The Energon Pub

News Credits: 1646 · Thu Oct 06, 2022 10:15 am

That pink Hot Rod is what the Velocitron Hot Rod should have looked like!

News Credits: 30 · Thu Oct 06, 2022 10:22 am

-Kanrabat- wrote:That Starscream.
AGAIN?
Why?

Why not re-release Soundwave and the cassettes?

At least PinkRod is somewhat new.

They did do a re-issue of Soundwave and the cassettes a few years back at Walmart. For a change, those sold pretty well, unlike many re-issues. This G1 Starscream has some alterations, it looks like. Besides the colors, they appear to have added 5mm ports to the hand pieces so he can actually hold other weapons and accessories. There also seem to be matching ports on the the null-ray cannon pieces. Also they included a mini Megatron alt mode weapon. All of which is an improvement. Though that doesn't mean the G1 seekers weren't still a mess of partsforming.

News Credits: 149 · Thu Oct 06, 2022 10:23 am

Gods, the G1 figures are bland as heck in their animation colours. I prefer the original toy colours WITH stickers!

~ Grim

Thu Oct 06, 2022 10:23 am

D-Maximal_Primal wrote:That pink Hot Rod is what the Velocitron Hot Rod should have looked like!

Personally I'm glad we got the toy-accurate look.
I'm guessing they're being cheeky by having the show-accurate mold look like the toy and the original toy look show-accurate.

News Credits: 56 · Thu Oct 06, 2022 10:44 am

So much for mainline toys only having windowless packaging...

Anyway, these retro releases have no appeal As much as I love the original toys, the further in time we get, the less appealing reissues are. I get they are good for casual fans, but I've not seen one, even the BW ones, that hasn't been price reduced yet. If I really wanted one, I'd seek out an original, even if they are extremely expensive. I mean I was all in on the TRU commemorative line when that came out, but that started back in 2002! It's crazy to think you can have a reissue today that is almost as far from the commemorative series, as it was from the original!

News Credits: 101 · Thu Oct 06, 2022 11:00 am

DeathReviews wrote:
-Kanrabat- wrote:That Starscream.
AGAIN?
Why?

Why not re-release Soundwave and the cassettes?

At least PinkRod is somewhat new.

They did do a re-issue of Soundwave and the cassettes a few years back at Walmart. For a change, those sold pretty well, unlike many re-issues. This G1 Starscream has some alterations, it looks like. Besides the colors, they appear to have added 5mm ports to the hand pieces so he can actually hold other weapons and accessories. There also seem to be matching ports on the the null-ray cannon pieces. Also they included a mini Megatron alt mode weapon. All of which is an improvement. Though that doesn't mean the G1 seekers weren't still a mess of partsforming.

That Starscream is the exact same that was released a while back. Only the packaging differ. Plus, I can still find the thing locally either used or new with ease.

I know about the previous reissue of Soundwave and that's one that not only insta-sold, but it was scalped to Hell and back. So reissueing Soundwave and his minions again would have made way more sense than the "shelfwarming" Starscream.

News Credits: 3 · Thu Oct 06, 2022 11:08 am

While I have mixed opinions on animation accurate G1 figures, this Hot Rod looks amazing.

News Credits: 1646 · Thu Oct 06, 2022 11:12 am

SpaceEagle wrote:
D-Maximal_Primal wrote:That pink Hot Rod is what the Velocitron Hot Rod should have looked like!

Personally I'm glad we got the toy-accurate look.
I'm guessing they're being cheeky by having the show-accurate mold look like the toy and the original toy look show-accurate.

It's certainly a goofy quirk, assigning each color to each figure like that

Thu Oct 06, 2022 11:31 am

Has anyone noticed before that Astrotrain comes with the weapons for Prime Skyquake and Dreadwing?

News Credits: 19 · Thu Oct 06, 2022 11:33 am

Not really liking the box art, nor what looks to be a lack of stickers -surely the plastic free boxes and no stickers could have made these cheaper. I am still liking my TF collection starscream though so this one is a pass but the new colors hotrod is likely going to be a buy.

If thye had released Galazxy shuttle as a voyager I think I'd still be passing, not a fan of the mold/size and think other shuttles can be better used to represent him in my collection if need be. Will probably go well with the undersized Haslab starsaber set though.

Thu Oct 06, 2022 11:42 am

While Galaxy Shuttle's bot mode is neat looking it's not a character I'm into, I particularly don't like that Siege mold for either alt mode. Major pass, maybe if they did a RED version for $20.

Crasher look cool and is tempting but I wasn't into Gobots like I was TF's and the only one I can remember having is Tux, the Rolls Royce car. I may buy this one if I happen across it in store and I'm feeling it.

News Credits: 4877 · Thu Oct 06, 2022 11:59 am

-Kanrabat- wrote:That Starscream is the exact same that was released a while back. Only the packaging differ. Plus, I can still find the thing locally either used or new with ease.

The deco is different on this starcream. The blue used is paler, the bits at th ide of his head are painted to make it look more like his head in the cartoon, and the cockpit is yellow. You might need this in your starscream collection afterall.

News Credits: 4877 · Thu Oct 06, 2022 12:05 pm

blackeyedprime wrote:Not really liking the box art, nor what looks to be a lack of stickers -surely the plastic free boxes and no stickers could have made these cheaper.

Starscream is cheaper. The previous rerelease was 34.76. While it's only been a few years, inflation has been rampant. If we used the same inflation as we see in other TF toys, this Starscream should be between $40-$45. But it's much cheaper than that instead.

News Credits: 56 · Thu Oct 06, 2022 12:36 pm

Of the new Velocitron releases was anyone able to pre-order Crasher or Shadowstrip from Walmart?

When I click on the original links provided on the previous page, it just takes me to a page which states "check availability nearby", but no way to pre-order. When I click the link to show them all, Crasher was coming up for a while as "out of stock", and Shadowstrip, not at all. Now Crasher is gone as well.

News Credits: 17 · Thu Oct 06, 2022 1:28 pm

o.supreme wrote:Of the new Velocitron releases was anyone able to pre-order Crasher or Shadowstrip from Walmart?

When I click on the original links provided on the previous page, it just takes me to a page which states "check availability nearby", but no way to pre-order. When I click the link to show them all, Crasher was coming up for a while as "out of stock", and Shadowstrip, not at all. Now Crasher is gone as well.

No, they were never available, and Pulse hasn't even listed them yet. The Walmart event runs through tomorrow so they should be available tomorrow morning.

News Credits: 11 · Thu Oct 06, 2022 3:31 pm

I believe this "new" Starscream was already released in Japan in 2003:

- https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Starscream_(G1)/toys

Screenshot_20221007-052027.jpg

Also, the ghost version featured a similar colour scheme.

2022 2003 & Ghost Starscream.jpg

I don't think the original mold of Hotrod has been released in anime-colours though?

News Credits: 19 · Thu Oct 06, 2022 3:41 pm

primalxconvoy wrote:I believe this "new" Starscream was already released in Japan in 2003:

- https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Starscream_(G1)/toys

Nah, some slight differences (paint on sides of head, nose cone and maybe a few more) but def not enough to make me get it over my Japanese 2003 version.

Thu Oct 06, 2022 3:44 pm

again disapoonment, the artwork is what you want and it is possible for that as it has been done. So why takara hasbro you planned this decades ago didnt you, always wondered why the colours were not only different but to the point where a second release is possible. No other toy range suffers from colour variants. There are pantone books, this would be aorted very early on

Thu Oct 06, 2022 3:50 pm

Pretty smart of them to reuse an already popular toy of an already popular character from a popular movie that still has nostalgia to milk out of, so I can't say I'm surprised they're tossing in Starscream to make sure it's a safe investment. After all a blander (but show-accurate) Hot Rod prrrrrrrobably wouldn't have sold all that well.

News Credits: 1350 · Thu Oct 06, 2022 3:56 pm

primalxconvoy wrote:I believe this "new" Starscream was already released in Japan in 2003:

- https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Starscream_(G1)/toys

Screenshot_20221007-052027.jpg

Also, the ghost version featured a similar colour scheme.

2022 2003 & Ghost Starscream.jpg

I don't think the original mold of Hotrod has been released in anime-colours though?

Head is different on that toy, so it's similar but not a like for like.

News Credits: 101 · Thu Oct 06, 2022 3:57 pm

Oh, so the difference between this previous version

are the "anime" colors.

Meeeeeeeehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh................

Even more "meh" because I'm sure the damn thing will be leader priced at the very least.

News Credits: 11 · Thu Oct 06, 2022 3:59 pm

ZeroWolf wrote:
primalxconvoy wrote:I believe this "new" Starscream was already released in Japan in 2003:

- https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Starscream_(G1)/toys

Screenshot_20221007-052027.jpg

Also, the ghost version featured a similar colour scheme.

2022 2003 & Ghost Starscream.jpg

I don't think the original mold of Hotrod has been released in anime-colours though?

Head is different on that toy, so it's similar but not a like for like.

Also, as others have said, the nosecone is painted in 2022 and I've just noticed the new version has "vents" painted on the bottom of the knees. Still, as I've probably got the 2003 version knocking around somewhere, I've no need for this version. I wouldn't complain if someone bought it for me, though.

News Credits: 14 · Thu Oct 06, 2022 4:06 pm

-Kanrabat- wrote:...

Even more "meh" because I'm sure the damn thing will be leader priced at the very least.

Price is $33.97 so Voyager Price.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Transformers ... /567980442

News Credits: 101 · Thu Oct 06, 2022 4:29 pm

Overcracker wrote:
-Kanrabat- wrote:...

Even more "meh" because I'm sure the damn thing will be leader priced at the very least.

Price is $33.97 so Voyager Price.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Transformers ... /567980442

Maybe in the USA but I don't trust Canadian pricing. I'm pretty sure it will be at the very least 50$CAN. We will see.

News Credits: 19 · Thu Oct 06, 2022 4:41 pm

-Kanrabat- wrote:
Overcracker wrote:
-Kanrabat- wrote:...

Even more "meh" because I'm sure the damn thing will be leader priced at the very least.

Price is $33.97 so Voyager Price.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Transformers ... /567980442

Maybe in the USA but I don't trust Canadian pricing. I'm pretty sure it will be at the very least 50$CAN. We will see.

£45-£48 here (so basically leader price) despite being same price as hotrod in the states £37 for hotrod here)