Top 5 Mass Shifting Transformers Toys
Sunday, September 30th, 2018 8:09PM CDT
Categories: Site Articles, Editorials, Top ListsPosted by: Va'al Views: 63,790
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Taking over from william-james88 for this session, I thought about turning our attention to one of the weirdest and least explainable (until Simon Furman in IDW) features of the Transformers lore: mass shifting. Tinkering with some of the figures below, I pitched the idea to the resident listicler - what are the best toys that change size drastically between modes, faithfully and painstakingly representing the mass-shifting quirk in plastic? It took us some thinking, as we kept running short at 3-4, but we may have cracked it, and we're spanning a lot of lines, too!
5. ROTF Wheelie
Is this a good figure? No. Does it conjure up good memories? No. But it is part of the best toy line from the live-action movie series (so far) and it does a fantastic job at starting from an admittedly hefty remote controlled car, to become almost Voyager scary nightmare of a spiky robot. The actual class? Deluxe. But don't remind him.
That said, the robot mode is also nightmarishly lanky and spindly, and carries a lot of the issues of the live-action designs in its feet, limbs, and general... everything, so I wouldn't exactly recommend tracking it down at this stage.
4. MP Hot Rod
As big as the smaller cars in the Masterpiece line - though not the smallest - the second iteration of the Captain Rodimus/Hot Rod compacts a towering robot into the speedy, flashy, flamey douche we all love to hate. Despite still being a little too big to make it into the Ultra Magnus trailer in play-mode, it's small enough to look positively tiny compared to its previous figure, and not that much bigger than the original!
But switch to robot mode, and you have something really much larger, in comparison. It does fit nicely with the likes of Ultra Magnus and Optimus Prime, but may annoy some fans in its comparison to, say, the Datsun clones or the Lambor army. You do get fishing equipment included though, so your Rod can hold a rod - rodception.
3. RID/TAV Thunderhoof
We've all heard the tale: Tiny Tractor Turns into Toweringly Tall roboT. That's what you get with Robots in Disguise Thunderhoof, at least when compared to other Deluxes Warrior class figures in the same line. Not only is it a great little farming vehicle (one of the very few, if not the only one), adorably blue, and plodding along in the fields.
But as soon as you unfold every single part of the vehicle into its limb configurations -- hoo boy, do you have a tall, dark, and handsome, mean lookin robit. He towers over several of his class in the RID line, and is probably the first or second best of the entire run (Bisk/Thermidor is somewhere in there too), and he's just *so* different in size between the two modes, you might almost not even notice how hollow he has to be to pull that off.
2. Prime FE Bulkhead
Voyager class, bulky but relatively compact green SUV, complete with wrecking ball port on the back, limited release in the First Edition wave, and extortionate secondary market prices. Bulkhead is a mean, green, looming, booming machine.
From that Wreckin' ball, you get a baller Wrecker - something later canonised in the IDW comics too, as the last generation of the team before it's disbanded entirely - which may not make up for the size in height, but it is *hefty* all round, and sacrifices nothing for its look. Who says round can't be intimidating?
1. ROTF/Animated Lockdown
I placed both on here, as the Revenge of the Fallen figure is a stellar piece of work, and based on its cartoon counterpart - but Animated is the real star of the show, as the first entry onto the toy scene. The class? Deluxe. And the vehicle mode does a good job of keeping it at that, nice and tidy in its spiky green and black murder muscle car.
The robot mode, however, is HUGE. Like, super tall, almost Voyager scale, and without any hollow or thin or particularly lanky parts, as the aesthetic of the show and toyline allowed for proportions to work their way with stronger lower limbs and looming hunches. In Lockdown's case, it was also super fitting.
Honourable mentions:
- MP Soundwave/Soundblaster
- Cybertron Primus
- Universe Unicron
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Posted by EvasionModeBumblebee on September 30th, 2018 @ 9:27pm CDT
If I had to pick one to add to the list it’d be SS Blackout, going from a relatively short robot mode (for a leader) to a gigantic MH-53.
Posted by LE0KING on September 30th, 2018 @ 10:06pm CDT
Posted by Flashwave on September 30th, 2018 @ 10:09pm CDT
And its totally a perfect example of Toy Mass shifting. So is Animated Lockdown, although I don’t agree with Bulkhead. He stillfeels like a Voyager (Or Ultra Class) in bth modes. Thunderhoof DOES compact down, but he doesn’t really feel like he does it the way Wheelie and Lockdown do. At risk of duplicating characters, I would probably have also put the RTS version of Lockdown on there
Posted by william-james88 on September 30th, 2018 @ 10:12pm CDT
Flashwave wrote:And its totally a perfect example of Toy Mass shifting. So is Animated Lockdown, although I don’t agree with Bulkhead. He stillfeels like a Voyager (Or Ultra Class) in bth modes. Thunderhoof DOES compact down, but he doesn’t really feel like he does it the way Wheelie and Lockdown do. At risk of duplicating characters, I would probably have also put the RTS version of Lockdown on there
How would you rank lockdown vs another?
Posted by notsoalex on September 30th, 2018 @ 10:32pm CDT
Posted by jasonwilty on September 30th, 2018 @ 11:25pm CDT
Posted by ZeroWolf on October 1st, 2018 @ 2:15am CDT
Posted by Carnivius_Prime on October 1st, 2018 @ 3:22am CDT
"But it is part of the best toy line from the live-action movie series (so far) " Nah, I far prefer Studio Series even just by the fact I've been much more addicted to buying figures from it and it covers the movies as a whole rather than just that one.
Posted by Va'al on October 1st, 2018 @ 3:33am CDT
Flashwave wrote:And its totally a perfect example of Toy Mass shifting. So is Animated Lockdown, although I don’t agree with Bulkhead. He stillfeels like a Voyager (Or Ultra Class) in bth modes. Thunderhoof DOES compact down, but he doesn’t really feel like he does it the way Wheelie and Lockdown do. At risk of duplicating characters, I would probably have also put the RTS version of Lockdown on there
I mean, the Bulkhead I used as an example was the Prime one, rather than Animated, for that very reason! The SUV is small compared to any other Voyager figure' alt-mode, but the robot is, well, bulky.
The reason I didn't put in two Lockdowns was to give a bit more variety to the designs, trying to fit in more than one line.
LE0KING wrote:I'd have to put evasion mode prime on this list. His truck mode is tiny compared to the robot. Same with rotf lockdown.
That's an interesting choice, and one I hadn't really considered for the list, despite being one of the few figures I actually own and love.
Though looking at it with other sizes, it's not too far off from a Voyager truck, it's just all compacted into the cabin, I think.
"But it is part of the best toy line from the live-action movie series (so far) " Nah, I far prefer Studio Series even just by the fact I've been much more addicted to buying figures from it and it covers the movies as a whole rather than just that one.
Also, additional note for full clarity: this list was created before Studio Series was fully available, and does not consider the latest additions to the toy roster we've got in this past season!
Posted by ZeroWolf on October 1st, 2018 @ 3:38am CDT
Posted by Va'al on October 1st, 2018 @ 4:19am CDT
ZeroWolf wrote:So would you change your list when considering studio series?
Potentially, but there's a well known reason why I don't usually weigh in on toys.
Posted by Dr. Caelus on October 1st, 2018 @ 6:56am CDT
Posted by Emerje on October 1st, 2018 @ 7:28am CDT
Little rocket carrier turns into a massive bot mode, both height and width thanks to to the way he unfolds in all four directions.
Emerje
Posted by ScottyP on October 1st, 2018 @ 7:35am CDT
Just because you're actually sane and don't own hundreds/thousands of Transformers? I would respect your toy opinions regardlessVa'al wrote:ZeroWolf wrote:So would you change your list when considering studio series?
Potentially, but there's a well known reason why I don't usually weigh in on toys.
On the list, well done! Very agreed on Wheelie, he's a fun one. RotF Jetfire is an example of a big alt mode with a much smaller bot by comparison. The blackbird is huge, but Jetfire himself is just a regular, slightly short Leader Class figure by 2009 Leader standards.
Posted by Va'al on October 1st, 2018 @ 8:51am CDT
ScottyP wrote:On the list, well done! Very agreed on Wheelie, he's a fun one. RotF Jetfire is an example of a big alt mode with a much smaller bot by comparison. The blackbird is huge, but Jetfire himself is just a regular, slightly short Leader Class figure by 2009 Leader standards.
The reverse mass shifting didn't even cross my mind, actually. That would be a fun follow up list..!
Posted by william-james88 on October 1st, 2018 @ 9:08am CDT
Va'al wrote:ZeroWolf wrote:So would you change your list when considering studio series?
Potentially, but there's a well known reason why I don't usually weigh in on toys.
That's what I am here for. And I can say that if there was anything on studio series worth being there, it would be. But there isnt. Not yet.
And I am not alone in still thinking that ROTF is the best movie line. Studio Series is far from amazing. It retreads a lot of transformations and designs we have seen before in AOE and DOTM, two lines that were inferior to ROTF. Plus, when it comes to the Bumblebees which make up a large number of this line, both molds are deeply flawed in the aspect that one's mileage may vary.
In short, the studio series line still has ways to go before it can be considered on the same footing as ROTF and it might never get there since many toys are stuff we have seen before or simply repaints. And it doest even own up to its own ideals of being full based on what we saw onscreen, at least not anymore.
Posted by ScottyP on October 1st, 2018 @ 9:46am CDT
You're not wrong, it's just not on immediate recall as some great thing due to all those outside factors.
Posted by Rodimus Knight on October 1st, 2018 @ 12:29pm CDT
I always wondered where all the hate for this character comes from.
In the movie as Hot Rod he's a brash young autobot, but doesn't come off as annoying like so many others of the type do. He does end up as a shield for Megatron in the final battle though.
In the comics as Rodimus he was well treated, but in the Animation, well, The writers themselves said they were mad that they were asked to kill off so many previous characters, and they did a terrible job writing Rodimus in Season 3. They couldn't even stay consistent with the age he acted. So it was bad writing there.
Still I never really understood the hate he seems to get from people
Posted by william-james88 on October 1st, 2018 @ 1:47pm CDT
Rodimus Knight wrote:"Rodimus/Hot Rod compacts a towering robot into the speedy, flashy, flamey douche we all love to hate"
I always wondered where all the hate for this character comes from.
He is the reason Optimus is dead. Kup told him to stay out of it, should have listened.
Posted by Va'al on October 1st, 2018 @ 3:28pm CDT
Rodimus Knight wrote:"Rodimus/Hot Rod compacts a towering robot into the speedy, flashy, flamey douche we all love to hate"
I always wondered where all the hate for this character comes from.
In the movie as Hot Rod he's a brash young autobot, but doesn't come off as annoying like so many others of the type do. He does end up as a shield for Megatron in the final battle though.
In the comics as Rodimus he was well treated, but in the Animation, well, The writers themselves said they were mad that they were asked to kill off so many previous characters, and they did a terrible job writing Rodimus in Season 3. They couldn't even stay consistent with the age he acted. So it was bad writing there.
Still I never really understood the hate he seems to get from people
I was obviously being affectionate. Clearly. Of course.
(still a douche, even if loveable)
Posted by Deadput on October 1st, 2018 @ 4:18pm CDT
Anyways this list has quite the mass to it eh?
Posted by D-Maximal_Primal on October 1st, 2018 @ 5:13pm CDT
kinda hard looking at my collection to add any that haven't been named already! Doubledealer and Jetfire are great examples of doing this list backwards in ideas I agree!
Posted by william-james88 on October 1st, 2018 @ 6:20pm CDT
Posted by Dr. Caelus on October 1st, 2018 @ 7:45pm CDT
william-james88 wrote:Rodimus Knight wrote:"Rodimus/Hot Rod compacts a towering robot into the speedy, flashy, flamey douche we all love to hate"
I always wondered where all the hate for this character comes from.
He is the reason Optimus is dead. Kup told him to stay out of it, should have listened.
Having just watched the movie on the big screen for the first time, I'm no longer sure I believe that.
Posted by william-james88 on October 1st, 2018 @ 7:55pm CDT
Caelus wrote:william-james88 wrote:Rodimus Knight wrote:"Rodimus/Hot Rod compacts a towering robot into the speedy, flashy, flamey douche we all love to hate"
I always wondered where all the hate for this character comes from.
He is the reason Optimus is dead. Kup told him to stay out of it, should have listened.
Having just watched the movie on the big screen for the first time, I'm no longer sure I believe that.
I am just being facetious. I dont really care, this is before my time. Though I can 100% understand kids at the time being pissed that their father figure was gone and then replaced by what is essentially a teen. Well that he's replaced at all.
Posted by Dr. Caelus on October 1st, 2018 @ 8:04pm CDT
william-james88 wrote:Caelus wrote:william-james88 wrote:Rodimus Knight wrote:"Rodimus/Hot Rod compacts a towering robot into the speedy, flashy, flamey douche we all love to hate"
I always wondered where all the hate for this character comes from.
He is the reason Optimus is dead. Kup told him to stay out of it, should have listened.
Having just watched the movie on the big screen for the first time, I'm no longer sure I believe that.
I am just being facetious. I dont really care, this is before my time. Though I can 100% understand kids at the time being pissed that their father figure was gone and then replaced by what is essentially a teen. Well that he's replaced at all.
I just feel like the evidence needs a hard look. Between the weapon used, the placement of the witness, and Prime's sudden and inexplicable inaction, a lot about Optimus's death doesn't add up.
EDIT: Also, as my wife pointed out, WHERE WAS THE U.S. MILITARY???
Posted by Bumblevivisector on October 1st, 2018 @ 8:21pm CDT
The official Marvel adaptation of TF:TM made it clear that Megatron would've killed Op anyway, so Hot Rod deserves credit, and the title of Prime, for being the one Autobot who actually tried to prevent this. And as IDW showed us not too long ago, if Kup had actually restrained Hot Rod from doing the right thing, it would've just resulted in the second worst TF comic story ever, a close runner-up to The Beast Within.Caelus wrote:william-james88 wrote:Caelus wrote:william-james88 wrote:Rodimus Knight wrote:"Rodimus/Hot Rod compacts a towering robot into the speedy, flashy, flamey douche we all love to hate"
I always wondered where all the hate for this character comes from.
He is the reason Optimus is dead. Kup told him to stay out of it, should have listened.
Having just watched the movie on the big screen for the first time, I'm no longer sure I believe that.
I am just being facetious. I dont really care, this is before my time. Though I can 100% understand kids at the time being pissed that their father figure was gone and then replaced by what is essentially a teen. Well that he's replaced at all.
I just feel like the evidence needs a hard look. Between the weapon used, the placement of the witness, and Prime's sudden and inexplicable inaction, a lot about Optimus's death doesn't add up.
OH, right, the topic...as for reverse-mass-shifting, isn't it ironic that the last two major cracks at Astrotrain manged to make him so much bigger in train mode but not shuttle mode? Cryin' shame, that.
And you showed me that I do need to actually open my FE Bulkhead sometime soon. I've only handled the PRID Voyager, with his dreaded disco ball attack whose electronics died far too young.
Posted by ZeroWolf on October 2nd, 2018 @ 7:30am CDT
Caelus wrote:william-james88 wrote:Caelus wrote:william-james88 wrote:Rodimus Knight wrote:"Rodimus/Hot Rod compacts a towering robot into the speedy, flashy, flamey douche we all love to hate"
I always wondered where all the hate for this character comes from.
He is the reason Optimus is dead. Kup told him to stay out of it, should have listened.
Having just watched the movie on the big screen for the first time, I'm no longer sure I believe that.
I am just being facetious. I dont really care, this is before my time. Though I can 100% understand kids at the time being pissed that their father figure was gone and then replaced by what is essentially a teen. Well that he's replaced at all.
I just feel like the evidence needs a hard look. Between the weapon used, the placement of the witness, and Prime's sudden and inexplicable inaction, a lot about Optimus's death doesn't add up.
EDIT: Also, as my wife pointed out, WHERE WAS THE U.S. MILITARY???
Staying out of it clearly
Posted by william-james88 on October 2nd, 2018 @ 8:15am CDT
Caelus wrote:EDIT: Also, as my wife pointed out, WHERE WAS THE U.S. MILITARY???
I was far more concerned as to where Snarl was. Was he killed off screen?
Posted by Deadput on October 2nd, 2018 @ 3:39pm CDT
william-james88 wrote:Caelus wrote:EDIT: Also, as my wife pointed out, WHERE WAS THE U.S. MILITARY???
I was far more concerned as to where Snarl was. Was he killed off screen?
I'm pretty sure he shows up in Season 3 but my memory isn't perfect.
I personally don't assume that every character we don't see after the movie is dead. (Some I do like the characters who were planned to be killed off like Red Alert or Shockwave with the events taking place off screen)
Posted by Emerje on October 2nd, 2018 @ 3:52pm CDT
william-james88 wrote:Caelus wrote:EDIT: Also, as my wife pointed out, WHERE WAS THE U.S. MILITARY???
I was far more concerned as to where Snarl was. Was he killed off screen?
Left on the cutting room floor. He did make two appearances in the movie for a few seconds total.
Emerje
Posted by Rogue-Primal on October 3rd, 2018 @ 8:33am CDT
william-james88 wrote:Caelus wrote:EDIT: Also, as my wife pointed out, WHERE WAS THE U.S. MILITARY???
I was far more concerned as to where Snarl was. Was he killed off screen?
his death is doubtful, he is seen in call of the primitives but not in grimlock's new brain. he seems to be the forgotten one in g1 cartoons after season 2.
human military seems to be most likely useless in most of the cartoons until michael bay happened