Bruticus [Defender Version]

I felt pretty accomplished after completing and combining the Defender Version Devastator last year, so you can imagine how proud I am after forming the Defender Version Bruticus recently. Blokees Transformers Defender Version kits just might be my favorite Blokees product out right now… hell, maybe my favorite Transformers thing at the moment. I get so damned excited when a new series is released and have so much fun assembling them. Cherry picking random completed figures from the waves to come up with posts is super fun too… they really are a blast to blog.

Like Devastator, Bruticus is the culmination of individual releases spread across multiple Defender Version series. The Combaticons were available in vehicle mode: Brawl from 04-Tyrants Fury, Swindle and Onslaught from 05-Traitor to Tyranny, and Blast Off and Vortex from 06-Brutal Fang. The kit required to form Bruticus was initially available through scanning QR codes before being made available for sale. Sundays have become my model days—Blokees are pretty easy to assemble, so some days I’ll put a few together in the living room while watching TV with the Mrs. Just my folding laptop stand next to me, a little tray for parts, and my model tool kit nearby. Inside the parts kit for Bruticus are the rest of the pieces needed to combine the team, along with a pretty detailed instruction manual. Like Devastator, keep a ziplock bag handy—there will be unused parts from the individual Combaticons.

Each individual Combaticon needs to be converted to limb mode before assembly. The instructions are detailed, but it’s easy to miss a step. Blast Off has a part toward the rear that needs to be removed, and Onslaught’s grill has to come off. Some of this can be tricky. I’ve raved about Blokees’ slightly soft plastic, but disassembling can be a pain. Onslaught’s grill kept bending, so I took a tiny flathead screwdriver and worked it off slowly. Be careful—looks easy to snap in half if you rush. Baby fingers gang, use your baby fingers. I even broke a thumbnail during this step… not the first time, but it’s always jarring. Sounds brutal, but that's Bruticus.

Bruticus’s knees impressed me. The kit comes with upper thighs that connect to the waist, with Swindle and Brawl forming the calves. A small joint piece inserts into the thigh, with an additional knee piece that fits over it. This hides the joint nicely and makes a sort of kneecap when bent. It took a few tries to get right, but I love it. The upper torso is equally impressive: there’s a chest piece and a larger version of Onslaught’s twin laser cannons for the back. I honestly assumed the Onslaught pieces would be used, but they’re tiny compared to this kit. Onslaught’s rear panels disconnect and attach sideways to his front, the chest and back panels peg in, and suddenly you have a very solid upper body. Wow.

Once everything is connected, Bruticus looks fantastic. Like Devastator, it’s hard to believe this started as cute little Defender Version kits. He’s around Voyager Class height, towering over other Defender Version bots, and is surprisingly sturdy. He comes with two closed fists, a laser rifle, and an open left hand that can hold Starscream—or anyone you want dramatically posed thanks to little pegs. That’s a really nice touch. The articulation is great, allowing for dramatic poses or careful gun aiming.

After Devastator and Bruticus, I’m really excited to see what Blokees has in store next. Predaking or Piranacon would be amazing. I’ve even seen speculation about Volcanicus, thanks to the Beast Mode Dinobots in Defender Version cases, and I’d love that. Watching Bruticus come together from five small vehicles made me appreciate the thought behind these combiners all over again. This was an awesome experience.

Mastodon [Mighty Morphin Power Rangers/Re-Ignition]

The last time we looked at the new Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Re-Ignition Zords, it was Halloween. For whatever reason, Mastodon and Pterodactyl have been a little harder to find, but thankfully the Mrs. tracked this one down and stuck it under the Christmas tree. I honestly don’t know how she does it.

I’ve always been fond of the Mastodon. There was a time I preferred Power Rangers over Zyuranger simply out of familiarity, but these days I find myself watching the Tokushoutsu livestream of Zyuranger pretty regularly and honestly favoring it more. Not trying to be that “the original is better” guy, but I really enjoy the slightly more mature tone and fantasy setting, even if it’s still very much a kids show. I used to just think Mastodon looked cool. Now I actually appreciate Goushi a lot more as a character too.

I’ve seen some folks say they’re not enjoying the Re-Ignition Zords as much as other versions, and that’s totally fine. Me? I’m into them. There’s something really satisfying about these extra-large, chunky toys. They scratch that old Shogun Warriors itch in a weird way. They’re still very close to the original Bandai designs, so they almost feel like oversized Gobots. Considering all the molds Tonka licensed back in the day, if history had shifted just a little, the originals might have ended up Gobots. Funny how that works.

Mastodon (or Mammoth, depending on your preference) is basically a big robot elephant. There’s not much articulation to speak of — he kind of just is what he is. But considering his role in the Dino Megazord and Dino Tanker, I can overlook that. He’s the backbone. The arms. The stabilizer. All that bulk and chonk goes directly into making the combined form feel stocky and powerful. On his own, yeah, he’s a little basic — but he still looks great. I really like the decorative line work, and despite being a brand new release, it keeps that classic Bandai toy aesthetic I’ve always loved.

There are no firing missiles or gimmicks here, but Mastodon does come with the Megazord’s Power Sword — or Godhorn, if you’ve got Zyuranger music playing in your head. His head detaches to become the Megazord’s shield, and I’ve always loved that visual. 

We’re getting close, Zone Base readers. The Re-Ignition Dino Megazord is almost complete, and I’m really looking forward to combining the full team in the coming weeks.

Optimus Prime (Hologram Edition) [Wheels 01 – Roll Out]

It’s honestly a little wild that it’s taken me this long to start talking about Blokees Wheels here on Zone Base. Wheels is another blind-boxed Blokees series, similar to the Galaxy and Defender versions I’ve covered for years, but this time the focus is on vehicular models.

Since we’re looking at Transformers Wheels kits, these represent the alt modes rather than the robots themselves.

Like the other Blokees lines, each wave includes chase versions. Following the Defender Version format, buying a full box guarantees at least one chase. And just like the Defenders, the chase is an alternate version of one of the regular figures in the wave.

Today we’re looking at the Hologram Edition of Optimus Prime.

In this wave, you could pull a standard Optimus, the Hologram Edition (translucent), or a Titanium Edition with metallic paint. The standard Wheels kits include at least one part cast in Solidex—a material designed to look and feel like die-cast metal. It’s not actual metal, but it has that same satisfying heft, similar to what you’d find in a Hot Wheels car. It gives the finished model a really nice weight.

The chase figures skip the Solidex component and instead include an Inchman-style driver figure that can pilot the Wheels vehicles. That’s a pretty neat trade-off.

Optimus here is based on his IDW Comics design from around 2009–2011. It’s very close to the classic flat-nosed truck we all know, but with a bit of added flair in the form of a wind deflector and sporty striping. It’s a strong look. And regardless of which version you pull, it’s compatible with the separate Wheels Optimus Prime truck and trailer set, since it uses the same truck model.

The chassis appears to use a universal system across the Wheels line, which should make customization pretty straightforward.

What makes the Hologram Edition stand out, of course, is the translucent plastic. While the chassis and chrome-painted grille remain opaque, most of the body is cast in clear plastic, giving it a sharp, almost ethereal presence. I’ll admit, I think I prefer this version. I’ve always had a soft spot for colorful translucent plastic, and since I plan on picking up the truck and trailer set later, this version will make for a really nice visual contrast.

The included driver is a fun bonus. Cast in a pleasant blue translucent plastic, it almost feels like a literal hologram operating the vehicle while the robots are in disguise. You do have to assemble it yourself, and it’s tiny—so it was a little fiddly. Interestingly, there are two torso and waist pieces on the sprue, but only one set of limbs. Once assembled, though, the driver has just enough articulation to fit into pretty much any Wheels cockpit.

I really like what Blokees is doing with Wheels, and you can absolutely expect to see more of them here in the future.

Go Go Go (away) Monday!

Monday again? Crap. I guess it's time to start a new week of robots, monsters, and misadventure. I hope you all had a good weekend, mine was busy, but good. I've actually got a busy week ahead of me... next weekend will be forever away. Saturday, the Mrs took me to Visionworks for an eye exam and some new glasses with us doing a little shopping after. We enjoyed a delicious supper from one of our favorite restaurants that night. I got what's become my favorite sushi combination. Spicy yellow tail rolls paired with sweet potato rolls and of course cucumber rolls. Paired with some fried rice we shared, wonderful. Sunday was spent cleaning out my car and giving it a good wash. We'll be trading it in next weekend, so it'll need to be clean. We're getting a new car, which will be the Mrs's daily driver while I take over her old car. My graveyard shift working hours and short commute make it just right. My old car was great, but I've had it for 12 years. It's time for a change, thank you for your service Ford Fusion. I'm sure the Corolla will be proud to fill your shoes. 

Mom came over for dinner and we ordered pizza while watching 1000lbs Sisters. Not sure how many episodes are left in this season, but Tammy is out of control. It's ridiculous. Both nights I fell asleep long after the Mrs, my face buried in the Atari Gamestation Go. PC Engine games never get old. 

As for toys this weekend, I got a few. A stop by McDonald's for Changeables (they let me buy individuals) resulted in 2 Torrus's making my total 3 of him and a Drinkobius-999. I'm happy to finally get a new mold. It's awesome that McDonald's brought them back, but their stores are trying their best to ruin it for everyone. Target had 3 Razorclaws, meaning they had 3 Big Convoys at some point... one day I'll get one. Disappointment aside, I did pick up a SD Heroes Caesar Legend Gundam and a Zoids RZ-009 Command Wolf Realize Model kit. I also got another hobby knife that will be an extra whenever I find the missing one. Not to be left out, I also picked up a pack of coasters that have Gameboy box art on them. They'll never get used as coasters, but will be cherished. I also ordered the first wave of Yolopark Basic Transformers as I've been meaning to check that scale out. Not to be left out is the Maximal sticker for the Corolla, no car of mine is complete without proper alignment. The new Cyberworld toys are starting to show up and I'm actively salivating over getting them. Models my be taking the main focus here (it's a blog, they're more fun to write about... and I can tell you guys like reading about them more), but I'll still be talking toys and Cyberworld is something I intend to completely cover. 

Well, it's time to do some chores and site work done. Thank you all for reading Zone Base. Please remember to share the site with your friends and be excellent to each other. 

Hound (Standard & Clear) [AMK Mini Series 2]

With the AMK Mini Series 1 Yolopark kits, I bought figures mostly individually. Megatron and Optimus came as a two-pack, and the rest I picked up one by one… okay, Soundwave twice (I broke one). The option to buy them as a case was there, but I didn’t go that route. That’s something I changed for Series 2, and one of the bonuses for doing so wasn’t just getting all six figures in one whop, but also an additional bonus figure.

Now, if the blind box versions of the Minis were available to me, I’d also have access to chase figures like Shattered Glass Rodimus Prime. Then you add in BotCon exclusive kits and… what I’m saying is, it’s nice to finally get an exclusive bonus version when I’ve clearly missed out on a lot beyond the standard releases. For Series 2 (with Series 3 and 4 already on the way-seemingly much faster than Series 2 took), that bonus figure is a clear version of Hound. That. Is. Awesome.

Sites with ads and Patreons asking you to buy them coffee will tell you this was a preorder exclusive. *sigh* I bought mine a little later and was bummed that I thought I’d missed out-only to happily discover those reports were wrongity wrong wrong wrong. It looks like Series 3 and 4 will continue this trend, so yeah… I’ll be buying cases from now on.

So today we’re looking at both versions of Hound available in Series 2. They’re literally the same toy, with one being translucent, so doing two separate posts felt like overkill. I’ve mentioned before that I’m fond of Hound, so clearly (I swear I didn’t intend that pun, but I’m owning the fuck out of it) I was excited for both the standard release and the clear bonus version. I also like colorful translucent plastic, so please inject that directly into my veins.

As usual, these kits come as preassembled parts that you complete by snapping everything together. While the larger, more expensive Yolopark kits are pretty elaborate, the Minis are much simpler and come together in minutes. I assembled the entire case while watching The Fifth Element with the Mrs., which was a genuinely nice evening. Once assembled, you’ve got a very solid action figure. With Series 2, the articulation has been noticeably improved-and I will not stop saying that anytime soon. I think it’s neat.

Hound looks fantastic, complete with his signature hologram gun and shoulder rocket launcher. I love shoulder rocket launchers. Since he doesn’t transform, you’re left with a faithful interpretation of how he appears in the cartoon and comics. The clear version is just as accurate… just clear. And honestly, it looks great. The translucent plastic really suits the design.

The clear Hound is split across the boxes in the case, similar to a build-a-figure setup you’d see in other action figure lines. I do have one minor gripe, though: my clear version was missing one of the wheels that fits onto his ankle. On top of that, the Arcee in the same case (we’ll get to her later) came with two left upper thighs and no right one. Clearly accidents happen, and I get that-but it still chafes my ass. I’ve contacted Yolopark’s customer service and I’m hoping for a resolution. I’ve hidden the missing parts as best I can in the photos. Disappointing, sure, but it happens. Hopefully replacement parts are on the way.

That aside, this is my only real complaint-a whoopsie daisy. The kits themselves look amazing and honestly feel more premium than some actual premium items. These Minis are really nice. One day I’ll dip my toes into Yolopark’s other size classes (those Samurai Pizza Cats and Evangelion sets are calling to me), but for now, focusing on the Minis has been incredibly rewarding.

I’ve got a long-term organization project underway that will eventually make the Minis the bulk of my main display, centered around an acrylic Transformers logo, with everything else going into storage. I guess you could say… I really like these.

SEGA Genesis Supervillain Bundle (Part 2) [Console Heroes / SEGA Genesis

It’s been weeks, but we’ve finally reached the end of the SEGA road—for now. Completing Series One of the Console Heroes SEGA Genesis dioramas means taking a look at the console itself. Last week was Part One of the Supervillain Bundle coverage. This week, we open up the rest of that big box: a SEGA Genesis to plug all these cartridges we’ve been looking at into.

No, seriously—you can actually insert them into the console.

The Genesis/Mega Drive here doubles as a display case for the various figurines included with the games, and honestly… this whole line is neat, isn’t it? A faithful (if slightly larger) reproduction of the legendary system looks impressive on its own, and frankly stirs up a little emotion. I do love this console. As silly as that may sound.

When opened, the inside reveals a large display space for your figures, complete with shelves set against that classic SEGA grid background. It gives the games a place to “play” together, which is a really charming touch. Adding to the magic is the Supervillain angle. Included are figures of several iconic Genesis-era villains: Mr. X from Streets of Rage, Death Bringer from Golden Axe, Mecha Sonic MK II, and the Death Egg Robot from Sonic the Hedgehog. That lineup alone gives me hope for future releases—especially more Golden Axe

But that’s not all. Remember all those cartridges we’ve been talking about? Not only do they insert into the console, but there’s even a little storage tray included for the extras. That’s one of those details that might not mean much to everyone, but for some of us, it creates an instant smile. There’s something deeply satisfying about seeing your games lined up on the shelf like a tiny trophy rack.

Overall, this makes for a fantastic centerpiece to the collection, and I genuinely hope more releases are on the way. It’s a little strange coming to the end of this line after writing about it for so long, but it’s also incredibly rewarding. The Genesis/Mega Drive is one of those systems I probably cherish a little too much, and seeing all of these sets under the Christmas tree was a moment of pure elation. The Mrs. definitely knew it was something I’d love—and she was absolutely right.

Prowl [AMK Mini Series 2]

Getting back to the Yolopark AMK Mini Series 2, we have Prowl-because I like him. I’ve said it several times before that I’m a fan of police car and similar decos… and yeah, I still am. This is also just a really good Prowl once assembled.

Like all Yolopark kits, the parts snap together easily, and these Mini kits don’t take very long to build. Once completed, you’ve got a nicely articulated Prowl ready for an assist by Chip Chase. I mentioned in the last AMK Mini Series 2 posts that these newer kits feel noticeably nicer than the Series 1 releases. There was a pretty long wait between Series 1 and Series 2, so I’m guessing they took the time to improve the product-and it shows.

Most notably, the articulation is improved. Prowl can move all over the place, and even his car-door wings are articulated. That’s neat, and for other Fairlady Z-based characters that will likely come later, it allows for a bit of customization and individuality. It's neat..

I learned something about Prowl recently that helped inspire today’s post. This model represents Prowl’s traditional look, so the rear windows of the car-covering his shin area-are molded in blue. On the original toy, however, you could actually see his shins through those rear windows. I recently read that the designer intended this as a reference to Henshin Cyborg, similar to how some of the Dinobots had clear heads. Since those were originally Diaclone toys-which directly followed Henshin Cyborg-the reference makes even more sense there. Still, that’s a super neat detail, and it had honestly never occurred to me before.

Like the other Minis, Prowl comes with both closed fists and open palms. The closed fists can hold his Acid Pellet Rifle, and he also includes his twin shoulder missile launchers, really nailing his classic look. This was the first kit I assembled from my Series 2 box, so it probably impressed me a little more than the others-but honestly, they really nailed Prowl’s traditional design here. Awesome job.

Monday's on it (and is an asshole)

It's time to start another week of robots, monsters, and misadventure Zone Base readers. I had a great weekend and hope you did too! I spent Saturday with the Mrs enjoying Valentines Day. We did some shopping and enjoyed dinner at Outback Steakhouse (despite one long ass wait). Later that night, I enjoyed more episodes of Kamen Rider Zezt. Sunday we spent the day at home with some fun TV. The Mrs made us a wonderful barbecue dinner that I plan on enjoying leftovers from today. Mom came over and we watched The Super Mario Brothers movie with that excellent food. I built several Blokees, including assembling Defender Version Bruticus. We'll be talking about that in an upcoming post. 

Like many of you, I enjoyed the news from New York Toy Fair 2026. There was SEVERAL exciting products shown off and frankly, I'm excitied. All along the kaiju front was looks at the upcoming Power Rangers x Godzilla figures from Playmates that I'm literally salivating over. In addition, TMNT x Godzilla's second wave was shown off. This is something I've been actually pretty anxious about. I've got the first wave, which does not include Donatello... leaving me feeling a little uneasy. Thankfully Donny is in wave 2 alongside Shredder and Splinter. I plan on covering the series soon after we spend a few Wednesdays finishing up another set started a few months ago. Speaking of Godzilla,  it looks like Godziban will be getting a US release and I about crapped my pants. This is awesome! Speaking of Power Rangers, the Re-Ignition series will also get a version of the Thunder Megazord that I'm looking forward to. There was more looks at the upcoming MOTU movie toys and I'm really excited for the core class toys. Sure, I'll get some Chronicles... but those core class figures look great. 

As far as Transformers go, several were shown off with Studio Series 86 getting more exciting toys to go along with this years 40th anniversary of the 1986 movie. I'm hoping for theatrical showings of the movie this year similar to the Transformers 40th Anniversary Theatrical Event in 2024, I really enjoyed that. Of course Blokees and Yolopark showed off upcoming kits, I'm STOKED for Wheels wave 2. I've been really enjoying building wave 1 and we'll start looking at them soon. Most exciting was the showing of new Cyberworld toys. Outright blowing the prior toys out of the water with exciting and imaginative designs, you can be sure I'll be all over these and covering them here. So far we've covered the complete line here on Zone Base and that's something I plan to continue. The pirate ship Scourge and sea creature Soundwave look amazing and I am VERY excited for more of this awesome and fun Transformers series. 

There was several more cool toys shown off, but that's what's filling my mind as I write this on my tablet while watching a video on Space Godzilla. I got some cool toys this weekend too. While at Five Below, I picked up a new Mutant Monsters ball. There's a few more that so far have only have appeared at Five Below and this was the first time I've seen any. When I get the rest, we'll continue our look at those. I also got a fun pack of Transformers pencils at Five Below that I'll likely never use... but had to have. The newer Authentics were there, but I didn't get them. Maybe one day. Walmart had Quintus Prime and Amalgamous Prime whom I gladly bought. This leaves only Alpha Trion missing in my quest to get all of the Primes in the Age of the Primes line. I left Wreck-Gar behind, though I'll likely get him later. Generations Transformers prices are too high for me to buy that many at once in good conscience. Definitely acquiring them at a slower pace.

Sunday I ordered the Mrs and myself Happy Meals for a quick lunch and got two more Changeables. Unfortunately they were both FR-13S, whom I now have 4 of (dammit). Neatly enough, they came with sticker sheets! So far I haven't gotten any stickers with the new Changeables,  so that was neat. Also we normally get extra fries instead of the apple slices. But since my local McDonald's is a dumpster fire and has a mission statement to screw up every order, every time, we got the apple slices (and a refund... I'm starting to wonder how much money Door Dash makes as they literally refund every order we make). However... the apple slices came in Changeables baggies! Neat! I'll definitely be making some Instagram stories with those when enjoying them as a snack later. 

Well, it's time to get this week started. Household chores and toy picks for upcoming posts need to be done. Thank you all for reading Zone Base. It's extremely flattering to see the thousands of you coming out every day and reading. Please don't forget to share the site with your friends and be excellent to each other!

Get in the damn robot!

Rescue Bot Heatwave [Age of the Primes/Voyager Class]

In Generations, there’s been an attempt to take Transformers from various series and essentially give them a more traditional-looking bot design. Rescue Bots, being a show aimed at preschool-aged kids, originally had some extremely cute and chonky toys—perfectly sized for small hands. Well, just like Chase and Medix (I’ll eventually make a post about him), Heatwave has now found himself worked into mainline Transformers.

Heatwave is one of the more popular Rescue Bots, and he’s popped up in various other Transformers media over the years. I’m particularly fond of his role in Transformers Angry Birds… I really liked that game. I even won a Halloween tournament in it one night while watching a marathon of the various versions of Disney’s Halloween Treat and handing out candy to kids. Good times.

This new figure of Heatwave is pretty great, and it does something I’ve wanted for a few years now. You see, it’s a retool of the Legacy Bulkhead mold from a few years back. That Bulkhead was one of the first examples of characters from series with very specific visual aesthetics being given a more traditional Generations look. I really liked that Bulkhead (don’t think I ever covered him here), and I kept hoping they’d use that mold for other truck-based characters. It just felt like a good, big, utilitarian truck-guy base. I didn’t anticipate Heatwave being made from it, since the previous reuses were all characters from the same Prime series Bulkhead came from-but honestly, it’s perfect for Heatwave.

Now… when Heatwave was first introduced in Rescue Bots, I was a little sad they didn’t call him Rescue Roy. Rescue Roy was another toy aimed at younger kids from the early 2000s that I missed out on due to making “responsible financial decisions” (dammit) and focusing my Transformers budget on Robots in Disguise (2001). Heatwave always kind of looked like Rescue Roy to me, and in this toy that resemblance is even stronger. In a lot of ways, this feels like my spiritual Rescue Roy.

That aside, on its own this is just a really cool Transformers toy. The base mold is pleasantly big and chonky. With the new parts, what was once a military truck is now a genuinely solid fire truck. All of Heatwave’s signature visual cues carry over nicely, resulting in a figure that could almost fool someone into thinking it was an all-new mold.

Heatwave is nicely articulated and transforms fairly easily. There are a few fiddly bits that took me a little extra effort, but nothing major. Thankfully, he’s not one of those Transformers with Lament Configuration–level transformations. I’m pretty sure I summoned the Cenobites more than once during the Revenge of the Fallen toy line. For me, the sticking points were getting the arms to fold correctly into the cab and lining up the legs just right. If you get it wrong, the truck ends up uneven—like the remains after Wile E. Coyote dropped a boulder on it.

There’s a new ladder piece that looks great, but it does need to be removed during transformation. It pegs nicely onto Heatwave’s back in robot mode and attaches to the back of the truck in vehicle mode a bit differently. It looks like it should just rearrange from its backpack position, and technically it can, but it’s not quite an exact fit.

I don’t remember this being an issue with Bulkhead, but it’s very easy to accidentally remove Heatwave’s arms. They’re on simple shoulder pegs, and it’s surprisingly easy to slide them off while transforming, so just be mindful of that. He comes with some neat new weapons too: a water cannon and his Energize Energy Axe, both cast in a really nice translucent blue. I like translucent colors—they just look good. Both weapons can store on the sides of the vehicle mode, which is something I usually appreciate. Not all the time, but there’s just something about a vehicle covered in gear… you know?

It’s actually kind of remarkable how closely the vehicle mode resembles Heatwave’s Rescue Bots alt mode. I’d almost swear this was planned during Bulkhead’s original design process—but even if it wasn’t, it’s really well done. I was genuinely happy to unwrap Heatwave on Christmas morning as one of the presents from the Mrs. He’s a fun, well-executed Transformer, and if you didn’t know better, you’d swear he was an original mold—which says a lot, considering how noticeable retools usually are.

There’s just something deeply satisfying about a big, chonky robot fire truck.

SEGA GENESIS w/Sonic The Hedgehog (Part 1) [Console Heroes/SEGA Genesis]

Our look at the Console Heroes SEGA Genesis line is winding down… but it’s going out with a bang. The final set in the initial series is a BIG box absolutely packed with Genesis goodies. The SEGA Genesis/Mega Drive console itself is here-because of course you need a console to play all these great games-and just like consoles back in the day, it comes with a game!

Since this set is pretty big, I’m splitting it into two parts: this week and next week. We’re starting with the game most people remember coming with their Genesis. I know, I know-some of you got Altered Beast or Streets of Rage… but work with me here-Sonic the Hedgehog. There’s a reason I went a little out of order with the Sonic games.

As you’d expect by now, Sonic in cartridge form is a well-done (and slightly larger) replica of the original cart, complete with reproduced artwork. When opened, it reveals a nicely sculpted recreation of one of the game’s subterranean sections. You’ll have to pardon my brain fart on exactly which specific zone it’s meant to represent. There are some great vines and little spikes included that decorate the background and complete the look. No matter how many Sonic games I play, those damn spikes still get me.

Figure-wise, we get a repeat of the Sonic figure from the Sonic 2 cartridge, which at this point feels fair-and frankly, justified. There’s also one of those clear rod doohickeys… do those even have an official name? The clear rod doohickey is used to suspend the also-included Dr. Robotnik/Eggman in midair as he flies around in his signature Eggmobile. I completely geeked out over this figure, because I’ve always loved the image of Robotnik swooping in at the end of a level in his little pod.

All told, this is a great little diorama that pairs perfectly with the big tamale playset diorama we’ll be getting to next week. It’s been a blast covering this series, and our final item-at least until they hopefully make more-is going to end things with style. The Genesis “Supervillain Bundle” is truly something to behold. Make sure to come back next week for part two of Blast Processing!

Optimus Primal Robot [Classic Class]

During Christmas last year, the beast mode companion to today’s post played the narrator in our Christmas Carol production. That’s ironic, because the robot mode kit of that same guy was one of the presents the Mrs. got me for Christmas. A neat bit of synchronicity, and a much-appreciated gift. These larger Blokees model kits are an absolute pleasure, and I really like having a small pile of them waiting in my backlog.

Optimus Primal’s robot mode wasn’t seen much in Rise of the Beasts, which honestly makes today’s kit even more fun. It lets us get a better look at the Maximal leader. Frankly, his robot mode isn’t all that dissimilar from his classic gorilla design. It’s a little more techno-organic, a little more live-action movie dark and gritty, but it’s mostly classic Optimus Primal. Really, a simple repaint in classic colors and he’d make a solid, ultra-serious update of the original toy. And yeah, I’m into that.

Building this kit was fun, though slightly more challenging than some of the other larger Blokees kits I’ve put together. There are a few smaller parts that took a moment to get just right — specifically a set of pins that insert into his knees to hold everything together. It’s not hard, exactly… but I’ve got big fingers. It was just awkward enough that my bent tweezers didn’t really help either. The first one took a few tries. The second went right in. I guess my fingers retained a little muscle memory.

His shoulders were a little odd as well. They use the normal jointing you expect from a Blokees kit - actually, like the Megatron we talked about a few weeks ago, he’s got the upper torso of a Shining Version at his core. That said, my Primal’s upper arms didn’t want to stay connected at first. I’d snap them on and they’d pop right back off. After a few cycles of snapping them on, them popping off, me cussing, and putting them back on, they finally stayed put. Weird, but fine. Blokees kits are made from a pleasantly softer material than a lot of other model kits, so I’m guessing the joint stretched just enough after a few tries.

Once assembled, Optimus Primal is a solid robot mode figure loaded with articulation. He shares the mostly inky black color scheme of his beast mode kit, but there’s silver detailing here and there, along with green glowing parts like his eyes and the Maximal symbol on his chest. My copy’s battery was apparently dead, so I’ll swap that out eventually. CVS keeps sending me those $4–$5 off coupons, so I’ll probably score one cheap… maybe even free.

Optimus comes with two alternate faces. One has the mouthplate like the one I’m using in the photos, and the other has the plate open enough to show his mouth, just like in the original cartoon. You can swap them out anytime, and combined with his articulation and the choice between open hands or closed fists, you can get a surprisingly expressive Optimus.

He also comes with the twin scimitars that his first two toys had. In the movie, he mostly wielded them combined as a double blade, so you might have thought he had a spear - but nope, they split apart and can be used individually. I’ve always really liked these swords, so of course this makes me a little giddy. As usual, there’s an included display stand with whooshing energy effects. Those work great in a display case, though they’re a little less practical around the base.

This is a great kit of Optimus Primal, just like the beast mode version was. And really… that’s just Prime.

I swear it was just Sunday...

Good morning! Another week has begun on Planet Zone. Another week of robots, monsters, and misadventure! I hope everyone had a great weekend, mine was just what I needed after a rough week. The last two weekends had been ones spent at home due to the winter weather, so getting out was a lot of fun. We finally finished the Mrs birthday shopping weekend with a trip to Daiso! We really love it there, if only one were closer with the closest being about 40 minutes away with some less than ideal traffic. While my focus was on showing her a good time (we also went to other stores she likes), I picked up a few fun things for myself. Some new tweezers for smaller parts and stickers for when my bent tweezers aren't a good fit. Some retractable cutters for various reasons and to fill in for that missing hobby knife. I also picked up a Shin Chan pouch to store the new site stickers in when out and about. A Street Fighter acrylic standee and an eraser set of a gorilla, toilet, and poop. Yep, I bought pooping keshi. I got a few other things, but those are most notable. I doubt my new tablet bag is that interesting to you.

I also picked up Blast-Off and Sureshot from Age of the Primes. I guess the universe heard my annoyance at being behind on the line and threw me a bone. I spent a lot of time catching up with Kamen Rider Zezt some and playing games this weekend. I finally got that SD Card into my Gamestation Go and played my Switch 2 as well. My Blokees Wheels came in during the week and I built 3 as well as 4 Defender Version kits. Wheels are very interesting, more so than I thought they'd be going in. I'm going to enjoy this line. Wonderfest Winter took place this weekend and I've been appreciative of pictures from the event. There's going to be a lot of time spent perusing them.

The new Voltron movie finally got announced to be released this year on Amazon Prime Video later this year. Hasbro will be handling the toys and with Toy Fair around the corner, it looks exciting! Speaking of, Armored Cyber Changer Arachnid got leaked this weekend. She looks great and I hope more reveals will come from Toy Fair. Speaking of shows that I'm looking forward to images from, All Hail Cybertron will be taking place in March. An all Transformers doujin event looks to be amazing and I wish I could go! Hopefully plenty of pictures will find their way online. Well, I've got some chores and exercise to do. I hope everyone has a great week, there's a bunch of fun posts coming your way here on the site. Thank you for reading Zone Base. Please remember to share the site with your friends and be excellent to each other!

Transformers Overgear

Neat

Twin Mill [Hot Wheels X Transformers]

Getting back to our look at the Hot Wheels X Transformers line, today we’ve got Twin Mill — a classic Hot Wheels car that originally debuted way back in 1969. This Transformers incarnation is the blue Spectraflame version, and it looks fantastic.

It resembles a souped-up classic Corvette with twin engine blocks and gnarly exhaust pipes, complete with attachable flame effects. It’s the kind of car that just looks fast, and in the blue deco I can’t help but compare it to Sideburn from Robots in Disguise (2001).

These Hot Wheels Transformers are roughly comparable to a smaller Deluxe Class figure, similar in size to modern Mini-Bot updates. I know that probably sounds ridiculous… but I actually like the size. I often feel Transformers are just a touch too big. Not because I like small Transformers (see the site’s name), but because the details tend to come out sharper when they’re a little smaller. It’s like when you upscale an image and it loses some clarity. This feels like a real sweet spot, size-wise, for me.

Transformation isn’t hard at all and isn’t too dissimilar from other car bots. The front end becomes the upper torso, with the arms and head folded up inside, while the rear end forms the lower body and legs. I’ll say there are some strong Machine Robo / Gobots vibes here, mostly due to the smaller robot form and the look of his legs. I also can’t help but compare him to Armada Blurr, thanks to how the front fenders form his shoulders and the overall proportions. These are all things I really like, so those similarities are a plus in my book.

Ironically, back in 2001–2002 when Sideburn from Robots in Disguise was on shelves, Hot Wheels had a line called Robo Wheels. These were originally designed by PLEX to be a new Machine Robo series. PLEX has designed Machine Robo, Power Rangers, and Super Sentai toys for Bandai, and Robo Wheels were intended to follow Machine Robo CG Robo. That deal fell through, and the designs were eventually released as Hot Wheels instead. I distinctly remember staring at them on store shelves, very tempted to grab a few. At the time, though, I was pretty broke — finances were stretched paycheck to paycheck — so between rent and life expenses, I had to make some tough toy decisions. Transformers fit the budget, but other lines required being picky. Of course, it wasn’t until years later that I learned Robo Wheels were Machine Robo designs… and by then they were long gone. Here’s hoping I can track some down someday for a decent price — and not broken to hell.

Back to Twin Mill: man, this is a cool-looking robot. His head is a little reminiscent of bots like Smokescreen, but with some extra flair to the helmet and, of course, that fabulous visor. There’s a very post-1986 G1 vibe to the head sculpt. The way his robot parts mix with the car kibble and color scheme gives him an almost knightly look. It’s really sharp, and that blue is spectacular.

The twin engine blocks — which need to be removed first during transformation — become a pair of forearm-mounted guns. They slip over his arms and give him some serious firepower. The flame effects attach to the exhaust pipes, creating a blazing firing effect. It’s pretty great… damn, I really like these toys.

Articulation is solid, too. Twin Mill can pull off a variety of dynamic stances with his twin fire guns, though considering the length of the barrels, he’s going to need some room to swing them around. If it hasn’t already been painfully obvious, I’m really high on these Hot Wheels Transformers. According to rumors, there’s more coming, and I’m genuinely excited about that. These feel special to me, and I’m proud to own them. They’re definitely on a pedestal in my mind.

Here’s hoping those rumors are true and more are on the way. Even if they’re just repaints, I’m in. I’d absolutely love to see more Transformers follow this same approach.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 [Console Heroes/SEGA Genesis]

I’m honestly a little surprised Sonic 3 got a Console Heroes diorama, given how slightly buried the game has become over the years. Thanks to its soundtrack featuring Michael Jackson’s music, it’s existed in a bit of a legal gray area due to licensing issues.

Thankfully, it’s starting to see the light of day again with a new soundtrack, because it really is a great game. Fortunately, these dioramas don’t have soundtracks, so it’s not really an issue here. Though I suppose you could just play some Michael Jackson on your Bluetooth speaker if you really wanted to complete the experience.

Sonic 3 is more than just a licensed-music curiosity, though — it’s where the world was introduced to Knuckles! Knuckles is forever linked to the series and an integral part of Sonic’s team. I’ve always liked his ability to glide and climb. Not to mention… he’s just cool looking.

This Console Heroes set faithfully replicates the cartridge at a slightly larger scale, including the red label colors that graced later Genesis/Mega Drive games. Do not ask me why I care so much about that, but it’s an appreciated detail. I just wish the box did the same, for no sane reason whatsoever. Once opened, the cartridge reveals a really well-done diorama based on the Carnival Night Zone from the game. Included to complete the scene are a balloon, a ring, a platform, and some spikes. Of course, we also get figures of Sonic and Knuckles. Knuckles stands stoically, like he often does, while Sonic is wagging his finger with that unmistakable ’90s attitude.

This is a fun little diorama and it’s neatly distinct from the other Sonic sets in the line. Really, Wilder Toys has made something special with the Console Heroes series, and I genuinely hope they dig their heels in even deeper with future releases.

Bone Shaker [Hot Wheels X Transformers]

Hot Wheels collectors often get talked down on by other toy collectors for no real good reason. Sure, I’ve made jokes too… but I’ve seen (and smelled) some interesting characters in every fandom. Neatly enough, Mattel and Hasbro have been collaborating in recent times, creating some really cool stuff. This week we’ll be looking at the Hot Wheels X Transformers Collaborative line, released right at the end of 2025. I got the set in the mountain of presents from the Mrs. at Christmas and have been dying to talk about them here on the site, as they’re really freaking cool!

First up is Bone Shaker, whose slightly spooky skull design feels just right in observance of Setsubun. Bone Shaker is based on a Hot Wheels car of the same name, originally released in 2006. It’s a cool hot rod with flame deco and a giant chrome skull on the grille. That car has been faithfully recreated here as a Transformer that’s roughly Deluxe Class sized. Neatly enough, he features a mace weapon made from the car’s stick shift. The weapon fits into the shift column inside the car, but sticks out of the roof similar to the cars you’d see Rat Fink drive. This thing is pure old-school rockabilly hot rod culture, and I really dig it.

Of note, the top of that mace weapon — which is the shifter’s knob — is emblazoned with an Autobot symbol on crossbones. G2 Hero Megatron had a Decepticon symbol on crossbones, and I’ve always loved that aesthetic. The car also draws mental comparisons to the G2 Laser Rods and Micromaster Hot Rod Patrol toys, which were really cool.

Transformation from hot rod to rad robot is pretty easy, all things considered. You’d think it would be more complex, considering how well done the car mode is. Things fold out in pretty standard car-bot fashion. The hood becomes his chest, with the arms and head folded underneath, while the rear end becomes his legs and feet. The car’s seats actually become his feet when folded up properly.

Of course, that mace can be held in either hand to crack some skulls open with. In robot mode, Bone Shaker looks great, channeling that G2 Laser Rod influence while still being his own bot. That skull custom grille is now his way-cool chest, while the exhaust pipes form a popped, cool daddy-o collar behind his head. Speaking of his head, it has neat exhaust pipe–style detailing, while his red visor suggests a cool pair of shades.

Come to think of it, the cool black colors paired with the flame deco and chrome parts almost look like a leather jacket. Literally a rockabilly robot through and through, and I’m here for it. He’s decently articulated, adding to an all-around great figure. It’s probably easy to tell that I really like this guy. I like both of them, but Bone Shaker is definitely my favorite of the two. It’s just such a neat original design that harkens back to a style that’s often forgotten in today’s toy landscape.

Defeat Monday (please)

Good morning Zone Base readers! Another week of robots, monsters, and misadventure is starting full of fun for your eyeballs. Tomorrow is Setsubun, and while we don't celebrate it here in the states, I think it's really neat! I hope everyone had a good weekend, mine was pretty good! Another weekend of winter weather kept the Mrs and I home while roads got icy. We had a small amount of snow, but nothing major despite local news reports predicting a winter wonderland.  So obviously we didn't get out, but still had tons of fun at home. I spent some time playing Shadow Labrinth. I've actually gotten so many games at Christmas that I have a hard time picking one to play at a time. Shadow Labyrinth is a really neat game that got my attention when released and I was delighted to see under the tree as a gift from the Mrs. It's a really cool Metroidvania style game set in something of a Namco expanded universe. I really like it. I also finally got in some episodes of the new Kamen Rider Zezt. it premired last year and while I inteded to watch it weekly... those plans feel though. Fortunately it's easy enough to watch the show in it's entirety thanks to Tokushoutsu. I'm glad I did finally watch it, it's awesome!

Upcoming toy news from the weekend was certainty exciting. There were looks at upcoming Transformers from the Age of the Primes lines. Smokescreen from Transformers Prime is getting a new figure I'm really looking forward to. His original toy from the Prime line was a nightmare to transform and wasn't exactly screen accurate, so it'll be nice to have a hopefully better incarnation as I enjoyed the character on the show. Of course it'll be the Generations style Prime toy that's more traditional looking... but I kinda like that to be honest. Prime has a specific asthetic that looked great, but I do like the style unification in Generations. Also shown was Nexus Prime and Liege Maximo. Like Jhiaxhus, Liege Maximo is a must get as a G2 comic fan. Nexus Prime is a new take on the character that strongly resembles Courageous from Gobots. It apparently will form a combiner with the new Combaticons, so I'm pretty interested. The original Nexus Prime was a TFCC exclusive combiner whose members were membership exclusives. It took me 5 years to build that one, and frankly is still pretty high on a pedestal in my mind. However, this one looks like a lot of fun! I'm actually pretty far behind on Age of the Primes toys, so here's hoping I can catch up soon.

Also news of upcoming Cyberworld toys came this weekend. There has been leaks of upcoming toys in the line, but a picture of a new large scale Bumblebee and listings of upcoming Cyber Changers were unleashed this weekend. The prior leaks are from a reliable source, but theseare a little more concrete for the time being. The larger scale Bumblebee looks fun from what I can tell. Like Scorponok, it looks to be a bit of a playset... and I get Shogun Warrior vibes from both... and that's a good thing. According to the listings, the Cyber Changers (the real meat of the line) are an Optimus Primal truck and an Arachnid that looks to be an Armored Cyber Changer figure. The Arachnid doesn't seem to have many details ther than a hammer weapon. I hope she's a spider... but will gladly take a helicopter or drone as she's been used as. The Optimus Primal truck may be a reuse of the Offroad Optimus Prime toy, which was a figure I really liked. It did specifically say gorilla truck, so I wonder if it'll be a beast mode with wheels type alt mode like Sky-Byte. Either way, I'm super excited. I had so much fun with the prior Cyberworld toys, I can't wait to get my hands on more!

There was also news of new Masters of the Universe toys that tie into the upcoming movie. I haven't covered a MOTU figure in a while here despite still getting a fair amount this whole time. I actually don't cover every toy I get here, but try to make posts on ones that'd make for good material. The random Wednesdays just might be getting more He-Man this year as these new movie figures look great! There's the new Chronicles line that looks to be taking over Masterverse in the higher end 6 inch action figure area, while a more simple and less exspensive movie tie in line that looks like a lot of fun. Right now I plan to cherry pick figures from boths movie based series, but to be honest, I'm really looking forward to the Evil Warriors from that more simple line. They look like a fun little series to collect and talk about here. What is it about the more simplier figures that makes for good blogging material?

As for purchases, I finally ordered the Blokees Wheels series 1 box. I'd been wanting it for a bit now and finally took the plunge. It should be here this week and I'm excitied! I also ordered the Blokees Defender Version Bruticus kit. Defender Version 06 came in last week with the last few Combaticons members. Be sure to look out for an upcoming post about that team. I've been building models my entire life, but for the past few years Transformers models kits have been commanding a larger portion of my attention than the regular toys. It's a bit of a struggle giving models and toys a decent amount of site time. Models are a lot of fun to write about and I can tell by the views they seem to be more popular with you readers, but I don't want to give figures the shaft either. We'll, I guess we'll just see what I talk about each week! I also got some of the new McDonald's Changeables! You all know how much I love the classic ones and this new series is excellent! I've been trying to watch what I eat, so it's a tricky balance of working Happy Meals in with a balanced diet. Fortunatley the Mrs and my Mom are willing to help. So far I've gotten 2 CapCaps, FR-135, and Torrus. I hope to get more and am hoping to find the ones I miss on the aftermarket for reasonable prices. It's actually a pretty popular promotion, so that might be quite a challenge. I also ordered a new SD card reader as I still can't locate my old one. Good thing they're cheap! I can't wait to load the card I built last weekend onto my Atari Gamestation Go.

Well, it's Monday, so that means it's time to get to works taking toy pics and doing some household chores. Of course I also need to get my daily exercise in. Five miles on the exersize bike as well as some included exercises only takes around 30 minutes a day... but man... sometimes is hard to make myself do. Oh well, it's for the better. Thank you all for reading Zone Base. You'd never know from social media, but several thousand of you show up to read daily and I really appreciate it. It's super flattering. I've got a fun week in store for you all with some fun posts headed your way. You could say this week is leading the way... you know that sounded better in my mind than typed out. I guess that's what happens when you try to be clever with toy based tag lines.  Please don't forget to share the site with your friends and be excellent to each other!