Diem wrote:Surprised that Samurai Prowl and Wingblade Prime aren't on here, given that they're basically two of the figures on this list, but with more stuff.
Other than that I'd have included Swindle for all his fun features and overall solidness and Blitzwing for being the first really accomplished triple-changer in quite some time. Also Arcee if her thumbs weren't so fragile.
Well, I can't speak for Wingblade Prime since he was a TakTom exclusive, but I would also vote regular Prowl over Samurai. Samurai Prowl is amazing, but getting the armor on is a finicky matter of aligning things "just so" and you can't really play with him once it's on. Plus, they removed the hubcap shuriken. It's an awesome variant but the first version of the mold hangs together just that much better.
Honestly, for my money, the only "bad" toy in the entire line is deluxe Bumblebee. It's badly proportioned, **** pops off every time you breathe on it, and he's way out of scale. But I adore the line, I have basically the entire "retail" line along with a few exclusives (and Blackout!). The designs are fun, every robot mode is BURSTING with personality (remember the Universe blank dead stare package artwork?), and it's marvelous how they translate the stylized designs into terrific toys. Most of the top 10 are my favorites as well, although I would rate Blurr much higher. Leader Megatron's amazing voice chip never ceases to amaze me.
"WHERE is the Allspark? CRUSH the Autobots! *Maniacal Laughter*"
Somebody mentioned scale. Lugnut can't be solved, but as far as the main Autobot cast? Activators Bee and Leader Bulkhead work perfectly with deluxe Ratchet/Prowl and voyager Prime.
IMO it will always be a shame this line was basically the unwanted stepchild due to the movies. They barely supported it, they didn't put the toys out until well after the show was on (I know, movie 1 toys sold very well), and they cut it off after a year and a half. It had three seasons but that didn't equate to three years.
What we needed, and didn't get:
The Constructicons
Leader Lugnut
OMEGA SUPREME
...
OMEGA LUGNUT
Voyager Sentinel? Ehhhhh for scale, I guess, but his deluxe toy is just so perfect.