaze had already received a new figure, they had to rename him and make him a new character. 

Disappointingly Roadburner has the cannon of his Decepticon counterpart instead of a fire ladder.  I suppose one could argue that it is meant to be a cannon that shoots water rather than laser fire.

 

Stingracer and Windstorm

Now these two are a bit interesting.  The toys are (sigh) yet again simple recolours of other WFC Micromasters that have come before, but they are brand new characters.  The most interesting bit is that their colour schemes are homages to MASK vehicles.  The Decepticon Stingracer (the brown one) and the Autobot Windstorm have both lifted their paintjobs from toys from the MASK line and even their altmodes have a decent resemblance.  I particularly like the colour scheme of Windstorm – the mint green colouring combined with the flame job on the vehicle hood really pops!

 

Weapons Modes

All these characters can become guns for larger characters or combine to become a double-weapon.  Sadly they pretty much suck across the board and there will be few people that use them for this purpose. (For some examples of Micromaster weapons modes SEE HERE)

 

Worth Getting?

If you are a completionist then yes.  If you are after a few new characters instead of the same G1 ones being trotted out time and time again then yes.  However if you are after new figures that don’t resemble toys that have come before then don’t waste your time here.  Besides colour schemes there is nothing new to recommend these figures, although I must say that the limbs on them are surprisingly tighter than those that have come before.  I was able to transform all characters multiple times without limbs detaching, which is something to date that none of the other WFC Micromasters has managed for me.  So this set isn’t bad and has a reasonable price point – grab it if you are inclined.

 

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Transformatorium, Transformer Toy Reviews

Toys Review – Galactic Odyssey Ratchet & Lifeline

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As the Earthrise portion of the War for Cybertron toy trilogy wraps up in preparation for the Kingdom line, people are still receiving exclusives that have been ordered and delayed due to the Covid Crisis.

I’ve just received one of these exclusives and it contains two characters that have historically been very hard to get in the Generations line.  So without further ado let’s look at the Paradron Medics duo from the Galactic Odyssey Collection – Ratchet and Lifeline.

 

Ratchet

Ratchet has been a real bastard to get over the last decade for those who have wanted Generations versions of him.  The only one that has seen mass release in the west was Rescue Ratchet from the Hunt for the Decepticon toyline.  Being a movieverse toy with a G1 recolouring this did not sate fans who wanted a representation of the Ratchet of old.  Then there was the Universe version, which saw a very limited release which lead many collectors like myself to pay stupid amounts to get him online.  After that came Siege Ratchet, once again very hard to get as it only saw mass release in countries like Malaysia.  Whilst Earthrise Ratchet is still an exclusive, at least he has been relatively easy to obtain through Amazon.

 

Robot Mode

Very G1 (cartoon).  Looks really stocky and strong.  Nicely proportioned and with decent articulation too.  His windshield is more aqua coloured than blue which helps him match his partner Lifeline.  Due to this Ratchet, despite having a Terran alt-mode, being based on Paradron he has no Red Cross stickers on his shoulders.  The minimal red in his colour scheme makes him look a tad bland.

Ratchet comes with a shield (the ambulance roof) and a gun that is highly reminiscent of the G1 toy.  Personally I liked how Siege Ratchet came with actual medical tools and feel that would have been good here.

Like the G1 Ratchet toy the roof becomes a sort of mini-medical bay thing.  Not nearly as cool as the G1 version, this one does come with the same gun placed at the front.  Personally I prefer to use it as a shield for him, making him look more like a combat medic.

 

Vehicle Mode & Transformation

For only the third time Ratchet is once again an old fashioned ambulance van.  The transformation from robot to this mode really showcases how this Ratchet is actually a retool of the Siege version, and if it wasn’t for the new roof and the differently shaped windshield they would be near identical.  It’s a great looking retro ambulance, the only drawback is those awful huge feet at the back of the vehicle.

“I can get to the hospital fast with these boosters! Just a shame I can’t carry any patients”

 

Lifeline

“I’ve got the expression of your Aunty at Xmas when she gives you that extra slice of pie”

Yep, if you appeared in the G1 cartoon you get a toy – that’s how it works these days.  Lifeline was in one very tiny scene, tending to an injured Cyclonus, in S3 of the G1 cartoon.  She never talked, never transformed and was never seen again.  But like Lancer and Greenlight , she now gets her own figure.

 

Robot Mode

The only other figure produced of Lifeline was a Timelines version from the TFCC that was a recolour of Thrilling 30 Arcee.  Likewise this Lifeline is a recolour of Earthrise Arcee.  I actually like her more, her colours really do it for me and I think it’s a really nicely proportioned toy.  When in group shots I tend to use T30 Arcee so that there is that bit more differentiation between Lifeline and her.

Arcee secretly plots to kill Lifeline out of jealousy of her slimmer thighs

You can remove the backpack for it to become a sort of sled.  Lifeline also comes with an Energon Infuser which is obviously a gun.  Like Ratchet I would have liked to see her receive some actual medical tools.  Still, it’s a good looking figure with some really great articulation.

“Check it out – I’m doing the final scene from the Footrot Flats movie!”

 

Vehicle Mode & Transformation

Like Earthrise Arcee and Netflix Elita, Lifeline is a Shellformer, and not a very good one at that.  It is so frikken hard to get her body to squeeze into the car shell properly, and when you do manage it the slightest nudge makes the legs pop back out which pretty much ruins her play value in this mode.  She looks nice from certain angles but otherwise this is a very disappointing alt-mode and it’s embarrassing I have three different versions of it now.

“Errr, pay no attention – those are just the brakes for my hovermode. Yeah, thats it – the brakes”

 

Worth Getting?

Being an exclusive (like half the Generations line seems to be these days)  these figures are more expensive than those on the store shelves.  Ratchet’s vehicle mode is compromised by the feet at the back and Lifeline’s by the legs that constantly emerge from her undercarriage.  These negatives may cause you to bypass if you expect top quality from your Generations toys.

However overall I’m quite happy with the pairs other attributes.  Both have great robot modes, both match each other very well and both are a lot easier to obtain than the previous figures of them that have been released.  So if you are looking to finally add a G1’esque Ratchet and Lifeline to your Generations line-up than these two are well worth grabbing.

Got something to say about this medical duo?  Pop it in the comments section below!

 

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Transformatorium, Transformer Toy Reviews

Toy Review – POTP Punch/Counterpunch

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The original G1 Punch/Counterpunch was a very cool toy with a very cool concept!  Whereas all Triple-Changers in the past had two vehicle modes this toy had two robot modes.  He was an Autobot that could not only turn into a Pontiac Fiero , but also transform into a Decepticon in order to act as a spy!  Despite his abysmal appearance in Season 4 of the cartoon, the toy was so cool that it proved extremely popular, and lead to Doubledealer expanding upon the concept the following year.

We have only had one new version of this character since then, the Timelines version that was released several years ago (I don’t count the subsequent Counterpunch based on a CW mold since he only had one robot mode).  While that toy was good, it was let down primarily by a small and weird looking head and of course a very limited release.  Fans have been awaiting a new toy that could do this unique character justice.

Well wait no more, for now we have the Amazon exclusive Power of the Primes Punch/Counterpunch.  Let’s take a look and see if it was worth the wait.

Not available in stores

Vehicle Mode

Sexy… as long as my doors don’t pop off

One of the appeals of Punch is he was one of the very few Transformers released in 1987 that had an Earth alt-mode (the others being the Throttlebots and new Decepticon Cassettes) when the line was moving heavily into Cybertronian and/or Creature modes.  The vehicle mode has been faithfully redone here, down to the red hubcaps.

The arms/shoulder come misassembled which means that the arms don’t tab properly when you are folding the doors over to make his car mode.  This is apparently easily repaired though I haven’t gotten around to it yet, I’ve found with sufficient (yet carefully applied) force that you can tab the doors properly, though they come back loose with the slightest knock.  When I get around to making the repair I will post the method here, much like I did with the problem regarding Trypticons hip.

 

Punch Mode

I’m a heroic Autobot – check out my orange chest!

Excellent colours, well proportioned, good articulation, an orange gun – what more could one ask for!  Well, perhaps some feet.  But he balances quite well all the same and really puts the Timelines version to shame.  You can fold down a tab on his back to hide the Decepticon symbol located there.

 

Counterpunch

I’m an evil Decepticon – check out my purple kneepads!

Like the original toy, you turn this figure around, adjust the set of the shoulders, flip the helmet and viola – instant Decepticon!  Like his Autobot version you can flip a tab on his back to hide the other factions symbol and he also lacks feet.  Additionally what he lacks is a blaster of his own.  In my opinion it helped differentiate the two robot modes with the original toy by each having its own gun.  Since Counterpunch looks weird holding Punch’s gun, I give him the otherwise useless combiner appendage (since this toy does NOT combine) as a sort of black shield.  Still on the whole he looks excellent, you can even flip the hands around so they are different colours!

Prima Prime

I am the leader of the Original 13 Primes! Check out the power contained in my tiny, tiny body!

You can turn him into a box and stick him in the shield – that’s all I can say about this figure, except perhaps he has some cool pipelighting from the back the other POTP Primes lack.  But I don’t like the concept as a whole and find them mostly useless little figures just waiting to get lost – give us some proper figures of the Original 13 more than just the likes of Alpha Trion and Megatronus.

 

So is this figure worth getting?

As long as you can afford the bigger (but not gigantic) price tag I’d say definitely yes, especially if you are a G1 fan!  3 great modes, a few accessories and a cool collectors box – he is good quality and a lot of fun!  Now we can simply hope this toy prompts the character appearance in the upcoming IDW reboot of the Transformers universe.

 

Got anything to say about this figure?  Would love to read it in the comments section below!

 

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