The Energon Pub

[Carnivius_Prime]

Whelp, looks like it's been discovered how Hasbro was able to make Megatron such a big Voyager within their usual budget range:



Oy vey.

Not a problem for me, I don't position my figures sideways on

Well that's ruined it for me. Not buying it at all now. Ugh. bleh...

actually nah... I'll still get it. Plenty other TF toys have similar weird hollow sections when viewed side on with their arms up. And maybe be able to figure out someway of 'fixing' it. Maybe cram a tiny Megatron figure inside. Hm I have the Titans Return Megatron head unused (since I far prefer the CW Leader Megatron's headsculpt which I have in downsized KO form I use on my Titans Return Megatron body) so maybe I'll see if I cna squeeze him in there. Just for funsies.

[Autobot Roadburn]

I don't own Grimlock yet, but I can't imagine he'll be a bigger disappointment than Nitro was.

Emerje

Wait, what!? TLK Nitro is fantastic!

This^ I have the thundercracker version and it’s great

I don't like that that the wing joints don't let them straighten out properly, they have a bend to them now. I don't like the way the arms feel like they're being haphazardly crammed under the jet. And it's minor, but I don't like the way the missiles have to be removed and then put back on. Plus that underside of jet mode is wreck, but that's normal so I can't exactly hold it against him. I guess with all of the hype I was expecting something amazing and fun to transform, but he ended up being a bit annoying.

Emerje

I don't know what you're talking about with the wing joints making the wings bend. Mine sit nice and flush. There are some tabs that help everything "click" into place on the main body of the jet. Otherwise, the wings do slope down a bit. When you have it all lined up correctly, though, it's not a problem. The arms aren't really all that "haphazard" for a jet transformer either. The wings do snap into them when you transform it all correctly. Like you said, the underside of the jet is a mess of robot mode kibble, but few Transformers jets aren't. Having to remove the missiles and place them elsewhere for robot mode is also par for the course. What makes Nitro fun for me is the transformation, which is clever, fun, and satisfying, the Titans Return compatibility, including a cockpit in jet mode that can be piloted by a Titan Master, and the overall quality of the figure itself in terms of durable plastic, size, heft, tight joints, and overall integrity (i.e., no parts or panels popping off at the slightest provocation). Nitro Zeus is a solid figure and one of the better offerings of the TLK Premier Edition line overall.

I guess my main issues with Nitro were his head sculpt being boring (in my opinion, it just looked dull and narrow and I would've definitely preferred the Shockwave head from the movie) and I really didn't care for his color scheme. I liked both modes and the transformation a lot. Thundercracker solved all my issues - beautiful color choices, a super cool Starscream/insect head sculpt and he held together better than my Nitro too. Great mold in my opinion, but I do see the transformation being frustrating.

[-Kanrabat-]

I don't own Grimlock yet, but I can't imagine he'll be a bigger disappointment than Nitro was.

Emerje

Wait, what!? TLK Nitro is fantastic!

This^ I have the thundercracker version and it’s great

I don't like that that the wing joints don't let them straighten out properly, they have a bend to them now. I don't like the way the arms feel like they're being haphazardly crammed under the jet. And it's minor, but I don't like the way the missiles have to be removed and then put back on. Plus that underside of jet mode is wreck, but that's normal so I can't exactly hold it against him. I guess with all of the hype I was expecting something amazing and fun to transform, but he ended up being a bit annoying.

Emerje

I don't know what you're talking about with the wing joints making the wings bend. Mine sit nice and flush. There are some tabs that help everything "click" into place on the main body of the jet. Otherwise, the wings do slope down a bit. When you have it all lined up correctly, though, it's not a problem. The arms aren't really all that "haphazard" for a jet transformer either. The wings do snap into them when you transform it all correctly. Like you said, the underside of the jet is a mess of robot mode kibble, but few Transformers jets aren't. Having to remove the missiles and place them elsewhere for robot mode is also par for the course. What makes Nitro fun for me is the transformation, which is clever, fun, and satisfying, the Titans Return compatibility, including a cockpit in jet mode that can be piloted by a Titan Master, and the overall quality of the figure itself in terms of durable plastic, size, heft, tight joints, and overall integrity (i.e., no parts or panels popping off at the slightest provocation). Nitro Zeus is a solid figure and one of the better offerings of the TLK Premier Edition line overall.

I guess my main issues with Nitro were his head sculpt being boring (in my opinion, it just looked dull and narrow and I would've definitely preferred the Shockwave head from the movie) and I really didn't care for his color scheme. I liked both modes and the transformation a lot. Thundercracker solved all my issues - beautiful color choices, a super cool Starscream/insect head sculpt and he held together better than my Nitro too. Great mold in my opinion, but I do see the transformation being frustrating.

Overquoting to say that yes, Nitro by himself is pretty bland. However, it's thanks to that that he's such perfect custom fodder.




However, Thundercracker is way too beautiful as he is and I wouldn't dare turning it into a custom.

[ZeroWolf]

That thunderwing looks beautiful kanra! Was it just the custom paint job you did? (Aside from the thunderwing titan master)

[-Kanrabat-]

That thunderwing looks beautiful kanra! Was it just the custom paint job you did? (Aside from the thunderwing titan master)

I bought the WHOLE special TR set just for the Titant Master. And I regret nothing.
Even though I'm not good at painting, that Thunderwing was a straight repaint. It was way easier than expected. Mainly because the base Nitro color was about the same as Thunderwing's. The disassembly was straightforward, except the scary part the leg halves that were GLUED together. And finally, a G1 Thunderwing label sheet from Toyhax sealed the deal!

I had lot of fun doing it. And I'm not the only one. Make me wonder if Exclusive-Chan will pick up the idea?

[-Kanrabat-]

Finally managed to get Optimus thanks to the sale. So how is he?

+ Robot mode is fantastic and the black part on the chest don't bother me at all in the end.
+ Darker colors look very nice and that red plastic feel very "premium".
+ Transformation managed to surprise me and take me back to the ROTF days.

- Vehicle mode look like ass. Especially the short smokestacks and the in-your-face feet.
- Can't seem to properly tab the front of the truck together properly. I may have done something wrong. Not the first time for any Movie Optimuses.

Verdict:
It's still a buy, but only on sale. HFTD Battle Blades Optimus is still the undisputable champion of the Movie voyager Optimuses, followed closely by Evasion Mode from AoE.

[Carnivius_Prime]

Verdict:
It's still a buy, but only on sale. HFTD Battle Blades Optimus is still the undisputable champion of the Movie voyager Optimuses, followed closely by Evasion Mode from AoE.

I'm still undecided on the order of these (and I'd include TLK Prime as one of my faves too though very different design than these three are doing). There are things each of them does far better than the others. For example the HFTD BB (or Revenge as I have with the chrome and such) looks better at first glance but has some faults of it's own such as the tiny feet, the crappy shoulder pads that aren't even shoulder pads (since they annoyingly hinge on the upper arm and barely touch the shoulder at all and are too flat, and the huge truck kibble panels on the forearms that make posing them kinda awkward when correctly slid up, the backpack is horrible, and the hands aren't 5mm ports like most figures so cannot easily give him better guns. Also it's main feature, the swords, just ruin the look of the forearms even more, especially when they are folded back into 'storage' position and are rubbery so kinda easy to bend/warp. The blades on the SS figure are firm, detailed and totally detachable (so can be removed completely or if you like can attach to other figures), which to me looks far superior and cleaner.

Evasion Prime has it's own inaccuracies and annoyances too such as the forearms, and the huge joints on either side of the chest and obviously a useless toy if wanting to turn into the original movie truck.

There is no perfect Voyager Optimus Prime, just several really fun and different ones all kinda great in their own ways. Just pick your fave I guess.

[What's Crackin'?]

Bumble Bee is in no way the worst figure in the line. Look for one with the numbers 80201, AND IT SHOULD WORK JUST FINE.

[william-james88]

Bumble Bee is in no way the worst figure in the line. Look for one with the numbers 80201, AND IT SHOULD WORK JUST FINE.

That does not change the fact that there are many out there which do not have that number and suck giant balls. And anyway, if Bee is not the worst, then who is?

[Ironhidensh]

Bumble Bee is in no way the worst figure in the line. Look for one with the numbers 80201, AND IT SHOULD WORK JUST FINE.

That does not change the fact that there are many out there which do not have that number and suck giant balls. And anyway, if Bee is not the worst, then who is?

Crowbar. Hands. ****. Down. Then grimlock, not because it is bad, but very disappointing.

[william-james88]

Bumble Bee is in no way the worst figure in the line. Look for one with the numbers 80201, AND IT SHOULD WORK JUST FINE.

That does not change the fact that there are many out there which do not have that number and suck giant balls. And anyway, if Bee is not the worst, then who is?

Crowbar. Hands. ****. Down. Then grimlock, not because it is bad, but very disappointing.

Whats so terrible about Crowbar?

No wait, I know, its the tentacle hemorrhoids right?

[EvasionModeBumblebee]

Bumble Bee is in no way the worst figure in the line. Look for one with the numbers 80201, AND IT SHOULD WORK JUST FINE.

That does not change the fact that there are many out there which do not have that number and suck giant balls. And anyway, if Bee is not the worst, then who is?

Crowbar. Hands. ****. Down. Then grimlock, not because it is bad, but very disappointing.

My Bee isn’t an 80201 but it doesn’t have the issues, I guess it’s just a case of your mileage may vary. It’s hard to rank the SS figures I have so far* because they’re all really good, but I think Blackout has the most issues. Don’t get me wrong, I really like Blackout, but I think it’s the vehicle mode that really carries the figure; his articulation in robot mode is really limited and getting him into alt. mode is a big pain.

* Bee, Blackout, & Starscream

[Carnivius_Prime]

Bumble Bee is in no way the worst figure in the line. Look for one with the numbers 80201, AND IT SHOULD WORK JUST FINE.

That does not change the fact that there are many out there which do not have that number and suck giant balls. And anyway, if Bee is not the worst, then who is?

Mine's 80161 and while it did have the roof issue it was a reasonably easy fix and I've enjoyed playing with the toy muchly since I got it (and i finally figured out the tricky hood). Moreso than Grimlock whom I just can't find any interest into transforming into dino mode cos it kinda sucks. Not as much as PotP Grimlock's dino mode sure, but still pretty 'meh'. The robot arm in the throat and the crummy tail section being the most annoying parts for me.

[Carnivius_Prime]

Just ordered Jazz and Lockdown.

[Ironhidensh]

Bumble Bee is in no way the worst figure in the line. Look for one with the numbers 80201, AND IT SHOULD WORK JUST FINE.

That does not change the fact that there are many out there which do not have that number and suck giant balls. And anyway, if Bee is not the worst, then who is?

Crowbar. Hands. ****. Down. Then grimlock, not because it is bad, but very disappointing.

Whats so terrible about Crowbar?

No wait, I know, its the tentacle hemorrhoids right?

That, and mine seems to have the floppyness issues that most others have a experienced with Bumblebee. Also, I find that it's very, very difficult to line up the panels correctly in vehicle mode.

My Ratchet is extremely loose and floppy as well. For me, the two most solid figures of the line are Optimus and Starscream.

[Wolfman Jake]

Bumble Bee is in no way the worst figure in the line. Look for one with the numbers 80201, AND IT SHOULD WORK JUST FINE.

That does not change the fact that there are many out there which do not have that number and suck giant balls. And anyway, if Bee is not the worst, then who is?

Crowbar. Hands. ****. Down. Then grimlock, not because it is bad, but very disappointing.

Whats so terrible about Crowbar?

No wait, I know, its the tentacle hemorrhoids right?

That, and mine seems to have the floppyness issues that most others have a experienced with Bumblebee. Also, I find that it's very, very difficult to line up the panels correctly in vehicle mode.

My Ratchet is extremely loose and floppy as well. For me, the two most solid figures of the line are Optimus and Starscream.

Your mileage really does vary with this whole line. My Crowbar is excellent. It's got tight joints, panels that line up with relative ease, and nothing pops off during transformation or otherwise. This is all in stark contrast to his mold forbearer Berserker from The Last Knight.

My Ratchet is also nice and tight in the joints. No floppiness. My Bumblebee isn't floppy either, but does have those roof panels that fall off if you look at them the wrong way. Again, I compare this to my TLK Bumblebee ver. 2, which is very floppy, but nothing pops off during transformation. Quality control really seems to be very hit and miss lately with movie Transformers figures.

[Carnivius_Prime]

Your mileage really does vary with this whole line. My Crowbar is excellent. It's got tight joints, panels that line up with relative ease, and nothing pops off during transformation or otherwise. This is all in stark contrast to his mold forbearer Berserker from The Last Knight.

My Ratchet is also nice and tight in the joints. No floppiness. My Bumblebee isn't floppy either, but does have those roof panels that fall off if you look at them the wrong way. Again, I compare this to my TLK Bumblebee ver. 2, which is very floppy, but nothing pops off during transformation. Quality control really seems to be very hit and miss lately with movie Transformers figures.

Transformers in general. I'm still curious about how many folk got Titans Megatron with stickers that just peeled off and such when I've had mine longer than many and there was no sticker problem at all. I had to scrape the chest ones off (cos i didn't like that swirly black line thing).

And my Berserker from TLK had absolutely no issues at all, and my TLK Bee (from wave 3) had slightly loose feet which was quickly fixed. I bought a Wolfwire from Titans Return purely to attempt a Carnivac custom and his arms were extremely loose (not something I seen reported, usually they say the cockpit breaks or something which hasn't on mine).

Which reminds me. My Studio Grimlock has floppy robot arms at the elbows. Didn't notice it too much until I tried putting a weapon into his left hand and it couldn't support the weight (wasn't even anything heavy... just the top half of the AoE Voyager Grimlock's weapon). I shall fix that at some point.

[Carnivius_Prime]

Nice video showing Megatron. Yeah the see through sides suck a bit but he's a big Voyager so I'll let it slide. I like that his back looks quite accurate too (rather than a simple backpack like Prime has) Am looking forward to this figure muchly. Will likely be my next purchase (now I have Jazz and Lockdown coming in the next day or two)

[-Kanrabat-]

Definitely looking forward that Megs.

[Evil Eye]

A DNA Designs upgrade kit that fills in the sides would be very nice, but that aside he looks pretty sweet.

[Toy_Spectre]

Hey guys. This is a Noob question but does Hasbro US version and TakaraTomy version has different paintjobs? I've seen stock pics of Blackout and TT seems bit darker than Hasbro's light grey. Is it just lighting?

[Qwan]

Hey guys. This is a Noob question but does Hasbro US version and TakaraTomy version has different paintjobs? I've seen stock pics of Blackout and TT seems bit darker than Hasbro's light grey. Is it just lighting?

Yep, it's just lighting. As of very recently, Hasbro and Takara are putting out literally the exact same product. So if you were feeling unsure whether to get the Hasbro or Takara version, you're totally safe to just grab a Hasbro one if you see it around, 'cause it'll be just as good as an import!

Also, welcome!

[Carnivius_Prime]

Hey guys. This is a Noob question but does Hasbro US version and TakaraTomy version has different paintjobs? I've seen stock pics of Blackout and TT seems bit darker than Hasbro's light grey. Is it just lighting?

Yep, it's just lighting. As of very recently, Hasbro and Takara are putting out literally the exact same product. So if you were feeling unsure whether to get the Hasbro or Takara version, you're totally safe to just grab a Hasbro one if you see it around, 'cause it'll be just as good as an import!

Also, welcome!

Only just occuring to me that because the Has and the Tak are releasing the same exact products, any third party add-ons such as Toyhax stickers or kits like those from DNA Design or Dr Wu or whoever will colour match both companies items too. So that's convenient too.

[JoeIsNotCool]

A quick heads up to any UK collectors, Studio Series wave 2 deluxes are in Forbidden Planet. My aunt picked up a Lockdown for me, which I will have hopefully on Thursday!

[Toy_Spectre]

Hey guys. This is a Noob question but does Hasbro US version and TakaraTomy version has different paintjobs? I've seen stock pics of Blackout and TT seems bit darker than Hasbro's light grey. Is it just lighting?

Yep, it's just lighting. As of very recently, Hasbro and Takara are putting out literally the exact same product. So if you were feeling unsure whether to get the Hasbro or Takara version, you're totally safe to just grab a Hasbro one if you see it around, 'cause it'll be just as good as an import!

Also, welcome!

Ah nice! TFWiki also mentioned they are the same, but I wanted to make sure. Thank you!