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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 badass looking Transformer toys
This was probably the most fun I had making a list since I simply spent a bunch of time perusing galleries looking for pictures to prove how badass some Transformers toys can look. This list will inevitably be light on writing since in this case a picture is worth more than my words. I am lucky to be writing these lists for a site which is known for its galleries and I encourage you all to write your lists on which Transformers Toys look badass with some pictures in the discussion. So without further ado, here are what I find to be the most badass looking Transfromers toys.
You would think G1 toys wouldn't look very badass since most can't move well but that would mean ignoring some of the most badass designs ever. Predaking and Powermaser Optimus are brimming with guns and sharp metal (and teeth for Predaking). They both look like emissaries for death either swooping down or revving up towards you. I couldn't choose which looked more badass because they are indeed both bricks with a combining gimmick, and an equally badass alt mode (don't mess with Tantrum!), and both have weapons EVERYWHERE!!!!!!!
For some reason, having a visor instead of optics, which helps hide emotion, just brings the badass level to 11 (think Robocop) and a lot of the picks on this list have that (total coincidence I realized as I wrote this down) like Roadbuster here. While the whole design is badass, what I love are the accessories he comes with. You could turn his alt mode into a Mad Max like vehicle with all the added artillery and it's just so fun all the weapon combinations you could come up with in any mode. I especially love having the missile pod on one of his shoulders (Thew has a great rundown of all the possibilities).
That deal with the visor I was talking about earlier comes to full effect on this Onslaught toy. Those shoulders are insane with the alt mode's ramming spikes climbing to the heavens with his back cannons completing the look. This toy doesn't combine to form Bruticus and he clearly doesn't need to, I am already shi#&ing my pants.
Ok, before we get to this, how many of you know of Peter Freuchen, the most badass man to ever live? Here is the most awesome and brief history lesson you will ever have (brought to you by me and kottke.org):
Standing six feet seven inches, with a magnificent beard, Freuchen was an arctic explorer (among many other things). He participated in several arctic journeys (including a 1000-mile dogsled trip across Greenland), had a peg leg (he lost his leg to frostbite in 1926; he amputated his gangrenous toes himself), was involved in the Danish resistance against Germany and was imprisoned and sentenced to death by the Nazis before escaping to Sweden. My favourite part of his life is when he was trapped in an ice cave where he would certainly die, so he fashioned an icepick out of his frozen poop to escape. Oh and if the peg leg and beard didn't give it away, in his older years he became a whaler ship captain. While the harpoon launcher was invented, he preferred whale hunting the old fashion way which means driving up to the whale and manually stabbing the harpoon into it.
This is how he looked like.
I don't know about you, but that pic totally makes me think of this toy:
Oh man! That toy always looked like Optimus woke up between those millions of years stuck on earth and explored out during the ice age by himself, where he skinned Mammoths to keep warm (and eventually went back to the volcano to keep sleeping and never spoke of this to anyone). He totally gives me a Norse viking/seasoned arctic explorer vibe ala Peter Freuchen. Just look at this picture from Hisashi Yuki, the Takara designer who made this toy:
And the best part is that Hasbro (freaken Hasbro for once!) made the most badass redeco of this already insanely badass looking toy. They gave him a Nemesis Prime deco with ... blood soaked tusks !
Honourable Mentions: Please let us know which toys you find most badass as I am sure there are more than the ones I mentioned. Here's another, for instance:
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 needed G1 reissues
This list is pretty easy and needs almost no introduction. With G1 reissues being trendy again through the Platinum line, there are some I want Hasbro to release (some of which would be for the first time actually), and this list details them with some fun pics. What all these have in common is a fun playability aspect that G1 seemed to do really well and has been hard to replicate since, at least at that level. Let me know which ones you would like to see a rerelease (doesn't mater if it's already been rereleased as that hasn't stopped them). Hasbro is known to check these boards, so make it count! Seibertron has a bunch of galleries of the rarer toys so be sure to check them out and populate the discussion with pictures showcasing the beauty of these older toys which you feel need to be brought back.
The Headmasters were based on a fun gimmick that started the idea (along with Target Masters) of smaller Transformers interacting with larger ones (which became the entire gimmick of the Armada line and has remained a staple in one way or another). With the Headmasters, the little robot was a pilot for the larger robot's alt mode.
Since these toys were targeted at young children and older collectors weren't such a common occurrence, these smaller robots were often lost just as other accessories for any other toy is often lost. However, these were a far more unfortunate loss than a gun or even the other smaller robots which turned into guns (Target Masters) because these tiny robots Transformed into the larger robot's head.
Thus, while these toys are fun for the new level of interactivity, it is very hard for others to experience these old toys today since there are far more headless bodies available, to the point where the head will cost as much if not more than the larger Transformer body. What would be awesome is if Hasbro just rereleased a bunch of heads but I would be more than content with a reissue of the full headmasters.
Japan was always more into train robots than the west/Hasbro was, with an entire Tomy line devoted to trains (which is the line Omega Supreme was designed for, and a line still existing today). It only makes sense that Takara would have a large train combiner that never got brought over by Hasbro. What is amazing about Raiden is that unlike the micromaster train combiners that came after (which Hasbro did eventually release), all the train cars could link to one another. This has never been done since in the Transformers line (Power Rangers did it, but those toys didn't come out in the west either). You could actually have this six car train and play with it as any other toy train and then separate them from one another and combine them into a really large robot. The angular train cars give the robot a very uniform look which many combiners fail to do.
Oh man, this is the motherload of G1 excellence. I feel best to just give you the pictures below and leave you with this quote from fellow Seibertronian member Morphbots:
morphbots wrote:When I was younger, living at home without the responsibilities of "adult" life, I went on a tear tracking down as many G1 Asian exclusives as possible before my window of opportunity closed. Even though I was able to score a Grand Maximus during that time, Overlord is without a doubt the crown jewel of that search. He defies categorization, being a Godmaster, A Duocon, a city-former, and a triple-changer all in one.
Below is breakdown of some of the many features described above along with some gorgeous images. Just rerelease this already! Someone, anyone!
This toy is primarily made up of a tank and a cybertronian jet, both of which comes with little robots o pilot them.
While each could fit in the cockpits, there was another port to insert them in on the vehicles.
You could combine these two vehicles to forma base for the little guys.
Or combine them to form a larger space ship.
Of course, these two vehicles combined to make a larger robot, Overlord himself.
The two smaller robots could plug into his chest, releasing some spring loaded gimmicks.
I will break down how fun and well done this combiner is for a G1 toy. Firstly, Liokaiser is made up of six vehicles.
Each individual robot has a interesting animal theme, like Jarugar below who's robot head has a jaguar helmet.
You see his chest plate above? It was removable (they were called the Breastforce)and actualy turned into a gun...
... as well as a beast companion. In this case a flying Jaguar.
Each of the six had the same breast plate gimmick but their own individual animals.
Liokaiser himself is a great sum of his parts since, unlike previous combiners, his combiner hands and feet were integrated within the various vehicles. The only extra piece that you'd have to add to him to complete the combiner was the combiner head which is actually the top part of the robot's face and the larger lion themed helmet(the back of head becomes the combiner's mouth, quite a clever design).
1. The Dinobots
These need no explanation or argument. Everyone knows these iconic characters in one form or another. They have been a staple of the Transformers brand and are the perfect combination of everything a kid could want. They are dinosaurs who turn into robots. Can you think of anything better than that? I sure couldn't (my favourite childhood toy was Beast Wars Megatron) and I would love to own these G1 toys, as would every collector out there. While we are all wishing, I would prefer Swoop's chest to be blue like in the show but I wont complain one bit if ever these toys are rereleased.
Honourable mentions: I am not a big fan of pretenders but I would really wish to own the ones who's inner robots combine like Dino King and Monstructor (which are pretty redecos of one another).
Also, at the tail end of G1, when G2 was a thing, there were some G1 toys that were released by Hasbro but not in the United States. One of the best out of these was Skyquake and the predators (with fan favorite stalker). These could also interact with one another. The main problem was that Skyquake himself had parts that easily broke so a reissue (with better plastic) would please both those who never owned him and those who broke theirs.
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.
Editor's note: this list has been updated as of 17/08/2017
Top 5 Best Ironhide Transformers Toys
With us finally getting a Masterpiece Ironhide, I thought it would be a good time to look at all the good Ironhide toys we have had in the past. What is funny about Ironhide is that his initial figure is one of the most unappealing to a Transformers fan (especially a child). The toy itself doesn't have a head. Instead, it has a weird face on a sticker stuck on a seat behind his windshield. This is of course because he is a re-purposed figure from a line where little figures would pilot these mecha toys but while this is fun for toy history buffs, it is a weak consolation to a kid who just sees a toy which looks nothing like he does on the show. His next few toys were also pretty bad and he still doesn't have a decent classics-styled toy to this day. However, he does have some good toys under his diaper belt and here they are:
Oh man, would you look at this thing! It is bad to the bone. While people have a problem with the Ironhide Voyager mold, I never found it that bad. It definitely gave us a more complex toy. I always preferred the versions which hid his arms and this is one of them. The full load of weapons could hide anything, just look at the pictures below. This is Arnold Schwarzenegger's Commando in toy form. Plus, this was the very first toy to integrate the c-clip system where you could clip on new guns to different toys (like clipping Generations Darkmount's guns onto Generations deluxe Warpath).
Plus, his front bumper becomes a crossbow
I really like this toy. Sure, it is easier than every other movie leader since Revenge of the Fallen, but I am not complaining about being able to go from one beautiful looking truck mode to an amazing looking robot quickly. He is by far the best looking movie Ironhide to have next to any leader Optimus Prime on your movie shelf and he has some great gimmicks. He has two sets of guns that can pop up while in truck mode (and end up being deployable from his robot arms) and some hidden armament in his legs, including a really sweet knife when he likes to get up close and personal. Along with that he has his big leader electronics gimmick (is it normal that I miss those?) where his chest open up to reveal a giant cannon barrel which spins and lights up. While he has some negative points, the only one that bothers me aside from the obvious undercarriage kibble is that the truck sides just bunch up under his robot arms. It isn't the prettiest sight but it does add some much needed bulk. While people can dislike movie figures all they want, I feel nostalgic for nice hefty Transformers Leader figures who had a bunch of fun electronics and sublime detail. I mean think about it, you get fully retractable weapons in both bot and alt mode, a gun and big knife hidden in a leg scabbard ala Robocop, great paint apps for a retail release and a battle mask!
This is fun design, incorporating Ironhide into the Prime line and aesthetic. This design is actually phenomenal since it brings so much together at once. He is a great amalgamation of the G1 and movie look in a more animated aesthetic with the headsculpt and clear chest (G1 cues) working with the pickup truck alt mode and dual cannons (from the Bay films). Also I would like to point out brilliant the transformation is. While the Arms Micron deluxe Ironhide relied on a fake chest, the Cyberverse version actually has the truck's windshield be the robot's chest. It is impressive to see great alt mode integration on a toy which has so much new details in robot mode. Remember when I spoke of an animated aesthetic? This toy's amalgamation (along with the deluxe) also references a shelved design for Animated Ironhide who was supposed to join Optimus Prime on earth and have an earth mode. That is a lot going on for such a little fella.
This is a near flawless toy. I find it absolutely brilliant how the cartoon made it that both Ironhide and Ratchet share the same basic mold (which has been the case since 1984) but since Ratchet is now on earth and has an earth vehicle mode, you end up with two visually different characters. The toys do that well. Sure, there is a Ratchet who shares the same mold as this toy but I love how Ironhide makes the mold his own (as he always has). The perfect toon accurate headsculpt really helps. The design of this toy is incredible since it was made after the stylistic cartoon character models were done and it imitates that style perfectly. Also, through this mold, you get one of the most creative designs for a cybertronian vehicle. I love how they were thinking outside the box for this one, giving it almost an animal look (like a tortoise) adding some sentience and otherworldly functionality to the vehicle mode. The weapon storage in vehicle mode is also perfectly executed with simplicity and helps fill out the look of the vehicle. It's a smart design that looks just like the cartoon and has great nods to the G1 character. Sounds like pure win in my book.
When was the last time we found a decent representation of G1 Ironhide in stores? Never. Look at this list, it's either animated, movie or a mix of both. But nothing even close to G1. No vans of any kind. And that's because there really hasn't been much aside from the forthcoming honourable mention. But we finally got Ironhide in all hi glory in this Masterpiece offering. I seriously do not care what nitpicks any fan may have, this toy is better than anything I could have dreamed. The Transformation is one of the best Takara ever designed and it is a true spectacle to see that van shape into this robot before your very eyes. I always thought that to have the look of the show, we would need a fake chest, no way around it. But I am proven wrong. The alt mode integration is spot on, no extraneous kibble (aside from some wheels, though they might anatomically represent something related to the bot mode, up to you) and more accessories than you would ever need. Plus, all those accessories come in that sled, bringing a magnificent homage to the G1 toy (along with other neat homages like that G1 face in can mode). I can't speak highly of this toy enough.
Honourable mentions: My lists usually always look at toys that were released at retail, especially since I care more for the toy itself and thus the mold as opposed to the character it represents. In this case though, the character it represents is a big deal and Ironhide is no stranger to redecos since that is what he started as. So I will include his Botcon 2005 Exclusive toy here, even though I am not a big fan of the mold itself. Fellow Seibertronian Sabrblade says it best:
Sabrblade wrote:It's still arguably the best Classics-style Ironhide toy there is in terms of resembling the character and [is] a good toy overall.
Every 2 weeks, Seibertron.com brings you a top 5 list related to all things Transformers, usually written by william-james88, but for this special comics book related list, it was best to call on the expert, fellow Seibertronian Optimutt (Rob Queen). These are opinions of one person, so what matters most is what you guys think of the topic or list, and we 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 Comics Only Characters That Do Not Have Toys Yet
For this list, I am looking at characters that have only appeared in comic form. This means that any Transformer who has also appeared as a toy or in a cartoon or movie do not qualify. And let me tell you, this criteria literally shrank this list from a host of candidates down to about two or three dozen, most of whom have only appeared in the last half-dozen years. In fact, one or two of the characters I was thinking of when I started making this list are not even on it now. Please also keep in mind that by “toy” I mean officially-licensed Hasbro/Takara products. Third Party versions don’t count in regards to this list.
5. Chief Justice Tyrest
It must be fun to corrupt things. I mean, since Simon Furman first introduced Flame to the pathos, writers have been corrupting good Transformers (and the occasional Human, too). In this case, the intergalactically-renowned legislator of the Cybertronian wars was first introduced as an observer during the Autobots’ Aequitas trials held on their prison planet, Garrus 9. Since that time, he started having holy visions and began drilling into his body to “relieve” the pressure. This resulted in an endgame that would have destroyed all Matrix-born Cybertronians. Corruption of Tyrest is a guiding light of how dangerous it is to give a lawmaker absolute authority (pun intended). The best part of his MTMtE storyline was that with Star Saber and Pharma, he was one of a triumvirate of corruption: Law, Medicine, and Religion.
Alt Mode: Unrevealed in fiction, presumably jet.
4. Pharma
What happens when a famed Autobot surgeon gets shipped off to a planet that also serves as home base to the most notorious Decepticons this side of Megatron? Compromises. Now some compromises aren’t too bad, but when that healer is forced to compromise their very values of life and death, well, something has to break. In Pharma’s case, it was his very sanity. Separated from his award-winning surgical hands, Pharma became a machine of miracles and madness who was just as willing to remove the head, spark and cog from a living bot as he was in experimenting with cutting Autobots in half (lengthwise!). This is one Autobot jet who is thrilling in a Hannibal Lecter kind of way.
Alt Mode: Jet
3. Rung
Old what’s-his-face. The guy who…. You know… Him. With the thing. And the eyebrows! Although most people have a hard time remembering Rung after he has walked away, one thing is for certain, this enigmatic Autobot psychologist has been there and, quite literally, seen that. In fact, this ancient Autobot has been present in just about every pivotal moment in the history of the Cybertronian Wars. And has not been killed. Which is surprising, considering the frail cogs and servos that comprise his inner workings. His role is that of walking heart with the ability to forgive anyone any transgression against him. Considering his official capacity as psychologist for the Autobots, this is a useful skill. All that good stuff said, recent stories have hinted at a much more ominous role in the Transformers mythos than anyone could guess.
Alt Mode: Formally unknown. Formerly classified as “ornament.”
2. Emirate Xaaron
Emirate Xaaron is the original comics OC. Ok, sure, he’s not the first, but in a way, he is “The” original. Just as Rung is the ubiquitous face of IDW, Xaaron is the ubiquitous face of the Transformers comics. A creation of Simon Furman in the UK series, he soon found his way in the US Marvel series, and later moved on to become a Lost Lighter in the IDW More Than Meets the Eye series. One of his claims to fame is that he got to embody the spiritual essence of Primus! Lucky him! In all his appearances in these three series, however, he has been a pillar of consistency and leadership for the Autobot forces. Who knows, perhaps there is some continuity where he actually is Autobot commander-in-chief. Some fans even speculate that he has accomplished far more than more combat-oriented leaders, like Optimus Prime, ever could.
Alt Mode: (According to TF.Wiki) He has a small combat tank as alternate mode,[The Facts] but what with the "not really a fighter" thing, he hasn't transformed in hundreds of years. Doing so might very well kill him from the shock!
1. The Decepticon Justice Division (DJD)
Vos, the sniper rifle who speaks only in the Primal Vernacular! Tesarus, the walking traitor compactor! Kaon, the electrifying chair! Helex, the smelting pool with four arms! Tarn, the point one percenter whose sweet dirges can sing a spark to sleep! They are the ultimate dispensers of justice to the motley menagerie of mayhem called the Decepticons! Yes, I’m cheating by lumping this group together. But I’m doing so because the bulk of this list would probably be the whole team, so it is being done for the sake of variety. Everything about this group of psychotic killing machines is straight out of legend: dangerous, methodical, inevitable, list-keeping, and capable of ripping the Lost Light – a ship fifteen miles long and ten wide – into pieces. Since their first appearance in IDW’s More Than Meets the Eye series, they have become something of an obsession for many fans.
Alt Modes: See above, and Tarn: Tank.
Honorable Mention: Scrounge
“Scrounge? Really? But what did he ever do but show off his special arm? Oh yeah. He got smelted real good. So why is he even honorably mentioned?” Let’s say “because of what he represented to the Autobots.” In fact, let’s take it one step further and say what he represented to the comics series as a whole. When he first appeared (in Marvel’s issue 17) there hadn’t been any deaths. Sure Sunstreaker was in trouble and would probably “not ever recover,” but as Miracle Max would say, there is a big difference between “all the way dead” and “mostly dead.” With Scrounge, we got to see the gruesome effects of the latter classification in beautiful Yomtovian hues! So beautiful, in fact, was this not-quite-an-Autobot’s passing that his buddy, Blaster, launched an attack on the Decepticon fortress Darkmount for the chance to see how striking it was! When all is said and done, however, Scrounge was the first official Red Shirt of Transformers comics, and we have been basking in the brutality of his legacy since. Thanks buddy!
Alt Mode: Wheel thing. Makes you wonder what the Functionists would have said about him. I mean, did he and other wheels they spend their shifts hanging out on the side of a freighter?
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. In the spirit of Halloween, I felt like making this list thematic and covering the:
Top 5 Ugliest Transformers Toys
While being aesthetically ugly is a big factor, what is important here is that it cannot be overly intentional (like Beast Wars Injector, who revels in his aesthetic). This is a list of toys that would repulse kids and adults from playing with them. Not necessarily the worst Transformers ever (although none of these are great toys, far from it), but definitely the kind that, were they alive Toy Story style, would just hang out in a corner whispering "kill me". It was actually really hard not to simply include all movie designs. The overly alien look does render several of them quite ugly, like this one...
ROTF Arcee might be ugly and look as female as a big bearded guy cosplaying as Princess Leia, but the design was just so odd that it became interesting. Couldn’t say the same about 2007 Arcee. Her face and the addition of the lipstick and alien robot hair done that way makes her step right into the uncanny valley (and don't get me started on the wheel boobs). The reason she isn’t any higher is because she actually has an amazing alt mode and the transformation is pretty great too. It doesn’t take away from the fact that Springer would only date this Arcee if she put a bag over her head.
These could have been cool toys, and they were once. Back before Transformers existed, you had Diaclone, which dealt with small pilots that rode in vehicles which became mechs. Think Mighty Max, Hotwheels and power rangers all rolled into one !!! Ironhide and Ratchet came from that line and while they might be cool if little figures could pilot their mech bodies, they become pretty darn ugly as official transformer toys. Hasbro removed the small figures, taking away the mech aspect and forcing it down our throats that these headless contraptions were sentient lifeforms with seats for faces. Just to give you an idea that this headless thing is seriously what they were trying to pass off as a sentient being, here is Ironhide's introduction in the comics.
At least your childhood toy was initially comic accurate, not that it's a great consolation prize.
A fellow board member said it best:
Lockdownhunter wrote:Show accuracy:0%
Awesomeness:0%
Ugliness:100%
Conclusion:These toys are garbage.
By...Computron
More times than needed, you'll get an almost unrecognizable alt mode in order to get a pretty cool robot mode. The reverse has not been seen as much since G1 (see above) but Mixmaster certainly fills that spot in nicely. His truck mode is great and very nicely done but it gives way to a mess of a robot. This design looks far more alien than robotic and while it may work for some people, it looks quite ugly to me. The proportions are all over the place, on purpose, and that makes the robot look like it is made up of a pile of junk (not in a good Wreck-Gar way) and you cant make heads or tails of what you are seeing at certain angles.
The same can be said for Demolishor who's robot mode is beyond bizarre. He looks like a one legged alien just begging for his life to end (a wish Optimus kindly obliged).
Oh man, speak of a face only a mother could love, here is the greatest abomination to the Bruticus name yet. It really looks like Satan and Cerebus had a child and aborted it. Both modes are atrocious and I don't get what the smart thinking was behind using the same head for the beast mode but wrapping it in ... muscle whiskers ?
1. Beast Wars Optimus Minor
Speaking of just wrapping the robot head... urgh. Here is Optimus Minor. While he is insulting to me as a Transformer, where all you have to do is turn him 180 and move his head up, it's even worse with the way you turn him from a robot to a monkey. Here is a question for you, which is which? Look at the pics. Both heads look like robot monkey heads. And the supposed Beast Mode head is worse since it has an alien edge to it both in looks and the fact that it wraps around the "robot head" like an inverse facehugger. It is like an ugly version of those mutant heads of old instead this time, the mutant head is the head of one of the modes.
I would like to thank fellow Seibertronian Cobotron for these awesome pictures.
Honourable Metions: People find Omega Supreme ugly, but I don’t get it. He is clunky, sure, but he has a fun 80s robot look to him. You know, the ones that go “beep doop beep doop” and spin their heads, like the robot in Toy Story.
Also, I would have loved to include Animated Voyager Megatron simply for his alt mode and failed cannon, but I can’t say he is uglier than those on the list. He might be a worse toy though.
Here are some other ugly faces that I think actually work in the favor of aesthetic and add rather than take away (hence why they didnt make the cut). The best examples are from beast Wars, like Injector, Iguanus and Transquitto as well as G1's Transformers G1 Repugnus who's name suggests he takes pride in his looks.
Every 2 weeks, Seibertron.com brings you a top 5 list related to all things Transformers, usually written by william-james88, but for this special list of Transformers Headmaster Episodes, it was best to call on the expert, fellow Seibertronian Optimutt (Rob Queen). This list was requested by you, fellow fans, after we had published his list of the Top 10 Best G1 Episodes. These are opinions of one person, so what matters most is what you guys think of the topic or list, and we 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 Headmasters Episodes
By Rob Queen
The cartoon titled “The Return of Optimus Prime” marked the conclusion of Season Three of the original Transformers cartoon. What followed depended on where you were on planet Earth. If you were in the USA, you got the three-part “Rebirth” cartoon, which introduced audiences to Headmasters and Targetmasters. If you were in Japan, you were given thirty-five episodes of The Headmasters cartoon. For those of you who have wondered what the best of the series is, here they are. The notes at the end of the list are there for you trivia aficionados out there.
NUMBER FIVE
Episode 17. SOS from Planet Sandra - The Autobots respond when an emergency request for energy comes from the other-dimensional planet Sandra, who has squandered their energy reserves and are on the cusp of extinction.
While Sandra is only a few years away from developing a new power source that would save its civilization, they need a bump to get them to that point.
Overall, this felt like an ep of the American version, complete with a message about good life, and deeper meaning about how wasteful civilizations can be.
There is also a good variety of roles in the episode, giving us a whole lot of transforming bots to marvel at.
NUMBER FOUR
Episode 2. The Mystery of Planet Master - After learning of the origins of the Headmasters and the planet Master, the Autobots race to recover the missing Matrix.
This was just one of those rare episodes that is a joyride from beginning to end. But while it is action packed, it does have its problems (“we’re on Cybertron, so let’s also suddenly be at our headquarters on Planet Athenia”)
Considering this series just started one episode prior, this manages to put a whole lot of attention on two classics: Blaster and Soundwave. While the final battle between them is a little too quick, it is nonetheless fun, as there were so few episodes in the original series where these two face off.
Sure, forcing Optimus Prime to go off on some mysterious quest deep in the heart of Cybertron felt like a forced story-telling convention, but the rest of the episode made up for it, especially as we get to see who Hardhead, Brainstorm, Wierdwolf, and the others all came from.
NUMBER THREE
Episode 8 and 9 - Cybertron Is in Grave Danger, Part 1 and Part 2 - When Vector Sigma develops a powerful new alloy, the Decepticons initiate an all-out strike against Cybertron to claim it for their own.
I am treating these two episodes as one because they are essentially two halves of a complete whole.
The most prominent aspect of this is how unforgiving the series actually is to its Transformers. Sure, Optimus Prime is killed off again in Episode Three, but it is in this that the Decepticons actually succeed in destroying. Their. Home. Planet.
Not only that, Zarak, a mysterious character who has thus far only appeared in shadows, shows just how brutal his vision is. Since he has spent millions of years on Planet Master, a detachment from his race’s home planet is not all that surprising, but still. He blew up his own planet!
The super bomb at the end is rather querulous, as it makes a critical observer wonder why the Decepticons haven’t used it on the Autobots, but in a way, this episode was a way to wipe the slate clean, as it sees Galvatron’s death (he gets better!) and the departure of Rodimus Prime, Kup, and Blurr.
NUMBER TWO
Episode 24. Ultra Magnus’ Death – After collecting massive amounts of energy, the Decepticons return to earth to unleash Galvatron’s final plan.
Before they can be secure in their devastation, however, Sixshot is unleashed upon the Autobot populations of Sol 3. Whole platoons of generic-bots are wiped out before Sixshot goes toe to toe with Ultra Magnus.
The battle is cool, showing off a whole bunch of Combiner Teams, Trypticon versus Metroplex, and in a mighty reveal, a seventh form of the Decepticon ninja!
One of the oddest things about the episode is the fact that unlike every other death in the Headmasters cartoon, when Magnus dies, he does not fade to white. Instead, he retains the bright red, white and blue coloring he had in life. Is this proof that it was only the inner robot died and not the battle suit? Who can say?
NUMBER ONE
Episode 23. Mystery of the Space Pirate Ship - The Autobot and Decepticon clones enter the fray as both factions search for the hidden proton energy of Pirate Planet.
In a series that introduces a whole lot of new products, none do it so well as this. It begins with the Clones, squaring off against each other for a skull medallion.
Then, when they meet up with their sides, it becomes a race for the prize that the medallion is hiding. This has it all: mystery, puzzles, pirates, clones, and a final prize that in a surprising turn, is totally destructive.
Even best of all, when the twist comes at the end, it stands up to logic! Trust me, if there is any major fault in this series, it is the strength of action in the face of logic. Quite possibly because of this simple fact, this takes the number one spot.
Notes:
- Most teams are just that: a team known as a team. Not a single team is a focus in the entire series, nor is any one member spotlighted with anything even relating to a personality.
- Trainbots are known as Trainbots, but only their combined form, Raiden, is named at any point in the entire series.
- In the series, Mega Zarak is the name of Scorponok, while Scorponok is Zarak. Which means that Scorponok becomes the head of Mega Zarak. For anyone with the toy, or who has seen the US episodes “The Rebirth”, it can be confusing, as Zarak becomes the head of Scorponok.
- Fortress Maximus is only slightly less confusing: Fortress is the head of the body that is the commander of the Headmasters. This then combines with Battleship Maximus to become Fortress Maximus. Fortress Maximus is the Big Mode combined robot form of Fortress and Battleship Maximus.
- Arcee’s role in this is strictly non-combative; think of Uhura from Star Trek mixed with the role of a nurse. Blurr and Kup, mainstays in Season Three of the cartoon become redundant: they never transform, they never enter into combat, and are written out a third of the way through the series.
- Transformations are a combination of traditional US TF sounds and a more SFy synth version. Most Headmasters say “Head On!” when transforming into robot mode. In keeping with the anime traditions, they also tend to announce their moves, like saying “Transform!” when they transform and Fort Max declaring “Master Sword!” whenever he draws his sword.
- Transtector – It is what the Headmasters’ larger, transforming bodies are known as. First mentioned by name in Ep 14. The heads are the actual transformers, and they come from Planet Master (hence the reason everyone is a “Master”).
- Metroplex is known as several names: Metroplex, Scramble City, and Autobot City. Each one is used roughly interchangeably, almost as if each one were nicknames they have given the mighty Titan (see what I did there?). So Scramble City could be a sub-class, like calling someone “king.” Metroplex as part of the total city could account for his nickname of Autobot City. Kind of like how New York City accounts for all five of the boroughs and the general area outside of the city, including Long Island.
- Similarly, Trypticon is also known as Dinobase. I can actually imagine Sixshot, coming up with something like “Using a thing by its given name all the time serves to call too much attention to it. Subterfuge lies in hiding the source from common sight.” Leave it to a ninja to come up with something like this, especially a ninja headquarted within the Dinobase.
- Chaar is known as “Chaarbase.” Very strange name. Not a planet, no, an actual base. They’ve pimped the place out and made it comfortably habitable, and the actual HQ is a base. This rather makes sense, as it implies that there are other areas of Chaar that are named. Maybe Chaar-Bar, or Chaarmall, or Chaar-Diner, or even Radio-Chaar.
Every two weeks, Seibertron.com brings you a Top 5 list related to all things Transformers written by me, your fellow editor (and this week a whole bunch of special guests!). These are our 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. Now let's get to it!
Top 10 Best Optimus Prime / Convoy toys
This is the 20th biweekly Top TF list Seibertron has published and to celebrate, the whole staff got together to discuss the top 10 Optimus Prime toys (we will go back to regular top 5 lists in two weeks). Optimus being arguably the most popular character in the Transformers franchise has a truckload of toys to his name (as does his Japanese counterpart Convoy). This list will dive into all sorts of eras and aesthetics to give a global view of the great toys this iconic character has to offer. While we can get bogged down by specifics till the cows come home, this list tries to be as straightforward as possible where any toy called Convoy/Optimus Prime counts (Optimus Primal (Beast Convoy) will be for another list since he has his own legacy of toys).
Burn- "A big shift for Prime as he took on a fire engine. In a way he set the precedent for his successor, Cybertron Prime. He had one advantage though, he could combine with Ultra Magnus to form an even more impressive figure."
William-James88- "This is a beast of a bot and I adore that super mode headsculpt. I really feel this is the point in time where Japan decided to let loose and see how far they could go in terms of complex transformations at that point in time."
While the Reveal the Shield Deluxe Optimus Prime toy was also discussed to be included on this list, it was soon agreed that there was no need with the original toy it is homaging already on the list.
Counterpuch- "Original Lazer Prime is so much better than the RTS version, in my opinion."
Burn- "This is the guy that for years could be regarded as one, if not the best, Optimus Prime. Gone are the days of little articulation. Instead we got a big hulking Prime who embraced the 80's era shoulder pads (he was a bit late to the party though) and also became one of the first toys to come with melee weapons. And he also had a nice trailer that could transform and shoot little round discs that little Johnny would no doubt injure his eyes on!"
William-James88- "This toy is ambitious for trying to merge a totally different take on the character's design with G1. It obviously isn't as accurate or the most faithful "movie prime" but that is what I like about it. Instead, it is a fusion of two distinct styles coming together in a perfect marriage. This design to me is not movie Prime but instead G1 Prime in movie form with a full on G1 alt mode and smooth panels where there would have instead been multilayered armour, were this to indulge more in the movie aesthetic. I also adore the total lack of any kibble in either mode, the engineering is top notch here and this was my favourite toy of the entire AOE line."
Instead of a quote, one of our staff members, Shajaki, showed how fond he was of this mold by attempting to buy them all and take pictures of the varied decos. Sometimes a picture (or a few more) is truly worth a thousand words.
William-James88- "While Optimus Primal is great in his own right, this toy is more what the (G1) Optimus Prime / Convoy character would be as a beast. He has an amazing classic Optimus headsculpt which is coupled with reflective eyes and viking horns honing in on the more barbaric theme this toy is going for. It is also a great example of how fun a shellformer could be, using the shell to fully disguise the robot. While the abundance of new robot detail does mean the shell can be found all over the robot, it looks like G1 Optimus awoke from his slumber during those millions of years on earth and ventured out in the ice age, battling mammoths and skinning them to wear their pelts (it's one of my favourite TF images, it will probably come up again). This is by far one of the most badass molds Convoy ever had and it contains the very first Matrix accessory. If this toy wasn't awesome enough, he has an even more badass deco provided by Hasbro when it was issued as Nemesis Prime"
William-James88- "I have never seen this level of complexity at the Deluxe class. Instead of making this just a shellformer and calling it a day, the smooth alt mode is a mosaic of smaller panels which merge together from various parts of the robot, such as the legs, shoulder pads, arms, chest and cod piece. It is also my favourite take on what Optimus looked like before coming to earth and it works very well for the character."
Va'al- "Animated Voyager Optimus Prime is a wonder of engineering"
William-James88- "What works so well with this figure is how it is practically a straight up G1 update with the head, arms and legs basically being at the exact same spot they are in the G1 toy. And yet, it feels completely fresh and refined. It is amazing how the toy replicates the hyperstylized look of the show."
Burn- "Say what you want about the movie, but it gave us one of the most complex and highly detailed Optimus Primes."
William-James88 "I cannot believe they were able to pull off this toy. The great disparity between the first movie Optimus and the CG model made us think that it would not be possible to showcase the many moving parts of the CG model in toy form, and even less have him transform into a truck. This toy proved that the impossible was not out of reach and that Hasbro was ready to evolve with the brand by making toys for a far more mature audience than before. Along with the engineering wizards at Takara, they did their best to imitate an already conceived character design made for a different medium. And once again, this hyper detailed and hulking Optimus toy transforms into a tight truck which shows barely any sign at any angle that it can transform "
Seibertron- "The original Optimus Prime toy is one of the best toys ever. It's a classic toy that will be remembered for decades to come. It is such an iconic toy that it has been reissued or recolored at least a dozen times"
Burn- "It's iconic, he's in a league of his own."
Autobot 032- "G1 wins, hands down. I'm not even a big fan of G1, either, so that should tell you something."
Burn- "Top Prime is Cybertron Prime! To me this was a great figure in both robot and vehicle mode. You could transform the cab into its own robot and use the trailer as a base platform, or you could combine him with his trailer to make one big dangerous looking Prime."
William-James88- "This to me is a true update of G1 Prime for a brave new world. He is just as simple and transforms practically the same way. However, he has a bold new look, excellent proportions, is very sturdy as well as jammed pack with new playability features making this both a favourite of young kids and older collectors. The supermode is easy to convert to and can be configured as you wish. I love how unobtrusive all the gimmicks are and how everything fits together perfectly such as the literal back pack (with straps!) and his battle mask."
William-James88- "These are undoubtedly the best Optimus Prime toys available for Transformers fans. I adore that arm and chest transformation, it's like the G1 animation come to life. These are both complex toys made very intuitive. While MP 10 may be the better of the two, I really feel both deserve this top spot since all MP 10 did was slightly improve over MP 1 (still didn't fix the cod piece being visible in alt mode though). It was the first Masterpiece Optimus which really revolutionized Transformers toys as we know them, giving them a whole new depth and showing us the possibility of reverse engineering a design from a cartoon model and turning that into a toy. This figure paved the way for the masterpiece line and MP 10 breathed new life into the line, turning it into what it is today. Also, you just gotta love that die cast on MP 1, he feels so solid. This was a toy people had been wanting for 20 years and it is still amazing today! "
Mindmaster- "If we're talking top Optimus toys, I'm throwing my hat in the ring for MP10"
Burn- "It's Masterpiece. The title by default says best."
Honorable mentions: Here are some others the staff brought up but that were cut in favor of the others present on this list.
There's a long history of Transformers video games, and with the upcoming release of Transformers: Devastation from Activision and development team Platinum Games, we wanted to take a look back at some of the games you should play if you're wanting a Transformers fix on your console right now. The rankings here are mostly just my own opinion, of course, but there is some extra input from other members of the staff here as well. If your favorite didn't make the list, let us know by replying to this topic and chatting with your fellow Seibertronians!
Without further ado, let's get to the list.
#5: Transformers: Dark of the Moon Platforms: XBox 360, Playstation 3
Some folks may be surprised to see a movie tie-in title on this list at all. With the first two movie tie-in games for 2007's Transformers and 2009's Revenge of the Fallen being not terrible, but also not great, it made sense that not a lot of fans gave this game much of a look. While it was certainly a bit of a let down after War for Cybertron, this effort from High Moon Studios still retained a lot of the fun gameplay elements found in WFC.
Transformation remained important in this game, as characters' vehicle modes were given special "Stealth Force" modes to tie in with the weaponized designs in the movie, as well as with the almost M.A.S.K. like toy sub-line of the same name.
The story presented in the game is a bit of a departure from standard movie game re-telling fare. Rather than give you a plot you already know, this serves as a very serviceable official prologue to the events of the movie. In fact, some elements of the movie itself manage to come off making more sense after playing the game.
While this one isn't going to garner a lot of replay, it's worth taking a look at if you're a fan of the movies. It's certainly the game on this list that likely least deserves inclusion, but hey, that's why it's number five!
#4: Transformers Prime: The Game Platforms: Wii U, Wii
Another easy to overlook media tie in comes in at number 4. Transformers: Prime has a pretty vast extended universe, and this game only adds more layers to it. Featuring a story that runs (supposedly) concurrent to the events of Season 2 of the show, the game has Team Prime battling Decepticons across the globe, trying to stop the ever-present menace of Dark Energon.
The gameplay itself isn't on any elite level, but it's a pretty fun romp with some clever combat mechanisms hiding just under the surface. The game isn't a graphical powerhouse, but the Wii U version offers up some delightful visuals regardless and quite honestly, the backgrounds in this game are often more interesting and alive than many of those found in the TV show itself.
To be honest, this one really adds one killer thing to the Prime universe: Thunderwing.
Just as with television leaving out the great characters and events in the Prime comics, it also leaves out any mention of this guy, and that's a real shame. Prime fans everywhere should give this one a run through, though with a pretty short story mode and only limited multi-player, just don't expect it to last long.
#3: War for Cybertron Platforms: Xbox 360, Playstation 3, PC
2010's War for Cybertron was High Moon Studios' first effort with the Transformers brand license, and what a debut it was! Kicking off the new "Aligned Continuity" with a story set at the beginning of the Autobot vs. Decepticon war was this robust cover shooter. Incredible visuals, great voice acting, and a rich story awaited players everywhere.
Possibly the most notable contribution the game gave to the brand was a re-kindling of credibility for Transformers, as a franchise/brand, to produce an environment for great gaming experiences. The sprawling landscapes of Cybertron really come to life in the game, and for the first time I felt some real scope in regards to just how darn big this planet would have to be. The tone hits perfectly, lending great immersion into the games world.
It's hard to come up with much negative to say about this one, but since that feels necessary to only place it third on our list, I will say that there are times the difficulty felt a bit high. That's not a bad thing necessarily, it just felt like there were a few too many ambushes by a few too many enemies once in a while. The sequel took a few steps to correct this, but not entirely.
That said, this is one that not only Transformers fans, but most gamers, should give a go at if it has not been experienced.
#2: Transformers Platforms: Playstation 2
It'd have to take a pretty special game to unseat one of High Moon's more recent two headlining efforts on this list, and there is one game that not only myself, but much of the staff, remember quite fondly. 2004's simply named Transformers is based in the Armada franchise, though it doesn't canonically tie in with either the TV show or comic series. From publisher Atari and developers Melbourne House, this third person shooter let gamers control their favorite Armada Autobots in a quest to collect Mini-cons and stop the Decepticons.
This game was hard, didn't have a lot of playable characters, and while the graphics were phenomenal for the time, they certainly look dated today. It was, however, extremely fun, and gave fans some moments where our toys suddenly seemed even more out of scale than they already were.
There's another very important reason to praise this game. At the time, Transformers videogames were considered to be among the very worst examples of franchise tie-in games ever. The positive reception and sales of this game made it possible for more to follow later on, and that's probably the biggest accomplishment of the game. Too bad the Cybertron inspired sequel got canceled.
#1: Fall of Cybertron Platforms: Xbox 360, Playstation 3, PC
This one's pretty much automatic.
The sequel to the already great War for Cybertron was followed up two years later by another stellar effort from High Moon Studios with 2012's Fall of Cybertron. Picking up some time after the events of the first game, this one follows the end of the war all the way to the departure of the Autobots on the Ark.
With improved graphics, stellar gameplay, and a multiplayer mode that remains active to this day, Fall of Cybertron is hands down the best Transformers videogame ever created, and should be on any fans "must-play" list. I can watch the E3 trailer from before this games' release and still get hyped to this day.
Combine into Bruticus, stomp around as Grimlock, or scorch the earth with Metroplex - this game has it all. If you're reading this article and you haven't played this game, do yourself a favor and go do so. Right freaking now.
We hope you enjoyed this look back. Don't forget that Activision's Transformers: Devastation comes out soon on October 6th for virtually every platform on the planet, and you can pre-order your copy today. Where will that game fit in with the other Transformers gaming efforts of the past? We'll know very soon, and it certainly looks quite promising!
Every 2 weeks, Seibertron.com brings you a top 5 list related to all things Transformers usually written by william-james88. However, today we have the list is brought to us by guest-analyst D-Maximus_Prime. These are opinions 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 Holomatter Avatars
Throughout history, the Autobots have a habit of taking on a holomatter avatar as a vehicle mode stand-in driver. Some Decepticons are also known to use this trick. The reason for the avatar is to give the impersonation of an actual vehicle with an actual driver. Sometimes though, they are used for other purposes, such as going places where transformers cannot go or on occasion just for fun. What this list does is rank how well an avatar relates to the transformer that generates it as well as how important it is to the character using the avatar. So without further ado, let us get rolling….
5. IDW G1 Megatron
To almost every reader of Transformers fiction, Megatron is the big bad, the ultimate villain. He has no need for an avatar since he does not worry about disguise. But in the G1 IDW-verse, he has become an Autobot, and has stayed that way for almost a year and a half. He has been an Autobot long enough to have generated his own avatar, which in this case is a scarred old man with bad-guy styled clothes and a cane (for a brief moment with a Decepticon symbol). This is the first time we have got to see Megatron with an avatar, and it shows how unused to it he is: He cuts himself on glass within pages of generating the avatar. While the avatars appearance is important—considering it shows just how old and tired he feels—it is more how he interacts with it that is important. He remarks about how fragile the frame is, and he realizes that sometimes strength can come from not very durable sources. That, and it is yet another historical moment in his historical Autobot run.
4. IDW G1 Ultra Magnus
For anyone that has read the IDW comics, we have come to know Ultra Magnus as a no-nonsense, very straight by-the-book law enforcer. He has only smiled twice in his current incarnation. He does not appear as the type to develop a likeness for anyone or anything, yet we have seen one person who made a big impact: Verity Carlo. She stayed on his ship for a while, becoming like a family member to him. Heck, she gave him the nickname “Uncle Magnus.” We often wondered what effect she had on him, so when we first saw Magnus use an avatar in More Than Meets The Eye, we finally got proof of how much she meant to him too. His avatar was created in her likeness, even though he had the option to auto generate, he made one himself in her image. This shows to all of us just how close the two came in their time, and how they both wish they could reunite again.
3. IDW G1 Sunstreaker
When headmaster technology was introduced in IDW, it was Sunstreaker who fell victim first. Unlike previous incarnations, this version of headmaster technology was grotesque and horrifying, the results of terrible experiments initiated by Scorponok. To make matters worse, when he was kidnapped and experimented upon, a human he was escorting, Hunter O’Nion, was also taken and turned into a headmaster. To defeat this organization, known as the Machination, and Scorponok, the 2 teamed up, forming an interesting pair. They constantly argued, and Sunstreaker’s attitude and vanity did nothing to help them. When in vehicle mode, Hunter was a part of the car and so was a generated avatar. While this makes complete sense, it is worth noting and also worth being on the list since Sunstreaker’s avatar changed with his conversion to a headmaster, and it became a human he did not really like yet was stuck with. This avatar also makes the list since this is so far the one and only Autobot headmaster and it shows just how far the victims were willing to go to save themselves and many others. Plus there were several interesting “talking to themselves” moments.
2. IDW G1 Swerve
This is an interesting deal. Swerve’s main avatar is a short, rotund male surfer dude, but in More Than Meets the Eye 43, a glitch caused Swerve to develop 3 avatars at once. This makes the list since these 3 avatars did such a good job of showing off Swerves different personality traits and just how much he fought within his own mind. On one hand, he was a scientist/doctor, on another religious and another a prankster. These 3 avatars capture those 3 perfectly, and their constant arguing shows just how much Swerve doubted himself and wished he was better. In the end, they merged into his regular avatar and he was brought back from the brink, but this rare case of triple avatar generation so wonderfully shows what each character is made of and much they wish they could be a better person.
1. IDW Movie Optimus Prime
Thought all the members of this list would be IDW G1 huh? Well, the number 1 seed is as far away from G1 as possible, yet it is the best and most representative avatar ever. In the Alliance comic, as the Autobots are evacuating the Mission city area, Optimus requires an avatar to remove suspicion on the road. Who does he choose? The person who has brought life to Optimus Prime for 31 years: Peter Cullen. While this was only used for this single comic, it has to be the best use of an avatar ever. It is essentially Optimus Prime driving Optimus Prime! Nothing can ever beat this (unless IDW G1 Optimus uses an avatar like this). So it is with pride that I say Movie Prime’s Peter Cullen avatar is the best transformers avatar.
Honorable mentions go to IDW G1 Skids, who’s avatar as several versions of the doctor from Doctor Who greatly fit his character and IDW MTMTE Rodimus, who’s avatar is ungodly 1980’s and combines Judd Nelson (the original voice of Hot Rod) from Breakfast Club and Marty McFly makes for a great looking avatar and an awesome take on the character. Here it is:
Here is Skids as the 9th (and least obvious) Doctor
And here he is as the 11th (and far more obvious) Doctor
And here is one that really should be mentioned before this article is over: Cyclonus as an old school headmistress.
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 Prime Toys
Last time, we looked at the Transformers Prime show and who were its best characters. Now, it's time to discuss this series' toys. For the life of me, I do not know why the Prime toyline isn't as venerated as other classics like Animated or Galaxy Force, since I believe it can stand toe to toe with those. The engineering on many of this line's toys is at an all time high, taking cues from all that was learnt in the past, and the designs are stellar. They combine the movie aesthetic with a more classic approach, making me wish these were the designs used in the movies. There are a bunch of great toys in this line, making these top five not just some of the best Prime toys ever but a also some of the best Transformers toys out there. For simplicity's sake, we will stick to just the Hasbro releases (First Edition, Prime Robots in Disguise and Beast Hunters).
A smooth and sleek car mode with an interesting cybertronian design, giving way to an agile but fierce looking robot mode. It's an interesting take on Wheeljack and still gives some classic elements while reinventing him. I love how his forearms and lower legs form with a series of pivoting parts that give a solid result. He also has poseable and rotating fists on a ball joint, clear plastic, spot on paint apps, ankle pivot, 2 different ways to keep the weapons in vehicle mode, this is the true heyday of the deluxe class.
This one is special. First Edition Prime could have been in this position as I hear he is excellent but I always give favour to molds that incorporate more of the alt mode. The Prime RID mold that this Ultra Magnus toy is based on was the only Prime mold (aside from the cyberverse mold) that actually used the windshield as the chest piece and did not have to rely on fake kibble. Yet, it wasn't as screen accurate as the First Edition Prime. However, this very same mold retooled for Ultra Magnus makes it look like it was meant for him all along especially with those new tall shoulder pieces which also work as missile launchers (so much G1 love here). With the Peterbilt truck alt mode, this version of Ultra Magnus is far more accomplished than the previous mold he was given, making him as screen accurate as possible. Even his Hammer is more screen accurate than any previous version of Prime Magnus. So to sum up, I am amazed at how well this Prime mold, with all its alt mode integration wonder, works better for Ultra Magnus, to a point where it is better than the mold that was actually made just for him.
This is one of the best seeker molds of all time. The design choice to have the robot mode be so slim and sleek makes him look creepier than any version of Starscream before. I am so impressed with how they were able to pull off a robot mode as skeletal as the one depicted onscreen and yet still have him perfectly transform into a tight and smooth jet mode where no robot limb protrudes, as is often the case with jets.
Transforming this Cliffjumper for the first time is one of my fondest Transformers memories. The alt mode is a 70s dodge challenger/charger type car with the distinctive long front (nose). However, the robot mode has the windshield chest with the headlights right below it. It's an interesting design for sure, but I had no clue how they could pull that off on the toy. Where would the front go? And it's just the headlights, without the distinctive grill that connects them in alt mode. How can it be possible to actually have a screen accurate toy? Well, the RID version of the mold (which I had first) gave me the answer to this question. You give him a fake kibble chest piece. With this in mind, you can imagine how amazed I was while transforming the First Edition Cliffjumper toy the first time. The windshield split from the front to form his chest and the long nose pegged into the back and then the headlights flipped forward, disconnecting themselves from the front grill and landing just below the windshield pieces to give the exact same look he had on the show by only using the pieces found in the alt mode. It was genius. In terms of engineering, this is a masterpiece figure at a deluxe scale. This is why it pains me that this actual Cliffjumper toy, seen in the picture below, took so long to make it to the US (for everyone to get in on the awesomeness). His hands also flip around to become canons but that's just gravy at this point along with the subtle fact that this marks Cliffjumper as having his own mold for once and not being a mere repaint of Bumblebee.
This is one of the all-time best Transformer designs. The architect Mis Van Derho, who created the glass skyscraper, had the motto of "less is more". And this mold evokes this notion by showing us how a great design could come from something so simple. Basically, this is a run of the mill shellformer in alt mode. However, in robot mode, the shell retreats and folds onto itself to fill out his legs to the point that it entirely disappears. This toy has a sleek robot mode that is very distinct from its vehicle mode, showing mostly new parts only seen in robot mode, and yet it has a simple transformation, a sturdy design, and no leftover kibble whatsoever. Having him be a shellformer and yet not having a hint of the shell in robot mode is as big a design feat as they come and makes him not only be the very best toy of this line but one of the best Transformers Toys of all time.
Honourable mentions: First Edition Bulkhead and Optimus Prime are obviously great pics too but I am a bit more impressed with how the others on this list turned out, like when the result comes from having less to work with, such as the smaller deluxe class. Sometimes, less is more, as Vehicon shows us.
But still, these two right here are also some of the all time best Transformer toys ever, man was this line good!
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WINDBLADE Transfor ...
NEMESIS LEO PRIME ...
WFC-K28 GALVATRON ...
WFC-K13 MEGATRON T ...
WFC-K14 AIRAZOR Tr ...
WFC-K31 SHADOW PAN ...
LEO PRIME Transfor ...
DIRGE Transformers ...
DK-3 BREAKER Trans ...
DETRITUS Transform ...
SKULLGRIN Transfor ...
MAGNIFICUS Transfo ...
LASER OPTIMUS PRIM ...
CROSSCUT Transform ...
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