My Pick for the Best Toy to give a Younger Transformers Fan this Christmas
Wednesday, December 18th, 2019 10:51AM CST
Categories: Site Articles, EditorialsPosted by: william-james88 Views: 37,583
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Christmas is a week away!!!!!!!!!!!!! Since I do sell part of my collection on the side, I have been bombarded by people buying from me for last minute Christmas presents, especially since the shelves only have a small subset of all the characters the brand has to offer. However, most requests and questions have been parents and since all I have to sell is more collector oriented pieces, I don't have anything for 4-5 year olds.
Parents seem to ask for the same thing, a big durable toy that can transform, look good and yet not be too difficult and not too expensive. So basically, a toy from the Cybertron era back when there was no divide between collectors and kids, but of course a toy that can still be found on the shelves right now. And I recommend the same toy each time, so much so that I thought of writing this quick editorial to help any parent who is still looking for a nice big Transformer toy for their kids.
My pick is Cyberverse Ultimate Class Grimlock. I have written a whole review about him and how awesome it is for a kid's toy.
No other toy aimed at kids even comes close to being as awesome as him. He is very imposing and really commands the space he takes. While he is light, the plastic feels strong and durable. The transformation is not too difficult but interesting and there are even surprises in it for people who know the typical Grimlock conversion inside and out. He has decent poseability and fine gimmicks that don't get in the way. Plus, he is the size of a leader class toy, almost 9 inches tall and only costs $30 USD ($40 CAD).
And he transforms into a Dinosaur, something still awesome for kids to discover. So, if you are a parent with a kid who loves Dinosaurs and Robots and you want to introduce Transformers to them and also want to wow them with a big toy while not breaking the bank, this is the one for you.
Here are some links, where you can still get him in time for Christmas, followed by more images of the toy.
Amazon US https://www.amazon.com/Transformers-E48 ... 174&sr=8-1
Walmart US https://www.walmart.com/ip/Transformers ... /996149196
Amazon Canada https://www.amazon.ca/Hasbro-Transforme ... 169&sr=1-5
If you want to see a review, here is one below from Emgo who shares these same thoughts.
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Posted by william-james88 on December 18th, 2019 @ 10:57am CST
Munkky wrote:These Deluxes haven't been appearing for pre-order on any UK websites I often use, the only Cyberverse products In Demand Toys stock right now are Spark Armour Cheetor and Warrior Slipstream, and Kapow Toys only have Slipstream (is that figure seriously THAT popular?). Optimus and Megatron are on UK Amazon for £20.99 each, so I may just get them from there.
Most online stores for collectors have been ignoring Cyberverse so when these new collector friendly toys came out, it was in their blind spot. Only hasbro (through Google) is offering these toys for order online in the US. So general retail stores, like Amazon UK, will really be your best bet.
Posted by Sabrblade on December 18th, 2019 @ 11:01am CST
That Grimlock is the Ultimate Class, not the Ultra Class. Cyberverse Ultra Class toys are the roughly Voyager-sized ones like Alpha Trion.william-james88 wrote:Maybe we werent clear but these are not not just a little smaller than Ultra Class, they are A LOT smaller.
These new deluxes are the same size as the windblade in this image below, which is standing next to Ultra Class Grimlock.
Posted by no-one on December 18th, 2019 @ 11:07am CST
I really like the idea of a holiday buying guide and wouldn't mind seeing it expanded with more recommendations and/or other age groups. That could be a cool article/thread with Seibertron staff recommendations. Maybe pair it with the year in review article?william-james88 wrote:"Holiday buyiers guide"
Anyway, cool concept! I like it
Posted by X3ROhour on December 18th, 2019 @ 11:22am CST
I have one
and it is fun, simple and accurate to a very high standard.
I have given 2 already
and have recommended it to several friends and to just ordinary people shopping.
Cool.
Posted by william-james88 on December 18th, 2019 @ 11:24am CST
Sabrblade wrote:That Grimlock is the Ultimate Class, not the Ultra Class. Cyberverse Ultra Class toys are the roughly Voyager-sized ones like Alpha Trion.william-james88 wrote:Maybe we werent clear but these are not not just a little smaller than Ultra Class, they are A LOT smaller.
These new deluxes are the same size as the windblade in this image below, which is standing next to Ultra Class Grimlock.
Ah dammit, sorry siegedude! Well i can still salvage this. Ultra class would be as big as jetfire in the pic above and these new deluxes would be as big as windblade.
Posted by chuckdawg1999 on December 18th, 2019 @ 11:29am CST
Posted by SGMLordMirage on December 18th, 2019 @ 11:49am CST
The minute I saw Grimlock in the store, I was impressed and love him. Unfortunately, while I do not collect this line, this one definitely makes it temping has I continue to see him on the shelves in stores.
Posted by william-james88 on December 18th, 2019 @ 12:50pm CST
SGMLordMirage wrote:Definitely concur with this as an idea to give to a young transformer fan or like it was mentioned, if someone likes Dinosaurs.
The minute I saw Grimlock in the store, I was impressed and love him. Unfortunately, while I do not collect this line, this one definitely makes it temping has I continue to see him on the shelves in stores.
You could do like what I did and just purchase him without needing to purchase others in the line. And he's G1 enough that he can fit in other collections or just look good on a shelf. And since he's plenty enough on the shelves and online, he's easier to get at a sale price (like 20% off at target). That makes it really good value for less than $25. he feels like a kid's toy but a good kid's toy, like the Cybertron toys of yore (I really miss that line).
carytheone wrote:I really like the idea of a holiday buying guide and wouldn't mind seeing it expanded with more recommendations and/or other age groups. That could be a cool article/thread with Seibertron staff recommendations. Maybe pair it with the year in review article?william-james88 wrote:"Holiday buyiers guide"
Anyway, cool concept! I like it
That's very kind of you Cary, I don't know if parents read this site much but in the off chance they do I wanted to help. I also want them to avoid buying other kid friendly TF toys that I know are not as good as this one. I can totally see this as a a kid,s cherished toy that could get him into more complex transformers when he gets older (as another nice big transforming T-rex toy did for little William).
About your idea of the concept, I could expand on it next year. Like pick for toy of the year from staff for age groups. I hate the alternative you get in the lobbied Toy of the Year lists at toysrus or Walmart where its basically just what is the big toy to spend most of your money on this year.
Posted by william-james88 on December 18th, 2019 @ 1:00pm CST
chuckdawg1999 wrote:Following up on Megatron is Bumblebee, while not as good as Megatron, it's probably the best deluxe class Bumblebee I've handled. My one complaint with the figure is that the wings can bump into the shoulder pads and limit arm articulation, small potatoes honestly as you can adjust things to your liking. Overall, this is a very, very solid figure and worth the purchase.
These toys have yet to be found at US retail, so if you find them, let us know!
Posted by no-one on December 18th, 2019 @ 1:25pm CST
I think a lot of the people here are parents Realistically I don't know how the site's google analytics work or how effective it is at getting non TF fans to visit. But I will say as a fairly informed TF fan that doesn't have kids (but has a nephew), it is a good source of info to get a quick recommendation for the younger audience. I'd have no idea what to recommend to a parent.william-james88 wrote:That's very kind of you Cary, I don't know if parents read this site much but in the off chance they do I wanted to help. I also want them to avoid buying other kid friendly TF toys that I know are not as good as this one. I can totally see this as a a kid,s cherished toy that could get him into more complex transformers when he gets older (as another nice big transforming T-rex toy did for little William).carytheone wrote:I really like the idea of a holiday buying guide and wouldn't mind seeing it expanded with more recommendations and/or other age groups. That could be a cool article/thread with Seibertron staff recommendations. Maybe pair it with the year in review article?william-james88 wrote:"Holiday buyiers guide"
Anyway, cool concept! I like it
About your idea of the concept, I could expand on it next year. Like pick for toy of the year from staff for age groups. I hate the alternative you get in the lobbied Toy of the Year lists at toysrus or Walmart where its basically just what is the big toy to spend most of your money on this year.
I enjoy reading the holiday buyers guides a lot of the video game sites put out. Sometimes you'll find a hidden gem you didn't even know existed.
Posted by Rysquad on December 18th, 2019 @ 1:32pm CST
Posted by aronjlove on December 18th, 2019 @ 2:12pm CST
william-james88 wrote:I can totally see this as a a kid,s cherished toy that could get him into more complex transformers when he gets older (as another nice big transforming T-rex toy did for little William).
This is why I love Transformers. The toys themselves encourage problem solving. Even if your method of solving the problem is finding a video on Youtube and follow along. As a computer guy, a lot of my job is find stuff on google and repeating lol.
Posted by D-Maximal_Primal on December 18th, 2019 @ 6:02pm CST
I also agree about the Ultimate Grimlock. That toy is fantastic, I love it. It is worth getting as the lone Cyberverse toy you ever get.
Posted by SiegeFan on December 18th, 2019 @ 6:18pm CST
william-james88 wrote:Sabrblade wrote:That Grimlock is the Ultimate Class, not the Ultra Class. Cyberverse Ultra Class toys are the roughly Voyager-sized ones like Alpha Trion.william-james88 wrote:Maybe we werent clear but these are not not just a little smaller than Ultra Class, they are A LOT smaller.
These new deluxes are the same size as the windblade in this image below, which is standing next to Ultra Class Grimlock.
Ah dammit, sorry siegedude! Well i can still salvage this. Ultra class would be as big as jetfire in the pic above and these new deluxes would be as big as windblade.
Absolutely confirms it for me, thank you!
Unfortunately it means they're insanely priced here in the UK at least.
Posted by ZeroWolf on December 18th, 2019 @ 6:27pm CST
Posted by william-james88 on December 18th, 2019 @ 6:58pm CST
SiegeFan wrote:william-james88 wrote:Sabrblade wrote:That Grimlock is the Ultimate Class, not the Ultra Class. Cyberverse Ultra Class toys are the roughly Voyager-sized ones like Alpha Trion.william-james88 wrote:Maybe we werent clear but these are not not just a little smaller than Ultra Class, they are A LOT smaller.
These new deluxes are the same size as the windblade in this image below, which is standing next to Ultra Class Grimlock.
Ah dammit, sorry siegedude! Well i can still salvage this. Ultra class would be as big as jetfire in the pic above and these new deluxes would be as big as windblade.
Absolutely confirms it for me, thank you!
Unfortunately it means they're insanely priced here in the UK at least.
Isnt it the same price as Siege deluxes and studio series deluxes?
Posted by SiegeFan on December 18th, 2019 @ 7:17pm CST
ZeroWolf wrote:Aren't they priced the same as Siege Deluxes though? Some of them are being sold in excess of £20 so that price for deluxe Cyberverse is right in line with the other lines. I mean if shops like Symths get them in, they'll likely go on sakeyat some point.
Most of my deluxes have been around £17 online from multiple stores, that's where I've bought almost all my deluxes. Even Smyths sell newer ones like Refraktor and Crosshairs for £17 (if you can find them), with voyagers hitting around £24 or under depending on age and availability.
Posted by SiegeFan on December 18th, 2019 @ 7:27pm CST
william-james88 wrote:Isnt it the same price as Siege deluxes and studio series deluxes?
IME...
Cyberverse Ultra Class = £20 RRP short of a sale
Siege Deluxes = £17 or thereabouts both online and in Smyths and the like
The Amazon £21 price isn't far from £23/24 Siege Voyagers, unfortunately. And that's only with the recent price increases across the whole IP. That's crazy for something that small, IMO.
And even Earthrise Voyagers have stayed around £22-24 pre-orders online and in stores.
Posted by ZeroWolf on December 19th, 2019 @ 3:59am CST
Posted by SiegeFan on December 19th, 2019 @ 6:58am CST
ZeroWolf wrote:I think you need to look at them more then just the size. Remember deluxe has a meaning beyond size. I think they're priced right. In a funny sense this is similar to the argument over Siege Astrotrain being voyager sized but sold at leader Class price point.
It's the whole shebang in my terms. Size and/or price together I'm not really fussed about, like I'll happily buy ER Cliffy, for instance.
But when I'm buying an entire line in all likelihood at £21 each and they're not as good as a more detailed (in every way) £17 Siege figure... It's incredibly tough to justify.
In this instance it comes down to sheer value and I just don't think these have it. At least the insane £20 for Ultra class figs gave you shelf presence even if construction was dire.
Posted by ZeroWolf on December 19th, 2019 @ 7:33am CST
Another factor is that Siege figures are actually underpriced from what the rrp is. Though I remember the days when we complained when the rrp was just £15. Ah economics you're a harsh mistress.
Posted by SiegeFan on December 19th, 2019 @ 7:59am CST
ZeroWolf wrote:Don't forget though that some of the plastic in the price goes to the build a figure parts as well, giving us the only figure of Maccadams we're going to get. Of course that's more of feature for fans of Cyberverse who know who macadam is of course
Another factor is that Siege figures are actually underpriced from what the rrp is. Though I remember the days when we complained when the rrp was just £15. Ah economics you're a harsh mistress.
I loved the first season of the show, thought S2 was nowhere near as focused (effectively another issue with the toys!), and really couldn't care about the bartender even as a completest lol
The price is whatever people are willing to pay. A Siege Deluxe just doesn't look impressive in a small box in a massive store, and I honestly don't rate the hype about plastic being expensive when they can include chunky painted BAF parts for free and are producing the most obscure characters in Marvel Legends, for instance. Who'll do nothing but warm pegs.
That's the reason the boxes are enormous for this new line relative to the figure. And my local Tesco can't even shift a Prime/Starscream Cyberverse 2 pack at £10 to the likes of an addict like me lol
Posted by autobot00 on December 19th, 2019 @ 1:39pm CST
Posted by no-one on December 19th, 2019 @ 1:43pm CST
Well, it's only as good as the vendor selling the items, so that's on Hasbro not Google. I've used Google Shopping once before and had no issue from some rando I've never heard of. Not sure if Google has your back if things go amiss.autobot00 wrote:Anyone on the fence about ordering from the google shopping, i got my package today that was expected monday. Pretty fast shipping.
Posted by D-Maximal_Primal on December 19th, 2019 @ 6:15pm CST
So far, they are not too bad! full confession: I would have only bought Bumblebee if it weren't for Maccadam. It's going to be agony waiting to finish him.
Bee is pretty sweet, I love the design, and there is some great paint work here.
Prime feels a bit light, but I love the paint and the gun.
Megatron is pretty good too. The cannon and head are pretty sweet, and I love the tank mode.
Shockwave is a bit weak, I don't like the hose and the lack of angry eye is saddening.
Posted by william-james88 on December 20th, 2019 @ 2:01pm CST
D-Maximal_Primal wrote:I have gone into the Cyberverse.
So far, they are not too bad! full confession: I would have only bought Bumblebee if it weren't for Maccadam. It's going to be agony waiting to finish him.
Bee is pretty sweet, I love the design, and there is some great paint work here.
Prime feels a bit light, but I love the paint and the gun.
Megatron is pretty good too. The cannon and head are pretty sweet, and I love the tank mode.
Shockwave is a bit weak, I don't like the hose and the lack of angry eye is saddening.
Yeah the paint on Bee and prime (and shockwave) is pretty great. As for shockwave, do you at least find him ot be the best cyberverse shockwave so far?
I ust got Bee yesterday and I think its a great toy. It's the deluxe Bee many fans were hoping for once upon a time but I think have lost interest now due to a reset in scale. I think it's the best deluxe bee we ever got, beating out classics, RID and even Prime. What do you think?
Posted by no-one on December 20th, 2019 @ 2:17pm CST
I'm incredulous. Surely you're not saying the first edition figure?william-james88 wrote:I think it's the best deluxe bee we ever got, beating out classics, RID and even Prime. What do you think?
Posted by william-james88 on December 20th, 2019 @ 2:35pm CST
carytheone wrote:I'm incredulous. Surely you're not saying the first edition figure?william-james88 wrote:I think it's the best deluxe bee we ever got, beating out classics, RID and even Prime. What do you think?
I am. I am also not sure. It does beat it out in articulation and I preffer the face sculpt. I also prefer the transformation.
Posted by no-one on December 20th, 2019 @ 2:45pm CST
Well well, now I feel like I need to get my hands on this new Bee in town. For me there are few retail figures that surpass the FE figures from Prime. I'm pretty biased though.william-james88 wrote:I am. I am also not sure. It does beat it out in articulation and I preffer the face sculpt. I also prefer the transformation.carytheone wrote:I'm incredulous. Surely you're not saying the first edition figure?william-james88 wrote:I think it's the best deluxe bee we ever got, beating out classics, RID and even Prime. What do you think?
Posted by chuckdawg1999 on December 20th, 2019 @ 5:13pm CST
Posted by D-Maximal_Primal on December 20th, 2019 @ 7:15pm CST
william-james88 wrote:Yeah the paint on Bee and prime (and shockwave) is pretty great. As for shockwave, do you at least find him ot be the best cyberverse shockwave so far?
I ust got Bee yesterday and I think its a great toy. It's the deluxe Bee many fans were hoping for once upon a time but I think have lost interest now due to a reset in scale. I think it's the best deluxe bee we ever got, beating out classics, RID and even Prime. What do you think?
He is the only Cyberverse Shockwave I have gotten, and that stupid hose sucks. That is holding him back for me. it is in the way.
Best Deluxe Bee? I would probably disagree, but only slightly. He is fantastic, but there are 1 or 2 movie Bees I would place over him.
Posted by william-james88 on December 21st, 2019 @ 9:20am CST
chuckdawg1999 wrote:Shockwave is a good deluxe figure but I feel it falls short when compared to Bumblebee and Megatron. My one big issue is the neon-pink rubber cable that connects the large cannon to the backpack; it's way too stiff out of the box and even after working it can still limit arm articulation. Overall, Shockwave is a solid purchase but I would recommend the other figures in the wave first.
chuckdawg1999 wrote:While I was hoping that Optimus Prime would be the best figure of the first four, it ends up falling somewhere in the middle due to incredibly loose joints that make a fun transformation finicky. The included Ion Blaster while small, features quite a bit of detail but I feel the Matrix is where the included blast effect will spend most of its time. Overall, this is a solid figure but not the home run that I was hoping for.
Posted by william-james88 on December 24th, 2019 @ 12:42pm CST
While this toy was found in Canada, we still have yet to see any of these toys in other countries, so if you find them, let us know.
Posted by chuckdawg1999 on December 24th, 2019 @ 1:02pm CST
Posted by Evil Eye on December 24th, 2019 @ 2:27pm CST
Posted by Wireless_Phantom on December 24th, 2019 @ 2:59pm CST
Posted by Sabrblade on December 24th, 2019 @ 3:29pm CST
Read the article.Black Hat wrote:Correct me if I'm wrong, but this totally-not-Lugnut is female, right? I can kinda dig the idea of Lugnut having a sister that turns into a tank. I'm not so keen on this figure, but still, cool concept.
Posted by Rogue-Primal on December 25th, 2019 @ 6:38am CST
I'm not sure about Trash Crash drone. Unless the is a way to securely lock the arms i might toss it into the garbage bin and find a suitable weapon for Grimlock.
Posted by william-james88 on December 25th, 2019 @ 8:46am CST
Rogue-Primal wrote:Does anyone know if spark armor Grimlock with Trash Crash is worth buying on discount. Only things i've noticed is that his robot mode is compact but his upper t-rex body seems rather thing and noticeable robot feet on his back?
I'm not sure about Trash Crash drone. Unless the is a way to securely lock the arms i might toss it into the garbage bin and find a suitable weapon for Grimlock.
I dont like thst the armour is spring loaded. The base toy is ok but lacks important articulation points. I returned mine.
Posted by chuckdawg1999 on December 25th, 2019 @ 11:52am CST
Rogue-Primal wrote:Does anyone know if spark armor Grimlock with Trash Crash is worth buying on discount. Only things i've noticed is that his robot mode is compact but his upper t-rex body seems rather thing and noticeable robot feet on his back?
I'm not sure about Trash Crash drone. Unless the is a way to securely lock the arms i might toss it into the garbage bin and find a suitable weapon for Grimlock.
I really dig the set. Grimlock has a unique transformation, it always impresses me how Hasbro can find a new way to go from Dinosaur to robot. The garbage truck can be fiddly if you don't know how it locks into place.
Posted by leokearon on December 26th, 2019 @ 11:31am CST
Courtsey of Peaugh's twitter account: https://twitter.com/Peaugh
Cyberverse Quintession with Shockwave and Prowl pack. The Quintession has a rotating head gimmick and Prowl and Shockwave have helmets (possibly to brainwash them)
https://twitter.com/i/status/1210233884547436549
Posted by aronjlove on December 26th, 2019 @ 12:43pm CST
leokearon wrote:
Courtsey of Peaugh's twitter account: https://twitter.com/Peaugh
Cyberverse Quintession with Shockwave and Prowl pack. The Quintession has a rotating head gimmick and Prowl and Shockwave have helmets (possibly to brainwash them)
https://twitter.com/i/status/1210233884547436549
Just saw the tweet and was going to post it as well. I wonder if this is related to the Quintesson rumors that popped up in the Earthrise thread. I may have to pick this up!
Posted by Bounti76 on December 26th, 2019 @ 1:04pm CST
It doesn't appear to be a Target exclusive, and is showing up at retail right now, despite never being officially confirmed or shown at any show or convention.
So are you going to try and find this pack? Excited to have another Quintesson figure after 14 years? Let us know what you think below, and please report your sightings in your local sightings pages to help your fellow collectors.
Posted by Stormshot_Prime on December 26th, 2019 @ 3:51pm CST
Posted by chuckdawg1999 on December 26th, 2019 @ 4:34pm CST
Posted by LordBludgeon on December 26th, 2019 @ 5:14pm CST
chuckdawg1999 wrote:As an aside, Shockwave and Prowl look like the Spark Armor figures.
That's because they are. ;')
Posted by blackeyedprime on December 26th, 2019 @ 5:54pm CST
Posted by Wireless_Phantom on December 26th, 2019 @ 6:36pm CST
Posted by MeGrimlockKing2018 on December 27th, 2019 @ 1:26am CST
Posted by frogbat on December 27th, 2019 @ 7:12am CST