The Energon Pub

Each Transformer line has some kind of innovation with their figures and of them wich one do you think it was best implemented?
I mean,who had the best use of Automorph?Who do think had best use of their Minicon port?
Best Cyber Planet Key use?Who used better the concept of a HeadMaster?






I though it was an interresting thing to discuss.

cool idea for a thread. looking at my shelf I see a prime candidate for this: PCC Smolder and Chopster. They work so well together, As a fire-truck and water-cannon, or a fire-fighter looking robot with an axe, or you can change up the gun mode and stick him over Smolder's shoulder so it's like a gun or water hose. The chest-armour mode is ok, but you can also make it look like he's got loads of guns coming out his chest, like RioBlast from He-Man or that one Centurions guy. It's a versatile and well themed (pair of) toy(s).

I want the ULTIMATE GIMMICKY TRANSFORMERS!

It will have automorph fearures, a functional mninicon port (plus minicon) a Mechtech weapon, a spring-loaded missile launcher activated by a cyber key, with a head-master, a powermaster (that unlock part of the transformation) , and a targetmaster. It will have drones to combine in a super mode. Featuring lights and sound. The whole thing would fit in a big-ass pretender shell, with a fire-breathing feature involving a flintstone. Covered in rub signs and a sword that change color once you soak in hot or cold water. The sword does shoot water too.

An I missing anything?

MAKE IT HAPPEN!

At least, trhough a custom.

Armada Sideways is a great example of getting the most out of Minicons.

Maybe not the best, but one of the coolest and most amusing uses of the Cyber-planet key is Armorhide. And as a Basic sized figure, no less!

I liked PCCs Heavytread and how he incorperated his minicon partner into his ramming grill, then into a terrifying claw.

When it came to the Energon Combining teams, I loved how the Autobot SWAT team pulled it off. A very nice cohesive look.

Fortress Maximus: king of Headmasters
Overlord: King of Powermasters
Skyhammer / Roadblock: shared kings of the Pretenders

The Animated Activators Bumblebee and the Starscream molds both show how well an autochange transformer can work.

Also the Classics line as a gimmick shows how great a toy line can be with nearly no gimmicks as their gimmick is just good solid transformation.

The Energon weapons combining to create massive weapons were great as a gimmick with Cruellock having some of the best connector parts(mainly his small gun).
Plus they can really spruce up movie figures like the versatile Laserbeak.

I love the automorph in Leader 07Prime and the legs of deluxe concept Bee and 07 Ironhide.

The only electronic gimmick I like is the variety of sounds in RiD Ultra Magnus / Optimus Prime / Omega Prime.

I am never tired of classics/universe/generations Sunstreaker/Sideswipe/Red Alert heap appealing gimmick.

I love the way WFC Prime can adopt 6 weapons on him and those holes are all covered in vehicle mode.

For electronic light and sound, I think movie leader class Brawl's light and sound feature is really cool.

DOTM deluxe class Prime's head pop up gimmick is fun.

paul053 wrote:I am never tired of classics/universe/generations Sunstreaker/Sideswipe/Red Alert heap appealing gimmick.

Explain, please?

I think he meant HEAD appearing.

GuyIncognito wrote:

paul053 wrote:I am never tired of classics/universe/generations Sunstreaker/Sideswipe/Red Alert heap appealing gimmick.

Explain, please?

This is the best example a simple typo can totally mean another thing. I mean "head".

Blurrz wrote:Unicron is the king of powerlinkin.

I disagree. Yes he can have like 24 Mini-cons orbiting his planet mode, what of it? They don't do anything. His robot mode dosn't have any interesting ports either.

I'd argue Tidal Wave is superior in the department of molded ports. After all, it makes sense to put planes on an aircract carrier, or a tank for extra firepower. It can also look really cool. Robot mode...falters. The ports are mostly useless in that mode.

As for speicalized Mini-cons, another vote for Armada Sideways. Two riders, one super rider, Autobot or Decepticon head, and if you lose either of them, no problem, he has his own head! So he wins for the Headmaster gimmick.

Speaking of Headmasters, how about Armada Overload? Not for his Headmaster gimmick, but for his sound effect. It's just the G1 transformation sound, but it's so simple and satisfying, plus very difficult to accidently trigger. I'd call it one of the perfect sound effects.

Moving onto Cyberkeys, most of them are pretty good, and few interfere with articulation or transformation. But if I had to choose....Supreme Starscream and Crosswise. Starscream's deploy a gun and blade, and he even has a holster for his key. Very convenient. Crosswise has shoulder cannons, what's not cool about that?

Hmm...the Energon Weapons are cool too. Can't pick a favorite, and I love all the Omincons and Terrcons for the record.

Before I forget, spies! You know like Sideways or Counterpunch. But I'm gonna pick Animated Shockwave. Mostly because he actually has a seperate Autobot alt. mode, and his transformation is pretty ingenious, with little of his other forms showing.

Finally, a quick Automorph mention. G1 Snaptrap! It's only his fists deploying, but again, simplicity wins the day.

The one that I really enjoyed fully is Battle Ops Leader Bumblebee.

I always avoided him in the past. Too big, too expensive. I got the yellow fever and I started getting some Bumblebees. I gave in and I finally decided to get a Battle Ops Leader Bumblebee at 70$ shipped. It was of course the Costco exclusive GOLD version, A.K.A Movie Masterpiece. Plus, he came with two legends figures, a shiny gold legend Bumblebee and a Legend Mudflap!

I don't mind the posability limitations of the gun arm. He's so full of lights and sounds is so many modes, it's ridiculous. Even a battle mask, rubber tires, and even some kind of suspention in vehicle mode! Of course, the perfect robot and vehicle mode sweeten the deal.

10/10 on all fronts.

Mkall wrote:
When it came to the Energon Combining teams, I loved how the Autobot SWAT team pulled it off. A very nice cohesive look.

Who are them?

Mykltron wrote:I love the automorph in Leader 07Prime

This.

Best use of a Mini-Con, Armada Cyclonus, it actually integrates into his alt-mode without looking stupid.

Best Pretender, Armada Blurr. It's a robot that hides in a car, that's pretty cool.

Valandar wrote:I think he meant HEAD appearing.

I prefer 'heap appealing'. Love it.

Its simple but I love the RID Skidz... I know there is nothing to his transformation but I think that mold is my favorite snap changer

Best Minicon Uses
Armada Overload. His minicon is
1. A Firetruck
2. A Headmaster
3. A targetmaster
4. and it all combines into the worlds greatest brick!
Not to mention he combines with Optimus in 3 different ways! Overload is pure epic win in a can of win! And, as already mentioned, a perfect G1 Transformation sound that sweatens the deal.
Sideways. Autobot/decepticon Headmaster minicons that combine into a rider for his bike mode. What's not to like?

Energon weapons?
Id'e go Energon Dinobot. That sword is massive, and very VERY useful! Not to mention if you get enough terrorcons, you can do this:

Energon Abominus FTW!

Cyber Planet Key?
Well, Galvatron! His Death Blade and Death Machine gun are so well hidden! Plus he has Activatable Turbines! He's truley the Batman Of Transformers!

Automorph? I like Deluxe Jazz and Voyager Starscream. Their Automorph features made the figures better. It enhanced them.

As for Best G1 gimmick? G1 Soundwave! His use of cassete minions is a genious concept still used to this day!

Best mechtech go to Leader Sentinel. It all hides in truck mode. Voyager Megatron and Voyager Shockwave. The weapons are integrated into them instead of sorely sticking out of them in both modes. Megatron has gun storage on his back. Voyager sentinel is also worth a mention, along with deluxe lazerbeak.

What about Best Mechalive? I choose leader Starscream. He actually talks, and his chest opens up too. cool beans.

What a list...Sorry bout' that.

Though I don't have much love for the figure in general, I do like Cybertron Scrapmetal's Cyber key power. That's a pretty badass blade cannon...

Speaking of cannon blades, and I know this thread doesn't mention worst gimmicks, but I just want to draw attention to how utterly crappy the deluxe class Animated Megatron's arm gun-energon sword gimmick is. The blade barely extends beyong tne barrel of the cannon, is narrower than the cannon, and sits between the cannon and Megs's body, making it practically invisible and completely pointless. The ony thing it actually does is make me feel obliged to use it since it's there, and therefore make the figure look worse. Shoddy work...

BeastProwl wrote:Energon weapons?
Id'e go Energon Dinobot. That sword is massive, and very VERY useful! Not to mention if you get enough terrorcons, you can do this:

Energon Abominus FTW!

That is f-ing BOSS. What's all in there? I recognize the Divebomb but the rest...?

EDIT: Hmmm...After looking closer...is that 1 Insecticon, 1 Battle Ravage, 1 Divebomb, 2 Divebomb repaints, and 2 Dinobots?

WasPWNator wrote:...

WasPWNator is probably the best username I've seen in a while.

PCC Steamhammer is the best of the PCC line. He's a decent figure on his own, but has an awesome combined mode with great articulation (at least in the legs). The drones are by far the best-the feet actually work as feet, and he has TWO real hands.

I love the Automorph in the original concept Bumblebee. The legs are amazing and the chest practically transforms itself and neither automorph interferes with the articulation.

I really like the Mech Alive on a lot of the ROTF figures-it's very unobtrusive and adds to the complexity of the robot modes-which (for better or worse) is one of the defining features of movie figures. I think I like the mech alive on voyager Megs the best-there's a lot of gears moving in his chest and it almost gives off a steampunk vibe.

I always really liked Armada Prime's trailer's electronics. It transforms ON ITS OWN and has a lot of cool sound effects. Just make sure the batteries are fresh

BeastProwl wrote:Best Minicon Uses
Armada Overload. His minicon is
1. A Firetruck
2. A Headmaster
3. A targetmaster
4. and it all combines into the worlds greatest brick!
Not to mention he combines with Optimus in 3 different ways! Overload is pure epic win in a can of win!

Can someone point me in the direction of pics of these things? I can't see much of this in the gallery.