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So I decided, since it is the 200th anniversary of Transformers (we all remember Omega Supreme transforming into the USS Constitution to fight the dreaded British) to start a new list. Rather than talking about the alt modes that I think are the best or the figures that I think are the weirdest this one is going to be 100% interactive (and 200% inactive, based on my past record).

Basically, I want you guys to vote for what you think the best figure of the year was. I figure that though certain years will be pretty predictable some may be real surprises. Off the top of your head can you say what the best figure of, say, 1994 as? You get three votes, with the top vote earning three points, the second getting 2 points and the third getting just one.

The rules are this:

1) The figure can have been released in any region in that year. Only the year of release is allowable (eg. Bumblebee was first released in 1984 but got re-released in 85 and 86, he would only be eligible for 1984.
2) Please only place your votes for the current year. It makes it harder to count and makes you look like an immature brat who can't wait a few days if you don't.
3) The voting will finish at the time that voting finishes.

So with no further hesitation:

1984

It was the year Orson Welles uncannily predicted, in his luminary book The Story of Wheelie, the Wild Boy of Quintesson. A dystopian future where everyone played with cars that turned into things that could be generously called robots. Hasbro came up with a masterstroke; to use some figures from two obscure Japanese toylines (namely Microsoft and Dialtone) and give them unique bios, personalities and a story. If history had gone a slightly different route these toys would have sunk into obscurity and we would all be playing with, say, Visionaries now.

1984 gives a decent selection to choose from, and lets try to pretend that this isn't a one truck race:



For example we have the Autobot Cars: (bottom row) Jazz, Sideswipe, Prowl, Prowl (middle row)Hound, Miraggy, Sunstreaker (top row) Kong, Fatty, No-Head, No-Head. And also we have the Seekers, namely Starscream, Blue Starscream and Black Starscream. In addition there's a tape guy and a gun guy? Wow, the 80s were weird.

Okay, so guys, let's hear your opinions.

My choices:

Optimus Prime
Optimus Prime
Optimus Prime

Let's not pretend it's going to be anything else.

It's going to be a while before I can get a say in, hehe.

RhA wrote:My choices:

Optimus Prime
Optimus Prime
Optimus Prime

Let's no pretend it's going to be anything else.

Indeed.

Optimus Prime? The best figure of 1984? I think not.

Sure, Optimus had a better characterization. But Soundwave was a better toy. He had very good articulation for a G1 toy and good proportions. The interactivity with the cassettes seals the deal.

1. Megatron
2. Soundwave
3. Jazz

I'm just not that into Optimus...

funklizard wrote:Optimus Prime? The best figure of 1984? I think not.

Sure, Optimus had a better characterization. But Soundwave was a better toy. He had very good articulation for a G1 toy and good proportions. The interactivity with the cassettes seals the deal.

I concur. X3

Optimus Prime... ehhh... there's a reason why I've never bothered to collect any incarnation of him. Xp

I see slightly more play value in Optimus Prime with his ability to carry cars and he has a battle station.

1 OP
2 Soundwave
3 Megatron cos I liked guns.

funklizard wrote:Optimus Prime? The best figure of 1984? I think not.

Sure, Optimus had a better characterization. But Soundwave was a better toy. He had very good articulation for a G1 toy and good proportions. The interactivity with the cassettes seals the deal.

Soundwave has only the neck articulation on Optimus. More importantly, Ops has articulated hips, wrists, knees and ankles. Soundwave does not. While the tapes are awesome (GEEWUN, BABY!) Optimus as a trailer with a bunch of cool stuff in it.

My votes for Trailbreaker; the bots got articulation leaking from every orifice, even if most of it is primarily for transformation.

He’s just a good all round solid (very solid actually, tabs on tabs, tab orgy) toy.
And if you wiggle his head up and down it looks like he’s yapping.

Oh wait - 3 votes you say!

1.Trailbreaker
2.Thundercracker - so blue!
3.Buzzsaw - to hell with that other guy packaged with him, pfft!

Hmmm...

1. Soundwave
2. Optimus Prime
3. Prowl

Ok, truth time: I don't have a complete Soundwave, Prime, or a G1 Prowl at all. However, I did have Prime and some of his parts has a kid, have a poor Soundwave now and know why I like him, and I have G1 Smokescreen so I can judge the mold.

Quick rundown of why Soundwave is superior: No fists to lose, storable weapons in alt. mode, an alt. mode that very cleverly mimmicks a real micro-cassete player(the weapons look like batteries, he has a movable on/off switch and volume dial), and finally a his cassette holding feature is very unique, and gives him lasting power.

Prime is iconic, his trailer has some cool stickers and is more than a plastic box, had a good bit of accessoriess(based on pics), however his market oversaturation distills his uniqueness. Still I can't deny he was probably one of those toys you "had to have" when you were a kid, so he should get #2.

As for Prowl, well Smokescreen ain't gonna get a top 3 spot being a repaint and all, so I'll go with his older orginal "brother", as my points still apply. Solid construction, nice die-cast content, smooth transformation and articulation, good weapons, no losable fists, and an overall solid representation of an Autobot. Why him over Bluestreak though? The police motif immideately gives off a strong aura of character and play value.

My vote goes to.......

1. Soundwave
2. Megatron
3. Hoist (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!????????????????)

Surprising swing towards the Soundwave side.

1. Soundwave
2. Hound
3. Prowl

1) Sideswipe
2) Soundwave
3) Prowl

RhA wrote:My choices:

Optimus Prime
Optimus Prime
Optimus Prime

Let's not pretend it's going to be anything else.

Then I won't pretend. I know it was Soundwave.

Prime's really awesome, sure, and had Soundwave come out later than Prime this would be no contest. But as it is, it's a no contest in favor of Soundwave.

Well fine then *throws away pre-written Optimus material*

1. optimus Prime
2. optimus Prime
3. Optimus Prime

He's got about the same articulation as Soundwave, is self-contained, has a bitching battle station and Roller. And his knees bend the right way, too.

1) Soundwave
2) Mirage
3) Ratchet (I'm the only one that put this here, I swear to god)

3rd Place: Optimus Prime

In a line dominated by road vehicles, he was the mack-daddy of them all. There's a reason the Transformers storyline was geared around this now iconic figure and his magical disappearing trailer.

2nd Place: Megatron

He was a killer robot AND a replica gun. What five-year-old didn't want that in his hot little hands? Megatron was also a far more sophisticated design (read: fragile) than the rest of the line at this time.

1st Place: Soundwave

For me, it's absolutely a no-brainer. He was the height of what a Transformer could be at that point in time. He looked convincing as a tape-deck and badass as a Robot. His transformation was simple, yet elegant and his proportions were close to cartoon accurate. He was years ahead of the toyline in his ability to interact with other toys (his cassette minions) and he even lent his face to the now-iconic Decepticon logo.


Runner Up: Ravage

Cool for all the reasons Soundwave was and still the best-proportioned and hippest of the cassettes. He set the bar high for all that were to come.

one word......roller!!!!!

1-Optimus Prime
2-Hound
3-Starscream

Voting for 1984 will close tomorrow. Probably. I don't know, you're not my real dad.

not surprised at the Soundwave win, would have voted him first myself as well
Optimus and Megs seemed like the other logical choices
very interesting round 1 from everyone

Was kind difficult all the figures from '84 form the head.
Maybe i will visit TFwiki for next years voting.