Beast Lord Dino Robot

Dino Robot is a set I've been tracking down for a few years now. Thanks to Shawn's tip, I found a set at my local Rose's. A store I often forget exists. As you can tell by looking at the pictures Dino Robot is a knock off of Go! Goradora/Beast Hunters Abominus/TF5 Infernocus. Specifically it's a K.O of Goradora as those are the closest in colors it comes to. The individual combiner members are sized up a little being closer to Core Class scale than the Legion/Legend scale the originals were. I'm a fan of both size classes (as you probably know by now), but having more Core Class bad guys is definitely a good thing. I have both versions of Abominus, Infernocus, and multiple (but not all) of the individual uses of these molds... but no Goradora. So Dino Robot is a good substitution for the Goradora I don't have. However, I'll be refereeing to the set at Dino Robot the rest of this post because I kinda love that name. It's a discount store bootleg robot toy... it damn well better have a name like Dino Robot.

Speaking about names... these guys man. Each member's name is their alt mode, or what the shady company that made the set thought their alt mode was. Jurara is named Tyrannosaurus Rex, which is a stretch. However the original mold has been used for Grimlock a few times, so I guess it works. Barara is named Pterosaurs. Which I guess works, even though he's more of a take on Firebird from the Hanna-Barbera Godzilla cartoon. He's supposed to be a dragon of sorts, but now you can't unsee it either. Burara is Monster... which fits. Lastly both Dorara and Garara are named Double Dragon. Which is awesome. However as they both are named Double Dragon... I guess one is the NES port. These are not complete 1 for 1 matches to the originals as the colors are not exact. Dino Robot is closer to this team than the others, however.

This is a pretty good set for some knock off toys. For Twelve dollars and ninety nine cents I got what the box advertised as an 8 piece set. The Five In One Dino Robot and three weapons. Yeah... they counted the weapons as pieces to advertise on the box. The figures are larger than their original use as I said above, but don't look too bad. Considering the age of the original toys and multiple uses they look pretty sharp. Of course I don't know when this mold set was made off the original toys or if it's just a  stolen CAD file as the box art is CGI models. There is some loose joints here and there, but for the most part the figures are decently sturdy enough. Pterosaurs is probably the worst of the batch when it comes to that. Those three weapons... the group does have a problem holding them correctly and they don't connect together well either. So I just kinda had to make them work where they could.

I was pleased with how stable they were combined together. When it comes to these sets the combination is either sorta ok or a complete shit show. These guys were pretty high in the sorta ok end of things. Everything actually worked pretty well, but the legs could have been a lot better. Admittedly the original toy's legs were never so great either. This was during an era of Transformers where there was obvious sandbagging when the creatives didn't want to do something the higher ups commanded. You'd think HBK was loosing the match with those legs. Honestly, the arms are a little half assed too design wise, but considering it's supposed to be a monstrous robot... it works. Just the legs could have benefited from a little more effort. To be fair they were small toys sold at a pretty low price.

I am pretty happy with Dino Robot as is, not only does he make a good stand in for Goradora but at that bigger size makes for a great villain for the upcoming Core Class Volcanicus to fight. It's been a while since I've bought a discount store robot and that's an itch I've been needing to scratch that Dino Robot fulfilled. Despite some hit or miss points in the toy, it is a satisfying experience. For twelve dollars and ninety nine cents you're not getting a lot these days, hardly even lunch at a fast food place. So a somewhat decent robot toy set that didn't crumble in my hands (it has happened before) that definitely has a purpose... yeah. Dino Robot's ok.

Immortal Bumblebee Toy

The Legends/Legion Bumblebee mold from Reveal The Shield has been re-released so many times over the past decade that I'm amazed it's still in use. I think it's run as a discount store toy has been going for a steady 6 years straight with no end in sight. I don't know who's counting, but this is probably the longest running Transformers toy of all time.

The figure gets random changes as time goes. From different releases or just whatever random reason, they'll be something different about it occasionally. That was the reason I got it again recently. In October actually, my wife was at Five Below and sent me a picture of the toys asking if I wanted anything. I spotted the Bumblebee and asked her to grab me one. It'd been a while since I'd gotten a version of it (maybe the Cliffjumper from 2015) and I was curious to see what was different this time.

If you've never had the figure, it's still a good one to get. Classic Bumblebee as you expect him updated to transform into a sporty hatchback. The toy predates the current return to VW Bug Bumblebee toys and was released during the time VW wasn't ok with their car being used.

The sporty hatchback has always been a good replacement to me and kinda looks pretty similar to a Bug. This figure is pretty close in size to the original Microman toy and it's always felt like a natural evolution of it to me. 

The toy itself it pretty good. He's got the basic level of articulation you'd expect from a Legion Class toy. In robot mode it looks like Bumblebee got a new alt mode on some episode and it walked off the screen.

His transformation is pretty similar to the original as well. Pull them legs up and fold those feet down. Push those arms in and fold the back over to cover the head. Classic Bumblebee. They were clearly updating the original toy.

He wasn't too different from what I can remember of the last time I got this toy. Same stripes and Autobot symbol placement. The grey on his robot parts looks darker and I swear the yellow is a little too. Not enough to qualify as a new variation, but it's darker than I remember. I'm sure.

The plastic felt a little flimsy this time. Not sure if that's from mold degradation or maybe just a cheaper plastic used. Considering the toy only costs $5, I'm sure they've needed to adjust the recipe a little over the years.

They downsized the bubble on his card and MADE the figure fit inside. Bumblebee is crammed inside the packaging half transformed. At first I thought I had gotten a broken one. Apparently all of them at the store were that way... in 10 years a fan who was a kid in 2020 will make a custom Bumblebee based on this. I really look forward to it.

The Shake Machine Works At Jollibee

I've been pretty forgiving of kids meal toys generally being not so great. However that's because I don't have access to a Jollibee where they gave Legend/Legion Class Transformers away in kids meals. Sometimes the grass is really is greener on the other side of the fence you know. I bet you can order a 'number one' and they already know you're talking about a combo meal.

Basically Cloned To The Core

There's been talk of Kingdom lately in the Transformers world. The third part of the War for Cybertron trilogy, which has a heavy Beast Wars focus. Of course I'm ecstatic for this, but that's not what we're here today for. 

From the leaked information, the new small figure class is called core class. Sadly this looks to be taking over the smaller 'Masters' figures from the past few years I love so dearly. Though other recent news and the hope that they'll be used for a discount line like Mini-Cons formerly were. Maybe they're not completely done. 

Recently, the Decepticon Clone molds from Titans Return made a return as a two pack. They're specifically a part of the Earthrise line and with their distinctly different build than other recent WFC figures this had lead to a fan theory that I'm subscribing to.

A few years ago when the new Clone molds were introduced, many took notice that they weren't the Legends class figures that were the standard for smaller figures at the time. Small figures, yes, but their own thing. Now here we are with the Clones making another appearance before Kingdom starts. The theory is core class figures are of similar construction to the Clones. 

Now that's just been a theory without any real backbone. For all we know Core Class could have been a new name for Legends Class. After all, Legion Class was originally Legend Class and Commander Class got renamed Legends Class. Confused? Me too, and I'm explaining it. If it's one thing I wish Hasbro would improve, it's the naming system. 

Confusing class naming aside, there was nothing to say there was anything more to the theory. Then Rattrap got leaked today. Rattrap is one of the listed Core Class figures. Who indeed has a similar build to the Clones. Well, damn.

Core Class isn't a renamed Legends class after all and a new thing right? Well not exactly, older fans probably had a sense of familiarity when playing with the Clones. 

I don't mean as in a homage either, they felt familiar. It wasn't until I saw the Rattrap pictures today that it fully dawned on me why this was so familiar. Core Class is seemingly the return of Basic Class Transformers, who were a big part of Beast Wars. The original Rattrap was a Basic Class Transformer. Of course like other early Beast Wars Basic Class toys, the original had a spring loaded transformation. This gimmick was abandoned early on and if you'll look at a Transmetal 2 Basic Class figure, you'll see a strong similarity in construction. 

What happened to Basic Class? Well, by Cybertron it was renamed to Scout Class. Scout figures were phased out as Dark of the Moon toys introduced Cyberverse as the smaller class. With the then newly renamed Legions and Commander Class figures, this stuck around throughout the Prime toy line with a new Legends Class taking over in Generations. Hasbro later used the Cyberverse name, which we're all familiar with as it's still running and in it is the new Scout Class smaller Transformers. 

Somewhere there's a hole in the dimensional fabric from trying to explain that.

Thunder Spark Bumblebee Smash!

Autobase Aichi today showed scans from TV-Kun magazine with a new exclusive legion/speed series. Thunder Spark Bumblebee! Using the Dark of the Moon Cyberverse mold (really surprised it isn't from the Bumblebee movie), it sure is another translucent exclusive, and probably hard to distinguish from others.

I'll probably never own it, I'd like to, but probably won't. It's just neat. I wish I had this sort of thing here, I'd love to pick up a regular magazine and see an exclusive mail away like this. Not to mention, I love translucent colors on toys. I know they aren't known for lasting forever, but neither will I, and I'd like to enjoy the things I enjoy while I'm here. Not to mention, I like Bumblebee. He's good people.

Transformers X Nezha

I've been watching this line develop as much as I could since it was announced. A Chinese exclusive Transformers series, Transformers X Nezha will be a cartoon and toy line for the Chinese market involving Chinese mythology. Details have been pretty scarce. Mainly getting a 'it's coming' blurb occasionally without anything really concrete. Honestly I had assumed it would be mainly a new cartoon involving current Transformers toys in a new setting. Today images of the toys were leaked out and I can't lie. I'm interested.

The image above doesn't reflect the line as a whole. There could be all sorts of size classes and such. Right now all we have is a fuzzy picture of what looks like a 3 pack of Legend/Legion scale figures. My affinity for this size class isn't a secret, nor is my fondness for the more unique things that happen in Transformers. I've been wanting Terracotta Army Transformers forever, and while this isn't the same thing, it's close. That traditional old world Chinese armor looks GREAT and really lends itself to Transformers design. Optimus Prime is a Samurai, Megatron a Sphinx. Ancient Chinese armor? Perfect.

I hope these aren't to hard or expensive to get, as I want some. I'm not saying I plan on going whole hog or anything, but definitely want a few and plan to pay attention to this. It's neat, it's cool, and it's different. Seeing as Tu Xingsun looks to be using the Prime Knock Out legion/legend class mold to some extent... and I'm seeing other familiar parts on the other two... I wonder how many original toys will be produced for this series vs remolds and recolors. Either way, I like this.

I'd like to eat at the Bumblebee Cafe

トランスフォーマー35周年展・バンブルビーカフェ開催決定！｜トランスフォーマーオフィシャルサイト｜タカラトミー https://t.co/bMesvz5nuL pic.twitter.com/xjLXx4R9TB

— オートベース愛知 (@autobase_aichi) March 1, 2019

 Transformers 35th Anniversary and Bumblebee Cafe decided! Transformers Official Site

Micromasters at Maximum value

With a site named Zone Base, it's not much of stretch to explain that I kinda like Micromasters. In fact, as readers probably have noted, I kinda have a thing for smaller Transformers and maybe even smaller toys in general. I don't have a greater explanation for why I do, I just do. So obviously with Micromasters in stores again in the Siege toy line, I'm one happy camper. Though, I've been having a good time at camp the past few years with a multitude of smaller TF toys at retail on a steady basis. Legend/Legion/Speed/whatever, Titanmasters, Primemaster, Botbots are just a few examples of smaller Transformers on shelves in the past few years.

So,  Saturday I had to make a run to the Family Dollar. While I was there, I took notice of some Primemasters hanging on the hooks next to the odd Legion and Authentics figures they normally have on the shelves at such stores. That's then I took note of things. Most toy lines feature a discount store version. There was Marvel, TMNT, Star Wars, and a few others with lower end toys to sell at these lower end type stores. It's nothing new and in fact something I enjoy keeping up with. It occurred to me while I was standing there that since the Authentics figures seemed to land with a dull thud for the most part as a discount line, what if the lower priced 'Masters' figures of late would/could replace them as the discount line? I mean, realistically the price of a small Authentics figure is very close to the Primemasters hanging right next to them on the shelf.

The Legion molds that have been in use for years now have probably seen the end of their molds viability and while the Authentics were an attempt to replace them, they clearly didn't. I mean, I admit to enjoying them, but that's because I like oddball things. They were cheap toys, especially compared to the Legion figures they were right next too. That was probably a pretty hard sell. Or if you look at the other discount toys, hell... those are still pretty good quality looking toys. So I wonder, just like in the past with discount versions of TF being smaller inexpensive molds reused to death, what if they used the well received recent smaller toys. Titanmasters, Primemasters, Battlemasters, Micromasters, even the newer Speed Series all generally sell for around $5 at most stores. Ok, Micromasters are $10, but that's a two pack. Like the former discount store versions of Spy Changers, Mini-Cons, and Legions I could really see these priced similarly in reuse for years. Wacky repaints and odd name uses up the wazoo as well!

I'd wholeheartedly welcome that. In fact, I'd love that. That's just the precises kind of thing I'd go nuts over.

Needful Bots

 

Over the past few days, news and images of random Energon Igniters figures have been popping up and really grabbing my attention. There's the recently discovered Power Series Ratchet that somehow alluded news sites coverage. It's an odd bit as the toy is sculpted like Ratchet's earlier movie appearances and not his look in the Bumblebee movie (which the toy is tied too). Add in his deco looks more like Medix and you've got an pretty random toy. Which I'll buy.

Not to be outdone is random sightings of a Speed Series Cliffjumper. The repaints of legend/legion/speed series molds are usually a lot of fun, so I've been hoping for some good ones. Bumblebee toys just look good in red. They have since G1 and look good even these days when they're usually sold as Cliffjumper. So, I'm game. I kinda hope they do a red version of the Camaro Speed Series Bumblebee toy as Stinger. Mainly because I'm silly over Stinger, and also because I'm silly over Stinger.

 

Finally we have a Crystal version of Bumblebee that's a magazine exclusive in Febuary 2019. I'll probably never own this and it will haunt me to my dying day.

Energon Igniters Bumblebee (Speed Series)

Since both the VW and Camaro versions of the Speed Series Bumblebee share engineering, I included them as the same post. Like the Optimus Prime of the Speed Series, Bumblebee finally gets a new legion style toy as the past few movies have been steadily using the ROTF mold. While that was a good toy, this is a big step up. Just a much better toy. While the Volkswagon Bug looks closer to the traditional Bumblebee we're all used to, it actually shares engineering with the Camaro version based on the 2007 movie that's just as well known. The transformations are almost identical, save for a little wiggle here and there. Though I found the Camaro version harder to transform as his car parts were harder to work around. At $5 a pop, these are great figures and since it's Bumblebee's time to shine with the new movie, it's hard to ignore all the fun toys he has on shelves. I really like these guys and hope for a million recolors. Like all Energon Igniters, they are Power Core compatible. Great little toys.

Energon Igniters Hot Rod and Barricade (Speed Series)

 

Since Hot Rod and Barricade share a base mold, I thought it best to post them together. The toys are very similar to the  2007 Transformers movie Legend/Legion Barricade toy. I don't know if it's a coincidence, purposely using the engineering, or a heavy remold. Either way, in this toy they turn into a generic 70's/80's muscle car. Barricade a Police Car and Hot Rod that car the neighborhood bully drove while listening to Judas Priest. Aside from some basic deco differences, the two have different heads and Barricade has a light bar. As all Energon Igniters, they are compatible with the Power Core blocks. There are some pretty good little figures and at $5 each, they're hard to pass up.

Energon Igniters Optimus Prime (Speed Series)

My love of Legion figures is far known and the new Speed Series naming for the scale is something I quite like a lot. It's just a better name. As part of the Bumblebee movie toys and aesthetic Optimus Prime looks very traditional mixed with his established movie look. In his truck mode, Optimus is a very pleasant flat nosed semi that despite it's small size, is compatible with a Energon Igniters Power Core (available with the larger figures in the line).

I have nothing bad to say about this figure. It looks good, has solid play value, and only costs $5. The past few legion class Optimus toys have been reuses of the ROTF mold and this is an upgrade. It's a welcome change and I can only hope the recolors of it are as many as the prior mold. The toy has a pleasant amount of articulation and a simple transformation. The metallic blue paint is a really nice touch. Just a great toy.

Jollibee Beast Machines kids meal commercial

I've said it before, and I'll say it again and again and again. I wish we had Jollibee here in my area. I'm sure the food is good... but my desires comes from their excellent kids meals toys. More recent ones look like Legion toys with a little lower budget. These Beast Machines toys could pass for retail toys. It's crazy how nice they look in these commercials. These look like something you'd buy in a store.

I wonder how the food is?

What the heck did I do this weekend?

 

Enjoyed another peaceful weekend. Friday morning before coming home from work, I stopped by Walmart and scored Devastator leaving only the G1 reissue Minibots left to acquire. Kinda hoping they do more later, but at the same time don't look forward to trying to buy them before they sell out. Saturday I stopped to get groceries and breakfast on the way home as later that night the Mrs and me went to see The Nun at a later evening showing.

Before leaving and after some sleep, I caught up with my DVR. Cyberverse was excellent this week. I really enjoy this show and it's getting better each week. Usually a cartoons first episodes are the worst and the first episodes weren't bad! At this rate I wonder if the series end will be amazing. I enjoyed seeing Shockwaves little drones, making me wonder if the toy's eventual repaint will be a troop builder of those. Makes me think of that old BotCon idea of using the Megabolt Megatron mold as a bug like army for Cryotec.

Ninja Steel was decent, the 'lesson' of this weeks show was decent, just felt like it needed a little more something. Basically, Calvin gets a job as a mechanic and quits school. Decides to go back to school after helping fix the Lion Fire Megazord with Mick, with Mick showing him what to do. Though the message is solid and boy I liked this weeks monster, it felt a little uneven on the lesson part.

The Nun was great. We enjoy the Conjuring movies as a whole and this one was pretty top notch. Maybe not perfect, but pretty close. I really liked the setting, pretty much what I wish Universal would have done with Dark Universe. Here we had basically an updated 'old timey' spooky movie in a castle that had substance AND style. Action packed with scares, this was a great movie. I like The Conjuring moves as a whole, but I didn't like the Annabelle moves as much as the main movies while I feel this one might actually be better than the main movies. Just an overall good horror movie.

Afterwards we went to the nearby Walmart to check out it's Halloween section and I picked up the rest of the Bumblebee Speed/Legion series wave 1. It's funny, these toys are $5 again while the Last Knight ones jumped up to 8-9$ last year. Weird. We got some Steak and Shake and came home. Great night. Sunday was spent similar to last weeks, more work in my toy room and just a nice day at home. I learned of a new smaller Authentics Grimlock being found, so this morning I looked without luck for one this morning while doing some errands. One day little Grimlock... one day.

Cyberverse Grimlock (scout class)

I've been looking forward to getting these new Cyberverse Scout figures for a while now (as regular readers already know) and was really happy to finally find my local Target newly stocked with the early waves of Cyberverse toys. I got Grimlock and plan to get the others later as I want to stretch out the process. It's more fun to get one or two things at a time that a bunch all at once with a long stretch in between. The original scout class was at the time a name refresh of the former basic class that came began with Cybertron, with basics going back to Beast Wars. The class was phased out by the Dark of the Moon toy line. It was replaced with the original Cyberverse sub line that renamed the original Legends class to what's still called Legion class and introduced the Commander class, which later got rebranded Legend class. Often newer fans will get older scouts/basics confused for Legends, which isn't the same... though it's not hard to understand the confusion. We now have this new Scout class that's a new thing all together.

Grimlock is a pleasantly squat and chunky little guy. My plan for Cyberverse is to focus on Scout class with the occasional full sized figure. My main focus is on Generations, Studio Series, and other lines more aimed at an older fan such at myself. Like Rescue Bots and Robots in Disguise, Cyberverse is more intended for younger children and I only have so much money to spend. Being a fan of smaller figures, like Legion class and such, these Scout class figures are just the thing. I get representations of the characters from the upcoming show, a fun inexpensive Transformers line to collect, and feed my love of smaller toys.

Remember when I said these new Scout class figures are a new thing? Well, I wasn't kidding. Upon first glance, you'd think they're bigger versions of Legion class figures. They certainly look that way and feel like that in robot mode. It's got a pleasant heft and hand feel, though they have a strange gimmick. The transformation is an odd half transformation/battle mode. If not for the cartoonish styling of the figures and the lack of definition of the gimmick, it can look like a more cheap attempt at a Transformer and has been called worse by more jaded fans. Which isn't unfair as the gimmick isn't described in much detail. Cyberverse is a very play heavy, gimmick laden line. So the Scout Class is given a 'gerwalk mode' gimmick which I can't help to think is also an attempt to differentiate the more bargain line from the bigger and more expensive figures.

Part of Grimlock's gimmick is a spring loaded chomping mouth. Which is a cute standard play feature in a lot of animal based toys. I suppose Grimlock's battle mode here is him stomping forward munching metal and handing out knuckle sandwiches. It's a silly little thing meant for a seven year old to play with in the backyard and not deter his parents from getting the bigger toy later on (see mom, it's not the same thing). For a 40 year old lifelong fan of the franchise, I got a cool figure of Grimlock from the new cartoon.

Shaun described him as sort of a new Action Master. That's a pretty good description, as he's got the same amount of articulation, about the same size, and probably what an Action Master would cost in the modern toy market. I was thinking earlier as I was taking my trash out that he was actually more in line with an Action Master Elite. Action Master Elite figures actually transformed, but it was a very basic transformation that wasn't much more than a robot bent a certain way and pointing a gun. So to say Cyberverse Scout class is a modern take on Action Masters is pretty spot on. Good thing I like Action Masters.

I'm happy with my new Grimlock figure and still plan on buying most if not all of these new Scout figures. This is going to sound like I'm making excuses here, and maybe I am. But I've been buying Transformers for 35 years, so I'd like to think my experience in doing so has prepared me for these things. The first figures from a new line are always the worst. Aside from mold reuses, future figures in the line will be better as the design team will essentially find their groove with these. So I don't know if they'll fully transform or the battle modes will improve, but I have faith that they'll get better. Grimlock is pretty cool though as is, I wouldn't mind getting some cool repaints of his mold later on.

Mail Call Heroics!

My hero Shawn saved the Ramhorn day!

Legions OMG

My pal Shawn saw that I still needed that Megatron/Beserker Autobots Unite Legion set and set me a care package with some extra bots!

Thanksgiving weekend status update

I'm currently enjoying a really relaxing Thanksgiving holiday weekend. I promise regular updates will resume soon, I just needed a little down time.

In other news, the wife and I decided to do a trip to Universal Studios Orlando for Christmas next year! As long as nothing effects those plans, man, it's going to be a long year! It's hard enough not being in that wonderful place every waking minute, let alone patiently waiting a year for my next trip.

I'm currently on a pre Christmas restriction from buying any toy for myself as the wife is buying me presents. Though I am allowed to buy my beloved crazy bootlegs and random Legions. So, time to get some more K.O Brave toys from Tuesday Morning!

So far I've spent this break watching movies and holiday shopping. It's been relaxing and I have a few days left. Man, I've really needed this. Thanksgiving is a time for being thankful for what you have. I'm certainly thankful for the folks who read Zone Base. I promise regular updates will resume soon!