Cannonball [Star Raiders Collection/Deluxe Class]

I've been a big fan of the Walmart Exclusive Transformers Legacy series as they're just so cool. Somehow, I've hardly covered them here on the site until the Star Raider Collection, which I've managed to completely showcase. That was a weird way to reflect on the series while also acknowledging that today's space pirate is the last of the series. Like Lockdown, Canonball was a Christmas gift from the Mrs. who spoils me every year.

Cannonball has pretty much always been a pirate character, though his crew tends to change depending on fictional setting. As a toy, he's always been a repaint. The original was a repaint of the Deluxe Cybertron Red Alert figure. This new one is the latest use of the Legacy Skids mold. That mold itself has seen more miles than a long haul tractor trailer with multiple repaints and remolds. Cannonball specifically is a repaint/remold of Crankcase. I have Crankcase, but don't think I've covered him here. Despite the reuse of prior molds, Crankcase and Cannonball almost feel like completely different engineering. There's only been two Cannonball figures, but ironically he's been a Walmart exclusive twice. The original was reissued in an exclusive set, while this new figure is from the Star Raiders collection.

Cannonball is very similar to his original design, but now turning into a crossover style SUV while the original was a Dodge Magnum. Which was a station wagon that was pretty popular at the time. Cannonball has a new head that looks almost just like the original as well as the original's laser hand. There's a claw and hammer accessory that can fit on the laser hand and store in his legs. He's holding the hammer in my pic as I wanted to show it off, but apparently in not the very best way. One nice touch is the Cyber Key. It doesn't unlock anything... but is a nice nod to the past. The key is sporting a Star Seeker insignia, and that's really cool.

Another nice touch is the skeleton graphics on the original toy's car doors are replaced with a Vok one. The Vok resemble a flaming skull, so it's a really nice Easter Egg. Like all the other instances of this mold, like Burn Out, transformation is easy and articulation is plentiful. It's really neat how much this toy looks like the original. The Star Seeker Collection was fun to collect as was the exclusive sets prior. I'm sad to see it over, but as Cannonball was originally a Cybertron toy, I feel like him ending this series makes a nice segway to this years Walmart set. An all Cybertron themed collection to celebrate the series 20th anniversary. So look forward to more Cyber Key action later this year!

Filch [Star Raiders Collection/Deluxe Class]

One of the great thing about the Walmart exclusive collections is that they provide an outlet for prior unreleased characters/toys to be released under. Filch was a Decepticon from Transformers Robots in Disguise 2015 whom never got a figure outside of a Tiny Titan release. In the Star Raiders Collection, she's making her debut as a Deluxe Class toy. Spoilers, it's a good one. The toy is a remold of Kingdom Airazor. Using that mold as a base, the designers make a solid representation of her. Like with Skywarp, the mold makes for a good skeleton. Filch turns into a corvid. However, unlike Airazor and Skywarp, she's not a beast era style beast warrior with an organic looking alt mode. Her alt mode is more robotic, like traditional Transformers with beast modes are. He remolding is pretty extensive and doesn't have all those feathers.

A neat design change was the wings. Where Airazor and Skywarp have those forearm guns that serve as missiles for their beast modes, Filch's wingtips separate and plug into her forearms. This allows her to resemble her show model better and makes her backpack smaller. She can also hold these wingtips as sort of a sickle weapon. Transformation is easy, literally identical to the other mold uses before aside from connecting the wing tips. Corvid and robot mode are very well articulated. This is just a well designed Transformers all around. I really like Filch's colors and feel like they bring the toy alive in a way the prior uses didn't. They're just so pretty. They did a really good jn making Filch from Airazor and did enough to make her different than just a simple repaint.

Ferak [Star Raiders Collection/Legends Class]

Ferak first joined the Star Raiders/Star Seekers in the BotCon 2014 convention exclusive set "Pirates vs. Knights", however the character has been around since the G1 comics making his first appearances in the UK Transformers comics. Ferak is a sadist inventor whose creations are usually pretty evil. Despite being around for so long, he's cruelly only gotten 2 toys. Both are repaints of Cyclonus figures and both exclusives. From that BotCon set we just talked about and the newest is today's subject matter.

The only Voyager Class figure in the Star Raider Collection (exclusive to Walmart here in the states), Ferak is a really nice repaint of the Kingdom Cyclonus mold. I really liked that figure even though it wasn't talked about it here. I've generally have always been a fan of Cyclonus and always look forward to his toys. Ferak is mostly a grayish white with some dark grey and red detailing. It looks really nice on the toy mold and really gives it a new life from a sculpt so instantly recognizable as Cyclonus.

Personally the white reminds me of a common white colored bootleg of the original G1 Cyclonus toy that made the rounds in the 90's-early 2000's. I had one myself until finally getting my own G1 Cyclonus shortly after the bootleg fell apart. The shoddiness of it's own existence was too much for it's molecular matter to hold together. As a robot, Ferak is large with a pleasant heftiness in hand. He feels solid in that way you want a Transformers to to feel. It's a nice toy. There's a decent amount of articulation and he comes with 3 guns. The first is a large Oxidating Laser that can be held and stored on his back or canopy in vehicle mode. Then there are 2 thin blasters that can be attached to his wingtips in either mode, attached to his arms, or held as pistols. These are holder overs from Cyclonus and there's no ignoring that, but they still look great.

Transformation is easy, everything goes where it looks like it should. I really like this vehicle mode in these colors. They have that classic space opera look and would match right up next to a Star Bird. Ferak has always turned into some variation of a star fighter style vehicle, so Cyclonus really does work well for him. He was portrayed with a horned helmet in those old UK comics, which makes those bunny ears work out. There's even some great landing gear that can unfold. That's a nice little touch I always appreciate. This is a really good toy that looks great in these colors. I know some folks won't be able to see anything but Cyclonus, but in that case, it's a nice looking Cyclonus in different colors! I really, really, like the accenting darker greys and the reds really pop. It's just a good looking toy no matter who it is.

Thundertron [Legacy United/Voyager Class]

Shimber me timbers and do something with rum, there be pirates attacking and booty afoot. Thundertron, the leader of the Star Seekers has received a glorious update in Legacy United! Not to be outdone, his crew will be making a showing later at Walmart stores. For now, let's take a look at his newest toy. Thundertron is a space pirate who transforms into a lion. If you've noticed that the lion is specifically robotic, that's because he scanned the alt mode while on Planet Zi. You know, the home of Zoids. Thundertron's name is a combination of Thundercats and Voltron, this guy is chock full of homages. Like the original, this is one cool toy.

Thundertron comes with a cutlass and features claws on his fists. His right leg can be converted to a peg leg by removing the foot. Said foot can attach to the cutlass for a more imposing looking sword as well give you a place to store it. I left the foot on in the pics because he kept falling over. That foot is a rear foot for the lion, so try not to lose yours. Speaking of the lion, transformation is fairly easy. There is a few points you'll have to get exactly right... which is just Transformers design these days. Specifically the robot mode arms fold up into the lion's neck and the exact positioning of them isn't immediately obvious. The way the rear legs unfold isn't tricky, but it took me a minute to unfold them correctly. They don't transform from robot legs to lion legs the way my brain told me they would after millions of Cheetors. The sword can store on the lions back pretty well and doesn't stand out. Thundertron's cool pirate coat folds into cool Zoid like armor in beast mode. It's a really cool design touch that I loved. In fact, I loved this whole toy. There's nothing I can find to complain about. Considering a repaint of him will come out during the Star Raiders collection later this year, that's a good thing. Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me.