Windcharger [Studio Series 86 / Deluxe Class]

It’s been a while since I’ve talked about traditional Transformers toys here, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t been buying them. Quite the opposite—if you read the Monday updates, you already know. It’s more that I like posts to fit the vibe here on Zone Base, and Windcharger definitely fits in.

I recently received his newest Transformers Studio Series release as part of my birthday presents from the Mrs, and it is excellent. As part of the Studio Series ‘86 line, he’s meant to represent his appearance in The Transformers: The Movie. That movie is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, and as someone who was there opening weekend, it’s getting a ton of love from me. Windcharger’s role in the movie was brief—he’s taken out during the brutal opening battle of Autobot City—but before that he was a regular in the first two seasons of the original cartoon. This toy is a great representation of that animated look.

Windcharger is something of an oddity in the original Transformers line. His toy came from Microman’s Microchange series, but that design actually started life even earlier as part of the Mysterians. The Mysterians were Knickerbocker Toy Company’s attempt at a transforming robot toy line in 1983 that never fully materialized. The company was purchased by Hasbro in 1984, and Windcharger—along with Brawn, Huffer, and Gears—was originally intended for that line. The molds eventually made their way into Microchange before becoming Transformers. Just in case you ever wondered what the “M” on the original Windcharger’s belt stood for.

In the cartoon, Windcharger was given a different face than his toy, and that’s the look this version proudly uses. With a lot of these Minicar updates showing up in vintage-style packaging with toy-accurate heads and decos, I wouldn’t be surprised to see a version of that original Mysterian-inspired look pop up on shelves down the line.

The toy itself is great. As I always say, it looks like he walked right off my TV screen. Windcharger comes with his blaster and an effect piece meant to represent his magnetic abilities. The effect can attach to his chest or the hood in vehicle mode, and both it and the blaster can store on his back in robot mode.

In robot mode, he’s very well articulated, and combined with the sculpted face, he’s surprisingly expressive. He almost feels alive. Transformation is straightforward, though there are a few tight joints and clearance spots—take your time with him. Car mode is a solid approximation of a Pontiac Trans Am, and the blaster stores neatly behind a rear wheel for a clean look.

Overall, this is the slickest Windcharger has ever looked in toy form—and that’s saying something, because he’s had some pretty great releases over the years.

Hot Rod [Galaxy Version 08– One Shall Fall]

It’s been a little while since I’ve covered a Galaxy Version Blokees kit here — honestly, a little too long, considering my pile of unassembled Blokees continues to grow — but it’s time to fix that with a look at Hot Rod from Galaxy Version 08 – One Shall Fall. As the name of this case suggests, there’s a heavy 1986 movie flavor to this set, and I am absolutely here for it.

You know, I like Blokees for several reasons. For example: I enjoy building robot models, I like blind boxes, and I obviously love Transformers — to name just a few. But another big reason is that they remind me a little of the Takara Transformers SCF figures from the early 2000s. Of course, those were PVC figurines and not AMK kits, but the blind boxes, themed series, and proportions give them a similar charm. I loved those and I love these. Honestly, I would've been totally content back then just buying SCF figures… and I’m kinda leaning that way these days with Blokees. They're clearly singing a song I want to hear.

I haven’t gotten any of the 08 kits yet, but while ordering the Devastator parts kit, I snuck in an 08 to tide me over until getting a full case. Lucky for me, inside the mystery box was the new Hot Rod figure — and boy, was I excited! Hot Rod/Rodimus Prime is among my favorites in Transformers, and a specifically 1986 representation of Hot Rod is going to get me excited in the way only a rabid fan can. Careful, I’ve got a box knife.

One particularly fun addition to this figure is Hot Rod’s fishing pole. When he first appears in the movie, Hot Rod is fishing with Daniel and catches a big one. It’s a cozy little scene that helps show their relationship. However, his “big one” in Blokees form is a tiny Sharkticon! I didn’t notice it immediately from promo pictures, but upon opening the box I was ecstatic to see the little creature dangling from the end of his line. Seriously, be careful — I’ll cut someone. The dragon commands it.

We can’t ignore the elephant in the room, because it’s an elephant. They’re huge. Who even let it in here anyway? Don’t they know I have a box knife and a dragon giving orders? It hungers. Obvious to fans of the 1986 movie is that Hot Rod has his traditional colors here and not the pink/fuchsia colors he appears in the film with. All his toys and his Season 3 appearances use the darker red/magenta we’re used to. There’s been very little merchandise in his show-accurate colors — most notably the Retro Series release from a while back. Luckily, most folks don’t really care either way, which is good because it allows us to carry on and not get bogged down in semantics.

One huge difference in the new kits in 08 is another round of improvements. The past few Galaxy Version series had adopted a newer construction style that provided a more stable build. As far as I can tell, starting with this series, they’ve improved the kits even more! Not only does Hot Rod have the stronger upper torso, but now the hips and thighs feature more articulation. There are thigh swivels, and the hips allow for greater torso movement. Hot Rod’s abdomen can even dip into the waist, allowing for more expressive and dynamic poses. I’m extremely impressed with this innovation — this is something that generally costs 5–6 bucks and features articulation usually reserved for more expensive toys. That’s neat!

Hot Rod comes with the aforementioned fishing pole as well as his saw blade attachment. He used it fighting off underwater creatures after he and Kup crash-landed in a body of water on Quintessa. The blade spins, and maybe he plans to use it on that Sharkticon at the end of his fishing line. The saw blade plugs into the forearm where one of the included hands would go. Of course, those hands are the typical closed fists and open palms normally included with Blokees kits.

Not included, however, is the display base — something I’ve been expecting to eventually disappear. At some point, the little Autobot/Decepticon symbols for the bases were discontinued, and now the base itself is gone completely. I’m not sure if that started in 08 or happened during 07, which I still haven’t gotten yet. I’m not terribly sad to see the base go, but I always thought its inclusion was neat. I’m assuming the new parts ate into the budget.

This is an awesome AMK kit of Hot Rod that’s full of character and expression. I continually can’t find anything I don’t like in Blokees products, and the ongoing improvements just keep making them better overall. Not to mention — dude, Hot Rod. I like him.

Fear and Loathing in a Haunted Forest

What happens when monsters brave a haunted forest? Well, they get scared and apparently hungry. Good thing they've got Monster Munch to snack on! I've never had the snack, but the name would have instantly sold me if it were available to me. This commercial though, absolutely wonderful The monsters are super fun, but dig that haunted forest. I hope Monster Much was a good as their ads.

Constructicon Long Haul [Studio Series 86/Commander Class]

Following Hook in the Transformers Studio Series Two Pack of Torso Terror is Long Haul, whom forms Devastators lower torso. Long Haul, being a dump truck is well suited for carrying the extra parts required for assembling Devastator. Not in the bed of his truck, nope, they actually combine to form a trailer! Long Haul can (wait for it) haul the extra parts! I'm a lot more impressed with this trailer than I am the battle deck/jet add on parts for Superion. Probably because I didn't expect it... and thanks to the wings, it reminds me a little of God Bomber in his trailer mode.

I've always liked the way Long Haul looked. He's this big chonky robot (it's a vibe) made from a good old dump truck. Maybe it's just growing up with Tonka trucks in the back yard... hey come to think about it, the ones we had was a crane and dump truck! This set was pre destined! *ahem* There's just something satisfyingly pleasant about him, you know? The Devastator set Hasbro put out in Combiner Wars a decade ago was pretty good, but there was some reinvention going on. Long Haul ended up being VERY LARGE in that set. Frankly, I liked it, but we're going for screen accuracy this time. Like the others, Long Haul is a nice mix of original design and cartoon appearance. A big difference in this design, however, is that Long Haul doesn't form Devastators thighs. Some of those extra parts in the trailer do that.

Long Haul has his pistol that has a removable barrel. I don't see any point in that as of this moment, but it sure does separate. He's pleasantly articulated and very expressive. It's really neat that his head can move around. Obviously most heads on toys do that, but articulation with his head on a panel is pretty neat. Transformation is pretty easy and aside from a few steps is mostly muscle memory from the original toy. Some Transformers you can just look at and your hands know what to do. The trailer doesn't connect traditionally. Instead you'll have to fit the connector pieces between the rear ends haves as they connect. Rolling him along with his trailer is pretty pleasant, there's a certain charm to it that I can't quite describe. It's kinda cute. Out of this two pack, I like Long Haul the best. Once I get the rest of the gang, I'll show off Devastator. For right now though, I'm enjoying the dump truck guy.

Constructicon Hook [Studio Series 86/Commander Class]

I've talked before about how sometimes Transformers naming systems can be too wordy or confusing, this is one of those times. Hook is a Voyager Class figure that comes from a 2 pack of Voyager Class figures sold as a Commander Class. The full name on this box is Transformers Studio Series Constructicon Hook/Constructicon Long Haul. Don't forget that Studio Series is under the Transformers Generations sub-line, so the entire name is Transformers Generations Transformers Studio Series Commander Class Constructicon Hook/Constructicon Long Haul.

It's a two-pack of Constructicons for the current Devastator set that comes with a bunch of extra combiner parts sold as a Commander Class. I spent almost a paragraph talking about how many titles the box has to get that out of the way, because it's a bit absurd. Hook is one of those two toys in the box. Hook is one of those Constructicons that's always in every group shot, but tends to blend into the crowd. He's a highly skilled craftsman and has one giant ego to match it, which fits into early Constructicon appearances where they were often working on a project. As a member of the team, he forms the upper torso of Devastator and turns into a crane.

Hence the name.

My brother is a professional crane operator, so I can appreciate this alt mode more now as an adult. One thing I really appreciate about these Studio Series 86 Constructicons is how much they're a combination of the original toys designs and the on screen models. The designers really did a good job making this set feel like an upgrade of that original Diaclone design while making them show accurate. This set is meant to match their looks from the 1986 movie, which itself was a higher quality version of how they appeared in the regular cartoon series.

As someone who always liked the cartoon better, I appreciate the concept behind Studio Series 86 a whole lot. Hook is well articulated. To allow for some of this articulation, the sort of cape his vehicle kibble forms over his shoulders features the ability to be moved out of the way. That's a nice meeting of screen accuracy and real world engineering. The original toy it wasn't a big deal, it had limited possibility naturally. Past updates would reinvent the wheel a little on the characters looks. This one of course must be faithful... so some improvisation was needed.

He's got his laser pistol. It's a good approximation of the one he originally came with and later used to mow down the Autobots while Instruments of Destruction played. In vehicle mode, it can connect the the crane arm for storage. Transformation to that vehicle mode is pretty easy. Once again he's essentially an updated version of the original, so some of those steps it took back in the day are the same today. Vehicle mode is nice, looks right, rolls along well. The little crane arm disconnects, so it can be removed for transformation to either hand off his back or in place properly.

Before anyone points it out, the robot hands are meant to remain folded out in vehicle mode to properly connect the front and back sections. I realized I did that part wrong now that I see my pictures. Years of modern toys make me fold them away on autopilot. Later this week we'll look at Hooks partner in the set Long Haul. Considering the two form Devastators torso when combined, I wish they would have named the box set something witty and torso related. Then again... I suppose that's harder than it sounds.

Constructicon Scrapper [Studio Series/Voyager Class]

The Constructicons are one of those eternally cool teams in Transformers. I don't know if it's because they were the first combiner team or what... but I love them too. Being the leader of the group, it's only appropriate that Scrapper be the first one of the new Studio Series 86 set to be released. He was among the group of toys I bought a while back that had been completely forgotten about and it's good to get around to them. I'm hoping to not have any trouble completing the set as there's just something special about Devastator.

Scrapper is a Voyager Class like the rest of the team (I think), though he's about the size of a Deluxe. The Voyager designation was due to the extra jointing in Combiner limb mode. So basically, Devastator will be extra poseable compared to other Combiners who tend to just stand there and maybe have a raised arm. Admittedly being charged more for extra joints feels a little fishy, especially thinking of old Beast Wars or Robots in Disguise 2001 toys that were much more articulated at a much lower cost. Times are different I guess... and a little poopy.

I often see some folks complaining that Generations toys (Studio Series is part of Generations too) are basically the G1 toys with more joints. That's a good thing in my eyes, so I don't see the problem. Not to mention, the same people with that complaint love Missing Link. Maybe they're just stupid. While Studio Series 86 is supposed to be more show accurate, that's not an issue with the Constructicons whose individual members were pretty toy accurate on the show. This toy is a happy middle ground of that as Scrapper manages to look both like his TV appearance and original toy. That's awesome, there's just something about those old blocky designs I love. With Scrapper you've got this well articulated chonky boi who looks like he did in the original Transformers movie. What's not to love? Scrapper comes with his laser pistol as well as Devastator's Solar Energy Beam Rifle. Devastator's gun can be broken up into two smaller guns that can be held by Scrapper. His pistol even fits into one. When you're using guns that big, might as well be flippant with a little flair.

Transformation to bulldozer mode is easy. Everything just goes into place without any fuss. This is one of those toys you can transform just by looking at it. Awesome. The two halves of the Solar Energy Rifle can attach to his sides in vehicle mode. The wings from Devastator's breastplate can fit on Scrappers sides as well if you want to recreate the look of the original toy. I always liked the way it looked when the combiner parts were connected to the alt modes back then. Scrapper is the only member of this set I have as of this writing, so I can't judge his combiner mode form at this time fairly. As a stand alone toy however, I really like him. Both modes are solid. He looks both like he did on TV and in original toy form. There's plenty of articulation and so much satisfying chonky robot fun. Scrapper, you're alright.

Bumblebee [Studio Series/Deluxe Class]

We're all Bumblebee fans here on the base and love it when he gets a new toy... which is very often. Today's toy is from Transformers Studio Series 86 and meant to represent him as he appeared in the 1986 animated movie. I've been a fan of the Studio Series 86 toys as they're very screen accurate figures of the original cartoon cast. Bumblebee is a bit of an anomaly in this isn't Volkswagen licensed, so while his robot mode is show accurate. His vehicle mode is a close approximation. That's ok though as the car has the same proportions as the original Microman/G1 toy which was mean to resemble a penny racer. That's really neat!

As I said, BB is very show accurate in robot mode. He's also pretty short, which means he'll be close to scale with other Studio Series 86 and more recent Generations figures. There's plenty of articulation and includes the laser we've seen used in various episodes of the classic series. That laser can mount to the back of his car mode for storage. Kinda like a little gun rack. Transformation isn't what I thought it would be. Sure, the expected car bot steps were there... but there was some unexpected additional folding. Bumblebee compresses down quite a bit creating a surprisingly solid feeling compact little car. Like I said before, it's an approximation of his classic VW Bug this time. That's not too bad as it has the cues you'd expect... just not as round. I do like the penny racer proportions and can see where other Minibots made from this mold will probably come out pretty good. This is a great new Bumblebee figure. I can understand how the vehicle mode might turn off some, but I've really enjoyed him. Guess I just like a good penny racer.

Star Soldier 1986

Hudson Soft, 1986

Autobot Ratchet (Studio Series 86/Voyager Class)

I happily picked up Ratchet shortly before Christmas. I say happily as I've been quite endeared to Ratchet since the early days of G1. In particular, during a time when my family was moving to another state, my older brother and I found ourselves often staying with family as our parents locating us a new home. During that time, well, it wasn't terribly exciting. I often found myself re-reading issues of the Marvel G1 Transformers comic. In those early issues, Ratchet took a starring role for a bit. I fondly look back at the frames of Ratchet helping campers cook hot dogs still to this day. Of course this toy of Ratchet is meant to represent him as he appeared in the 1986 movie, being a Studio Series toy and all. I've made my fondness for this series of figures known and having this very screen accurate figure of Ratchet is a real treat.

Of course Ratchet is a remold and repaint of the Voyager Ironhide figure I've talked about before. I raved about that Ironhide... and that's pretty much the same opinion of this Ratchet. A truly excellent toy of a classic character. Let's look at their differences. Not just a simple recolor as you'd assume, Ratchet has some new molded parts. A new head, as Ratchet traditionally has a chevron on his helmet as opposed to Ironhide's 'mowhawk'. Being an ambulance, of course he has a light bar. Most notably and something they really could have not done is Ratchet features a different waist piece. To differentiate the two back in the day, there were slight differences in their show models. Something like a slightly different waist made for a somewhat different looking character. In a toy though... I probably wouldn't have noticed. That little extra attention to detail is appreciated. Ratchet retains the dual pistols Ironhide was packing, they both used them. Ratchet is sporting a show accurate deco that really pops on this toy. Of course the Red Cross markings on his shoulders have been replaced with the Autobot variation seen in recent toys for legal reasons. Like Ironhide before, this is my favorite figure of Ratchet to date. As a legacy character, he gets plenty of updates. This one, however, is special. It feels like a much more premium figure than it should for a standard retail release. That's a good thing and this is a good toy.

Frenzy (Red) (Studio Series/Core Class)

I've never been  a stickler for which of the Decepticon tapes is which. RIRFIB, FIRRIB... whatever. I've always taken whichever is whomever depending on how they are being presented at the time. Not to mention, whichever the red one is supposed to be in any incarnation is black. There's about as much red  if I got my thighs and shoulders sunburned at the beach. Regardless, in the cartoons, Frenzy is normally the black and red one with the toys being opposite. This is a Studio Series 86 toy, which represents Frenzy as he appeared in the 1986 animated movie. So that's that. I unfortunately never got the Rumble that came out last year (dammit), so this is my first time with the mold. It's a fun little toy that I was overjoyed to find among the Christmas gifts from my wife.

Even for a Core Class, Frenzy is TINY. That's to be expected considering his cassette alt mode. Said alt mode is fully compatible with Siege Soundwave. Frenzy comes with snap on arm pile drivers and signature Thruster Guns. The guns can be held or worn on his back, almost identically the G1 toy. Frenzy is VERY similar to his G1 toy, but smaller. It's pretty neat. He has the expected amount of articulation aside from the elbows. Transformation is pretty easily and similar to other variations of this idea. For the most part Frenzy is fairly screen accurate with his sculpting and colors being almost perfect. I say almost as there's only so close a working Transformer is going to get to the cartoon model... especially for $10. I'd imagine Microman fans would like this toy too as it's very similar to the original Micro Cassette Robo Micross. Frenzy is a neat figure and a good representation of his G1 cartoon self. The tiny size is hard to resist and the pile drivers are neat. I've always had a soft spot for the cassettes, especially the initial batch. Not to mention being a Core Class, I was destined to like this toy as is. Though I'd have a hard time believing anyone could not like this little hellion.

Autobot Hound (Retro Series)

Reissues of older Transformers toys are nothing new. However when Walmart started selling them, it was a lot of fun as the availability got a better as did the pricing. Neatly enough, the 'Retro Series' over the past year had changed up the game a little. Instead of being close approximations of the original toys (there's a little difference here and there) in retro packaging. The newer 'old' toys are in a neat Transformers The Movie inspired line with cool movie versions of the retro packaging and the classic toys in cartoon colors. They've done 'anime' edition reissues before, but these are really close to the characters on the screen. Unfortunately distribution on these has been less than ideal as I'd love to get them all. Fortunately this lead to a few being marked down heavily recently. A special version of a G1 toy for $9? Sure! 

I've made my love for Hound known before. Obviously this was something I was wanting. This version uses the 2004 reissue mold sets. Which used repaired and recast toolings from the original Diaclone molds. There's some noticeable differences if you compare a 1984 Hound to this one aside from the colors. This one does have Official Jeep copyrights on it that prior versions didn't as does the box. G1 Hound's an Officially Licensed Jeep now! Neat. While it's not super noticeable to the naked eye, the cartoon accurate deco is miles apart from the toy version. The chrome, something I normally love, is gone. Green's are also softer. There's a really close match to the colors from the cartoon on robot bits that I'm really impressed by. Usually these are a sorta clay gray on toys. This really feels like a more premium edition of G1 Hound that I would expect to pay a lot more for. 

Hound also has all of his accessories from the G1 release. They're in matching cartoon colors, though it's worth noting his missile launcher does not fire. This is a holdover from those early 2000's reissues. Several Child Safety Laws had changed from the 80's and still are in place today. This lead for the American versions to either have extra long missiles or neutered ones like in this case. Frankly, I'd rather a kid not accidentally choke on a toy and would take a non-firing version over the longer missiles. In cases like Starscream's Null Rays, it looks fine. In other toys... not so much. Hound has a good bit of extra accessories from vehicle mode you'll take off to transform. Those older Diaclone toys were just full of features. I am kinda surprised there's no official Jeep branding on his spare tire. Speaking of, Hound has no stickers. They've all been replaced with tampographed on details. It really adds to the overall look... and I don't mind their absence. They look great when properly applied, but can be a hassle. The tampographs really blend into the overall cartoon accuracy better too. 

I am completely happy with this Hound toy. Admittedly I'm a fan of his, but this special edition is really nice. I'm sure his stubby arms would be a turn off for some and mine's front section doesn't want to lock in place well when not on the ground... but this is overall a great little figure. The die cast legs give this little toy some nice heft and it's just overall a great looking figure. Like I've said, the cartoon accurate colors really pop. I'd been happy paying full price, but glad to pay only $9. 

Prowl 86 20BB (Buzzworthy Bumblebee)

Prowl was found down the hall. A lone body who's spirit has moved on and now possibly another otherworldly resident of the house.

Coming with Ironhide in the Buzzworthy Bumblebee two pack of dead robots is Prowl whom also was killed in that same scene. There was a few others, so I wonder if there'll be future installments of dead robot toys? I don't know if the release time frame was intentional and there's nothing specifically Halloween-ish on the packaging... but it all works out. Like Ironhide, Prowl is a remold of his Earthrise toy released as a Studio Series figure. I took several Earthrise toys to be Studio Series toys released under another banner... so it works for me. It occurs to me that I haven't spoken of the mold here before. Like other Earthrise toys, the pandemic caused some distribution issues. I did get Bluestreak from the Buzzworhty Bumblebee line (dang, that's one all encompassing little imprint), so I have experienced it before.

Prowl transforms into his classic Fairlady Z police car here in a fairly accurate toy. Like other recent figures, he really looks like the cartoon model come to life. Transformation is pleasant and fairly simple without being too easy. He's packing his trademark Acid Pellet Gun but unfortunately missing the shoulder rocket launchers. The original Earthrise toy was also missing these as they're not a part of his show model. That's fine, I just like them. As part of the dead guy remolds is a wound from the fatal laser fire and a VERY accurate face sculpt of childhood trauma is being enacted on the move screen. All that's missing is the smoke... literally as there's blaster effects to plug in the fully recreate his getting shot to death. This set is ridiculously morbid and I'm all here for it.

Ironhide 86 24BB (Buzzworthy Bumblebee/Deluxe Class)

Nobody knows when it happened or who did it. Ironhide was found laying on his back. Mouth agape with a large wound signaling the arrival of his passing.

Don't look at me, but Hasbro thought to make a set of a dead Ironhide and Prowl in the Buzzworthy Bumblebee line. These are Studio Series 86 figures released under the Target exclusive banner meant to represent them during their deaths at the hands of the Decepticons during Transformers The Movie in 1986. Today we'll be looking at Ironhide... as you've probably figured out by now. Ironhide is a slight remold of the Earthrise Ironhide toy. Now with a uh... dying face and a wounded chest. While I don't have it pictured, the toys also come with blast effects that can be plugged into the wounds to replicate the laser shots that did the killing. Dang Hasbro, you took it to an extreme... and I dig it.

While it's not as great as the Voyager Studio Series Ironhide, this is still a solid figure. To be honest, I just like classic Ironhide. It's hard not to love that bright red on grey and that boxy robot body. They really took the Diaclone toy and improved on it with the Sunbow animation model. Ironhide of course transforms into a van. This time a van that's been shot up. His twin pistols can store on the roof like other of his toys of late. He has a decent amount of articulation and is an all around a good figure. The transformation is pretty easy, but not super simple. I like this toy and had the same opinion with DK-2 Guard whom shares the mold. It's hard not to like Ironhide and even harder to hate a good Ironhide figure. A dying version is unique and the blast effects are a great morbid bit of fun.

Ratchet (Studio Series 86/Core Class)

Ratchet is one of those classic Transformers characters that I have a real fondness for and generally jump on toy updates of. So it's not surprise that his most recent Core Class figure in the Studio Series 86 line was a must have for me. Fortunately the Mrs got me one for Christmas (I've still got a back log). So far I've been really happy with the Studio Series 86 line and generally a big fan of the Core Class in general. Getting a cool figure of a character I like in a line I like at a scale I like? I like it!

Like most Core Class figures, Ratchet is smaller and more simple than larger figures. That's part of the charm of this class, they're relatively inexpensive, pleasant, and pleasantly simple. Considering the economic state of the world currently, I can realistically see Core Class becoming the standard Transformers figure size in the future. Considering what they're doing with the class as well as Warrior Class and the Rise of the Beasts mainline... there seems to be some experimenting going on.

I'd be ok with it as... man things are getting crazy expensive. A deluxe class toy (normally the standard size class) is $25 currently. That's cutting a little close to comfort and a hobby should never feel like a burden. I've said before that I've toyed with the idea of mainly buying smaller figures and occasionally getting the larger ones. With the way things are going, it looks like that may be the direction I go. Fortunately, the smaller and cheaper toys are super pleasant. So it won't be a bad thing for me. Though I could see some fan types tasking issue with it (that always seem to ask for financial support or get plenty of review samples... hrm)

The van is pleasant and rolls along well, the robot mode looks right and has a decent amount of articulation. I do wish he had an Autobot sticker on the front of the ambulance. There's some on his shoulders, but it would complete the package. I could fix it myself, but I have a hard time believing it would affect production costs. I hope that screw gets tightened by the time the Ironhide version of the mold comes out. Why would they release an Ironhide version of the toy when there's one in the line at a higher size class? See what I mean?

Ratchet has those pistols he was blasting Decepticons with right before his death in the 1986 movie. That's a nice touch and adds to the niceness of the figure. They can attach to the sides of the ambulance for storage in vehicle mode… I absolutely love the visage of an ambulance with guns. This is a super little figure. It’s neat and makes for a good update of Ratchet at a price that’s reasonable. I find myself really liking Core Class more and more. If they keep being such solid toys, for less money, Hasbro may find them talking over sales. Which might be the plan.

Ironhide in 1986 Missions

Studio Series 86 figures are really neat. They're updates of the classic G1 characters as they appeared in the 1986 movie. Like all Studio Series figures, they're a higher grade toy. Ironhide here is a voyager class toy that's way nicer than I thought he'd be. Going in, I was prepared for just another Ironhide... just bigger. Instead I got a very premium feeling figure that almost feels like the first draft of a Masterpiece Ironhide toy. He's surprisingly good, especially considering just how simple the toy looks.

Classic Ironhide is a pretty standard looking robot that turns into a boxy van. He's pretty plain. Who'd have thunk they'd given him so much articulation? You could probably roll him up into a ball. Considering this is a Studio Series toy, one could probably reenact some of his famous scenes from the 1986 movie. Shoots a gun or gets shot by a gun. Considering he's hardly in the movie and got a fairly accurate toy in Earthrise... I'm guessing somebody REALLY wanted to make this figure. I'm glad they did, because it's a really nice toy. If I had any complaints, I found the transformation to be a little tricky. Not particularly hard or anything, just fiddled with his parts more than I would have liked. Not enough to ruin it though. In my mind, this is probably the best toy of G1 Ironhide ever made. You heard me.

Wild Boy in Core Missions

Folks like to dump on Wheelie, but every time he gets a new toy, they gobble it up. Despite all the hate, he has a neat design. Most of the vitriol comes from the annoying voice from the cartoon. It doesn't bother me a lot (but does get old at times). A lot of my love for Wheelie comes from 'The Story of Wheelie, the Wild Boy of Quintesson'. This is a children's story book that paints a much more badass picture of him. I had gotten this book right around the time Wheelie started appearing on the show and it shaped my view of him. I'm always up for new toys of him... the kid's a badass.

This new figure of Wheelie was another Christmas gift from my wife. She absolutely spoils me on holidays, so there's gonna be a lot covered here... and stuff not. As a Core Class toy, Wheelie is excellent. Admittedly I'm hard pressed to not enjoy a Core Class, but Wheelie is exceptionally well done. As a smaller character he generally gets smaller toys and they nailed it this time. Wheelie is fairly articulated and is packing his trademark sling shot that can store easily in car mode. If there's any negatives about Wheelie, it's that his hands just hang off the back in car mode and don't tuck away any. I suppose if the size class's limitations were going to kick in... its here. Aside from that, this may be the best toy of the character yet.

Poindexter Robo

I've always liked Perceptor. There's just something charming about him. Before we go any further, I vastly prefer the cartoon version to the newer sniper version. This isn't a battle line to fight over, just a preference. That's why we'll be looking at the Studio Series 86 figure of Perceptor toy. I got it a few months ago, that ever growing backlog keeps getting bigger. If this was a review site, I'd be more hard pressed to get posts out about certain toys faster. That's just not what I do here though.

What I'm doing here though (today anyway) is looking at this newer figure of a classic character. It's a really solid update of Perceptor. Like other newer updates of classic Transformers, Perceptor looks like he just walked off a cartoon screen. He's pleasantly articulated and has the gun you expect him to have. Of course a microscope is the alt mode and just like always... it's not the most accurate microscope, but it'll do. Once again, it looks like how you'd expect it too. The tank mode (yes, he was always a triple changer) is right along with the same accuracy to the original. I don't know if it could fit a Microman, maybe something smaller. I didn't test that out. I could see a Mega Construx figure sliding in there without any issue.

This is really just a new update. That doesn't bother me and Perceptor is a character I'll always appreciate getting a new toy. The last one can out 5 years ago. Not the worst timing for another new figure. I've always liked his reds and blues. The bright colors really pop against such a rigid looking robot design. His design always reflected his personality to me in that way. Perceptor is this really smart bookworm who'll give you the most elaborate answer you didn't want. Then he'll drop something and say "oh dear" before hitting his head. That design is the genius, the color is the silly. I never outright desired a microscope that also turned into a tank and a robot... but I learned a long time ago that one was necessary.

Oh shit! What are we going to do now?

I was really excited to get the new Spike figure from the Transformers Studio Series 86 line. Not just because I really enjoy Transformers, the 1986 movie, the Studio Series line, Core Class, and everything else related to Transformers. No... well that's not just why. Spike also looked really cool. As someone who grew up with various sci fi/fantasy toys from the 80's and never left them behind (as you can see), Spike feels like a culmination of those ideas into a neat little figure. 

Spike, of course, represents his appearance in the 1986 Transformers movie decked out in his Exo-Suit. As seen in the movie, the suit has an attack mode as well as a vehicle mode that the figure pulls off pretty well. Before I go any further, let me just say that I REALLY like this figure. So I have nothing bad to say AT ALL. He is fairly articulated for a figure at his size and price. For a change, I really dig the included blast effects. I usually take them as a novelty and don't think much of them. Here's they represent the rocket fire from the vehicle modes booster pods. In attack mode, they're the blaster fire! That's nothing new... but it really did it for me this time.

Spike really feels like a natural evolution of Takara SF. All that old Microman and Diaclone art really seemed to be reflected in the 1986 Transformers movie and subsequent seasons. Honestly, if I were in the position to make convention or store exclusives, Spike would get made into a new Microman figure. Some of you are probably glad I'll never be in that position. I want repaints of this toy. Give me a Buzzworthy Bumblebee version in weird 'stealth' colors. They already use the Micronauts font in that line anyway. Let me find some weird knock off of this figure. I want that grind house feel of bootleg robot toys on this mold. I just envisioned a bootleg line where this figure is another character ala Inter-Changeables. Spike is a great version of his appearance in the 1986 movie and the culmination of so much more.

Rodimus Prime (Kingdom)

 

Rodimus Prime is one of my favorite Transformers characters. Like Galvatron, after his introduction everything changed for the better. His latest figure is a large Commander Class figure that the Mrs gave me for Christmas. She knows how much I like him and this is one impressive gift. Like the Kingdom version of Galvatron, this Rodimus Prime works as both a Generations and Studio Series version of the toy. It's also a very pleasantly chunky robot toy that I had a lot of fun with. As you'd expect, Rodimus turns into his trademark Winnebago of Doom. What you probably didn't expect was the front 'cab' portion separates into the car Rodimus changed into as Hot Rod. As a kid, this is what I wanted the original to do. In a way, it makes him more like an Optimus Prime toy when the cab separates from the trailer.

The 'trailer' portion of the alt mode converts into a battle platform similar to the original toy. Now, however, the cannon is detachable and has treads for movement. It can be used as a portable weapon as well. There's plenty of connection ports in the battle deck for various Weaponizers and other add on fun. Rodimus comes with plenty of those energy action effect thingies, they make good blast effects for the cannon. Rodimus himself is contained within the car. This leads to my only dislike about the toy. I hated transforming it. He's a pretty tall robot that unfolds out of that car in not the most graceful manner. The end results are great, but the trip from A to B was a nightmare.

Transformation aside, in robot mode Rodimus is very sharp looking and well articulated. He has some great accessories including his Photon Eliminator rifle, Sword of Primus, and a Matrix of Autobot Leadership that stores nicely in his chest. There's even one of those energy effects thingies just for it! There already has been a Masterpiece Rodimus toy, but I am WAY more impressed with this figure than that one. There's even removable smoke for the smoke stacks! This is one of those toys that feel proud to own, like it could be a showcase piece. I've been really happy with Transformers toys in general over the past few years and this definitely is a solid example as to why.

Galvatron (Kingdom)

 

When it comes to Transformers, the movie and it's post years are a particularly favored era for me. The space opera, far out designs, and darker tone improves what was already a solid formula. Galvatron is a much more interesting villain than the earlier version of Megatron. Like Rodimus Prime with Optimus, he influenced the writers when it came to making Megatron more interesting. It seems like that to me anyway. This Kingdom version is something of an anomaly. It's the Generations version of Galvatron and the Studio Series 86 toy as well. Like Cyclonus and Ultra Magnus, it's clearly intended to fill both roles.

Galvatron will be re-released in Legacy sans the signature War for Cybertron battle damage deco as well. I'm ok with or without it, but you may have your preferences. I'm not sure if I'll get that Legacy version, but am really tempted on the Pulse exclusive version. I just like Galvatron, and I'm pretty fond of this toy as well. I'll admit though, to date my favorite version has been the Energon version. It's a mix of classic and update that's also really cool. This however, is a strong contender for that spot. 

The toy is 100% classic Galvatron. Robot mode to laser cannon, everything looks and feels right. A nice little extra touch is replacing his classic rifle with one that looks like the ship Unicron gave him in the movie. Another extra is the Autobot Matrix of Leadership dangling from a chain to be worn around his neck like in the movie. The gun and Matrix can be utilized in cannon mode and add a little extra to an already cool toy. I like both modes, but don't like transforming it. It's not hard or anything, I just don't enjoy the transformation. I'm not sure of there's an official laser gun mode, but sure one can be pulled off. The original wasn't that amazing to begin with. 

Galvatron is one of those great characters that doesn't always get the best toys. Usually the better ones have an all new design as the original is pretty hard to pull off. His cartoon appearance took some liberties with the toy design that went on to define the character. This is a good version. It looks great in both modes and is a solid toy as well. Plenty of articulation, the cannon is sturdy, and everything serves a purpose. This is another Christmas gift from the Mrs and it's a great one. He's big, evil looking, and imposing. All hail Galvatron!