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Post by Optimal Megatron on Jan 27, 2022 15:06:26 GMT -5
SG Starscream:
So, the Siege Tetrajet mold. I have so many of this mold, between the original three Seekers, the Rainmakers, and Redwing. Why did I get another one? Well, frankly, because it's still a good mold. The Jetfire-esque SG paintscheme really pops on this, and the sword is a fun new accessory to go along with it. The same flaws like an unpinned chest that can pop out are still here, but overall, I think this is a solid figure in an interesting color scheme, and a nice accessory added on top. 8/10
SS86 Leader Grimlock:
I like this guy more than Slag, honestly. His transformation does some interesting things, and I'm impressed with the engineering, but he has less panels that flop about and have to be precisely placed to get them to stick together. I would've dug an alternate red visor version with red dino eyes, but that's a nitpick. As is the fact that him lacking a sword really feels unusual. Poseability and general studiness wise, I think his robot form outdoes Slag, and his dinosaur form only bugs me because it's clearly designed for a tail-dragging T-Rex that's screen accurate, whereas I want mine to stand with proper posture. You can kinda do it, but it's not the best. Also, they just needed to put one peg hole in his back to store his gun but we get this weird offsides storage as opposed to Slag's really slick tail storage, so that's not the best. Overall though, I'd say he's very solid and I do want to see more of these big Dino boys. 8/10
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Post by triumshockwave on Jan 27, 2022 16:06:59 GMT -5
I got a sword for him from that same guy Mach and I have been liking on eBay for 3D printed parts.
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Post by Optimal Megatron on Jan 27, 2022 16:54:04 GMT -5
Yeah, I did some looking through his and grabbed a few others (sword for Slag, leg stabilizers for Fangry, sword holders for Springer) to try out, since I had his shoulder mount for my G2 Megs. It's nice that he combos shipping.
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iacon45
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Post by iacon45 on Jan 27, 2022 18:15:42 GMT -5
I got a sword for him from that same guy Mach and I have been liking on eBay for 3D printed parts. I'm not much on gap fillers but that guy has got so many great add ons, I will have to make a second purchase with him eventually. So much more economical than Nonneff kits.
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Post by triumshockwave on Jan 27, 2022 19:56:00 GMT -5
I wonder if this guy realizes how much business he's gotten out of this one random hole in the wall web forum.
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iacon45
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Post by iacon45 on Jan 27, 2022 21:31:21 GMT -5
I wonder if this guy realizes how much business he's gotten out of this one random hole in the wall web forum. We should get discounts. As long as he keeps making good add-ons, he'll continue to get my business. There are some possible Beast Wars themed add ones, I'd buy in a heartbeat.
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Post by Optimal Megatron on Feb 24, 2022 11:30:35 GMT -5
SS Bumblebee Ravage: It's a tiny Ravage. It turns into a box. It fits in the new Soundwave's chest. It's still actually decently poseable as a panther. I don't know that anyone needed more than this. Also, he comes with the gun tip of Soundwave's blaster, which I hope doesn't indicate Marvel Legends level "your accessory is in another toy's package" on a regular basis. The Build-A-Fig was kinda cute once. But overall, 9/10
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Post by Optimal Megatron on Mar 4, 2022 1:03:12 GMT -5
SSBB Brawn
This is the best Brawn toy we've ever gotten. End stop. The legends one was decent, the TR one was okay, but this one is just... great. The robot mode sculpt is this bulky helmeted shocktrooper with a linebacker build and it looks great, the transformation is decent without being confusing, and the Cybertronian buggy/drill tank is a nice alien vehicle mode that still manages to be recognizably a vehicle. My only gripe is the gun mount on the roof is kinda loosey-goosey in vehicle mode, but that's a minor gripe. They even have a rotating grille for the front of the truck mode for the drill to attach to or swivel down if you just want a buggy. Solid as all hell. 9.5/10
SSBB Ratchet
Pretty solid toy. The vehicle mode being some sort of Mars rover thing is pretty slick, the transformation is a bit of origami that is still pretty intuitive once you've done it for the first time, and the robot mode is also recognizable without being just "ambulance with more angular panels" like Siege Ratchet. My sole nitpick is his biceps are kinda small, so his arms aren't as smoothly obvious as the other two. But still, a very solid and fun entry. And his roof mount is far more steady than Brawn's. 9/10
SSBB Wheeljack
Wheeljack's robot mode is great, with a nice Movie-fying of the G1 design without going overboard, much like you'd expect from the prologue scenes. His transformation into vehicle mode is a bit more complex and a little fiddly in places, but not terrible. It's just not as pleasingly smooth as some others. The vehicle mode is excellent looking, and the gun mounts well to the roof even if I'd prefer a 5mm peg hole to the rectangular peg we got just so the gun was symmetrical, but that's a nitpick. Overall, pretty solid, though the transformation prevents him from having the universal ankle tilts and cuts into his poseability a little. 8/10.
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Post by Optimal Megatron on Mar 18, 2022 1:47:52 GMT -5
Earthrise Thrust: So this took entirely too long to track down thanks to Target fucking exclusives. That said, I do like the mold overall, as this is closer to the ER Seeker mold than the other two coneheads (Dirge and Ramjet) whose 2-pack I did get. It's a solid recreation of the Classics transformation with the size upgrade of being a Voyager, and like the other two and their Selects repaints, a very slick toy overall. Jet's as good as you could expect, and the robot is plenty articulated. Which led me down the rabbit hole.... Coronation Starscream: Got this off Amazon via Warehouse Deals, so only $45 instead of the earlier prices. Earthrise Starscream is a solid mold, and much similar to Thrust than the other coneheads. Jet mode is right on, and the colors are a bit closer to Screamer's movie model. The shoulder pads and alternate guns that mount on them let him replicate the classic pose, but more notable is the double hinge on the cape that lets it sit hanging down or flare out for him to gesture like that one scene, despite being hard plastic. A decent crown, and the throne is a great accessory not just for Starscream but for any Voyager that can comfortably sit in it (or Galvatron, who fits just fine too). Ever since getting him, I tracked down the ER versions of Thundercracker and Skywarp, so those'll be arriving soon, as Seeker addiction is hard to cure. Kingdom Core Class Hot Rod: Pretty solid little car. I think this one holds up pretty well to Combiner Wars Hot Rod, which I also liked. A little smaller, a few bits less noticeable, but he handles fine and transforms in yet another new way, as befitting Hot Rod. His robot mode is decent, even if the forearms are a little short, but I think he's better overall than some of the earlier Core Class. Makes me think back when we didn't seem to get a new Hot Rod/Rodimus every line, but here's our boy, gone made good and popular.
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Post by iacon45 on Mar 18, 2022 16:29:54 GMT -5
Earthrise Thrust: So this took entirely too long to track down thanks to Target fucking exclusives. That said, I do like the mold overall, as this is closer to the ER Seeker mold than the other two coneheads (Dirge and Ramjet) whose 2-pack I did get. It's a solid recreation of the Classics transformation with the size upgrade of being a Voyager, and like the other two and their Selects repaints, a very slick toy overall. Jet's as good as you could expect, and the robot is plenty articulated. Which led me down the rabbit hole.... Coronation Starscream: Got this off Amazon via Warehouse Deals, so only $45 instead of the earlier prices. Earthrise Starscream is a solid mold, and much similar to Thrust than the other coneheads. Jet mode is right on, and the colors are a bit closer to Screamer's movie model. The shoulder pads and alternate guns that mount on them let him replicate the classic pose, but more notable is the double hinge on the cape that lets it sit hanging down or flare out for him to gesture like that one scene, despite being hard plastic. A decent crown, and the throne is a great accessory not just for Starscream but for any Voyager that can comfortably sit in it (or Galvatron, who fits just fine too). Ever since getting him, I tracked down the ER versions of Thundercracker and Skywarp, so those'll be arriving soon, as Seeker addiction is hard to cure. Kingdom Core Class Hot Rod: Pretty solid little car. I think this one holds up pretty well to Combiner Wars Hot Rod, which I also liked. A little smaller, a few bits less noticeable, but he handles fine and transforms in yet another new way, as befitting Hot Rod. His robot mode is decent, even if the forearms are a little short, but I think he's better overall than some of the earlier Core Class. Makes me think back when we didn't seem to get a new Hot Rod/Rodimus every line, but here's our boy, gone made good and popular. Those seekers are a slippery slope. Ask GS
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