Battletrap (Autobots Unite/ Power Plus)

Autobots Unite is a rather odd little sub-line from the Rise of the Beasts movie toys. It's basically all reissues of the Energon Igniters figures from the Bumblebee movie that I went nuts for here with the exception of Battletrap, the only new toy. Battletrap so far has only 2 toys despite being an on screen character. A Studio Series Voyager and this. I don't mind it... but find his lack of toys odd. This is also a straight repaint of the Ironhide Energon Igniters toy. At first I thought this was a weird choice... but it really does work even if not very screen accurate. As you'd guess with the Power Plus class name, there is an an additional 'Energon Core' included.

The Energon Core is a small motor block that can connect to a compatible figure adding a pull-back gimmick to the vehicle and adds to the appearance in some cases. A Power class figure from the Energon Igniters figure could fairly be called an up-scaled Legend/Legion/Speed Series toy. For me, they drew heavy mental comparisons to G2 figures in stature and build. They're simple and not for everyone. I'm pretty sure the types they're not for don't read this site.

Battletrap turns into a 70's/80's-ish pick up truck similar to the one in the movie but without the towing attachment. I didn't really mind that and in his 'attack mode', Battletrap really looks cool. He's a straight repaint of the Ironhide figure... but the new deco really looks good here. It's a simple set of colors, but Battletrap is a nice looking little figure. I don't have to tell you than transformation is simple and articulation is limited. You can tell from the pictures. Considering I paid $4 for him at Ross, I'm not complaining. In Energon Igniters, this class generally cost around $15. I'm not sure if Autobots Unite was supposed to be a discount line or not as they seemingly never appeared in stores until now at liquidation type places. I did see some more in the same class for $8 at the same Ross, so I have no clue what price he'd if you were to find one. At $4 though... I'm happy.

Soundwave turns into a guy who used to live down the street from me

My word, it's majestic

News broke while I was sitting at my desk working of even more Energon Igniters toys on the way. The news post gives new looks at the Ratchet I talked about earlier as well as the Nitro series Blitzwing and Dropkick that's been shown on news sites already (and look fabulous). That's not what's exciting, what's mind blowing is the Power Series Plus Soundwave and Ironhide that just melted my brain.

MAJESTIC

Soundwave just might be the best toy of the year and it's the first week of January. That is amazing. Turning into a radical rocker dude van with a freaking mural of Ravage and Laserbeak, Soundwave is literal perfection. I can only hope for a Shattered Glass and Soundblaster version. Man, a standard Power Series Soundblaster would be nuts. He could have a mural of Ratbat and Overkill and be a metal dude. OMG HE SHOULD HAVE A MURAL OF RATBAT AND OVERKILL AND BE A METAL DUDE. I might just shit my pants.

rock you like a hurricane

Ironhide decided to show up, and clearly he's made friends with a dude named Chet who blasts Motley Crue in the Circle K parking lot while crushing beer cans on his forehead. Just look at that badass truck, you know it smells like a carton of cigarettes. But wait, there's more!

plays with madness

Whoa, Ironhide is the most directly out of G2 dude yet. In fact, I demand the repaint be Turbofire. IT HAS TO HAPPEN. Good lord Energon Igniters is just the best thing to happen in in a long time. Simple, inexpensive, fun little Transformers toys with a TON of charm that take a page out of the book of what made older robot toys so great. I'm not crying, you're crying.

They're wonderful.

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 Shatter (Power Series)

Shatter turns into a neat little jet that's hard to not like. Featuring some landing gear, it's a basic but a very pleasant jet. As an Energon Igniters figure she is compatible with the gimmick blocks in the line that can be connected in her 'attack' formation.

In this mode Shatter has some great missile pods deployed and the addition of the gimmick block allows for the jet to roll around on it's landing gear. Just a few steps and Shatter forms her robot mode.

Shatter is a perfectly acceptable robot, but I wish there was more to her arms. Not necessarily anything major, just something else would really go far. Probably because they look so spindly next to the rest of her body. Super solid toy though.

Energon Igniters Optimus Prime (Power Series)

 

Power Series Optimus Prime has a great truck mode. It's a throw back to the classic G1 Optimus flat nosed truck that's also a pleasant little toy. Like all Energon Igniters figures, he's compatible with the gimmick block. Either it can be plugged into his front bumper or in his 'attack' formation.

It's in this mode that his cannons fold out in vehicle mode giving him some firepower. Just a few simple steps and Optimus switches into his robot mode.

Optimus looks more like his movie representation here while forming a very basic robot toy. Articulation is limited to his elbows, which isn't that big of a distraction as it's intentionally a very simple, yet pleasant toy.

Energon Igniters Power Series (wave 1)

From left to right: Hot Rod, Bumblebee, Megatron, and Dropkick in vehicle mode

The Energon Igniters toy line from the Bumblebee movie created a new size class called the Power Series. These are relatively simple figures with a lot of charm. If you're confused about them, don't worry, I was too at first. News sites didn't give the Energon Igniters the best coverage information initially and I thought these were a renamed version of Scouts. If you were to look at them in stores, you'd think they were Turbo Changers at first glance as they have the same style packaging. Once you get past the initial confusion, there's a fun little series of figures to be found.

Happy Dance

More news from NYCC has been coming and boy oh boy is it my kind of news! New renders of Cyberverse and Energon Igniters figures have been popping up showing me stuff I just can't help but to love. Transformers is the music I can't hear enough and the upcoming year's verse is the very song that I'll gladly put on repeat.

I'm very happy to see Shadow Striker get a scout release and find it just a bit better looking than the larger 20$ toy, so that's a definite plus! Also a Soundwave with a super rad Laserbeak launching action is hard to deny as pure awesome. Not to mention more Hot Rod. Love me some Hot Rod. It looks like some great releases in my personal fan favorite Power series is coming by way of a few creative repaints as well as some new molds. Man... just MAN I wish these had some crazy launching missile gun, or water changing action with squirter because they are ssssooooo descendants of G2 gimmick figures in design. Seeing as they're outfitted with a port for that Energon Igniter gimmick block, maybe some crafty fans can make some nifty Axelerators type guns to hold in bot mode and store as engines in vehicle mode.