Tag Archives: Decepticon

Transformatorium, Transformer Toy Reviews

Toys Review – Micron Micromasters

Leave a comment

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.

 

Related Articles:

Toys Review: Siege Micromasters – Wave 1

Toys Review: WFC-GS12 Greasepit

Exclusive Card Reveal: Private Stakeout

Transformatorium, Transformer Toy Reviews

Toy Review – WFC-GS12 Greasepit

Leave a comment

Transformer fans had mixed reactions when we saw the return of the Micromasters a couple of years ago.  On the one hand it was great to get new versions of characters we hadn’t seen since 89/90.  On the other their joints were often weak and their combined weapons modes were more often than not fairly crap.

Then this year we got a new spin on the whole Micromaster gimmick.  Back in the day some of them had bases that transformed from things like airports into battle stations with Micromasters manning them – very cool with a lot of play value.  Now those classic bases are coming back but now have a third and fourth mode – robot and Modulator armor/weaponary.

The first of these figures released was earlier this year in the Earthrise line with Ironworks.  So let’s see how his Decepticon counterpart is getting on in the new millennium with Generations Selects Greasepit.

 

Fuel Station Mode

Being a redeco of Ironworks, we are seeing pretty much the same figure here.  A small compact petrol station, Greasepit’s building portion looks more industrial than than the auto-repair theme the original sported.  Also what the hell were they thinking with the positioning of those gas pumps?!  Right at the entrance/exit ramp to the fuel centre, filling up your vehicle means you are going to block other customers and, Primus forbid, if you leave your handbrake off you are gonna see your car roll off into traffic!

The one thing that is kinda cool here is the ‘Super Gasoline’ sign – all but identical to the original toy.

 

Battle Station Mode

The original Greasepit station (or station belonging to Greasepit I should say) unfolded to have towers, missile launchers, guns and radar dishes – it was very cool.  Almost all of that is gone now except for the tower and a solitary gun emplacement.  Certainly a downgrade from what had come before and essentially identical to Earthrise Ironworks.

 

Robot Mode

Also pretty much identical to Ironworks.  And once again I have to question the placement of the fuel pumps.  I mean, on the end of his fist?  Punch someone once and you’ll blow your own hand off!  At least the colour scheme is pretty boss and he comes with a gun which you can replace the fuel pumps with.

 

Modulator

Yeah, the Modulators as a whole aren’t working for me the same way the Weaponizers did.  Besides a gun you are really just giving other bots a bit of extra armour and some cyberclown-sized shoes.

 

Overall

The new Ironworks toy worked because the base mode still had its crane, the battle station mode still had one big weapon and you could get the little truck to go with him from the Micromaster 10-pack that was released in Siege.  This redeco doesn’t do the original toy justice at all.  No little partner to obtain to go with it, the fuel station mode looks odd and the battle station mode is nowhere near as cool as the original.  If like me you intend to get Generations versions of classic G1 characters then you are going to want to pick this guy up.  If not then this figure is an easy pass.

 

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

 

Related Articles:

Toy Review – Generations Selects Exhaust

Toy Review – Earthrise Quintesson Judge

Toy Review – Siege Micromasters

Transformatorium, Transformer Toy Reviews

Toy Review – Earthrise Snapdragon

2 Comments

The original Headmaster Horrorcons were G1 toys that kinda had it all.  They were triple changers, they had beast modes, they had jet modes AND they were Headmasters where the Nebulan partner also triple-changed – becoming the head of the robot and of the beast.  Combine all this with the fact that they also showed up in the season 4 of G1 cartoon before it’s end and these were sought after figures!

Sadly, the beast modes weren’t brilliant, the colour-schemes were cringe-worthy, the accessories were easy to lose and if you lost the Headmaster itself the toy only worked as a jet.  This makes these figures very hard to find on the secondary market today, and both toys remain some of the few from the G1 cartoon I don’t own.

However for those wanting representations of these figures but can’t afford the huge amounts the originals go for – fear not!  They are back in the new toylines!   Last year saw the release of Apeface in the Siege line and this year we get his partner in the Earthrise line.  So without further ado, let’s have a look at War for Cybertron Snapdragon.

 

Robot Mode

“These boob-tattoo’s hurt!”

A good sized and robust figure for the Voyager class, very chunky and strong looking, though it would have been nice to see less kibble on the arms.  Despite this the figure has decent articulation.  A bit plain looking, but pays homage to the original toy – right down to Krunk becoming the head and the Decepticon-faction symbols on the nipples.

 

Cybertronian Fighter Jet Mode

Once again it is very faithful to the original figure and it’s certainly his strongest mode. A really nice representation of a Cybertronian Fighter Jet and had multiple ports to not only attach the robots guns but also other weapons such as those from Weaponizer characters.

One feature I really like is the big cockpit in the middle of the jet.  It splits down the middle to open sideways and allow Krunk to ride inside and even has a control panel!

 

Dragon Mode

“All the better to eat Daniel with m’dear!”

If his jet mode is his stronges mode, then the dragon mode of Snapdragon is definitely his weakest, even if a distinct improvement on the original.  Firstly Krunk doesn’t even become the head, he becomes the lower jaw and can be extremely frustrating to get into place.  For me it usually means leaving his mouth wide open.  Also he doesn’t really look much like a dragon – he looks more like a weirdly coloured faux T-Rex with the little forearms  and general proportions.    Add to this all the visible jet kibble and this is not a great beast mode at all.

 

Overall

If you are after a Generations representation of the Headmaster Horrorcons then Snapdragon is for you.  Also if looking for a figure for a younger fan this isn’t bad, what with the easy transformations, three modes and the Titan Master gimmick.  However to other collectors the very cool jet mode may not make up for the average robot mode and subpar dragon mode.  So yeah, this is definitely a ‘take or leave’ kinda Con.

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

 

Related Articles:

Toy Review – Earthrise Quintesson Judge

Toy Review – WFC Exhaust

Toy Review – Earthrise Sky Lynx

Transformatorium, Transformer Toy Reviews

Toy Review – WFC-GS11 Exhaust

Leave a comment

It’s become an accepted fact now that the Generations Selects line is going to be part of the Transformers toyline for the foreseeable future.  Whilst annoying that one can never simply walk into a store and purchase one of these figures, at least they are still easier to obtain than store-exclusive figures (most often only obtainable in the US).

Most Generations Selects figures are either simple recolours or slight retools of toys from the main line.  And today figure is no different.  So without further ado lets take a look at WFC-GS11 Decepticon Exhaust

Sporting some serious fricken shades!

The character Exhaust has a kinda cool history.  A Diaclone figure that shared a mold with Wheeljack and whose paintjob was closely associated with a brand of cigarettes, in the new area finally got a Transformers toy (Masterpiece no less!) based on him as well as an actual name – Exhaust. And yes the smoking jokes have never stopped since then.

 

Robot Mode

‘I can do the arm cannon thing too!’

As you can see here, Exhaust being a retool of Wheeljack continues, with a new visor and paintjob being the only real difference between this figure and Earthrise Wheeljack.  Like the Autobot mad scientists toy, I find this Exahust to be a tad stocky.  I also would have liked to see some greater detail in the paintjob such as some blue on the wings and patches of green on the body.  Still, for his first Generations outing Exhaust got a fairly good toy.  What is interesting to note is that he is sporting a ‘Mercenary’ badge rather than a Decepticon one.

New Mercenary Badge

Like most toys in the War for Cybertron trilogy toyline, Exhaust comes with extra ports to attach Weaponizer components, such as those from Greasepit.

Protected from both Autobots and rain

 

Vehicle Mode

This is where he comes into his own.  He retains his old number but otherwise the paintjob is different from his MP outing, with Decepticon even being spelled out in Japanese on the side.  It’s a really nice looking sportscar and the little missile launcher on the roof I feel suits the likes of Exhaust better than Wheeljack.

For us older fans, we have to wonder: Is Exaust deep down a Burt Reynolds fan?  And with a new paintjob could he be the source of the next movie crossover figure?

 

Transformation

Pretty simple, you aren’t going to break your brain changing this guy.

 

Overall

If you are a Generations completionist then Exhaust is worth grabbing.  Unlike Prime and Soundwave and so many other big names he doesn’t already have hundreds of toys out there of him.  If looking for a solid figure with an interesting history then this is also a good reason to pick him up.  However if simply looking for a new toy, there are plenty easier (and cheaper) to obtain than this smoky bandit.

 

Related Articles:

Selects Nightbird, Cromar & Zetar

Earthrise Sky Lynx

Transformatorium, Transformer Toy Reviews

Toy Review – Studio Series Scrapper

Leave a comment

The slow release of the Studio Series Constructicons continues.  Some see it as a good thing, not overloading their budgets.  Others see it as an irritation, their frustration to build Devastator from Revenge of the Fallen growing week by week.

For me personally it has been neither.  As someone who is happy enough with the ROFT Devastator I already own, this Studio Series has simply been a chance to fill out my collection with those onscreen Cons who never received an actually decent toy before such as Scrapmetal.

Today we are looking at one such character.  The leader of the Constructicons in G1, who like Long Haul and Mixmaster got to actually keep their proper name and traditional alt-mode for the movieverse, we are looking at Scrapper.

 

Robot Mode

This looks pretty good for a movieverse toy.  He actually looks like a robot rather than just a mess and is pretty faithful to how he appeared on the big screen.  He has retained the flail attachment on his arm, however sadly is unable to swing it.  He has decent articulation for a fairly stocky bot, with elbows, neck, knees and hip movement.

‘Am I busting a kung-fu move or just getting down with my bad self? Let your imagination run wild kids!’

The colour scheme is not only faithful to how he appeared in ROTF, but also has some G1 roots too, almost an homage to the European/Australasian rerelease of the G1 Constucticons from 1992.

“The studio insisted I bulk up for the movie”

 

Vehicle Mode

Really pretty damn good!  A superb amount of detail throughout the entire vehicle form, this looks like a proper model of a real construction vehicle.  Some have argued that the alt-mode is too kibble-laden, but as someone who has seen a lot of very large construction vehicles up close, some Front Shovel Loaders do indeed look similar with parts everywhere.

The vehicle form feels very solid overall and a nice touch is that you can actually raise the shovel!

Super-Sweet-Shovel-Slap Bro!

 

Transformation

This figure has a really interesting transformation.  With 36 steps its going to take you a few minutes to do the first time out, but there is no part that is overly frustrating or a head-scratcher.  It feels very satisfying to work through, and that is always a massive plus when dealing with actual transformer toys.

 

Overall

If you have no interest in the Movieverse (in which case why are you reading this review? Go outside and play!) then it’s an easy pass.  But if you like the Movieverse, are a Constructicon fan or a completionist then you will want to pick this guy up.  Of course if you intend to build Devastator then you have no choice but to pick him up!  But you wont regret doing so, it’s a solid figure in both modes with a good transformation and for once you feel like you are getting a proper Voyager-class sized figure when buying a toy of that classification.  So yeah, a good value toy that reminds you just how fun transforming transformers can be.

 

Related Articles:

Toy Review: Studio Series Scrapmetal

Devastator Pack Review – Transformers TCG

Movie Review – Transformers 5

 

 

 

 

Games & Competitions, Transformatorium

Exclusive Card Reveal: Electro-Optical Visor. Transformers: TCG

1 Comment

Thanks to Hasbro and Wizards of the Coast, BigAngryTrev.com has once again been given an exclusive reveal for the Transformers: Trading Card Game to share with the world! Rather than a new character, this card is an Upgrade – Armour card from the new Titan Master packs that will be available later in the year.

Note: Neither Hasbro nor WOTC have paid for this reveal and have in no way tried to dictate the content of this review. BigAngryTrev would like to thank both companies for the continuing opportunities to share facets of this card game with the public.

 

So let’s have a look at the Action Card Electro-Optical Visor. 

 

Using the card in game

The usefulness of the card will rely heavily on what cards you and your opponent are sporting. If you are sporting a team of all Autobots, when you place this on a character and it adds 1 Defence point via an Armour Upgrade to its stats and the cards usefulness stops there.

However, if you have any Decepticons in your team, putting this card on one of them will not only add 1 Armor Upgrade point, but also:

*Makes your opponent reveal their hand

*Your opponent must scrap an Autobot card of their choosing from their hand

Of course, your opponent could quite easily have no Autobot cards in their hand, which means they don’t have to scrap any card at all. But even if this is the case, it still means that you get to have a good look at their hand, see what cards they are sporting and prepare yourself accordingly.

 

The Artwork

The artwork is lovely, showing Soundwave wearing what one assumes to be an Electro-Optical visor. Oddly I don’t recognise the origin of the artwork, so I am making the assumption it is from the IDW Transformers comics reboot, as I have not read all of them yet. If I am in error, or you know which exact comic, please pop it in the comments section below and I will be sure to credit you.

Note: According to reader ‘Flip Flip Bang Bang’ this is probably new artwork as WOTC no longer uses IDW comic art.

 

So all in all, depending on the cards you and your opponent have, this could prove to be either an average or a very useful card to pick up. I look forward to getting a physical copy in my hands and trying it out in gameplay.

The new Titan Master Packs for Transformers: TCG are slated for a release on the 17th of April, 2020.

  

Related Articles:

*Exclusive Card Reveal: Private Stakeout

*Exclusive Cards Reveal: Dirge and Defensive Driving

Transformatorium, Videos

Transformers Siege trailer: Character breakdown and analysis

Leave a comment

Today at the New York Toyfair the world was treated to the teaser trailer for the new Transformers cartoon trilogy coming to Netflix later this year – War For Cybertron: Siege.   Even though this has been touted as ‘Anime’ we are getting a CGI cartoon like the Power of the Prime’s trilogy rather than some stylized Japanese animation.  Based mainly on the Siege Toyline, but also reminiscent of the opening sequence to the 2018 Bumblebee Movie, this cartoon has kept many of us in keen anticipation and is set in the final stages of their war on Cybertron.  Watch below:

Video from Transformers Official Youtube Channel

 

So let’s have a quick rundown of what characters we saw in this short video, what they did and what implications it could have for the upcoming cartoons storyline.

 

AUTOBOTS

Optimus Prime: Voiced by Peter Cullen, we see Optimus doing his usual – saving other Autobots, battling Megatron, protecting the Allspark and so on.  More interestingly, you get to see some of his warriors questioning his methods rather than talking about how great he is.

Elita-1: The only  Transformer from the video that did not have a toy in the Siege line or the upcoming Earthrise (her figure coming out in POTP).  Her line said to Optimus ‘This is not the life I imaged for us’ brings up the question: is she referring to her and Optimus indicating a relationship between the two, or referring to the Transformer race in general.

Ultra Magnus: Instead being his usual ‘Yes Prime’ self, we see him questioning Prime’s methods, and even going in secret to see the Decepticon command.  This potentially could be the most interesting we have ever seen him portrayed on screen.

Bumblebee: Another bot that is usually at Prime’s beck and call, we see him telling Prime his attitude to the war will get him killed.  Thankfully it seems he is based on his G1 self which will get a toy in the Earthrise line, rather being based on the Bumblebee Movie.

Chromia: Seen fighting Barricade, one wonders with the inclusion of her and Elita, does this mean we will finally get a break from Windblade and Arcee being the two main female Autobots in any given story?

Cog: Seen dying of an injury, but his parts being used by Sideswipe in Weaponizer fashion.  Oddly later in the trailer we see a bot that has Cog’s body type but is coloured like Six-Gun running after Elita.  A trick of the lighting or the first animation error?

Wheeljack: Like Bumblebee, he has a figure coming up in the Earthrise toyline, so will he transform in the cartoon?

Sideswipe & Hound: Both seen in fight scenes

DECECEPTICONS

Megatron: Not voiced by Frank Welker, but sounds good all the same.  Sporting some battle damage and some big Overlord-style lips.  Like Optimus he is doing his usual – inspiring his army and trying to kick Prime’s butt.

Soundwave: Seen standing off to the side of the Decepticon command table.  Does this mean he wont be as big a character as usual?  Or without Welker’s voice that he may remain silent?

Shockwave: Also seen at the command table.

Refracktor/s: Two Refracktor’s are seen firing over a barricade.  The powers that be have obviously gone for the choice of having them all identical like the G1 cartoon, rather than Spectro, Viewfinder and Spyglass getting their own colour schemes and weaponry.

Barricade: I guess this solidifies Barricade’s inclusion to the G1 universe.  Seen sitting at the command table as well as putting the smack down on Chromia.

Skytread: Seen getting punched in the face by Optimus.

Jetfire: In a few scenes with Megatron and most definitely sporting the Decepticon symbol.  Looks like we will get the inevitable ‘Jetfire swaps sides’ storyline at some point.

Impactor: Like Jetfire we see his Decepticon incarnation.  Will he, like Jetfire undoubtedly will, join the side of the Autobots at some stage in the series?

SEEKERS: From some shots it looks like there is going to be a lot of them, perhaps all of them.  Here are the ones that were definitely spotted:

Starscream: In both battle scenes and at the command table.  Given all the other story implications, we might actually be spared the ‘Starscream betrays Megatron’ story that has been played to death in the past.

Skywarp: Battle scenes and at the command table.

Thundercracker: In a few battle scenes

Redwing and Acid Storm:  Seen standing guard as Ultra Magnus approaches the Decepticon base.

 

So, seems like there may be some interesting story arcs and some interesting takes on characters.  One can just hope that this cartoon is better than the last CGI transformers cartoons we received.

What do you think of this trailer?  Pop it in the comments section below!

Transformatorium, Transformer Toy Reviews

Toys Review – Selects: Nightbird, Cromar and Zetar

Leave a comment

The Generations Selects line is one that divides people.  On the one hand it provides opportunities for figures to get made that might otherwise not due to a lack of popularity.  On the other, it means these figures are often only available either online, at specific stores and/or limited to a few select countries, meaning higher prices with a dollop of international postage for good measure.

The War for Cybertron Siege toyline has had a whopping nine Selects figures released this year.  Some such as Redwing have been virtually impossible for overseas collectors to get their hands on at a reasonable price.  But some have been released through multiple US online stores making things a bit easier, and today we are looking at the latest wave of them, consisting of the Powerdashers Cromar and Zetar, and the always mysterious Nightbird.

Note: As all three characters are minor retools of other Siege figures that have been out for quite some time, we will be focusing more on their aesthetics rather than their articulation, transformation and Weaponizer potential.

 

Powerdasher Cromar

Robot Mode

‘We all float down here…’

Whilst it seems his main weapon would be to hang about in Cybertronian Sewers eating Decepticon Protoforms, as a retool of Six-Gun his body is bristling with weapons.  Two long guns on the lower arms and four cannons on the shoulders and back.  Not bad since the original toy didn’t even have a gun.

‘Everybody loves a clown, so why can’t you?’

Cromar gets his distinctive face from the 1984 Mail-away figure he is based on (and the only TF I had and lost as a kid that I have yet to replace as an adult).  It’s… not flattering and makes this a figure you really don’t want to give to a coulrophobia sufferer as a gift.

Alt-Mode

If you think this looks weird, you should have seen my original toy

Pretty much Siege Six-Gun with new colours.  However it works for the character quite well, with perhaps only Cybertron Sideways being a more appropriate recolour.  I likes it!

 

 

Powerdasher Zetar

Robot Mode

I’m smiling because I can kill you with a headbutt

No fingers, no neck, but one helluva hat!  The silly thing is the drill on his head can be spun fairly easily in robot mode but not in vehicle mode. A retool of Siege Brunt, he lacks a certain appeal that Brunt possessed, but is certainly faithful to the original toy & character.  The bonus being he gets a gun this time around which (due to the no fingers thing) can be attached to his forearms.

The creepy circus motif continues

The look of his head really makes me want to get the third Powerdasher – Aragon – just to see if he has some clownish attributes too.

Alt-Mode

‘I..I just don’t know what the hell I am supposed to be’

Once again we are looking at Siege Brunt, but with a drill on the front.  The ironic thing is that the cannon on top, if you attach the blaster, sticks out further than the drill does.  But hey, with the drill that close to the ground Zetar can definitely get a job drilling holes for oversized cybermice or mowing really thin strips of lawn.  Unite Warriors Nosecone or even Combiner Wars Drillhorn make far more practical looking drill tanks.

 

Nightbird

Robot Mode

‘I’m quite frolicsome for a Ninja’

A retool of Siege Chromia, Nighbird boasts a totally new headsculpt which is very indicative of how she looked back in the G1 cartoon, though severely limits how much she can turn her head.  She comes with the same weaponry that can be either a pistol and grenades, a gun or a sniper rifle.  It would have been nice if she had come with some sai’s like the Legends version of her did to show her Ninja origins.

‘Help! I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!’

What is very disappointing for a Selects figure is that Nightbird comes apart quite easily.  Her legs, arms and crotchplate all come off way to easily, though at least are not too hard to reattach.

Alt-Mode

‘Wonder if I can get a date with Kit from Knightrider?’

I had no idea she would be this black!  Her backpack makes up the majority of the car body and it’s as black as black can be with a dark purple canopy.  I would have liked to see the backpack/car body remain grey with the black limited to her fenders.  However at least this car mode is more generally Cybertronian, rather than the Legends version which was quite Arcee indicative.

 

Worth Getting?

Only if, like me, you are a fan of obscure G1 characters.  All these moulds have been done before and none of these characters are popular enough that any kid is going to be screaming for them this Xmas.  It’s nice to see the Powerdashers get new figures after all this time, though the lack of a dash component kinda irks me.  Nightbird isn’t bad but I find the Legends version to be far superior in both modes.  So yeah, they are all nice in their way and I’m glad to have them, but none have any wow factor that is going to keep you awake at night wishing that you owned them.

Got anything to add to this review?  Pop it in the comments section below!

 

Related Articles:

Toy Review: Siege Greenlight

Toy Review: Siege Impactor

Toy Review: Autobot Alphastrike Counterforce

Transformatorium, Transformer Toy Reviews

Toy Review – Cyberverse Gnaw

Leave a comment

Sharkticons.  In G1 they worked for the Quintessons.  In IDW they worked for the Junkions.  Whatever the place in the Multiverse, it always seems to be the fate of the Sharkticons to be the serving class – rotund warriors who turn into savage shark… thingies.

Gnaw is to this day the only named member of the Sharkticon race, whereas even the Junkions have grown their named-character ranks over the years.  But given their appearance in The Transformers: The Movie in 1986 and then in multiple episodes of G1 Season 3 thereafter Sharkticons – and therefore Gnaw – are instantly recognisable to nearly any Transformer fan on the planet.

Gnaw got his first new toy in thirty years with his 2016 Titans Return figure.  It was much beloved, especially since he was so small and cheap that you could by a ton of him!  Well now three years after that Gnaw is taking his first steps into the Multiverse with a bigger (if somewhat similar figure).  So let’s chomp down on Cyberverse Gnaw.

 

Robot Mode

“Call me ‘Humpty Dumpty’ again. I dare you – say it one more time”

Tubby fragger isn’t he!  But he conforms perfectly to how the Sharkticons looked in the G1 show and how they may/probably look when they debut in the Cyberverse cartoon.  The articulation isn’t too bad for a Warrior-Class CB figure, with some actuation in his shoulders, elbows, hips, knees and neck.  With a neckline covered in teeth and a light grey, light blue and pink colour scheme you would be hard pressed to mistake this fella for anyone else.

Mace Mash 

By pushing the shark fin situated in the middle of Gnaw’s Back you make him do a Mace Mash spin, akin to the gimmick that the Cyberverse Acid Storm sports.  It’s kinda fun I guess, certainly aimed at a younger demographic.  Certainly adds more play value than simply pressing a button like on Alpha Trion.  I do like how his mace has a big kink in it, something to give it a bit more visual appeal.

 

Sharticon Mode

“I watch you while you sleep”

Half-Frog, Half-Shark – all ugly!  Yup – he ticks all the boxes.  This is for the most part simply an upscaled version of the Titans Return version, in fact their transformations are nearly identical.  Sadly this Gnaw has no articulation in his arms which is a bit of a letdown as was something they could have been easily included without compromising the Mace Mash gimmick.  But it’s a small quibble, on the whole he looks great. Ugly yes – but great.

 

Worth Getting?

Gnaw’s on parade

Well, I reckon so.  As only the third official Gnaw toy we’ve had in the last 33 years, people would have been over the moon if this had been released before the Titans Return figure existed.  As it is he is worth getting if you are into Cyberverse or the character in general.  Given the $29(AU) price point I can’t see many folk using him to army build. Given his size however, which is half way between the other two official Gnaw figures, he will add some nice variety to your Sharkticon displays.

Baby Shark, do-de-do-do-do

 

Got anything to say about this figure?  Pop it in the comments section below!

 

Related Articles:

Toy Review: Cyberverse Alpha Trion

Toy Review: Cyberverse Prowl

Transformer Toy Reviews

Toy Review – Cyberverse Soundwave

Leave a comment

Good old Soundwave, after having a break for many years he got revived for the Cybertron series and has been a staple ever since.  Animated, Prime, RID(15), Movieverse – he’s been in them all.  It should not come as much of a surprise then that Soundwave has cropped up in the new Cyberverse series, ensuring he gets yet another new toy.  So lets take a look at Cyberverse Warrior-Class Soundwave. 

 

Robot Mode

‘Operation: Look Awesome’

I kinda like the style of it.  Somewhere between the G1 and Animated Soundwaves.  The blue is quite vibrant, the yellow stands out well on his chest with the Decepticon Symbol in the middle, the soundwave patterns on his shoulders, the shoulder cannon – all good!  Good to see the cassette-player symbols on there too despite the fact that’s not what he transforms into.  He also has an extra little satellite dish that can flip out from the side of his head.

The articulation here is better than most other Cyberverse Warrior class figures too with the elbows and knees bending, the neck turning and the leg and shoulder connections being able to swivel.

The only letdown is how bare his legs look, much like Cyberverse Prowl, they look far too plain due to making up the back half of the vehicle mode.

 

Vehicle mode

Quite a letdown.  A survellience vehicle  is a good alt-mode choice for him but this is just way to bland.  Some different colours on the lights and grill or even a stripe down the side would have helped break up this big box of blue.  Once again you can flip out the satellite dish which makes sense for the vehicle, whereas the cannon definitely does not.

 

The Laserbeak Blast

‘Laserbeak: Eject. Operation: Attend Rave Party’

This made me laugh the first time because I didn’t mean to activate it, I was just seeing if his head swiveled.  By turning his head & cannon you make Laserbeak (who sadly can’t detach) pop out of his chest compartment at a surprising speed!  But that colour – translucent neon pink?!  Haven’t seen a Laserbeak this pink since he was pretending to be a Bumblebee copy in DOTM!  It’s kinda fun and it’s kinda quirky – it would have just been a lot better if Laserbeak popped all the way out.

Laserbeak can also pop out the back of the vehicle.  I can’t figure out if this works in the figures favour or not.  On the one hand it forces Soundwave’s head to be uncovered and the overall effect is weird.  On the other hand the back panel dropping down like that and Laserbeak shooting out makes it looks like Soundwave is getting tailed and is deploying Laserbeak out the back of his vehicle – could make for some interesting play options.

 

Worth Getting?

I’d say that this figure is worth getting for the price tag, but only just.  The robot mode is really nice (if small) and has replaced Shockwave as my favorite Warrior-Class bot.  However the vehicle mode is definitely lacking.  Pretty simplistic transformation too.  It may simply be a case of how amusing  you think you or your kids will find the Laserbeak gimmick.  But it’s easy to say this is definitely one of the much better Warrior-Class Cyberverse figures.

Got anything to say about this figure?  Pop it in the comments section below!

 

Related Articles:

Toy Review: Titans Return Soundwave

Toy Review: Combiner Force Soundwave

Toy Review: Cyberverse Acid Storm