rpetras wrote:To be fair, the set that costs $100 has to actually transform ... and into 3 modes at that.
I cannot agree with that.
Prime, with the exception of some different panels, is the Prime from Movie 1. He wasn't designed to combine, it wasn't even an option when he was engineered. So, Prime has two modes that were designed 3 years ago with a new Backpack connector.
Jetfire is an entirely new mold. He was engineered to combine with Prime. But instead of making him be a wrap-around combiner, as the key chain would suggest he is, Hasbro decided that a brick torso with some LED's and a sound card would be more appropriate. Because of this, Jetfire only has 2 modes, SR-71 and Jetfire. Somewhere in-between modes, there is an exposed backpack clip.
The reason I'm being such a hater on the matter is what gets said around hear about the movie toys, "Well if it is movie accurate, I guess I'll get it."
The Keychain for $4 is movie accurate, the 2 Leader Class fig's that combined total $100, is not.
Cost increases, wavering sales, failing lines... I don't care. If it was my call, Hasbro would take a profit cut to maintain quality levels of design and manufacture. This position would make Hasbro a name that stands for quality over all else, a great title to have in a hard economy.
But, I guess they're only interested in their hefty salaries. Don't ask me for a bail-out.
