The Energon Pub

News Credits: 12 · by **Evil Eye** » Mon Sep 07, 2020 8:46 am

Pretty much as the title says- what are some older unofficial products that you think are still good by today's standards?

I can think of a few off the top of my head...
>Maketoys Giant (Devastator). Considering he was the second ever full 3P combiner he's held up magnificently. Some of the individuals are a bit dated but the gestalt form is solid as a rock, and looks awesome.
>TFC Uranos (Superion), or more accurately the limb-bots. Their Silverbolt kinda sucks but the limbs have wonderful jet modes (especially Firefly, that Phantom mode is gorgeous), pretty nice robot modes, and with the aid of Shapeways adapters can connect to the CW Silverbolt for the "perfect" Superion.
>Unique Toys Provider (Octane). A friend of mine had this figure and it was one of his favourites- he only sold it when he got out of MPs altogether. The transformation is cool, all three modes look great, and if you don't mind Octane being a big lad in robot mode he actually scales nicely with CHUG in vehicle modes.

News Credits: 1 · by **Gauntlet101010** » Mon Sep 07, 2020 12:27 pm

I guess it depends on what you consider "older."

Herc and Giant both scale really well with Combiner Wars. That helps a LOT.

I think the 3P Sharkticons - UT's and IGear both - are still great, relevant, figures. The Cyberverse one looks like a cheap KO in comparison and the Legends class one is just that - Legends class. Maybe the Studio Series one will finally make them obsolete.

Titanium Saint aka Alpha Trion is still unmatched. Sure we have an official AT, but he transforms into a not-so-good lion and doesn't really look much like the guy.

MMC Eupatorium aka Elita One is probably the best Classics scaled E1 we'll ever get. Yeah, she had a PotP release. And we're getting a Netflix one too. But I don't really like either of those. MMC's take may be a recolored IDW Arcee, but I like the look of it far more than either of the official takes.

Toyworld Hegemon aka G1 Megatron. Netflix brought us the best official take on G1 Megs, but Toyworld's take actually transforms into a gun and has a lot of articulation that helps keep it relevant. Not only that, but it has all the accessories too - scope, silencer, sword, and flail.

Website · by **RK_Striker_JK_5** » Wed Sep 16, 2020 4:29 am

Fansproject's upgrade kits for Bruticus Maximus and Superion Maximus have, imho, aged really well. They gave them proper hands and feet, the combined mode actual weapons, and just look good overall.

by **ZeldaTheSwordsman** » Sat Dec 12, 2020 4:01 pm

I might have to look into Toyworld Hegemon. He looks to be Prime Wars Voyager height in robot mode, so he'd scale decently.

by **ZeldaTheSwordsman** » Sat Jan 09, 2021 4:43 pm

Do the Cubex guns for ROTF Leader Prime count as older, since they came out in what, 2012? They've certainly held up. They take an already-awesome mold and make it even better by giving him both his guns (Up yours, MPM Optimus) with integrated storage.

IMO Eupatorium's use diminished the day Elita's full cartoon vehicle mode was finally found - time for someone to do a new take.

News Credits: 1 · by **Gauntlet101010** » Sun Jan 10, 2021 11:32 am

ZeldaTheSwordsman wrote:IMO Eupatorium's use diminished the day Elita's full cartoon vehicle mode was finally found - time for someone to do a new take.

You mean the art found on her card? Or are there model sheets for the G1 femmebots that I don't know of?

Her use was diminished with the Netflix and Prime offerings. That said both have their limits. And her official vehicle mode would have to be a huge backpack, like Arcee generally has to suffer with. Since MMC's doesn't have that it'll always find a place in my collection.

But it also depends on your collection. I'm not replacing the collection I've built up for over a decade with the latest stuff from the last few years and I think the same is true for most. So there's still going to be a lot of reimagined designs in there where she'd still fit in with.

by **ZeldaTheSwordsman** » Sat Jan 30, 2021 1:31 am

The Netflix offering is a lateral move IMO.

A model sheet for Elita's car mode turned up and was included in Transformers: A Visual History. And I think it could be done without much of a backpack.

News Credits: 1 · by **Gauntlet101010** » Sun Jan 31, 2021 8:38 am

Arguably they could make it another "hoverboard" I guess.

by **ZeldaTheSwordsman** » Tue Feb 02, 2021 6:57 am

Gauntlet101010 wrote:Arguably they could make it another "hoverboard" I guess.

I think they could make it integrated. Especially since unlike with Arcee, Elita and co. have enough kibble-ness to their legs that the curviness can slide if need be.
I'm picturing a transformation somewhat akin to Cybertron Override's.

News Credits: 1 · by **Gauntlet101010** » Tue Feb 02, 2021 9:11 am

Well, agree to disagree on if it's possible. Even moreso that anyone will bother doing it.

Until someone makes a slavish G1 version in both modes at the right size I maintain that MMC's take still holds up. Especially due to the lack of a backpack.

Edit:
I'd also like to point up that "held up well" isn't the same as "will never be replaced". MMC's take is highly posable and just plain looks great. It holds up.

News Credits: 12 · by **Evil Eye** » Tue Feb 02, 2021 9:37 am

I got the FP Superion upgrade not too long ago and hooo boy does it fit the bill! Really makes the combined mode awesome, and whilst the parts storage is a bit questionable in some cases, the AWACS radome you can make is great.

Website · by **RK_Striker_JK_5** » Mon Feb 08, 2021 12:59 am

Evil Eye wrote:I got the FP Superion upgrade not too long ago and hooo boy does it fit the bill! Really makes the combined mode awesome, and whilst the parts storage is a bit questionable in some cases, the AWACS radome you can make is great.

Oh, yeah. I've got it with my Superion Maximus on my Unicron Trilogy shelves and it's fantastic!

News Credits: 22 · by **Rodimus Prime** » Tue Feb 09, 2021 2:36 am

I can only brag about the only "older" 3P piece I own, which is Perfect Effect's Warden. Great figure in all 3 modes, its only flaw is that it's too small in robot mode. I would have gladly given up Commander mode to get a larger robot mode to scale with CW Magnus. Ironically, I have kept him in Commander mode for a year now. :lol:

by **Ginrai Minor** » Fri Jul 23, 2021 4:48 pm

All of my Maketoys battle tanker armors are still great and the Nova Prime. Striker Manus and Giant are also still rock solid. MMC Hexatron cont. still great. My Fansprojct headmasters and steelcore are still great. Also mech ideas Iron Fist still a cutie

The only ones that come to mind that have started to wear down are my mech idea wrecker twins, my unique toys Mania King is still my classics galvatron but the poor lads knees are wearing down....and those non possible wrist KILL me.

News Credits: 1 · by **Gauntlet101010** » Sat Jul 24, 2021 7:45 pm

I recently replaced Mania King and City Commander in my display with the Kingdom versions. Just for a change.

The knees on my MK are still good. Batteries have finally gone dry. Yeah, those wrists, though. Cannon mode is better than Kingdom's by far.

CC's gauntlets come off so easily. I don't remember them being that way. I still like him a whole lot, but I recognize that his look and the compromised articulation just don't hold up anymore.

by **Ginrai Minor** » Sun Jul 25, 2021 6:30 am

Yes sir! Kingdom Magnus is wonderful(even love siege magnus for the r.i.d vehicle homage) I've only got the diaclone variant of CC armor but yeah the gauntlets just drop....so he stays in the back row of the Magnus/Prime shelf.

Once I get Kingdom Galvy might leave Mania King on the shelf as the time traveling (Galvatron 2) or move him to the Japanese trilogy shelf.

Crazy how we use to be so hype for 3P and the prospects of them fleshing out our Chug collections.....then 3P went masterpiece crazy and now on the legends boom......and little ole' Hasbro just said "Hey let's knock this roster out."

News Credits: 1 · by **Gauntlet101010** » Tue Jul 27, 2021 12:48 pm

It kinda worked out that way. I have to admit, I never thought Hasbro would step up to finish the cast in the way that they have at CHUG scale.

I'm not as big of a fan of Kingdom / Siege Magnus as you are, but I have him all the same.