Jawbreaker (EarthSpark/Warrior Class)

I liked Jawbreaker almost immediately when he first appeared on the show. Of course when his toy came out, I jumped right on it. Jawbreaker is a Warrior Class figure, like others in the class in EarthSpark, he's not too much different than a Deluxe Class toy. Only paired down for price and difficulty. Just right for the younger audience they're aiming for. I guess the adult nerd crowd is a given. I really like his colors. The orange looks good against the black and silver. It's plesant looking.

Jawbreaker transforms into a dinosaur, specifically a Stygimoloch. According to the TF Wiki, this may not be an actual species. That's ok, living alien robots from outer space that turn into things aren't either. It's an easy transformation, which is to be expected. Simplicity aside, Jawbreaker is a pretty neat toy. There's a little hollowness that's mostly easy to ignore, but a surprising amount of articulation. Jawbreaker also has a flip out blaster. I like these little self contained weapons some EarthSpark toys have. While not wanted all the time, it can be fun when used right. Jawbreaker almost feels like he's from another toy line other than Transformers, but I can't quite place where exactly. Maybe Masterbotix. He's a neat little figure for the lower price a Warrior Class costs. A little simple, but not in a bad way. I'd like to see it in other colors. I could just see a weird colored pack of these dinosaurs running together.

Skywarp (EarthSpark/Warrior Class)

The Cyberverse Seeker mold has seen it's fair share of repaints as Seeker molds generally do. It's a likeable toy that's unfortunately a little too simple. I've grown to appreciate it over the past few years. I haven't gotten every instance of it, and strongly prefer the Vic Viper flavored version better (really regret not getting that box set of recolors), I've still gotten quite a few. The mold, like other Cyberverse toys, has gotten re-released in EarthSpark as Skywarp. I got her a little while back as her colors are just great. Skywarp is a female character in EarthSpark following Cyberverse's female version of the character. This makes for a little fun variety since EarthSpark follows a kinda nebulous version of the events in the G1 days (it's not exactly a follow up, but the flashbacks are specifically flavored as so).

I made a point to get this toy as I like the colors quite a bit. Skywarp has always been one of my favorite seekers, partially due to that. Skywarp has her traditional colors in the cartoon, however they got a little creative with this new toy. The black and purple is swapped out for a metallic blue and black. It's very pretty looking and kinda reminds me of old Diaclone art. Aside from that, Skywarp is the same toy I've talked about here a before. I like it, but wish for some leg articulation. Skywarp easily converts to jet mode and features a spinning waste gimmick that I'm sure is entertaining for the children it was intended for. I bought Skywarp for the colors and general like of the character. I guess there's just something to a fresh coat of paint. Skywarp can hold most 5mm weapons and accessories, I can imagine some BattleMasters would liven up the toy quite a lot. 

Optimus Prime (warrior class, EarthSpark)

At this point it feels like I own 9 million Optimus Prime figures. A new Optimus Prime toy used to be a special occasion, however, these days the main characters tend to get the most figures. When a character gets multiple figures in multiple price points, it's fair to think the different classes are a sign of quality. This newest warrior class figure of Optimus from EarthSpark though... It could have been a deluxe in prior toy lines. It could be the same thing going on with Rise of the Beasts toys, in which the mainline figures are giving the Studio Series ones a run for their money. I don't have a deluxe Optimus from EarthSpark yet... but kinda not seeing a reason for one after getting the warrior class toy.

What I'm saying is that this is a really pleasant Optimus Prime toy for a lower price than you'd pay for a deluxe, voyager, or leader class figure. I got him at Walmart for $14.99 and considering the rising cost of everything... am struggling to find a reason to buy another, more expensive toy. I guess more articulation, or gimmicks could be a reason... but this one is decently articulated for my liking... and like I said... could have been a deluxe in a prior line. This is a really satisfying Optimus Prime toy. I kept him near me all day and would fiddle with him on and off constantly. I like this toy. Optimus as an attached energy axe that can flip out. It's a neat weapon that won't get lost. That's neat.

I'm not saying he's perfect, there are a few things I don't like. His face for one... EarthSpark has some ugly faces. Not all of the characters have this problem, but it's impossible to ignore on the ones that do. The problem is that it's too long. The head itself is actually quite nice looking... but that long face is bad. IF it was shorted, closer to a normal Prime face, that'd be pretty great. I actually like Optimus's design in EarthSpark... just that face is a sticking point. The other thing I don't like is hard to describe. He was hard to transform... and I don't mean as in a complex transformation. Optimus transforms just as you'd think by looking at him. Just he didn't really fit together for some reason. I messed with him for a while trying to get everything to go into place... and for some reason something would always not go in exactly. Maybe mine has some quality control issues? Maybe I did something wrong? Maybe somethings just not perfectly executed? I don't know, but good grief I couldn't get around it.

Aside from the personal gripes... this is a pretty good figure that could give the more expensive figures some competition. This is something that I'm seeing going forward ... and that's a good thing. While I should expect a more expensive figure to be a nicer, the less costly one doesn't need to be obviously a lower model. Like I said... this is a satisfying toy and I'm struggling to find a reason to buy a more expensive toy. The cost of everything keeps going up, including Transformers. I don't get these things for free and real life comes before hobbies. This Optimus is a positive sign of things to come. Hopefully others follow suit.

Desert Warrior Dynabot

 

I've got a particular attachment to Snarl. It all started when I went trick or treating dressed as him for Halloween. It was a Collegeville costume, the plastic smock and mask style that often gets lumped in with Ben Cooper costumes. Amusingly, the character was labeled Dynabot on the box. My cousin was quite impressed and asked me if it transformed, in which I told him it did as I got on all fours (with requisite transformation noise). I pulled the mask over my head and began to snarl and chomp. I understand if you're impressed, he was. He was also jealous, as I suspect you are.

Thing is, Snarl is pretty awesome looking. The way his plates and spiked tail form 'wings' in his robot mode has always looked cool to me. I recently got the Cyberverse figure (pictured above). I'd been after it for sometime now. You're aware I like Snarl, but also liked the resemblance to his Action Master box art. It's a good toy, simple like most Warrior Class figures, but still a good toy. 

Snarl's cartoon model got recycled as Armor Geist in Brave Exkaiser. I used to think the Age of Extinction Snarl toy would make a good update of that (and still do), but this Cyberverse Snarl would be a good candidate as well. Maybe with a new head. It's so true to the cartoon model that I could see it invoking the character well. Wonder if some kid was Armor Geist for Halloween and really likes him as a result? I hope so.

My Cyberverse Coat Of Many Colors

Sometime last night a siren rang out the most wonderful news, a song of new Cyberverse box sets. Not long ago I talked about the newer Warrior Class Starscream that seemingly transformed into the Vic Viper. As I said then and have said since, I'm not a seeker completist. Somewhere during the SCF/Heroes of Cybertron and Classics run... I had my fill. Though also like I said, this mold in multiple colors would change my mind. I'm very glad they're not 100% traditional in their colors.

Variety is the spice of life and man look at those seasoned space jets! I think Thrust and Skywarp are my favorite so far. They just pop. Thundercraker and Starscream ain't too shabby themselves. I kind of wish they were all new characters since the colors on the mold make them look like new characters. It's not a major gripe though. I'm just going to post that Gradius commercial again for good measure.

I am so bad at that game, but I love playing it.

Another bit of wonderful news from yesterday, is the sightings of a Repugnus box set. From the episodes with the swarm of Repugnus bugs on Cybertron is this set of various members of that swarm. That beautiful green Repugnus is a recolor of the Turbo Changer I raved about not long ago and man is is sharp looking! The other members of the swarm (Pesticons!) are tiny new molds, not unlike the Sharkticons from the prior Hot Rod set. They may be from Tiny Turbo Changer origins, but the Sharkticons were a hard plastic and not rubbery. These look a little bigger as well, so I'm not sure. Maybe.

Regardless of mold origin, the multiple colors are absolutely wonderful. I love the Cyberverse rendition of Repugnus and am looking forward to adding more of him to the shelf my current one will eventually sit on. I just moved last month, I'm getting there. Since this one is so similar to the Hot Rod, I'm assuming it'll cost around $20. The seeker pack... that was an ebay leak, so who knows? I kinda imagine it's a Christmas item and wagering around $40-$50. Hoping they're easy to get as I must own these.

Megatron's FUSION MACE

I'd been holding off on a warrior class version of Cyberverse Megatron being happy with his pretty great Turbo Changer toy. That's not to say I wasn't tempted, it was a pretty nice looking figure. After it was retooled to match his season 3 appearance, I knew I had to get one. So I did. The toy in robot mode makes me think of Megatron's Action Master. The colors are off, sure, but the similar visual cues are there. It's possibly one of the reasons I like it so much.

Warrior class figures in Cyberverse have a gimmick similar to Super Powers figures. Megatron's FUSION MACE is a play on his energy mace from that damn dam fight in the original cartoon. With a flick of the lever on his back, Megatron flips his arm about swinging his energy mace like a yahoo. This is actually kind of neat as it unravels from his wrist with a string. Another lever under his forearm will pull it back in place. It's a fun little play gimmick that pays homage to one of Megatron's more memorable moments.

Megatron's alt mode is a Cybertronian tank. Cybertron isn't a real place, so you'll have to excuse it for not looking like a real tank. It's a spacey sci fi type design that looks at home in a old video game. I bet that game has a great soundtrack. I like sci fi spacey designs like this, I bought it right? Why would I buy something I don't like in something that's 100% voluntary like a hobby? Never understood those types.

I didn't like transforming him though. It's not complex or anything, there's just a point of annoyance in his legs. Essentially his boots unfold and create the sides of the tank. If you look at the above picture you'll see the seam in the middle where this is done. In the robot mode pictures, you'll notice a peg on his left arm as well as some little brackets under his knee caps.

Those are connection points in the transformation where things lock together. It's super easy to wrench something the wrong way doing this and remember that seam in the middle of the tank side? It came apart right there and had to be snapped it back together a few times. That was frustrating and literally my only real complaint. I honestly bough the toy for it's robot mode than anything, the space tank is just a neat extra.

In Space, Nobody Can Feel Bumblebee Sting

I had been putting off buying a Warrior Class Bumblebee. I haven't gotten any version of Cyberverse Bumblebee in warrior class yet, but when I had seen this newer Cybertronian version solicited, I knew it would be the one to buy. Not that I've got anything against Cyberverse or Bumblebee (if you read the site, you know I quite like them both), it's just the way things have worked out. Representing his 3rd season look, Bumblebee is not very much different from his prior versions. His Cybertronian alt mode is a flying car that's pretty much a modification of his Earth based car mode. It's a little silly, but I dig it. Honestly it looks more like a submarine than a flying car, but still pretty neat.

Bumblebee has a sparkle to his yellow plastic. I don't know if that was present in prior versions, but I notice it pretty clearly when holding the toy in light. BB also features some metallic blue circuitry detailing with the metallic coloring on his Sting Shot stinger as well. It looks really good against the yellow and makes me think of him as a Microman toy. Not just in the way that the original Bumblebee toy was derived from a Microman, but this toy looks like it would fit in next to your Spy Magician figure. His alt mode kibble and spacey alt mode makes me think of him as a newer Micro Robot. He just has that look, or at least to me.

I had mentioned his Sting Show earlier, that's the figures action gimmick. Mounted on his left arm is the stinger, pull said arm down, and it spring loaded pops back up with the stinger spinning. Makes me think of a Kenner Super Powers figure. I really like this guy, he has that old school super robot vibe that Cyberverse warrior class toys generally have. I get warriors for around $11 at my local Walmart and that's a great price. It's a nice little something to grab for not a lot of money during an errand run.

Hammerbyte Is Pretty Jawesome

One of the new Cyberverse toys I've been looking forward to the most would be Hammerbyte. A new character in Transformers is a rarity these days, but it doesn't hurt that he's pretty dang neat too. Like all of Cyberverse, Hammerbyte is firmly rooted in old school super robot style. He really feels like a left over design from another line. His sculpting makes me think of an Energon figure. Maybe a little smaller and he'd fit right on in with the Ominicons.

Hammerbyte is a Cyberverse warrior class toy though and like others in that class he features an action feature. His is the 'Rip Thrash' which not only sounds like a Street Sharks character, but results in making him look like one as well. To activate it, you twist his left arm and CHOMP! The sharks head (which is his backpack) snaps forward combining with the shark tooth necklace on his chest. Now Hammerbyte is ready to bite your head off! It's pretty silly and I can't imagine anyone not getting a laugh out of it. Unless you're an asshole.

 
By now I probably don't have to tell you Hammerbyte turns into a hammerhead shark. Unless he was a car that just happened to have a sharks head hidden in it's trunk to use as a weapon and now I really want a toy of that. If you have an aversion to Beast Wars style animal alt modes, you'll be glad to learn that his is a mechanical shark mode. While I love Beast Wars, it's hard not to appreciate just how good those hard angles and robotic bits look on that shark. The shark tooth necklace from his robot mode is a bit of fake kibble as the jaws are actually contained in his shark head. They fold away completely helping the illusion a bite.

If you can't tell from what I've said here or the pictures used (check out our Easter decorations y'all), I really like this toy. His robot mode is chock full of character with the crown and prior mentioned shark tooth necklace. If anything I wish he had a trident or a harpoon gun. All those various shades of blue transfer into one super pretty toy shark. It was cool getting a new character and even better that his toy was so good. He's just nice, you know? Nice things are nice.

Cyberverse Acid Storm (Warrior Class)

So bright, he reflects light inside the package

Possibly giving Action Master Thundercracker a run for the brightest colored Transformer ever, Acid Storm from the Cyberverse line is practically a light source. Which a more clever writer would use an an analogy for how bright of a shinning star he is.

Cyberverse Shockwave (warrior class)

I've said I only plan to buy the occasional standard sized Cyberverse toy, because there is some super cool figures that I just need. Shockwave here was impossible to walk away from. His normal design just lends itself to the Cyberverse cartoonish styling. The new Warrior class for Cyberverse is different from the Warrior class from Robots in Disguise in that each one has a much more prominent play feature. Shockwave for example has a 'wave cannon'. I've talked about the really sharp packaging before, but just look at that. Those colors are so sharp! While I didn't need to use the instructions, I found myself looking through them as the colors were on those as well and made for a really nice looking pamphlet.I wish they'd include some story blurb or a bio to take advantage of that good looking paperwork.

Just look at that darn Shockwave. He looks really nice in this toy and aesthetic. I do wish he had a few more paint apps to bring out more of that sculpted detail, but for $14.99, there's going to be some compromises. I pay about $16.99 for a Generations deluxe which has more paint and 20$ for a Studio Series deluxe which has the more premium treatment. Siege toys look to be going towards that as well, so I assume they'll be more premium as well. So $14.99 is going to have a few concessions to make it cost a little less. It is what it is. Shockwave as some hollow parts and thinner plastic as well. He's pretty light, but was still pretty sturdy and didn't fall apart or anything. So honestly, it's not much to complain about, for me anyway. He has a fair amount of articulation, but his head doesn't move. Which isn't a big deal, but does seem a bit odd considering.

So that wave cannon on his back can fold over to mount on his shoulder for some fighting action.The cannon actually pegs into his back pretty well, and that peg is the lever intended to use to deploy the wave action. By the way, do you notice his antenna? There's not room for the cannon to fold down without hitting them, fortunately they can move forward to make the needed room. I'll be honest, I didn't care for that. There's nothing really wrong with it, I just didn't like it. The cannons lever moves to fold out the laser waves (snicker) of the wave cannon firing during that fight.

Kinda looks like the slime from Ghostbusters 2

I don't know if this is just one mine, or on all Shockwaves, but those fold out laser waves (snicker) didn't work well. The outside one did just fine, but the inside one stuck and didn't want to deploy. Maybe I got a weak spring.

Aside from his Alternator toy, Shockwave has never turned into a realistic Earth based form. In Cyberverse this continues as he turns into a spider tank. Spider tanks have been used in Transformers before and work for a cool sci fi tank variation. I almost wish this was a different character though as the mode seems more suited for someone more eccentric than Shockwave. It looks great though. The wave cannon is more present here, though you have to unfold it to let the wave shoot out.

Soon, the city will be mine and Megatron's... mainly Megatron's.

Warrior Class Shockwave is a good figure and really sharp looking despite a few flaws here and there. The flaws are mostly easy to ignore (and in some places are subjective) and it's a pretty good figure. I'm happy to have him and am reminded I need to get Cyber Battalion Shockwave as logic dictates that Shockwave toys are always a good choice.

Got more whoah

After picking up our grocery and Five Guys orders (we literally do everything from an app), we swung by Target and walked up on the Transformers section. A Transformers section freshly stocked with new Cyberverse figures. Man, no matter how many times I see a new line for the first time, it never stops being exciting. The eye catching packaging really pops on the shelves.

I only grabbed a Scout Grimlock and Warrior Shockwave for the time being. I still mainly plan on getting the Scouts with the occasional larger toy, but I don't want to do it all at once. I'll probably get the other first wave Scouts next week though. Sure they only partially transform, but I'm buying basic versions of the characters, they'd stay in robot mode anyway.

Man, that packaging looks super good.

Cyberverse Squad Goals

Earlier today, pictures of the new Cyberverse toys began hitting various TF news sites and boy are my arms tired. Mainly from flapping in excitement like a penguin trying to do kung fu dancing. With reports last week of Power Of The Primes winding down this year and the brand as a whole kinda rebooting in a more simpler direction (mainline and movie instead of two mainlines and movie) with a more traditional look and feel starting more and more come into focus as Toy Fair nears, these pics had good timing. I had already gotten my Authentics earlier this week, and my theory of them replacing Legions may just be true.

There's now Scout class replacing Legends apparently working as a middle ground of Legends and Legions that should sell for around $8. They're around the same size as the Authentics (I paid $5.75 each), which makes for a good value for those who may assemble their casts from the smaller more budget friendly lines. Then there's Warrior class costing $16, which is taking the place of Deluxe class (keeping the name from RID). Which so far look pretty pleasant. The Ultra class, which is taking the Voyager spot though costing $20 instead of $25. Then we have the Ultimate Class, seemingly taking the place of the former Leader class though now costing a very welcome $30 as opposed to the current $45 Leaders sell for at my local stores. There's obviously some simplification going in to lesson the costs and keep the toys more kid friendly, which I don't mind (I'm aware that these are toys that I buy).

I see myself buying more of the smaller, cheaper toys with an occasional bigger toy (like that very Skyquake looking Starscream). This is a direction I've mostly been heading towards the last decade, with only some amazing larger toys throwing a wrench in the works. The Prime Wars trilogy has been impossible for me to ignore, so I've been going crazy getting as many as possible. I look at this line, the upcoming cartoon, and can see myself having a really good time.

This looks fun.  

I know my wallet will appreciate it.