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The BEST Beast-based Transformers toy molds

PostPosted: Sat Oct 13, 2012 10:13 pm
by Sabrblade
With the revelation of Transformers: Prime going into its Beast hunters theme for season 3, a lot of the reactions were mixed, split down between a love of the beast theme and a disdain for it that preferred vehicle-based altmodes.

Most of the criticisms for beast altmodes were "the transformations are too boring, with legs forming legs and arms forming arms," or "we wind up with beast heads for hands," or "robot modes have animal kibble hanging off," and such. Whether these kinds of transformations are really a good or bad thing is subjective, but this has me wondering.

What do you consider to have been the BEST beast-based Transformers toy molds that we have received over the years, and WHY?

They can be from any line as long as it's a TF who turns into a Beast Mode.

It can be from any of the following:
  • The robotic beasts of the Generation 1-2 lines
  • The few beast-based Pretenders (either shell, altmode, or both) also of the Generation 1 line
  • The organic/Transmetal/Fuzor/Transmetal 2/Cyborg Beasts/Mutants/Technorganic beasts of the Beast Era lines
  • The Megatron/Galvatron mold and whatever other beasts of the Robots in Disguise line
  • The BW Transmetal remolds of the Armada line
  • The robotic Terrorcon beasts of the Energon line
  • The Jungle Planet-native beasts of the Cybertron line
  • The new Deluxes of Beast Convoy, Beast Megatron, and Lio Convoy of the RobotMasters line
  • The four-legged Decepticon Ravage figure of the Alternators line
  • The certain animal-based Mini-Cons and larger figures of the Classics/Universe/Generations lines
  • The few very mechanical beasts of the Bay Movie trilogy lines
  • The very few but diverse beasts of the Animated line
  • The Decepticon-allied Arms Micron beasts of the Japanese Prime toyline
  • Any other beast-based toy molds from any other TF toyline not listed here.

Re: The BEST Beast-based Transformers toy molds

PostPosted: Sun Oct 14, 2012 12:44 am
by Pigbeard
To start this off, let me say I was primarily a product of Beast Wars. While I enjoyed transformers and owned G1 toys since I can remember, Beast Wars was the first toy line where I was old enough to do more with them than throw them in the bath tub or bury them in a sandbox.

This being said, I prefer vehicle alt modes. I did like Beast Wars toys (Ultra Optimus Primal was the figure that got me re-interested and collecting), but I just prefer vehicles. I think the Beast Hunters toys will be the first line I am able to resist. They just look kinda cluttered to me. I am anticipating the heck out of the Omega Supreme pictured with the Beast Hunters, though. Anyway, I still have several beast-based favorites.

I'm not sure why, but I really liked a lot of the later "basic" figures for Beast Wars. Transmetals 2 Spittor and Nightglider stick out at the moment. Beast Machines Blackarachnia was really good in my opinion.

I recently acquired Cybertron Deluxe Brimstone and really like his transformation. It's simple, but not the typical for winged alt modes.

Re: The BEST Beast-based Transformers toy molds

PostPosted: Sun Oct 14, 2012 12:55 am
by Diem
This is a great thread Sabr!

I genuinely can't think of a beastformer that doesn't commit one of the three cardinal sins:

1) Beast head for hand/hands
2) Forelegs are arms and/or rear legs are legs
3) Shellforming

But I do have a great love for many figures that do commit them. The Energon bird mold. Longrack. Cutthroat. Quickswitch. Big Convoy. Jetstorm.

Re: The BEST Beast-based Transformers toy molds

PostPosted: Sun Oct 14, 2012 1:30 am
by PrymeStriker
Going out on a limb here; might have to agree with Cybertron Brimstone

He's doesn't really commit any of the crimes Diem listed. Neither do the T-Rex Grimlocks........much.

Re: The BEST Beast-based Transformers toy molds

PostPosted: Sun Oct 14, 2012 2:42 am
by RhA
Diem wrote:This is a great thread Sabr!

I genuinely can't think of a beastformer that doesn't commit one of the three cardinal sins:

1) Beast head for hand/hands
2) Forelegs are arms and/or rear legs are legs
3) Shellforming

But I do have a great love for many figures that do commit them. The Energon bird mold. Longrack. Cutthroat. Quickswitch. Big Convoy. Jetstorm.


:lol: Cutthrot does none of those things.

-edit- I'm sorta wrong. The wings are connected to his arms. I was thinking about Sinnertwin. Derp.

Re: The BEST Beast-based Transformers toy molds

PostPosted: Sun Oct 14, 2012 2:55 am
by Va'al
I only ever owned a couple of figures, most of which have since gone lost.

I currently have a battered Optimus Primal, his Transmetal counterpart in better shape, and an extremely damaged Inferno. Oh, and Magnaboss.


But my favourite was Transmetal Waspinator. I thought the jet mode was pure genius!

I have no idea where he went. He suddenly disappeared from my house along with Dinobot, Rhinox, and organic Waspinator. :(

I always liked the look of Transmetal Tarantulas, and always regretted never owning a Megatron.

Re: The BEST Beast-based Transformers toy molds

PostPosted: Sun Oct 14, 2012 5:45 am
by craggy
hun-grr doesn't commit any of these "cardinal sins" and there are a few other tfs with beast alt modes that don't. but there are plenty of vehicle mode bots that have similar set patterns to their transformations, so I don't sweat it too much.

Re: The BEST Beast-based Transformers toy molds

PostPosted: Sun Oct 14, 2012 5:57 am
by RhA
Hun-grr's beast legs become his arms.

Re: The BEST Beast-based Transformers toy molds

PostPosted: Sun Oct 14, 2012 12:01 pm
by Sabrblade
I gotta give some love to BW Sky Shadow (and his BW Neo Drancron redeco - pictured below). That mold is so articulated, so detailed, and so full of fun weaponry and gimmicks that it's just sick!

Image

Diem wrote:I genuinely can't think of a beastformer that doesn't commit one of the three cardinal sins:

1) Beast head for hand/hands
2) Forelegs are arms and/or rear legs are legs
3) Shellforming
Really, unless done poorly, I don't see either of the first two as a problem (3's probably the greatest evil, but that two can be handled well).

Beast head hands gives the robot mode something unique and creatively different from those with ordinary hands.

And the legs-for-legs pattern generally guarantees a good range of dynamic articulation for the same limbs in both modes and that is far from considered a sin. ;)

Re: The BEST Beast-based Transformers toy molds

PostPosted: Sun Oct 14, 2012 12:17 pm
by Jelze Bunnycat
Diem wrote:I genuinely can't think of a beastformer that doesn't commit one of the three cardinal sins:

1) Beast head for hand/hands
2) Forelegs are arms and/or rear legs are legs
3) Shellforming


Add "Animal kibble in robot mode" to that list, and you've pretty much excluded every single beast-former there is. :lol:

Re: The BEST Beast-based Transformers toy molds

PostPosted: Sun Oct 14, 2012 12:25 pm
by xyl360
Don't make me choose. I can't. There are too many Beast Wars figures that I love, waaaay too many :D!

If executed properly, I don't mind shellforming at all. Heads as hands, same there.

Legs as arms and/or rear legs are legs? So? What's wrong with that? G1 Predacons anyone?

Some of these gripes seem silly to me. It's like asking that doors don't become arms and that rear wheels don't end up on legs/feet or that vehicle mode front ends/hoods/canopies don't end up on the chest of a figure. They're silly complaints because such rules are pretty contradictory to how one would logically engineer a transformation from one mode to another, be it from car to bot, jet to bot, helicopter to bot, tank to bot or beast to bot.

Re: The BEST Beast-based Transformers toy molds

PostPosted: Sun Oct 14, 2012 12:30 pm
by Sabrblade
JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:Add "Animal kibble in robot mode" to that list, and you've pretty much excluded every single beast-former there is. :lol:
Even though animal kibble has just as much a chance of appearing in robot mode as vehicle kibble does for those with vehicle modes.

At the end of it all, it's just another way of saying "altmode kibble in robot mode". ;)

xyl360 wrote:Legs as arms and/or rear legs are legs? So? What's wrong with that? G1 Predacons anyone?

Some of these gripes seem silly to me. It's like asking that doors don't become arms and that rear wheels don't end up on legs/feet or that vehicle mode front ends/hoods/canopies don't end up on the chest of a figure. They're silly complaints because such rules are pretty contradictory to how one would logically engineer a transformation from one mode to another, be it from car to bot, jet to bot, helicopter to bot, tank to bot or beast to bot.
Yes, exactly! It's in the very nature of these designs to do just what it does, just as it is with vehicle-based Transformers.

Re: The BEST Beast-based Transformers toy molds

PostPosted: Sun Oct 14, 2012 12:42 pm
by Va'al
This thread has actually just made me want to buy the Animated Dinobots.
They're adorable! And look really good from what I can see.

Does Animated Blackarachnia get a mention in here? Both modes look fantastic.

Re: The BEST Beast-based Transformers toy molds

PostPosted: Sun Oct 14, 2012 12:47 pm
by Sabrblade
Va'al wrote:Does Animated Blackarachnia get a mention in here? Both modes look fantastic.
Sure! She's a fun figure. Kinda wish her spider legs were longer for better articulation, but what we got is still fun.

Re: The BEST Beast-based Transformers toy molds

PostPosted: Sun Oct 14, 2012 3:02 pm
by xyl360
Va'al wrote:This thread has actually just made me want to buy the Animated Dinobots.
They're adorable! And look really good from what I can see.

Does Animated Blackarachnia get a mention in here? Both modes look fantastic.

I have the Animated Dinobots and Blackarachnia and they are awesome. I particularly like the triceratops formerly known as Slag in beast mode. He's awesome.

Re: The BEST Beast-based Transformers toy molds

PostPosted: Sun Oct 14, 2012 6:42 pm
by craggy
RhA wrote:Hun-grr's beast legs become his arms.

yes. his rear legs. his fore legs fold in the back and his beast mode heads become his robot legs.

Re: The BEST Beast-based Transformers toy molds

PostPosted: Mon Oct 15, 2012 10:27 am
by SJ21
G1 Predacons just look bada$$. The color scheme is great. As a group, they are very cohesive. Oh yeah, they turn into Predaking! Yes, they are bricks, but it was G1.

I also like G1 Snapdragon.

Re: The BEST Beast-based Transformers toy molds

PostPosted: Mon Oct 15, 2012 11:32 am
by Duke of Luns
Rid Megatron NEEDS some attention. In robot mode, he's awesome. His articulation has aged very, very well, lacking only a ball jointed neck and maybe slighlty limited shoulder movement. Kibble? Virtually nonexistant, with only a tail that encumbers nothing on his back, and his wrists are slightly hindered by dragon claws. Still, it's a very minor gripe after all, how many Transformers even have wrist articulation?. Finally, I really do like the design, it's not quite organic, but not quite robotic either. It's actually kind of regal, like a suit of armor. With giant bat/dragon wings. Big articulated wings. The wings are awesome.

Moving onto his beast mode, well the bat mouth doesn't really cover his robot face all that...wait, I don't want to talk about that one. Ah, ok it's kind of terrible because it only bears a passing resemblence, no a glancing resemblence to any kind of mammoth, and...no, not that one. Aha, mytholigical beast modes are such a rarity, and the griffon is a pleasant...bah, not that one either!(But truthfully, the griffon mode rocks). What I'm really wanting to talk about is the dragon mode, which is more or less the bat mode backw....wrong again...

All joking aside, his twin dragon mode is fantastic. It's very obvious it was what was designed before anything else, and even if it was Rid Megatron's only alt. mode, the figure would still be a success. The transformation is simple, but satisfying. The design is very awesome, and still has that neither truly organic nor truly mechanical look to it. The stability is ok, as the tail is required for standing, but it can be posed. The arms are smallish, but so are a T-Rex's arms, so who cares? The thing that really sells the mode though is the necks/heads. They necks have a very good range of motion and are articulaed at three points(four if you count the double hinge at the *knee*). The heads are on very good ball joints, have opening mouths, and are full of personality. Then there's the gimmickless wings, which open, close, pivot, and are general goodness.

So as you can tell, I really enjoy Rid Megatron. He's so much better than TM2 Megatron(who actually has not aged well, heck the Beast Machines version is almost better...), and is all around better than BWII Galvatron(who is still quite good).

Couple quick mentions since that turned out longer than I anticipated:

Bayverse Insecticon: He looks awesome in both modes and has four robot arms. Wonderfully articulated too.

DOTM Hatchet: A great little jet that turns into a great little...dog? I...I'm not sure what it is...

DOTM Laserbeak: The alt. mode isn't movie accurate in the least but it's good and the bird mode is very articulated. And it gets major points for looking like the Giant Claw...

Universe Frostbite: A very well done repaint. From super spiny artic hyena to squat but equally as menacing evil robot!

Re: The BEST Beast-based Transformers toy molds

PostPosted: Mon Oct 15, 2012 12:38 pm
by King Kuuga
I posted in the wrong topic, please delete.

Re: The BEST Beast-based Transformers toy molds

PostPosted: Mon Oct 15, 2012 12:42 pm
by Sabrblade
That Bot wrote:That's a good question, actually. I thought I remembered it being in January-February this year, I see it was actually mid-March. I'd assume same time next year. So Toy Fair is first. Never mind, then.
What?

Re: The BEST Beast-based Transformers toy molds

PostPosted: Mon Oct 15, 2012 12:50 pm
by RhA
xyl360 wrote:
Va'al wrote:This thread has actually just made me want to buy the Animated Dinobots.
They're adorable! And look really good from what I can see.

Does Animated Blackarachnia get a mention in here? Both modes look fantastic.

I have the Animated Dinobots and Blackarachnia and they are awesome. I particularly like the triceratops formerly known as Slag in beast mode. He's awesome.


They're all awesome. What sucks is their non-integrated weapons. When they're in beastmode, the weapons just... Lie there. Also- Swoop's all and chain in neutered for no reason.

Whining aside, you should already have owned these guys.

Re: The BEST Beast-based Transformers toy molds

PostPosted: Mon Oct 15, 2012 12:57 pm
by Va'al
RhA wrote:
xyl360 wrote:
Va'al wrote:This thread has actually just made me want to buy the Animated Dinobots.
They're adorable! And look really good from what I can see.

Does Animated Blackarachnia get a mention in here? Both modes look fantastic.

I have the Animated Dinobots and Blackarachnia and they are awesome. I particularly like the triceratops formerly known as Slag in beast mode. He's awesome.


They're all awesome. What sucks is their non-integrated weapons. When they're in beastmode, the weapons just... Lie there. Also- Swoop's all and chain in neutered for no reason.

Whining aside, you should already have owned these guys.


I never saw Animated until last year, so never discovered the amazingness of it all.
I have managed to secure Snarl and Swoop, still looking for a Grimlock.

Re: The BEST Beast-based Transformers toy molds

PostPosted: Mon Oct 15, 2012 1:28 pm
by King Kuuga
Oh shoot, I had multiple threads open at the same time and I posted in the wrong one. Sorry!

On the topic of Beast Bots: Beast Wars was my first TF series. It holds a special place in my heart, and the toys were super duper awesometastic. I don't see "animal legs as robot limbs" being a cardinal sin, nor do I see "beat head as robot hands" as a bad thing. Shellformers can be either/or, depends on how they're handled. Big Convoy, for example, is awesome despite being a shellformer. The fact that there's certain "common" modes of beast-to-robot transformation seems no different from the generally similar "front of car becomes chest, back of car becomes legs and feet, doors become arms" or vice-versa. There's plenty of stock transformations for vehicle-based Transformers as well, so as long as there's significant shuffling around of parts to make the robot look like more than just the beast stood on end, I'm cool with it, and I welcome Beast Hunters with open arms.

Re: The BEST Beast-based Transformers toy molds

PostPosted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 2:36 pm
by Handels-Messerschmitt
I can't say which is the best one, all in all, but I think that BW Razorclaw should be able to give anything a run for its money based on just how neat such a small, cheap figure is. He was either my second BW figure or joint first with Airazor (which is also outstanding but slightly less to my preferences). This is the sort of stuff you hook a kid on a toyline with.

http://www.tfu.info/1997/Predacon/Razor ... orclaw.htm

Neither of his decos are great because the orange and teal respectively clash with the rest but the sculpted detail is very good. The crab mode isn't the most exciting because, well, it's just a crab with oddly large hind legs. The transformation is simple but you still end up with an impressive-looking robot mode, especially when you take into account that his claws house two hidden weapons. The large one has serrated spikes that pop out when you pull a little lever and the small one has a silver-painted blaster. Of course, they're also fully usable in beast mode so I suppose that the crab can be a lot more exciting than first thought.

Basically, as a toy, this guy is amazing. Articulation, a truly excellent gimmick, no accessories to go missing and he's cheap. Too bad his colours are so-so. The video version is a little nicer but way more expensive. As a last note, the way his head works means that the beast mode has crab mouth gnashing action. That is attention to detail.


As for beast transformers in general, there is one thing that I think makes up for the awkward issues they can have: uniqueness. Basically, there are hundreds of car transformers. Even less common things like motorcycles, helicopters and tanks have dozens each. Beast modes are by contrast a lot more tied to a character. You have plenty of different characters that are some variety of plane but if you want a rat, an elephant or something odder like a squid or rabbit there is pretty much one character each for those. Finding a new kind of animal is admittedly a lot easier than new kinds of vehicles and there have also been far more vehicle transformers so it might not be an entirely fair point to make. It still adds a lot of novelty to beast modes, though, even ones that aren't done better than a high-quality standard Cliffjumper or whatever.

Re: The BEST Beast-based Transformers toy molds

PostPosted: Fri Oct 19, 2012 6:16 am
by AdamFett
Jungle Planet Megs......Freakin' sweet tyrannosaur beast mode....No visible robot mode kibble.....He my favorite toy hands down...