The Energon Pub

News Credits: 101 · Sun Mar 18, 2012 2:21 pm

What is the TOP 5 HARDEST TO TRANSFORM Transformers toys ever?
It may be the ones you personally personnaly had a very hard time to do. Even with the manuals and Youtube videos, they were more painful than fun to do.
It may even be the ones you just heard of.

For what I experienced and what I heard, these are the top five hardest TF ever, in no particular order.

ROTF/HFTD leader Optimus Prime.
Wow, did I raged about that one. The first time I transformed the thing, it took me almost an hours and it still had gaps that refused to close. However, now I can do it perfectly without instructions in under 15 minutes.

ROTF leader Jetfire.
ROTF voyager Mixmaxer.
Masterpiece Megatron.
I don't own any of these, but most people seem to find them extremely challenging.

Masterpiece Rodimus.
Fiddly, hard to grasp, and the vehicle mode is never perfect. He is NOT FUN to transform.

So, what are your pics?

And please, no bot-that-fold-in-half jokes. It would be way too obvious.

Sun Mar 18, 2012 2:35 pm

Always gonna be ROTF Leader-class Prime for me. One of the reasons I HATE that toy. :-x

News Credits: 7 · Sun Mar 18, 2012 2:59 pm

Binaltech/Alternators Grimlock/Wheeljack mold: those arms...
The Binaltech versions are probably worse due to allowing the paint to chip if you mess with them too much.

Sun Mar 18, 2012 3:31 pm

ROTF voyager Mixmaxer

First one that came to mind for me.

I can't think of anyone else that required such attention to detail.

News Credits: 22 · Sun Mar 18, 2012 4:13 pm

In no particular order:

RoTF Leader Prime
Alternity Megatron
Alternity Optimus
MP-09 Rodimus (into robot; easy. Into vehicle; sux)
MP-05 Megatron (I heard about it, never owned it)

News Credits: 1 · Sun Mar 18, 2012 4:18 pm

Why is leader Sentinel Prime not mentioned? Aligning those panels into truckmode invokes primal rage.

Honorable mention: RiD Sideburn. Not that it's such a monster (though complex)... That toy made me lose my luch when I tried to transform that guy for the first time while being extremely hung over.

Bad day, that.

News Credits: 2 · Sun Mar 18, 2012 4:24 pm

Maybe I'm just dumb, but I HATE, HATE, HATE transforming Reveal the Shield Perceptor, I just can't seem to transform him without feeling like he would break at any second. Normally, I am pretty good with transforming these figures, but THIS guy... he gives me nightmares. :HEADHURTS:

Sun Mar 18, 2012 4:45 pm

RhA wrote:Honorable mention: RiD Sideburn. Not that it's such a monster (though complex)... That toy made me lose my luch when I tried to transform that guy for the first time while being extremely hung over.

Bad day, that.

Oh, lord. I almost think, inch for inch he is the hardest of them all. So much complexity in so tiny a package. :HEADHURTS:

News Credits: 1 · Sun Mar 18, 2012 4:51 pm

RK_Striker_JK_5 wrote:
RhA wrote:Honorable mention: RiD Sideburn. Not that it's such a monster (though complex)... That toy made me lose my luch when I tried to transform that guy for the first time while being extremely hung over.

Bad day, that.

Oh, lord. I almost think, inch for inch he is the hardest of them all. So much complexity in so tiny a package.

He certainly is the smallest so far. Is this a criterium?

News Credits: 2 · Sun Mar 18, 2012 5:40 pm

Hybrid style Convoy is pretty annoying too, especially aligning the wheels properly in vehicle mode. His size makes it that much more fiddly, and the wheels don't like to tab into place. Plus, he looks hideous as a truck anyway. So hard to transform and a poor end result.

News Credits: 22 · Sun Mar 18, 2012 5:48 pm

RK_Striker_JK_5 wrote:I almost think, inch for inch he is the hardest of them all. So much complexity in so tiny a package.

Are we still talking about a toy here? :lol:

But seriously, I forgot about that one. You're right, he does take considerable effort, considering he's a deluxe size. Definitely one of the most complex from the RID line.

Sun Mar 18, 2012 6:22 pm

RhA wrote:
RK_Striker_JK_5 wrote:
RhA wrote:Honorable mention: RiD Sideburn. Not that it's such a monster (though complex)... That toy made me lose my luch when I tried to transform that guy for the first time while being extremely hung over.

Bad day, that.

Oh, lord. I almost think, inch for inch he is the hardest of them all. So much complexity in so tiny a package.

He certainly is the smallest so far. Is this a criterium?

Maybe, maybe not. *Ponders* It's just cramming so much into something so small means there's just more there to try to transform.

Rodimus Prime wrote:
RK_Striker_JK_5 wrote:I almost think, inch for inch he is the hardest of them all. So much complexity in so tiny a package.

Are we still talking about a toy here?

But seriously, I forgot about that one. You're right, he does take considerable effort, considering he's a deluxe size. Definitely one of the most complex from the RID line.

... Yes?

I guess Sideburn almost wins for me, considering how small he is and how hard he can be.

News Credits: 1 · Sun Mar 18, 2012 6:36 pm

RK_Striker_JK_5 wrote:
RhA wrote:
RK_Striker_JK_5 wrote:
RhA wrote:Honorable mention: RiD Sideburn. Not that it's such a monster (though complex)... That toy made me lose my luch when I tried to transform that guy for the first time while being extremely hung over.

Bad day, that.

Oh, lord. I almost think, inch for inch he is the hardest of them all. So much complexity in so tiny a package.

He certainly is the smallest so far. Is this a criterium?

Maybe, maybe not. *Ponders* It's just cramming so much into something so small means there's just more there to try to transform.

Rodimus Prime wrote:
RK_Striker_JK_5 wrote:I almost think, inch for inch he is the hardest of them all. So much complexity in so tiny a package.

Are we still talking about a toy here?

But seriously, I forgot about that one. You're right, he does take considerable effort, considering he's a deluxe size. Definitely one of the most complex from the RID line.

... Yes?

I guess Sideburn almost wins for me, considering how small he is and how hard he can be.

Well, I think ROTF Optimus' transformation is longer and harder. WAY harder.

News Credits: 101 · Sun Mar 18, 2012 6:53 pm

Okay guys, you got me curious...

OMFG... I WANT THAT THING!

...

...

...

Just bought it from Ebay for around 23$ shipped, complete but loose -no manual--.

Can't wait to fiddle with that UFO! :grin:

-----------------------------------------------------------------

On a side note, I went trhough a marathon of transforming HFTD Leader Optimus Prime from robot to vehicle mode, and HFTD voyager Battle Blade Optimus Prime from vehicle to robot. Both had a step that was more fiddly than the rest, but it went smoothly. After 30 minutes of transformation, I was out of breath! :SICK:

Maybe I should start getting my fat ass jogging or something... :oops:

News Credits: 22 · Sun Mar 18, 2012 6:57 pm

-Kanrabat- wrote:Okay guys, you got me curious...

OMFG... I WANT THAT THING!

...

...

...

Just bought it from Ebay for around 23$ shipped, complete but loose -no manual--.

Can't wait to fiddle with that UFO!

Someone has impulse-control problems...

Enjoy. Personally, he looks much better in vehicle mode than in in robot. I own the red variant myself. Consider him an updated version of Hot Rod.

Sun Mar 18, 2012 7:02 pm

I pretty much agree with your list, Kranbat. ROTF Prime will ALWAYS be the hardest figure in my collection to Transform, followed closely by ROTF Jetfire and ROTF Mixmaster.

However, I'm going to list some different figures:

1. RID Skybyte
2. Alternators Ricochet (Those legs...)
3. Warbot Defender
4. DOTM Sentinel Prime
5. Classics Galvatron (I've yet to transform this guy without him falling to pieces)

I also have to agree that RID Sideburn can be quite fiddly, but I wouldn't put him in the "Hardest to Transform" category, personally. Also, while I think Sideburn is a good figure, Botcon Roulette and Shadow Striker use the mold more effectively, IMO. The RID Sideburn mold looked pretty feminine to begin with. Plus, they're not really that expensive.

News Credits: 101 · Sun Mar 18, 2012 9:16 pm

I don't really get how so much people have a hard time with DOTM leader Sentinel Prime.
I transform him with ease since day one. Maybe having seen a youtube review first did help. But I find himquite fun to transform.
This give me the desire to transform him. While I'm at it, Sentinel go so well with Animated leader Ultra Magnus. Almost as if they are the same character.

TF Sentinel and Magnus.jpg

Okay, yeah, the roof of Sentinel Prime's vehicle mode IS a final bitchy piece to place.

News Credits: 7 · Sun Mar 18, 2012 9:54 pm

Leader Optimus is not that hard to transform,you just have to do it a few times get used to him.

Sun Mar 18, 2012 10:17 pm

Definitely, BEYOND A SHADOW OF A DOUBT, Under Three.

http://www.tfu.info/1996/Maximal/Lion/lion.htm

Sun Mar 18, 2012 10:54 pm

TulioDude wrote:Leader Optimus is not that hard to transform,you just have to do it a few times get used to him.

Exactly. He's kind of fiddly and if you don't transform him for awhile, you'll forget which parts have to fiddle first. But I wouldn't call him difficult, just perhaps long-winded. I find it to be very satisfying going both ways though; both modes look great.

I'm going to agree with the former comment about Transmetal Cybershark mold, by the way. Not that the transformation is super difficult...it's just fiddly, especially getting it back into shark mode, and I can rarely do it without popping the side-bits off.

News Credits: 1 · Mon Mar 19, 2012 1:58 am

RAcast wrote:
TulioDude wrote:Leader Optimus is not that hard to transform,you just have to do it a few times get used to him.

Exactly. He's kind of fiddly and if you don't transform him for awhile, you'll forget which parts have to fiddle first. But I wouldn't call him difficult, just perhaps long-winded. I find it to be very satisfying going both ways though; both modes look great.

I'm going to agree with the former comment about Transmetal Cybershark mold, by the way. Not that the transformation is super difficult...it's just fiddly, especially getting it back into shark mode, and I can rarely do it without popping the side-bits off.

That´s something I got used to without popping those panels off.

The real challenge is to get ROTF Leader Prime to not say his own name.

News Credits: 9 · Mon Mar 19, 2012 7:43 am

MP Megatron
MP Rod. Contrary to popular belief his car mode fits together perfectly well. I have the original release.

These are the two hardest. Many people have failed with ROTFL leader Optimus and getting those forearm panels in is certainly hard.

News Credits: 22 · Mon Mar 19, 2012 8:53 am

Mykltron wrote:MP Rod. Contrary to popular belief his car mode fits together perfectly well. I have the original release.

After quite a bit of fiddling, he does fit together well. I have both Takara's and Hasbro's release.

News Credits: 10 · Mon Mar 19, 2012 9:14 am

DOTM Sentinel Prime should be somewhere on the list :lol:

News Credits: 2 · Mon Mar 19, 2012 11:39 am

To the figures I own or owned,

ROTF leader Prime
ROTF voyager Mixmaster
WFC Prime

DOTM Sentinel and RiD Sky-Byte aren't too bad but the panels made them hard. Same as ROTF Jetfire.

How about FE Bulkhead? I got it last week and I thought his first time transformation without instruction was kind of hard. But he is super fun.