Review of Transformers Authentics Barricade Which is now Available in US

I have this and it's not to bad

primalxconvoy wrote:

ZomboDroid 10052021135332.jpg

I like it!

Windshield indents make it look like it could be a new crossover figure, this time with Disney's Cars.

Betenoire wrote:Windshield indents make it look like it could be a new crossover figure, this time with Disney's Cars.

Joke made two posts above yours.

Once again, fellow Seibertronian Chuckdawg takes a bullet for us by buying the latest authentic figure, Shockwave, to let us know if he is worth looking into. Turns out he is pretty good for a cheaper figure aimed at younger fans.

chuckdawg1999 wrote:Authentics Shockwave is an ok figure. Stylistically it shares a lot with the Cyber Battalion Shockwave from a few years ago, while borrowing from the Cyberverse aesthetic and adding some nice touches like knee articulation. While not the best figure from the Authentics line, it's a solid entry and worth the purchase.

Good review, interesting design, I'm positive that he mistook the underside of the alternate mode as the top side though. Still, fun looking toy!

Fires_Of_Inferno wrote:Good review, interesting design, I'm positive that he mistook the underside of the alternate mode as the top side though. Still, fun looking toy!

Unfortunately that's how the package shows it.



Emerje

I think it's trying to be different from the Cyber Battalion version.

Odd choice by the designers, but I mean, sure?

Still a better mode than the spider tank.

Fires_Of_Inferno wrote:Odd choice by the designers, but I mean, sure?

Still a better mode than the spider tank.

I disagree, the spider tank can work well, if done properly. And the "voyager" sized shockwave from Cybervers was pretty good.

And I don't remember anyone hating this toy when it came out

william-james88 wrote:

Fires_Of_Inferno wrote:Odd choice by the designers, but I mean, sure?

Still a better mode than the spider tank.

I disagree, the spider tank can work well, if done properly. And the "voyager" sized shockwave from Cybervers was pretty good.

And I don't remember anyone hating this toy when it came out

I like these guys though!

Just not Shockwave's one.

The authentics line gets very little attention and that's kind of the point. They are meant to simply be exist and be available at stores that don't often carry Transformers. Be it Dollar General in the US or Canadian Tire in Canada or a myriad of other shops in South America and Asia. They are just affordable Transformers toys of classic characters and now we have a first look at two more, Wheeljack and Arcee. Wheeljack takes a major cue from his Earthrise toy while Arcee has a rather neat transformation giving it a lot more alt mode integration in robot mode, the most we've ever seen for a toy basing itself on the G1 character model. These images are from ACD distribution. There will be no further reveal than this from Hasbro and you will find them this year in any store that stocked the previous releases. Arcee is 4.5 inches tall while Wheeljack is 7 inches tall.

WOW, a decent-to-good Arcee that's actually affordable and plentiful enough to show up at any store from the 5-Below in every other large stripmall to the last dollar store you stumble across in the middle of nowhere. The kind of thing so many of us have dreamed about since '86.

Now I can add her to my 3rd cousins' TF box in Illinois this summer instead of the rereleased Cyberverse Arcee (starting to think it's impolite to horde that toy since the new open-window packaging has cursed her with disappearing-head-syndrome; saw it first hand in a Target last week - tragic)

First, Wheeljack has no business looking that good. Wow.

Second, an Arcee with little back kibble and integrated alt mode parts? Wow!

D-Maximal_Primal wrote:First, Wheeljack has no business looking that good. Wow.

Second, an Arcee with little back kibble and integrated alt mode parts? Wow!

They are both wows from me as well.

Why does this discount arcee look better than the kingdom one?

Are 'Cee and 'Jack's handguns a sort of first for the Evergreen lines? Jetfire had his weapons, but they were sort of vestigial null-rays included as essential for Starscream's vehicle mode.

You're telling me HasTak knows how to make a decentish looking Arcee toy that DOESN'T have an alt mode growth on her spine?
Please sprinkle this magic onto other Arcees, I'm so tired of having what is basically a feminine human with metal skin and a whole sedan exploding from their back.

Yeah, I wouldn't mind it at all if they took that Arcee design and made a mainstream release of it in Generations. Just have the back kibble raise up a bit and split (and paint the interior at least), lengthen those forearms, and you have a really solid design that still looks like G1 Arcee.

I've left this little line alone for the most part because of a)- Lack of availability and b)- just bad.

But Wheeljack and Arcee are pretty cool looking. Not sure if I want them for the collection but wouldn't mind playing with them that's for sure.

Arcee is probably the closest we'll get to a Core figure and at half the price to boot and probably better than an actual one would turn out. Really looking forward to finding her!

Emerje

Wow!, Actual ankle tilts on an Authentics figure. Who would have guessed.

Arcee have the "hollow legs" syndrome, but it free her back a lot.

I'm looking forward finding her at my local Canadian Tire.

These are money, I like that they're including weapons now. Maybe we could get a Prime and Bumblebee redo with better limbs and weapons.

Aspects of Wheeljack's and Arcee's design look better than their WFC counterparts to me, but what did they do to Ratchet's arms? And the lack of paint would make a Turbo Changer blush..

primalxconvoy wrote:Aspects of Wheeljack's and Arcee's design look better than their WFC counterparts to me, but what did they do to Ratchet's arms? And the lack of paint would make a Turbo Changer blush..

The lack of paint is a shame, but unavoidable for the price point.

I do have that Ratchet and he's pretty good for what it is.

I've got the Shockwave, Ratchet, and Barricade figures. Shockwave is pretty good; if the aesthetic wasn't so obviously Cyberverse-inspired, he could fit in all sorts of collections. That Ratchet looks a tad better if you fiddle with the shoulders a little. Barricade is essentially perfect for the size and price.

I'm definitely looking for that Arcee, and would certainly buy an upscaled version in a more mainstream line; perhaps the only improvement that would be needed would be fixing the forearm proportions.

And I'll probably buy that Wheeljack, even though I don't really need a Voyager-sized 'Jack. What I need is a proper Cyberverse Deluxe Wheeljack.

Glarryg

Glarryg wrote: What I need is a proper Cyberverse Deluxe Wheeljack.

Glarryg

We all need that.

chuckdawg1999 wrote:These are money, I like that they're including weapons now. Maybe we could get a Prime and Bumblebee redo with better limbs and weapons.

I get this feeling like they designed Prime and Bumblebee first and then realized they could do a lot more at this price point articulation wise. If I'm not mistaken they're the only ones that don't have elbows which is odd considering their popularity.

primalxconvoy wrote:Aspects of Wheeljack's and Arcee's design look better than their WFC counterparts to me, but what did they do to Ratchet's arms? And the lack of paint would make a Turbo Changer blush..

Ratchet is a figure that would be incredible at a larger size with a few more moving parts, but is still pretty neat for a $5 figure. His leg transformation is nothing short of genius for how effective it is and should really be replicated in a future figure. Basically the whole top of the rear van pops off and folds around and inside the bottom of the van hiding it completely and filling in all the lower leg gaps. He doesn't have knees or proper feet, but that could easily be fit into a larger figure. Chuck did a review that shows them well. There is definitely a "shell" around the legs, but again at a higher price point they'd be able to do more with them.



Likewise Barricade has basically the same leg transformation as Kingdom Tracks, but it's much better done despite being simplified. That is a great figure right there, all the art details are present and he's a fun figure to mess around with, just needs a lot more paint to really do the mold justice (and fill in his windshield "eyes").

Emerje

People are all sleeping on Barricade,he looks solid.

Day 755 of waiting for Transformers Armada Masterpiece news.

TulioDude wrote:People are all sleeping on Barricade,he looks solid.

Day 755 of waiting for Transformers Armada Masterpiece news.

Barricade is decent. I like him. I wish more toys used that design though, I love his Evergreen design

Emerje wrote:

chuckdawg1999 wrote:These are money, I like that they're including weapons now. Maybe we could get a Prime and Bumblebee redo with better limbs and weapons.

I get this feeling like they designed Prime and Bumblebee first and then realized they could do a lot more at this price point articulation wise. If I'm not mistaken they're the only ones that don't have elbows which is odd considering their popularity.

primalxconvoy wrote:Aspects of Wheeljack's and Arcee's design look better than their WFC counterparts to me, but what did they do to Ratchet's arms? And the lack of paint would make a Turbo Changer blush..

Ratchet is a figure that would be incredible at a larger size with a few more moving parts, but is still pretty neat for a $5 figure. His leg transformation is nothing short of genius for how effective it is and should really be replicated in a future figure. Basically the whole top of the rear van pops off and folds around and inside the bottom of the van hiding it completely and filling in all the lower leg gaps. He doesn't have knees or proper feet, but that could easily be fit into a larger figure. Chuck did a review that shows them well. There is definitely a "shell" around the legs, but again at a higher price point they'd be able to do more with them.



Likewise Barricade has basically the same leg transformation as Kingdom Tracks, but it's much better done despite being simplified. That is a great figure right there, all the art details are present and he's a fun figure to mess around with, just needs a lot more paint to really do the mold justice (and fill in his windshield "eyes").

Emerje

Ratchet is surprisingly heavy too.

TulioDude wrote:People are all sleeping on Barricade,he looks solid.

Day 755 of waiting for Transformers Armada Masterpiece news.

I DO want that Barricade, but the cartoony "eyes" on the vehicle mode windshield kinda kill it for me.

I like the ideas on that Barricade, but not the execution.

A big part of Barricade, for me, is the vehicle mode. And this just misses the mark in every way. From the font on the doors to one gold window with holes in it. To no painted car applications. It gives me nothing to like.

I got the "deluxe" Optimus and Megs.

I'm impressed. Both feel nice in hands, have decent paint aps, relatively good articulations (especially Megs) and are fun and quick to transform.





A bit unfair that Optimus don't have any gun. Both Optimus and Megs have the "hollow lower legs syndrome" but I forgive it for the pricepoint. That Optimus backpack is ridiculous, but still...



The transformation is satisfying for both. Optimus is surprisingly big and solid. The surprise is the same with Megs who become tiny and a bit flimsy.



As you can see, Optimus is more hollow while Megs get very compact.



Overall, both are fun and feel right in hand. I recommend them for a child, or the adult who just want a no-nonsense transformers for cheap to fiddle with.

Seriously, I like that Megatron more than Core Megatron, he borrows a lot from Legends class Megatron. It's nice to see a Megatron that knows how to integrate its treads and not have a ridiculously restrictive backpack. I wish his torso was a little bulkier, but he makes for a nice futuristic tank.

Emerje

Here's a little Transformers Authentics news roundup for you. We knew we were getting two new molds in the Authentics line, this is thetoyline made for emerging economies and it can also be found in the US at discount/dollar stores (so family Dollar rather than Walmart). Wheeljack is 7 inches while Arcee is closer to a Scout class size. They are also far more affordable than Transformers found in Walmart and Target. Earlier in April, a sighting and in hand images were posted of Arcee on the Transformers Chile group on Facebook. You can see those images below.
And jus the other day, we got wind of a sighting of Wheeljack in the US. He was found at a Kroger in Indianapolis by TF fan undertaker who posted in the TFW boards.

If you have found them, share your sightings with our community in the sightings section and on our boards in your region related thread.

Shame that Arcee doesn't have actual knees thinks to the weird ball joint system they used where you have to spin the legs twice, which I have to admit I've never seen done before. Still curious how she'll look with Core figures.

Emerje

Ah, so Arcee's gun mounts on top to serve as the...um, crest(?) usually found on the rear of her car mode, making it less likely to get lost than if it just stored underneath. Well done. Will probably pick both of these up on sight.

Simplified as it looks at first glance, I think that Arcee will look great with the G1 Autobot cars like Jazz and Skids.

Windsweeper wrote:Simplified as it looks at first glance, I think that Arcee will look great with the G1 Autobot cars like Jazz and Skids.

Yeah, I've been hearing quite a few say this actually works as a G1 arcee since the transformation style fits late G1. So in the end, the simplicity and lack of articulation works to its merrit from that perspective.

Usual hollow legs syndrome aside, that Arcee looks VERY good.
When I'll see her at my local Canadian Tire, I'd be sure to get her.

Transformers Authentics bravo class Arcee has been found t Dollar General locations in the US since the begining of June. In case you saw it and were not sure if it was worth your hard earned coin or not, we have 2 video reviews for you below. One is from Alex Reynard and the other from Chuck, who also writes about the toy, enjoy!

chuckdawg1999 wrote:Authentics Arcee is a mixed bag. On the one hand, it's a neat figure that transforms without being a shell former, and it has some good articulation. On the other hand, due to the nature of Authentics, there are some tolerance issues with the legs and arms coming together, while the articulation could be a bit more functional. In general, the plastic doesn't feel as good as it could be. If you're looking for a simple Arcee then the Authentics version might be worth the look.

Cute. Decent attempt.

Amazing that this "G1" Arcee is the one with the less backpack.

I like the overall concept more than this particular execution of it, if that makes sense.

Really though, I think there's been enough G1 Arcees now. For a character that used to be famous for not having any toys there's a glut of them now.

I just got "deluxe" Shockwave and he's great! Decent posing, not much hollow spaces compared to the rest, and the transformation is simple yet effective.

Stock pictures show the spaceship flipped over. In the proper orientation, it's great!

That robot mode is just straight up Cyberverse Shockwave, complete with the angry eye.