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Transformatorium, Transformer Toy Reviews

Toy Review: Kingdom Rodimus Prime

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Two years ago the Transformers line saw the introduction of the Commander Class – a toy scale a size up from the Leader Class.  In 2019 we got a fantastic Jetfire, followed last year by an equally great Sky Lynx.

This year with the release of Unicron, we are seeing a slew of figures based around the 1986 Transformers animated movie.  One of these was Hot Rod in the Studio Series line.  Now we get to see him all grown up as the Commander Class Kingdom Rodimus Prime.

 

Robot Mode

Extremely nice, and much better proportioned than the POTP Rodimus we got several years ago.  He looks extremely character accurate, both in proportions and colour scheme and even has the trademark grimace he usually wore since he was always stressing he wasn’t Optimus.  The figure has tight joints and numerous points of articulation.

Rodimus Prime also comes with his signature rifle, as well as the Sword of Primus that he wielded in the ReGeneration One comics.

Like most Prime toys, this Rodimus comes with a Matrix that can be removed.  Can make for some great scenes from the movie such as his transformation from Hot Rod and his destruction of Unicron.

Have Matrix, will travel
Growth Spurt
‘Light our darkest hour!’

 

Vehicle Mode

Good luck trying to overtake this on the cyber-highway

Damn that’s big!  Much bigger than the leader class POTP Rodimus we mentioned earlier.  For the most part he is cartoon and toy faithful, though the front of the car sticks out a little too far for my liking.  But perhaps there is no hard and fast rule as to what a Cybertronian Winnebago should look like.

This Rodimus has some features that most previous figures of the toy haven’t had.  One is that you can open up the back of his trailer which is a nice touch.  Another is that you can take the cannon emplacement from inside and put it on the top of the trailer for a sick battle mode.

What old people wish their Winnebago’s would do when other drivers honk

Rodimus can detach from his trailer and for once he still looks like Rodimus rather than Hot Rod.  The vehicle mode is stockier and makes it look a beefier version of Hot Rod, which Rodimus himself actually is.  In both modes you can attach what is shaped like exhaust flames, but coloured like exhaust fumes.  Whether they chose this so as to not add more yellow/orange I don’t know but its an odd aesthetic choice.

 

Battle Platform

The original G1 toys trailer could open up to reveal a cannon platform and that has been recreated really nicely here.  The cannon can swivel 360 degrees and can also detach with little tank tracks on the bottom.  Personally I would have liked to see the ramp at the front be able to fold down to touch the ground, but that is rectifiable by the connecting of a Battle Master, which also allows the platform to hook up to other playsets.

 

Transformation

The trailer is dead easy.  I found the robot mode a tad fiddly in places but everything locks together very tightly and there was no point I got overly frustrated.

 

Worth Getting?

This would be the best mass-release Rodimus that we have had so I would say yes, despite the larger than usual price tag.  However if you already have the POTP version it’s pretty good and also has the option of turning into Hot Rod, so I wouldn’t trade in just yet.  It will be interesting to see if the upcoming Galvatron figure scales well with Rodimus, then we really will see if this toy is capable of lighting ones darkest hour!

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

 

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Transformatorium, Transformer Toy Reviews

Toy Review – HasLab Unicron

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In what could be said to be one of the biggest toy events in Transformers history and perhaps the most anticipated Transformers toy of all time, we have the biggest official Transformer figure of all time – Unicron!  Yes The Chaos Bringer has finally shipped out to all those all over the world lucky enough to be able to afford this behemoth, and he does not disappoint!  So lets have a look at what the ultimate evil looks like in his 27 inches of glory.

 

Planet Mode

Frick-en HUGE!  The main body of the planet is bigger than a soccer ball, and his halo of struts makes him absolutely massive!  The sheer scale of this figure really does dwarf everything that has come before.  The colours are spot on and the amount of detail with the spikes around the midsection, the different strata of layers and the planet jaws that open and close are just beautiful.  Yes its essentially a big (expensive) ball which limits its playability and poseability but that’s OK – this is the ultimate display piece and mainly for looking at and going ‘wow – just wow’.

To make up for the lack of playability in planet mode Unicron’s head comes detached (like it was at the end of TF:TM and in S3) and has a few features of its own.  You can change the beard and you can change the face as well to the battle smashed version.  Or you can remove the face all together and swivel those creepy eyes around.   The Head comes with it’s own display stand like the main figure, and also has an Autobot ship as well as a tiny Rodimus & Galvatron to round it out.

 

Robot Mode

Again we get to see the scale of Unicron here, so much bigger than even the biggest of Titan toys.  The amount of detail put into this figure is staggering, Haslab going above and beyond to make him resemble his animated appearance as much as possible.  He has great articulation for such a huge figure and nearly every part of Unicron has movement; the neck, waist, knees, elbows, feet, wrists and so on all have different degree’s of swivel and articulation.  By keeping Unicron on the stand you can pose him however you wish, even the legs in stances which would let a normal toy fall over.  The articulation of the fingers on each hand is unprecedented, with every finger having 3 points of movement.

There has been a great deal of discussion about all the kibble.  Most of this can be removed.  However I like to leave it on, for me it shows that this really is a functioning Transformer that can be changed into a different configuration – its not simply a statue.  His backpack is not a major downside for me and neither are his calves.  The skeletal wings really polish off what is a massively impressive figure.

 

Transformation

Get yourself a coffee and some snacks because you are going to be there a while.  The first time you do it will probably take you the best part of an hour.  The majority of this time is taken up with folding all the layers of the planet shell on top of each other to form the backpack and calves.  The inner robot is fairly simplistic and will present no challenges.  At no point did I find any part of the transformation overly fiddly and when you finally get him in robot mode that first time you may well feel a true sense of satisfaction.  According to blog-fan Trent, a good way to keep track of how to transform him back to planet mode is to take photo’s throughout the initial transformation – this helps you remember where everything was at different stages and reverse the process, though getting those planet panels back into position can be quite fiddly and awkward at times.

 

Overall

Unicron is a big fella and came with a big price tag (which has already been eclipsed by the new auto-transforming Optimus toy).  With only 12000 units made, we are already seeing Unicron’s on ebay going for 3 times what they cost.  Personally I bought two for my different displays and kind of wish I’d bought a 3rd so I could now sell it to pay for the other two.  Is he perfect?  No.  The inner chomper walls of the planet should have been painted silver as should his lower teeth.  The transformation to planet mode can be irritating at stages.  Also some extras such as lighting for the eyes and outer ring would have been appreciated, as well as would have a detachable leg like in the movie.  The backpack does detract from the way he looks from the back and many may not like the calves.  However on the whole this is a brilliant figure that will easily become the crowning centerpiece of any Transformer collectors collection!

 

Thoughts from other Transformer Fans:

 Steve: Impressive, Hefty & Awkward

Trent: Big!

Dallas: Just assembling the planet mode out of the box required separating a lot of panels. It’s awkward to manage because of its sheer massive size. The way all the ring components assemble, the spike strips install and lock in place and the shell components separate and reintegrate speaks of well thought out elegant engineering.  The fact that it’s been designed to allow transformation on the stand indicates a real understanding of the intended use, anyone who says they can transform this thing without the stand is talking out their arse.

Orion: It’s awesome – biggest Transformer ever!  And Dad let me transform his butt!

Jason: The missus gave an almighty headshake when she saw me come home with a box that size!

  

Got your own thoughts about this giant figure?  Pop them in the comments section below!

 

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Transformatorium, Transformer Toy Reviews

Toys Review – Studio Series Hot Rod & Scourge

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With Haslab’s Unicron due to ship out in a few months and 2021 being the 35th anniversary of The Transformers: The Movie, it’s seems the perfect time for Hasbro to cash in on the nostalgia that still surrounds this cult classic movie to this day.

To this end, their higher end Studio Series line is taking a departure from the live-action movies to make figures intended to look as much like their onscreen counterparts as possible from the 1986 animated movie. The preview pictures online have had many fans frothing from the mouth with excitement and today we get to look at two of the Voyager class figures – Scourge and Hot Rod.

 

Scourge

Robot Mode

As someone who owns nearly ever iteration of the Sweeps commander, I can confidently say this is the best looking Scourge we’ve ever had! All the little details from the red claws to the facial hair, along with the larger details such as the bat wings, are just spot on. This really is a beautiful looking figure. He feels really solid with high quality materials used and is very easy to pose.

Scourge the Tracker. And his huntsmen – The Sweeps

Cybertronian Hovercraft

Once again a fantastic representation of how he looked on the screen. The only downside for me is the feet on the rear end of the hovercraft mode which precludes him having his usual rectangular booster. Given the feet were a problem with Earthrise Ratchet’s altmode as well I hope this isn’t a trend we see continued. However this is a minor quibble. You can attach Scourges weapon to the side of the Hovercraft and with a bit of fiddling about you can make his head pop up just like when he was asking to ‘gut Ultra Magnus’.

Peekaboo!

 

Hot Rod

Robot Mode

Hot Rod isn’t nearly as big as Scourge and indeed looks more like a Deluxe Size than a Voyager. However when you see all the options his body comes with along with the accessories you will understand why.

Hot Rod comes with a slew of options from the original toy and movie. As well as his two pistols he comes with;

His arm blasters and visor

 

His welding hand and circular saw

His Matrix of Leadership

All this adds up to being able to recreate a ton of iconic scenes from the movie and I deny any TF:TM fan to resist recreating many of these cinematic moments. Play value through the friggin roof yo!

 

Vehicle Mode

A very nice looking Hot Rod. I can’t say it has a giant ‘wow’ factor as we’ve gotten quite a few nice looking vehicular Hot Rod’s over the years. But it’s still pretty damn good and like Scourge you have the options to add weapon details such as guns from the engine (like his Targetmaster incarnation), his circular saw and also flames coming from the exhaust.

 

Transformations

Both of these figures have very cool transformations. They are quite involved and I recommend using the instructions the first time out, but there are never any moments where you feel lost or frustrated.

 

Worth Getting?

Oh hells yes! These are both fantastic figures and great representations of their movie incarnations. The only minor quibbles I have are Scourges booster as mentioned earlier, and I found one of Hot Rod’s arms very stiff and apt to pop out during transformation. I also would have liked to see his flame add-ons to be orange rather than matrix-fire blue. But these are all minor detractions. These figures, along with their display stands, will look great in anyone’s collection. I managed to get my figures for nearly half price due to a scanning error at the shop, but would feel I was getting my money’s worth even if I’d paid full price.

 So go get these figures now – nothin’s gonna stand in your way – not tonight!

Got something to say about these two figures? Pop it in the comments section below!

 

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Transformatorium, Transformer Toy Reviews

Toys Review – Galactic Odyssey Ratchet & Lifeline

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

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

 

Ratchet

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

 

Robot Mode

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

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

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

 

Vehicle Mode & Transformation

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

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

 

Lifeline

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

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

 

Robot Mode

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

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

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

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

 

Vehicle Mode & Transformation

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

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

 

Worth Getting?

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

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

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

 

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Transformatorium, Transformer Toy Reviews

Toy Review – Cyberverse Iaconus

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Titans are becoming a larger (no pun intended) part of Transformers lore.  However for the most part they have remained in the Generation One universe with its associated comics and toylines. 

Cyberverse became surprisingly popular as the cartoon progressed through the seasons, it was a very G1’esque universe, and indeed featured two brand new Titan characters – Croaton and Iaconus.  

Iaconus was actually a pretty cool character – a War Titan under the command of Alchemist Prime (MacAddams) he was responsible for smashing a lot of alien planets, before going dormant back on Cybertron.  The city of Iacon was built on top of him and the only part of him that remained above the surface got turned by Alchemist Prime into MacAddams Old Oil House.

 

Well this Titan has managed to get a figure in before the Cyberverse line comes to an end.  So lets have a look at Ultimate Class Iaconus.

 

 

Robot Mode

Pretty big and impressive.  Lots of plastic detail in the shins and shoulders to show his city origin and overall pretty faithful to the cartoon.  Colour scheme works quite well too.  However his articulation is severely limited, hampered by his various built in gimmicks so his poseability is limited to his arms and how you affix his sword and shield.

 

One of these aforementioned gimmicks is the flip-over armor.  This makes his head (in shape if not colour) resemble how he looked in the cartoon.

 

 

 

City Mode

‘Errr… I’m a sort of Turtle-Base that flies backwards through space?’

I hate to say it, I really hate to say it, but what a pile of shit!  OK, he had a pretty basic city mode in the cartoon, just a sorta nondescript squat green base, but this still looks worse.

There is stuff here that makes no sense!  Why are there thrusters on the front?  Does he fly backwards through space?  Why are the wings and turbines underneath instead of on the sides or top?  Frankly it looks a mess, like one of those stupid half-transformation toys that came out in earlier waves of the Cyberverse toyline.  This mode has almost no play value except for the spring gimmick that makes him transform automatically back into robot mode.

 

Worth Getting?

I got this figure on sale for only $30(AU) and to be honest despite his big size, big weapons and multiple gimmicks I have trouble justifying even that price.   He has almost zero articulation, his transformation is simplistic and crap and his alt-mode is one of the most awful I’ve ever seen.  Seriously, those thruster’s on the front of the city mode instead of the back really piss me off.  So unless you are a diehard Cyberverse or Titans fan, or this is for a younger fan, this figure is an easy pass.

 

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Transformatorium, Transformer Toy Reviews

Toy Review – EX-01 Nicee

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I find it hard to resist buying an Arcee figure.  As a multiverse collector this is the case with a lot of G1-originated characters for me, but there are characters that I nearly always get and Arcee is one of them.

   Why?  Not sure.  Maybe because she was such a well known character from the 1986 movie, as well as Seasons 3 & 4 of the G1 cartoon but never got a toy of her own.  I had to wait until I was in my 20’s before I got my first representation of her as a statue bust.  But since then I’ve gotten her in so many lines – Alternators, Energon, Prime, Animated, Thrilling 30, Q and most recently Cyberverse and Earthrise.  Heck, I even have her in Mouse Pad form!  However none of these figures ever really captured Arcee for me and how cool she is, especially her vehicle form.

 

Arcee is getting the Masterpiece treatment as we speak and that figure is due to be released soon.  But in the meantime I did something I almost never do.  Despite having about 3500 Transformer figures in my collection, you could count the amount of 3rdparty figures I own on one hand.  Given some of the complaints about the aesthetic of the new MP Arcee coming out, I decided to shell out and purchase a 3P figure of her where the aesthetic goes in the opposite direction.  So lets take a look at EX-01 Arcee NICEE from BIGFIREBIRDTOY.

The packaging wont win design awards for subtlety…
…but then neither will the toy inside

 

Robot Mode

“Hi everyone! I’m the toy your girlfriend probably hates”

 

Aesthetic

An incredibly stylized version of Arcee Nicee.  Considering the popularity of the differently styled aesthetic of Animated, I’ve never really understood why Transformers would not try for a Japanese influenced Anime theme.  This figure is extremely anime in its aesthetics, from the long slim limbs to the quasi-angelic wings and armour that almost appears to be a battle bikini.  It really is a fantastic looking figure.  Before we go further however, lets address the elephants in the room…

“What? These? My lovely lady lumps?”

 Let’s get this out of the way.  Yes she has boobs.  Her armour is specifically shaped to enhance this.    There is no getting away from it and given the picture on the front of her box it seems that this is supposed to be a big selling point for Arcee Nicee.  Now I totally get this kind of thing not being everyone’s cup of tea.  Completely understandable.  But here’s the great thing….

…. If you don’t like it you don’t have to buy it.  Lucky you! 

“Lets all just get along eh mate!”

 

 

Interchangeable Body Parts

Nicee comes with two heads, two chests and 8 hands (4 left and 4 right).  The reason for so many hands is each one is designed to hold a different weapon, be it blunt or ranged.  They look rather skeletal and kinda freaky to be honest.  The chests are completely identical except one is white and the other is shiny white.  The heads are slightly different to each other, in particular the face.  For those of you who don’t like Arcee Nicee having metal hair, you can remove it.  This is one of the instances where the figure lets me down – I wanted her to have a head more in keeping with her usual look, and while removing the hair allows this, it also leaves a big gap above her forehead which ruins the effect.  So if you are not a hair fan too bad – better a bob than a hole in the head I guess.

 

Poseability 

The figure has really good tight joints and multiple points of articulation.  She is able to be put into all manner of poses and stances, balances fairly well and possesses good flexibility.

“4 million years old and not a touch of arthritis!”

 

Vehicle Form

How friggin sexy does this look!  As I’ve mentioned I don’t usually buy 3P figures but if they are all like this then I understand why people do.  Nicee puts every Arcee figure in my collection to shame.  The aesthetics are just wonderful; the sleek lines and subtle curves interspersed with straight lines really make this a beautiful alien car to behold. 

The paint job is very high quality and the bright translucent blue used for the windscreen, headlights and taillights ad a nice counterbalance to all the pink and white.  There are all sorts of little details that add to the beauty of this figure, in particular I like the steering dash and moulded seats.

 

 

 

Weaponry

Nicee comes with multiple weapons including spear, sword, pistol and shield.  Also you are able to remove her backpack and combine it with the spear into a sort of energy bow.  Given her ability to be put into all manner of poses this sets you up for some great battle shots!

 

 

Transformation

The transformation is fairly straight forward and the instructions make it look more complicated than it actually is.  In fact it is sorta reminiscent of Thrilling 30 Arcee.  The shield becomes the top of the vehicle but this is no way means she is a simple partsformer.  My only two gripes would be that if you don’t position the high heels just right they can impede the front wheels rolling in vehicle mode, and that there are lots of little tabs that need to go together – often when you are tightening one another pops out of place.  However a good transformation on the whole.  You may find it convenient to take her hands off when putting her in vehicle form.

 

Worth Getting?

This on the whole is actually a pretty great figure, and given how expensive 3P items are the price tag is fairly acceptable.  But what is going to be the deciding factor for people here isn’t going to be the articulation or transformation or plastic quality – it’s going to be the aesthetic.  Some people are going to think this figure looks great, some are going to think it’s an abomination.  So if the idea of an anime styled transformer appeals to you then you are going to love Nicee.  If the idea of transformers being sexualized in any fashion is enough to send you on a month long twitter tirade then steer well clear.  Just remember no matter what side of the fence you fall on, don’t hate on the other side – just be…. Nicee. 

 

 

 

 

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

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Transformatorium, Transformer Toy Reviews

Toy Review – WFC-GS12 Greasepit

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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!

 

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Toy Review – WFC Earthrise Quintesson Judge

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How long have we been waiting for an official G1 Quintesson toy?  The time seems immeasurable…

… well, not really.  Thirty four years.  34 damn years since Transformer fans first saw those 5-faced tentacles monstrosities passing judgement on Lithone and Cybertronian alike, having their victims thrown into the Sharkticon tank.  And we’ve wanted a toy ever since!

The Quintessons have had a varied history in Transformers lore depending on the source.  In the G1 cartoon they were the creators of the Transformer race, having been rousted from Cybertron when their creations rebelled.  In the Aligned continuity they were cousins of the Transformers – the children of Quintus, one of the first 13 Primes.  Most fans these days tend to lean towards the latter.

We’ve had a few Quintesson toys in other Transformers continuities.  In the Energon cartoon we got an Alpha Quintesson figure and in the Movieverse we got a tiny Quintessa toy that came with her combiner bodyguard Infernocus.  Earlier year in Cyberverse we finally got a non-transforming Quintesson Judge, albeit based on the Cyberverse design rather than G1.

But now we finally have what we have been waiting for – and it even transforms!  Geewunners put your drool-bibs on as we look at the Earthrise Quintesson Judge.

 

Judge Mode

A thing of friggin beauty!  Beautifully proportioned and G1 through and through.  They simply got everything right, from the tentacles to the light beam to the five faces of darkness.  You can see each face by pushing a small handle on the side of the figure which makes it spin – so cool!

Wisdom

Wrath

War

Judgement

Death

He has slight articulation via being able to position the tentacles and open and close some of the mouths.  And admittedly there isn’t much else you can do with it after that besides make it spin.  He can sit in a chair to pass judgement…

Everyone likes a sit down, even those without arses

From my cold dead mechanical tentacles!

… and he can hold his pistol.

But overall the Judge looks great and it would be difficult to pass for any rabid fan of the 1986 movie.

 

Prison Mode

Well you get those that complain when a ‘Transformer branded toy doesn’t transform’ so I guess they had to put a transformation in.  Admittedly the chosen altmode is not a bad idea given the history of the characters.  The Quintesson’s main body turns into a guard town and the chair and inner core of the robot turn into a prison cell.

The prison cell is proportioned so you can just fit a Micromaster or Battle Master character into it.

So I’m going to give the creators of the figure points for effort here.  But to be honest it doesn’t look fab and I can’t see many people having this toy displayed in Prison mode rather than Judge mode.

 

Transformation

I’m not sure you could even really call it a transformation – it’s a cross between partsforming and folding stuff either up or down really.

 

Overall

As a Geewun fan I would have been happy for them to leave the transformation gimmick out and simply have this toy as a Quintesson Judge at a lower price point so that I could get several.  But that’s just me.  For kids and casual fans of the franchise this figure may be easy to pass up, but for your G1 enthusiast it is simply a must have that we have waited oh so many years to finally receive!

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

 

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Toy Review – WFC-GS11 Exhaust

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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.

 

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What a wonderful time to be a toy collector eh?  Figures we only used to dream of in our geekiest fantasies are being trotted out right left and center!  A lot of that can be put down to people who loved things in their youth during the 80’s now being (supposedly) grown-ups with disposable income on their hands.

 

Well My Little Pony is happy to jump on that cash-in bandwagon with a new line of Crossover collectible figures.  These range from Dungeons and Dragons to even Power Rangers.  But today we are going to look at by far the two best of the crossover figures, because they cross over with two of the best franchises in history – Ghostbusters and Transformers.

As the only feature of these toys, besides their cool looks and packaging (I love the fact that on the boxes it says ‘approved by Optimus Prime and Peter Venkman respectively), is the fact you can move their tails, there is not really much to review here.  So enjoy the photo’s and hopefully they will help you decide if you would like these awesome figures for your collection.

 

My Little Prime

 

 

 

Plasmane

 

Friendship is Magic!

 

So do you think you will pick up these figures?  Do you love the nostalgia or would prefer the takes be more modern?  Let us know in the comments below.

 

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