Tag Archives: Titan Master

Transformatorium, Transformer Toy Reviews

Toy Review – Earthrise Snapdragon

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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!

 

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Games & Competitions, Transformatorium

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

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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.

  

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Transformer Toy Reviews

Toy Review – LG43 Trypticon vs Titans Return Trypticon

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When I wrote the comparison blog between Takra Tomys Unite Warriors Computron and Hasbro’s Combiner Wars Computron it took me about two days to take all the pictures, write up all the subtle differences and overall decide which set was better.

With Legends Trypticon and Titans Return Trypticon?  I should be done by the end of the commercial break.

 

Here is a comparison of the boxes, the boxes are indeed different.

 

Here are the instructions for the Legends version that have a comic on the back.  That’s kinda different.

To read the English translation of this comic – check it out on Tets Toys HERE.

Here are the sticker sheets.  The stickers are exactly the same, though I suppose the size of the sheet they come on is different, I guess.

Kinda like getting the exact same meal but on two different types of plate.

The way the Legends version and the Titans Return version have been strapped in their boxes is different in layout I suppose.

Takara Tomy packing method
Hasbro packing method

 

Now to Trypticon himself, the differences are…. they are…. um….

‘One of these Cons is not like the other one…. oh wait’

The differences are non-existent!

 

That’s right kiddies – there is absolutely no difference between the two versions – none!  All the things you may have previously been lead to believe, such as the teal was darker and the purple richer in the Legends version are not correct.  That the paint apps are built in and you don’t have to apply stickers like the Hasbro version – false.  The only way I could keep the two from getting mixed up when taking photographs was that I had already applied some of the stickers to the Titans Return version.  The same goes for their smaller partners.

Full-Tilt vs Full-Tilt. No difference
Necro vs Titan Master: Difference in name only

 

In the end I didn’t even bother transforming the Legends version.  I packed it straight back in its box and am going to carefully store it for a decade so hopefully I can in the future sell it (and make back the extra $80 I paid getting it shipped from Japan) as relatively MIB.  In a day and age where toy producers are conscious that some collectors will shell out big money for multiple versions of an expensive toy for even the slightest difference, I was honestly surprised there was none here.  Not even an extra gun like Metroplex or a new hat like Malibu Stacy!

Is one worth getting over the other?  Nope.  The only thing is that some of the Titans Return versions have the dodgy hips (for an excellent way to fix that see HERE) whereas none of the LG43 versions have had that problem reported as yet.  So if the fact you don’t have to worry about this possible defect is worth the extra costs of shipping to you then grab that one.  Otherwise, unless you are rolling in cash and want to have both types of box to display, go down to your local toy store and grab the Hasbro one.

 

‘I’m Trypticon’
‘No, I’m Trypticon!’

 

Got something to add?  Would love to read it in the comments section below!

 

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Video: Comparison of LG43 and Titans Return Trypticon

 

Transformer Toy Reviews

Toys Review – Titans Return Kup, Perceptor & Topspin

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Here we are – up to Wave 4 of the Titans Return toys already!  Today we will be looking the Autobot Deluxe figures from that wave; three figures which featured heavily in the IDW comic ‘Last Stand of the Wreckers’ – namely Perceptor, Kup and Topspin.  The two former will be known to fans of the original 86’ move and associated cartoon but for those not in the know, this is a Topspin based on the 1985 G1 toy rather than the DOTM movie version.  As you will see, he is awesome!

Wreck and Rule!

 

Kup – Robot Mode

“Did I ever tell ya about the time someone turned my head into a little robot?”

No backpack, hollow arms and his colour scheme is too light.  He is a lot more G1 accurate than the previous Generations Kup toy but looks inferior in every way.  His Titan Master (Flintlock – originally a name given to one of G1 Landfill’s Targetmasters) partner is sculpted well to look like a grizzly old coot and the cockpit on the chest and proportions aren’t bad.  It’s just had to get past those awful arms and the substandard colours.  He is just… just too plain.  That said, if the arms were grey he would be an almost perfect representation of how Kup looked in the old Marvel comics!

 

Kup – Vehicle Mode

I’m haulin’ Cyber-Hay to the market!

Very faithful in shape and style to the G1 concept.  It’s a shout out to your nostalgic membrane to see Kup done like this, much in the same way that TR Blurr gave us that same tingly feeling (for a review of Blurr see HERE).  His guns can be placed in the tray of his Cybertronian-ute mode (that’s what I’m calling it anyway) much like the 87’ Targetmaster version of the toy did.  His Titan Master partner fits snugly inside the cab. I would have liked the cab to be a whiteish-opaque rather than clear but what can ya do – at least the cab seems to be on the requisite angle.

 

Perceptor – Robot Mode

I may speak softly, but I carry a BIG sniper rifle!

Nicely proportioned and well articulated.  The microscope cannon on his shoulder is a tad big but t’was the same with the original toy and for the required alt-mode there is nothing much you can do about it.  The colour scheme is spot on as is the transparent plastic on his chest.  He has the hollow forearms which is a shame but what I really like is that he comes with his sniper gun that he toted for a while in the IDW All Hail Megatron comics – very cool!  One minor flaw I found with mine was the socet to attach his Titan Master was very stiff – quite hard to connect and disconnect.

 

Perceptor – Microscope Mode

You don’t need a funny caption – you just need to appreciate that this is cool!

Yeah maybe the Generations version had a bit more playability with a firing missile and a vehicle mode, but for those purists it’s great to get another Perceptor that turns into a microscope!  The proportions are great but a real letdown is that the  the microscope lenses barely work in comparison to the original toy and it’s a shame that its 32 years later and the new toy actually has less functionality than the original, though at least the knob is useable.  Still, a nice looking Perceptor for the purists.

 

Perceptor – Cybertronian Tank Mode

I’m not in the instructions – that’s because I shot the editor!

Was never shown in the cartoon and rarely in any comic but the original Perceptor could turn into a weird tank (hence the tank tracks on the back of his calves) and this one is no different.  Though it’s not listed in the instructions, if one examines the toy you will find some black tank tracks that serve no purpose in his microscope or robot modes.  It looks kinda cool and you can attach his sniper rifles on the side as well as giving Convex somewhere to sit, rather than him just being a specimen for study in the microscope mode.

 

Topspin – Robot Mode

I finally got a cool toy!

Bloody excellent!  What a great looking robot!  Colour scheme and proportions are a big shout out to the original toy whilst making him look as cool as he did in the comics.  The Titan Master head is great – everything about this toy is great, including his two guns (though they could have stood to not be hollow).

 

Topspin – Cybertronian Hovercraft Mode

Who knows what vehicle this is – and to be honest if you like bitchin’ alt-modes you just wont care!

There are not many Generations characters where you think ‘this is all the original toy should have been’ but Topspin encapsulates this sentiment.  They have taken the essence of the original toy and expanded it to be a brilliant looking alien vehicle repleat with guns, cockpit and a bunch of huge thrusters on the back.  This is to my mind the definitive Topspin – certainly makes me glad I skipped that awful FOC version of him released a few years ago.

Flintlock, Freezeout and Convex

“Three Headmasters are better than one. Wait… we are TITAN Masters? OK, disregard”

All do their job well as Headmasters (sorry – Titan Masters).  Each looks sufficiently like the heads of their counterpart robots to complete their assigned task.  Convex looks like Perceptors cartoon model rather than his toy model, Flintlock looks old and grizzled for Kup and Freezeout has a great  sneer going on for Topspin.  Like the three main toys, I find Freezeout to be my favorite the same as Topspin is.  I would put up photos of their robot modes but its not worth it – very little detail and the faces are the same colour as the rest of the body so you can’t even see any definition.

 

Overall

Not a bad wave at all.  I haven’t touched on the Titan Master component of these figures much as it’s all par for the course now – you can swap their heads.  I will say that Kup is worth getting if you want a new version of his G1 alt-mode. Perceptor is worth getting for pretty much the same reason but Topspin is an absolute must have!

Got an opinion about these three Autobots?  Would love to read it in the comments section below!