Tag Archives: G1

Transformatorium, Transformer Toy Reviews

Toy Review – Earthrise Sky Lynx

June 30, 2020 Big Angry Trev Leave a comment

Last year we saw the introduction of the Commander Class in the Generations toyline of the Transformers franchise. This new classification of toy size was for those characters that were much bigger than even the likes of Optimus and Megatron in the G1 cartoon and the fans wanted a toy to match.

So far we had only had Jetfire, and what a damn cool toy he turned out to be! This year we have gotten our second Commander Class toy. The Space Dragon with an ego almost as big as his hull, we get Sky Lynx.

A bit of history about Sky Lynx

The original Sky Lynx was a very unique toy and a very unique character in the G1 franchise. The toy was made up of two distinct pieces; a motorized troop carrier box that could turn into a giant, twin-tailed Lynx beast, and a space shuttle that could turn into a sorta Dinobird monster. These could operate independently of each other in the cartoon and were controlled by the one consciousness that was Sky Lynx, effectively making him the brands second DuoCon, after Omega Supreme. More often than not in the cartoon however, the space shuttle usually carried the troop carrier on the bottom of its hull in order to transport Autobots through space. In robot mode the Lynx and Dinobird portions combined into Sky Lynx’s complete robot form, with size and strength enough to take on the likes of Predaking independently, and even take a pot shot at Trypticon. In this complete form, the toy could walk, once again making it fairly unique in the toyline.

We didn’t see a Sky Lynx toy for many years, until the Predacons Rising subset of the Prime cartoon and toyline. While he still had his Space Dragon mode and was big, he wasn’t huge and had a robot mode instead of a space shuttle mode. That combined with being a Predacon meant that fans were underwhelmed by the characters return to screen.

**Review of Beast Hunters Sky Lynx HERE**

A few years later we got another Sky Lynx figure. This time a Voyager class toy in the Combiner Wars line which was much more an homage to G1. He had his space shuttle and Space Dragon modes, by could not separate. Instead he became the torso of a combiner Sky Reign – with the head of a Lynx. This toy was more warmly received, but being only Voyager class and not having all the modes of the G1 toy, fans still did not get their proper Sky Lynx fix.

Well, now in 2020 weve finally got what we were waiting for, a proper reimagining of the Sky Lynx figure, and boy was it worth the wait! So with our history lesson done, lets move onto looking at this fantastic new toy!

Space Shuttle Mode

A really nice, really big looking space shuttle. Sky Lynx is trying to finally have an Earth disguise with NASA printed on the side. You will note that the name on the side of the shuttle is ‘Magnificence’, both a reference to a large story arc from the Transformers IDW comics, as well as to Sky Lynx’s opinion of himself.

The top of the shuttle opens up, just as the G1 toy did, to reveal what could either be considered escape pods or cargo pods. I’m inclined to think of them as the latter. Besides this there are not many play features to the space shuttle, but its still a damn nice looking toy.

Dinobird Mode

Very faithful to the G1 concept, with instead of two eyes it having a row of the space shuttle windows for viewing. The wings are a great improvement, both with the detail on the blue sections to make them look more like robotic feathers, but also the fact the wings can now be angles up and down instead of going out from the body on a straight angle. Speaking of posing, the Dinobird has in his legs hip joint swivel, ankle tilts and knees, making it much easier to pose.

The head is a bit big for my liking in Dinobird mode, but one thing I do like is that instead of just having a blaster for a tongue, he now has a tongue and blaster and both can be moved about on a separate hinge in his mouth. Combine this with the fire effects that come with the toy it can give him a nice offensive posture.

Troop Carrier Mode

It was pretty boring on the G1 toy, just being a blue box. This is a bit better, though not that much. At least it comes with big tank tracks on the side to make it look like it is supposed to move around under its own power. Unfortunately, unlike the G1 toy it doesn’t move around under its own power, though it does have wheels so it will roll. The lack of batteries has opened up the inside so that other small Transformer figures such as Micromasters can ride inside it.

Please, no ‘enter me from the rear’ jokes, as tempting as they are

Add a couple of lasers to the front and it looks like something industrial designed to navigate a rough planet or asteroid, something out of a sci-fi like the new Thunderbirds or perhaps Starship Troopers.

Lynx Mode

At least the head can actually stick up more this time, rather than constantly looking at his own feet. Once again very faithful to the G1 concept, even down to the twin tails.

A cool new addition is that like the Dinobird it can now shoot fire from its mouth. The figure also has some (but limited) leg articulation.

Space Shuttle Transport Mode

A thing of friggin beauty! Having the two halves of the toy combined really gives it a physical presence the character deserved, and feels strong and bulky in the hand to boot! Besides holding it in the air and yelling ‘zoom!’ the only real play features are that you can open up the back and unfold a ramp to load Micromaster vehicles, and you can put flame effects in the shuttle exhausts. But all said, it’s a great looking toy – just make sure you get the two halves of the toy tabbed together correctly.

Combined Robot Form

And here he is! Truly magnificent! Here the head now seems perfectly in proportion as does everything really. With the fact you can move the prehensile neck, adjust the knees and ankles and wings you can pose him quite well for a character that lacks traditional hips and has no arms.

And the size of him is fantastic, I honestly expected him to be around the same size as the G1 toy but he dwarfs his predecessor.

Space Shuttle Launch Base Mode

If all of the above weren’t good enough, we even get a new mode! The troop carrier/lynx portion of the toy can fold out and become a base for the space shuttle with built in launch pad. While this was pretty cool with the latest Astrotrain figure to come out, its even cooler looking here due to the size. A particularly nice touch I thought was the extendable ramps that lead from the ground all the way up to the shuttles storage pods, making it look like it is taking on supplies before heading into space.

Worth Getting?

Australia is one of the first places in the world to get it and right now is fairly easy to find at the Big W toy sale for $119(au). Sky Lynx is definitely worth the price tag. With so many modes there is an absolute ton of play value to be had here. The transformations are quite easy and very indicative of the G1 toy. Whilst some collectors may be annoyed at the simplicity, I’m not as it means that you can change Sky Lynx into whichever of his multitude of modes suits your play without having to spend 10 minutes doing so. So not only is this figure great for G1 enthusiasts as well as Transformer Collectors in general, but means it is also great for younger fans too with the easy accessibility it provides. I cannot recommend this toy heartily enough – as loathe as I am to coddle an ego that is already so big, this Sky Lynx is worthy of the name Magnificence.

Got a Sky Lynx too, or thinking of picking one up? Tell us in the comments section below!

Related Articles:

*Multiverse Sky Lynx Gallery

*Toys Review – Team Sky Reign

*Classic Toy Reviews – Beast Hunters & Combiner Wars Sky Lynx

Transformatorium, Videos

Video: Generation One vs Beast Wars – the DEFINITIVE answer!

April 8, 2020 Big Angry Trev Leave a comment

Transformer fans sometimes fight over the silliest things – then I guess that’s what the Internet is for. One of the most enduring arguments over the decades has been ‘which was a better series: Generation One or Beast Wars’.

Personally I’ve never really weighed in on the debate as I enjoy them both. Both had some great cartoon episodes, both produced some fantastic toys, both have contributed a huge amount to the enduring Transformers mythos. So why the debate even exists is beyond me.

But exist it does.

In an effort to bring decades of arguing to an end I have examined the issue and, through scientific experimentation and logical deduction, found an answer to this long pondered question.

So sit back and enjoy the following video which will prove beyond a shadow of a doubt which was better – Beast Wars or Generation One.

I hope this video has answered all the questions you ever had about the relative quality of both franchises in relation to each other.

Transformer Fans everywhere – you are welcome!

Transformatorium, Transformer Toy Reviews, Uncategorised

Toy Review – Siege Mirage

November 8, 2019 Big Angry Trev Leave a comment

Mirage is one of those middle-of-the-road Autobot Car characters in terms of popularity, and this is reflected in the amount of toys based on him over the years. Whilst not super-rare like say Grapple, not super popular like Sideswipe or Prowl either.

Mirage has cropped up in such Transformer toy sub-lines such as Kre-O, Alternators and Bot Shots, but has only had two significantly G1-themed toys released over the last 13 years. First was the Classics version in 2006, whom had a magnificent alt-mode but an overly-lanky body. The second was in 2015 in the Combiner Wars, but as a minor retool of the Stunticon Drag Strip didn’t look overly impressive in either mode.

So in 2019 Mirage has finally gotten another G1-based figure, albeit with a Cybertronian alt-mode. So let’s have a look at Siege Mirage.

Robot Mode

Siege Mirage Big Angry Trev — ‘Well I’ll be damned, I actually look like me again!’

The most G1-faithful looking Mirage figure we’ve had since, well, G1 really. The proportions of his body are spot on and it’s been far too long since Mirage sported a shoulder-mounted rocket launcher. No spring action firing but the rocket can at least be removed from its launcher. His blaster is quite nice too. With decent articulation and a great colour scheme it’s very hard to find fault with this figure. If I had one minor quibble, it’s that he has a lot of faux parts, for instance the F1-racer waist piece doesn’t actually make up the nose of the car mode.

Mirage, even more than the likes of Impactor, really lends himself to the Weaponizer gimmick, and with multiple ports all over his body you can really pimp him out for battle!

Cybertronian Racer

Like many of the other Siege toys, this looks more like an Earth vehicle with a few Cybertronian elements pasted on top. But it’s still a nice looking race car and the first offworld version of the character we have had. I really like how part of the car’s body is translucent as an homage to the fact that the character has invisibility powers – much more attractive than the battle-damage paint most Siege figures come with.

Unlike the robot mode, you can’t really Weaponize Mirage’s vehicle mode. There are only two spots which are on his tailfin, and these are taken up by his rocket launcher and rifle. However the weapons look pretty cool there and make his alt-mode look distinctly more Cybertronian, differentiating the figure nicely from the very good Classics version.

Worth Getting?

For those that are happy with the Mirage toys they already have, there is a completely translucent version of this toy too which could be worth tracking down online as it looks pretty boss, though it means purchasing the Decepticon version of Impactor and the third Powerdasher figure with it. But I wanted this version as the robot mode holds so much appeal for me, especially since Mirage was the first Autobot I ever got as a kid. But whichever way you wanna go, this is a very solid toy with a fun and intuitive transformation and is very faithful to the characters roots – he will fit nicely into anyone’s collection.

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

Related Articles:

Toy Review – Siege Omega Supereme

Toy Review – Siege Greenlight

Toy Review – Autobot Alphastrike Counterforce

Transformatorium, Transformer Toy Reviews

Toys Review – Selects: Nightbird, Cromar and Zetar

November 7, 2019 Big Angry Trev 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

Big Angry Trev Powermaster Cromar — ‘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.

Big Angry Trev Powedasher Cromar — ‘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 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

Big Angry Trev Powerdasher Zetar — ‘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

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.

Nightbird Big Angry Trev — ‘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

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 – Siege Greenlight

July 9, 2019 Big Angry Trev Leave a comment

Over the past few years we have been getting Transformer toys based on increasingly obscure Generation One characters. While it’s pretty hard to beat Scrounge (a character from the Marvel comics who turned into a wheel and died) who came with the Combiner Wars Technobots, we may have a contender. This time it is a femmebot who was a background character with no lines in a single episode from a G1 cartoon back in 1985. So let’s say Go to the Amazon Prime exclusive Siege Greenlight!

Robot Mode

Transformers Greenlight Big Angry Trev — ‘It’s not easy being Greenlight’

Greenlight uses the same mold that was used by POTP Moonracer and Novastar before that. So there are probably few dedicated collectors who are unfamiliar with this mold by now. Besides the colour scheme, which is rather more striking than I thought it would be, the only change is a new headsculpt based on her G1 cartoon appearance – very 80’s alien from the future in its design. And she does look pretty cool sporting a shield and flaming sword.

Vehicle Mode

Esentially identical to all her sisterbots, but once again the green really pops! And at least coming with a Targetmaster … er, I mean Battle Master partner, attaching her shield at the back makes it look like she has a vehicular battle mode.

Dazzlestrike

Dazzlestrike is a redeco of Lionizer. The figure is unchanged except for some white eyebrows, some green on the blade and blue eyes instead of red. These extra colours certainly make the figure stand out more than her brother.

Worth Getting?

Well it depends. If you are looking for a toy you haven’t seen before you won’t find it here. She also has a decent price tag, being an exclusive from Amazon Prime. However these are characters you wont find anywhere else and considering you get a Deluxe and a Battle Master figure the cost isn’t outrageous. Also if you wish to form the gestalt Orthia (review coming when 4th Femmebot released), the first female Combiner we’ve had since Megatronia, then Greenlight is a must have to join with Elita-1 and the rest. So why not fill out that extra gap in your G1-cast entourage and go get your Greenlight online today!

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

Related Articles:

Toys Review – Wave 1 Siege Micromasters

Toys Review – First Wave Terrorcons

Random Reviews, Transformatorium

Movie Review – Bumblebee

December 23, 2018 Big Angry Trev Leave a comment

Over the past 5 live-action Transformer movies we’ve come to expect certain things. From the humans: wacky, half-psychotic characters and overly-sexualized stereotypes. From the robots: zero characterization and dialogue, overly-complex bodies and fight scenes one has no hope of following. Throw in a few convoluted plots and some smutty humour and badda-bing badda-boom, another TF movie pumped out by Hollywood.

However Transformers 6 – Bumblebee, seems to be something different. Something GOOD!

What a delightful breath of fresh air this movie is! It contains none of the issues listed above, and replaces them with relatable characters, great dialogue and a lot of heart!

The Plot (yes, there is one this time!)

The Bumblebee movie is actually a prequel to the last 5 movies, set in 1987. Bumblebee comes to Earth, after a 10 minute opening scene which will have every G1 fan looking for the tissues for their eye ducts (and possibly elsewhere) due to the amount of fan service contained within. The first 10 minutes is based on Cybertron and showcases G1 characters actually looking like G1 characters, still in their Cybertronian modes having a huge battle! They are all there – Soundwave, Shockwave & The Seekers all blasting away at the likes of Wheeljack, Arcee, Brawn, Ratchet and so on. Seeing the battle will be lost, Optimus Prime orders the Autobots to evacuate Cybertron and sends B-127 to prepare a base for them on the aforementioned Earth.

Arriving on Earth, B-127 is almost immediately attacked by the US Army (their involvement one thing that has not changed) and then near killed by Blitzwing, the only character in the movie bearing no resemblance to his G1 incarnation (besides having a jet mode). B-127 loses his voice, loses his memory, and manages to scan a Volkswagen Beetle before going dormant.

We now get introduced to the heroine of the story – Charlie. Just turned 18. But unlike Sam Witwicky she doesn’t seem like a nutjob. And unlike every female character before her, she seems to dress in a way that doesn’t border on the pornographic. In fact, Charlie turns out to be a very endearing character that the viewer comes to care about. This was a very smart move on the part of the new writers and directors, going with a female-teen instead of a male and keeping sexuality completely out of it. It stops them retracing old ground from the TF1 and good on them. In fact all the humans are fairly likeable and all seem to serve a purpose to the plot, rather than being thrown in for the sake of it.

You know what? It IS as sweet as this pic suggests!

At the same time this is happening, the only two completely new robot characters in the movie – the Decepticons Shatter and Dropkick make an appearance. In fact starting off by torturing Cliffjumper on one of Saturn’s moons looking for B-127. They soon find their way to Earth, adopt car alt-modes, (and later secondary flight alt-modes) and search for the missing Autobot in order to find Optimus. They trick the human army into letting them use their equipment and the race is on!

From there it could be said to be the usual. Charlie reactivates B-127, freaks out, he freaks out, they bond, they have some loveable adventures, they get found by the military, he saves her, she saves him, he saves her again, they get found by the Cons, have a huge fight and then save the day. It’s kinda predictable but is an enjoyable ride and very entertaining to watch.

Continuity Errors

Being a prequel, this movie should match up with the previous 5 and set the stage for TF1. It doesn’t. There are multiple continuity errors brought up in this, such as Bumblebee only arriving in 1987 when yet in The Last Knight he was shown to be present during WWII. Optimus arrives on Earth that same year rather than in 2007. The Transformers know English rather than learning it from the world wide web. There are many more but you get the drift. To be honest, this really should have been a reboot rather than a prequel, as this is far better than anything that has come before and I’d rather have the new ideas than the old.

G1 Goodness!

What?! Arcee isn’t a motorcycle that goes around on one wheel and has a face like a smashed in colander?!

For your G1 fans, this is the movie you always wanted. Bumblebee is a VW Bug. Optimus is a short-nosed truck with a big silver trailer. The Seekers on Cybertron are Tetrajets. Everyone looks like everyone hoped they would all the way back in 2007. There are plenty of Easter Eggs, it brought joy to my heart to see my son whoop with joy when Bee started playing ‘You’ve got the Touch’ when encouraging Charlie to dive. It’s… it’s just beautiful!

A PG Rating

Another smart move made by the makers of this film is making it PG rated. A lot of the adult Transformer fans have become pretty jaded from the last four films in particular, so this enabled the producers to open this flick up to a younger audience untarnished by Michael Bay scrotum jokes. And it’s worked. My son turned 6 three days before TF6 was released, so it was perfect to take him and his friends to. And they loved it! Some kids that age might find a few things scary, but most will enjoy it. No blood from the 2 humans that get killed, minimal swearing, zero sexuality. It was a smart way to go.

So worth watching?

Yes. YES. A thousand times yes! This is the movie we hoped for many years ago! So much heart and character and humour and joy! Great for kids, amazing for G1 fans; the only ones disappointed will be those in love with the Bayverse and those folk are hard to find these days. Take the whole family out to see this, you will not be sorry!

Got something to add? Pop it in the comments section below!

Related Articles:

Movie Review – The Last Knight

Transformatorium, Videos

Video – My 100+ Generations Decepticons

October 8, 2018 Big Angry Trev Leave a comment

For a bit of fun and a bit of comparison I pulled out of my storage crates a lot of my Decepticons. In particular, toys that were updates of classic characters, mainly (but not exclusively) from G1. I was amazed and how many characters have gotten new toys!

So enjoy this short video I made of the display. Also below you will find some screenshots and a full list of the Decepticons on display along with links to reviews of many of the figures displayed here – have fun!

Acid Storm, Apeface, Astrotrain, Axor,

Banzaitron, Battletrap, Bonecrusher, Black Arachnia, Blast Off, Blitzwing, Bludgeon, Bombshell, Breakdown, Brawl, Bruticus, Buzzsaw,

Caliburst, Catgut, Chop Shop, Cyclonus,

Darkmount, Darkwing, Dead End, Devestator, Dirge, Doubledealer, Drag Strip, Dreadwind, Dreadwing,

Fangry, Frenzy, Full-Tilt,

Galvatron, Gnaw, Grabuge,

Hook, Hun-Grrr,

Jhaixus,

Kickback, Krok,

Laserbeak, Leozack, Liokaiser, Long Haul,

Megatron, Menasor, Mindwipe, Misfire, Mixmaster, Motormaster,

Needlenose, Nightbird, Nightstick, Nemesis Striker,

Octone, Onslaught, Overkill, Overlord

Pounce

Quake

Ramjet, Rampage, Ratbat, Ravage, Rippersnapper, Rodimus Unicronus, Rumble, Runabout

Scavenger, Scourge, Scorponok, Scrapper, Shockwave, Singe, Sixshot, Shrute, Skrapnel, Skullgrin, Skullsmasher, Sky Byte, Sky Shadow, Skywarp, Slice, Slipstream, Slugslinger, Soundblaster, Soundwave, Spinister, Starscream, Submarauder, Sunbeam, Swindle

Tankorr, Thrust, Thundercracker, Thunderwing, Treadshot, Triggerhappy, Trypticon

Vortex

Waspinator, Wildrider, Wingspan, Windsweeper, Wolfwire,

Zputty

Games & Competitions, Transformatorium

Game App Review – Transformers Bumblebee Overdrive

October 2, 2018 Big Angry Trev Leave a comment

There have been a ton of Transformer gaming apps in recent years on both Android and iPhone; a few have retired and several are still chugging along. In anticipation of the new Bumblebee Movie coming out later this year, we have a new game (currently only available through Apple) based on everyone’s favorite little yellow bot in Transformers Bumblebee Overdrive.

Pretty much every app has been based on either the Movieverse or Generation 1. This is most definitely G1 with a bit of Generations thrown in. And like G1, this game is 80’s arcade all the way baby!

You start the game as Bumblebee and work your way through 4 main stages over and over, gathering crystals and coins in order to unlock new characters. Once you reach a certain points level, you then take on a boss character, the defeat of which will unlock new weapons and bonuses within game.

The four main stages consist of Highway, Canyon, another Canyon and Decepticon bases.

Highway

Lots of innofensive traffic which you need to dodge, the only real enemy you encounter and flying Decepticon Drones that fire off missiles, one hit of which can kill. It is during these highway drives that you can try to earn bonuses from completing events, such as destroying a certain amount of Phone Booths or Fire Hydrants.

Canyon – style 1.

*Who takes a sports car that expensive offroading?*

Lots of swerving required here. Surprise spike pits pop up, silver mines are laid about, more flying Missile Drones and as you progress Laser Cannons. Ironically the main thing you need to avoid are rock columns, crashing into one kills you instantly.

Canyon – style 2.

Nothing to crash into here, but you are being pursued! Here we get some G1 goodness with you being chased by Stunticons Dead End & Breakdown as well as other G1 Cons Ruckus and Ground Hog. There is also the Stunticon Offroad from Combiner Wars and Slice(r) from Timelines thrown in. Taking out these other cars is probably the easiest of the levels, though as it gets harder sometimes you find ones parked in your way as you fight the others.

Decepticon Bases

Here is the only part of the game where you get to fight as robot mode and a plethora of different dangers get in your way. Laser Canons in different configurations, barriers both physical and electric and purple flying Conheads who resemble the same ones found in Transformers: Devestation. These levels are also the ones were you get to test out the different weapons you have unlocked by defeating bosses, in particular I like the laser beam you get for defeating Acid Storm.

Bosses

Nearly all G1 based (apart from Generations Battleslash) and they are a lot of fun! You only get to fight these when you have reached a certain amount of points. In the classic 80’s arcade style, these bosses throw different energy weapon patterns at you and as long as you avoid the obvious patterns the bosses are easy to defeat. Quite an enjoyable part of the game, it’s a shame that they come along so rarely.

Character Unlocks

You start as Bumblebee and, much like any toy isle you go down, the easiest other character to get is another version of Bumblebee, this one resembling in part his look from TF: AOE. The other characters to get at this stage are Sideswipe, Arcee and Optimus – Optimus requiring a whopping 500 crystals! When you obtain a character you use your coins to increase their armor and firepower, then use crystals to ungrade them to the next level to start all over again. I just got Arcee this morning and she is quite fun in robot mode since she has two guns, which means double the firepower when you use the upgrades like lasers and homing missiles.

*‘Freedom is the right of all sentient beings – as long as they pay through the nose with crystally goodness’*

In-Game Purchases

*Guess the game companies need to make their money somehow*

What app doesn’t have these. Personally I’d never buy even the cheap ones but maybe there is someone out there willing to spend over a hundred bucks on the big pack.

Is the game worth playing?

In short doses yes. It’s lots of fun! In big doses no. Your finger gets tired after a while and to be honest when I was most of the way to the points total for Battleslash I was hoping I would crash as I had had my fill. Also despite the minor variations you get each run through, having only 4 stages to work through over and over again gets understandingly repetitive.

Will I still be playing this game in a months time?

I doubt it. I’ll unlocked Arcee a few hours ago but no way could I be bothered saving enough crystals for Optimus. Also as mentioned before, the amount of points you need to gain increases exponentially to reach bosses. The first three (Tracer, Quake and Acid Storm) are not too onerous but then suddenly you find Battlelslash to be a whopping 256,000 points and that takes forever to reach.

So should you download it?

If you are a TF fan sure, why not! It’s a bit of cheesy 80’s arcade fun but it really doesn’t have anything to keep you there for the long haul.

Got something to say about this App? Put it in the comments section below!

Tales of the Trev, Transformatorium

Meet & Greet at the Collectormania Fair

October 16, 2017 Big Angry Trev Leave a comment

You know, it’s not all gravy being Big Angry Trev. I know what perceptions that a lot of the public hold of me; that I eat imported lobsters off plates of gold, served up by nubile & busty fangirls who pay for the privilege of catering to the every whim of their idol.

But no, sometimes it’s damn hard work. Especially when your online fandom want a real life public appearance. On this site, of course I am known to you all as Big Angry Trev, purveyor of whimsy and wisdom. Then to the Transformers community I am known as Big Transformer Trev, collector extraordinaire and Ozformer of the Year. It’s an honor to be venerated by ones peers on the world wide web but sometimes you have to give a little something back. You need to show up, shake a few babies, kiss a few hands and generally let people feel the warm glow of bathing in the light of your reflected glory.

To this end, I made a public appearance at the Collectormania Toy & Hobby Fair in Penrith.

It’s a bugger of a drive, I can tell ya that! Espeically on a rainy Sunday morning. The Blue Mountains seem to consist of constantly changing speed limits enforced by a plethora of speed cameras and cop cars just waiting for you to miss a single sign. Combine that with half the time you are driving on the edge of a precipice and it does not make for a relaxing country jaunt.

When I finally reached my destination I was greeted at the door by Shannon, one of the main pillars of my Ozformer of the Year campaign and a stalwart supporter. Like many celebrities I have let many of my basic social and survival skills whither so Shannon was to be my guide to the toy fair as well as a buffer between me and the general public.

*Big enough to hold back the adoring hordes*

Not long after entering I was quickly accosted by one of my long time fans Adam. Adam has been a bit of a Fanboy of mine for 20 years, even back at the start when I was doing movies and television for a living. Adam had his usual reaction to seeing me – a girlish squeal of delight and the development of a mild erection. Given the regularity I illicit these reactions from my fans I was able to still smile and give him a hug, albeit from the side rather than the front.

*“Yes yes, I am your sexy god. I get that a lot”*

Shannon then gave me the tour of the Fair. This was my first toyfair and I found that they are significantly different to pop culture expos. No cosplay for a start. No huge displays either. And there were very few women to be seen. I think I saw less than a dozen the whole morning and those that I did see might as well have had ‘wife’ or ‘daughter’ stamped on their foreheads.

It was very hot in there too. I had to lose my trademark black jacket after 20 minutes, lest I start to perspire and smell like a lot of my fellow fair attendees. There was a definite essence in the air that suggested many of these guys were leaving their parents basements for the first time in a long while and bathing beforehand had no occurred to them.

It seemed like most of the stalls at the Fair stocked one of two things – either Pop! figures or Matchbox cars. Neither are really my cup of tea but I was able to find at least one I liked.

And of course, courtesy of my trusty guide Shannon, I was able to locate Transformers. I’ve never been a 3^rd Party collector, considering how many official toys there are to collect, but I will say that a 3P Bruticus I came across was a thing of beauty to behold and it took a force of will to walk away.

However I was rewarded with some G2 goodness! G2 Optimus AND G2 Megatron! Shannon was even able to haggle me a better deal on the Optimus. Given how much one pays online for toys like these, I was starting to see the Toy Fair’s appeal.

As Shannon showed me around I got to meet many of my fans from both the blogging world and the Transformers community. I got to meet Cranky – who was surprisingly cheerful – and Carlo and Dallas who couldn’t wipe the smiles from their dials. Also Hursty who has a Soundwave collection that surpasses even my own! Then came Brendan, the self-styled ‘Angel of Death’ who used his dark powers to lure me out to the carpark where… ehem… some shady deals were made (yes I lost LG43 Trypticon but I came home with some G1 goodies to replace him).

**Trev:** “So whats your favorite thing about meeting me so far?”
**Dallas:** “Well, we met 2 seconds ago so I’d say ‘this moment right now'”

*‘Shannon 2’ as my tour guide most unfairly referred to him.*

Soon it was time for refreshment. Meat and beer were highly sought after so I took a cadre of my more presentable fans and we ‘did lunch’. When Dallas turned up with some dark beer it earned him a place of honor next to yours truly, much to the admiration and jealousy of his peers.

And that was it. Quite the experience. Again, this kind of thing is expected of one from time to time, but I will say that the lads I got to spend time with and the rare toys I walked away with made the trip well worth while. I hope next time I have to do Big Angry Trev – Blogger, or Big Transformer Trev – Ozformer of the Year appearances I get to meet such great guys again.

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Multiverse Blurr Toys Gallery

May 6, 2017 Big Angry Trev Leave a comment

The sixth of my Multiverse galleries. Blurr first showed up in the 86′ toyline and animated movie. We had to until Armada to get another version of him but since then the speedster has taken off once again!

For my review of Titans Return Blurr see HERE

For my review of Combiner Force Blurr see HERE

Individual Figure Pic’s