chuckdawg1999

Nightbird is a much better deluxe figure than Mirage, but that's not saying much. Much of the transformation is similar to the mainline figure, but I miss the claw weapon and how it and the sword integrated to form the rear spoiler. What is interesting about this Studio Series release is how the bulk shifts from the front on the mainline figure to the rear as a backpack. While it's not a perfect figure Nightbird is good and I'm not looking for a second attempt like Mirage.

Well, they all can't be winners. While Mirage has a great vehicle mode, the praise ends there as the transformation is quite fiddly and the robot mode is limited by car bits and design. If you really want this figure I recommend waiting for a sale, coupon, or closeout store.

I must say I find myself enjoying Frankentron, even though it's the fifth use of the Impactor mold. Transformation is still fun and I'm happy that all the parts peg and lock into place like they're supposed to and the new accessories capture the spirit of the figure. Overall, I think Frankentron works better as a Crossover figure than Draculus. If you're a fan of the classic Universal film, this is worth the purchase.

Leave it to Hasbro to keep the best figures for the end of the line. Optimus Prime and its Beast Combiner partner Lionblade are awesome, this is the best set of the line. Prime features great articulation, something the other Beast Combiners lacked. Lionblade is an obvious homage to Lio Convoy or Lio Prime; depending on where you're from. Airazor is a triple changer of sorts and is functional for most figures. Hopefully, you'll be able to find these figures if you are interested.

It's Trailbreaker in blue!

There's not much to say about Ratchet, it's a repaint of Ironhide with a new head and waistpiece. I still have issues with the size of the figure and the use of clear plastic but it is a nice representation of Ratchet from the cartoon and movie if you're like me you kind of need Ratchet to complete your 86 display.

There's not much to say about Frenzy. If you liked Rumble you'll like Frenzy, and now you can decide who is who.

While the Noah Diaz Exo-Suit figure is very, very simple, the designers really packed a lot into what the figure can do. The core figure of Noah Diaz is fairly articulated for its size, any pose I would want to put it in I was able to pull off easily. The drone part of the figure is removable, but even attached doesn't limit movement THAT much. While some might find the price to be a little high for what you're getting, I'm pleased with the figure.

Won't ship to the US

It's another Optimus Prime and Bumblebee toy! By now we all know how the Taticons work, but for some reason, these were rather hard for me to find, here they are now in all their finger-fun glory!

The simplest of the simple, Taticons, more commonly known as finger changers, are small representations of the main cast of Earthspark. Arcee's classic muscle car design is represented well while Hashtag has a very nice-looking metallic flake in its predominantly purple color scheme. Really the only bad thing I can say is that these are rather hard to find online for a reasonable price point.

While I think this is a good figure, once I got over the size shock after opening the box, Optimus Primal just isn't worth the price. I feel the transformation, while simple, is overly involved to try and drive up the parts count. The Mainline Voyager of Primal handles the leg transformation better. The accessories are nice, but I don't understand why they weren't included with the respective figures in the first place. I can only recommend Primal if you find it on sale.

While it's nice to see Hasbro celebrating all aspects of Armada in Legacy Evolution, I find it hard to recommend the Powerlinx Hot Shot and Jolt set. The main draw of this set is Jolt, a fantastic update to the classic Minicon and much, much better than the Universe 2.0 release. Unfortunately, I don't see the value when it comes to the rest of the set. Hot Shot still has the same issues the original release had, the extra weapons and blast effects are nice but don't add up to a whole lot. I can only recommend this set if you passed on the original Hot Shot release or find it on sale.

With the final release from the Battle Changers line, we get Scourge, one of the best releases of the subline. Transformation is simple and familiar to the other basic Scourge figures released. It would've been nice to get this figure released sooner as it will probably be hard to find at mass retail now.

Nightshade is very green, but man does the metallic green pop! Obviously, you'll need to buy this figure to complete Mandroid but besides that Nightshade is a solid figure overall.

It's nice to see Hasbro reach across all Transformer lines for Legacy. Prime was an exciting show coming in the wake of the live-action movies. Skyquake and Dreadwing were two of the stand-out characters from the show and it's nice to see them in Evolution. The base mold that they share is meant to homage the Predator Skyquake, a character from the European Generation One period. Skyquake and Dreadwing are fun figures and either or both would fit well in your collection.

By this point, we all know what to expect from the Flip Changers. Megatron is one of the better ones since the propellers actually spin, I was expecting them to be molded in. It's touches like that, that I appreciate and I think you will too.

Well, this figure almost fooled me. I first thought this was an all-new mold with so many new parts. Grimlock, is a heavy retool of the Cyberverse Deluxe figure, almost every exposed piece is retooled from that mold. While my copy is a bit loose in the hips, I find this to be the better of the two releases.

I want to think Hasbro heard the complaints about the first Jurassic Park crossover set and put some extra polish on this one. JP-12 is a really great deluxe figure although having watched the film I question making it an Autobot. Dilophocon is fantastic and is a real throwback to the type of Beast Wars figures I enjoyed. I am eager to see who the mold gets turned into next. While the price can be a bit off-putting to some, I don't see this set staying around long enough to go on the deep clearance like the first one.

Snarl is on the same level as Swoop and Skar at the top tier of the Core Class Dinobots. Volcanicus is lacking in articulation above the waist and while impressive for the size, feels small in the hand. There will have to be some heavy retooling to get me interested in buying these figures again as either Moonstructor or Dino King.

It's incredible how some different colors can make you appreciate a mold and realize what it's for. While we all thought that the mold was intended for Tarn, with these new colors and details of the mold pop, I believe that Bludgeon was the intended use all along. I also have to point out that a Voyager Transformer has enough articulation to do a proper two-handed sword pose, something that figures double or triple the price can't do. If you tend to favor Tarn then I'm not sure I can recommend the double dip, but this is the best Bludgeon figure since the original G1 mold.

If this is the last of the Beast Weaponizers then the line is going out positively. Arcee has a relatively simple transformation that results in a well-articulated figure. Unfortunately, Cheetor is missing a lot of paint detail that I feel could've been included. Overall, this is a fun set that most will find enjoyable.

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.