The Energon Pub

by **AJ-Dragon** » Mon Jan 29, 2024 6:07 pm

Hi

I would like to add some more MP Autobot Mini's to my collection, all I have so far is a KO of the MP-21 Bumblebee, I really do not like this version. So I was wondering if anyone has any suggestions for some affordable third party Mini Autobots. I know about FT a little bit on the spendy side and MS seems a little on the small size unless I'm looking at the wrong figures, but other then those I don't know what other third parties to check out.

News Credits: 652 · by **ScottyP** » Tue Jan 30, 2024 9:12 am

Hi, I've moved your topic to the appropriate forum for third party discussion. I kind of feel had about it though because this section is slow, so here's some info I hope helps on Minibots.

New Age and Magic Square are going to be too small, yep.

For the rest, this is not comprehensive, but I've been casually collecting MP-ish Minis for years and have some insight:

Bumblebee: not many options. Official MP-21 is my choice here. There's also MP-45 who is one charming car that, one terrible transformation later, becomes an ugly robot. Ymmv, some love it.
Cliffjumper: Mastermind Creations (MMC), Fans Toys, and X-Transbots (XTB) options exist. I have MMC and XTB's versions and of those two, I prefer XTB as it goes well stylistically with MP-21 and is way more fun to transform. Have heard great things about the FT one, fwiw
Windcharger: XTB made one and I can't think of any others. It's not very fun and looks just ok as a robot. Made in choice of toon or toy colors.
Huffer: Cubex, Badcube, XTB, FT options. I recommend Badcube or FT, don't own either but they seem to look the nicest. I own the Cubex one which I love the look of but it had major paint flaking issues globally. Fixed mine up but yeah, it was bad. So bad that Cubex changed their name to Badcube and would later release a new and improved version of Huffer. For XTB, I don't own their Huffer but have a TFcon repaint of it and it does not fit in well with the more recent MP aesthetic at all.
Brawn: Badcube and FT made him, I own the former but the latter looks much nicer
Gears: Badcube and FT again, same as above. FT one doesn't look so much better that it has me tempted to double dip here though.
Beachcomber: XTB and FT options. I have XTB's and it looks great, transformation is a bit rough though. Not sure FT's has been released yet but if so, it's probably nicer
Powerglide: DX9 and FT options. I have the DX9 one and love it but I think it's hard to find these days. Have heard good things about the FT version.
Warpath: Badcube and FT options. I have the FT one, it's great and recommended
Seaspray: FT has two versions, then there are the Toyworld and Zeta versions which are roughly the same thing, and XTB made one. I have FT's first version and the Zeta one, prefer the latter as it's fat boy cartoon Seaspray. If you want a smaller, kinda toy-style one, look at FT's first version or XTB
Cosmos: phew, there are a ton. Toyworld/Zeta, XTB, MMC, and I think FT has one in the pipe? XTB is, to me, a clear winner here for once
Hubcap: XTB and that's it, I think? Same general tooling as their Cliffjumper with a different head and front-of-car
Tailgate, Pipes, Outback, Swerve: if it's listed above for Windcharger, Huffer, Brawn or Gears, they did it or are going to do it as the other guy. Personally, my choices here are, respectively, XTB, Badcube (FT looks good though), FT, and another Badcube with "FT looks good too" caveat
Wheelie: XTB. Make sure to get the "2.0" version. It's not great but not awful

Then if you really want to get into esoteric Minibot repaints, XTB goes pretty deep. They've done repaints as simple as yellow Cliffjumper to deeper cuts like Tapout and Rook.

Anyway, hope this helps and sorry if I left anything major out! This was all off the cuff.