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Jelze Bunnycat wrote:this may be a long shot, but it's either Pipes with a new name ("Pipes" as a noun is hard to trademark),

Well we've had a retail release listing for Pipes for months now, so it probably isn't that, which means:

Jelze Bunnycat wrote:or it could be a character based on a... quirky method of releasing the S3 Mini-Bots by IGA in Mexico.
You know the Season 3 Mini-bots (outside of Wheelie) were retooled from the original Microchange molds used for Season 1, right? Well, IGA decided to make them straight redecos instead. In other words, the IGA release of Pipes was just Huffer in Pipes' colors! A similar release was found in Europe, affectionately named "Puffer".

"Puffer" courtesy of TF-1.com

That is, that's the theory extrapolated from only two confirmed carded releases. Plus, IGA figures managed to find their way to Europe (especially the Netherlands). A lot is still unknown.

...so best guess is that it's just Huffer with Pipes' colors? That sounds...boring, but I'll reserve judgement until we see it.

AllNewSuperRobot wrote:Which deco would they use, however?

I would assume the black and orange, as that's his actual canon TF colors.

Nemesis Primal wrote:

Jelze Bunnycat wrote:this may be a long shot, but it's either Pipes with a new name ("Pipes" as a noun is hard to trademark),

Well we've had a retail release listing for Pipes for months now, so it probably isn't that, which means:

Jelze Bunnycat wrote:or it could be a character based on a... quirky method of releasing the S3 Mini-Bots by IGA in Mexico.
You know the Season 3 Mini-bots (outside of Wheelie) were retooled from the original Microchange molds used for Season 1, right? Well, IGA decided to make them straight redecos instead. In other words, the IGA release of Pipes was just Huffer in Pipes' colors! A similar release was found in Europe, affectionately named "Puffer".

"Puffer" courtesy of TF-1.com

That is, that's the theory extrapolated from only two confirmed carded releases. Plus, IGA figures managed to find their way to Europe (especially the Netherlands). A lot is still unknown.

...so best guess is that it's just Huffer with Pipes' colors? That sounds...boring, but I'll reserve judgement until we see it.

AllNewSuperRobot wrote:Which deco would they use, however?

I would assume the black and orange, as that's his actual canon TF colors.

Plus, it's distinct from "Puffer", not sharing any major color. A toy-accurate head on either would be icing on the cake.

D-Maximal_Primal wrote:Megatron is so cool. I cannot talk enough about how much fun he is.

Definitely one of this line's crown jewels, I love that Hasbro actually put a good amount of effort into these Beast Wars updates!

I managed to get Kingdom Ultra Magnus today, and while the robot mode does look nicer than the Siege version, sadly the vehicle mode isn't that good. It's nice that the cab is retooled, but the robot arms sticking out of the back of the cab still look awful. Plus it's a shame that this version takes away some of the Siege toy's weapons. I may just keep him in robot mode.

One outlying Walmart had the new Core Class Megatron and Starscream yesterday. In fact, probably way more Core Class than I had ever seen at a single location ever (probably 30+ on the pegs wave 1 and 2). Other than that nothing though. I have yet to see any wave 2 Leader, Voyager, or deluxe aside from Arcee, which I don't really count because she is a reissue.

D-Maximal_Primal wrote:Megatron is so cool. I cannot talk enough about how much fun he is.

I just got him last week. He really is fantastic.

Spider5800 wrote:

D-Maximal_Primal wrote:Megatron is so cool. I cannot talk enough about how much fun he is.

I just got him last week. He really is fantastic.

I want to get him. I've been holding off trying not to open the Beast Wars can of worms, but my 5 yr old daughter and I watched the first Jurassic Park yesterday and now I have t-rexes on the brain. He looks so cool. I need to wait a bit because I've got a bunch of stuff arriving within the next 2 weeks.

RodimusConvoy13 wrote:

Spider5800 wrote:

D-Maximal_Primal wrote:Megatron is so cool. I cannot talk enough about how much fun he is.

I just got him last week. He really is fantastic.

I want to get him. I've been holding off trying not to open the Beast Wars can of worms, but my 5 yr old daughter and I watched the first Jurassic Park yesterday and now I have t-rexes on the brain. He looks so cool. I need to wait a bit because I've got a bunch of stuff arriving within the next 2 weeks.

That's awesome! My son turns 5 next month, and I've started watching my old G1 and BW DVD's with him. When Megatron arrived in the mail, I showed it to him, and he picked it up and said the "Yeeeessss".

I've never been so proud

He certainly looks like a vast improvement over the original BW Megatron figure. Makes me wonder how much they could improve on the Transmetals? Or, if he does eventually appear in this line, Polar Claw.

AllNewSuperRobot wrote:Makes me wonder how much they could improve on the Transmetals?

Really hard to improve upon near-perfection.

Well, for Megatron, he needs to not shatter into a million pieces, but you get my drift.

Though, I wouldn't mind a Rattrap whose backpack was rotated upside-down like on the CG model.

Sabrblade wrote:

AllNewSuperRobot wrote:Makes me wonder how much they could improve on the Transmetals?

Really hard to improve upon near-perfection.

Well, for Megatron, he needs to not shatter into a million pieces, but you get my drift.

Though, I wouldn't mind a Rattrap whose backpack was rotated upside-down like on the CG model.

Yeah, Transmetal molds have actually aged really, really well. One of the few cases where I'd rather they just re-release them (minus the GPS plastic and poor chroming on a couple of them).

Largely show-accurate, largely in-scale (I think TM2 Blackarachnia and Dinobot were the only ones that were really off), and they had really solid posability and play features. My Optimal Optimus still puts some modern leaders to shame.

ZeroWolf wrote:

AllNewSuperRobot wrote:He certainly looks like a vast improvement over the original BW Megatron figure. Makes me wonder how much they could improve on the Transmetals? Or, if he does eventually appear in this line, Polar Claw.

Polar claw got scrapped really early on in development

I know, I know. Still the Bear Bots are such a missed opportunity.

Sabrblade wrote:

AllNewSuperRobot wrote:Makes me wonder how much they could improve on the Transmetals?

Really hard to improve upon near-perfection.

Very true. Remove the GPS and I can't really think of another entire line that has such a distinction. Even the worst two designs - Airazor and OpOp - weren't terrible figures. Just not upto the same standard as the rest.

Hmmm... Was there issues with any other vac-chrome parts on TM's or just Megatron? I Had TM Megatron; bought brand new in 1998, and sold in 2007. I never had any issues with it, but maybe that's because in the 9 years I had it, I only transformed it a couple of times. .

Have they revisited vac-chrome since? As I'm pretty sure the Huffer redeco I looked up the other day should have chrome arms?

AllNewSuperRobot wrote:Have they revisited vac-chrome since? As I'm pretty sure the Huffer redeco I looked up the other day should have chrome arms?

Sporadically really, only when the figure warrants it. Nothing in main line Generations since Universe 2008 Perceptor (of which the TakaraTomy version had none ) and the Henkei! Henkei! line, but the Age of Extinction line had chromed Optimus Primes up the wazoo. Nowadays, if it looks shiny and above all silver, chances are it's just silver paint.

o.supreme wrote:Hmmm... Was there issues with any other vac-chrome parts on TM's or just Megatron? I Had TM Megatron; bought brand new in 1998, and sold in 2007. I never had any issues with it, but maybe that's because in the 9 years I had it, I only transformed it a couple of times. .

If I remember correctly, it wasn't the chrome on Megatron, but the quality of the brown plastic used on him was really poor and not up to the stress the transformation put on it, so a ton of them ended up with broken hips. The Takara version used a better quality plastic and was less prone to breakage.

From what I've read, Optimal Optimus uses a similar plastic but less stress is put on it in his mold, so it's less of an issue with him (mostly just some broken battery covers).

Chrome flaking was apparently really common on some of them, like Rampage, but wasn't a line-wide issue. Was apparently just a QC thing on specific figures.

The worst one I remember for chrome flaking was Cheetor. His Beast Mode shoulders, that became his backpack in Bot Mode, specifically.

Mind you, the whole chroming thing was taken to a new level with the Transmetals; back in G1 and G2 (outside of G1 Megatron), only accessories were chromed, even then only with the Diaclone and Microman toys. After so long of non-use there are bound to be some kinks. Like paint, how it can screw up tolerances in joints.

I haven't read anything about chrome flaking on newer toys, so I think they got the hang of it again. I don't see them using it any time soon tho.

Jelze Bunnycat wrote:Mind you, the whole chroming thing was taken to a new level with the Transmetals; back in G1 and G2 (outside of G1 Megatron), only accessories were chromed, even then only with the Diaclone and Microman toys. After so long of non-use there are bound to be some kinks. Like paint, how it can screw up tolerances in joints.

I haven't read anything about chrome flaking on newer toys, so I think they got the hang of it again. I don't see them using it any time soon tho.

As an aside, I have Soul of Chogokin Gold Lightan. Who is a fantastic shiny golden robot. I'd love to see that return to Transformers at least once. For example, Rhinox' Bot Mode green was very shiny in Season 2...

TM2 Scourge was an especially notorious case of chrome flaking.

Jelze Bunnycat wrote:Mind you, the whole chroming thing was taken to a new level with the Transmetals; back in G1 and G2 (outside of G1 Megatron), only accessories were chromed, even then only with the Diaclone and Microman toys. After so long of non-use there are bound to be some kinks. Like paint, how it can screw up tolerances in joints.

I haven't read anything about chrome flaking on newer toys, so I think they got the hang of it again. I don't see them using it any time soon tho.

Yeah, the combination of it being a new thing they didn't know the limits of yet + putting it EVERYWHERE is what led to a lot of the flaking issues. The previous guy mentioned Cheetor, which makes sense; the whole back is chrome, and you'd naturally be touching/rubbing/pushing on that part to transform him, so of course that piece is prone to lots of flaking.

This is why I'd really like some re-releases. Better knowledge of how to utilize the chrome might mean a little less on certain places, but it ALSO might mean some of these QC issues are less likely to pop up.

If anyone was wondering

Dominus Prime wrote:If anyone was wondering

Where is this from?


The matrix looks a tad elongated, but good to know it does have a chest compartment to fit in.

From Rodimus Primal 1 day ago

Jelze Bunnycat wrote:I haven't read anything about chrome flaking on newer toys, so I think they got the hang of it again. I don't see them using it any time soon tho.

Sounds about right. I have the Golden Lagoon Starscream, which is about half gold plastic, and half gold chrome, but I know many of the other Golden Lagoon toys have a lot of chrome, and don't seem to have any issues.