The Energon Pub

[chuckdawg1999]

Man the Universe Datsun mold looks so...eh

They always looked off, but those were the best we had at the time.

[Sowndwave76]

Man the Universe Datsun mold looks so...eh

They always looked off, but those were the best we had at the time.

Yup, I agree with this.
At that time, I'd also say for me it was actually nice to get updated figures that were slightly different from the G1 designs in terms of screen appearance.
But as soon as I saw the ER molds for the Datsun bros, I realized the Universe mold was almost too human in proportion, and a bit too far off from the screen look for me.
Like I've said before, I think this current line is giving us some of the most cartoon accurate-looking figures we may see for a long long time.

[blackeyedprime]

The older versions look like they are wearing flares and some odd proportions up top (almost binaltech/alternator ish). They still have a few things that look better, non visible pins, door wing angles, feet (earthrise needed to be thinner and more defined, old versions inaccurate and thin but looks like feet) and better looking car modes (though not accurate). The missile launchers look better too, especially bluestreaks from having two colors.

[AcademyofDrX]

The older versions look like they are wearing flares and some odd proportions up top (almost binaltech/alternator ish). They still have a few things that look better, non visible pins, door wing angles, feet (earthrise needed to be thinner and more defined, old versions inaccurate and thin but looks like feet) and better looking car modes (though not accurate). The missile launchers look better too, especially bluestreaks from having two colors.

(It's an opinion, you're allowed to have a wrong opinion.)

[blackeyedprime]

Emgos review of Sunstreaker

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFrUvJlwelw

*it is mentioned in comments by Emgo that that yellows don't match. Kinda surprising it wasn't mentioned in the review as he usually calls out the bad and the good.

[Deadput]

I know the cars ain't Datsuns, I meant that as a shortened term for Datsun-Brothers.

Man the Universe Datsun mold looks so...eh

They always looked off, but those were the best we had at the time.

I get that much like other examples like classic Seekers, etc just saying that the Universe mold looks not as aesthetically pleasing as what we have now.

[ZeroWolf]

I know the cars ain't Datsuns, I meant that as a shortened term for Datsun-Brothers.

Man the Universe Datsun mold looks so...eh

They always looked off, but those were the best we had at the time.

I get that much like other examples like classic Seekers, etc just saying that the Universe mold looks not as aesthetically pleasing as what we have now.

Depends on what you find aesthetically pleasing, personally I like them but I don't care about cartoon accuracy at all. So different strokes for different folks.

All I care about is how fun the toys are to handle

[Gauntlet101010]

I've never liked the old Universe toys. I dislike that they can't stand up straight or how tacky the paint is on Prowl AND Bluestreak or how the doors always pop off during transformation ... just a lot about them bugs me.

I have not replaced a whole LOT of the older toys I have. I have no interest in replacing figures I like or rebuilding a collection I've spent years building just to be "perfect," but these guys? Can't wait.

[sol magnus]

Well I Finally found wave 2 in my area . Has anyone seen the Quintesson Judge in MD PA area ?

I've seen two Megatrons, but no Judges. Obviously, I missed them.

[Rodimus Prime]

I found this display of wave 2 deluxes at my Wal-Mart. Of course, there's a Smokescreen there, which is the only one I wanted. Just in time for my Smokescreen to arrive from Amazon for $5 more than I could have gotten him at Wal-Mart.

[TF-fan kev777]

I just love the irony of it being a Netflix end cap display, but only filled with Earthrise and Cyberverse. Walmart being Walmart.

[sol magnus]

I found this display of wave 2 deluxes at my Wal-Mart. Of course, there's a Smokescreen there, which is the only one I wanted. Just in time for my Smokescreen to arrive from Amazon for $5 more than I could have gotten him at Wal-Mart.

You made a decision.

[Rodimus Prime]

I found this display of wave 2 deluxes at my Wal-Mart. Of course, there's a Smokescreen there, which is the only one I wanted. Just in time for my Smokescreen to arrive from Amazon for $5 more than I could have gotten him at Wal-Mart.

You made a decision.

Yeah, I did. I guess that $5 was worth the peace of mind of knowing I would get Smokey when I preordered him way back when. He got shipped out on Friday and should be here tomorrow. Now, if Wal-Mart had stocked him 3 or 4 days ago, I could have still canceled the preorder I believe. Oh well. At least I got him. Unlike Runabout, whom I was too late for.

[sol magnus]

I found this display of wave 2 deluxes at my Wal-Mart. Of course, there's a Smokescreen there, which is the only one I wanted. Just in time for my Smokescreen to arrive from Amazon for $5 more than I could have gotten him at Wal-Mart.

You made a decision.

Yeah, I did. I guess that $5 was worth the peace of mind of knowing I would get Smokey when I preordered him way back when. He got shipped out on Friday and should be here tomorrow. Now, if Wal-Mart had stocked him 3 or 4 days ago, I could have still canceled the preorder I believe. Oh well. At least I got him. Unlike Runabout, whom I was too late for.

Yes. Wave 2 has yet to make an appearance in MD. I have been resisting ordering because even Amazon says a week before it arrives at my door. Hopefully, I won't suffer for my decision to wait.

[Wolfman Jake]

Now that I have all of the Earthrise Wave 2 Deluxe Class figures in my possession, I thought I'd give my thoughts on each, except for Arcee, because I've talked enough about what a disappointing figure that is already.

Airwave is a pretty solid modulator figure. I'm happy to FINALLY have the other modulator mold in this line, as to this point, I've only had Ironworks and the repaint and slight retool as Greasepit. Airwave's robot mode is quite good. He's got a funny but refreshingly different head for a Transformers character. The pegs on the pelvis could fit into the holes atop the legs a little more snuggly. Mine are loose and like to fall off if jostled to much (or for no reason at all). Two of Airwave's base mode configurations work really well, with everything snapping together securely. The third mode, though, that of the "tank," is pretty weak. Although seemingly intended to hinge at the back, there are clearance issues, and the top part won't stay put anyway, as it's prone to collapse back closed. The treads on the bottom are also upside down, so they don't touch the actual ground. Oops! I feel like this mode was shoehorned in when they decided that Hot House was just going to be a direct repaint of Airwave. The tank mode kinda looks the part of Hot House's G1 tank configuration, but you have to squint a fair bit. Not every configuration is going to be a winner, and the disappointing tank mode is less of a problem for Airwave than it will be for Hot House.

The Allicons are fantastic. They are chunky and solid figures. They look just like they did in the '86 movie. The transformation is a little simple in parts, especially since the lower half of the figure just spins around and you're done. The legs are identical in robot and beast modes. Everything tabs in where it should, though, and you can get some nice mouth articulation in alligator mode. Weapon storage works great too. I've got three of them guarding a Quintesson Judge in my display.

Last, but certainly not least, is Smokescreen. He's fantastic, honestly. I'm glad we did get a new "Datsun" mold just one year after the Siege version, because it's the best we've had outside of the Masterpiece line. The G1 fidelity just blows the old Universe 2008 mold out of the water. The paint apps are crisp and look mostly correct. It's too bad he can't have his old number "38," but what are you gonna do? The transformation is familiar, but nuanced just enough as compared to the Siege figure. The engineering and design is very impressive, as the robot parts fold up nice and tight into alt mode, leaving very little empty space inside the body of the car. The arms are tricky to peg into the doors in alt mode, but it's not needed to get the panel lines all flush on the outside, and there is still plenty of clearance for the wheels to roll unobstructed. I wish the shoulder cannons and the gun were either cast in white plastic or painted over in white like the Siege figure for more toy and cartoon accuracy. I just swapped the accessories from the Siege figure to Earthrise smokescreen, giving me the correct colors for those accessories. The bonus is that the Siege shoulder cannons are also sculpted more like Smokescreen's G1 cannons, whereas the Earthrise ones look more like Bluestreak's cannons. The Earthrise "Datsun" gun looks more on model, but I still prefer having the correct color for the gun over the better mold. Overall, Smokescreen is like a "Mini Masterpiece" figure, and I can't wait to get Prowl and Bluestreak now as well to have them all together. I'm also looking forward to the fourth use of the mold as an Earth mode Barricade.

[chuckdawg1999]

[SGMLordMirage]

I can say I had the same issue with my Bluestreak. The photo that was used in the article if you look close you can see the arm not pegged into the door. So I am glad to see I wasn’t the only one having this issue.

SGM

[chuckdawg1999]

I can say I had the same issue with my Bluestreak. The photo that was used in the article if you look close you can see the arm not pegged into the door. So I am glad to see I wasn’t the only one having this issue.

SGM

It doesn't bother me as much as that armpit joint not staying pegged in. Watch, Prowl is going to be the best of the three.

[SGMLordMirage]

It doesn't bother me either. Honestly, mine will stay in robot mode anyways. That is very possible about Prowl.

[Nemesis Primal]

The third mode, though, that of the "tank," is pretty weak. Although seemingly intended to hinge at the back, there are clearance issues, and the top part won't stay put anyway, as it's prone to collapse back closed. The treads on the bottom are also upside down, so they don't touch the actual ground. Oops! I feel like this mode was shoehorned in when they decided that Hot House was just going to be a direct repaint of Airwave. The tank mode kinda looks the part of Hot House's G1 tank configuration, but you have to squint a fair bit. Not every configuration is going to be a winner, and the disappointing tank mode is less of a problem for Airwave than it will be for Hot House.

Said it before and I'll keep saying it till the thread dies (probably), but all of the issues with Airwave's third configuration aren't actually problems with the figure, it's the fact that Hasbro designed said third mode to be the original Airport base's battle mode and then decided to call it a tank for no reason, and now everyone's critiquing it for not being a good tank when it isn't supposed to be.

Although according to Hasbro, this is also a tank:

Sixgun Alt mode.jpg

so maybe they've just forgotten what tanks look like.

[sol magnus]

I can say I had the same issue with my Bluestreak. The photo that was used in the article if you look close you can see the arm not pegged into the door. So I am glad to see I wasn’t the only one having this issue.

SGM

It doesn't bother me as much as that armpit joint not staying pegged in. Watch, Prowl is going to be the best of the three.

It's Prowl, so that's a given.

My Bluestreak doesn't have that issue.

[chuckdawg1999]

I can say I had the same issue with my Bluestreak. The photo that was used in the article if you look close you can see the arm not pegged into the door. So I am glad to see I wasn’t the only one having this issue.

SGM

It doesn't bother me as much as that armpit joint not staying pegged in. Watch, Prowl is going to be the best of the three.

It's Prowl, so that's a given.

My Bluestreak doesn't have that issue.

I'm so jelly I could be a sandwich

[blackeyedprime]

Wave 3 suppopsedly hitting UK webtailers next week. I kind of expected to get Roroitchi before finding a Fasttrack.

Wave 3 has to be one of the oddest waves so far, Fasttrack to go with been and gone Scorponok, Runamuck to go with a hard to get exclusive, Trailbreaker to go with his exclusive accessory and sunstreaker to go with a non existing earthmode sideswipe, Yay?

Hoping to pick up Trailbreaker and Fasttrack.

[StaceyK93]

My bluestreak came in yesterday here he is with the siege mold

[Nemesis Primal]

...well I guess this is happening anyway? Saw it on TFW:

Shove that up your Counterpunch.png

I dunno if this means the Glyph and Tap-Out rumor is more or less credible now, these GO sets have been some real weirdos when it comes to their "leaks".

Right now it looks like the set only actually shows up on Amazon if you got to that GO hub page they made though.