This is a great list, I don't know how you whittled it down to 5. I am getting some great memories of the first time I transformed these guys, thinking 'wow, this is new, I like it'.
Definitely a great time to be a collector. I loved the intuitive complexity of these toys. I can also see why they have since been simplified. One of the guys at my work brought Terradive in for me to complete the transformation because his 5 year old had got half way and the father couldn't finish it. bear in mind that this guy is an electrical engineer. I would love to see more of the collector focused toys heading back in this direction a little. perhaps not all the way but that level of complexity is entertaining.
Delta Magnus wrote:Excellent list! I really love the offscreen movie toys. I don't own as many as I'd like to but I do love the ones I own.
In terms of some of my favourites that I don't own but like the look of, I think I'd put forward (in no particular order):
ROTF Ransack- He's a goddamn biplane! That's just awesome! Plus he has a really unique looking robot mode.
HFTD Highbrow- I'm actually tempted to pick this up instead of the new TR version. It turns into a (stylized) P-38 Lightning, which is a plane I adore, and the robot mode is just gorgeous.
I can't agree more with this, whole heartedly, these two toys are brilliant. perhaps the top 5 should be cheated to a top 7.
Ransacks transformation is inspired for such a small toy. and Highbrow, might have mediocre forearms but the overall transformation and design of each mode is exceptional.