HFTD Battle Blades Optimus Prime

[Superior Grilled Cheese]

I managed to find Battle Blades Optimus Prime today at walmart. I ended up getting him for the novelty of being a half sized, pseudo-knockoff of the wonderful ROTF leader Prime.

 

Alt mode is fairly impressive for a voyager prime. Colors are identical to the leader class and has very similar proportions. Some paint is obviously missing when compared to the larger figure, but this is expected of the smaller class. Detail overall is impressive, going so far as including a very, very small molded autobot logo on the top of the grill and adding molded suspension for the rear wheels. The mode even scores points with me over the leader by adding silver paint to certain parts, such as on the smokestacks, and by not having those unsightly gears siting behind the windshield The truck as rolls very well, but the rear wheels are admittedly wobbly.

 

Size is my only complaint of alt mode. The only way to describe the figure is diminutive and toy like. Even the original voyager Prime carried a much larger shelf presence (not to mention the pleasant holographic driver gimmick), though the two are almost the same length. After handling the leader class truck, the lack of any heft at all leaves some disappointment.

 

 

 

To me, robot mode brings more issues with the figure than praise. However, I might as well build the figure up before knocking it down.

 

For the most part, BB Prime does a great job of being a miniature leader class toy. The transformation is complex and satisfying, yet won't require a half hour to figure out. Articulation is the standard for transformers: full hips and shoulders, 90* bend in the knees with a bit more in the elbows, a swivel for the head and thighs, and a dual swivel setup for the ankles. The ankles certainly help keep the figure stable when trying more extreme stances, but another issue hinders the enjoyment of posing. Detail again is a good point to this figure, including several molded features of leader Prime, though certain paint applications are missing again. BB Prime improves on the standard release of ROTF Prime by including two guns if the swords aren't you're thing. On that note, the swords are also much easier to manage due to the rubbery plastic, but they are still a pain to lock in the official retracted position. Including a removable matrix is also a nice touch, even if it doesn't do much for me.

 

...And now for the rest of the toy. While he hides it well in package, Prime's proportions are a little off. While everything above the waist is pretty good, the rest seems woefully inadequate with his skinny legs and narrow feet. Over the years, Prime has been built more robustly, but this one just appears unable to support his own weight. His legs also contain a transformation joint at the knee that bends left and right, but does not lock in any way. This can make even a stiff standing pose difficult and frustrating because the legs tend to become knock-kneed far too easily. Prime's aesthetics are also a bit off to me: the panels on his back are too large, the tan on his legs are distracting and clash with the overall palette, the dark blue windshields seem to hide shapes and details (would look better clear in my opinion), and his guns are pathetically uninteresting when compared to the cannon of buster prime.

 

Similar to alt mode, robot mode is tiny, barely standing taller than Animated Cybertron Ratchet. By adding so much complexity into this small figure gives Prime a case of Galvatron Syndrome, as his legs don't seem to lock together well and panels become messy and crash into others constantly during transformation. His knee joints are also fairly weak and floppy, though this may be QC, rather than poor design.

 

 

 

In the end, Battle Blades Prime is a difficult toy to rate. I wouldn't recommend him for someone already happy with an original voyager prime mold or the ROTF leader figure. If all you have is $20 and you want a prime with swords, the toy is decent enough if you can overlook the flaws. However, I still suggest saving a few more dollars and trying to find ROTF prime on clearance somewhere.

 

Then again, the amusement of a pint-sized leader may make this one of the more interesting toys of the HFTD line

 

 

Score

Alt mode: 8/10

Transformation: 9/10

Robot mode: 5/10

 

Final: 5.5/10 for most people, 8/10 if you like his almost KO nature

[Liege Evilmus]

I was looking forward to this but at botcon they mentioned a retooled version due out soon so I'm gonna wait it out.

[Hip-Hoptimus Rime]

I want him so that Deluxe Ironhide and Ratchet will have someone to hang with.

 

Nice review, thanks!

[Sparkless]

Does it have a trailer peg hole?

[Superior Grilled Cheese]

I want him so that Deluxe Ironhide and Ratchet will have someone to hang with.

that fact makes me want a scout class bumblebee just for the hell of it. i think it would be amusing having a full set of both sizes.

 

Does it have a trailer peg hole?

there's no hole and directly underneath where it would be is a joint to rotate the assembly around. However, it would be easy enough to drill your own either above or below the center since the plastic is fairly thin.

[Hip-Hoptimus Rime]

SGC, would you happen to have one of the 3rd-party Classics trailers to pose with this Prime's alt mode? TIA.

[Superior Grilled Cheese]

don't have any trailers, nor a classics prime. just made an assumption about the trailers being far too big for BB prime