The Energon Pub

[OptiMagnus]

Okay, I'm a pretty big fan of Lego and even more so of Transformers, so I just had to try out a Kre-O set. I got the basic Optimus Prime set. First off, Hasbro has enough brains to make a reclosable box, which Lego has annoyingly almost never done. When I opened the piece bags, I took note that the pieces were of high quality and rather durable, on par if not better than Lego, and most definitely sturdier than K-Nex bricks. For $7.99 USD, I got basically what I'd get out of a Lego Hero Factory canister set, which are priced the same.
Onto the set itself. I first built the robot mode. It's kind of original, actually. It doesn't really fit with any continuity of Optimus Prime. However, compared to a Hero Factory figure, it lacks articulation. There are ball joints in the hips and the feet, but without any type of knee joint the legs are limited in poseability, and the arms only have hinge joints. The hands are only simple bricks, but I'll let it go considering the set's size.
"Transforming" it is a nightmare. You must remove the wheels from their axles and replace them on different axles to change to the other mode. It's nearly impossible. The wheels are locked in so tight that it takes 5-10 minutes to get all of them off. Once you get to the truck mode, it's actually not too bad, but it's obvious that some pieces are meant to form an action figure. It is also rather flimsy in some places where there should be a piece but there is none to strengthen the structure. Also, when you apply stickers, make sure you place them where you want them, because if you try to peel them off, the print flakes off if you accidentally stratch or rub them.

So to sum it up, the pieces are on par with Lego, allowing you to add Lego elements to your Kre-O sets to make accessories and customizations, except for the wheels and axles, which are better off being swapped out for Lego versions. Stickers are annoying and low quality, but they add color. The vehicle works but the set has more engineering focus on the action figure aspect. I'd give it an 8 out of 10, but I'd say go with the basic Optimus or Bumblebee before going to bigger sets to test the waters.

[WarGraver]

I bought Sentinel Prime with the intention of giving it to my nephew after building it. It was better than I expected, almost to the point that I wanted to keep it.

Honestly, if it wasn't based on a hideous-looking robot, I'd really like it. Having to fully disassemble to transform sucks, but I almost never transform my TFs anyway.

I ended up keeping the Kreons and Sentinel's head, then giving my nephew the firetruck.



I also want to note that the Sentinel Prime you build is significantly different than the one pictured on the official website, though it DOES match the box. The website version is uglier, but looks like it might actually use all the pieces.

[FortMacs]

picked up the small prime, sideswipe, and megs. and i really like them. love building anything, so i think they are fun since its lego meets transformers. i build them vehicle mode then bot mode. im pretty sure they will stay in bot mode. waiting to see starscream really want to see how he turns out.

[Jacob P. Galvatron]

I find some of the robot designs very poor. My dad picked up Megatron, and I spent the entire day after "fixing" it. I think I'll end up doing that for any other ones he gets.

I'm not too interested in them myself. The Kreons are definitely the best part, though,

[Counterpunch]

I find both the building block kits and the small figures with them to be a Transformers version of hipster garbage. They're expensive kits and that money would be better used on real transforming Transformers.

These are just bad statues where you do all the work.

[WarGraver]

Picked up Kre-O Sideswipe and Ratchet today. Unfortunately, those and Sentinel are all my Wal-Mart has so far.

Ratchet is fairly plain. His robot mode uses all but 3 pieces. That's not important, it just seems odd that they came that close to using all of them, without going the distance. This one is also likely to be given to my nephew.

Sideswipe, however, is awesome. I may be biased, though, as I always loved black and red lego sets. I intend to keep him. The only downsides are that he's difficult to position stably -- he hasn't fallen, but he wobbles -- and his blades don't look sharp.

Now I just need to come up with some fiction to justify adding him into my collection. Because I am neurotic like that. Probably something like the Kreons being a parallel universe version of the Gobots. They were humans, made into cyborgs. But rather than being able to transform, they have the power to imprint on vehicles, shatter them, and rebuild them into giant robots that fight under their control.

[Maz]

Dear staff,

I do apologise, but I feel that on this occasion I am completely moved to ask up front, why are my TF-1 articles constantly moved into this official review thread?

The thing is, I am not trying to get extra attention by posting them publicly and away from other totally worthy reviews, it's just that I am not actually reviewing a toy for people to decide whether to purchase or not. These articles are totally historical and spend most of the word count placing the item within a historical and geographical context, from nearly 25 years ago. I don't feel these are reviews as such.

Now on the last few occasions that my TF-1 articles were moved into this thread, I have asked staff members TheMuffin and Counterpunch if I should actually post directly into this thread to avoic causing trouble, and on both occasions they put the thread back into the main toys forum instead of tagging it on in here and said that's where it should stay.

I repeat, I actually asked if this was the right place for me to post and they said no, keep creating unique threads for them. But again, same thing, it's been moved in here.

Could I please have a definitive answer about where I should post my articles, and if it's in the official review thread, maybe an explanation as to why?

Thank you so much for your time and consideration guys, I look forward to hearing from you.

All the best
Maz

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[John Jackson]

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[-Kanrabat-]

I dont want this lengthy post to go to waste. So, posting what I think of all the DotM toys I have so far:

Why not say what are THE BEST of Dotm?

The ones I like the most are:

Leader Sentinel Prime
He's one of the best TF ever. He's fun to transform, the vehicle mode is awesome, and the robot mode just plain KICK-ASS!

Ultimate Optimus Prime
This one cost a lot. But even with his flaw, he's suprisingly fun and easy to transform. He look great in every modes. He's displayed in ultimate mode with his cannon up and I added some more mechtech in his hands. Totally worth it!

Voyager Skyhammer
The robot is very nice, the helicopter is so great, and he transform like a charm. Get him.

Deluxe Topspin
He look great in both mode, transform easy, and he come with a shitload of weapons!

Deluxe Starscream
I love Starscream. Both movie and classic incarnations and everything in between. The Voyager RotF repaint is ****, but the deluxe DotM... man, the thing is so perfect, I bought him TWICE to display him in robot and jet at the same time.

Voyager Megatron
Yes, he's a tiny, tiny voyager. But his overall design is so perfect. Both modes are totally bad-ass looking and he transform like a charm.

Deluxe Optimus Prime (Wallmart Exclusive)
At first, I was sceptical about this guy and his huge backpack. But once you start to play with him, you notice how much this guy is great. His transformation scheme is very clever. The truck mode look perfect. And the robot mode is not too bad looking. He's quite a nice surprise!

Fun fact: Deluxe DotM Optimus Prime and Voyager DotM Megatron are perfectly in scale with each others:


These ones, I feel neutral about. They're fine, but they are not ground-breacking. I could still recommend them, but they all have some flaws that keep them for acheiving greatness:

Voyager Soundwave
His tank mode is a big pile of nothing and we cannot put his cannon on his left arm. But the robot mode is very cool.

Deluxe Roadbuster
He's just average.

Voyager Ironhide
Robot is great, but the thing I don't like is the big mess that is the inside of the truck's trunk.

Cyberverse Optimus Prime
I have both versions. The one with the jetpack, and the one with the trailer. The trailer is not worth transforming into that pile of scrap. The figures themselves are fine enough. They are kinda essensial for my Optimus Prime Collection. I swapped the Optimuses. Meaning Jetwing have the trailer in truck mode and the one who came with the trailer with the more plain paintjob is in robot mode with the wings. They display fine, but they are kinda just for the Optimus Prime enthousiast.

Last two are the one I like the less. You can call them "worst", but they are not bad toys... well, except for the damn RotF Starscream repaint. But that one don't really count.

Deluxe Sideswipe
The vehicle mode is awesome. But the robot is ugly as hell and this TF have the lamest paint job for any TF ever.

Voyager Optimus Prime
The robot have weird proportions. The truck mode have a gaping hole on the back. I was very disapointed. This thing don't hold a candle to HftD voyager Battleblade Optimus Prime.

Any other missing DotM figure from these lists, I just don't have them. So I have no right to say anything. To end this post in a bang, have a picture of my DotM Optimus Primes!

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Transformers Dark Of The Moon (DOTM) Deluxe Optimus Prime Wal-Mart Exclusive


Thundercats LION-O Mega scale figure from MEZCO

[-Kanrabat-]

Adding my latest two DotM figures:

Deluxe Bumblebee
Man, this one was unexpected. Perfect car mode, perfect robot mode, and a brilliant and fun transformation to boot!

Leader Ironhide
I bought TWO of him. One at full price, the other at 50% off in the TrU promo. One I will keep sealed. Leader Ironhide is very awesome in robot and vehicle mode, the thing is loaded with gimmics, and the transformation is clever and easy.

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[-Kanrabat-]

I just randomly bought a Transformers Crossover Ironman 2, RACECAR.

The vehicle looked nice and the robot mode looked decent.

But when I unpacked the thing, I WAS BLOWN AWAY! For 20$, that vehicle is of a pretty good size. Almost like a voyager class. It's very sleek looking, it have nice detailings and it's a very, VERY sexy vehicle mode. What's more, the underside of the vehicle show very little robo-parts.

Just press the bottom of his top roof panel down,pull it back over his windsheild, separate then pull back the legs.... The rest of the transformation is easy and intuitive.

And the robot mode look GEORGEOUS!. Ironman actually LOOK like Ironman, not like some kind of Frankenstein monster. The joints are tight and he's fully posable. The lowerlegs can be finicky to pose due to the transformation scheme.

Overall,I never expected a CROSSOVER figure to be on my top 5 favorite TF ever! He sit proudly among God Ginrai, HftD Leader Starscream, and Cybertron Leader Optimus Prime (with 2 undecided others) as my favoribest Transformers ever!

You know, the ones who look good, feel good, and you want to transform over and over again.

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