Optimus Prime [Cyberworld/Armored Cyber Changers]

Being the main character, Optimus Prime is bound to make a few repeat appearances in any Transformers toy line. For Transformers Cyberworld, today we’ll be looking at his second release — a big improvement over his first. We talked about that one a few months back and while I liked it, there was no ignoring its faults. He looked great in robot mode, but the various hollow parts were clearly visible in truck mode. That was disappointing.

Thankfully, those hollowed-out parts are hidden a lot better this time around. his Optimus is like the “Offroad” version of Bumblebee we looked at a few weeks ago. Both were originally solicited under the Offroad name, but that labeling is missing from the packaging. So this is just “Armored Cyber Changer Optimus Prime” — as opposed to the “Cyber Changer Optimus Prime” hanging on the next peg at Walmart. That Offroad name would’ve made things easier in the end, but naming systems in Transformers are a regular nitpick of mine.

I like this Optimus a lot better than the regular one. It looked great, but that vehicle mode was impossible to ignore. This time we’ve got a solid robot and vehicle with a very interesting sculpt. Optimus transforms into a non-descript armored offroad truck, and that design carries over nicely to his robot mode, creating a more unique version of Optimus that I think looks great. He’s pleasantly blocky too — just super chonky in all the right ways. A very satisfying little robot toy. 

Optimus has the same articulation and dimensions as other Cyber Changers (armored or not), which I oddly appreciate for reasons I can’t fully explain. They’re just satisfying little figures. His traditional red and blue colors look super sharp, and the truck’s brush guard makes for a nice variation of the car-front chest Transformers often have. He looks rough and tumble — it’s a good look. Optimus also doesn’t have his trademark faceplate, which actually works really well with this sculpt. I’m anticipating (and hoping for) all sorts of repaints from this mold. It’s a good Optimus, but it could easily be a variety of other characters. It’d make a great Clench — just imagine it in black and purple!

Transformation uses the standard Cyber Changer scheme. I’m guessing the shared engineering across the line helps keep costs low — and I’m totally fine with that. The torso compresses and accordions while the arms fold up and the legs fold in. Simple, effective, and it reminds me of the auto-transformations from early Beast Wars and Machine Wars basics… just without the spring.

The truck mode is really good — pleasantly blocky again, with a bit of a military vibe to the sculpting. It looks tough, and I could see this scaled down into one amazing Micromaster. The “Armored Up” gimmick that differentiates Armored Cyber Changers from the standard versions is a large weapon that converts slightly, giving it some interchangeability between modes. I’ve been taking these as they come, usually just accepting them as a tacked-on gimmick. This time, though, I’m outright enjoying it.

Optimus comes with a big chain gun that makes for an imposing weapon — it’s giving me Big Convoy’s Big Cannon vibes. Its alternate mode opens into two cannons and wing-like extensions. At first glance, the dual barrels might look like halves of the gun barrel, nothing too special — but look closer and you’ll notice sculpted rockets inside those barrels, suggesting it’s a rocket launcher. The bright blue colors and dual rockets remind me of Robots in Disguise Ultra Magnus with his “Blue Bolts” weapon. Thinking about it, this would make a good Magnus toy too.

The cannon can attach to the truck mode’s roof and looks 100% at home there. And those wings? They plug into the robot mode’s back, making for an upgraded look that isn’t called out on the packaging but is clearly intended. I really should’ve included a picture of it, but I wanted to show clean shots of the toy as it’s “supposed” to look. It’s literally the same position as the truck mount. It looks so natural there — can’t just be my imagination. Or maybe it is. I swear I saw Elvis at a Walmart once. He was buying ice cream.

Clearly, I like this figure. Its simplicity might turn off the display-case crowd, but it’s right up the alley for folks who just like neat toys. I’ve made all sorts of comparisons — from Microman to G.I. Joe to Action Masters — when talking about Cyberworld. It’s chock full of the DNA from toy lines that came before, and those influences are impossible to ignore. Yes, it’s simple, but sometimes simple works.

This is a cool toy line that I enjoy a lot. Without a doubt, this is my favorite of the line so far. It’s just a cool robot toy — the low price is a bonus. The colors pop, the sculpt is sharp, and the play gimmick works great. Everything just comes together solidly. Like I said, I could see this mold repainted into a million different characters — and hope I do. An arctic camo version would be great. Like everyone else who writes about Transformers, I’ve got plenty of opinions and think Hasbro should hire me. But with this toy, I think I’m actually onto something.