The Energon Pub

So what's an instant deal breaker in a toy for you? What is it, that when you find out about a toy, makes your interest in it just plummet to the ground.

Is it because it's not in scale with its teammates? Is it because it's a stinky retool? Is it maybe because its accessories come with chrome bits that you absolutely can't stand? Let's hear it.


For me personally it's two things:

1. It is an instant deal breaker if a toy's poseability is not up to par. If it can't go both ways at its shoulders and hips or can't bend its arms or legs, that's an ultimate no-go for me. Poseability is definitely one of my personal fun factors, so I think it's pretty important to have.
   
   
2. Secondly, and probably most disagreeably, it is another instant deal breaker if a toy is a bigger size class than the deluxe size class. Anything voyager or plus just feels a bit too big for me to be comfortable with. It's either too complicated that I wouldn't feel safe handling it as a toy, or it's too simple for its size which kind of makes me feel like I've been given one of those big brick toys, which was blown up and stripped of all articulation so I wouldn't break it.
   
   It's a weird feeling.
   
   Deluxe just feels right all time, even when it's ranging from ridiculously simple to borderline science complexity (which is an amazing range for one size class, which makes it even better). And I guess, space and affordability play a role too. I still feel a bit weird dropping around 20 bucks on a chunk of plastic that moves a little (but still par or above). I guess I'm not a big fan of anything below deluxe class either because they're usually crap, but, I'm looking at you, Swerve. And yes, I know, scale. But I prefer it when my movie deluxe Optimus, Bumblebee and Ratchet are the same height, instead of having a whole size class -- if not more -- in between. Makes it feel like they fit together more.

So that's my instant deal breakers. What are yours?

Good question.

I too am a poseability junkie. I don't need the toy to be able to do the splits, but I do love a good Chuck Norris high kicking pose. And while wrist swivels are nice, not having them isn't the end of the world.

But if the joints are loose out of the packaging, or simply can't hold up under reasonable play, I want nothing to do with it.

The big deal breakers for me are everything wrong with Windblade. I was so looking forward to getting her, and then I found out not only is she a pain to transform into a jet, she can't even stand because her heals don't lock into place. Talk about multiple epic design fails!

Otherwise, if I like the toy even if I don't know the character (Generations Drift), I'll go for it.

A deal breaker for me is if a figure has a bad paint job or comes in a damaged box like if a TFCC exclusive box had a corner pushed in

For me Price is at the top of the list. When I see incredibly awesome 3pp stuff out there only to see a $200 price tag attached to it... or $600-$800 for a full combiner... My mind shuts down and my wallet closes.

Deep down I really don't care about the logistics or the limited run or the paint apps or whatever people do to justify epic price tags... I am just not financially sound enough to justify that. I got Apollyon and I've pre-ordered MP10... otherwise $100 is my top end... and that has to be a MASSIVELY favorite character to get me to go there.


Scale? I'm pretty flexible on. As long as it doesn't get too wild. That Gigantic Platinum Starscream was a no-go for me because he seemed to dwarf everything (and had a design I didn't care for). Also on the same note seeing Legends version of Thundercraker just seems way too small. I don't have any interest in that. If they are in the deluxe/voyager/mp scale... then I'd be all about that.

Articulation? I'm not a fan of Bricks. However these are all updates of painted bricks, so any articulation at all is really an upgrade from the vintage. I like when theres' more... but if it's pretty basic I can tolerate that. UNLESS it's massively expensive.

Otherwise I collect traditional G1 style or something that blends in with G1 style. I don't mind minor updates as long as the character is recognizable in both modes... but the Bayformers movie updates are easy deal-breakers for me.

Interesting question.

Bad QC is definitely one, but my biggest one is unimaginative representations of characters with someone else's mould. Sometimes reusing a mould works really well, ie Kup to G2 Electro, Springer to Sandstorm, Aramda Starscream to Jhiaxus and Scourge to Senator Ratbat for example. Others, like Gen Legends Megatron to Warpath, Gen Bee to Nightbeat and dare I say it, Optimus Prime to White Op-err Ultra Magnus etc are just boring, and not quite right, at least in my opinion.

But to discuss your point 2, that's quite an interesting one. Sometimes deluxe is all you need, a large percentage of my collection are deluxe figures, from quite simple ones (like the Night/Bee mould) to downright annoying (WFC Bee - which just got auto-corrected to "WTF Bee." Not too wrong there).

Having said that, I've got a number of voyagers too, because they were either the best/only representation of that particular character. Now ones like Gen Spring/Storm and ROTF Bludgeon have some complexity, they're relatively intuitive (more than I can say for WFC Bee,) while others, like Gen Brainstorm, FOC Soundwave, CW Prime/Master & Silverbolt and Universe Inferno are pretty simple figures. Brainstorm especially is quite simple compared to even Gen Skids or Kup. Even Titan Metroplex and Leader Megatron are simple compared to ROTF Lockdown and Gen Straxus.

So while I understand your point, these days size doesn't neccessarily mean more complex (in some cases it's the opposite) - don't be afraid just 'cause it's a little bigger (in before any "That's what she said!" jokes)

Depends on the price. It's a lot easier to over look stuff you don't like at the Hasbro American store prices. Much harder to over look stuff you don't like at the Third party prices.

Deal breaker? Don't like it when a update toy is smaller than the original toy or cartoon or comic appearance.