The Top Ten Transformers of 2006!!!

 

It's that time again! Another year has come and gone and so has many new Transformers products. 2006 saw new additions to the Cybertron series including: the much anticipated Primus! There were few Alternators released this year but the ones that were, were top notch! One of the most exciting new product lines was the introduction of the Transformers Classics! This gave every Generation One fanboy a chance to relive their youth with new sculpts of established characters. To increase the Transformers palette, Hasbro also released the Titanium collectors lines. Both in 3" collectibles and 6" heavy metal robots! Overall, besides the lack of Alternators, 2006 was a good year. With the release of the movie in 2007, we can only imagine what is yet to come!

 

Without further adieu, I bring you the always controversial "Top Ten Transformers of 2006". There is no question that anytime you read a list, you will find something you won't agree with and that just may be half the fun.

 

10. Cybertron Downshift – One of the tail enders of the Cybertron series, Downshift has a great alt. mode of a classic muscle car and an equally impressive robot mode. Downshift has many cool action features and play value to appeal to almost any Transformers fan.

 

9. 3� Titanium Series - This isn’t necessarily recognizing any one particular figure from the 3� die-cast Titanium line but the entire series thus far! These little figures combine nice sculpts, paint applications and best of all: metal! These may not transform but look great on a shelf. I appreciate the array of characters from the many different Transformers series throughout time. Especially: Alternators!

 

8. Classic Astrotrain – The Classics Astrotrain embodies everything this line of homage’s to Generation One is all about! Astrotrain is very close to his Generation One counterpart but with the obvious improvements of great articulation and updates sculpt. Many complain about the colors as they better represent the Japanese version. I like the colors on this version. However, I would be very interested in seeing a repaint to better portray the grey, black & purple we all know so well.

 

7. Kiss Player Rodimus Prime - Rodimus is a retool of Mirage but it is almost impossible to tell. With a beautiful new head sculpt and additional accessories, Rodimus could have faired so much better on the list. The only thing that was holding him back is his overpowering bright colors. Perhaps a little more black or grey would have dulled him down a bit. Nevertheless, he is an excellent retool and one of the best Transformers of the year.

 

6. Cybertron Primus - Biggest does not always mean best but in Primus' case, it almost does. Primus is highly detailed and has some great play features. He is certainly deserving of the role of "Transformers god". He may not be as unique looking or iconic as Unicron but the overall quality of this toy is far greater. If Hasbro would have provided a few more paint applications, there is a good chance Primus would have cracked the top five.

 

5. Kiss Players Convoy - Kiss Players Convoy had some serious challenges to overcome in order to get to this spot. Initial pictures of the toy reaped great criticism: the loss of the expected die-cast metal and the cutesy half-naked Japanese school girl. However, when I finally had the KP Convoy in hand, I was in awe at how wonderful he turned out. He was an enormous improvement over the dull unfinished look of the Alternators version and the nice paint job hid the lack of die-cast metal.

 

4. Classics Bumblebee - Perhaps Bumblebee gets a few extra bonus points for being such a core character with so few incarnations. Nevertheless, this is a nice figure. No, he doesn't have all the high class detail or paint that you would get from an Alternator but it is nice to see Bumblebee back in action!

 

3. Starscream MP-03 - Here is another one if those highly controversial Transformers. Many were in shock that he wasn't an exact recreation of his Generation One counterpart and some were disgusted with the color choices. There is one thing that is hard to argue though, that this is one cool looking robot! I don't care if you were expecting something different therefore; you were disappointed, because the level of detail put into Starscream far supersedes any other single Transformer released this year. With that said, it is the minor details such as color and too little die-cast metal that kept Starscream from the number one spot.

 

2. Alternators Mirage - What do you get when you cross the coolest looking modern automobile with one of the slickest looking robots? Mirage! Mirage took Alternators in a new direction with his smooth and unique transformation. He was easily one of the most played with Transformers in my collection. The only thing that kept him from the number one spot are the usual flaws with Alternators that are generally corrected in their Binaltech version. The lack of a BT Mirage really disappointed me and held him back to the number two spot.

 

Drum role...

 

1. T.H.S. Convoy - I can picture all the grinning faces as many read this but I could care less. THS-02 Convoy is a brilliant set with wonderful play features! I always wished for a four inch scale Optimus Prime (besides the mediocre Action Master) but never expected to get this! The detail is beautiful, the paint applications are a plenty and he is accessorized with every imaginable thing Optimus Prime could come with. Yes, his alt. mode is flawed but it is a small sacrifice to pay for such a great looking bot. I own three of them. That is how much fun it is!

 

Well, until next year...

 

Originally posted at http://primetoystore.com/Toys%20for%.../ramblings.htm

__________________

www.primetoystore.com

The only change I would make is put Classic Mirage in the list, maybe replace Astrotrain. Not a big fan of the kiss player ones, but that just me.

Astrotrain is in many ways the worst possible choice for a Classics representation on this list. He is the lowest of the Classics (though admittedly MUCH better than many or most of Energon or Cybertron), and should have been replaced with either Starscream (Uber homage) or Bumblebee (FINALLY, another Bumblebee after all these years!)

No way. There's no way "KISS" toys should be anywhere on that list. And two of them? BOOOOO!!!

Astrotrain is in many ways the worst possible choice for a Classics representation on this list. He is the lowest of the Classics (though admittedly MUCH better than many or most of Energon or Cybertron), and should have been replaced with either Starscream (Uber homage) or Bumblebee (FINALLY, another Bumblebee after all these years!)

 

Well Bumble Bee is #4 but yeah Starscream has more right to be on the list than Astro.

No way. There's no way "KISS" toys should be anywhere on that list. And two of them? BOOOOO!!!

 

:bizzbot

No way. There's no way "KISS" toys should be anywhere on that list. And two of them? BOOOOO!!!

:pfx 100% :thumb

Yeah, Astrotrain doesn't belong anywhere near a top ten list. Classics Optimus Prime, Jetfire, Grimlock and Mirage are infinitely cooler (and have better-looking alt modes!).

 

And personally, I think the 3" Titanium series is 95% crap. The 6" figures deserve more mention, if only for the War Within figures.

IMO...

 

1. Classics Starscream.

 

2 and 3. The BW leader remolds for toys R Us.

 

4. tenth anniversary new mold Primal.

 

5. Cybertron recolor of bendy Prime

 

6. Classics rodimus.

 

that's it. I'm broke most of the time, so I didn't get many tfs this year. >.>

No way. There's no way "KISS" toys should be anywhere on that list. And two of them? BOOOOO!!!

boo to you sir. i think rodimus deserves to be on there. maybe not because mirage is #2 though. my beef with the list is theres no classics megatron or roddy.

 

Yeah, Astrotrain doesn't belong anywhere near a top ten list. Classics Optimus Prime, Jetfire, Grimlock and Mirage are infinitely cooler (and have better-looking alt modes!).

 

And personally, I think the 3" Titanium series is 95% crap. The 6" figures deserve more mention, if only for the War Within figures.

yarly