The Energon Pub

Rules of the thread.

Please lets try to only discuss the 3rd party TF toys that got released in 2014 not 2013 not 2015.

Please don't list reviews on 3rd party TF toys you bought in 2014 but were officially released in 2013 or before that.

I'll get the ball rolling on this.

Offering of the Year 2014
There have been a lot in the year, but the one that comes to mind is FansProject's Revolver/Roadbuster. Being a Wreckers fan, my mind immediately goes to him as the perfect incarnation of Roadbuster, blowing Hasbro's out of the water. I don't care for the chestmaster piece, but it's in the back so I don't ever see it

Favorite 2014 Add-On
This goes to Renderform's Optimus Prime head for ToyWorld's Orion figure. It turned a decent Optimus Prime figure into THE definitive Optimus Prime for my collection.
--Honourable mention is the MakeToys Omega Supreme kit because it adds all the stuff that was missing in the original Omega Supreme and makes the figure absolutely worth it.

Favorite 2014 Figure
This will go to MakeToys Swerve and Gears 2-pack. Not only are they fun as all out, but they blow iGear's versions out of the water so badly, they made iGear reconsider continuing their Minibot offerings.
--Honourable Mention goes to FP's Mindwipe. That figure is damn fun to play with and transform to boot. My only beef with that is the arm-wings in robot mode.

Favorite 2014 3rd Party
Mastermind Creations is my #1 favourite company. They communicate well, accept feedback, and they release figures at a good pace. Their figures are solid and enjoyable each and every time.
--Honourable mention goes to MakeToys. I own most of their offerings and they are pretty solidly built. However I find each one to be kinda fiddly, meaning I'll probably transform each once only, then leave on my shelves.

Favorite 2014 Combiner
MMC's Feral Rex/Predaking is the literal king of the 3rd Party Gestalts. Unlike MakeToys or FansProject, the individual figures are not fiddly in the least and the final form is solid. I don't fear that parts will fall off if I have to pick him up off the shelf.
--Honourable Mention is MakeToys Computron. He's a fantastic representation, but like most of MT's offerings, is rather a pain to assemble.

What you're looking forward to in 2015 for Transformers
There's a lot coming in 2015 that I'm looking for, but primarily I'm really excited for 2 things:
1) Completing the Dinobots after all this time. Personally I'm going with Planet X's offerings, but I can certainly sympathize with those going with FansProject or ToyWorld.
2) MakeToy's Defensor. One less combiner that I will ever have to worry about.
--Honourable mention is MMC's DJD. Bring on the baddest 'cons this side of Overlord!

Mkall wrote:I'll get the ball rolling on this.

I like your format, So i'm going to use it below for myself. Hoping others use it as well, as it's really nicely constructed.

Offering of the Year 2014
Though the TW Fort Max was a nice surprise that hardly anyone saw coming. Having a smaller version means it's in Marvel G-1 comics art scale with the rest of the MP TF's on my display shelf.

Favorite 2014 Add-On
For me, It's a tie between the SXS Add on kit for KFC Citizen and the SXS Add on kit for 30th Blitzwing.

Favorite 2014 Figure
Really loved the KFC Citizen Stacks toy. Thought it was a nice big powerful imposing size in both modes. Love how super articulated the toy is. admire the sleek yet powerful sculpting in both modes. The replacement parts did fix all of the loose joints problems the toy had on version One.

Favorite 2014 3rd Party
Probably MMC.

Favorite 2014 Combiner
FP Menasor

What you're looking forward to in 2015 for Transformers
X-T Megatron, TW Astrotrain, X-T MP scale Scourge. KFC Blaster, KFC Junkions. MP Blitzwing, MMC Overlord if it ever gets made.

Favorite 2014 Figure
For me it's Fansproject's Curbar a figure that manages to combine an imposing warrior robot with a lovable derpy looking Triceratops.



Offering of the Year 2014
Fansproject's Lost Exo Realm line simply for the way the line was introduced. Two days after we first hear of FP's Dinobots they're selling an exclusive version at a convention and not long after that the retail version starts shipping. It was just refreshing to see a product launch hit the ground running for once without the year long wait in between.

Favorite 2014 3rd Party
It would be too easy for me to say Fansproject given my choices above. I think Unique Toys/DX9 deserve it as they've come a long way from where they started and 2014 has seen them release a lot of good products with little crossover with other companies.
Mania King
Soundmixer
Salmoore/Splinter
Troll
Invisible

Favorite 2014 Combiner
Maketoys Computron, the only combiner completely released in 2014 I think.

What you're looking forward to in 2015 for Transformers
Hopefully the completion of FP's Dinobots. I'd be happy to see FP release Highbrow and Apeface in their Fuction X line. Not forgetting Maketoys Guardia.

Lord Raze wrote:
Favorite 2014 3rd Party
I think Unique Toys/DX9 deserve it
Mania King

Forgot all about UT Mania King. Bought V1 and it's a amazing toy. Think it's the best update G-1 Galvatron toy created so far. It's perfect for CHUG collections.

Wish, That soon, HasTak or 3rd parties create a G-1 Galvatron update toy in the Leader scale. For HasTak, I'd like it done reminiscent of the 1986 Galvatron cartoon designs. With 3rd parties I'd love to buy a MP Leader scale Galvatron toy that's reminiscent of the current IDW TF G-1 October 2014 Galvatron comic art designs.

Lord Raze wrote:What you're looking forward to in 2015 for Transformers
and Apeface in their Fuction X line.

I'm holding out hope that ToyWorld in 2015 creates Eight inch or Nine inch Ultra-Leader toys for the Two 1987 Horrorcons Apeface and Snaptrap. I need these big like the G-1 toys were.

Offering of the Year 2014
Gotta give it to MMC's Predaking! Sure parts may have come out back in 2013, but he completed this year. He was the shining star of collecting for me this year.

Favorite 2014 Add-On
I agree with Mkall, Renderform's Optimus Prime head for ToyWorld's Orion figure. and for the same reasons, took a great figure and made it stellar. I also like that it differentiates him from the black repaint version. I like the original head, but it doesn't scream Optimus Prime to me.

Honourable mention goes to "shoes" What the #3|_|_ was it with all the shoes for TFs in 2014? Everyone from Megatron to Warden got new kicks in '14.

Favorite 2014 Figure
For single figures PE's Warden was Figure of the Year for me. Not sure when he released exactly, but I got him early in 2014, and he was a lot of fun.

Favorite 2014 3rd Party
MMC takes the year for me. They kept collecting fun for me this year. Can't wait to see what is next from them!

Favorite 2014 Combiner
I think I gave it to Feral Rex above, so same here.

What you're looking forward to in 2015 for Transformers
More info from Giga. I really prefer their Dinobots for the MP line, but the slow release and following the very good offerings from FT means they may not complete their line. I want to see more before I start dropping dough on their bots.
More combiners! So close, but yet so far.
Decepticon clones to match the Autobot ones.

Okay, then... I'm going to put my hat in the ring, but I'm also going to make an effort not to repeat myself in any category. Here we go!

Offering of the Year 2014
Terminus Hexatron, Continuum version w/ Stag Cleavers. This guy is the entire package, and everything I wanted from this mold and for this character. The updated head sculpt is fierce, while the new fin molds are simple in shape, yet satisfying. The Stag Cleavers only accentuate the sense of brute force and power behind the sleek, modern design. The revised coloration is surprisingly good; even the gold line detailing, grey-blue wing handles, and chest fin paint apps hit the right notes. So much thought was put into this reissue, and this mold represents so much insofar as the fandom's raised expectations for 3rd Party figures, that it's almost impossible to pick anything else.

Favorite 2014 Add-On
Since there's only 1 category for add-ons, I'm going to give you my top 3, in descending order:
(1) Renderform Death Czar kit + Reprolabels, upgrading Beast Hunters Darksteel into Generations Deathsaurus. Both are great individually, but together, they turn an average mold and somewhat above average redeco into something truly menacing and special.
(2) Dr. Wu Bitz upgrade for Generations Blitzwing. This kit is amazing - the plastic is a near perfect match, and the options you have for Blitzwing's face, not to mention the light piping in his blaster, are touches that make this set, in my opinion, the final word on Blitzwing.
(3) SXS Weapon Set for PRID Skyquake. This upgrade truly makes Skyquake Generations-worthy. The base mold is great, but the Powerizer gimmick was awful. This is a clean & show accurate fix that makes me incapable of putting a now looming Skyquake down.

Favorite 2014 Figure
This is a bit out of left field, but I'm going to say iGear's Black Shark Leader. Admittedly, I despise, despise iGear's regular Sharkticons. The faces and differentiating red/blue/green accents combined with the 'Neo' look kills them for me. UT's have the G1 aesthetic I so adore. That said, as a Leader Shark, this mold really shines. The darkly intelligent and intimidating deco is perfectly suited for this beefy commander of mindlessly sadistic UT minions. The plastic quality is leagues better than UT's, as is the articulation, heft and overall stability. He's a handsome package, and possibility the best thing iGear's ever done. And at a $40 price point? This guy's a winner.


Favorite 2014 3rd Party
This will sound strange, but I consider the Transformers Collectors Club to be a 3rd Party. They might be an officially licensed 3rd Party, but they are a 3rd Party nonetheless - and they're my pick. I'm just so pleased I joined the Club when I did (post-credit card scandal, around the time the TFSS 1.0 figures were becoming available on the Club store). They've been putting out a ton of interesting stuff, and the steady stream of random, insanely detailed and well done releases, like Club Rampage & Depthcharge, TFSS Barricade & Ultra Mammoth, Botcon Obsidian & Fireguts Ginrai, and many, many others, are some of my most beloved figures.

Favorite 2014 Combiner
Feral Rex. Feral Rex. Feral Rex. Feral Rex. Feral Rex. Feral Rex. Feral Rex. Feral Rex. Feral Rex. Feral Rex. Feral Rex. Feral Rex. Feral Rex. Feral Rex. Feral Rex. Feral Rex. Feral Rex. Feral Rex. Feral Rex. Feral Rex. Feral Rex. Feral Rex. Feral Rex. Feral Rex. Feral Rex. Feral Rex. Feral Rex. Feral Rex. Feral Rex. Feral Rex. Feral Rex. Feral Rex. Feral Rex. Feral Rex. Feral Rex. Feral Rex. Feral Rex. Feral Rex. Feral Rex. Feral Rex. Feral Rex. Feral Rex. Feral Rex. Feral Rex. Feral Rex. Feral Rex. Feral Rex. Feral Rex. Feral Rex. Feral Rex. Feral Rex. Feral Rex. Feral Rex. Feral Rex. Feral Rex. Feral Rex. Feral Rex. Feral Rex. Feral Rex. Feral Rex.

What you're looking forward to in 2015 for Transformers
I've been buying fewer and fewer full 3rd Party figures, but I do anticipate the next entries in FansProject's Function X line, or the start of MMC's DJD releases. But what I'm really looking forward to are upgrades for Combiner Wars. Perfect Effect's recently revealed upgrades for CW Superion looks amazing. 3rd Party really started as a complement to Hasbro products, and as the possibility increases that Hasbro figures' heightened competitiveness and glut of 3rd Party product converges into a perfect storm that pops the unofficial product bubble, I look forward to 3rd Parties really going back to their roots.

Bear in mind this is coming from someone who doesn't actually own any 3P stuff besides FP Bruticus, but I thought I'd throw my hat in the ring.


Offering of the Year 2014
I'm going to say it's a tie here between the Planet X Dinobots and MakeToys Utopia. The PX Dinos are nigh-on perfect representations of the in-game models and make superb Dinobots for either a CHUG or FOC display, and are really high-quality and well engineered to boot. Utopia is what Generations Metroplex should have been IMO- I still like Gen Metroplex and I am still contemplating buying him, but Utopia, size aside (and honestly the size isn't that much of an issue, especially when you consider that Metroplex's city mode is only supposed to be part of Autobot City) is superior in every way. Better sculpt, better transformation, better articulation, better paint...He'll be my Metroplex.

Favorite 2014 Add-On
MakeToys's Armageddon kit. Turning the "eh" YOTS Omega Supreme into the closest thing to G1 OS we're ever going to get (or indeed want) and it does so extremely well.

Favorite 2014 Figure
Unique Toys Mania King. I've never been a big fan of slavishly G1 toys, but...I want this so bad. The engineering is great, the sculpt is beautiful, the paint (on both versions) is great and both modes are awesome. This is the definitive CHUG Galvatron, no questions asked.

Favorite 2014 3rd Party
Whilst I'm not a huge fan of their Feral Rex (although I think it's definitely a superb figure and I certainly wouldn't be upset if I got him), Mastermind Creations have distinguished themselves as some of the best 3P companies out there. Between their fembots, Feral Rex, the DJD and their many other offerings (which I eagerly await) and also their superb relationship with the community and willingness to communicate with the fans, they are an exemplar to not only 3P TF companies, but also toy companies in general everywhere.

Honourable mention to MakeToys for making so many incredible figures (Quantron, Utopia, Armageddon etc) and also to Unique Toys for improving so much since they first appeared on the scene.

Favorite 2014 Combiner
MakeToys Quantron (sensing a theme here?). A perfect update to Computron that keeps all that is good about the original design and throws in a tonne of improvements. He may be fiddly, but there is no denying he is superbly engineered.

Honourable mention to the (nearly complete) Warbotron Bruticus, who is a fantastic looking combiner with superb individual robots (even if Vortex looks like he's been playing too much Metal Slug), and he's knocked down a peg only by the fact that he's out of scale with most other figures, thus making him a standalone piece.

What you're looking forward to in 2015 for Transformers
SEACONS SEACONS SEACONS SEACONS SEACONS SEACONS SEACONS SEACONS SEACONS SEACONS SEACONS SEACONS SEACONS SEACONS SEACONS SEACONS SEACONS SEACONS SEACONS SEACONS SEACONS SEACONS SEACONS SEACONS SEACONS SEACONS SEACONS SEACONS SEACONS SEACONS SEACONS SEACONS SEACONS SEACONS SEACONS SEACONS

Delta Magnus wrote:Favorite 2014 Add-On
MakeToys's Armageddon kit. Turning the "eh" YOTS Omega Supreme into the closest thing to G1 OS we're ever going to get (or indeed want) and it does so extremely well.

I dunno, Planet X really does Omega Supreme justice, FOC aesthetic or not.

Good point, although for those more G1-inclined that want the whole "train/rocket tower/tracks" affair (which I'd dig more if MakeToys released some track sets) then makeToys wins. For those that want self-contained toy and a single vehicle though then yeah, PX wins hardcore. I think I'm slightly biased towards MT as Energon Omega Supreme was a toy I always wanted as a kid.

They're both fantastic though and I'm not sure which I want. The whole "Cyberverse battle station" thing with MT appeals to me (plus of course the nostalgia) but the PX toy looks like a much more cohesive figure.

Warden's great. Though this is the only3rd party I got for 2014.

Maybe not the smartest question to ask; but am i correct that i'm missing some posts in this topic? The second part i'm missing is X...

Can someone fill me in on this?

nick1524 wrote:Maybe not the smartest question to ask; but am i correct that i'm missing some posts in this topic? The second part i'm missing is X...

Can someone fill me in on this?

Behind the scenes dramatics, don't worry about it.

nick1524 wrote:Maybe not the smartest question to ask; but am i correct that i'm missing some posts in this topic? The second part i'm missing is X...

Can someone fill me in on this?

Thank you for the support. I took one for the team. But I gotta chill out with that type of stuff now.

Rated X wrote:

nick1524 wrote:Maybe not the smartest question to ask; but am i correct that i'm missing some posts in this topic? The second part i'm missing is X...

Can someone fill me in on this?

Thank you for the support. I took one for the team. But I gotta chill out with that type of stuff now.

Nice to see ya back X

Warden

That is all.

For people who says Warden is the best 3P TF of 2014, are you guys getting that upgrade kit? I keep going back and forth on it.

mooncake623 wrote:For people who says Warden is the best 3P TF of 2014, are you guys getting that upgrade kit? I keep going back and forth on it.

I am.

Initially, I wasn't going to, but after reviewing the pics a few times, I really like modified look. Plus it will give me a reason to break him out again.

rpetras wrote:

mooncake623 wrote:For people who says Warden is the best 3P TF of 2014, are you guys getting that upgrade kit? I keep going back and forth on it.

I am.

Initially, I wasn't going to, but after reviewing the pics a few times, I really like modified look. Plus it will give me a reason to break him out again.

Let me know what you think. I initially had it on preorder but than dropped it after pics came out... the lets are just so long.. and he is close to MP10s height with it. but he does look a bit short as is. somewhere in the middle would be awesome.

mooncake623 wrote:For people who says Warden is the best 3P TF of 2014, are you guys getting that upgrade kit? I keep going back and forth on it.

I'm not. As far as I'm concerned, his main function is to give Maximus head. No need to be taller for that.