The Energon Pub

When I talked about "won't tab together" I was mainly thinking of how someone complained that their PotP Grimlock's robot chest split whenever they moved his arms. I guess that wasn't you then.

Given how faithfully he recreates the G1 figure at a larger size while improving the articulation and cleaning up the transformation a little, with the most noticeable trace of the torso mode being the combiner codpiece, I have no idea how you can say he got "totally sacrificed in quality" for it. What do you find broken about Grimlock by his lonesome, and how does it correspond to the presence of the combiner gimmick? Like, if you were to say that PotP Starscream was sacrificed in quality for the combiner gimmick, I'd understand. But without more information, I can't see how that's a justified remark in Grimlock's case.

I'll agree that the other four main Dinobots from PotP are smaller than him than would be ideal, but given that doing them the same size as him would have eaten up FIVE Voyager slots in one line? I can deal with it. They still match him aesthetically, and they improve on the original figures significantly. I do hope we'll one day see Voyager versions, but the Deluxes will do fine for now.

Well I didn't point out the splitting chest problem, but I have it as well. As soon as I pick him up anywhere other than by his chest (my thumb on one side, my finger on the other) he splits. The original doesn't do that. Neither does the MP, or any other dino Grimlock I know of. In dino mode he's too short and wide. He looks like he's sitting on the porcelain throne. He's okay as a torso, after I did some work on his shoulders, but otherwise, he's a disappointment. I like the others, even as deluxes, they were done very well. For me, Grimlock suffers from the same problem as Siege Jetfire. He got bigger, but his design didn't match the change. If he was a deluxe, he would work better. I will admit to a slight bias, as Grimlock has been my favorite character since G1, and I expect all his toys to be top notch. And when it isn't, it's harder for me to look past flaws than other figures.

Regarding PotP Grimlock's chest, it pegs in more than one place: the visible peg in the front, but in the back are slots that are for the tabs on the "spine" that houses Volcanicus' head. The slots also serve to fasten the legs in Dino Mode.

Better check the state of those as they're clear plastic.

I may not own any of the of the toys on the list but i do own Cyberverse Spark Armor Grimlock(I bought it jumped at when it was on discount) and he is quite fine for a deluxe size toy even and is very G1 reminiscent in robot mode and works fine without the armor truck he comes with. I wish i had a decent sword for him.

ZeldaTheSwordsman wrote:I'll agree that the other four main Dinobots from PotP are smaller than him than would be ideal, but given that doing them the same size as him would have eaten up FIVE Voyager slots in one line? I can deal with it.

They could have done it like predaking or devastator and make it a 5 figure combining boxset for another year.

As for POTP Grimlock, he's fine, but I feel there are better Grimlocks out there. At least more interesting ones. He's a decent G1 type Grimlock for a classics collection but as a toy on his own, he isn't as imposing as the MP and not as iconic/classic as the G1 toy he's updating. So in a top 5 list, he still ends up not offering as much as others.

Speaking as someone that only has Slash, I think the POTP Dinobots are cool. The combined mode is kinda meh, it's true (though there are various upgrades available that IMO make him actually look really nice) but the individuals, whilst not entirely G1 accurate, mainly in scale, are still decent toys. The only real blows are Slag (who is missing his robot mode "wings" and has a triceratops mode that looks a bit more like a frog) and to a lesser degree Grimlock. And honestly, a bit of work with Molotow chrome could easily make the team look much better.

Gotta agree that PotP Grimlock doesn't offer more than MP Grimlock while being the same toy, essentially. He's okay. I don't hate him. I broke him out a few weeks ago just to contast him with some other Grimocks. Mine isn't floppy, nor does his chest untab. But the combining feature does weaken his dino mode. And I have no use for it.

TBH, the Primes Dinobots leave me cold. I got them because they are official G1 Dinos. But I like the platinum or SDCC versions more. The PtoP versions basically have to be photographed juuuust right to look good.

I think the biggest drag on them visually is the retail paintjobs meaning they lack the '85 toys' full "bling" (well, that and Slag going with the US toy color scheme). Molotow chrome pens would work wonders, but they're still good-looking as-is.

I don't personally find the combining feature a drag on Grimlock's dino mode, since the most noticeable trace of it for me is Volcanicus' codpiece. The MP-08esque robot shoulders/dino hips are much more noticeable.

I like the combining feature myself. I'm a cartoon fan, so my concept of the Dinobots is as "Make the Decepticons go 'Oh Primus run away' freakishly powerful", so them combining makes them moreso. And it allows revenge! Revenge! Sweet combiner-y revenge! for "Four Warriors Come Out of The Sky":

It's not just the codpiece, but the entire back.



If there wasn't a combining feature the back would definitely be cleaner. But it can't be because the head needs a place to hide and, of course, there's the codpiece. And there are the arms / legs. They are oddly shaped because of combining too.

Of course it doesn't ruin the toy for me. But I think it could have been done better if it weren't also trying to be a torso mode. It does a better job of being Grimlock than War for Cybertron does. I'm not sure it's better than Animated's, though. Or Platinum which I found really fun.

I alsoao dont like how the tail looks. Way to thick right up till the tip.

And too long.

Yeah. I don't think it's that way due to combining, so I left it out. But his dino mode is just ... off.

Looking at this list again, I have to kind of lament that Grimlock has gotten really popular. I used to get all the different versions of the guy (if it was a G1 inspired dino), but there've been too many terrible ones. Even with OCD I just couldn't bring myself to get Evergreen for import prices and none of the Cyberverse toys have impressed me. When it comes to being a completionist on anything you get the occasional crap figure, but there's too many now.

Did I miss any actual good Cyberverse Grimlocks due to this feeling? The tiny one was kinda cute, I have to admit.

Gauntlet101010 wrote:
Did I miss any actual good Cyberverse Grimlocks due to this feeling?

Big time, you missed the best G1 type Grimlock since the MP

https://www.seibertron.com/transformers ... rse/43557/

I saw that one and figured it might come up. So it was actually pretty good, huh? I think he might still be at Walmart, but it's been a while since I went there.

But there've been a few Cyberverse Grimmys. Are any of the others decent? Do you figure I wrongly passed up on a few of the others?

I went nuts with Dinobots a ways back with Platinum, SDCC (even though they are the same basically), Primes, Toyworld, Fansprojects, AND Planet X's version. I'm spoiled silly when it comes to Grimlocks so I have few regrets.

Realized I never commented on this list when it came out 3 years ago, or at least I lost the notification, but I'm glad I can comment now.

I think since this last came out, we have gotten 2 really good Grimlock toys, and with the Cyberverse deluxe coming out we might have a 3rd.

My personal list at this time would be:

5) PotP Grimlock
4) RiD Armor Grimlock
3) Fall of Cybertron Grimlock
2) Studio Series Grimlock
1) Cyberverse Ultimate Grimlock

I suspect that the Cyberverse deluxe or Animated Grimlock will knock off the PotP Grimlock for the #5 spot

Any reason MP Grimmy isn't on your list?

ZeldaTheSwordsman wrote:Any reason MP Grimmy isn't on your list?

Don't own him, don't plan to, and I rarely put thoughts into the MPs until I own them. People saying how the MP-28 Hot Rod mold is one of the best when it is my least favorite Hot Rod is a good example as to why I don't put stock in the MPs until I get them

Well, aside from the combiner gimmick PotP Grimlock is basically Discount MP Grimlock.

If so, than MP Grimlock would be towards the bottom of the list, PotP is only there because I didn't really have another Grimlock to take that 5th spo- oh wait!

Edit to my list, replace 5) PotP Grimlock with RiD2015 deluxe Grimlock, that is better

ZeldaTheSwordsman wrote:Well, aside from the combiner gimmick PotP Grimlock is basically Discount MP Grimlock.

ARE YOU HIGH?!

Rodimus Prime wrote:

ZeldaTheSwordsman wrote:Well, aside from the combiner gimmick PotP Grimlock is basically Discount MP Grimlock.

ARE YOU HIGH?!

I say that because there are some definite cues taken from the MP; he's got MP Grimlock's robot shoulders/dino hips, his hands fold up into his forearms like MP Grimlock's, his tailtip halves fold into his legs like MP Grimlock's, and the proportions on his dino torso halves are closer to MP Grimlock's than the G1 toy's. Setting aside the features peculiar to the combiner gimmick, the rest of him is "MP Grimlock done on a mainline toy's budget". Meaning no chrome, no transparent optics, less articulation in the dino arms, fewer accessories, no cover panels, and his tailtip halves have to make up part of his robot legs rather than folding up inside them.
On the plus side, his decals have the same detail level as the G1 toy's, rather than the simplified blocks of color from the animation model.

And say what you will, I've found him to be pretty awesome:

Okay, I'll give you the parts being similar. But the overall sum of those parts falls way short of MP quality. It's a cheap imitation at best. So when you say discount, it's deep discount.

Gauntlet101010 wrote:I saw that one and figured it might come up. So it was actually pretty good, huh? I think he might still be at Walmart, but it's been a while since I went there.

But there've been a few Cyberverse Grimmys. Are any of the others decent? Do you figure I wrongly passed up on a few of the others?

That ultimate grimlock is indeed pretty good. The post from DMax has it as their number 1 grimlock figure.

Whats fun to me about that toy is that it feels like a toy we would have gotten in the Cybertron line from the unicron trilogy, right down to a spring gimmick. It's something that both kids and collectors could enjoy while really having a presence and a smart transformation that feels familiar yet has some extra tricks to it.

And to answer your other question, i didnt find anybof the ither Cyberberse Grimlock figurrs great.

Every two weeks, Seibertron.com brings you a Top 5 list related to all things Transformers written by me, your fellow editor. These are my opinions (just like movie or game reviews hosted by sites are still just the opinion of one person) so what matters most is what you guys think of the topic or list, and I hope to see your own lists or comments on omissions and ranking. Let's have fun! All previous lists can be found here.


Top 5 Best Grimlock Transformers toys

Grimlock is one of the most iconic and popular characters in the Transformers brand. I made a list three years ago for his best toys and I must say there wasn't the cornocopia of great Grimlock toys we have now, so I really felt this character needed another list. He feels a lot like Shockwave and Ironhide where even though they are classic characters, it took a while for Hasbro to give us some really great toys for our collections. Well, I am glad Grimlock is now getting his due.


5. Transformers G1 1985 Grimlock

The Dinobots are some of the crown jewels of any G1 collection and while their poseability is nothing to brag about, they will always looks great. Grimlock especially with his massive shoulders and decorative wings, adding to his upper mass. His T-Rex tail become the legs brings equal mass to his lower area, offsetting any top heaviness. The colours are also just great, with that gold just popping. It was a smart transformation and one that keeps getting carried over through different iterations over the years, even the movie toy covered above. And that biologically incorrect T-Rex mode adds to this toy being a time capsule of the 80s era while also giving him a more stylized mechanical dinosaur look, turning something dated into a timeless design.






4. Transformers Studio Series SS-07 Grimlock

FINALLY a good movie Grimlock figure came out. The previous voyager was not bad, but it wasn't something great. This one though really takes it up a notch. Firstly, they make him as big as you could while trying to still fit in a leader class box and then they give it a sweet air brush deco that is found all throughout the toy, making him look much closer to how he appearaed in the film. Speaking of that, we finally have a grimlock which, like in the film, has 2 full T-Rex heads as shoulder pads. And that second T-rex head is hiding in plain sight when in dino mode is pretty cool to me. I always love clever details like that. There is actually a lot of the robot mode detail hiding in plain sight in the dino mode, but that gives it a nearly kibble free robot mode. He is a tad simple, and not all pieces like to stay in place, but his imposing stature and look in both modes make him an easy pick for a list of the best Grimlock toys around.










3. Transformers Cyberverse Ultimate Grimlock

What's so fun to me about that toy is that it feels like a toy we would have gotten in the Cybertron line from the unicron trilogy, right down to a spring gimmick. It's something that both kids and collectors could enjoy while really having a presence and a smart transformation that feels familiar yet has some extra tricks to it. And it just looks so good as an update to g1 while being it's own take at the same time, and a the price of a voyager figure, you sure got your money's worth with this big beefy looking toy.










2. Transformers Adventure TAV-30 Battle Grimlock / Robots in Disguise Platinum Grimlock

Lipstick on a pig is an expression fans throw around when there is a deeply flawed Transformers toy that Hasbro or Takara tries to amerliorate with a paint job. It doesn't always work and usually the toy ends up remaining just the same, but with lipstick. However, this is a good example of a time when it worked. Of course some retooling helped a lot to the point where this Robots in Disguise Battle Grimlock (the Hasbro version was just called RID Grimlock) feels very different from the Fall of Cybertron Grimlock toy it is based on, with different transformation steps too. The shoulders which were once a mess are reworked and made simpler and less frustrating, and if you didn't know the mold existed before you would think this was made just for this character. They reworked a lot of pieces from the original and give it a faithful colour scheme (Hasbro's version is a tad less faithful). Here is a quick example to show how it keeps the base mold yet reworks it.










1. Transformers Masterpiece Grimlock (Grimlock (MP-08))

What can I say at this point that hasn't been said? This toy is nearly flawless. It has an imposing robot mode and a smooth Dinosaur mode that looks exactly like the show but with the extra shine of the G1 toy. The Transformation is well executed as it replicates the G1 transformation while taking modern engineering into account. Plus he is fully poseable and comes in gorgeous comic colours as well (and there is a version with hus tux too if you want). After three years and a huge influx of Grimlocks, nothing's come close.










Honourable Mention:

I didn't have an honourable mention last time, but now that we have more toys, you can look back on the previous list to see who didn't make the cut this time around: https://www.seibertron.com/transformers ... oys/38563/

Also, I do want to mention another: Transformers Animated Grimlock.

While he isn't too innovative on the G1 formula transformation wise, I do like like how they were able to get the proportions and cartoon look into an actual toy. And he is a solid toy, as is most of the animated line, probably even one of best voyager class toys from that whole line.

Good list! I personally would put POTP Grimlock where RID Grimlock is, but RID Grim is still a good looking toy! And while I love me the G1 Grimlock, he is very much a product of his time and really falls short mechanics wise when it comes to the modern versions, but still definitely deserves a place on the list due to the instant feelings of nostalgia it gives.