In what can be only be described as an impressive feat of electronic labour, Australian Transformer fan and prolific youtuber DrLockdown has created a video showcasing everysinglefigure from the War for Cybertron Trilogy. That’s right – every single toy from Siege, Earthrise and Kingdom is discussed in one video with an impressive runtime of over 4 hours – bring some popcorn kiddies!
But not only has DrLockdown completed this impressive task, he did so while including many of your favourite Transformer youtubers! Yes, literally dozens of Transformer reviewers contributed, discussing specific figures that they enjoyed from the War for Cybertron trilogy. And while many of these youtubers are from abroad, there is some home-grown Aussie talent in there as well, including Toy Reel and yours truly.
So get in your favourite comfy seat, crack an energon cube, sit back and enjoy DrLockdown’s impressive video: EVERY War For Cybertron Trilogy Figure.
Oh, and if you want to be a bit naughty and find my particular contribution, keep an eye out for review #23 near the end of the vid where I discuss a certain fiery fellow and his little friend 😉
If you would like to see more of DrLockdown’s reviews, you can check out all the other great videos on his youtube channel here.
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?
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!
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 StunticonDrag 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
‘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.
Fuck stealth!
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
I’m translucent – that makes me Cybertronian.
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!
Omega Supreme– the first BIG bot of the Transformers franchise.
SureDevastatorshowed a season earlier but he was made up of 6 smallerbots whereas Omega was simply massivein his own right. I still remember the first episode I saw him in –out of nowhere this big battle base character showed up, flew to the moon as a rocket and then turned into this giant robotthatwas able to pick upMegatroninone hand and tell him what for! The first time he showed up in the comics he promptly killedhalftheDecepticonson earth in asingle battle!
In other words – Omega is huge and Omega isSUPREME!
Being one of my very favourite characters I was extremely chuffed to hear we would be getting aTitan classOmega Supreme toy. Whilst I really liked myYOTS Omega, his alt-mode had nothing to do with the G1 character. Likewise I loved Omega in theAnimated cartoon, but he never got a toy at all. So when it was announced that Omega Supreme would be getting a huge new toy which was based, in both modes, on hisG1incarnation, I gave a little squeal of geeky delight!
So without further ado,letslook atTitan-Class War forCybertronSiege Omega Supreme.
Robot Mode
Size: Impressive
Oh be still my beating fuel pump! He isfrigginawesome! And unlikeMetroplexandFort Max, Omega Supreme gives a real sense ofbulk. Good thick lower legs and arms and a massive torso, just like one would hope for. Add to this the two cannon arms, track-wings, translucent visor andfaithfulcolour scheme and there is no mistaking who this big boy is supposed to be. Something I think is an excellent addition is the fact that they have made his claw arm prehensile, as in the claws can bend in the middle in order better grab things. In fact, whilst not as good as some other toys, this Omega has the best articulation ofany toy of his namesake, with shoulders, elbows, knees and neck all moveable to put him in a variety of poses.
FIREPOWER!
Guns: Blazing!
Omega is packing atonof firepower in robot mode. As well as having a huge blaster on the end of each arm, he has his signature tank cannon in the back of his head which can be swivelled around. On his upper chest he has two cannons, these can be folded upwards to reveal further missile racks underneath. So if Omega doesn’t simply squashya, he can blast you into oblivion.
PARTSFORMER PRECEDENCE
Omega Supreme figures have always beenpartsformers. Thoughsomepurists contendthat apartsformerisn’t really a propertransformer, given Omega’salt-mode/s it’s actually a necessity. Both the original and the Siege versions consist of three separate machines(tank, rocket,base)and even theEnergonversion needed to come apart to form various trains and cranes. So while there was no way that Siege Omega was not going to be apartsformer, the separate parts have been kept to a minimum(Tank/Torso, Arms/Rocket, Body/Base, Wings/Tracks x 2)and there is still a lot of transformation going on.
The Base
The outer body and legs of Omega become the base whilst his wings, like the original toy, become the tracks. It’s really a nice looking base and I love the fact that it comes with two little inner ramps thatMicromasterfigurescan drive up and down. The missile racks are displayed here so that the base can defend itself andone thing I really like is how the track is both elevated as well as being wide enough to accommodate the tank. The feet of the robot can fold out to show little caverns forMicromastersto hide in, though personally I prefer to keep them folded up to keep that oval shape.
The Tank
The torso and head become the tank. The tank cannon that is on the back of Omega’s head is actually not the same tank cannon here, this one is way larger. It’s a great looking tank, though not motorized like the original. The tank can open up to reveala space forMicromasters, though I would have preferred they makethe ramp smootherso that the little guys can actually roll out of himproperly,rather than bump their way down.
The Rocket
Rocket Mode: Phallic. Cosmos: Jealous.
Wow – this isabigrocket! Like,reallybig! Made up primarily of the arms and a thin panel along the back, it’s amazing just the length this rocket reaches, making it as tall as Omega is in his robot mode! The transformation is very clever,wrapping around circular parts and the top of the rocket opens up to show a small cockpit forMicromasterfigures. If I had a complaint, it’s that the prehensile claw that serves as the landing struts tend to slowly slip outwards, so unless you have them flat down Omega’s rocket mode will eventually tilt as one of them gives way.
The Finished Article
All three of Omega’s modules on their own are pretty cool, but add them all together and it looks wicked! Seriously, I don’t think there is much I can say here about how great it is that the photo’s don’t convey on their own.
Rocket Base Mode: Awesome. Fan Boys: Jizzing themselves right now.
Countdown
In theG1toylineandDreamwavecomicsCountdown was aMicromasterlunar rover that came with his own rocket base. Making him a partner to Omega Supreme who himself turns into a rocket base was a good call. Countdown looks good in both modes and if nothing else really highlights how much interactivity there is between figures his size and the Omega toy.
Worth Getting?
At around $260(AU) he isn’t cheap but isn’t any more expensive thanTrypticonwas two years ago. If you are a G1 lover or afanof huge Transformers this figure could be considered a must have. The interactivity withMicromasterfigures, the robot mode, the rocket base mode – it all works. Whilst not theabsoluteperfect figure, he is a genuinely excellent toy which by far is the best Omega Supreme we’ve ever had, and perhaps ever will have. What can I say? This toy is trulySUPREME!
Got something to say about this figure? Pop it in the comments section below!
The Wreckers – the biggest bot badasses this side of the Dinobots. The team the Autobots go to when they don’t give a shit about collateral damage, they just want some Cons dead!
‘The Wreckers: Class of 1986’ (Absent: Rack’n’Ruin)
The Wreckers have been around since the old Marvel comics and since have become ingrained within Transformers lore. And before the mighty Springer became leader of the team, their leader was the hardened, the ruthless, the one and only – Impactor.
Impactor did not get an official toy for many years. In fact it wasn’t until the Generations FOC toyline in 2013 he got his first one, a kinda weird redo of FOC Onslaught. Then a few years later in 2016 Impactor got a Timelines toy that was infinitely cooler, yet as a redo of CW Rook still didn’t tick all the boxes that fans of the G1 Comics Impactor required.
Well here we are in 2019 and Impactor has finally gotten a figure designed specifically for him. And damn it’s a beauty! So let’s have a look at Siege Deluxe Class Impactor.
Robot Mode
‘Face the front perp, prepare for your mugshot’
Beautiful colours here, really does justice to him. The timelines version was pretty good with an awesome head, but that huge grey peg in his chest was a definite drawback. This Impactor looks buff, tough and has the right stuff! His shoulder cannon looks particularly faithful and impressive.
‘Where is that green prick who stole my job?’
Articulation on this figure is very good, with multiple points all over his upper and lower body, allowing you to put him in a myriad of battle poses. The right (or left if you prefer) hand folds in to attach his signature harpoon. The tank barrel from his tank mode serves as a rifle. Really, its hard to find fault here, everything from the head sculpt to the colour scheme are spot on.
‘Orange was never my colour’
Cybertronian Tank Mode
Finally, I have treads instead of wheels!
To be honest, he looks even cooler than he did in any comic. Weaponry wise he sports a giant tank cannon at the front, his shoulder cannon becomes a roof mounted laser cannon, there are twin scatter blasters on either side and his harpoon becomes a rotating laser gun on top. Add to that four huge spikes at the front and he don’t need no stinkin Battle Masters to kick butt, he’s a one-tank arsenal! There are however multiple ports to add Battle Master and Weaponizer guns should you wish.
Overkill? Na…
Once again the colour scheme is top notch, and as the leader of The Wreckers the battle damage suits him more than most . This really is the Impactor you’ve been waiting for.
Transformation
Quite straight forward. Not stupidly simple but no real challenge to be had.
Worth Getting?
Oh hells yes! I’ve been pretty damn happy with my Timelines Impactor for the past three years, and while I was looking forward to an update I wasn’t yearning for it. But now I have this guy my other two Impactors won’t be getting a look in any time soon. Everything about this figure is really spot on and just screams Wreck’n’Rule! Whether you want this guy or the upcoming one which is Decepticon aligned, either way go and grab one and continue to pray there is a Rack’n’Ruin toy in the works soon.
Got something to say about this figure? Pop it in the comments section below!
The exclusives continue thick and fast in the Transformers: War for Cybertron: Siege toyline. In fact nearly 40% of this toyline is made up of figures you can only purchase in particular US stores or otherwise online.
Last time we looked at Greenlight, who was only available through the US Amazon Prime site. Today we are looking at some more Amazon exclusives, though thankfully you can get them through the AU store. Today we look at the Autobot Alphastrike Counterforce.
This pack is made up of three bots but four characters – Covert Clone Sideswipe, a new Battle Master character named Trenchfoot, and vehicle only characters Raindance and Grand Slam who combine into Slamdance.
Covert Clone Sideswipe
Robot Mode
‘Look, I’ve got the G1 symbol so that makes me G1, totally not G2, I swear!’
Yep – despite the name we all know from the colour scheme this is really G2 Sideswipe. Except the inversion of the red and black colours, this figure is exactly the same as the regular Sideswipe that came out in the main Siege toyline. At least with all the blaster adaptability you can beef up his weaponry – which consist of a Photo-Pulser Proton Launcher and a Gryo Blaster that can combine into a RR Gryofuse Axleswitch Hyper-Blaster – so he resembles more his more hardcore G2 incarnation.
Cybertronian Sports Car Mode
No sir, I don’t really like it. It’s not bad, but with all the red under the translucent dome the colour scheme really screams the Decepticons Wildrider or Runabout. Once again, adding lots of weapons is your friend here to give him that G2 Sideswipe feel.
Trenchfoot
Trenchfoot is a recolour of Decepticon Battle Master Caliburst and his colour scheme makes it clear he is more intended to be paired up with Sideswipe than Slamdance. I think he works really well in both modes, his gun apparently being a Foxhole Counterblast Cannon. Interestingly he is one of the very few completely original characters in the Siege toyline so far.
Fire!
Raindance & Grand Slam
A little history lesson. In 1988 G1 Blaster finally got a 3rd set of cassettes – Raindance and Grand Slam. What made these characters unique was that they had no robot or robotic animal modes whatsoever (until they combined) – they both turned from cassettes into vehicles.
Raindance
Here Raindance once again has no robot mode of his own, and not even a cassette mode! He is however a very cool looking blue earth jet, replacing his Cybertronian Jet-Drone mode.
Grand Slam
G1 Grand Slam turned from a cassette into a red Cybertronian Tank. Like Raindance he has also lost his cassette mode but turns into a pretty sweet red tank fairly reminicent of the original, sporting a big A2A Proton Missile Launcher on the front. Both Grand Slam and Raindance can sport each others weapons as well (Raindance’s being a Smokecloak Blaster)
Slamdance
Took over 3 decades but I’m back baby! I hope those 80’s dances are still popular!
As mentioned, the original G1 Raindance and Grand Slam toys could combine to finally give them a robot mode – Slamdance – and here he is once again. A slight retool of Siege Skytread but with a new head, he stands that slight bit taller than your average Deluxe figure. This is a great shout out to a pretty obscure character!
Beware the left ankle!
There have been many reports of people snapping the left ankle off their Slamdance! And indeed having this knowledge in advance I was very careful with mine and found that yes, his left ankle is very tight and stiff. However I found that giving the area a quick squirt with some spray lubricant like WD-40 and then leaving him for half an hour resulted in a much less stiff and more fluid movement in the part, so now I transform him without worry. I highly recommend doing the same when you first remove yours from the box.
Is this set worth getting?
Well there are no brand new moulds here. All 3 (or 4) moulds have already been released in the main Siege line so if you are looking for something new look elsewhere. That said, this has been the cheapest version of G2 Sideswipe we’ve had since the original, its the first time in over 30 years we’ve had a Slamdance figure and Trenchfoot is that rare thing becoming more elusive – a whole new character. The price is around $80(AU) online which really isn’t too bad for 2 Deluxe’s and a Battle Master so you can feel like you are getting decent value for money. This is really a take or leave exclusive which I primarily picked up for Slamdance, and I am quite happy I did.
Got anything to say about this set of figures? Pop it in the comments section below!
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 exclusiveSiege Greenlight!
Robot Mode
‘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.
‘Springer – I am your warrior princess!’
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!
Back in the late 80’s the Transformers brand was starting to suffer. Something new had to be tried. So in direct reaction to the popularity of Micro Machines, the Transformers made Micromasters. These were actually pretty cool little toys! You could get them in packs of 4 or 6, some had bases, some could combine, and they were pretty cheap to get. I know for myself I collected most of the Decepticonones to try and even out the amount of each faction I had as a kid, having to track down the Autobot ones as an adult. Micromasters got a brief revival in the Universe line in 2003, but didn’t grab the toy consumers imagination.
Here we are in 2019 and Micromasters are back! And the first wave of the War For Cybertron: Seige line is made up of 3 pairs, each pair making up half the members of their original patrol team. So lets have a look at some classic G1 characters, most we haven’t seen in 30 years!
BATTLE PATROL
Flak & Topshot
Robot Modes
Flak is so unchanged from his G1 incarnation that I had to look twice to make sure it was a new figure. Topshot (formerly Big Shot) also represents his G1 heritage well. Both have far more detail in their faces and their bodies overall. Both have knees but no elbows or head swivel.
Vehicle Modes
Once again Flak looks very much like he did in G1, though with some cooler details on his missile ports. Topshot has lost a bit of length from his turret (maybe that’s why he had to change his name) but this is made up for by being able to swivel the gun up and from side to side with a great degree of control than the G1 toy allowed. Both get top marks!
Weapon Mode
Topshot becomes the back half with his turret becoming the gun peg, with Flak making up the front to become an oversized missile gun. Looks a bit odd being held by a Deluxe Sized figure, but would suit a Voyager sized bot well.
AIR STRIKE PATROL
Visper & Storm Cloud
Robot Modes
Visper (formerly Whisper) has a nice amount of detail and looks quite good. Storm Cloud is odd as in he is the only figure out of this entire wave of Micromasters that has elbows, yet at the same time he lacks hands. An odd trade off. Besides this Storm Cloud does however look good otherwise.
Vehicle Modes
Both Visper and Storm Cloud are both very faithful to their G1 origins, while adding a bit of extra detail to their jet forms that one would expect after a 30 year hiatus.
Weapon Mode
Quite a decent looking sword, nicely balanced and well proportioned. Yes Visper is still obviously completely in jet mode but Armada’s the Star Sabre set the precedent for that. Very cool!
RACE CAR PATROL
Roadhandler & Swindler
Robot Modes
Swindler had shoulders that put Ultra Magnus to shame, and its hard with the lack of elbows to position his arms anywhere but down that doesn’t cause him to fall over. Roadhandler looks quite decent. Both suffer from having massive holes in their chests which are required for the weapon mode.
Vehicle Mode
Swindler still resembles a Delorian, which is great for us of the generation that grew up on Back to the Future movies. Once again, Roadhandler looks decent as well.
Weapon Mode
Pretty weak. You simply fold over the back of the car and insert the other car on top to make a weapon that sorta resembles the Double Targetmaster ones from G1. The only slightly redeeming feature is that they are the only pair that can swap spots, so either character can become the top or bottom half.
Worth Getting?
Yup! A cheap price point, an outing for G1 characters we haven’t seen in 30 years, very faithful to their origins and now with combined weapon modes. There are a few drawbacks sure: little articulation, the legs come off really easily on all figures and whilst you can combine the different teams bots to make new weapons, only a few of them look decent and are better off with their original partner. However these are small quibbles. I heartily recommend picking these guys up and really hope that the other halves of their teams get released in the future.
Got something to say about these little figures? Pop it in the comments section below!
Visper & Storm Cloud
