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Transformatorium, Transformer Toy Reviews

Toy Review – Nemesis Grimlock

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Don’t ya love it when you come across an incredibly cool action figure that you didn’t even know existed?

It’s such a good feeling for the avid collector, but an increasingly rare one.  No longer do we only find out what Transformers are being released by perusing our local toy stores to see what’s on the shelf.  No sir, we do most of our shopping online and are well aware what toys are in the works, usually a good year before they actually get released.

Well, a really cool figure got past me years ago that I didn’t even know existed until a few weeks ago when I was on a Japanese site, looking for a Wipe-Out to go with my TR Trypticon, and came across this gem by accident.

So let’s take a look – from the Movie Advanced line – at the dark, the dangerous, the friggin awesome – Nemesis Grimlock!

 

First off – why haven’t you heard of Nemesis Grimlock?

I asked around a lot of my TF buddies and, like me, they had never heard of this toy.  And it’s easy to see why.  This redeco of the AOE Voyager Class Grimlock toy was an exclusive figure you could only obtain by attending a Transformers Expo that ran for 8 days in Yokohama, Japan back in 2014.  Thus if you don’t hail from Japan, this spot of news was easy to miss.

 

Robot Mode

Like all the other Nemesis characters (Prime, Hot Rod, Primal etc) Nemesis Grimlock has his colour scheme made up of blacks, purples and light blues.  And damn does it work!  So much cooler than the awful baby-poo brown and death-grey colour scheme of the original toy.  For the first time I find myself really liking a Movieverse Grimlock in his robot mode.

Fricken bitchin!

He has decent articulation and is able to be posed fairly well.  He scales quite well with other Nemesis characters and his weapon looks like it could deal a lot of damage.  Overall fantastic!

 

Robo-Dinosaur Mode

To be honest I don’t think they’ve made a good looking Movieverse Grimlock toy outside of the Studio Series one.  Every other one has got weird colour schemes and weirder features.  Proportions wise Nemesis Grimlock has the same flaws as his regular AOE counterpart.  But given that this is meant to be an evil version of Grimlock, the weird huge face and teeth with the psychotic eyes work for once – you could imagine that this is the criminally insane version of Grimlock that arose from the bowels of Unicron himself.

The hellishly insane version of Big Grim!

The club can be attached to the tail to make… err…. an extremely long tail, but is best left detached.  Nemesis Grimlock comes with a jaw chomping gimmick, some articulation and scales OK with Nemesis Primal, if not the other Nemesis robots.

 

Transformation

Not particularly hard or fiddly – you’ll pick it up fairly quick.

 

Worth Getting?

A Nemesis Grimlock figure?  Hells yes it is!  I don’t care that it hails from the Movieverse continuity rather than the Generations line, it’s still a cool concept.  Surprisingly this figure isn’t that hard to find online, probably because no one is actively searching for it, and isn’t ruinously expensive so if you fancy him you shouldn’t have too many headaches tracking one down.

 

Got something to say about this figure?  Pop it in the comments section below!

 

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Transformatorium, Transformer Toy Reviews

Toy Review – HasLab Unicron

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In what could be said to be one of the biggest toy events in Transformers history and perhaps the most anticipated Transformers toy of all time, we have the biggest official Transformer figure of all time – Unicron!  Yes The Chaos Bringer has finally shipped out to all those all over the world lucky enough to be able to afford this behemoth, and he does not disappoint!  So lets have a look at what the ultimate evil looks like in his 27 inches of glory.

 

Planet Mode

Frick-en HUGE!  The main body of the planet is bigger than a soccer ball, and his halo of struts makes him absolutely massive!  The sheer scale of this figure really does dwarf everything that has come before.  The colours are spot on and the amount of detail with the spikes around the midsection, the different strata of layers and the planet jaws that open and close are just beautiful.  Yes its essentially a big (expensive) ball which limits its playability and poseability but that’s OK – this is the ultimate display piece and mainly for looking at and going ‘wow – just wow’.

To make up for the lack of playability in planet mode Unicron’s head comes detached (like it was at the end of TF:TM and in S3) and has a few features of its own.  You can change the beard and you can change the face as well to the battle smashed version.  Or you can remove the face all together and swivel those creepy eyes around.   The Head comes with it’s own display stand like the main figure, and also has an Autobot ship as well as a tiny Rodimus & Galvatron to round it out.

 

Robot Mode

Again we get to see the scale of Unicron here, so much bigger than even the biggest of Titan toys.  The amount of detail put into this figure is staggering, Haslab going above and beyond to make him resemble his animated appearance as much as possible.  He has great articulation for such a huge figure and nearly every part of Unicron has movement; the neck, waist, knees, elbows, feet, wrists and so on all have different degree’s of swivel and articulation.  By keeping Unicron on the stand you can pose him however you wish, even the legs in stances which would let a normal toy fall over.  The articulation of the fingers on each hand is unprecedented, with every finger having 3 points of movement.

There has been a great deal of discussion about all the kibble.  Most of this can be removed.  However I like to leave it on, for me it shows that this really is a functioning Transformer that can be changed into a different configuration – its not simply a statue.  His backpack is not a major downside for me and neither are his calves.  The skeletal wings really polish off what is a massively impressive figure.

 

Transformation

Get yourself a coffee and some snacks because you are going to be there a while.  The first time you do it will probably take you the best part of an hour.  The majority of this time is taken up with folding all the layers of the planet shell on top of each other to form the backpack and calves.  The inner robot is fairly simplistic and will present no challenges.  At no point did I find any part of the transformation overly fiddly and when you finally get him in robot mode that first time you may well feel a true sense of satisfaction.  According to blog-fan Trent, a good way to keep track of how to transform him back to planet mode is to take photo’s throughout the initial transformation – this helps you remember where everything was at different stages and reverse the process, though getting those planet panels back into position can be quite fiddly and awkward at times.

 

Overall

Unicron is a big fella and came with a big price tag (which has already been eclipsed by the new auto-transforming Optimus toy).  With only 12000 units made, we are already seeing Unicron’s on ebay going for 3 times what they cost.  Personally I bought two for my different displays and kind of wish I’d bought a 3rd so I could now sell it to pay for the other two.  Is he perfect?  No.  The inner chomper walls of the planet should have been painted silver as should his lower teeth.  The transformation to planet mode can be irritating at stages.  Also some extras such as lighting for the eyes and outer ring would have been appreciated, as well as would have a detachable leg like in the movie.  The backpack does detract from the way he looks from the back and many may not like the calves.  However on the whole this is a brilliant figure that will easily become the crowning centerpiece of any Transformer collectors collection!

 

Thoughts from other Transformer Fans:

 Steve: Impressive, Hefty & Awkward

Trent: Big!

Dallas: Just assembling the planet mode out of the box required separating a lot of panels. It’s awkward to manage because of its sheer massive size. The way all the ring components assemble, the spike strips install and lock in place and the shell components separate and reintegrate speaks of well thought out elegant engineering.  The fact that it’s been designed to allow transformation on the stand indicates a real understanding of the intended use, anyone who says they can transform this thing without the stand is talking out their arse.

Orion: It’s awesome – biggest Transformer ever!  And Dad let me transform his butt!

Jason: The missus gave an almighty headshake when she saw me come home with a box that size!

  

Got your own thoughts about this giant figure?  Pop them in the comments section below!

 

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Transformatorium, Transformer Toy Reviews

Toys Review – Galactic Odyssey Ratchet & Lifeline

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As the Earthrise portion of the War for Cybertron toy trilogy wraps up in preparation for the Kingdom line, people are still receiving exclusives that have been ordered and delayed due to the Covid Crisis.

I’ve just received one of these exclusives and it contains two characters that have historically been very hard to get in the Generations line.  So without further ado let’s look at the Paradron Medics duo from the Galactic Odyssey Collection – Ratchet and Lifeline.

 

Ratchet

Ratchet has been a real bastard to get over the last decade for those who have wanted Generations versions of him.  The only one that has seen mass release in the west was Rescue Ratchet from the Hunt for the Decepticon toyline.  Being a movieverse toy with a G1 recolouring this did not sate fans who wanted a representation of the Ratchet of old.  Then there was the Universe version, which saw a very limited release which lead many collectors like myself to pay stupid amounts to get him online.  After that came Siege Ratchet, once again very hard to get as it only saw mass release in countries like Malaysia.  Whilst Earthrise Ratchet is still an exclusive, at least he has been relatively easy to obtain through Amazon.

 

Robot Mode

Very G1 (cartoon).  Looks really stocky and strong.  Nicely proportioned and with decent articulation too.  His windshield is more aqua coloured than blue which helps him match his partner Lifeline.  Due to this Ratchet, despite having a Terran alt-mode, being based on Paradron he has no Red Cross stickers on his shoulders.  The minimal red in his colour scheme makes him look a tad bland.

Ratchet comes with a shield (the ambulance roof) and a gun that is highly reminiscent of the G1 toy.  Personally I liked how Siege Ratchet came with actual medical tools and feel that would have been good here.

Like the G1 Ratchet toy the roof becomes a sort of mini-medical bay thing.  Not nearly as cool as the G1 version, this one does come with the same gun placed at the front.  Personally I prefer to use it as a shield for him, making him look more like a combat medic.

 

Vehicle Mode & Transformation

For only the third time Ratchet is once again an old fashioned ambulance van.  The transformation from robot to this mode really showcases how this Ratchet is actually a retool of the Siege version, and if it wasn’t for the new roof and the differently shaped windshield they would be near identical.  It’s a great looking retro ambulance, the only drawback is those awful huge feet at the back of the vehicle.

“I can get to the hospital fast with these boosters! Just a shame I can’t carry any patients”

 

Lifeline

“I’ve got the expression of your Aunty at Xmas when she gives you that extra slice of pie”

Yep, if you appeared in the G1 cartoon you get a toy – that’s how it works these days.  Lifeline was in one very tiny scene, tending to an injured Cyclonus, in S3 of the G1 cartoon.  She never talked, never transformed and was never seen again.  But like Lancer and Greenlight , she now gets her own figure.

 

Robot Mode

The only other figure produced of Lifeline was a Timelines version from the TFCC that was a recolour of Thrilling 30 Arcee.  Likewise this Lifeline is a recolour of Earthrise Arcee.  I actually like her more, her colours really do it for me and I think it’s a really nicely proportioned toy.  When in group shots I tend to use T30 Arcee so that there is that bit more differentiation between Lifeline and her.

Arcee secretly plots to kill Lifeline out of jealousy of her slimmer thighs

You can remove the backpack for it to become a sort of sled.  Lifeline also comes with an Energon Infuser which is obviously a gun.  Like Ratchet I would have liked to see her receive some actual medical tools.  Still, it’s a good looking figure with some really great articulation.

“Check it out – I’m doing the final scene from the Footrot Flats movie!”

 

Vehicle Mode & Transformation

Like Earthrise Arcee and Netflix Elita, Lifeline is a Shellformer, and not a very good one at that.  It is so frikken hard to get her body to squeeze into the car shell properly, and when you do manage it the slightest nudge makes the legs pop back out which pretty much ruins her play value in this mode.  She looks nice from certain angles but otherwise this is a very disappointing alt-mode and it’s embarrassing I have three different versions of it now.

“Errr, pay no attention – those are just the brakes for my hovermode. Yeah, thats it – the brakes”

 

Worth Getting?

Being an exclusive (like half the Generations line seems to be these days)  these figures are more expensive than those on the store shelves.  Ratchet’s vehicle mode is compromised by the feet at the back and Lifeline’s by the legs that constantly emerge from her undercarriage.  These negatives may cause you to bypass if you expect top quality from your Generations toys.

However overall I’m quite happy with the pairs other attributes.  Both have great robot modes, both match each other very well and both are a lot easier to obtain than the previous figures of them that have been released.  So if you are looking to finally add a G1’esque Ratchet and Lifeline to your Generations line-up than these two are well worth grabbing.

Got something to say about this medical duo?  Pop it in the comments section below!

 

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Transformatorium, Transformer Toy Reviews

Toy Review – POTP Punch/Counterpunch

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The original G1 Punch/Counterpunch was a very cool toy with a very cool concept!  Whereas all Triple-Changers in the past had two vehicle modes this toy had two robot modes.  He was an Autobot that could not only turn into a Pontiac Fiero , but also transform into a Decepticon in order to act as a spy!  Despite his abysmal appearance in Season 4 of the cartoon, the toy was so cool that it proved extremely popular, and lead to Doubledealer expanding upon the concept the following year.

We have only had one new version of this character since then, the Timelines version that was released several years ago (I don’t count the subsequent Counterpunch based on a CW mold since he only had one robot mode).  While that toy was good, it was let down primarily by a small and weird looking head and of course a very limited release.  Fans have been awaiting a new toy that could do this unique character justice.

Well wait no more, for now we have the Amazon exclusive Power of the Primes Punch/Counterpunch.  Let’s take a look and see if it was worth the wait.

Not available in stores

Vehicle Mode

Sexy… as long as my doors don’t pop off

One of the appeals of Punch is he was one of the very few Transformers released in 1987 that had an Earth alt-mode (the others being the Throttlebots and new Decepticon Cassettes) when the line was moving heavily into Cybertronian and/or Creature modes.  The vehicle mode has been faithfully redone here, down to the red hubcaps.

The arms/shoulder come misassembled which means that the arms don’t tab properly when you are folding the doors over to make his car mode.  This is apparently easily repaired though I haven’t gotten around to it yet, I’ve found with sufficient (yet carefully applied) force that you can tab the doors properly, though they come back loose with the slightest knock.  When I get around to making the repair I will post the method here, much like I did with the problem regarding Trypticons hip.

 

Punch Mode

I’m a heroic Autobot – check out my orange chest!

Excellent colours, well proportioned, good articulation, an orange gun – what more could one ask for!  Well, perhaps some feet.  But he balances quite well all the same and really puts the Timelines version to shame.  You can fold down a tab on his back to hide the Decepticon symbol located there.

 

Counterpunch

I’m an evil Decepticon – check out my purple kneepads!

Like the original toy, you turn this figure around, adjust the set of the shoulders, flip the helmet and viola – instant Decepticon!  Like his Autobot version you can flip a tab on his back to hide the other factions symbol and he also lacks feet.  Additionally what he lacks is a blaster of his own.  In my opinion it helped differentiate the two robot modes with the original toy by each having its own gun.  Since Counterpunch looks weird holding Punch’s gun, I give him the otherwise useless combiner appendage (since this toy does NOT combine) as a sort of black shield.  Still on the whole he looks excellent, you can even flip the hands around so they are different colours!

Prima Prime

I am the leader of the Original 13 Primes! Check out the power contained in my tiny, tiny body!

You can turn him into a box and stick him in the shield – that’s all I can say about this figure, except perhaps he has some cool pipelighting from the back the other POTP Primes lack.  But I don’t like the concept as a whole and find them mostly useless little figures just waiting to get lost – give us some proper figures of the Original 13 more than just the likes of Alpha Trion and Megatronus.

 

So is this figure worth getting?

As long as you can afford the bigger (but not gigantic) price tag I’d say definitely yes, especially if you are a G1 fan!  3 great modes, a few accessories and a cool collectors box – he is good quality and a lot of fun!  Now we can simply hope this toy prompts the character appearance in the upcoming IDW reboot of the Transformers universe.

 

Got anything to say about this figure?  Would love to read it in the comments section below!

 

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Transformer Toy Reviews

Toy Review – Masterpiece Thrust

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Oh Tak/Tom, why do you not want me to pay off my house?  Why do you keep releasing these overly-priced MP exclusives that I just have to have?  Shame on you!  If I was a stronger man I would resist, but since I’m not and have caved yet again, I may as well share with the public my thoughts on your latest attempt to empty my wallet – Masterpiece Thrust.

 

Robot Mode

I have thighs - I promise!
I have thighs – I promise!

Thrust looks quite nice here, the expression is a tad blank but the face is a nice white colour and the eyes are yellow just like in the cartoon.  The body has cartoon accurate colours too, though one could ask is this a good thing?  In the cartoon Thrust’s colours were more muted and pale then the toy, the toy being a more rich maroon verging on brown with black highlights and in the cartoon he was a reddy-brown with grey.  The idea of the Masterpiece line is to make these toys show accurate rather than toy accurate, which means that sometimes we miss out on the great features of the toy (for instance Tracks flying car mode was cooler in the toy than the cartoon but the MP we got looks like the cartoon).  Thrusts knee pads are a bit too big and obscure his thighs, making him look more stubby than he really is but he does have his tail wings coming out of his calves and the main wings angle all make the legs and torso work.  Despite some quibbles that are all relatively minor this is a pretty damn fine looking Thrust!

 

Vehicle Mode

Just too sexy!
Just too sexy!

The theoretical F15-VTOL mode Thrust was based on has been faithfully represented here.  Once again one must wonder if the colour scheme would have looked better if they had gone with the toy than the cartoon but it’s really hard not to love the MP Seeker mold – in my opinion the best looking jets of the entire Transformers line ever!  A very nice little touch they have put in is that his wing turbines actually rotate, though one has to do it via finger rather than being able to blow on it like some other TF toys.  Thrust here has all the features the other MP Seekers have such as the nosecone and cockpit that open.  A couple of extras are the guns that sit under the wings and for once they seem to have gotten the pilot right – it being a translucent hologram character rather than a half-sucked Simpsons-jelly baby like came with Sunstorm.

 

Transformation

The seedy underbelly of weapons placement
The seedy underbelly of weapons placement

Most people that have been collecting the MP Seekers know how to do this and it’s certainly not the most onerous MP transformation ever.  I tend to use the instructions the first time round though just to give myself a refresher – given how much these latest Seekers have cost one does NOT want an accidental breakage!  A change they have made here from some of the other Seeker toys such as Ramjet is the configuration for the guns when converting to jet mode.  The guns instead of swinging out on two big struts under the wings now fold down and sideways on double jointed smaller struts to sit flush with the side of the jet whilst two removable guns are placed under the wings.

 

So is Thrust worth getting?

For the exorbitant price tag I’d say unless you are a mad TF collector then no.  Don’t get me wrong, it’s a great robot and a brilliant jet, but because of the toys exclusive status they have ramped up the price to a level that is verging on the rip-off side.  But if you ARE a mad TF collector like me then he is a must have.  Can’t wait to get Thundercracker and Dirge so my MP Seeker collection can be complete!

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