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Top 5 Best Ultra Magnus Transformers Toys

Date: Friday, February 9th 2018 10:44pm CST
Categories: Site Articles, Editorials, Top Lists
Posted by: william-james88

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Views: 59,678

Every two weeks, Seibertron.com brings you a Top 5 list related to all things Transformers written by me, your fellow editor. This week, I am joined by Cobotron. These are our opinions 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 Best Ultra Magnus Transformers Toys

From day one, Ultra Magnus toys were always closely related to Optimus Prime toys, with his first toy being a redeco with a different trailer which turned into a powersuit giving him a totally different look from Prime. Toy designs and ideas evolved from this giving a wide variety to Ultra Magnus toys where some are Prime redecos, others more extensive retools and others being fully original. We will explore the rich history of this autobot's toys by looking at the best ones to have come out so far.

5. Transformers Generation One Ultra Magnus

This is the grand pappy of all Ultra Magnus toys and probably the most important Ultra Magnus toy out there. Unlike even the Masterpiece toy, this toy includes an extra level of playability by having the trailer become the armour for the transforming cab. This gave everyone the option to form their own stories and ideas about this character. Is he a white optimus with armour? Or is the that simply the transformation process for his one and only form being that big armoured fellow? It was and still is ultimately up to you to choose. This legitimizes every future attempt at having Ultra Magnus be simultaneously a redeco/retool of Optimus Prime as well as his own mold. - william-james88







4. Transformers Prime Beast Hunters Ultra Magnus / Transformers Adventures Ultra Magnus

Speaking of being an offshoot of Optimus, this is by far the best version of that (well, maybe tied with the commander class version which is a gorgeous G1 homage and a perfect retool). So much love went into this retool, making him look just two smokestacks away from his show model, and making him own this mold even more so than Optimus. It almost feels like this is who the mold was made for all along especially when comparing to the show models.The added shoulder cannons work great and let you position them as you wish, giving you extra fire power in a sweet G1 homage (while the earlier PRID Magnus only gave you one shoulder cannon, why?!). You even get a nice hammer and a pair of wings, just for added playability. While simply having Ultra Magnus be a redeco/retool of Prime always felt a bit lazy, this is one instance shows us how that can sometimes work, and work wonders. - william-james88








3. Transformers Animated Ultra Magnus

This is THE titular leader class Ultra Magnus toy. This is the best Ultra Magnus toy from the golden age of Transformers toys where it seemed no expenses were spared. This toy is beefy, the plastic is solid, the transformation is complex yet intuitive, he has a bunch of pop out weapon gimmicks, none of which are intrusive, along with electronics. This toy happens to also be a perfect rendition of the cartoon model which was a fresh new take on the character where he, and not Optimus, was the leader of the Autobots. You can feel that magnitude in your hands as you play with this toy or when you see him on your shelf. All of the top three toys on this list are amazing and the only reason why this toy is not higher is simply because his alt mode is a little underwhelming, especially in the back area, and his hip ratchets are quite restrictive. - william-james88










2. Transformers Masterpiece MP 22 Ultra Magnus

Like all Masterpiece figures, 22 is a work of art. On heft alone this figure is awe inspiring. While I was always a fan of the idea that Ultra Magnus was a smaller bot in a suit of armor, I can't deny that the feat of engineering it took to get the character to be all-in-one is amazing. For me, the fact that I made it through his intense transformation without instructions was a huge relief. I can't say that for every Masterpiece.That meant I could enjoy this highly detailed representation of one of my favorite characters without the burden or fear of being bogged down by the process. It's involved, but it's intuitive. Which equals fun.
While I would have prefered a little more painted/tampoed detail and color, he is till an amazing design. In robot mode he retains all the design elements I loved about the original, but is presented (obviously) in a much more contemporary package. 22 has great articulation for the hoops he has to jump through to transform. He has that "mighty leader" posture no matter how you pose him. And he is a huge and intimidating presence on your shelf.
The carrier mode is perfection. Everything you would want it to be. It's hard to believe it's NOT a white MP-10 pulling that trailer, and of course it can fit any of the Autobot cars. The Fun-O-Meter shoots straight through the roof when you have the ability to roll out an entire team on some perilous adventure all contained in the mighty Magnus in MP scope and scale! - Cobotron






1. Transformers Generations Combiner Wars / Legends Leader Ultra Magnus

An overly involved puzzle of a transformation is one kind of fun, but it can get in the way of another kind of fun. When I'm imagining my way through an intense adventure situation on my coffee table, I can't be bothered with overly difficult transformations. I lose steam. The adventure losses momentum. And that's why Combiner Wars Leader Ultra Magnus beats his Masterpiece counterpart out of 1st place. Playability!
While his transformation is really kind of a truncated version of the MP's, it's simplified enough to be fast and efficient. With enough twists and turns to be fun and you get really close to the MP version, but for a fraction of the cost of the MP.
Another merit is his aesthetic design. He sports a fresh modern updated design in both modes that pulls from some great sources, but maintains his iconic stature. I was absolutely thrilled with the inclusion of the hammer. For me, with this figure,it declares that that is Magnus's weapon now and it's here to stay. And with Minimus Ambus we still get the smaller bot in a suit of armor mythos we expect from the character.
In a world of wonky scale his size class puts his robot mode right in the sweet spot among Voyagers and Deluxes. He's got good articulation where he needs it, and is a joy to pose.
Would I have prefered that his carrier mode could tote Deluxe class cars? Sure, but I'll take what I can get. He can hold a fare amount of Legends class figures and he looks good doing it.
When I walk into my collection and get that Magnus hankering, he is now the one I reach for first. He is fun to transform, fun to play with, and looks great. In the race for best Ultra Magnus figure, he is a hard bot to beat. - Cobotron












Honourable Mention:

Transformers Subscription Service Ultra Mammoth Gallery

Now I know William James likes to keep the lists to main line releases, and I agree. It's the broadest stroke and allows the lists and the conversation to reach the largest audience. But I would be remiss if, on a list of possibly my 2nd favorite heroic Autobot character of all time, we didn't include one of my most favorite versions. I talked it over with Will, and he said he'd let it slide. This one time.
I'm honestly not a huge fan of a lot of the TFCC toys, but I think Ultra Mammoth is one of the smartest repaints they ever did. Before I ever saw the Beast Wars cartoon, I assumed that Beast Wars was just a new iteration on a classic theme, and that the Transformers had rescanned their alt modes to fit some new scenario. I like where the cartoon took us, but I still revert to my original interpretation for fun and play sometimes. When I saw Ultra Mammoth I think I fell over. I had to add him to my Beast Wars collection. The mold fits the character really well. Those tuskes as a new take on Magnus's iconic shoulder pylons is just brilliant. And instead of just painting this Prime white, they went the extra mile and designed his color scheme to emulate Magnus's complete form. He's the appropriate size, and an appropriately powerful beast to use as this large and in charge character for the Beast Wars world. -Cobotron


Transformers Subscription Service Ultra Mammoth Gallery


Transformers Subscription Service Ultra Mammoth Gallery

Top 5 Best Transformers Troop Builders

Date: Sunday, November 19th 2017 12:29am CST
Categories: Site Articles, Editorials, Top Lists
Posted by: william-james88

Discuss This Topic · Permanent Link
Views: 56,716

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 Best Transformers Troop Builders

Ah the infamous troop builder. I will be honest, it was a concept I was not familiar with when I got back into collecting in my adult life. As a kid I got toys on my birthday and Chritmas so you bet your ass that I was gonna ask for a different toy and not the same one again just because there was more than one of the same character model on the screen sometimes. But of course, I get it now. With more disposable income, we can now indulge in recreating scenes and armies from the shows we love. And to build those armies in your display, you are gonna need troops. The Transformers brand has had a lot of toys to build troops with over the years and we will look over the best ones right now. Enjoy!


5. Transformers Titans Return Scourge

I really like the Generations Scourge toy but what makes the Titans Return version better for troop building is that you can change his face. So now, your army of Sweeps can have some different characteristics. The Ptero head for instance looks like the type of head given to his sweeps in previous releases. Takara also released a different head (shown below) just to build a sweep army. But you don't have to stop there, you can given them any heads and make them as diverse or similar as you like. It's a decent toy all around as well. Very accurate to the cartoon and both the Takara and Hasbro versions have fun features in their different decos.













4. Transformers Prime Beast Hunters Cyberverse Hardshell

This is one of the very best Commander Class toy from the Cyberverse line, if not the best, and it also happens to be a troop builder. The size works well for a Cyberverse scale army and an affordable one at that since he was at a lower price point than deluxes. Intricate transformation, well detailed and show accurate, what more would you want? Well aside from a voyager scale one for a much pricier army.





3. Titans Return Sharkticon

Yes, Titans Return have given us several troop builders, and good ones too. Sharkticon is an iconic little guy, due to his appearance in the 86 movie and this is his best toy yet. He is a fun little guy on his own, with a smooth and smart transformation, a great look and even the ability to act as a sub for little Titan Masters. But then you add more of them and you get a menacing (while also cute) army. And them being smaller figures, which is true to the scale, makes them a more affordable troop to build.












2. Transformers Prime: Robots In Disguise Vehicon

I have raved on this toy before and it's pretty crazy that an undisputed top 5 (top 3?) toy from that whole Prime line was the troop builder Vehicon toy. If only the jet versions were as readily available and affordable, we could replicate Megatron's army as seen on the show.







1. Transformers G1 1985 Insecticons

I think this is the first time a G1 toy ends up being number 1 on a list not specifically about g1. But yeah, there is no better option to me. This is the original swarm and the original troop builder and still the most impressive. These guys take the cake because of their variety of design from one another while also being uniform. This is where the generations versions of these guys fail since the colours, plastics and builds don't match. they end up being seen more as individual toys than a united swarm. While the articulation may not be optimal, the quality of these toys remains unmatched to this date with a combination of clear plastic, chrome, die cast and even functional wheels to give that extra mecha component. And the swarms are in insect mode anyway, so robot mode articulation is useless. Plus, these guys have been rereleased plenty of times that they end up being the same price point as a set of the 3 generations figures anyways, so I whole heartedly recomend anyone curious about g1 toys to check these out. They are still to this date the most faithful looking versions of the most iconic troop in Transformers history.







Honourable metions: Beast Machines Sonic Attack Jet

While Beast Machines deluxe Jetstorm was a decent toy, it lacked screen accuracy in both the deco and the sculpt. In comes a redeco that has more vibrant colours, closer to the look and feel of the show. And it happens to be an army builder for the Jetstorm drone army. So while not ideal we do get a differentiation between the leader and his goons and it is luckily the masses that have the more screen accurate deco, which I personally feel looks much better.

Top 5 Most Underrated Transformers Toys

Date: Friday, March 24th 2017 11:09pm CDT
Categories: Site Articles, Editorials, Top Lists
Posted by: william-james88

Discuss This Topic · Permanent Link
Views: 81,714

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 Underrated Transformers Toys

Two weeks ago we had a list of toys that I feel people like more than they should or don't hate enough (I realize just now how terrible that sounds, like who am I the King of England?). Well now it is your turn to have a go at what I like and what I feel should get much more love. These are toys I find quite underrated. Either due to being compared to other toys coming out at the same time and thus seeing them as less than they are or simply forgotten and no longer cared for. Well, I care for them and I will gladly tell you why. Hopefully you can see where I am coming from. Of course, please let me know which toys you feel alone in the world for loving. Now let's get to it, my top 5 most underrated Transformers toys!

5. Transformers Generations Combiner Wars Motormaster Gallery/Menasor

There is a trend in the fandom where everything is criticized when it comes out to eventually be accepted and even sometimes loved within a collection. Take Voyager Animated Megatron, a toy which was ripped to shreds by fans when it first came out but which slowly gathered a fan following to the point where it became sacriligious to call it one of the worst toys of all time (something I still firmly beleive). I personally feel that Hasro's Combiner Wars Menasor will one day be fondly remembered and even sought after. It may even be that at the time of you reading this far into the future, him being on this list would sound crazy. But for now, this is seen as the weakest combiner of the bunch and while I am not sure if I agree or not, I don't think he is a bad toy. Quite the contrary, I think Combiner Wars Menasor is as good as any other Combiner from the line. I think he looks very imposing, especially with the legs straightened out, and he has the best weapon of the bunch by far. I especially love the Motormaster component, which is the most underrated aspect to this combiner. I am so impressed with how great he looks as a truck, torso and robot. Each form has very distinctive detail, unique from the other modes and yet he is a nice compact truck that hides the robot mode kibble especially well. I even like how effective the back of the cab is at making it be the robot legs in plain site ala Optimus, and yet it looking like a nice solid truck cab. The articulation is great, and the reveal of both the standard robot head and combiner head is both smart and effective. I think Combiner Wars Motormaster is a proud homage to the original, in a very neo G1 way which is now becoming more and more rare. And that follows onto Menasor, which makes for a big mean combiner, worthy of being an adaptation to the character we saw onscreen as children. These molds existing also means we finally got an actual G2 Menasor toy and if you need any more selling on that Motormaster mold, just check out that insane G2 redeco. Hasbro went all out. I am still not fond of that breakdown mold though.












4. Transformers Generations Jetfire

Oh man, this guy is the perfect example of Style over Substance. That can be both seen as a positive and a negative, hence the debate and him ending up here. I mean, think about it for a second, there is a whole thread about the debate of whether or not he feels like a KO, people out there hate this toy's guts. And people out there also hate Tim Burton's films which usually have incredible style while being uneven products at the same time. You might find the comparison weird, but what I mean to say is that while the final product of Generations Leader Jetfire might not be the best Transformer toy, due to him having a simple transformation, a fake cockpit chest, wearing a jet on his back, and having hollow limbs, he looks amazing! There are few transformers outside the animated line to have this much style. He looks amazing in both modes and has this sleek yet immensely powerful look to him with a beautiful sci fi edge which definitely sets him apart from most other Transformers designs (the sterile white look adds to that big time). For years, Takara was giving premium chrome deco on its versions of toys, hearkening back to the metal look of the G1 days. And now it was our turn to get the chrome on the more affordable figures and people rallied against it. Why?! People were paying double to get the little bit of chrome on the Takara seekers (I did) and now they wanted to pay a bunch to get the version that didn't have the chrome? On the pieces that could be detached when displayed in a classics shelf? But back to the mask, it’s another small wonder people don't give enough credit to. Unlike the previous voyager version, the mask here is small, compact and not invasive to the figure, making his head proportional to his body with it on or off so that it can be both used for a classics collection, with his mask off, or a stand alone awesome looking transformers figure with his mask on.

And come on guys, a Macross Valkyrie of this size would cost you anywhere between 200-300$. You get this guy for about 50$!! So yes, definitely underrated.










3. Prime Robots in Disguise Voyager Optimus Prime mold

I love Beast Hunters Ultra Magnus. It is easily the best voyager to come out of the Beast Hunters line and one of the best Voyagers of the entire Prime era. But while Ultra Magnus is liked well enough for being show accurate and having some fun extra playability options, I also happen to love this toy for its mold, which is the same one shared by RID Optimus, and that is not a shared sentiment. The Prime First Edition Optimus Prime is always placed well above the RID Optimus Prime mold (as seen in this poll) making the later more of a consolation prize to those who didn’t get him either because of its bizarre distribution or the higher price tag. But this isn’t a Bulkhead or Cliffjumper scenario, the RID mold of Prime Optimus Prime is actually far better mold than people give it credit too. I, like many others, love when a robot mode integrates a bunch of the alt mode and this mold does it really well, and even better than the First Edition version. Most of the truck parts come into play in robot mode but in a different fashion. The truck nose becomes the forearms, the truck roof becomes the shoulders, the lower legs transform beautifully using the back of the truck cab and this was the first Prime mold larger than the cyberverse toy to actually have the truck's windshield become Optimus' chest piece. I wouldn’t have it any other way, would you?


Transformers Prime Beast Hunters Ultra Magnus Gallery




Transformers Prime: Robots In Disguise Dark Energon Optimus Prime Gallery


Transformers Adventures Ultra Magnus Gallery


2. G1 Tantrum

This guy simply gets made fun of too much when he is actually one of the best toys Predaking is made of. Sure, at first look, he seems a bit dorky and funny looking but as an actual G1 transformers toy, he is hard to beat. Let's start with the robot mode which gets all the complaints. Unlike the others, he has articulated arms and forearms that have a huge range for a G1 toy. It let him do some pretty terrific poses with his weapons. He might look funny with his head stuck under his alt mode head but that actually gives him an amazing advantage of having a larger more proportioned head when comparing to the others. It also gives him a great Viking look. Also, by being carved under his alt mode head, it is the least obvious and visible head of the entire gang when they are in their alt mode. And speaking of the alt mode, wow. This is one of the best beast modes I have ever seen in any Transformers line. Its powerful looking, and fierce, especially when you mount the cannons in his back. He isn't the leader, but I sure wouldn't know that from the toys. He, along with some of his predacon brethren, execute a very impressive yet simple transformation that has none of his robot limbs double for alt mode limbs. And yet, on him, there is no robot kibble present when in beast mode and this is done without the use of a shell, which Beast Wars toys constantly relied upon, and even they usually used the same limbs for both modes. Everything seems to be where it should be on this mecha bull which has very good proportions giving it an imposing and massive appearance that no third party company was ever able to convey properly.








1. Transformers Alternators Decepticharge

Do you think this is a lame pick for number 1? Did you think other toys are more deserving of this spot? Do you think it's a poor choice for number 1? If you answered "yes" to any of those, then that shows how underrated this figure is and how it deserves the number 1 spot. It's not outright hated like any of the ones above but at least that keeps those in the conversation with people like me defending them. But Decepticharge? Nobody cares. There are a bunch of reasons for this, one of the main reasons being that the Alternators toyline he came from is not fondly remembered. I still think it is awesome that we had scaled licensed model cars that had detailed interiors that could fool others into thinking that they didn't transform. That was the idea behind the Diaclone line at the very beginning and it’s fun to see that idea brought back with improved engineering. Many of the toys were very difficult and had a similar transformation and final look with a bunch of car kibble hanging around the robot. However, Decepticharge, and his moldmate Windcharger, were an exception to this. They did not have random and unused kibble all over the place hanging off them. The doors for instance rest flush against the legs and the hood becomes detailing across the robot’s back. While every part of the car is used to make the robot, giving a beautiful look that the robot is truly made of parts of the car, there is also some robot mode detail that is not seen in car mode and it is achieved by turning over some segments of the car inside out. This method helps give brand new detail while minimizing kibble (this technique was used extensively for Titanium Fire Convoy and AOE Voyager Optimus and Hound with great effect across the board), and it hides away car details which would be odd or distracting, like the car seats. So we get this lean robot, with great proportions and excellent articulation that is simultaneously made up entirely of car parts (steering wheel and all) while also having hidden disguised robot detail inside. The perfect car mode is both a disguise and the robot’s components (unlike most movie toys for instance where the alt mode disguise becomes just a shell). This is the gold standard for a Transformer. This is how it started in the Diaclone line, before Generation One even existed, and it has been perfected with this toy.
With all this good stuff, the reason no one cares for him is probably because he has no official fiction linked to him (unlike his mold mate Windcharger or that toy's binaltech version, Overide). Off the top of my head, I cannot think of any other Transformers toy that does not have a single line of official description about him. While that means that he isn't a reference to any existing character or even a new character (since he hasn't appeared anywhere since), I find it amazing to have a Transformers toy who begins and ends with the fact that he is a transformers toy and nothing else. Even his name is probably just a placeholder (Decepticon redeco of Windcharger) due to not finding any other suitable or available names within the allotted production cycle. And I find that in itself awesome. A new character in a line about the definitive version of G1 toys (this was before the MP line released like clockwork). But back to him having no fiction by Hasbro, it might lose anyone's interest, but I find that also to be a plus to this toy and a reason to not forget him. The principle of fiction developed by Hasbro in the Transformers brand was always made with the end goal of selling toys and thus was always ancillary to the toys. However, for G1, G2 and Beast Wars, once the fiction brought you to the toys, you could discover a bunch of other toys that existed just to be toys and that had no fiction to rely on. Decepticharge brings us back to those days in a line that was all about referencing older characters. He was just a toy (a great one at that) for us fans of transforming toys and not a reference to anything else. There was no other purpose than to appreciate him as a toy, the initial form of this hobby, and I look upon this fondly. His origin is any you want to give him (he already has unofficial origin stories too).
Him being so underrated is great news to all of you reading this. It means you have a great chance at acquiring a great transformers toy at a cheap price. I hope you can give him a shot!












Honourable mentions: I find that Deluxe Universe Galvatron gets way too much hate. I agree that he is small and frustrating, but he packs so much into that package that I can't help but be very impressed by the toy. Also, a lot of the Beast Machine toys are given flack for not being show accurate but some of those are amazing toys none the less. Especially Mega Tankor with his many non intrusive gimmicks and fun transformation between two good looking modes (which both have their own scanning light piping).
 

Top 5 Best Retools Amongst Transformers Toys

Date: Saturday, September 17th 2016 9:25am CDT
Categories: Site Articles, Editorials, Top Lists
Posted by: william-james88

Discuss This Topic · Permanent Link
Views: 88,009

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 Best Retools Amongst Transformers Toys

We now live in a world of heavy mold reuse where at the very planning of an entire line, designers look at how they can make the most of a design and reuse elements to the point where we now even Hasbro has switched from using the word "retool" to "pretool". It sometimes brings about a negative connotation since toys may not feel as unique, even though the output of new molds remains constant. So in light of this, I would like to look back at some amazing retools we have gotten in the past showing how amazing toys have been the product of retools.


5. Transformers Adventure TAV30 Battle Grimlock

This is a perfect example of a well realized extensive retool that I would be more than happy to drop money on (and even import, in this case). Let's get one thing straight first, that initial Fall of Cybertron Grimlock mold was not great. This retool ameliorates it by reapropriating it as the definitive Grimlock for one's Robots in Disguise collection. While the paint scheme is definitely different, the mold itself is mostly completely new, changing the initial mold while keeping all the tabbing and transformation intact. Just look at the tail in this shot below:



There are of course totally new parts like the Dinosaur head, which really make him different looking in dino mode, but that is impressive is how they retooled the original mold to have spikes all throughout to merge the completely new parts with those that were retooled, making him seem like a totally different toy. Not only a different toy, but a toy that was made for this line, and that is the biggest credit I could give to this toy. It doesn't look out of place, and is instead more than welcome in the line up even though the base toy has nothing to do with this line or aesthetic.






4. Transformers Prime Beast Hunters Ultra Magnus and the Cyberverse version

This one is best explained through pictures. These toys will always amaze me for the simple reason that there were two main Ultra Magnus designs in the Prime toyline at two different scales (Voyager and Commander). In each scale, one mold was an original mold (YAY!) and one was an Optimus retool (Boo!). And yet, in both cases, the Optimus retool surpassed the original mold, both in complexity, G1 homage, toon accuracy and poseability. It was this toy that made me rethink my entire philosophy on retools and where they have a place. Below you will find Ultra Magnus next to the original mold in both alt mode and robot mode as well as the retool next to the original mold just to show you how significant it was.














3. Classics Conehead Seekers

These are by far the best rendition of the coneheads in terms of show accuracy, both in looks and when it comes to replicating how they transformed on the show, and it's handled in such a smart way as a retool of the classics seeker mold. The original mold was very good but it had that extra nosecone kibble in the back of the head which looked off. The conehead retool reworks that entire nosecone area to make the nosecone actually be the top of the robot's head ala G1 but with way better proportions. This is a feat even the MP couldn't pull off, relying on the illusion of a nosecone head leaving the actual nosecone in the back. What is awesome about this retool is that by reworking that nosecone area, there is no more extraneous kibble. It ends up being a perfect robot mode and a perfect rendition of the G1 chracters with no fake parts.


Transformers Henkei Dirge Gallery


Transformers Classics Ramjet Gallery


Transformers Henkei Thrust Gallery


2. Killer Punch

The original mold was pretty cool in an odd kind of way with the very kibble heavy bot mode and third mode which consisted of a dead Triceratops. Killer punch takes it up an extra step. A triceratops head for a hand is pretty cool, but you know what's cooler? Being able to fire it into a bot's face! Yeah, Takara retooled the mold so that the triceratops head could actually be spring launched from the robot's arm. They also took the opportunity of this remold to change the Dinosaur's head to give us a Styracosaurus instead, making the mold even more original, along with giving us a better hand weapon in the form of a big curved blade hidden as his tail.




1. Transformers Generations Sandstorm



I feel this is the last great hurrah for what we knew as retools, meaning a mold based on another one with modifications, and the start of something new with toys toys based on another coming out quickly showing a certain amount of planning. I say this because after this toy, the idea of a retool, as we know it changed. Hasbro brought in pretools like the Combiner Wars line which was all designed at the same time, regardless of when toys got released, and that was followed by trend of reusing parts or egineering amongst different toys. In this case though, I feel confident calling this a retool, and a beautiful one at that, since it is clear what the basis for Springer was as opposed to Sandstorm. Springer's look comes right from Nick Roche's last stand of the Wreckers and both his alt modes are modernized versions of what they were in G1. Sandstorm though feels more in line with the Neo G1 look of the Universe line with his alt modes being more homages to the ones he had in the past, springboarding off the Springer design and making the most of it. What is fascinating is that amongst the differently shaped parts are totally new parts that change the transformation. As with TAV Battle Grimlock above, it is such a miraculous moment when you transform a toy that is said to be a retool and you discover something new. The reason this guy gets the top spot is because not only is the retooling extensive, but it brings in fixes to the mold. It tabs in together better and I am really impressed at how he can still stand with all that back kibble, which adds to his striking and dynamic look. It's just amazing to have a retool that feels like having a new toy that kicks ass all on his own.











Honourable Mentions: I am using this spot for something that we wouldnt think of right away but that really needs to be mentioned: Masterpiece Starscream. The reason he wasn't obvious to me is because usually a retool means a different version of the character or more likely a different character all together. In Starscream's case, the retool doesnt change anything about his identity or personality, it just makes the toy more G1 accurate and overall better (at least in theory). At first it might seem like the big difference is how the long pieces of jet kibble are integrated into his legs rather than be left hanging there, or that he now has heels that pop out of flaps, but there is more. In truth there are more changed parts than unchanged parts in this figure and the retool becomes one of the more extensive retools in Transformers history. But since the situation is different from the rest of the characters on this list, I preffered mentionning him here (I wouldn't have known where to place him, how about you?). Just look at the undercarriage a bit to see that almost every facet is different. And in robot mode, it is literally from head to toe.


Transformers Masterpiece Starscream Gallery


Transformers Masterpiece Starscream (MP-11) Gallery


Transformers Masterpiece Starscream (MP-11) Gallery

Top 10 Best Legion Class Transformers Toys

Date: Saturday, July 23rd 2016 8:59am CDT
Categories: Site Articles, Editorials, Top Lists
Posted by: Cobotron

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The Legion Class are often viewed as cheapo simplified versions of more complicated and interesting toys. Well, that is exactly what they are! But in my eyes, no less fun then the larger classes.
As a kid my minis (Bummblebee, Windcharger, Gears, etc.) went everywhere with me. In my backpack to school, the grocery store with Mom, the back seat of Dad's Oldsmobile, and off to Grama and Grampa's house we go.

Legions, Legends, and all the smaller classes of past and present have become just as important a part of my collection as the bigger bots. So much so that they have earned their own shelf. Which I have dubbed Micronopolis.



This size class has had many names over the last 30 years. When asked to work on this list, WilliamJames made a wise choice in narrowing it down to Legends class, which started in 2005 until 2010 and then changed its name to Legion class. We covered the Scouts/Legends last time and this list differs from that one since it limits it to only molds which are made to represent a smaller scale of larger figures and found in the current Legion Class (which was once called Legends class). It made the job a little less daunting, but also made for a little more diversity, as I may have been tempted to just list all the G2 Gobots and their Car Robots/R.I.D. repaints.

Whether populating your pocket, or your Trypticons and Metroplexs, they may be small in stature, but these guys are BIG on fun!
Let's dig in.

10. Transformers Reveal the Shield Legends Class Optimus Prime
Dare I say, this Prime's transformation is the original toys done a little better? For such a little toy he has great detailing and his proportions are more fitting to what we've come to expect from our favorite fearless leader. It was a nice touch to include that ankle tilted stance with out any articulation, and it doesn't hinder the transformation at all. It is also always a nice thing whenever a Prime toy's truck windshield becomes his actual robot chest, and on such a small scale too. He has great arm articulation. Could he have used some knees? Sure! But, we're talking about Legends here.





9. Transformers Cybertron Legends Class Hot Shot
The thing I love about all the Cybertron Legends, is that the larger toys had such nicely simplified transformations, that they even translate well when shrunk down to pocket size. Hot Shot may not be the most articulated figure but he is a fantastic representation of his larger self. They even included his Cyber Key gimmick of flip up wings/spoiler. Of course without the key.





8. Transformers: Robots In disguise Legion Class Strongarm
Let's give the new guys a shout! Strongarm has quickly become one of my new favorite characters. Her Legion toy does a few things better than her warrior toy. Most notable, you can see her hands. This is achieved by deviating a tad from her show appearance, but she makes up for that with elbows and knees! She has a nice little color layout for such a petite thing. She sports a great sculpt and enough detail to take nothing away from this fantastic new character, and toughest little rookie on the force.





7. Transformers Cybertron Legends Class Vector Prime
Because I'll take my favorite dimension hopping Cybertronian mystic knight in any size! He's cast in a nice metallic swirl white, and his color layout is just enough to keep him interesting. Again the transformation is just a micron version of his great Voyager toy. What I like best is that, even when scaled down, he retains all the sculpted clockwork detailing that makes this character so cool to look at. Especially in his alt mode.





6. Robots In Disguise Legion Class Thunderhoof
Another new comer that has really captured my imagination lately and seems to have become a fan favorite out of the R.I.D. Decepticons is Thunderhoof. The longer this lil buck hangs out on my desk the more I come to enjoy him. He has really prodded me to rethink this list a bit. His transformation is ultra simple, but really gets the point across with a great little alt mode. But, robot mode is where he really shines. Although his elbows are fixed in a 90 degree bend, it barely hinders the pose-ability and expressiveness you can get out of him. You don't often see head swivel on a Legions toy, but when you cock his head just a little off center it really adds some 'tude to this dude. He also has a fantastic paint job with just enough in the right places, that he may even out shine his Warrior class counter part in this department.




5. Transformers Cyberverse Legion Class Evac
I'm not a huge fan of the Movie aesthetic, but I am a huge fan of a fun toy. I love it when a Movie era toy catches my fancy. Evac is a great example where a Movie design can be unique but still hit all the classical design marks. Hood chest, shoulder wheels, silver face, but in a really neat futuristic Cybertronian look. He has a great intuitive transformation and some decent articulation for his class. It also helps that his alt mode looks like my Honda Fit... if it were from outer space... and had a turbine propulsion system... and guns.




4. Transformers Generations (or GDO) Legends Class Bluestreak
I'm usually pretty loud about my affection for the Datsun Brothers, so darn tootin' one is going to end up on my list. I had originally put Prowl in this spot, but after a trip to this year's BotCon, I was finally able to land a Bluestreak, whom I had been chasing for a good while now. This Legends toy does a great job of capturing the visual cues of the OG toy in a nicely updated design. The engineering also pulls a lot of good things from the transformations of previous Datsun toys. Ending up with a nice little design that's a hoot to play with. What makes this version of the mold even more special, is that he was retooled with gripping hands, in which he can hold the awesomely G1 styled blaster that was added to the figure. It's too bad Smokescreen didn't get this mold to complete the trio. I'm looking at you Hasbro! (wink, wink)





3. Transformers Prime Cyberverse Legion Class Wheeljack
Where to start? One of the best articulated Legions toys on the planet. An absolute joy to pose. Especially wielding those Energon Scimitars! He has a nice detailed deco, and who doesn't love that alt mode? His transformation is fun, with his legs almost more G1 Jack than Prime. With those big wide feet he is one of the most stable and versatile Legion size action figures out there.




2. Transformers Reveal the Shield Legends Class Megatron
The best updated G1 gun Megatron we've ever gotten? A lofty claim, but he is an amazing toy. He has a transformation that is completely unique to him alone. Again aesthetically, a fresh update to the classic look, with a great head sculpt and a menacing little maw. He can hold some impressive poses with his great leg articulation. The gun barrel folding down is a neat solution to the arm cannon. The safety orange is a tad off putting, but laws is laws. William-James would have my head if I didn't mention the fact that this Megatron can be wielded by the MP-11 Seeker mold. A pretty great bit of fore site in design, but on my shelves you're more apt find him in the grip of Armada Unicron!
This toy was made to rule from atop a G1 Trypticon, and with an iron fist no less.




1. Transformers Prime: Cyberverse Cliffjumper/Tailgate

I think many Legion/Legends aficionados would agree that this mold takes the cake. A bitchin' muscle car alt mode, a mind blowing transformation, and the best articulated robot mode there is in this size class. The way the arms fold up into the hood, using the arms points of articulation is a stroke of micro-engineering genius. Then there are the feet. Not only do they have forward and back rocking motion, but the have ANKLE TILT! If this figure had hip and head swivel the world of Transformers might just implode on itself. He comes with my personal favorite Cyberverse energon weapon, and looks absolutely bad ass wielding that sword in front of those viking horns. This figure should be the measuring stick for all Legions to come.



As great as the Cliff version is, I personally prefer the Tailgate repaint a little more. The flames just give him a little extra heat. The fact that those flames end up as his tribal forearm tats is too cool.

Top 5 Best Scout / Legends Class Transformers Toys

Date: Saturday, July 9th 2016 7:45am CDT
Categories: Site Articles, Editorials, Top Lists
Posted by: william-james88

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Views: 77,074

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 Scout / Legends Class Transformers

The next two lists will be focusing on the little guys. We will start with the Scout/Legends class, which is one of the more awesome classes in Transformers history. What is important about this class is how it had characters you wouldn’t find in any other size. These weren’t the Legion or Cyberverse version of a character. These were full fledged characters that had a class of their own and whose detail and complexity was meant to be proportional to the larger bots they scaled with. Due to the lower price point and lesser resources allotted to them, designers were pushed to making the most of this class so that these toys could pose right next to the more expensive and bigger toys that they scaled with. The idea of beauty intertwined with simplicity is in full force in this class and I am glad the Generations line still has a place for it even though it might have changed name (they are currently called Legends as of 2013), and I really felt like celebrating these little guys. This shouldn't be confused with the even smaller class which has been called Legends/Cyberverse/Legion, which is more focused on repeating mainline characters at a smaller scale. We will cover those in two weeks!


5. Transformers Cybertron Scrapmetal (Ramble)

The Cybertron/Galaxy Force line had one of the best scout class lines ever. These guys were highly detailed and had transformations almost as complex as the deluxe class (definitely more complex than Thunderblast) and getting all this at that price point was awesome. My favourite of the bunch was Scrap Metal, and this was even before I learnt of the homage to the G1 cassettes. I just love how he looks in robot mode. He also has perfect articulation, any alt mode kibble is integrated into his limbs and chest and his weapon looks immense while bearing no impact on this stance (good job guys!). He also has a very intriguing alt mode that looks like a four legged mechanical insect (spider or ant), that looks like something an evil scientist would create and shrink down to invade the blood stream. And he comes in a bunch of colors for some fun troop building.






4. Transformers Generations Cosmos and Blackjack

I think these two are the best examples to show how the Legends class can be a decent successor to the Scout class that came before. This class is comparatively complex, detailed and posable as the deluxe class, and bordering on the same height as the Scout Class of old:



For Cosmos, I am so very impressed with the robot mode they were able to pull off given the Adamski UFO alt mode (if anyone was curious, that’s why he’s called “Adams” in japan). It is leagues beyond what the engineers were able to come up with before and, regardless of scale, this is a mini masterpiece Cosmos to me.





As for Blackjack, I am just so impressed with how original the transformation is. You would think that after 30 years, we would have seen it all, but this little dude just struts along with a novel way to end up with the back half of his roof as his chest (homaging both the Black Jack Micromaster as well as the far more similar looking Battlechangers simultaneously!). All this while being fully concealed in a super sleek vehicle mode, even when looking underneath it, and with perfect ball jointed articulation.






3. Transformers Revenge of the Fallen Skystalker

Skystalker is as good as people say he is and that is a huge endorsement. Before I got hi, I thought he’d be overhyped. But no, its a great small package. I really like his head sculpt, its perfectly decepticon-like, and he has loads of play options for a scout. He can combine with Mindwipe (though it’s not as elegant as I thought it would be) and he has two intricately shaped c clip weapons integrated which you can apply to other transformers like Deluxe Warpath and Darkmount. What I like best about him though is how he proves that the movie aesthetic can actually work since he (and Mindwipe) have very accomplished and realistic vehicle modes that work well with the robot mode.






2. Transformers Hunt For The Decepticons Breacher

Speaking of mini masterpieces earlier, I give you HFTD Breacher. When I first saw a picture of the figure, I could not wrap my head around the fact that it was a scout class figure. It looked (and turned out being) as intricate, detailed and complex as any other deluxe or voyager TF. The fact that he has so many panels and parts for a smaller toy does make him refreshingly challenging too. And that headsculpt is a perfect culmination of the transformers brand at that point, incorporating the highly detailed aspects of the film while still being classic rather than overly alien. Add to that the interaction with HFTD Seaspray as well as the C clip weapon and you just can’t go wrong. He would have been number one, but I couldn’t ignore the originality of the next pick.






1. Transformers Energon Divebomb (Shadowhawk)

As much as I would want to bash some toys from the Energon line, this is where the Scouts first started gathering the legendary status they now have today (which I hope won’t be forgotten, hoping this article can help). I did not collect the energon line when it came out so many of the toys on this list were acquired just months apart, and I can say without nostalgia clouding my mind, that this early example of the Scout class is still the best one we ever got. It’s all about how simple yet imaginative it is. Firstly, the bird mode is great with its headscuplt, the expanding wings and even the neat little tail section. What blows my mind is how these three sections end up becoming, respectively, the hands, the legs and the head. That’s right, even though all his robot bits are exposed in alt mode, you wouldn’t know it was them. And yet they totally fit the bill in robot mode. The legs are massive and imposing and the hands have a great grip for the energon weapons these scouts were known to have. The leg transformation is brilliant and I have never seen it replicated elsewhere. Terradive, another favourite, does have jet wings that end up at his legs but not AS his legs. Divebomb ends up being unique then, with two modes that are accomplished and unique, even though they use the same parts, thus giving him full alt mode integration and no kibble in either mode. This toy is a stroke of genius.














Honourable mentions: Oh way too many, so please let me know in the comments who you guys like best (you can access it by clicking on "View discussion"). The Energon, Cybertron and Revenge of the Fallen line had such strong Scout Class toys. As much as the movie aesthetic and toys might get a bad rap, this is something they did right. It also helps that the scouts from the first movie line were borrowed from the Cybertron line

Top 5 Most Indistinguishable Alt Modes Among Transformers Toys

Date: Saturday, March 5th 2016 12:04pm CST
Categories: Site Articles, Editorials, Top Lists
Posted by: william-james88 | Credit(s): william-james88

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Views: 86,741

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.

Top 10 Worst Transformers Toys of All Time

Date: Saturday, February 20th 2016 8:41am CST
Categories: Site Articles, Editorials, Top Lists
Posted by: william-james88 | Credit(s): william-james88

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Views: 154,820

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 10 worst transformers toys of all time

This list is simple, it is made up of toys that wouldn't be recomended to anyone ever. While I wrote this list, this was actually chosen by the community in a thread I had made called "Transformers that are absolute garbage", which people responded to. I kept the ones that weren't unanimous (but which I greatly dislike) for honourable mentions. Now, let's get to this!

10. Movie legends Jazz



This is when you know the designer just wasn't trying. A robot having the front of the vehicle as his chest is the most basic Trasformers design of all time. How badly can you mess that up? Well, this badly. All this toy had to do was have the car front as the robot chest and I guess that's what we got, even if it meant having a fake chest that is just right there on the car's roof. The first movie's Legends Class toys were not great and this is a great example of just how bad things could get. The deluxe Jazz that came out was not great toy either, but at least the car mode didnt look this bad.


9. Beast Machines Silverbolt



I just want to put some "sick" emoticons and just call it a day. It would be as much effort as this toy designer put into the toy. I think what is truly terrible about this toy is how Hasbro knew full well how terrible it was and still sold it to us. The reason we suspect they know it's bad (rather to them simply not caring if it is or not) is because this is one of the only toys from the beast era (if not the only toy) to be packaged in Robot Mode instead of Beast Mode. The robot mode is not bad actually and looks like the show model. Though you do wonder how it can possibly transform since it doesnt seem to have any kbble aside from the weapon that partforms to make wings. Well that's because the alt mode doesn't look like much, at all. It's the robot doing a hand stand, with his head right there between his arms (the beast legs). This looks nothing like the show model (which while it's subbosed to be a condor, reminds me more of a turkey without the big tail) and that's even besides the point that the colours are all wrong. This toy is just a mess really and as bad as they get for the usually phenominal beast era.


8. AOE Leader Prime First Edition





Luckily, this toy did not set the tone for what Transformers would become. I remember quite clearly when it was the first toy available of the Age of Extinction line, a toyline which promised simplified transformations to appeal to youger age groups. This toy was looming over making all our fears a reality. A big expensive toy that was made simpler and unlike the other one steps and such, it was not marketted for kids (who would need amazon accounts to purchase it in the states). Turns out this was just a fluke. Transformers remained just as traditionally complex after with some simpler toys aimed at the correct audience (which is nothing new for the line). But you still have this guy as the odd outlier, the mother of all shellformers in a time when you'd think Hasbro had grown out of that outdated engineering concept. In great shellformer fashion, you could even have it so that you could just detach the figure from the shell and have a perfectly fine truck mode that excluded the robot. This toy symbolizes a scary time and while I am glad we are all passed that, it doesnt make this abomination any less terrible.


7. Prime Deluxe Airachnid



The phrase "feels like a KO" gets thrown around a lot when fans express their distaste for a toy's quality but it's most often hyperbolic and is more of an insult towards the toy than an actual fact. I have bought dollar store KOs in the past (guilty as charged) out of curiosity and they are far far worse than all official toys out there. The plastic is usually very supbar, frail, and lacks a bunch of sculpting detail. They also lack paint apps and you usually just end up with blotchy paint in limited areas while the rest of the toy is just made up of the undistrubed monochrome cheap coloured plastic. The only toy in the history of the brand that this description would also apply to is Robots in Disguise Prime Airachnid.


6. Energon Hotshot



This toy sacrifices a lot for the gimmick of being able to form the top or bottom half of a combined bot. The biggest sacrifice is the articulation. After Beast Wars and RID and some of Armada, it looked like G1 articulation was a thing of the past never to be seen again. But this guy brings it back. He's a brick with heavy disproportions, tiny arms which can't be positioned more than straight ahead, a head that can't even rotate, and legs that don't do much more than split. Any articulation included is wasted and can't be used. He may not be junk to some but amongst the entire Energon line (looking only at original molds here), I can't think of anyone worse. His lack of meaningful leg articulation makes him even worse than his Armada self, which is mind boggling. He simply sacrifices far too much for his gimmick.


5. Transformers G1 1987 Wideload



Just look at it. Sure, it's a simple toy, but so are Topspin and Twintwist and they look like decent 80s robots. This little guy just looks like he should be holding a "kill me" sign. Every single one of this throttlebot brethren have a better alt mode and a MUCH nicer robot mode. The only thing he has going for himself is the decent pullback gimmick but it works just as well on any of the other far superior throttlebots. The lack of any articulation is already bad enough with this line but this guy even gives you these overall terrible proportions, making this probably the worst G1 toy.


4. PCC Doubleclutch



Speaking of the worst proportions possible, I give you PCC Double Clutch! The Power Core Combiner (PCC) line is already not a fan favourite so you know this guy is bad when even the most devoted PCC fan says this guy is one of the worst. Aesthetically this is an ugly figure with terrible proportions, but beyond that it is really sad how the way the combiner arms connect make it so that the arms always pop off. The last thing you want in a combiner is for it to just keep falling apart. So he fails at both an aesthetic and functional level. That's like both Siskel and Ebert giving you a thumbs down.


3. Titanium Megatron



Yes, this being in third place means Titanium Megatron is not the worst Transformers toy of all time, but that is by no means a compliment. It just means that we live in a sad world where there are 2 Transformers out there which are worse (not by much though). Although the figure looks somewhat impressive, it notably has the tendency to fall apart during transformation. Along with its loose joints, it was relatively difficult to pose in robot mode without it falling over, something that was entirely par for the course when it came to Titanium figures. It was also known for being a shelfwarmer thanks to people knowing how poor it was.


2. Transformers Armada Side Swipe (Stepper)



This toy is such garbage, it's unbelievable. While Energon Hotshot was pretty bad, he doesn't hold a candle to the atrocity of this toy which easily claims the title as both the worst toy of the Cybertron Trilogy and the toy which sacrifices the most for a gimmick. Look at the proportions! The forearms are enormous, the legs are an afterthough (they are just what's left of the car). G1 may not have had articulation but at least it had style. This has nothing. The whole robot mode aesthetic is sacrificed for the minicon gimmick and that would be bad enough but have you seen what the minicon looks like? Is this a face you would sacrifice so much for?



So, not only does Sideswipe have the worst robot mode I have ever seen but he is paired with Nightbeat, the worst and laziest looking minicon of all time. That's right, that makes this toy double garbage. The only good thing is that this means both atrocities can be avoided at once. For everyone out there, this might be the worst, and I would understand them, but what I hate more than hot garbage toys is paying more money for them, and hence...


1. Transformers Voyager Animated Megatron







Let me list the reasons for him being a piece of junk:

1.Lazy alt mode simply made up of rearranged robot mode parts which looks like a mess.
2. They couldn't even get that right, because the show model shows his fusion cannon mounted differently. So he's a pile of Junk that isnt even show accurate.

3. The gun is too heavy for him and can't stay attached if his life depended on it. You have to mod his fusion cannon to get it to sit properly on his arm.
4. His deluxe and more affordable version gets the paintjob right but this voyager doesnt?!
5. His hands have no articulation of any kind and are posed as if he's constantly shaking hands.
6. When I first bought him (he came free with a lot I bought, give me a break!), the person told me he was missing his back piece. That made sense to me since his back looks like what you'd uncover if you opened up a Transformer. Turns out, he was referring to his long skirt piece in the back, which means his back is a mess that looks like a Piet Modrian painting naturally. Even the Cyberverse commander Prime Megatron, for all its lazy alt mode glory doesn't mess that part up.
8. Both automorph gimmicks do not work well and the one on his chest ends up making his robot mode very annoying to pose properly or play with. Which brings me to my final point...

You would think a toy with an inaccurate alt mode made up of a mess of robot mode parts would at least have a structurally sound robot mode (take Prime Megatron for instance or the first movie Megatron toys) but this one doesn't. And unlike his "better" deluxe version (better coloured at least), he's at the second highest price point. The only worse thing than paying a little bit of money for a pile of junk is paying more money for it.

So, it pretty much fails on all accounts I can think of. When comparing to the rest of the phenomenal Transformers Animated toyline, he becomes a sin for simply existing. If you want more hating on him, there is a whole thread I found on this site dating from 2008, when he was first released.

Honourable mentions: BW Optimus Minor, Cybertron Thunderblast, ROTF Demolishor, Cybertron Backstop, Armada Scavenger, G1 Wheelie, G1 Flamefeather, Beast Machines Nightscream, Beast Machines Supreme Cheetor, 2007 Legends Megatron, ROTF Blazemaster and many many more.

Top 5 Best Shockwave Transformers Toys

Date: Saturday, February 6th 2016 7:22am CST
Categories: Site Articles, Editorials, Top Lists
Posted by: william-james88

Discuss This Topic · Permanent Link
Views: 94,033

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 Best Shockwave Transformers Toys

Full disclosure, this list actually started as "Top 5 great robot modes with subpar alt modes". However, I realized I was mostly coming up with Shockwave figures. I mean after G1, when he could not be a gun, all the attention of that toy was towards its robot mode with the alt mode being secondary. While that is too bad for a toy that started out having quite the legendary alt mode (a laser gun with lights and sound) at least the robot modes have been worth it. While I do not believe we have had a perfect Shockwave figure yet, the Masterpiece figure is coming soon. So while waiting, let us go through the best Shockwaves we have so far.

5. Beast Hunter Shockwave (Both Voyager and Cyberverse)

This is a solid and great feeling toy. He has a hulking robot mode with the widest chest/shoulders found on any Shockwave design. Unlike most versions, this mad scientist seems to be as strong as he is intelligent. I included both the voyager and cyberverse figure because they transform just about the same way. While that makes for a great smaller figure, that means that the transformation is a bit lackluster for a voyager class figure. The alt mode is thus not much to go on but as stated in the intro, Shockwave toys are usually more about the robot mode and this one works well. I especially like how they hide the hose as a tank thread in the voyager, as well as the working wheels found under the feet that only touch the ground in alt mode, it’s very well done. Speaking of things that were well done, the cyberverse version of the mold was surprisingly well served as Bludgeon.





A big reason why this toy is relegated to 5th place even if the robot mode is perfectly fine is due to there being a problem with the cannon arm in alt mode. For some reason, certain batches of this figure couldn’t plug the cannon so that it could be straight. You would have to disassemble his cannon arm and attach the cannon separately for it to look good from the front. That is quite a misstep in engineering. Also, this toy does pale in comparison to the other toys found in the Prime line (which is slowly starting to gain the legitimacy it deserves).




4. Transformers Energon Shockblast (Laser Wave)

Now this is a fun figure and a nice new take on Shockwave. He has all that you would expect from a Shockwave figure such as a gun arm (the biggest he has ever had!), a perfect headsculpt, and a hexagonal chest. This is a solid figure where everything perfectly clicks and fits together just fine. What I really love is how his cybertronian cannon mode has his head and chest visible (since as with most Shockwaves, the alt modes are rearranged robot parts with no new alt mode detail) but the angle of his head is flush with his shoulder making a smooth uninterrupted surface, hiding the head in plain sight. The robot chest also blends well by being mirrored on the back, adding a nice sense of symmetry and integrating the chest as the alt mode’s body. This figure is an interesting study of contrast between symmetry in the alt mode and asymmetry in the robot mode. It’s like Shockwave himself, perfectly logical, but dark and twisted.
Speaking of no new alt mode detail, that isn’t entirely the case with this toy. He includes a third mode which is just as serviceable as his cannon mode with 8 solar panels flipping from all over the place turning him into a satellite that fares just as well (in my book) as movie Soundwave.









And for fun, he also has a 4th fan mode that works ok.




3. Transformers Dark of the Moon Voyager Shockwave

Say what you want about the Bay movies, the design for Shockwave was pretty spot on for that world. He fared far better than most in his transfer to the silver screen since his cybertronian appearance worked well for the aesthetic combination of realism and alien life forms. Pretty much, he looked like a badass sci fi robot. The portrayal is another story, but the movie design translated perfectly well into the toy, who looked a bit smoother than the usual movie figures up to that point. I especially like his hands and feet and how they fold onto themselves in the alt mode. It is simple but quite ingenious (especially with the feet). It’s too bad his signature cannon couldn’t be placed in the middle of his alt mode, making it look a bit odd, but at least it brought back the hose idea which is always a nice touch to go with Shockwave. Along with Leader Sentinel Prime and Voyager Skyhammer, this is one of the best of the Dark of the Moon line.






2. Transformers Animated Shockwave

This toy is unlike any other Transformer ever designed by Hasbro. Spoilers for the Transformers Animated series abound. The idea behind this toy is for it to be Shockwave disguised as an Autobot who looks completely different with a different alt mode. While the alt modes are not much to run home about (shocker!) the real fun is converting him from small stocky Autobot Longarm into the Decepticon Shockwave.
Shockwave is at his most evil and conniving in this show and the toy brings that out in spades. The little hands turn into claws, the normal looking autobot face loses his mouth, nose and eyes for only the red cyclops eye to remain and the stocky limbs lengthen to reveal a tall and lean creepy silhouette. Speaking of height, this is a tall voyager figure, just look at that picture of him next to Megatron. I can’t think of that many Transformers which had as much value as this one which turns from Shockwave (who transforms into a tank) to Longarm (who transforms into a crane). Definitely one of the best Transformer toy designs of all time.










1. Transformers G1 1985 Shockwave (Laserwave)

The G1 toy is still an amazing toy and the fact that all the upcoming MP does is incorporate the partsforming and add some articulation speaks wonder to how much this 80s toy still holds up. He is so different from the rest of his brethren and for a reason. You see, this was not done by the same company (Takara) who brought us Optimus, Soundwave and almost everyone else. This was a lazer gun that could then transform into a cyclopean robot (who has a lazer gun hand) and was first a Radio Shack toy in the west (the rights to this toy are somewhere in the ether, as well as in some copyright lawyer’s nightmares). So yeah, definitely in a different league of the rest. Any lack in articulation is offset by the playability factor and heft. It's an awesome space gun that turns into a cool looking robot, the argument stops right there!






Honourable Mentions: While the Combiner Wars Legends Shockwave is a perfectly fine Legends class toy, the size just doesn't cut it for a top 5 list of this imposing master of doom. I still wanted to mention him here though since he does deserve some praise. The toy I had a hard time not including though was Cloud Shockwave, who instead is a perfect size, but I stay away from exclusive redecos since they are not as easy to come by for most people reading these lists. And plus, these lists are to generate discussion and if I write about a super exclusive/expensive toy that fewer people own, there isn't really a point. This is why I have this section where I can write whatever I want and for now, I want to write about Cloud Shockwave. What impresses me so much about this figure is how it is a straight redeco (all the parts are the same) and yet he totally owns that Whirl mold he is from. Shockwave always had this cold creepy mad scientist vibe to him and the tall lanky bot mode just works so well for him. He ends up with the same perfect headsculpt which is very reminiscent of Energon Shockblast and the claw hands (reminiscent of Animated Shockwave) lend themselves perfectly to this bot who is always known for having odd appendages. Oh and him being a redeco of Whirl means that for this rare occasion, his alt mode is better than sub par. He is currently the best scale and style for a collection of updated toys from the G1 era, at least in my opinion.



Here are a few pics to see how well he fits in a collection as compared to the others, let me know what you guys think!

Top 5 Best Helicopter Transformers Toys

Date: Saturday, January 23rd 2016 9:05am CST
Categories: Site Articles, Editorials, Top Lists
Posted by: william-james88

Discuss This Topic · Permanent Link
Views: 138,235

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 Best Helicopter Transformers Toys

I am going by the best molds. Simple title, simple list, let's get to it.

5. Transformers G1 1985 Whirl

This was a tough call between Generations Springer (30th) and G1 Whirl but deep down, this is a helicopter list and Whirl has one of the best helicopters ever put out there. Probably second best to the number one on this list. He is a gorgeous and well thought out toy. You couldn't tell that he turns into a robot from looking at the helicopter since everything seems to serve only that mode. That turns out to mostly be true since aside from his head and claws, the entire robot is made from repurposed helicopter parts. That works so well for him though, since it gives him a very sleek form with minimal extraneous kibble. You get this tall mean lean killing machine of a robot which clashes so interestingly with the choice of having this toy repurposed as an Autobot rather than a Decepticon. Of course, him being from the 80s means that he is the toy with the least amount of articulation on this list but his perfect look in both modes gives him more than enough cred to stand alongside any of his brethren below.









4. Transformers Animated Megatron

What is amazing about this toy is also what is great about the animated line as a whole: they actually found a way to recreate the angular show designs into toys. Remember, the designs were made for the cartoon first and the toys second (that didn’t happen before) so it is a real feat for the designers to have reverse engineered those designs into toys that look like the show models. Megatron himself does this pretty brilliantly by also boasting a very simple transformation. It’s interesting how his legs and feet are there naked in vehicle mode but they blend in perfectly as part of the helicopter. The rotors become the swords and while the arm canon can be considered part forming, it is very effective at both concealing the robot parts in alt mode and conveying a G1 look in robot mode.








3. Transformers Generations Combiner Wars Blades/ Alpha Bravo/ Vortex

This mold surprised me. I was worried it would be too simple but it works pretty well. This is by far the most streamlined and sleek helicopter we have ever gotten. There is no undercarriage and it is very simple in design which is refreshing compared to all the attack helicopters we see. This is mainly because the arms are outside the helicopter body, not contributing to added bulk. While this could have been done terribly, the guns mask the arms perfectly to the point that they are fully disguised and don't look out of place (as arms, but the jury is still out on a rescue helicopter having guns). The robot mode is neat, and this mold also becomes an arm and a leg (and costs far from that). I like it better as a leg personally but what matters is that this sleek helicopter mold is the most versatile one around.








2. Transformers Cybertron Evac (Live Convoy)

Like all Cybertron toys, Evac is a nice solid and fun toy. His design is very unique due to his large feet made of the lower half of the rescue helicopter as well as his asymmetrical arms. His headsculpt is great with a central crest to go with the theme of him being a Convoy (a Prime) in the Japanese cartoon. The helicopter mode itself is lots of fun with several points of interactivity:
-His rotor blades spin when pushing a button, and they become a spinning-blade weapon mounted on his robot mode's left arm.
-He has an adjustable and retractable tow-hook on a string, which ends up mounted on his right arm.
-His engine exhausts become two missile launchers which spring forward when inserting the cyber key.
So yeah, lots of fun with this massive toy.








1. Transformers Dark of the Moon Skyhammer

This toy probably has the most unique way to deal with his rotors in robot mode. With his chest area being the central body of the helicopter, his chest is the top where the rotors are and they wrap around him in robot mode resulting in no extraneous kibble. This is by far the most complex helicopter transformer but every step makes sense and is a joy to watch unfold (especially the forearms). For a movie toy, Skyhammer has some gorgeous alt mode integration like his rotors wrapping around his chest, his legs being the tail and the cockpit splitting to form shoulder armour. While he has the more realistic look from the films, he does have some smooth surfaces and looks far more robotic than alien. He is number one because of all helicopter Transformers, he has the best helicopter mode (where you see none of the robot), the best robot mode (completely kibble free) and the best transformation while being a perfect marriage of the movie and classic Transformers aesthetic.












Honourable Mentions: There is actually a ton of good helicopter molds out there, I was tempted of turning it into a top 10 list. However, those five are really a cut above the rest, with the exception of Transformers Generations Springer. The best triple changer mold by far. However, it being a triple changer, a few sacrifices were made, stopping it from being the best helicopter mode in the business. The landing gears are a bit awkward around the back and it's really too bad they didn’t try to add some detailing to give the idea of some tail rotors in the back (the G1 toy did).








Along with him, here are the others that crossed my mind when thinking of this list:

Rescue bot Blades, probably the best toy of that line simply for the style and how it actually works as a simpler toy while trying to achieve the desired aesthetics.


Transformers Rescue Bots Blades the Copter-bot Gallery

Great things come in small packages sometimes. Legion Airachnid, Minicon Jolt and Legion Windshear deserve a mention for accomplishing great helicopters at such a small scale. Airachnid herself is amazing simply for being better than her deluxe class version and sporting some really nice paint apps for this class (in robot mode).


Transformers Prime Beast Hunters Cyberverse Airachnid Gallery


Transformers Cybertron Jolt (Hop) Gallery


Transformers Generations Windshear Gallery

HFTD Tomahawk is another movie design done right. His legs are not the best but it's a solid deluxe class helicopter.


Transformers Hunt For The Decepticons Tomahawk Gallery