The Energon Pub

[brainfrost]

Greetings
looking for advice on a buying a high quality transformer (or other cool transforming bot)for my 5 year old that will last. Hoping to find something like the robots I had when i was a kid..good detail..beefy weight..all around high quality.

There are so many available (deluxe, leader, masterpiece, titanium etc.) i'm totally lost. Don't want to end up with a cheesy, cheap plastic, electronic piece of junk.

looking to pay $40-$80

It looks like the starscream "masterpiece" might be the closest to an old school (80's) high quality/heavy robot at a good price.

Any other suggestions? anything for Bumblebee? Optimus?

thanks in advance
-b

[Leonardo]

Masterpiece Starscream is a fantastic toy but...is it a toy? It's certainly a collector's piece and looks brilliant on display. It does, however, contain some delicate parts that may break depending on how your 5-year-old handles his/her toys. Something to bear in mind.

Leader class Optimus Prime is a good choice if you want something from the movie line. I also like Voyager Ratchet. Lots of people like the newer Bumblebee (the Concept Camaro version) although that one isn't my thing.

Optimus Prime from the Cybertron line is also very good. Similar in size to the movie Leader class although it has a very different aesthetic. This version is perhaps more in tune with the kind of stuff you had as a child than the movie version.

I presume you're looking for something relatively easy to find at retail and not something you'll have to scour eBay / the internet for. Is that correct? There are plenty of Scout, Deluxe and Voyager class toys out that are worth the money but obviously the smaller the size the less detailed and less complex the figure will be (as a general rule, it's not always the case).

Is there anything specific your 5-year-old likes? Cars? Planes? Military vehicles? Good guys or bad guys?

[Optimist_Prime]

CLASSICS JETFIRE!!!!!
He's sturdy, easy to transform, has kick ass features; which me being a 20 year old kid loves, and is actually to be played with. You can't go wrong with him!

[DREWCIFER]

My nephew loves the Robot Heroes line. They do not transform, but he plays with them all day long.


Go here http://www.seibertron.com/toys/index.php?f_series=44&f_name=Enter+Search+Keyword%28s%29&f_type=exact to check out the galleries. They are still in stores, and will make great stocking stuffers.

[videriant]

The movie line has fast action battlers. I wish the transformation could be easier for kids but it's still pretty simple and the toys are bulky so kids can have fun with them.

[Bumblebee-otch]

MP SS is not a good toy for a 5 year-old, he is pretty fragile. i would suggest FABs or cyber-slammers. 77 camaro BB might be ok, too.

[DISCHARGE]

20th Anniversary dvd Prime.
Walmarts have huge back stock of him.
He is big and heavy and is g1 goodness, only better.
I got one for my 7 year old and she loves him,
only I have to transform it for her.
Keep all of the extras in the box though as a 5 year old will
just loose them.

[AlienQuiksilver]

Anything from the classics line is the perfect combination of sturdy and G1.

20th Anniversary Prime is listed under the classics line.

You can check it all out in the toy galleries on this very site.

[Battlewagon]

for a 5 year old? the dvd prime or any of the fast action battlers would be fine. the battlers are solid, fun toys with relatively easy (for smal kids) transformation. both my kids dig them. mp ss is an awesome (shiver) 'collectible' but a terrible 'toy'.

[Counterpunch]

20th anniversery dvd Optimus Prime

[5kywarp]

I'd agree with the classics jetfire suggestion.

[SnapTrap]

Fast action battlers are what you want . Buy 20th DVD prime for yourself. The transformation for DVD Prime is probably too complex for a five year old and he'll have you transforming it back and forth all day. Then when he is older then you can give it to him.

[waaaaghlord]

I'm going to put in another vote for Classics Jetfire (you'll probably remember him as Skyfire from the cartoon). Nice looking, sturdy, lots of little features like firing missiles and removable helmet and the transformation should be simple enough for a younger child without being overly simplistic.

They were out at retail around 6-12 months ago at the $20US £20UK price point. While you may still find them at retail hitting ebay would probably be easier on the legs for this one.

[brainfrost]

wow!
Thanks for all of the responses. I have to keep reminding myself that it is for him, not me and SS masterpiece sounds like a bad choice.

He has and loves the "FAST ACTION BATTLERS: Double Missile DECEPTICON BRAWL. But was hoping to get him something with a bit more detail and challenging transformation. He loves anything with wheels or treads, getting more interested in rockets and planes as he gets older. Despite my objections, also thinks guns missiles and other weapons are the coolest.

Looks like the classic line is about the right mix of detail vs playability (not to mention i could get a few since they are less $). I don't have a personal preference of new vs old transformer styles (when i mentioned old school, was thinking of an old anime inspired diecast metal robot and Dinky Toy Captain scarlet tank of mine that he still likes and plays with). Is there also a movie inspired line with similar build quality and playability as the classics line?

None of these are diecast right?

thanks again for all of the helpful advice
-b

edit:
is this the right Classics Jetfire?
http://www.entertainmentearth.com/prodi ... er=HT81299
http://www.amazon.com/Hasbro-81299-Jetf ... f=pd_sbs_t

[waaaaghlord]

Die-cast is becoming something of a rare commodity in toys these days and where it is found in Transformers you're generally looking at more the collectors pieces.

Toys R Us have had a line of reissues of the original 80s toys in recent years, not so articulated as the modern stuff and not exact reissues due to tighter safety laws these days. They're discontinued but Tomy in Japan have recently launched the Encore line, same idea but without the "safety" mods due to them being intended for the Japanese market.

The 20th Anniversary Prime features die-cast quite extensively, but as has been said above may be a little complex for a younger child.

There was a Japanese line a while back called Binaltech, 1:24 scale licensed cars with complex transformations and die-cast car shells. Very expensive now and way too complex for what you're looking for.

There is also a recently cancelled line called Titaniums (the 6" transforming ones, they're still making the 3" statues that made up the other half of the line). These tend to come apart when handled and the joints are notorious for not supporting the weight of the die-cast on a number of moulds. Great for display, not so good for play.

I think that's pretty much all of the (relatively) easy to find stuff that contains die-cast construction. Since it'd only put you $10/£10 out I'd say pick up a deluxe from the Classics line as a tester if you're not sure about how sturdy the modern plastic toys are. Between that and the bits I've listed above you should have something to work from. As I said though, the die-casty toys do tend to be aimed at the collectors market and there are some drawbacks with each that'd stop me giving them to a five year old. That's me though.

[Battlewagon]

yah that's the classics jetfire. he rawks.

[waaaaghlord]

edit:
is this the right Classics Jetfire?
http://www.entertainmentearth.com/prodi ... er=HT81299
http://www.amazon.com/Hasbro-81299-Jetf ... f=pd_sbs_t

Yep, that's the fella.

[Glitcher]

20th anniversery dvd Optimus Prime

Are you sure that's the right choice for a five year-old? I admit I don't have him myself, but I've heard trouble from adults having problems with the complex transformation sequence.

If your son has and loves Double Missile Brawl, why not get him the large Leader class Brawl? People have rated that toy very highly. As for Classics, either Jetfire or Grimlock would be a good choice for a youngin'. Jetfire is widely recognized as the best of the series (plus is armed to the teeth with guns galore), and Grimlock's T-Rex mode would be a great toy for a wee kid with a big imagination. Have fun!

[gogleman374]

Dont get kids any thing from the MP line, they are fragile and hard to transform.

For a Five year old I say a Fast action battler, or Cyber slammers (Cyber slammers are wonderful They are very durable and are lots of fun to younger kids).

BTW, Dont pay anymore then twenty five bucks for classics jetfire.

[AlienQuiksilver]

Check out Toys 'R Us(we use the acronym TRU around here)

I'll be willing to bet that you'll find classics voyager jetfire and classics voyager prime at most of the stores still.

They have been warming the shelves in my area for quite some time now, surprisingly. They are both freakin awesome!

[Liege Evilmus]

If your shopping for a kid that young, with that much money and wanna have him actualy enjoy the figures. Either go for an Armada lot off ebay, cause you know, quantity!

Or wait a while longer for Animated cause that is just geared for kids that young

Getting stup like MP StarScream for a 5 year old and looking for him to play with it is a shear disaster waiting to happen!

[Optimist_Prime]

Dont get kids any thing from the MP line, they are fragile and hard to transform.

I personally would not let any five year old play with 20th Anniversary DVD Optimus Prime, but not becuse of fragility. Actually just the opposite. He is 12.5"-13" tall and has lots of diecast. This makes him VERY heavy, and I would be very afraid of a child accidentally hurting themselves.
I'm telling you, Classics Jetfire is sure fire hit(no pun intended).

[Archaim]

wait for the transformers:animated toyline. it will be perfect for kids. great designs, but i do not know the quality of the material used for the toys.
or the fast action battlers will do, or some armada, energon, cybertron figures might be suitable for 5 years-old kids

[LigerJohn]

I would recomend Galaxy force optimus prime. transformation is simple and if your lucky you can walk into a Toys R Us and find him for 39.99 or 19.99 if your lucky.

The Transformers cybertron line are pretty easy to transform, unlike say a masterpiece figure or one of the Movie line toys.

Some TRU's are restocking old figures the Classics is a good line also. Hot Rodimus is cool looking and simple to transform.

Bottom line I think he would like it more if he recived alot of toys, than an expensive one.

[zemper]

CLASSICS JETFIRE!!!!!
He's sturdy, easy to transform, has kick ass features; which me being a 20 year old kid loves, and is actually to be played with. You can't go wrong with him!

I'd agree with the classics jetfire suggestion.

I'm going to put in another vote for Classics Jetfire (you'll probably remember him as Skyfire from the cartoon). Nice looking, sturdy, lots of little features like firing missiles and removable helmet and the transformation should be simple enough for a younger child without being overly simplistic.

They were out at retail around 6-12 months ago at the $20US £20UK price point. While you may still find them at retail hitting ebay would probably be easier on the legs for this one.

no, no, No, No, NO! Classics Jetfire is awesome and all, but you can't be serious in giving this to a 5 year old... here's why:



the encircled are the most fragile parts in this otherwise amazing toy. the dual antennae/lasers feel flimsy enough to break under the slightest pressure, that is why i keep extra care in handling my Jetfire.

definitely not for 5 year olds.