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.

Nemesis Prime [Age of the Primes/Target Exclusive 4-Pack]

"I am in the presence of the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come?"

A solemn Phantom, dark and hooded, came like a mist along the ground toward him. The grumpy one bent down upon his knee; for in the very air through which this Spirit moved, it seemed to scatter gloom and mystery.

It was shrouded in deep black armor that concealed its form and left nothing visible save one outstretched axe. But for this, it would have been difficult to detach its figure from the night and separate it from the darkness by which it was surrounded.

He glanced toward the Phantom.

"Lead on. The night is waning fast, and it is precious time to me, I know. Lead on, Nemesis."

One reason I like things such as store-exclusive repaints is the deep dives they tend to take. Sure, to those not in the know, they’ll get the standard complaint: “another lazy repaint by Hasblow.” However, for those of us in the know, they’re pretty cool homages that aren’t always obvious. Today we’re looking at Nemesis Prime from this year’s Target Exclusive 4-Pack — the Voyager Class figure of the set, taking the Legacy Animated Optimus Prime mold and giving us an update of a previously very hard-to-get figure from the past.

Like I said in the Ultra Magnus post earlier this week, Optimus Prime toys tend to look good in any color. A black repaint is practically guaranteed with most Optimus toys. It’s another color scheme I always like as well, just like with Magnus. Normally these repaints are called Black Convoy in Japan — pretty straightforward. But here in the United States, they’re usually either named Scourge or Nemesis Prime.

Since this is a repaint of a toy I’ve covered previously, I’m going to focus on this version’s differences and what makes it special. I’ve linked to that post and its other repaint in case you’re not up to date on it. Also, I like the toy and want to show it off. Like a mama otter holding out her baby. Except I’m a grown-ass man and this is a robot toy. So instead of adorable, it’s kinda unsettling and you wish I’d stop.

Earlier I mentioned this was an update of a harder-to-get toy and then said black Optimus repaints happen fairly often. Both of those statements are true. Often the black repaint is an exclusive of some sort, and in the case of Optimus Prime Black Ver. (after the 2007 movie, Convoy was often called Optimus Prime in Japan), it was exclusive to the Transformers Museum event at the Seibu department store in 2010. If that didn’t already make it tricky to get, the release was limited to 300 pieces. There are probably a few hundred thousand of this new update available, so it’s a nice alternative.

Obviously Nemesis Prime is mostly black as opposed to Optimus’s red and blue. There’s also some nice metallic teal used for accents that contrasts really well against the dark body. His windshield and eyes are a dark red that looks menacing and fits perfectly. In robot mode, he has an alternate head with a mouth plate instead of Animated Optimus’s open-faced design. It’s a darker gray that pairs well with the rest of the deco, giving him a more threatening look.

Nemesis comes with the same axe weapon Optimus had. The blade is that same dark red used for the windows, and the whole package looks forbidden — like the outlook isn’t too good when this guy shows up.

The colors transfer nicely in truck mode, and Optimus’s lightbar makes a return as well. It plugs into the top of the cab. I guess you can technically use it as a weapon. A weird weapon, sure, but getting hit with one would still hurt. Nemesis Prime looks threatening in truck mode too thanks to the colors. I wouldn’t want to see him behind me in traffic… or in general.

The look of Animated Optimus Prime is stylized already, but it looks really sharp in these colors. Without the red, it’d be more slick than scary. Funny how much difference just one color can make, huh?

I’ve liked each instance of this mold, so it’s probably no surprise I like this toy as well. Frankly, it’s hard not to like something like this when you’re into this sort of thing. It hits all the right points and has more depth to it than a simple repaint normally offers. As a fan, I like that — and as a fan since the beginning, I remember seeing the original on the news sites. This one has a slightly different color scheme, which is fine. But still, it’s nice to finally have a version of this toy after all this time.

Weird… time seems to be a recurring subject this Christmas season.

Sky-Byte [Age of the Primes/Voyager Class]

It's pretty cool that I get to talk about two different new Sky-Byte toys this close to one another. Even better, both are really neat. Today we'll be talking about the new Voyager Sky-Byte figure from Transformers Age of the Primes. Like most Generations releases, this is an update of the original toy using modern engineering... and they nailed it! This is literally the original Sky-Byte toy with a bunch of extra articulation.

The improvements are specifically noticeable in shark mode, where his head can be moved around to mimic his appearance in the show Robots in Disguise (2001) in which he stole the fan bases heart. It's funny, considering the original toy was a repaint of a Beast Wars toy (Transmetal 2 Cybershark) that sat on clearance for quite some time. Yet later reached stardom thanks to that show. It's still one of my favorites and is always good to see one of the characters get some attention in the mainline.

Like I said, this new figure improves upon the original adding a great deal of articulation and improving on other things. Most noticeably, the sharks body is no longer curved. The sides of the shark become giant dramatic shoulder armor in robot mode. Not being curved makes this much more pleasant, look better, and not potentially get in the way of the arms. Those shoulder pads plug into place, so you can wiggle them around while transforming for extra part clearance. Sky-Byte has a something extra in terms of weapons as well. Those pectoral fins can be used as little swords... which I found pretty neat. His gun no longer features firing missiles but still retains the originals look. I've never cared much for it, but appreciate the effort. Honestly this is a near perfect update of the beloved original toy.

My only complaint isn't a complaint about the actual toy itself, just wishing it had paint apps the original had. Being such an improvement of the original... I can't help but to wish he had that fabulous chrome. I know it can flake over time, but it looks marvelous. That and it'd been nice if his Spark Crystal had been painted. I really liked the Spark Crystals from Transmetal 2 and when they carried over with reuses of those molds it just made me happy. So really, that's it. No actual complaints. Just wishing for a few extras that would have been appreciated. Sky-Byte was such a great character that he's managed to become a mainstay of the Transformers brand. Part of me hopes they release a Cybershark version of this new mold... just because the original's paint apps came off almost instantly. I don't know if Sky-Byte will ever get a much more premium figure... but this one feels like a Missing Link version of the original in some ways. Maybe they can release a special edition with some chrome.

Gamer Edition Ironhide [Studio Series/Voyager Class]

Along with the Age of the Primes deluxes I had been talking about, I had grabbed some Studio Series that I had meant to post about a little while back and just completely forgot about. Admittedly, I don't cover every toy I buy, but like to get a good range in. Gamer Edition Ironhide joins the other War for Cybertron figures in Studio Series. As you'd expect he's a repaint and retool of Ratchet, whose toy I liked a lot.

It's probably no surprise then that I'm fond of Ironhide as well, but we should get into the differences first. I do admit, this version makes me think of the Doomslayer (the newer incarnation of the Doom Guy) and that flavors my opinion some. You all know I love to play Doom. It's funny, the similarities to games like Gears of War was an early criticism of the War for Cybertron games within the Transformers fan base. I guess opinions may vary.

In robot mode, the obvious difference is in the colors and new head sculpt. There's also some other new parts that may not be as instantly recognizable. He's got new shoulders, chest, and a new EMP shotgun weapon. I didn't notices the shoulders at first, but they are indeed different. That feels like a little extra effort that could have probably been skipped, but... Whose going to complain about extra effort? Like Rathcet, Ironhide's right forearm can be removed to attach his gun to match the game appearances. He can also just hold it, which I'm more of a fan of. If you so choose to use the gimmick, the arm can store in his robot backpack as can the gun. The axe is the same as before and can be held by both hands. Ironhide looks pretty sharp in robot mode and is very well articulated wielding his weapons in any badass pose you'd want to put him in.

Transformation is my only complaint with this toy. While I don't remember any trouble with Ratchet, Ironhide gave me a little. Those new shoulders combined with some new vehicle mode back panels proved to be a little too fiddly for my liking. There is some panel forming which may not be everyone's cup of tea, but when done well, I generally don't take any issue. The new parts didn't seem to work as smooth as the existing parts did with Ratchet. Considering these parts are usually included at design time, I'm thinking it's possibly a symptom of mold usage. He transforms the same as Ratchet, it just didn't seem to fit into place as well. That was frustrating.

Once transformed, vehicle mode looks great! While I normally like Ratchet more than Ironhide, this Cybertronian Tactical vehicle seems like a better fit for Ironhide and it looks great in his colors. Like I mentioned above, there's new vehicle mode back panels that I honestly didn't notice initially like the shoulders. Once again, I'm not complaining about the extra effort that went into the toy even though they gave me a little trouble in the transform. Thanks to the new robot mode chest, the vehicles bumper is also slightly different. It's just a neat looking alt mode that looks even better in these colors. The EMP Shotgun can store on the backside, while the axe forms a cannon of sorts on the roof. If you didn't get those back panels just right, the axe won't connect right. Be sure everything clicks into place. Ironnhide looks great in both modes, and despite some annoyance during transformation, I really like this toy. It just looks awesome, you know?

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.

Red Alert [Age of the Primes/Voyager Class]

In Transformers Armada, fans got introduced to a new character named Red Alert whom was much different than the G1 original. This Red Alert was a different character who served as the teams medic. If you're noticing the similarities to Ratchet, you're not alone. That was his name in Japan. Red Alert was styled after Robocop and Power Rangers. I strongly remember the conversations about how much he looked like Robocop before it was confirmed. At BotCon 2002, there was some design art inside the convention booklet.

A few images of Red Alert were there, this lead to my friends and I talking again how much he looked like Robocop. Later after the convention and getting home, my job had screwed up my scheduled time off and I had to go in just a few hours after getting in from the long road trip. Later that evening, a very tired me stopped by Walmart on the way home for some food and they had the newly released Red Alert in stock. After talking about how much he looked like Robocop the days before... I bought him on the spot. Initially I wasn't very interested in him, but at that point had to have him. He looks like Robocop, ever notice?

Opening my new toy while eating my frozen pizza... I quickly became a fan and have been ever since. He was great! Though I initially thought he should have been a smaller toy, something that the Deluxe Class Cybertron figure would be a few years later. Still, there's nothing better than a big chonky robot toy. So thankfully this new figure is a Voyager Class, but it's a little smaller than that original despite being a comparable price class (Voyager Class wasn't the term until Cybertron, they were called Max-Con during Armada). Times have chance in the 23 years since that original... and so has the price.

This new Red Alert still is a very good update of that toy bringing it to the year 2025 with current engineering. He looks pretty much the same but there's a lot more articulation (and sadly no Mini-Con gimmicks). The left hand retains the swappable gimmick with two different weapons that can be plugged in. Whichever is not in use can store in the alt mode kibble on his legs. Since there's no Mini-Con gimmicks (and you get less toy for the money), the kibble doesn't fold down into a repair bay. His gun still attaches to the vehicle roof and can unfold into a shoulder mounted cannon from there, or be removed to be held traditionally. It still has that claw missile, but doesn't fire anymore. I don't mind that honestly.  Since we're talking about that vehicle mode, transformation is pretty easy and could probably done by veteran TF fans by muscle memory as it's similar to several other toys. The only real challenge is some of the joints are pretty stiff.

Red Alert's cool Rescue SUV looks just as great as ever. It's super satisfying and all around pleasant. There's no electronics, so you'll have to just say "RED ALERT WOO WOO WOO" on your own... and I assume many of you are doing that anyway. As someone who enjoyed the original upon it's release, this is a real treat... even if it's a stark reminder of how much $20 got me then, vs what $35 gets me now and it's kinda a bummer. I do wish there was Mini-Cons... but they're just not in use currently. There is some ports throughout his body where at Battlemaster could probably fill the roll. Regardless, it's an excellent toy that I'm very happy with. Yes, he's got some long legs. It's a thing.

Prima Prime [Age of the Primes/Voyager Class]

Signaling the end of Legacy and beginning of a new Generations series is Transformers Age of the Primes. Like other Transformers Generations series before, it brings us updates of the different incarnations of various Transformers characters with a central theme. Age of the Primes is based around the original 13 Primes from Transformers lore. We'll be starting our look at AOTP here on Zone Base with the first Prime figure released in the series, Prima Prime.

Prima Prime has appeared throughout the years in various media, but you'd probably recognize him best from Rodimus Prime's Matrix Vision in the multipart episode 'Five Faces of Darkness'. That's the depiction this toy's mostly based on. I've always thought it looked cool, so no problem... though I've never been super fond of the name. Sounds like a pizza place.

Ever since the Aligned Continuity, the 13 Primes served a specific purpose. Prima is the very first Transformer made by Primus and is the Warrior of Light. He carries the Star Saber sword which you may notice has the Matrix of Leadership in it's hilt. Prima lead the other Primes in the fight against Unicron. He's kind of a big deal. Before we go any further, Star Saber is a character. The Star Saber sword is an item first appearing in Armada and various swords ever since have been randomly named it ever since.

One of my only complaints with Transformers is sometimes the names can get confusing, but I guess Power Sword was already taken. The Matrix can be removed and stored in Prima's chest when not needed, but it does look cool on the sword. He's decently articulated with some nicely stiff joints. You can pose him in all sorts of sword fighting poses, even holding it with both hands in front of himself stoically. Neat!

Transformation to vehicle mode isn't too hard, though there's some odd places that you'll have to get just right or it's not fitting together in the upper body that becomes the vehicles front end. I'm pretty sure I got something wrong when transforming mine, but cannot tell what. One front wheel seems to rub against the fender while the other rolls freely. No clue. Alt mode is a lunar truck that looks pretty neat and the wheels can be arranged to give it a hover mode! It's pretty cool looking and so are the colors. Actually, I really like Prima Primes colors all together. There's been some complaints that he needs more... but I really like the white and grays.

He looks like an ancient statue and the colors transfer well over to the sci fi vehicle making it look like something you'd see in space. I really like the blue used in detailing. If there was any more color added, I'd like it to be a little more of that as it contrasts nicely against the white and gray. The Star Saber sword (not the guy) can store pretty easily in alt mode forming a nicely compact vehicle. I really like this guy and enjoy the somewhat mystical theme of the Primes. Transformers has needed a little fresh air and dipping into the more fantasy elements of it's lore is a pretty good idea. With the Cybertron anniversary series at Walmart later this year and Micronauts being in stores again... it's nice to see some of the more space opera elements come back to the forefront.

Bludgeon [Legacy Evolution/Voyager Class]

For whatever reason, when Bludgeon was created, it was decided that he should be a skeleton samurai and the world has been a better place because of it. This recent Voyager mold from Transformers Legacy has been used in Evolution and United for various toys of Tarn and Bludgeon. Today we'll be looking at the Evolution standard retail version because I like the signature skull face better and well... *ahem* it's Halloween. I like this toy a whole lot. Not just because of the skeleton samurai thing, but it's a fun robot toy. He's a pleasantly large Voyager figure with lots of articulation (even in his hands!) and cool weapons. Of course Bludgeon has his sword that can be held or plugged into places for storage.

He also has a cool gun as a holdover from his tank alt mode. The dual cannon barrels can either be mounted on his forearm or held individually. They can even be combined into a super long gun (EVO-FUSION!) that looks really hard to use in a practical way. The tank mode also feature 2 smaller guns that apparently can be disconnected and held. From what I understand the connection points are really easy to break, so I would recommend caution when doing so. It's allegedly an 'undocumented feature', which usually means a happy accident. So don't unhappily break your toy by accident trying out something that's probably not intended.

Transformation to tank mode is not super hard, but does take a big of 'just right' maneuvering of parts around. I had a little trouble getting his head to store away in the chest cavity thanks to the shape of it. Not to mention, the side of his upper body folds up around that chest piece in a way that's a bit of a tight fit if not positioned correctly. Then there's the matter of his arms. The tank's treads are composed of them and there's a good bit of folding them around, once again, just right to allow the proper clearance for parts to be put into place. Transformation is a lot like an unorganized house move with people trying to walk up the hall while others are trying to maneuver the couch down it and around doors. It will eventually work out, but you're probably going to curse out somebody in the process.

Once transformed, you've got a pleasantly Mad Max style Cybertronian Tank with lot's of firepower! The sword stores on the side and let me just say... I find it hilarious when a heavily armed robot has a sword. He literally has a million ways to shoot you and also a sword if he misses every shot. Just in case, you know. There is a common complaint that his hands are visible in alt mode and that is true. I do find that if positioned correctly, they'll blend in pretty well thanks to some outer hand armor. Tricky transformation aside, this is a great toy that I liked in both modes. I've always liked Bludgeon admittedly, but the actual toy mold is pretty good. Spooky scary skeletons that transform into tanks.

Silverbolt (Legacy United/Voyager Class)

I've been really looking forward to an update of Silverbolt for some time now. He was a favorite from Beast Wars who seemingly had been forgotten when it came to updates. Silverbolt is a Fuzor, a Transformer who transforms into a mixture of two different animals. He turns into a wolf/eagle hybrid that's pretty fantastic. I've always enjoyed his robot mode's appearance as well. He's very unique looking combined with great characterization of the show making for a lovable character. This new figure is larger Voyager Class compared to the Deluxe Class original. The extra room fits him and allows for a more show accurate toy.

Honestly, this toy isn't a big departure from the original. It's very similar to the with some improvements like placement of the wings in robot mode. Speaking off those wings, they no longer have the 'flapping' gimmick or shoot missiles. Instead the feather swords attach via pegs and are smaller, which looks better. Silverbolt is fairly articulated in robot mode and has a VERY show accurate sculpt. Like other recent updates, he looks like walked out of my TV screen. Transformation is fairly easy and similar to his original figure. I transformed my original one a million times while watching the show and found my hands automatically arranging parts from muscle memory. It's not completely the same, but somehow he was transformed in a few seconds without much effort. I should have been watching Beast Wars while doing it for old times sake.

In beast mode, Silverbolt is a winged wolf that looks like something out of mythology. Articulation remains pretty good here with he wings able to be put in a variety of poses. The way his rear end comes together is a bit messy. The back legs kinda just rest against each other leaving a big gap. You can look past it, but it's not really avoidable. Really though, that's the only negative thing I've got to say about the toy. Your going to have a messy area here and there in a Transformer and that's not the worst I've ever seen on one. Other than that, Silverbolt is a great toy and I'm happy for the update. I'm sure there'll be a Windrazor version as Generations Selects, but I really hope for a 2003 Universe version. Always loved those colors. The ongoing love Beast Wars is finally getting in Generations is exciting for me and I'm definitely glad to see more characters than just the original season cast. Silverbolt's a good toy of a great character. It's awesome that they made this.

Origin Wheeljack (Legacy United/Voyager Class)

I'd been looking forward to Origin Wheeljack for some time now. After thoroughly enjoying the Origin Bumblebee and Jazz, it's good to complete the trio. All three have been exclusive to Target, though Wheeljack comes packaged in standard Legacy United packaging as the Buzzworth Bumblebee sub-line is officially over. As someone who prefers cartoon over comics, having the opening segment of the first episode of The Transformers recreated in toy form is awesome. The pre-Earth designs were fun and managed to work as toys pretty well.  Wheeljack was the larger of the three in that segment, so large that Bumblebee even rode inside of Wheeljack's alt mode. That can be replicated here as Wheeljack is a larger Voyager Class toy as compared to the smaller Deluxes the others were.

That's done with a LOT of folding panels and one BIG backpack in robot mode. That's unavoidable as somehow this thing had to work in the real word as a $35 toy. In the pictures, you might have noticed the blue wings in robot mode. Those are from a sort of Swiss-army part that comes with Wheeljack. They form the vehicle modes shields and can be dissembled to create the road it's driving on. The said part can be contained in the alt mode storage area or made into a sort of glider wing ... thing in robot mode. You'll have to disassemble the part to utilize all it's forms. Be careful, mines already showing stress marks from this. I could see it breaking easily. That's not the only accessory. Wheeljack comes with a blaster that can either beheld or mounted on his shoulder. In addition are the two front mounted blades he used in that segment this toy pays homage to. The blades can also attach to the front of the gun to recreate the dominator discs from 'The Core'. It goes without saying that this is a really neat toy. 

In robot mode, Wheeljack looks great... aside from that huge backpack. I'm not sure if any parts are reused from prior Wheeljack toys, but everything looks right. He's fairly articulated and even has some ports on his arms to store the dominator discs. Transformation isn't easy initially. It's something that would probably get easier after a few times, but the first couple are a mofo. There is a lot of panels in that big backpack and on his legs that fold out. They don't immediately make sense either and the instructions are a little cryptic. Once in place, however, you've got a cool... whatever that is he turns into. Folks have often called it a van, which is odd considering his sports car form on earth. Guess that's where his Rise of the Beasts form got inspiration.

Like I said earlier, Bumblebee can fit inside the storage compartment and those conductor rods that Origin Bumblebee came with can store on storage racks. Finally they have somewhere to go! This feels like a much more premium toy than you'd expect from a standard retail release. I feel like that's where Generations is going and it's a good thing. With the rising price of Transformers, it's nice to feel like I got something for my money. I've been a big fan of these 'Origin' Transformers figures and having the three Autobots in their pre-Earth forms is a real treat. I appreciate the interaction with each other as well. It bears repeating, this is a really neat toy.

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.

Gamer Edition Megatron (Studio Series/Voyager Class)

It feels kind of odd that Transformers Studio Series would dip into video games for inspiration. Not that I'm opposed to it, just it seems more like something for Legacy. Regardless, nicer and higher quality toys of the War for Cybertron designs are welcome. Once again, thanks to Hasbro's reuses of names, I should clarify it's the War for Cybertron video game and not the War for Cybertron Trilogy. Considering we're at 40 years of Transformers, I suppose the entire thing is a War for Cybertron. Regardless, they made new toys of older designs that looked cool then and still do now. I was always fond of this version of Megatron. The War for Cybertron game (WFC from here out) featured the characters before arriving on Earth and with sci fi Cybertronian alt modes and designs. I've always enjoyed that aesthetic.

The original WFC Megatron figure was a Deluxe Class and pretty good honestly. This step up to a Voyager does add some extra heft to the big bad leader of the Decepticons. Like I said, I like this version of Megatron. So obviously I'm going to think this new and updated version looks great. I used to joke that his Cybertronian tank was a Roomba, but these days I can't help but to make comparisons to Action Master Megatron's Neutro-Fusion Tank. I think it's the similar shape. If it were in more similar colors it'd probably work. That's obviously a coincidence. Transformation from robot to tank isn't too hard, but a little fiddly at spots. Your mileage may vary of course. As a robot Megatron is fairly articulated. I've seen some complaints of his knee joints being weird. I personally didn't notice it on mine, but admittedly wasn't measuring the entire range of motion either. Once again, your mileage may vary. The tank's cannon barrel is Megatron's signature Fusion Cannon in robot mode. He also has the games take on his classic energy mace/morning star. Personally, I'd love this design to use the sword the Microman toy had. That design would work very well. I'm really happy with this toy and plan to get all the Gamer Edition figures in Studio Series. Those were some cool games and the designs were awesome. I'd love to see Fall of Cybertron get this treatment as well.

Battletrap (Studio Series/Voyager Class)

Rise of the Beasts is certainly a bright spot in recent Transformers for me. One unexpected stand out was Battletrap, the orange Terrorcon who didn't get much focus in media leading into the films release. However, once the movie got rolling, there was this badass villain that I found myself wanting more of. He's a little slim on toy releases for some reason, but today we're looking at the Studio Series toy of him in all it's glory. Battletrap is a Voyager Class figure that turns from spike covered robot bruiser to a somewhat rustic looking tow truck. There's some great character design going on, it's a shame he was just in the background for the most part. 

Battletrap's tow hook can be used as a melee weapon as it's kibble is a part of his arms. This can also be done with his wrecking ball. I do wish he had more in the line of weapons. You could really see him carrying a battle axe, hammer, or some crude rifle. In fact one of my only complaints about this toy is those arms. They just don't look right to me and that kibble doesn't help. The other complaint is transformation was rather difficult for me. Admittedly, I could have been just having a bad day or clumsy hands... but he just didn't want to go together right. Those arms I spoke of earlier were part of that. That's really a shame because he's such a cool looking character and this is a really nice looking toy outside of those issues. 

I REALLY like the way Battletrap looks. There's some visual cues reminiscent of Kamen Rider Zero-One that goes well with the more brutal looks of live action Transformers villain designs. Orange is one of my favorite colors and it plays so well with black. Of course he works just right for a Halloween time post here on the site. I also like the older GMC pickup truck used. The movie takes place in 1994, but the truck looks to be a late 70's model. Being a work truck, it would normally be an older model and seeing one of it's year wasn't out of the norm around that time. I feel that's more realistic than the out of touch decisions you normally see in movies. In vehicle mode, Battletrap looks all too familiar thanks to the vehicles I was accustomed to seeing my family members from my fathers more rural side of the family drive.

In all Battletrap is pretty great despite a few problems I had. It's hard for me not to like him thanks to all the things mentioned above. Just a great looking robot and a cool character. I really wish he got more character time and the character was a little more fleshed out. That's one thing I liked about the 2007 robots, they got another life in assorted media. I could see Battletrap in some anime really causing a problem. Though with his name being reused from a classic character, he'd probably be called something else. Honestly I wish he would have been Big Hoss. Unfortunately, Battletrap so far only has two toys, and the other is an Ironhide repaint. I'd love to have seen him in Beast Alliance. 

Rhinox (Rise of the Beasts/Voyager

I've always liked Rhinox, it's hard not to. He's this really likable gentle giant who's also the smartest person in the room (not counting the events of Beast Machines). Being one of the robots from the new movie, he's getting plenty of toys. This is his Voyager figure from the 'main line' of Transformers Rise of the Beasts. It's pretty great. I know I've been saying that a lot regarding these, and that's because they are. To me anyway, you might think differently. That's ok. I'm not pretending to be the definitive opinion on anything. This is just mine, and I like these toys. Being a Voyager class figure, Rhinox is pretty large. He's a big guy, so he should be.

Rhinox is fairly articulated and well sculpted. Many of you might wonder why there's a mainline and Studio Series Voyager figure of the same character... and that's a fair question. The Studio Series is meant to be a collectors line, while this is a better fit for all ages. This Rhinox is a little more toyetic, his transformation is a little easier and has more 'fun' features. These features aren't some sort of play gimmick, but accessories. Rhinox has his twin Chain Guns of Doom and the beast mode horn can be used as a melee weapon or mounted on his shoulder. The guns can rotate and of course pay homage to classic Rhinox's famous weapons while the melee weapon is similar to the one his Transmetal version wielded. That's probably not an intentional homage, but I find these movie beast warrior designs similar to Transmetals. So that's a neat extra, even if accidental. 

The chain guns can mount on his beast mode's sides giving a pretty fun look to the rhino. In the movie, Rhinox has a big hammer... as does his Studio Series toy. Like I said, they made this version more toyetic... this is fun. Not to mention, I kinda like this better. It's got a little more character. If I did have a complaint, it's that Rhinox could use more color. However, it's a movie toy so... yeah. Despite that, Rhinox is a really fun figure. He's big and chonky, nut not a brick. There's plenty of play value with his various accessorizes and they store away nicely in beast mode. I haven't had much bad things to say about the toys from this movie, and the way things are going, won't. That's a pretty great thing.

First Looks And Thoughts At Kingdom Wave 2

I recently received a press release with early looks at Kingdom Wave 2 toys. Since you've been bombarded with 50 million links to the same news already, I thought I'd just talk about the toys. It's what I've been doing with these things the last few times anyway. You cool with that?

Starting off, let's talk about Core Class Megatron. It's another G1 Megatron, and he turns into a tank again. That being said, he looks pretty sweet. I think the smaller size works pretty well with the design and he looks like a good toy. I don't get advance review copies, but if I did, this would be one I'd really like a look at. Like the seekers, when it's the same idea repeated often, it's neat to see what's different this time.

 

Speaking of Seekers, here's the Core Class Starscream. People can't get enough seekers and it's safe to assume this one will get a few repaints. At a small size and lower price, I'm sure building that seeker team again won't be so hard.

I'm really looking forward to getting a hold of the new Core class toys. Some folks got some already and they look like fun little figures. Distribution is pretty wonky this year and frankly I don't see a reason to pre order general retail figures. So I'll just have to be patient until I see them at my local stores to find out for myself. Also I'd like to point out spellcheck always suggests pee order in place of pre order. 

Ractonite is also setting off spellcheck as well as Fossilizer which is the type of Transformer he is. I really like the look of Fossilizers. What's not to like about a robot dinosaur skeleton? Not to mention, the human race has only seen dinosaur skeletons as opposed to actual dinosaurs. So there.

Replacing the Weaponizers... man spellcheck is having a rough day... Fossilizers break apart into weapons and armor for regular Transformers to use. Do I have to explain just how awesome that is? I mean... a robot wearing bones as armor. That's probably the most metal thing ever. Then you add in a robot skeleton that transforms into a dinosaur skeleton and my mind just exploded. 

Another nice thing about Fossilizers is that they're something new. A new type of bot and new characters. The past 20 years of Transformers has been pretty slim on new characters with each series having less than the one before. It's not just new to me, it's new to you as well. They remind me of Bone Age also and that ain't bad y'all. That ain't bad. 

 

I've always liked Inferno and he's making an appearance in Kingdom as a Voyager. Just as he and Grapple have usually shared a mold, Inferno is based on the Earthrise Grapple mold. I really liked that toy, so I'm sure I'll like this one.

I wish I could tell you I like Inferno based on his character or some odd trivia like how Simon Furman kept killing him over and over. Really though, I just think he looks cool. I don't think I've ever gotten over that childhood appreciation for a big red firetruck. 

 

Huffer is getting a new deluxe toy in Kingdom and might I say it's really nice that he is. His last few toys were repaints of other toys, so it's nice to see a new mold. I've always liked Huffer anyway. I think we all know a whiny grumbler and would like to strangle that person. When Huffer does it for some reason it's charming. 

I've always enjoyed his little orange truck mode as well. I remember as a kid my older brother had Optimus and it never occurred to me that I could own one too (kid logic). When he pulled Optimus's trailer in Heavy Metal War it blew my mind. For awhile there I figured he could be 'my' Optimus Prime since my older brother already had one.

 

If you couldn't get a hold of Arcee in Earthrise, don't worry, her Deluxe figure from that is getting released again in Kingdom. I haven't gotten one yet myself, so this might be how I do as well. There was a time when a figure of Arcee was just wishful thinking and those days are over. She's had a few figures by this point and this one seems the most faithful to her classic appearance. 

The figures will be available April 1st 2021 (no fooling) and will be available for pre order Thursday 12/3 (tomorrow). The Core class figures have a MSRP of $9.99, Deluxes $19.99, and Voyagers at $29.99. A big thanks goes out to Hasbro and Rogers & Cowan for providing Zone Base readers with this cool news and giving me something to talk about. If you like what I do, thanks! Please share with your friends. That's all I ask. You could share with people who aren't your friends... but that'd be weird.