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[william-james88]

Every 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 Most Indistinguishable Alt Modes Among Transformers Toys

This list is about the transformers who's alt modes you can't make heads or tails of, and quite literally for one of them. While these are not definitely terrible toys (ok, a few of these entries are), their alt modes just don’t inspire anything cohesive whatsoever. They just seem like an afterthought, as if a robot mode was given and then torn apart and glued together in a mishmashed way to give a cybertronian “something”. While designs of Cybertronian vehicles can yield amazing results, these are the flip side.

5. Transformers Beast Machines Silverbolt

What kind of bird is this supposed to be? It's much less a "condor" than it is Silverbolt doing a handstand. This is one of the laziest alt modes I have ever seen.



4. Transformers Prime: Robots In Disguise Megatron

Told you guys you'd see him soon! I get that the creators didn't want to give Prime Megatron am earth based mode due to his disgust for the planet (still not a tactically sound plan). But you could at least give us something that looks like a space ship. I really dislike how his alt mode looks like what would happen if I left him in my huge jean pockets and then washed them and dried them. While he has a great robot mode that homages many of his predecessors in the Transformers Legacy, his “cybertronian jet with a face sticking out” looks more of an afterthought as to what can be made with the robot mode. And yet he still ends up with back kibble in robot mode, why ?! How?! (the cyberverse version didn't have any). But at least it means that “some” parts are for the alt mode.



3. Transformers Revenge of the Fallen The Fallen and Transformers (2007) Megatron

Both of these are lazy half assed “cybertronian” flying vehicles from the live action movies. They are not as terrible as another cybertronian vehicle below, but that is only because I can kinda tell which direction they are supposed to be facing. They still both look like the robot mode doing some freaky yoga poses.





2. Transformers Animated Megatron

Easily the worst animated figure and while it is not completely because of the alt mode, the fact that you can't tell if its facing front or back and that it isn't even accurate to the show doesn't help at all. If you want more info on this terrible toy, I welcome you to visit the Top 10 Worst Transformers Toys of All Time list.



1. Transformers Armada Overload (Ultra Magnus)

When someone first told me what he turned into, he said it was a pile of random junk. I thought he was joking. He wasn’t. What is this? WHAT IS THIS?????????????? I was eventually told it was a trailer. However, I am not blind, I can see very well that this is not anything close to a trailer. It is just the robot limbs rearranged to take less space, and that is all it is.



Honourable mentions: I wasn't sure if he would count or not but Arms Micron Gaia Unicron is definitely worth mentioning here.

People were wondering what this thing was, especially when looking at it at this angle:



And yeah, it totally fits the bill of being a mishmash of parts trying to get away with a semblance of a "cybertronian" alt mode. But there is more effort put into it than the other yoga transformers, like those movie ones mentioned earlier. As you will notice above, there is a face carved into it. In the Prime show, Unicron was shown as the foundation for Planet Earth and he would like to pop in as part of the earth's rock to say hello, like this:



So this alt mode, while very odd, does have something to do with the show since it is an interpretation of Unicron's face found in the elements of earth, hence the name Gaia Unicron.



But it not coming across as that does indeed make it a failure.

[Deadput]

I don't agree with number 3 at all since one can clearly tell what they are their alien/cybertronian ships/jets anyone can guess that especially since the sci-fi genre has always had wacky spaceships.


edit: actually i thought this list was called Top 5 Most "Indistinguishable" Transformers.


Yet aside from maybe Animated Megatron and Silverbolt you can clearly tell what the bad altmodes are trying to be.


Overload is clearly a trailer a pretty bad one but you can still tell what it is also Prime and Megatron are clearly space ships.

[Randomhero]

When I first saw the title on the main page, even before clicking I said to myself, "I wonder if Animated Cybertronian Megatron will hit the list again..."



Good Job Will.

[Logan.]

Great list as usual William James, my sincere congratulations.
In my humble opinion, the number 1 is this...

[VioMeTriX]

very informative....

[Rainmaker]

I gotta disagree with this list, I don't like it how you made it 75% Megatron. I only agree with 1 and 5. We don't know how Cybertron exactly designs their ships and that alt mode may be an indestructible war machine to Megatron.

[Lucky Logician]

What about Gunrunner? He turns into absolutely nothing.

[Deadput]

Great list as usual William James, my sincere congratulations.
In my humble opinion, the number 1 is this...

[ROTF Ravage pics]

Now this is actually Indistinguishable and should be on the list instead of Megatron and the Fallen at 3.

[ZeroWolf]

I think you're being a but harsh on overload as he's a trailer to carry jetfire in shuttle mode, and he connects to the back of armada primes trailer. His design is bad though (not as bad you're making it out) but that's because someone decided to make the truck in front a minicon which completely messed up the perspectives.

You're spot on with the other entries though. Especially voyager animated megs, the deluxe and leader moulds blow him away.

Something I've always noticed, but megs seems to be a victim of obvious head in alt mode syndrome. Especially the movie alts.

[Deadput]

Something I've always noticed, but megs seems to be a victim of obvious head in alt mode syndrome. Especially the movie alts.

It's on purpose though at least for the movie version since his Cybertronian altmodes in the movies have always had the visible head.



Arguably this could be so he could see better or something.

[Evil Eye]

Good list as per usual! Though I have to disagree with Overload as number 1. It's pretty indistinguishable for sure, but it's a lot more visually pleasing and aesthetically comprehensible than, say, The Fallen. It's a big ol' solid block of chunky techno-greeble, as opposed to a spindly robotic xenomorph painfully contorted into a spiky wedge.

Overload seriously needs an updated toy. The Armada figure looks great, but it's a total brick.

[Ultra Markus]

there should be a list of transformers toys that are on the most top 5 lists like beast machines silverbolt

[Hellscream9999]

Great list as usual William James, my sincere congratulations.
In my humble opinion, the number 1 is this...

To be fair, its a 'protoform' for space travel, not so much an alt mode, as something to keep us from rioting 'cuz otherwise he wouldn't transform...

[Hellscream9999]

Say what you will, but movie 1 megs' is my favorite ship design - ever, it's f%$king amazing

[-Kanrabat-]

Honestly, I think Prime's Megatron is not that bad. It's pretty cool actually, especially the deluxe 1st Ed version:



Also, Movie ROTF Megatron and The Fallen still look like cohesive spaceships to me. I never had The Fallen but I have that Megatron and he's not fun to transform just because you have to rotate parts juuuuuust right and it's a pain.

Agree 100% with Animated voyager Megs and Armada Overload. Both look like a pile of mess with no front nor back. Also, a missed opportunity by forgetting about ROTF deluxe Ravage. Awesome robot, but pointless altmode.

BTW, my personal "honnorable mention":

Gobots ROCK LORDS!

[D-Maximal_Primal]

Gotta say, this is an interesting list and one with lots of potential for conversation and disagreement, and I agree with Ravage from RotF. Yes, he is a meteor, but it is just so funky and really is just his limbs moved around some with no real alt mode parts

[Zeedust]

Quick question: Does stuff like this count?:



...Probably a dumb question. If it did, this list would be at least half Beast Wars Neo, wouldn't it?

BTW, my personal "honnorable mention":

Gobots ROCK LORDS!

Those aren't indistinguishable. They're obviously rocks. Now if there were a list for USELESS alt modes, you'd be spot on.

[-Kanrabat-]

Quick question: Does stuff like this count?:



...Probably a dumb question. If it did, this list would be at least half Beast Wars Neo, wouldn't it?

Is that an official mode, or a fan mode? Either way, this is BAD-ASS!

[Deadput]

Is that an official mode, or a fan mode? Either way, this is BAD-ASS!

Official it's supposed to represent ROTF Mixmaster's third semi triplechanger mode from the movie.






Also it would not count as indistinguishable due to since it's just a turret mode and not a real vehicle and it looks like it should.

[Gunmetal]

Overload was a transporter/launcher for Jetfire. (Although I guess you need Jetfire for that to be obvious.)

EDIT: This dude's got pictures!
http://www.darklorddungeon.com.ph/2011/ ... f.html?m=1

[william-james88]

What about Gunrunner? He turns into absolutely nothing.

Great list as usual William James, my sincere congratulations.
In my humble opinion, the number 1 is this...

Thanks for your additions guys, I am always so happy when the comments become an extension for the list.

Two cool examples that I will talk about briefly.

Gunrunner: That's on hell of a deep cut.



And yeah, the transformed robot doesn't look like anything:



But thats not his alt mode. Like Fire Convoy, just transforming the robot doesnt give you the finished and official alt mode, you have to partsform with his main accessory, his backpack and he becomes a jet:



So his main alt mode is a jet and having him alone is kinda like having him in mid transformation. Its wonky and worth of a mention (SO glad you brought him up), but he does end up having a decent alt mode, it just sucks how its achieved. Sounds like a toy for a partsforming list though

Now for Ravage, umm, he didnt really cross my mind because unlike some on this list I view him more as an action master that happens to have some kind of alt mode. Its not fair, I know, but its like first movie scorponok and the action master elites. Its almost as if they werent designed to transform so him having an alt mode is more of a plus. And what's even cooler is that, like Gaia Unicron, his "alt mode" is actually supposed to be something we see in the film. He's that missile/pod shot from Soundwave. So the toy has him in this compact aerodynamic mode and then he can deploy himself out. Looking at it that way, its a failure at an interesting reference, just like Gaia Unicron, and I am glad he was brought up on these comments.

Thanks guys!

Now onto other stuff:

Something I've always noticed, but megs seems to be a victim of obvious head in alt mode syndrome. Especially the movie alts.

It's on purpose though at least for the movie version since his Cybertronian altmodes in the movies have always had the visible head.
Arguably this could be so he could see better or something.

We went over this last time, in 90% of the cases, the head being shown is on purpose. Like Energon Ironhide, thats on purpose. But it's still not pleasant for some fans. Optimus Prime as a truck can see well enough, so I dont know why some versions of Megs need to stick their heads out. I personally will always find it lazy, no matter the designers explanation. It also totally takes away from the idea of robots in disguise and the idea of transforming. To me, a robot head should not be obviously seen in robot mode, but thats just me.

Prime and Megatron are clearly space ships.

Prime?

When I first saw the title on the main page, even before clicking I said to myself, "I wonder if Animated Cybertronian Megatron will hit the list again..."

Good Job Will.

Thanks! I couldnt resist. Not being biased though, it just makes sense for him to be here, I didnt have to go off again though, last time was enough

I gotta disagree with this list, I don't like it how you made it 75% Megatron.

It would technically be more biased to restrict this list to only one of each character. I dont care who the character is or how many times he comes up, if its a messed up looking alt mode, its on the list. Whats interesting about Megatron is that he is usually one of the best toys in a line... or the worst.

there should be a list of transformers toys that are on the most top 5 lists like beast machines silverbolt

He has come up quite a bit. But he wont for the foreseable future, because I am giving these negative themed lists a break The next few are all about what's BEST, so he wont be around.

[Nemesis Maximo]

I actually always thought the design for Gaia Unicron was gizenius. Not only does it have the face "carved" into the "rock", the whole alt-mode is just Unicron's whole head. The helmet, the horns, the face, the whole shebang. I mean really, how egotistical do you have to be to transform into a larger version of your own head, and how do I get a membership to that club?

[kurthy]

BTW, my personal "honnorable mention":

Gobots ROCK LORDS!

Those aren't indistinguishable. They're obviously rocks. Now if there were a list for USELESS alt modes, you'd be spot on.

Useless? Oh, no. Do you know how many windows I broke because I had a transformer that I could throw around? It had a great job of increasing window/TV repair in the U.S. in the '80s.

[william-james88]

I mean really, how egotistical do you have to be to transform into a larger version of your own head, and how do I get a membership to that club?

I can think of a few other bots who probably have membership:

[King Kuuga]

Overload may not be much of a looker, but he was a fun brick when I was 12 or 13. The super convoy you can get by putting Jetfire on him and attaching him to Prime's trailer was AWESOME as a kid.

This doesn't negate his place on this list, I suppose, but I don't consider him in the ranks of post-movie Megatrons.