Top 5 Best Transformers Toys Redecos

Sunday, September 6th, 2020 11:28AM CDT

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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 our opinions so what matters most is what you guys think of the topic or list, and I hope to see your own lists or comments on omissions and ranking. Let's have fun! All previous lists can be found here.

Top 5 Best Transformers Redecos

Redecos are very common within the Transformers brand. We've had them since the very beginning and the initial batch of the G2 line was mainly all about that. Every once in a while though, we are given a truly ridiculously awesome redeco and those are the ones I am looking at today. Some of these do also sport some slight retooling, like new heads, but some are just straight redecos with nothing changed aside from the colours.

5. Transformers Convention & Club Exclusives Shattered Glass Thundercracker

I don't often put club exclusives on these lists, but a list without this Thundercracker just wouldn't feel the same. It's a wonderful homage to the ridiculous colours found on Action Master Thundercracker.

4. Transformers Prime: Robots In Disguise Dead End

This redeco came out of nowhere and it sure ain't your G1 Dead End. This is probably the loudest colour scheme I have ever seen and that new head with the light piping in the mouth just adds to how insane the look of this toy is. Insane in a good way of course.

3. Transformers Cybertron Cannonball

Cannonball is a pirate themed Transformer and this redeco goes to town with that idea. The face deco is meanto to simulate and eye patch and there are skeletons "airbrushed" on the roof and two sides. While that is of course a reference to the Jolly Roger iconography, the fact that they are fluorescent on a black station wagon also gives it a 70s black light poster look which I just think is awesome.

2. Transformers Cybertron Longrack

I still can't believe this is a thing that happened. We had an excavator Transformer in the Armada line and it was repainted into Longrack with a nice new head (and other slight modifications to make it work with the Cybertron line). Longrack was a transforming Giraffe from the Japanese Beast Wars animated show and this was the first time that character had a toy released in the west.

1. G2 Combiners

These redecos are RAD!!!! They scream pure 90s as loud as can be possible. What I love most though are the Combiner Wars redecos which give us the best rendition of these crazy colours. We finally have a G2 Menasor that everyone can own and we finally have a G2 Superion whose gold plastic arm doesn't shatter. I really love the attention to detail on these redecos, like that lovely multicoloured tampograph on Wildrider.

Transformers Generation 2 Bruticus Gallery

Transformers Generations Combiner Wars Superion Gallery

Transformers Generations Combiner Wars Menasor Gallery

Transformers Generations Combiner Wars Brake-Neck Gallery

Transformers Generations Combiner Wars Motormaster Gallery

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Re: Top 5 Best Transformers Toys Redecos (2079196)
Posted by Decepticon Stryker on September 6th, 2020 @ 11:54am CDT

One figure I'd personally add would be the Cybertron 2 pack Starscream. That blood-red color scheme is really cool, and definitely makes him stand out among other Starscream figures.

r_cybertronstarscream113.jpg

r_cybertronstarscream030.jpg

Also, regarding G2 color schemes:

AlienatedIndolentBaiji-small.gif

Re: Top 5 Best Transformers Toys Redecos (2079199)
Posted by Black Bumblebee on September 6th, 2020 @ 12:42pm CDT

Glad to see Prime Dead End on this list--he's pretty darn cool and so different that he feels like a completely different figure from Wheeljack.

Some of my favorite recolors are:

1. Brave Max (yeah, I chose him over Grand Max).
2. SG Galvatron (from Evac)
3. Universe Rat Bat (from Sideways)
4. Cryotek (from BW TM Megatron)
5. Rumble from Frenzy (the one that started it all lol)

Re: Top 5 Best Transformers Toys Redecos (2079206)
Posted by o.supreme on September 6th, 2020 @ 1:53pm CDT

Still waiting for CW G2 Defensor :-(

Re: Top 5 Best Transformers Toys Redecos (2079211)
Posted by Bounti76 on September 6th, 2020 @ 2:32pm CDT

o.supreme wrote:Still waiting for CW G2 Defensor

You and me both! It's very puzzling how they'd release G2 Menasor and not the G2 Protectobots.

Re: Top 5 Best Transformers Toys Redecos (2079212)
Posted by Gauntlet101010 on September 6th, 2020 @ 2:43pm CDT

It's probably since they can pair off Superion against the Stunticons, but have nobody to pair off against the Protectobots.

Plus those sets can be pricy.

I think Classics AM Thundercracker is my favourite "loud" deco. But Classics G2 Ramjet is also striking.

Re: Top 5 Best Transformers Toys Redecos (2079226)
Posted by o.supreme on September 6th, 2020 @ 4:02pm CDT

Gauntlet101010 wrote:It's probably since they can pair off Superion against the Stunticons, but have nobody to pair off against the Protectobots.

Combaticons/Bruticus are the Protectabots rivals. And we have them for G2

Re: Top 5 Best Transformers Toys Redecos (2079239)
Posted by Jeddostotle7 on September 6th, 2020 @ 5:31pm CDT

The G2 combiners (both the originals and the Combiner Wars homages) are fantastic, and definitely deserve that top spot on the list, though I also love all the other entries.

But... now I'm reminded how the Combiner Wars G2 Menasor's deco wasn't based on the actual original unreleased toys themselves, but on someone's digibash of the Combiner Wars Stunticons in G2 colors, which was in turn based on someone's custom repaint of the G1 Stunticons in G2 colors, which had a few errors. None of them are really a problem for me... except for the fact that they made Breakdown, the most loud and eyesearing of the whole team whose color scheme is supposed to be teal, pink, and gold... teal, purple, and silver, which takes way too much of the painful clashing edge off. It's even more baffling that that happened when Breakdown is the one who's had several homages actually released over the years, in the correct colors.

I'm still excessively annoyed about that.

Re: Top 5 Best Transformers Toys Redecos (2079241)
Posted by Deadput on September 6th, 2020 @ 5:36pm CDT

Prime Dead End was such a beaut, glad to see him on this list.

I think he's designed after the ROTF version as a "creepy vampire" guy which is why he has such a wild-head sculpt, he's probably the character I wanted to see the most on Prime back when the show was on (and when I still had optimism for it)

Re: Top 5 Best Transformers Toys Redecos (2079248)
Posted by Sammythekat on September 6th, 2020 @ 8:26pm CDT

Personally, i'd like to nominate all the weird redecos from the movie lines in a slot
they all weirdly appeal to me, but probably the one that appeals the most is the one i still have right now; HftD Jetblade

something about this colorscheme just works for me

Re: Top 5 Best Transformers Toys Redecos (2079253)
Posted by Rodimus Prime on September 6th, 2020 @ 8:41pm CDT

o.supreme wrote:Still waiting for CW G2 Defensor

Couldn't he be cobbled together out of Inferno and some of the limbs that weren't originally combiners? Wouldn't be spot-on, but it would be better than nothing. And I also like Brave Max better than Grand Max deco-wise.

Re: Top 5 Best Transformers Toys Redecos (2079314)
Posted by blackeyedprime on September 7th, 2020 @ 6:46am CDT

I'd love for something with zany colors to be my no.1 or even something that works so well on all levels but it isn't.

No.1 Takara Legends Blurr compared to the hasbro titans return version they can't even be compared thanks to Hasbros just being so dull.

No.2 It probably isn't no.2 at all but just for the list of things that should not work on transformers -flesh colored paint and stockings. Chun Li Arcee.

No.3 The action master classics Thrust/Ramjet duo I like both evenly and sadly have neither.

No.4 Countless MP10 Prime repaints especially Ghostbusters and Neon Genesis but even weird BAPE colors, it's hard to not like any repaint of him.

No.5 Going to cheat and just put Baynus line of repaints. Some made the characters that look nothing like the characters look like the characters and or into something interesting/different and a lot of them were available at retail rather than exclusives.

Honorable mention, Netflix Hotlink the deco and complete changing of awkward battle splash damage works so well.

Probably too many repaints to even be just a top five list (I love Evac decos like Shattered Glass Galvatron/Springer/Blades or even Baynus Blackout into evac).

Prime Dead end always just seemed meh to me, like the Prime Bee painted into hotshot, more unneeded than cool. Cybertron Longrack is awesome but loses just enough points for not being painted like a giraffe to be out of my tops(I walked down a wrong turn somewhere in Japan and found a crane painted like a giraffe so Cybertron Longrack has no excuse).

Re: Top 5 Best Transformers Toys Redecos (2079329)
Posted by Tuned Agent on September 7th, 2020 @ 9:53am CDT

Interesting list! I definitely agree about Cannonball, it's my favorite use of that mold.

But is any list of best redecos complete without Murderbee? I don't think so.

Re: Top 5 Best Transformers Toys Redecos (2079330)
Posted by -Kanrabat- on September 7th, 2020 @ 10:10am CDT

This list should have been a top 10 for the sheer ammount of redecoes available.

No matter the ranking, Convention Club's Flamewars is one of the best repaints ever made. Being a straight repaint of Beast Hunters deluxe Arcee, Flamewars became her own character and is one of the best fembot toy out there.

Transformers Convention & Club Exclusives Flamewar Gallery

Re: Top 5 Best Transformers Toys Redecos (2079340)
Posted by TulioDude on September 7th, 2020 @ 11:56am CDT

Shout-out to the Armada Powerlinxs redecos.

Re: Top 5 Best Transformers Toys Redecos (2079409)
Posted by RacerCheetor on September 7th, 2020 @ 5:34pm CDT

It will be a top repainted with bright colors. :lol:

Re: Top 5 Best Transformers Toys Redecos (2079413)
Posted by D-Maximal_Primal on September 7th, 2020 @ 5:53pm CDT

I feel like Galaxy Force Optimus Prime from Cybertron deserves to be on this list, that is a great repaint. Same with leader Nightwatch Optimus Prime from the Allspark power line. Both of those are great!

Re: Top 5 Best Transformers Toys Redecos (2079425)
Posted by william-james88 on September 7th, 2020 @ 7:25pm CDT

RacerCheetor wrote:It will be a top repainted with bright colors.

I guess it did turn out that way. Not intentional but I guess those brighter colours caught my eye more.

-Kanrabat- wrote:This list should have been a top 10 for the sheer ammount of redecoes available.

And that's exactly why I preferred keeping it a top 5. With a top ten, I am far more likely to ruffle some feathers if someone's personal favourite gets left out. But with only five, your personal favourite could be number 6. And because there are so many, even a top 10 wouldnt cover one's favourite. So 5 was the best way to launch this fun discussion we are having.

Tuned Agent wrote:Interesting list! I definitely agree about Cannonball, it's my favorite use of that mold.

But is any list of best redecos complete without Murderbee? I don't think so.

That's an amazing redeco, thanks for bringing it up!

blackeyedprime wrote:No.1 Takara Legends Blurr compared to the hasbro titans return version they can't even be compared thanks to Hasbros just being so dull.

I love that Blurr, but calling it a redeco is a slippery slope I didn't want to go down. Takara and Hasbro (used to) release their own versions for their own market. Neither are a redeco of one another. How do you even establish which one is a redeco? Why wouldn't Hasbro's Blurr be a redeco of Takara's? I'd rather not confuse that with the more obvious idea of what a redeco is.

Cybertron Longrack is awesome but loses just enough points for not being painted like a giraffe to be out of my tops(I walked down a wrong turn somewhere in Japan and found a crane painted like a giraffe so Cybertron Longrack has no excuse).

Aha! And that is exactly why he gains points with me. I am glad you think he is awesome and if you don't mind, I will try to make him even more awesome. I see this more in line with the Con exclusives people have spent a ridiculous amount of money on (like Tigatron below). He is the vehicle equivalent of his beast mode, owning that vehicle mode just as well as he owns the giraffe mode. You could either imagine it as another earth mode, where he must conceal himself, or as his mode on Cybertron ala the rest of the 2006 Botcon crew, where this is what he was before he even knew what giraffes were. And he gravitated towards the Giraffe alt mode because it was similar to what he had before. I prefer it much more when the vehicle is in theme with the vehicle mode colour wise rather than just doing the entire animal theme on the vehicle. Because then, why not just give us the actual animal mode at hat point? Anyways, that's why I like that Longrack so much.

Re: Top 5 Best Transformers Toys Redecos (2079464)
Posted by RK_Striker_JK_5 on September 8th, 2020 @ 3:33am CDT

Holy cow! I never knew about that Armada Long Rack! :shock:

I gotta be honest. i always found most of the G2 color schemes to be eye-searing in a bad way. Which makes me an admitted hypocrite since I love TF:Prime Dead End. I think it's the new head he got that helped win me over.

Re: Top 5 Best Transformers Toys Redecos (2079465)
Posted by PerfectVision on September 8th, 2020 @ 3:48am CDT

RK_Striker_JK_5 wrote:Holy cow! I never knew about that Armada Long Rack!

I gotta be honest. i always found most of the G2 color schemes to be eye-searing in a bad way. Which makes me an admitted hypocrite since I love TF:Prime Dead End. I think it's the new head he got that helped win me over.

An ugly small head with exactly the same color from behind.I like none of the redecos for this mold.

Maybe this list should precisely target an era.

Re: Top 5 Best Transformers Toys Redecos (2079466)
Posted by blackeyedprime on September 8th, 2020 @ 3:48am CDT

william-james88 wrote:
blackeyedprime wrote:No.1 Takara Legends Blurr compared to the hasbro titans return version they can't even be compared thanks to Hasbros just being so dull.

I love that Blurr, but calling it a redeco is a slippery slope I didn't want to go down. Takara and Hasbro (used to) release their own versions for their own market. Neither are a redeco of one another. How do you even establish which one is a redeco? Why wouldn't Hasbro's Blurr be a redeco of Takara's? I'd rather not confuse that with the more obvious idea of what a redeco is.

Cybertron Longrack is awesome but loses just enough points for not being painted like a giraffe to be out of my tops(I walked down a wrong turn somewhere in Japan and found a crane painted like a giraffe so Cybertron Longrack has no excuse).

Aha! And that is exactly why he gains points with me. I am glad you think he is awesome and if you don't mind, I will try to make him even more awesome. I see this more in line with the Con exclusives people have spent a ridiculous amount of money on (like Tigatron below). He is the vehicle equivalent of his beast mode, owning that vehicle mode just as well as he owns the giraffe mode. You could either imagine it as another earth mode, where he must conceal himself, or as his mode on Cybertron ala the rest of the 2006 Botcon crew, where this is what he was before he even knew what giraffes were. And he gravitated towards the Giraffe alt mode because it was similar to what he had before. I prefer it much more when the vehicle is in theme with the vehicle mode colour wise rather than just doing the entire animal theme on the vehicle. Because then, why not just give us the actual animal mode at hat point? Anyways, that's why I like that Longrack so much.

With Blurr I guess it would be down to release date who is the redeco, that or best out of three rock paper scissors

For Long Rack I can't give it those bonus points with the previous figures use being armada hoist/beast wars Dinobot homage. Longrack chooses a vehicle that makes sense where as hoist decides to be a raptor and badass. Definitely a cheaper way to get beastwars figures in cybertronian modes rather than the wallet killing exclusives.

Re: Top 5 Best Transformers Toys Redecos (2079472)
Posted by Gauntlet101010 on September 8th, 2020 @ 6:35am CDT

I think Longrack doesn't quite fit because this seems to be a list of top LOUD recolors. And he's kind of the only one who isn't very loud.

I also feel like grouping the G2 combiners as a whole is cheating somewhat. There's so many entries possible here from the G2 originals to WFC Bruticus to the CW versions. I mean ... if it had to be narrowed to just ONE combined form from just ONE line, which would it be? For me it's probably be the CW G2 Menasor since I like the overall darker colorscheme. Plus I like modern figures more than G1 so there's that too.

Re: Top 5 Best Transformers Toys Redecos (2079476)
Posted by joevill on September 8th, 2020 @ 9:22am CDT

That 'Shattered Glass' Thundercracker is so hot!

Re: Top 5 Best Transformers Toys Redecos (2079479)
Posted by william-james88 on September 8th, 2020 @ 9:46am CDT

blackeyedprime wrote:For Long Rack I can't give it those bonus points with the previous figures use being armada hoist/beast wars Dinobot homage. Longrack chooses a vehicle that makes sense where as hoist decides to be a raptor and badass. Definitely a cheaper way to get beastwars figures in cybertronian modes rather than the wallet killing exclusives.

Fun fact, the Dinobot redeco came out after Longrack.

Re: Top 5 Best Transformers Toys Redecos (2079489)
Posted by blackeyedprime on September 8th, 2020 @ 11:19am CDT

william-james88 wrote:
blackeyedprime wrote:For Long Rack I can't give it those bonus points with the previous figures use being armada hoist/beast wars Dinobot homage. Longrack chooses a vehicle that makes sense where as hoist decides to be a raptor and badass. Definitely a cheaper way to get beastwars figures in cybertronian modes rather than the wallet killing exclusives.

Fun fact, the Dinobot redeco came out after Longrack.

To me Armada Hoist originally had Dinobot influenced head/legs even before the botcon dinobot repaint. Not sure why it wasnt called Grimlock over Hoist as he had already been a construction vehicle in car robots and it would have suited the vehicle more.

Re: Top 5 Best Transformers Toys Redecos (2079530)
Posted by Windsweeper on September 8th, 2020 @ 1:14pm CDT

Interesting choices.

My top 5 repaints would be:

5. Robotmasters Mirage
4. Takara Legends Blurr
3. ROTF Nightbeat
2. Siege Redwing
1. Armada Thundercracker

Re: Top 5 Best Transformers Toys Redecos (2079816)
Posted by Ultra Markus on September 11th, 2020 @ 12:14am CDT

i liked the flashy metallic paint job on the G2 minibots

Re: Top 5 Best Transformers Toys Redecos (2079820)
Posted by Emerje on September 11th, 2020 @ 12:59am CDT

I mean:

As far as I'm concerned no other repaint has been more important to Transformers as a franchise, aside from maybe Ultra Magnus. This is the guy that set the standard with red windows and teal highlights (the G1 JAFCON exclusive from the same year lacked theses traits). I love Scourge/Nemesis Prime repaints and this is the guy that kept them from being simple black figures.

Emerje

Re: Top 5 Best Transformers Toys Redecos (2079901)
Posted by Rogue-Primal on September 12th, 2020 @ 6:39am CDT

I don't have him but i wish i did. The blue redeco of 2007 Ironhide. It looks a lot like G2 Gobot minifigure Motormouth.

Re: Top 5 Best Transformers Toys Redecos (2081521)
Posted by Evil Eye on September 25th, 2020 @ 9:58am CDT

I'd be tempted to add Energon Sixshot myself, looking as he does like the G2 Shockwave we never got. I wish the Shockwave that came with G2 Bruticus had been coloured like him.

Re: Top 5 Best Transformers Toys Redecos (2081523)
Posted by Overcracker on September 25th, 2020 @ 10:17am CDT

Emerje wrote:I mean:

As far as I'm concerned no other repaint has been more important to Transformers as a franchise, aside from maybe Ultra Magnus. This is the guy that set the standard with red windows and teal highlights (the G1 JAFCON exclusive from the same year lacked theses traits). I love Scourge/Nemesis Prime repaints and this is the guy that kept them from being simple black figures.

Emerje

Scourge is a great repaint. But more so because of the backstory associated with him from R.I.D Car Robots. Yes I own that figure after many years of searching for one at a decent price. But the figure itself is still so good, I was tempted to get the Year of the Goat version.

Re: Top 5 Best Transformers Toys Redecos (2082985)
Posted by PerfectVision on October 7th, 2020 @ 8:25am CDT

Maybe i would have liked a Sunstreaker deco for Wheeljack.

"CRAZY DECOS ONLY"

Heuuuu,i don't know ,in my collection:the craziest is Megatron sharkticon,the mix of brown and pink can also be found on the broodlords from STARCRAFT.

Re: Top 5 Best Transformers Toys Redecos (2085119)
Posted by bacem on October 24th, 2020 @ 11:38am CDT

It feels like we haven't got new top lists for a while. Is it postponed, or discontinued?

Re: Top 5 Best Transformers Toys Redecos (2085154)
Posted by Nemesis Destron on October 24th, 2020 @ 4:51pm CDT

[center]

I felt this guy is a worthy mention, well at least I think! :-P

Re: Top 5 Best Transformers Toys Redecos (2085206)
Posted by william-james88 on October 25th, 2020 @ 6:30pm CDT

bacem wrote:It feels like we haven't got new top lists for a while. Is it postponed, or discontinued?

I ran out of all the ones that I had in the bank and have been very busy with all sorts of stuff. They will come back when I can finish some more.

Re: Top 5 Best Transformers Toys Redecos (2085207)
Posted by bacem on October 25th, 2020 @ 6:53pm CDT

william-james88 wrote:
bacem wrote:It feels like we haven't got new top lists for a while. Is it postponed, or discontinued?

I ran out of all the ones that I had in the bank and have been very busy with all sorts of stuff. They will come back when I can finish some more.

Ah, Good to know. Thanks

Re: Top 5 Best Transformers Toys Redecos (2085976)
Posted by ZeldaTheSwordsman on November 3rd, 2020 @ 4:49pm CST

Decepticon Stryker wrote:One figure I'd personally add would be the Cybertron 2 pack Starscream. That blood-red color scheme is really cool, and definitely makes him stand out among other Starscream figures.

r_cybertronstarscream113.jpg

r_cybertronstarscream030.jpg

Eh. The Thrust-esque color scheme looks cool and all, but it was massively show-inaccurate. Hasbro did that on purpose - they wanted to make the Official OSKO that is Supreme-class Starscream more attractive, so they only sold the Voyager Starscream in that 2-pack and gave him an inaccurate color scheme to boot. They also changed Overhaul and Jetfire's keys from the correct Cybertron-style to Jungle and Earth, respectively.