Top 5 Best Transformers Toys with Drill Themed Alt Modes
Posted: Fri Apr 10, 2020 10:33 pmEvery 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 Transformers Toys with Drill Themed Alt Modes
You'd be surprised how many Transformers turn into drill themed alt modes, mainly drill tanks. They come up throughout the generations. G1 alone had a Powerdasher, Twin Twist, Nosecone and Drill Horn. All those got redone in the Generations line (even multiple times for some). Beast Wars couldn't resist keeping the drill theme with Drill-Bit, the Unicron Trilogy gave us Menasor, and one of the best toys from the current Cyberverse line includes a drill tank that you can take apart to armor up Sky Byte. Even the comics made a big deal of the drill tank alt mode when it was believed to be Rung's fabled mysterious alt mode. Just to say that it's a theme we keep seeing. Now that we recently got another toy of this type with Generations Selects Zetar, I thought it would be a fun theme of toys to explore. And I am sure all of us would like some a fun distraction at the moment.
5. Transformers G1 Victory Drillhorn
While there were many drill tanks in the long G1 era, the only one who's update was rather lackluster compared to the original is Drillhorn. What's great about the G1 version, aside from it being an original mold of a decent looking drilltank, is how Takara went all out on the animal theme. The Liokaiser combiner, as the name would suggest, had an animal theme going on where each bot not only had an animal styled helmet but also a triple changing animal partner. Drillhorn had a robot Rhino buddy that turned into a gun and a chest shield. Add that to him also being a combiner component and you just have loads of playability in one set.
4. Transformers Cybertron Menasor (Moledive)
While the Transformation is barely anything to talk about, it's still quite an imposing toy in both robot mode and alt mode and that drill plays a big factor in that. And I always like to plug in the Unicron trilogy since it's an often forgotten generations but here we see that they were being new and fresh in designs while still homaging some aspects of G1, like the idea of drill tanks and reusing G1 names like Menasor. I just love how nightmarish this toy is in that nimble looking alt mode with that cowcatcher and drill weapons extended out on both sides, making this seem far more offensive in design than anything linked to construction.
3. Transformers Power Core Combiners Sledge
The Power Core combiners get a bad rap for their combiner limbs, which is understandable. They arent articulated, don't have their own bot modes, and are spring loaded. But that bad rap should not extend to the core bots where several are very good toys all on their own. Like Sledge for instance who looks great in both alt mode and robot mode. What takes him up a notch is his partner Throttler who probably has the best (or most convincing) alt mode, which is a big drill. You can attach that drill to Sledge's alt mode or even to his chest in robot mode. It also turns into an armour for both Sledge in robot mode and the bigger combiner.
2. Titans Return Twin Twist
Top Spin and Twin Twist were a big surprise for me in Titans Return. They were easily the most lackluster G1 figures for me, and we didn't really have better versions of these cool characters looking as they did in the G1 comics. But then Titans Return came and the designers went all out on these. For starters, these were big deluxes. Also, as with the G1 toys, even though they transform similarly and have a similar build, there was enough difference in the two molds to make them distinct more than just in colour scheme. Which should be the case when they have different alt modes. I really like the transformation, where it requires big pivoting movements and how the arms recede is always very satisfying.
1. Transformers Unite Warriors Nosecone
This toy is perfect. Combiner Wars was founded on the idea that henceforth, you could maximize a single design by using it for several characters. While fans were happy it meant they would get lots of characters all at once, I was hesitant. And my fears came true when I saw the poor excuse of a drill tank that Hasbro had in mind with reusing the Combiner Wars Brawl tank mold and adding a tooth pick at the end of it and calling it a day. No way Jose, the drill tank is a sacred alt mode, it needs a good update, not an extra accessory added to the worse mold of the line. Well, Takara answered my call and gave us a really good drill tank in its Combiner Wars line with Unite Warriors Nosecone. I really love how that front drill can even be removed and can become a hand for Computron, which is just cherry on the sunday.
Honourable Mention
Transformers Cyberverse Spark Armor Battle Class Skybyte
Speaking of drill hands, Spark Armor Sky Byte also has that ability. His smaller drill tank drone's drill front can either be handheld or totally fit onto the hand of Sky Byte. It's a great smaller toy all around and easily the best of the first year of the Cyberverse line. And you can see more about him here.
Top 5 Best Transformers Toys with Drill Themed Alt Modes
You'd be surprised how many Transformers turn into drill themed alt modes, mainly drill tanks. They come up throughout the generations. G1 alone had a Powerdasher, Twin Twist, Nosecone and Drill Horn. All those got redone in the Generations line (even multiple times for some). Beast Wars couldn't resist keeping the drill theme with Drill-Bit, the Unicron Trilogy gave us Menasor, and one of the best toys from the current Cyberverse line includes a drill tank that you can take apart to armor up Sky Byte. Even the comics made a big deal of the drill tank alt mode when it was believed to be Rung's fabled mysterious alt mode. Just to say that it's a theme we keep seeing. Now that we recently got another toy of this type with Generations Selects Zetar, I thought it would be a fun theme of toys to explore. And I am sure all of us would like some a fun distraction at the moment.
5. Transformers G1 Victory Drillhorn
While there were many drill tanks in the long G1 era, the only one who's update was rather lackluster compared to the original is Drillhorn. What's great about the G1 version, aside from it being an original mold of a decent looking drilltank, is how Takara went all out on the animal theme. The Liokaiser combiner, as the name would suggest, had an animal theme going on where each bot not only had an animal styled helmet but also a triple changing animal partner. Drillhorn had a robot Rhino buddy that turned into a gun and a chest shield. Add that to him also being a combiner component and you just have loads of playability in one set.
4. Transformers Cybertron Menasor (Moledive)
While the Transformation is barely anything to talk about, it's still quite an imposing toy in both robot mode and alt mode and that drill plays a big factor in that. And I always like to plug in the Unicron trilogy since it's an often forgotten generations but here we see that they were being new and fresh in designs while still homaging some aspects of G1, like the idea of drill tanks and reusing G1 names like Menasor. I just love how nightmarish this toy is in that nimble looking alt mode with that cowcatcher and drill weapons extended out on both sides, making this seem far more offensive in design than anything linked to construction.
3. Transformers Power Core Combiners Sledge
The Power Core combiners get a bad rap for their combiner limbs, which is understandable. They arent articulated, don't have their own bot modes, and are spring loaded. But that bad rap should not extend to the core bots where several are very good toys all on their own. Like Sledge for instance who looks great in both alt mode and robot mode. What takes him up a notch is his partner Throttler who probably has the best (or most convincing) alt mode, which is a big drill. You can attach that drill to Sledge's alt mode or even to his chest in robot mode. It also turns into an armour for both Sledge in robot mode and the bigger combiner.
2. Titans Return Twin Twist
Top Spin and Twin Twist were a big surprise for me in Titans Return. They were easily the most lackluster G1 figures for me, and we didn't really have better versions of these cool characters looking as they did in the G1 comics. But then Titans Return came and the designers went all out on these. For starters, these were big deluxes. Also, as with the G1 toys, even though they transform similarly and have a similar build, there was enough difference in the two molds to make them distinct more than just in colour scheme. Which should be the case when they have different alt modes. I really like the transformation, where it requires big pivoting movements and how the arms recede is always very satisfying.
1. Transformers Unite Warriors Nosecone
This toy is perfect. Combiner Wars was founded on the idea that henceforth, you could maximize a single design by using it for several characters. While fans were happy it meant they would get lots of characters all at once, I was hesitant. And my fears came true when I saw the poor excuse of a drill tank that Hasbro had in mind with reusing the Combiner Wars Brawl tank mold and adding a tooth pick at the end of it and calling it a day. No way Jose, the drill tank is a sacred alt mode, it needs a good update, not an extra accessory added to the worse mold of the line. Well, Takara answered my call and gave us a really good drill tank in its Combiner Wars line with Unite Warriors Nosecone. I really love how that front drill can even be removed and can become a hand for Computron, which is just cherry on the sunday.
Honourable Mention
Transformers Cyberverse Spark Armor Battle Class Skybyte
Speaking of drill hands, Spark Armor Sky Byte also has that ability. His smaller drill tank drone's drill front can either be handheld or totally fit onto the hand of Sky Byte. It's a great smaller toy all around and easily the best of the first year of the Cyberverse line. And you can see more about him here.
