chuckdawg1999

Nacelle is just like every other Siege Tetrajet but in some snappier colors. Just watch out for whatever the figure is covered in.

Out of the four Smash Changers we've gotten, Rhinox is the best. Combining the limited articulation of Optimus Prime, with the overall fun of Optimus Primal, Rhinox rocks! The cherry on this sundae is the removable Rhino head that can be used as a weapon or shield. You could wait for a sale to take some of the edge off this price, but since it's a late-line release you might be playing chicken with finding it.

It's nice to have official snippers finally in the Transformers line. While I'm unfamiliar with the story that Kaskade and Javelin come from, the figures are solid. The colors are really great and appropriate for a soldier who has to operate under some stealth. Between the two, Javelin uses the newer mold and personally, I dig their rifle more and hope to see it again down the line. If you're a fan of the story or the molds these figures are made from, this is a good purchase.

If you like Junkions you'll enjoy Axelgrease. I'm not a fan of the arm transformation as I find it needlessly difficult and really takes away from the figure. The accessories are fun and expand the playability of the toy, but ultimately I find very little to recommend.

The truest definition of a desk toy is something fun to fidget around with. We should all know what to expect with Flip Changers from Earthspark by this point. No articulation, all gimmicks. Terran Twitch looks really good and is close to the show model. As I always say do NOT throw these around as they can break, I'm especially concerned about the Vtol wings on Twitch.

These are the repaints that I'm sure we all saw coming. Nemesis Prime gives us Prime's ax in turquoise color while Thundercracker is what we've been expecting over the last three or so years. The molds are solid and I didn't notice any real degradation so they're worth the purchase if you want.

It's Skids, in silver with a faceplate. If you liked Skids, you'll like this.

Many fans are considering this version of Ariazor as the figure of the year and I can see why. With an intuitive transformation that hides the majority of the bird wings cleanly and articulation that's fluid and not hampered by beast parts, this is a really solid figure. It's a shame we never saw Airazor in robot mode in the movie so we can't be sure if this, or the Studio Series figure is more accurate to the movie, but this figure is a solid purchase.

Mirage looks a LOT better in hand than the early pics made the figure look and in my opinion, looks better than the upcoming Studio Series release. Transformation is smooth and not that difficult. The colors are nice but I'm partial to blues and grays. This is a solid figure all around and worth the purchase.

Every once in a while I like to take a look at transforming toys that aren't part of the Transformers brand. Playmates back in the day created the mutatin' subline of their Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles brand and thankfully those figures are being reissued. Leo, the leader of the Turtles is up first and is a really fun figure. The conversion is relatively simple but satisfying and the inclusion of mutating weapons is a nice touch. I look forward to the other Turtles and really, really hope they release Splinter, Bebop, and Rocksteady.

This set is a lot more fun than you would think. While Prime and Bumblebee are animation-style repaints Hasbro also includes a nice assortment of extra accessories like a cartoon-style blaster for Bumblebee. Obviously, the big draw for this set is the trailer which unlike the Earthrise one, is fully loaded with the repair drone complete with radar dish, and a very well-built roller. It should also be mentioned that both figures show no sign of mold degradation. This really is a fantastic set and really worth the purchase.

I might sound like a broken record but again with the War Dawn 2-Pack, you're paying for one quality figure, Erial a repaint with a new head and Motorcycle windshield of Legacy Prime Arcee. The SS86 Kup mold is showing its age with Dion, the arms barely stay on and joint tolerances are spotty. These issues are funny when you realize that Dion had the most retooling of the set. For the current retail price, I'd advise waiting for a sale.

Ok, this is probably one of the cheapest in terms of quality and simplest toys I've reviewed. This is 100% for kids and what they get is a figure that's around Leader Class size and very simple. It is interesting to see the head is the same as all the toy versions of Scourge including the Studio Series, which means there is no representation of the movie look, yet. If there's a younger fan in your life then this is something they would enjoy.

There's not a lot here that really wows me with Megatron. It's a good figure and I appreciate the updated design, but I feel the original deluxe was a touch more fun. I know a lot of people are going to be disappointed by the limited knees, whether or not that was intentional it doesn't affect transformation. For some, this will be a must-have but for others, I can see it being an easy pass.

What some new parts and paint can do for a mold is fantastic. Elita-1 and Minerva were ok, but Strongarm is the best use of this mold. Outside of an entirely new mold, this is the best modern interpretation of Strongarm we'll get and it's my favorite figure of the wave.

Shadow Striker is a great figure but there are lots of little things going on with it that might turn some people off. First, I feel labeling the figure from the Cyberverse Universe is a disservice as the use of this mold is clearly meant to homage the TFCC convention exclusive. That leads to the second point, this mold is meant for Robots In Disguise Sideburn who we know is coming at a later point. With that said I find it hard to recommend this figure since once Sideburn is released most of this version will become redundant.

Bombshell completes the Legacy Evolution updates to the G1 Insecticons and I have to admit that I feel underwhelmed. Bombshell is a repaint/retool of Shrapnel and while it works well, I'm disappointed that we're denied three unique molds for the Insecticons. I do enjoy Bombshell and it's a worthy addition to your Insecticon army.

If you were to ask me to list 10 figures that I don't think would get updates in a modern Transformers line, Detritus wouldn't make the list because I just wouldn't think of it. Imagine my surprise that our first experience with the SS86 Hound mold is Detritus here in the Legacy Evolution line. The mold is fantastic and the best modern Hound mold we've gotten, much easier to handle than the Masterpiece. While I can't say this is a must-have figure, if you want to experience the SS86 mold Detritus is a solid purchase, on sale, which will probably be before we see the release of Hound.

Once the Studio Series 86 line made it past two years of shelf life, you knew they would make Mr. Shoulder wound himself, Brawn. While I always felt that the Titans Return figure was a fantastic representation of the G1 design, the Studio Series designers took it one step further and gave us what I think is the best Brawn to date. Transformation is intuitive and fun, even working in an homage to the transformation of the original toy. This is definitely worth a spot on your shelf, maybe clutching at its shoulder as it falls down.

Beast Mode Optimus Prime is a fun figure with lights and sounds that I find entertaining. Transformation is simple but has a few interesting tricks, such as the way the legs fold up on themselves. Articulation is limited but this toy is all gimmick. I wonder if Prime had a lion's head burst out of his chest in the movie if it would've done better.

The Rise of the Beast figures released under the Studio Series line have been fantastic. Optimus Prime finally joins their ranks and the figure is great! Transformation is smooth and rather intuitive. My only complaint is that I feel his arm cannon seems a bit small. If you can find the figure at retail it's definitely worth the purchase.

This is a fun set although I'm a bit disappointed that we got a Rhinox with virtually no paint details instead of a new mold. Wheeljack is a good figure and I appreciate how different it is from the Mainline Deluxe; I'm always impressed when the designers find a way to transform the same character differently. If you already bought Rhinox then the price of the set might be a little prohibitive but overall it's a good package.

We all knew that we would eventually see Bumblebee when Laserbeak was released some months ago since they share the same mold. Well, here it is, new head and all. There's not much to say, if you liked Laserbeak it's more of the same with Bumblebee. The issues I had with the chest staying in place are still there but what do you expect at the size? Bumblebee is a fine desk toy representing its Dark of the Moon look well.

Coming from the Beast Alliance subline we have Beast Combiner Scourge and Scorponok. This was a set that I feel should've been a part of wave one as it's a fun set that gives us a simpler version of the main villain to play with. Technically this release comes from the Japanese Beasts Awaken line so hopefully this shows up at domestic retail soon.

Leave it to Takara to come up with an Optimus Primal figure that straddles the move and original toy aesthetic. What I originally thought was just an upsized version of the mainline Voyager is an entirely new mold that brings back fond memories of the original toy. The only real issue I have with the figure is with the pressure launching missiles, but it's a very minor quibble. This is a fantastic figure and I'll be curious to see if the Studio Series release tops it.