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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 Shockwave Transformers Toys

Full disclosure, this list actually started as "Top 5 great robot modes with subpar alt modes". However, I realized I was mostly coming up with Shockwave figures. I mean after G1, when he could not be a gun, all the attention of that toy was towards its robot mode with the alt mode being secondary. While that is too bad for a toy that started out having quite the legendary alt mode (a laser gun with lights and sound) at least the robot modes have been worth it. While I do not believe we have had a perfect Shockwave figure yet, the Masterpiece figure is coming soon. So while waiting, let us go through the best Shockwaves we have so far.

5. Beast Hunter Shockwave (Both Voyager and Cyberverse)

This is a solid and great feeling toy. He has a hulking robot mode with the widest chest/shoulders found on any Shockwave design. Unlike most versions, this mad scientist seems to be as strong as he is intelligent. I included both the voyager and cyberverse figure because they transform just about the same way. While that makes for a great smaller figure, that means that the transformation is a bit lackluster for a voyager class figure. The alt mode is thus not much to go on but as stated in the intro, Shockwave toys are usually more about the robot mode and this one works well. I especially like how they hide the hose as a tank thread in the voyager, as well as the working wheels found under the feet that only touch the ground in alt mode, it’s very well done. Speaking of things that were well done, the cyberverse version of the mold was surprisingly well served as Bludgeon.





A big reason why this toy is relegated to 5th place even if the robot mode is perfectly fine is due to there being a problem with the cannon arm in alt mode. For some reason, certain batches of this figure couldn’t plug the cannon so that it could be straight. You would have to disassemble his cannon arm and attach the cannon separately for it to look good from the front. That is quite a misstep in engineering. Also, this toy does pale in comparison to the other toys found in the Prime line (which is slowly starting to gain the legitimacy it deserves).




4. Transformers Energon Shockblast (Laser Wave)

Now this is a fun figure and a nice new take on Shockwave. He has all that you would expect from a Shockwave figure such as a gun arm (the biggest he has ever had!), a perfect headsculpt, and a hexagonal chest. This is a solid figure where everything perfectly clicks and fits together just fine. What I really love is how his cybertronian cannon mode has his head and chest visible (since as with most Shockwaves, the alt modes are rearranged robot parts with no new alt mode detail) but the angle of his head is flush with his shoulder making a smooth uninterrupted surface, hiding the head in plain sight. The robot chest also blends well by being mirrored on the back, adding a nice sense of symmetry and integrating the chest as the alt mode’s body. This figure is an interesting study of contrast between symmetry in the alt mode and asymmetry in the robot mode. It’s like Shockwave himself, perfectly logical, but dark and twisted.
Speaking of no new alt mode detail, that isn’t entirely the case with this toy. He includes a third mode which is just as serviceable as his cannon mode with 8 solar panels flipping from all over the place turning him into a satellite that fares just as well (in my book) as movie Soundwave.









And for fun, he also has a 4th fan mode that works ok.




3. Transformers Dark of the Moon Voyager Shockwave

Say what you want about the Bay movies, the design for Shockwave was pretty spot on for that world. He fared far better than most in his transfer to the silver screen since his cybertronian appearance worked well for the aesthetic combination of realism and alien life forms. Pretty much, he looked like a badass sci fi robot. The portrayal is another story, but the movie design translated perfectly well into the toy, who looked a bit smoother than the usual movie figures up to that point. I especially like his hands and feet and how they fold onto themselves in the alt mode. It is simple but quite ingenious (especially with the feet). It’s too bad his signature cannon couldn’t be placed in the middle of his alt mode, making it look a bit odd, but at least it brought back the hose idea which is always a nice touch to go with Shockwave. Along with Leader Sentinel Prime and Voyager Skyhammer, this is one of the best of the Dark of the Moon line.






2. Transformers Animated Shockwave

This toy is unlike any other Transformer ever designed by Hasbro. Spoilers for the Transformers Animated series abound. The idea behind this toy is for it to be Shockwave disguised as an Autobot who looks completely different with a different alt mode. While the alt modes are not much to run home about (shocker!) the real fun is converting him from small stocky Autobot Longarm into the Decepticon Shockwave.
Shockwave is at his most evil and conniving in this show and the toy brings that out in spades. The little hands turn into claws, the normal looking autobot face loses his mouth, nose and eyes for only the red cyclops eye to remain and the stocky limbs lengthen to reveal a tall and lean creepy silhouette. Speaking of height, this is a tall voyager figure, just look at that picture of him next to Megatron. I can’t think of that many Transformers which had as much value as this one which turns from Shockwave (who transforms into a tank) to Longarm (who transforms into a crane). Definitely one of the best Transformer toy designs of all time.










1. Transformers G1 1985 Shockwave (Laserwave)

The G1 toy is still an amazing toy and the fact that all the upcoming MP does is incorporate the partsforming and add some articulation speaks wonder to how much this 80s toy still holds up. He is so different from the rest of his brethren and for a reason. You see, this was not done by the same company (Takara) who brought us Optimus, Soundwave and almost everyone else. This was a lazer gun that could then transform into a cyclopean robot (who has a lazer gun hand) and was first a Radio Shack toy in the west (the rights to this toy are somewhere in the ether, as well as in some copyright lawyer’s nightmares). So yeah, definitely in a different league of the rest. Any lack in articulation is offset by the playability factor and heft. It's an awesome space gun that turns into a cool looking robot, the argument stops right there!






Honourable Mentions: While the Combiner Wars Legends Shockwave is a perfectly fine Legends class toy, the size just doesn't cut it for a top 5 list of this imposing master of doom. I still wanted to mention him here though since he does deserve some praise. The toy I had a hard time not including though was Cloud Shockwave, who instead is a perfect size, but I stay away from exclusive redecos since they are not as easy to come by for most people reading these lists. And plus, these lists are to generate discussion and if I write about a super exclusive/expensive toy that fewer people own, there isn't really a point. This is why I have this section where I can write whatever I want and for now, I want to write about Cloud Shockwave. What impresses me so much about this figure is how it is a straight redeco (all the parts are the same) and yet he totally owns that Whirl mold he is from. Shockwave always had this cold creepy mad scientist vibe to him and the tall lanky bot mode just works so well for him. He ends up with the same perfect headsculpt which is very reminiscent of Energon Shockblast and the claw hands (reminiscent of Animated Shockwave) lend themselves perfectly to this bot who is always known for having odd appendages. Oh and him being a redeco of Whirl means that for this rare occasion, his alt mode is better than sub par. He is currently the best scale and style for a collection of updated toys from the G1 era, at least in my opinion.



Here are a few pics to see how well he fits in a collection as compared to the others, let me know what you guys think!

Excellent list! Glad to see my homeboy DotM Shockwave on there. I do love that figure, weird arms and all.

And great choice for the number 1 spot. Shockwave is one of the few G1 toys I would really like to own at some point. He's actually pretty poseable for a G1 toy, and that purple...sexy as hell.

A bit surprised to see no mention of Alternators Shockwave/Blast. I don't own him myself but he certainly looks great, especially with that car mode.

Oh come on dude. How can you skip the Alternators Shockwave? Not even an honourable mention? That thing encompasses shockwave much better than that Whirl repaint. He's got the beef to show off his power. He has a perfect headsculpt. He's highly poseable. He's voyager sized to fits in well with a classics shelf (robot mode certainly). His shoulder doors can be angled back to give him a sleek look, or more G1 look if you want to be a G1 pureist. He has a rifle he can hold or mount on his elbow. He's easy to transform. He has a fully kitted out and proper car interior, even dashboard dials.


So why not even a whiff of him?

One of these days I'd like to see a Shockwave designed with an actual alt mode in mind -- no not Purple Whirl or the Everyone's-A-Car Alternator, I mean in the next show he appears in I hope the character designers actually consider a vehicle mode for Shockers. This trend of "robot with cannon --> folded robot with cannon" is getting old.

It’s too bad [Movie Shockwave's] signature cannon couldn’t be placed in the middle of his alt mode

Well actually, you can slip it in between his folded arms. It holds nicely, doesn't snap into place but can instead pivot up and down. Lemme see if I can find a picture of it...
EDIT: Here we go

Insurgent wrote:Oh come on dude. How can you skip the Alternators Shockwave? Not even an honourable mention? That thing encompasses shockwave much better than that Whirl repaint. He's got the beef to show off his power. He has a perfect headsculpt. He's highly poseable. He's voyager sized to fits in well with a classics shelf (robot mode certainly). His shoulder doors can be angled back to give him a sleek look, or more G1 look if you want to be a G1 pureist. He has a rifle he can hold or mount on his elbow. He's easy to transform. He has a fully kitted out and proper car interior, even dashboard dials.


So why not even a whiff of him?

^This.
Alternators Meister/Jazz was already an amazing sculpt, one of the line's best - articulation, transformation elegance, interior completeness... Then crank up the awesome, making look like it was always intended for Shockwave, while simultaneously accommodating the car-maker's latest special edition.


The Binaltech version's paint job is a thing of beauty.

Full disclosure, this list actually started as "Top 5 great robot modes with subpar alt modes". However, I realized I was mostly coming up with Shockwave figures.

That's why I adore Action Master Shockwave so much. He looks great in bot mode and doesn't waste anyone's time pretending to have an alt mode.

I too, would have voted for Alternator Shockwave. It's a great mold put to good use and it's one of the rare Shockwave with a perfect altmode.

I have a KO of G1 Shockwave well constructed and good quality despite having to pay 100SCAN shipped for it at the time... and even now, the KO sell for MORE! Now,just imagine the original.

Finally, I think the best looking Shockwave in bot mode is voyager Prime's... Even though his altmode is crap.

I think upcoming MP Shockwave should have got a honorable mention too. I mean I get it a figure not yet released to the world but just on looks alone you can't deny it's gonna be a epic Shockwave...'nuff said!

-Kanrabat- wrote:Finally, I think the best looking Shockwave in bot mode is voyager Prime's... Even though his altmode is crap.

The alt-mode IS totally crap...hot crap. But his bot mode is pure awesomeness preferably the SDCC version!

Cool listt. I don't care for Animated Shockwave at all (not a fan of the style both robot modes look poor to me particularly the extremely goofy Longarm) but the others are decent. Had DotM Shocky for a while and I kinda miss him. G1 Shockwave is just one of those G1 figures like Jetfire which came from better stock than most early TF figures and so still hold up extremely well.

As some may remember from another thread, I recently got Cyberverse Prime Bludgeon at end of last year for a good price and I still really like him. I've been trying to find a decent alternative arm for that oversized cannon arm bit but other than that he's cool and stands on my shelf next to my (Headrobots enhanced) RotF Bludgeon as his apprentice.

Most of my love for Shockwave is for the Marvel comics version (both UK and US) where he had a lot of great characterisation and was generally a major force to be reckoned with. He had a lot of personality for someone who hasn't even got a 'proper' face.

Nice work as always WJ ')^

For all the discontent about Alt/BT Shocker, while a great figure I didn't consider him for the list simply because he's doesn't fit within the C/G aesthetics. He's kinda in a league of his own. But I guess the top 5 isn't about what would fit specifically in certain displays. Wrong or not, I'd have omitted him too.

Your honorable mention (Cloud Shocky) is my number 1.

As a longtime Shockwave fan I find it strange to not include, in this list, some of the better (IMHO) versions of Shockwave. First of all I find the idea behind Beast Hunters Shockwave a good idea with poor finished product. The toy needs better leg and foot articulation, and the gun gimmick was too gimmicky.

I'm not saying the list is wrong; because it's an opinion piece and I respect the author's opinion, even though I disagree with it.

My list would be a bit different.

For Number one it'd be G1 Shockwave.


I would have put Alternators (Shockblast) Shockwave at number two.


Number three would be Fall of Cybertron Shockwave.


Number four would be Dark of the Moon Shockwave.


Rounding out the list a number five would be the Frankenstein of CHUG Jazz and the Longblast upgrade kit.




Honorable mentions:
- Mighty Muggs Shockwave


- Quakewave

I don't think 3rd party upgrade kits and bots count for this list.

(Even if that Longblast upgrade kit look pretty neat.)

Now I want Energon Shockwave

Well we have a purple whirl, were's my blue shockwave?

shajaki wrote:Nice work as always WJ ')^

For all the discontent about Alt/BT Shocker, while a great figure I didn't consider him for the list simply because he's doesn't fit within the C/G aesthetics. He's kinda in a league of his own. But I guess the top 5 isn't about what would fit specifically in certain displays. Wrong or not, I'd have omitted him too.

Your honorable mention (Cloud Shocky) is my number 1.

It's not best toys that fit within a classics shelf, it's best Shockwave toys. IMO his robot mode does fit in with classics, I had mine displayed with henkei Megs and others for many years. But eh, on that front we'll agree to disagree.


But Movie shockwave doesn't fit the classics look either, so by that definition, he shouldn't be there.

no mention of fall of cybertron shockwave or alternators shockwave or even the new masterpiece shockwave

What a hard list to do really. With so many alt modes that are just a pile of purpleness, I can see the argument behind Alternators. at least he turns into something.
It's hard to make a "best" list based on one mode alone. Great effort Will

I just recently scored Super Link Laser Wave (Energon Shockblast), and MAN! he is awesome. Might be my favorite Shockwave to date. He's so big and beefy. Just looks like he's gonna eat some Autobot brains for breakfast.

I do like CW Shockwave a lot despite his minute stature. I'm glad he actually turns into a gun.

I've got a working G1 Shockwave and can confirm that the noise it makes is the best thing ever

The Masterpiece one will have to sing like an angel to beat it

I'd have given Animated Shockwave the top spot for having a very clever quad-changer design and a decent (though admittedly not amazing) tank mode, for being the best take on the "doublespy" concept we're likely to ever get, and because of that striking Animated aesthetic and looking great in both color schemes.

Well, I'd have wanted to. I don't think I'd actually risk it.

DotM Shock is my favorite to date. and also: I did not know Prime Shockwave actually could extend the treads out that far in tank mode! The things you will learn....

I don't know that I would have put the g1 figure on a list that is essentially comparing every other figure to the g1 figure. But it is very nice, and it does still hold up well after 30 years, so I guess that's just more personal taste. Now for me, I would have moved the DOTM shockwave 2 5th place, or possibly fixed. I is a good figure, and does shockwave justice within the art style of the movie, it's just not my most favorite figure. I probably would have put the FOC shockwave as v, because it does the G one art style, as a flawlessly wonderful transformation, and captures on the whole flying gun thing. My only downside to it is surely on size. Then I would have probably put the animated figure on there, because play value on that thing is astounding. Third on the list for me probably would have been the Energon figure. That was my shock wave until the prime figure came along, but I really didn't like the green on his gun arm, or how blocky it is. And as much as I like the idea of him having a satellite mode, especially with what IDW did with all the planets, I wasn't impressed with the way all the parts integrated together, especially on the tank mode. That barrel doesn't lock in , or else I've been transforming him wrong the last 12 years or however long its been , it just kind of sits there on his ankles . I probably would have been happy if we just got in the g1 deco, something that got rid of that green. Prime shockwave would have taken the number two spot, for number one if I wasn't counting the g1 figure, because it's got this massive size large cannon but he's still Got an elbow. I'm quite okay with the tank mode, although it's more probably accurate to call it a howitzer. And as much as I have tried to replace that figure with either his FoC version, the new combiner Wars figure, or go back to the old Energon figure, I just can't do it. I always go back to the prime figure. Its big enough, menacing, it does all the things I want of a Shockwave.

2 one of the things I have found about the prime shockwave arm issue, is that you almost have to spin it 180 degrees around at the elbow both wear it attaches to the gun, and to the bicep so that the open side of the arm is facing towards the front of the tank but obscurred by the width of the gun. With mine, that seems to be the extra eighth of an inch that I need to lock his arm down.

G1 is in the top slot? Excellent. The rest... I'd have included Alternators/Binaltech Shockwave instead of DOTM Shockwave. Like others said, it's freakin' awesome.

Ultra Markus wrote:no mention of fall of cybertron shockwave or alternators shockwave or even the new masterpiece shockwave

Fall of Cybertron Shockwave is called out when I show all the different Classics configurations people try.

Masterpiece Shockwave hasn't come out yet and the whole point of this article is in preparation of him. It<s like counting down the best Star Wars films while waiting for the Force Awakens and putting Force Awakens on it before it's been seen based on the trailers.

Alternators Shockblast doesnt work as well as Jazz for me. It looks more like Shockwave cosplaying as an autobot (or Jazz putting a shockwave mask). It just feels off, like the mold wasn't made for him and I preffered including original shockwave molds on the list that really screamed Shockwave (thus making this a best of Shockwave list). While I am glad to see the love, I am surprised alternators seems to now be remembered fondly while my impressions was that it was a line best forgotten by fans, apparently. I actually like alternators but the line itself suffers from sameness in design and being overly complicated and full of kibble everywhere. Alternators Shockblast has all that. He isn't all that fun to transform, his feet suck, and I dont like how flimsy that connection point is between his arm and shoulder.

So yeah, in the end, to me, that mold doesnt scream shockwave, unlike all the other molds, so it was easy to ignore it.

I love seeing all the input, this is what its all about. If I mention all the shockwaves then there is no point to the comments or to an opinion piece. The comments help strengthen the article and give more reading material to any fan who clicks on the discussion. And kudos to all those who made their own lists, thats awesome!

PS Shajaki: I love your number one pic!

william-james88 wrote:Alternators Shockblast doesnt work as well as Jazz for me. It looks more like Shockwave cosplaying as an autobot (or Jazz putting a shockwave mask). It just feels off, like the mold wasn't made for him and I preffered including original shockwave molds on the list that really screamed Shockwave (thus making this a best of Shockwave list).

Proper reasoning, I agree. A Mazda RX8 is nowhere close to any alt mode fitting of Shockwave. I think the only reason it works is because G1 Shocky's chest was shaped much like one of the car hood'd fellas. It's kinda like naming Alternity Galvatron in a top 5 Galvatron list.

william-james88 wrote:PS Shajaki: I love your number one pic!

Thanks! You nabbed one of these from Lena didn't you?