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Which Neo-G1 Toys Make the Best Updates?
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Zobovor
Jul 30, 2023, 9:58:24 PM7/30/23
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Sadly, I don't have any modern Transformers toys on display except for Masterpiece. Eventually, I want to do a neo-G1 display that will include one toy of each media character from 1984-87, but that will require a few more glass shelves than what I've got right now. Some day, I'm sure.
I actually went through and started a list the other day of what this collection would look like, giving myself a rough idea of how many shelves it would require. I knew on some level that *most* of the main characters had gotten good, modern toys, but it was really eye-opening for me to actually compile the list and see just how close we have actually come to having very nearly a complete set of updates.
So, just for fun, this is a list of what toys I would choose to display, representing the robots from the G1 toy line plus a few extras from the cartoon series. (Note that, yes, we've actually gotten a number of really good updates for characters from 1988 and beyond, but the number of them is significantly incomplete as compared to the 1984-87 characters.)
1984 (AUTOBOTS)
Optimus Prime: Earthrise (2020). It's likely I will swap him out for a Commander-class toy, when and if they do one, which I expect would have bigger and better trailer as well as Roller. But, the Earthrise toy really is a great representation of the character for now.
Brawn: Studio Series '86 (2023, unreleased). Don't own him yet, but he's on the way as we speak.
Windcharger: N/A. There's no Deluxe-scale update for this character as yet, so he's one of the handful of characters for whom no really good modern-era update exists yet. There's the Power of the Primes version from 2017, sure, but he's woefully out of scale with the modern-era collection from Siege et al.
Cliffjumper: Earthrise (2020). Actually, the Buzzworthy Bumblebee version of that toy, since it's slightly more authentic to the cartoon colors. In my mind, he's not a *perfect* update (the configuration of the windows in robot mode is weird ) and I would buy a replacement that was more G1, but this is a good modern update.
Bumblebee: Netflix (2020). As with Cliffjumper, he's decent but not perfect, and I wouldn't hate a slightly better update.
Huffer: Kingdom (2021). It's very important to me now that all my Mini Autobots are Deluxes.
Gears: N/A. Like Windcharger, there's no Deluxe-scale update for him yet, just the tiny Generations update from 2014. There's reportedly a new Gears coming in 2024.
Wheeljack: Earthrise (2020). I'm happy with this version of the character.
Trailbreaker: Earthrise (2020). So much better than his Generations release from 2014.
Ironhide: Studio Series '86 (2022). Arguably the definitive neo-G1 update for the character.
Ratchet: Studio Series '86 (unreleased). As with Brawn, this version of Ratchet is coming out shortly, and will be the perfect companion piece for Ironhide.
Jazz: Studio Series '86 (2021). Another slam-dunk update.
Hound: Buzzworthy Bumblebee (unreleased). We know there is an Earth-mode version of Hound coming eventually, and since we have seen Detritus we have a pretty good idea of what he will look like.
Sideswipe: Kingdom (2022). The Amazon-exclusive two-pack that came with Magnaboss Silverbolt is the best Sideswipe we've gotten, even though he's missing a spoiler in vehicle mode.
Bluestreak: Earthrise (2020). This guy was a Walgreens exclusive and hard to track down, but he's the best version of the character to date.
Prowl: Earthrise (2020). The Prowl toy we got in the Amazon 2-pack with Ironhide is the best version of the character, though I did put the head from Siege Prowl on mine since the Earthrise version had the Bluestreak head design. I think we might get a Studio Series '86 version of him some day.
Mirage: Kingdom (2021). The Amazon-exclusive set that came with Beast Wars Grimlock gave us the Earth mode version of Mirage, which isn't perfect, but it's the best representation of the character so far.
Sunstreaker: Earthrise (2020). I don't love the design of his arms in robot mode, but aside from that he's a solid update. I wouldn't be surprised to see a Studio Series '86 version of him some day.
1984 (DECEPTICONS)
Megatron: ??? This is a character for whom I don't think the truly definitive version exists yet. The Siege toy was good, and the Earthrise version would have been slightly better if it hadn't been for that derpy replacement head sculpt. If I was going to build the display today, I guess I'd go with Siege, probably, but I hope there's a really good Studio Series '86 version of him some day. Yeah, I know he's not going to turn into a gun, but maybe they could give him a submarine mode.
Soundwave: Netflix (2020). This is the best Soundwave to date, though I am expecting the upcoming Leader-class Soundwave might be a redeco of the Netflix toy, so it might supplant the Netflix release depending on the colors.
Buzzsaw: N/A. We haven't gotten a Siege-style cassette for Buzzsaw yet, and we desperately need one.
Rumble: Studio Series '86 (2023). Core-class toy for the win!
Frenzy: Studio Series '86 (unreleased). This toy isn't out yet, but we know it's coming.
Ravage: Netflix (2020). The retooled version of the Siege toy with a slightly cuter kitty cat face is the best non-Masterpiece version of him we've gotten. I think we might see a Core-class version in the Studio Series '86 line eventually, but this will do for now.
Laserbeak: Netflix (2020). Same as above. Retooling the Siege version into an Earth mode didn't quite give us the perfect Laserbeak. If they took some cues from the Masterpiece release, and did a Studio Series '86 version, that would be ideal.
Starscream: Earthrise (2020). I know a lot of people disliked this toy because it was essentially the Classics-era toy that was scaled up and rejiggered a bit, but why reinvent the wheel?
Thundercracker: Earthrise (2020).
Skywarp: Earthrise (2020).
Reflector: Siege (2019). Yes, I know Reflector wasn't available until 1986 during G1, but he was introduced in the cartoon pilot in 1984, so to me he's part of the first-season group of Decepticons. The Refraktor toy is perfect, especially when you buy three of them.
1984 (OTHER CHARACTERS)
Ideally, I would also put the Ark (Kingdom, 2021) in vehicle mode somewhere in the vicinity of the 1984 Autobots (who might or might not get to mingle with the 1985 Autobots, depending on shelf space). The Nemesis would also go somewhere in ship mode as well.
1985 (AUTOBOTS)
Perceptor: Studio Series '86 (2022). Such a good update. He makes me very happy.
Grimlock: Studio Series '86 (2021). I can't tell you how much I will enjoy putting these massive Leader-class Dinobots on display amongst a bunch of puny Autobots, once the entire team is released.
Sludge: Studio Series '86 (2022).
Slag: Studio Series '86 (2021).
Snarl: Studio Series '86 (2023).
Swoop: N/A (unreleased; expected 2024).
Omega Supreme: Siege (2019). It's going to be much harder to display a Titan-class toy than the G1 toy. Titans are monsters. (I've seen some people put their Titan-class toys on TOP of their Detolf cabinets, but then they'll just collect dust, and I don't like that idea.)
Blaster: Kingdom (2022). Like Perceptor, a slam-dunk update for this character.
Cosmos: Velocitron (2022). Hasbro has said they're planning to make this guy available again eventually, for those who missed out. I wonder if it will be a package refresh, or if they'll change up the deco.
Seaspray: N/A. The last Seaspray we got was the Titans Return version from 2017, but the pizza delivery edition is tiny and is not aligned with the current neo-G1 design philosophy. I hope we get a Deluxe toy in the next couple of years or so.
Powerglide: N/A. You have to go back even farther for Powerglide, since the last update we got was the tiny Combiner Wars edition in 2015. I am very excited about the notion of a Deluxe version eventually.
Warpath: Kingdom (2021). Honestly a great update.
Beachcomber: Evolution (2023). I'm very enamored with him right now; he's one of my favorite modern toys ever, at the moment.
Skyfire: Siege (2019). It took them a while to give us a good Jetfire/Skyfire, but after several attempts, we finally got there.
Hoist: Earthrise (2020). I love Hoist as a character, but I actively hate his Generations 2014 toy. I'm so glad they did a better one.
Inferno: Kingdom (2021). They really knocked it out of the park in the last handful of years, didn't they?
Tracks: Kingdom (2021). I know not everybody was happy with him, but he's still leagues better than the Generations update we got in 2010. Man, the year 2010 feels like SO LONG AGO.
Smokescreen: Earthrise (2020). He was one of my first G1 toys, and I'm super picky about his color scheme. They got it wrong a number of times, but they finally got it right for Earthrise.
Skids: Legacy (2022). Who would have thought this character with only a few seconds of screen time would get such a great toy?
Grapple: Earthrise (2020). For a long time, I was using the Energon Roadblock toy as my neo-G1 Grapple. Glad that's a thing of the past.
Red Alert: Kingdom (2021). Another Walgreens exclusive, making him difficult to find. I ended up swapping out his red arms with donor parts from Deep Cover.
1985 (DECEPTICONS)
Shockwave: Siege (2019). His purple color is really dark, and not particularly Sunbow, but he's still a good toy.
Scrapper: Unite Warriors (2015). Shockingly, one of the oldest toys on this list so far, and also a Takara release to boot. The Hasbro version sold during Combiner Wars was nearly the same, but I went for the Japanese edition because it came with handheld guns for the individual Constructicons, and it was also modified to give a few of them better articulation. Elbows n' guns, baby!
Mixmaster: Unite Warriors (2015). With that said, I do hope they do a Studio Series '86 version of Devastator some day. Mixmaster's vehicle mode is awful. I hate it so much.
Long Haul: Unite Warriors (2015).
Hook : Unite Warriors (2015).
Bonecrusher: Unite Warriors (2015).
Scavenger: Unite Warriors (2015).
Astrotrain: Siege (2019). It was recently hinted that we might get a Studio Series '86 version of this character, perhaps with more cartoon-accurate colors. I don't hate the Siege version, certainly.
Blitzwing: Legacy (2022). Another G1 update that got a lot of flak, but honestly I think he's more authentic and faithful to G1 than any of the previous versions.
Kickback: Legacy (2022). I've got a handful of these. I'm kind of thinking the three "main" Insecticons in robot mode and the rest of the clones in bug mode, depending on shelf space.
Shrapnel: Evolution (2023). The lines between Legacy and Evolution are very blurry in my mind. I have a tough time keeping them straight.
Bombshell: N/A. We know he's coming, likely for the third chapter of Legacy (Uni-Something) in 2024. I honestly can't wait.
Dirge: Earthrise (2020).
Thrust: Earthrise (2020).
Ramjet: Earthrise (2020).
1985 (OTHER CHARACTERS)
The first season of the G1 cartoon didn't really introduce a lot of characters who didn't exist as Hasbro toys, but in the second season we got a LOT of them. And, what's crazy is that there are actually modern toys for almost all of them now.
Alpha Trion: Legacy (2022). Man, if it weren't for the "Hero is Born" 2-pack, I'd have to use that weird Titans Return lion toy or something to represent him.
Chromia: Siege (2019). This isn't a perfect update for the character (her stretch limo vehicle mode is completely wrong, and we hit some serious mold fatigue because this same mold was used SO MANY TIMES) but it's a good-looking robot mode, and better than the weird motorcycle version from 2014.
Firestar: Power of the Primes Novastar (2018).
Moonracer: Power of the Primes (2018).
Greenlight: Siege (2019). Apparently she's super hard to find nowadays.
Lancer: Siege (2019). I cannot believe this toy even exists. They're making toys out of characters who didn't even get NAMES in the episodes. These are truly blessed times.
Devcon: Evolution (2023).
Guardian Robot: Legacy (2023).
Orion Pax: Legacy (2022).
Dion: Evolution (2023). This set was just BARELY available at San Diego Comic-Con, and I love that these toys exist.
Ariel: Evolution (2023).
Nightbird: Siege (2019). Not the best update for the character, but at least Hasbro made an effort. I might track down the Takara Legends version from 2015 (remold of Generations Arcee) some day.
1986 (AUTOBOTS)
Metroplex: Generations (2014). The oldest toy on my list so far, and perhaps the one character who I feel most desperately needs a do-over. Maybe some day! (At SDCC, Evan Brooks actually floated the idea, so at least Hasbro is thinking about it.) The Siege version of Six-Gun was excellent, and I liked Kingdom Slammer, so really all we would need now, if they revisited Metroplex, is a Deluxe-class Scamper to go with him.
Hot Rod: Studio Series '86 (2021). I know some people weren't super happy with this version, but I think he's great.
Kup: Studio Series '86 (2021). I guess the Buzzworthy Bumblebee version is actually slightly better. That's the one I would actually put on a shelf.
Blurr: Studio Series '86 (2021). I don't like his face. What happened, anyway? Did somebody accidentally bump their mouse when designing him and they inadvertantly stretched the CAD file?
Sky Lynx: Earthrise (2020). A solid update for a character who just doesn't get a lot of updates.
Hot Spot: Combiner Wars (2015). We have to go back a few years before we get to the updates for most of the Scramble City characters. Combiner Wars was really the beginning of the rennaissance that we're enjoying today, and basically the first time Hasbro realized they could update characters who weren't named Starscream or Bumblebee.
First Aid: Combiner Wars (2015). The Combiner Wars toy line recycled a lot of designs, and not all of them enjoyed a strong fidelity to the G1 characters. First Aid, for example, really needs to be a boxy Ratchet-style ambulance. But, we got new Stunticons, so maybe we'll get new Protectobots some day.
Groove: Combiner Wars (2016). Takara designed their own Deluxe-class version of Groove, which was eventually sold by Hasbro. I feel like it's superior to the tiny Legends-class version.
Blades: Combiner Wars (2015).
Streetwise: Combiner Wars (2015).
Rewind: Kingdom (2023). I'm not super happy about the translucent plastic, but it's a good update for the character. Too bad you had to buy Twincast just to get him.
Eject: Kingdom (2022).
Steeljaw: N/A. There's no modern Siege-style cassette version of Steeljaw as yet. We need to get one of these eventually.
Ramhorn: N/A. The last Ramhorn we got was the weird Titans Return mini-vehicle in 2017, but he really needs to be a cassette tape!
Springer: Siege (2019). I know there is a Leader-class Springer coming, and I have no idea if it's a redeco/remold of the Siege toy or something else entirely. I'm honestly pretty happy with the Siege version, but I guess he could stand to be a bit bigger.
Broadside: Titans Return (2017). This was not a great update for the character. I would welcome a bigger and better one.
Sandstorm: N/A. There is reportedly a Leader-class toy coming for 2024, which I assume will be designed to look like the G1 version.
Hubcap: Earthrise (2020). The toy sold through Hasbro Selects satisfies my desire for a Hubcap update.
Wheelie: Studio Series '86 (2022). His robot mode is fine, but his vehicle mode was terrible. I wouldn't hate it if they revisited him some day.
Tailgate: N/A. Once we get a Deluxe-class Windcharger, a redeco as Tailgate will be the obvious reuse of the mold.
Outback: N/A. We got a new Studio Series '86 Brawn for this year, so it's inevitable that they'll remold him and resell him as Outback. We'll get all te 1986 Mini Autobots eventually.
Swerve: N/A. Again, as soon as they give us a Deluxe-class Gears, it's highly likely there will be a Swerve toy down the road. It's just a matter of time.
Pipes: Kingdom (2021). A surprisingly good update for a character who just hasn't gotten a lot of love in the past.
Rodimus Prime: Kingdom (2021). An excellent update for the character, despite what the heathens say about him.
Wreck-Gar: Studio Series '86 (2021). I cannot emphasize how much I love this toy. I don't even love Wreck-Gar that much as a character, but this is such an incredible update.
Ultra Magnus: Studio Series '86 (unreleased). A month ago, I would have said the Kingdom toy, and sort of begrudgingly accepted that it was probably the best mainline Ultra Magnus update we're likely to get. But now we've got this gorgeous Commander-class toy coming eventually, which is going to blow that sorry piece of Kingdom trash right out of the water. Can't wait to add that one to my collection.
Silverbolt: Combiner Wars (2015). The toy from which all other modern Transformers toy engineering originates. Okay, not really.
Slingshot: Combiner Wars Quickslinger (2015). Once they finally kicked that upstart Alpha Bravo off the team and gave us the true and correct Aerialbot roster, all was right with the world.
Air Raid: Combiner Wars (2015).
Fireflight: Combiner Wars Firefly (2015).
Skydive: Combiner Wars (2015).
1986 (DECEPTICONS)
Gnaw: Studio Series '86 (2021). I forget how many of these I have. Around a dozen, I think? It's honestly an amazing toy, and such a good army builder.
Galvatron: Kingdom (2022). Wait, scratch that. Make it the Legacy version with the slightly better paint job.
Razorclaw: Power of the Primes (2018). Power of the Primes was kind of a stinker of a toy line, but it did give us an updated Predaking. So for that I am thankful.
Rampage: Power of the Primes (2018).
Divebomb: Power of the Primes (2018).
Tantrum: Power of the Primes (2018).
Headstrong: Power of the Primes (2018).
Runamuck: Earthrise (2020). An honestly amazing update for a fairly obscure and unsung character.
Runabout: Earthrise (2020). Shame he was so hard to find for some folks.
Onslaught: Combiner Wars (2016).
Swindle: Combiner Wars (2016). Not a lot of fidelity to the character, admittedly. I wouldn't mind Legacy-style updates for the Combaticons at all.
Brawl: Combiner Wars (2016).
Vortex: Combiner Wars (2016).
Blast Off: Power of the Primes (2018). I hated that they recycled one of the Aerialbots and tried to pass it off as Blast Off. The decision to finally sell the Takara version from the Unite Warriors line in Japan was definitely the right move on Hasbro's part.
Trypticon: Titans Return (2017). Probably my favorite Titan-class toy. He came with Full-Tilt, of course, but we also need to include Siege Weaponizer Brunt here from 2019.
Octane: Titans Return (2017). Honestly not a true home-run update for one of my favorite Decepticons. But, they've systematically been addressing all the heritage Triple Changers as Leader-class toys, so I think Octane will get his turn eventually.
Motormaster: Legacy (2022). I know the combiner configuration is super weird, but it was the only way to capture Menasor's look from the cartoon. I think he's boffo.
Dead End: Legacy (2022).
Drag Strip: Legacy (2022).
Breakdown: Evolution (2023). I'm still not happy that he's not a Lamborghini Countach. But, what can you do.
Ratbat: Siege (2019). What a cute little guy.
Scourge: Studio Series '86 (2021). Despite there being an official Sweep toy released, I am going to use multiple Scourge toys to represent them, since they are all supposed to be physically identical to each other, and the Sweep toy is actually a different color than the Scourge toy. I understand why they did it, but it's a little disingenuous.
Cyclonus: Kingdom (2021). Assuming my Cyclonus toy hasn't sponteneously transformed into a weird purple-and-gold color, of course. I haven't checked him in a while.
1986 (OTHER CHARACTERS)
I guess I would need to figure out how to hang HasLab Unicron from the ceiling in planet mode or something like that. I also have several Earthrise versions of the Quintesson Judge, but it's a shame that Kranix and the Quintesson Prosecutor are so tiny and out-of-scale. Voyager-class Junkheap will get to hang out with Wreck-Gar.
1987 (AUTOBOTS)
Fortress Maximus: Titans Return (2016). I wouldn't hate if they addressed the character again, since this release was kind of cost-cutty and a little Metroplexy. But I honestly love Cerebros. We also need to add Siege Cog from 2019.
Brainstorm: Titans Return (2017). I'm not super happy with this update (he's very Blurry) but he's okay.
Hardhead: Titans Return (2016).
Chromedome: Titans Return (2016).
Highbrow: Titans Return (2016).
Scattershot: Unite Warriors (2016). So, I debated whether I wanted the Hasbro or Takara version of Computron, but in the end I felt like the Takara approach was just slightly better on some characters and a LOT better on other characters.
Strafe: Unite Warriors (2016).
Lightspeed: Unite Warriors (2016).
Nosecone: Unite Warriors (2016).
Afterburner: Unite Warriors (2016).
Fastlane: Titans Return (2017).
Cloudraker: Titans Return (2017). Didn't like having to hunt down the Walgreens 2-pack with Wingspan just to find this guy.
Punch/Counterpunch: Power of the Primes (2019).
Goldbug: Buzzworthy Bumblebee (2022). From the "Creatures Collide" set.
Chase: N/A. I had thought for a whole that the Roadburn toy from Titans Return was going to serve as a template for the rest of the Throttlebots, but that never ended up happening. Now it's my hope that Goldbug has set the precedent, and we'll eventually get Deluxe-class versions of all of them.
Freeway: N/A.
Rollbar: N/A.
Wide Load: N/A.
Searchlight: N/A.
Crosshairs: Siege (2019).
Sureshot: N/A. He's supposed to be coming for 2024.
Pointblank: Legacy (2022).
1987 (DECEPTICONS)
Sixshot: Titans Return (2017)
Slugslinger: Titans Return (2017)
Misfire: Titans Return (2017)
Triggerhappy: Titans Return (2017)
Scorponok: Earthrise (2020). Also throw in Earthrise Fasttrack from the same year.
Hun-Gurrr: Power of the Primes (2019). Well, actually, the superior version of Hun-Gurrr is the Takara edition from the Abominus gift set. The differences in the other small Terrorcons don't really matter, but Hun-Gurrr is greatly improved.
Cutthroat: Power of the Primes (2019).
Rippersnapper: Power of the Primes (2019).
Blot: Power of the Primes (2019).
Sinnertwin: Power of the Primes (2019).
Pounce: Titans Return (2017). Putting him in a big $100 gift set was a huge mistake.
Wingspan: Titans Return (2017).
Flywheels: Siege (2019).
Battletrap: Power of the Primes Battleslash/Roadtrap (2019). I don't like that his individual vehicles transform into robots. There's no symmetry. He needs an update that's more like Siege Flywheels.
Slugfest: N/A. No updates yet for the poor little unhappy Decepticon stegosaurus.
Overkill: N/A. That Titans Return thing doesn't count. He needs to be a cassette tape.
Mindwipe: Titans Return (2016).
Skullcruncher: Titans Return Skullsmasher (2016).
Weirdwolf: Titans Return Wolfwire (2016).
Apeface: Siege (2019).
Snapdragon: Earthrise (2020).
I'm ending the list here. I can't believe you made it this far. Like I said, there are some really good character updates for 1988 and after, but it would be hard for me to build a cohesive display that I really liked until they updated a lot more of those characters and there weren't so many gaps in the line-up.
But, it really is absolutely astounding to me that they have pretty much produced modern incarnations of almost all the Transformers characters from the G1 cartoon. Moreover, it's all happened within the last few years—you don't have to go back much farther than 2019 for the vast majority of them.
Of course, this means I have entire boxes full of updates from around the 2010 era that are simply no longer suitable to represent those characters. It's astonishing how quickly they were rendered totally obsolete.
Thanks for reading this. Typing it up also gave my cat a chance to take a big, long nap in my lap, so she thanks you, too.
Zob (not bad for a toy line that started with only 18 Autobots and 11 Decepticons!)
I actually went through and started a list the other day of what this collection would look like, giving myself a rough idea of how many shelves it would require. I knew on some level that *most* of the main characters had gotten good, modern toys, but it was really eye-opening for me to actually compile the list and see just how close we have actually come to having very nearly a complete set of updates.
So, just for fun, this is a list of what toys I would choose to display, representing the robots from the G1 toy line plus a few extras from the cartoon series. (Note that, yes, we've actually gotten a number of really good updates for characters from 1988 and beyond, but the number of them is significantly incomplete as compared to the 1984-87 characters.)
1984 (AUTOBOTS)
Optimus Prime: Earthrise (2020). It's likely I will swap him out for a Commander-class toy, when and if they do one, which I expect would have bigger and better trailer as well as Roller. But, the Earthrise toy really is a great representation of the character for now.
Brawn: Studio Series '86 (2023, unreleased). Don't own him yet, but he's on the way as we speak.
Windcharger: N/A. There's no Deluxe-scale update for this character as yet, so he's one of the handful of characters for whom no really good modern-era update exists yet. There's the Power of the Primes version from 2017, sure, but he's woefully out of scale with the modern-era collection from Siege et al.
Cliffjumper: Earthrise (2020). Actually, the Buzzworthy Bumblebee version of that toy, since it's slightly more authentic to the cartoon colors. In my mind, he's not a *perfect* update (the configuration of the windows in robot mode is weird ) and I would buy a replacement that was more G1, but this is a good modern update.
Bumblebee: Netflix (2020). As with Cliffjumper, he's decent but not perfect, and I wouldn't hate a slightly better update.
Huffer: Kingdom (2021). It's very important to me now that all my Mini Autobots are Deluxes.
Gears: N/A. Like Windcharger, there's no Deluxe-scale update for him yet, just the tiny Generations update from 2014. There's reportedly a new Gears coming in 2024.
Wheeljack: Earthrise (2020). I'm happy with this version of the character.
Trailbreaker: Earthrise (2020). So much better than his Generations release from 2014.
Ironhide: Studio Series '86 (2022). Arguably the definitive neo-G1 update for the character.
Ratchet: Studio Series '86 (unreleased). As with Brawn, this version of Ratchet is coming out shortly, and will be the perfect companion piece for Ironhide.
Jazz: Studio Series '86 (2021). Another slam-dunk update.
Hound: Buzzworthy Bumblebee (unreleased). We know there is an Earth-mode version of Hound coming eventually, and since we have seen Detritus we have a pretty good idea of what he will look like.
Sideswipe: Kingdom (2022). The Amazon-exclusive two-pack that came with Magnaboss Silverbolt is the best Sideswipe we've gotten, even though he's missing a spoiler in vehicle mode.
Bluestreak: Earthrise (2020). This guy was a Walgreens exclusive and hard to track down, but he's the best version of the character to date.
Prowl: Earthrise (2020). The Prowl toy we got in the Amazon 2-pack with Ironhide is the best version of the character, though I did put the head from Siege Prowl on mine since the Earthrise version had the Bluestreak head design. I think we might get a Studio Series '86 version of him some day.
Mirage: Kingdom (2021). The Amazon-exclusive set that came with Beast Wars Grimlock gave us the Earth mode version of Mirage, which isn't perfect, but it's the best representation of the character so far.
Sunstreaker: Earthrise (2020). I don't love the design of his arms in robot mode, but aside from that he's a solid update. I wouldn't be surprised to see a Studio Series '86 version of him some day.
1984 (DECEPTICONS)
Megatron: ??? This is a character for whom I don't think the truly definitive version exists yet. The Siege toy was good, and the Earthrise version would have been slightly better if it hadn't been for that derpy replacement head sculpt. If I was going to build the display today, I guess I'd go with Siege, probably, but I hope there's a really good Studio Series '86 version of him some day. Yeah, I know he's not going to turn into a gun, but maybe they could give him a submarine mode.
Soundwave: Netflix (2020). This is the best Soundwave to date, though I am expecting the upcoming Leader-class Soundwave might be a redeco of the Netflix toy, so it might supplant the Netflix release depending on the colors.
Buzzsaw: N/A. We haven't gotten a Siege-style cassette for Buzzsaw yet, and we desperately need one.
Rumble: Studio Series '86 (2023). Core-class toy for the win!
Frenzy: Studio Series '86 (unreleased). This toy isn't out yet, but we know it's coming.
Ravage: Netflix (2020). The retooled version of the Siege toy with a slightly cuter kitty cat face is the best non-Masterpiece version of him we've gotten. I think we might see a Core-class version in the Studio Series '86 line eventually, but this will do for now.
Laserbeak: Netflix (2020). Same as above. Retooling the Siege version into an Earth mode didn't quite give us the perfect Laserbeak. If they took some cues from the Masterpiece release, and did a Studio Series '86 version, that would be ideal.
Starscream: Earthrise (2020). I know a lot of people disliked this toy because it was essentially the Classics-era toy that was scaled up and rejiggered a bit, but why reinvent the wheel?
Thundercracker: Earthrise (2020).
Skywarp: Earthrise (2020).
Reflector: Siege (2019). Yes, I know Reflector wasn't available until 1986 during G1, but he was introduced in the cartoon pilot in 1984, so to me he's part of the first-season group of Decepticons. The Refraktor toy is perfect, especially when you buy three of them.
1984 (OTHER CHARACTERS)
Ideally, I would also put the Ark (Kingdom, 2021) in vehicle mode somewhere in the vicinity of the 1984 Autobots (who might or might not get to mingle with the 1985 Autobots, depending on shelf space). The Nemesis would also go somewhere in ship mode as well.
1985 (AUTOBOTS)
Perceptor: Studio Series '86 (2022). Such a good update. He makes me very happy.
Grimlock: Studio Series '86 (2021). I can't tell you how much I will enjoy putting these massive Leader-class Dinobots on display amongst a bunch of puny Autobots, once the entire team is released.
Sludge: Studio Series '86 (2022).
Slag: Studio Series '86 (2021).
Snarl: Studio Series '86 (2023).
Swoop: N/A (unreleased; expected 2024).
Omega Supreme: Siege (2019). It's going to be much harder to display a Titan-class toy than the G1 toy. Titans are monsters. (I've seen some people put their Titan-class toys on TOP of their Detolf cabinets, but then they'll just collect dust, and I don't like that idea.)
Blaster: Kingdom (2022). Like Perceptor, a slam-dunk update for this character.
Cosmos: Velocitron (2022). Hasbro has said they're planning to make this guy available again eventually, for those who missed out. I wonder if it will be a package refresh, or if they'll change up the deco.
Seaspray: N/A. The last Seaspray we got was the Titans Return version from 2017, but the pizza delivery edition is tiny and is not aligned with the current neo-G1 design philosophy. I hope we get a Deluxe toy in the next couple of years or so.
Powerglide: N/A. You have to go back even farther for Powerglide, since the last update we got was the tiny Combiner Wars edition in 2015. I am very excited about the notion of a Deluxe version eventually.
Warpath: Kingdom (2021). Honestly a great update.
Beachcomber: Evolution (2023). I'm very enamored with him right now; he's one of my favorite modern toys ever, at the moment.
Skyfire: Siege (2019). It took them a while to give us a good Jetfire/Skyfire, but after several attempts, we finally got there.
Hoist: Earthrise (2020). I love Hoist as a character, but I actively hate his Generations 2014 toy. I'm so glad they did a better one.
Inferno: Kingdom (2021). They really knocked it out of the park in the last handful of years, didn't they?
Tracks: Kingdom (2021). I know not everybody was happy with him, but he's still leagues better than the Generations update we got in 2010. Man, the year 2010 feels like SO LONG AGO.
Smokescreen: Earthrise (2020). He was one of my first G1 toys, and I'm super picky about his color scheme. They got it wrong a number of times, but they finally got it right for Earthrise.
Skids: Legacy (2022). Who would have thought this character with only a few seconds of screen time would get such a great toy?
Grapple: Earthrise (2020). For a long time, I was using the Energon Roadblock toy as my neo-G1 Grapple. Glad that's a thing of the past.
Red Alert: Kingdom (2021). Another Walgreens exclusive, making him difficult to find. I ended up swapping out his red arms with donor parts from Deep Cover.
1985 (DECEPTICONS)
Shockwave: Siege (2019). His purple color is really dark, and not particularly Sunbow, but he's still a good toy.
Scrapper: Unite Warriors (2015). Shockingly, one of the oldest toys on this list so far, and also a Takara release to boot. The Hasbro version sold during Combiner Wars was nearly the same, but I went for the Japanese edition because it came with handheld guns for the individual Constructicons, and it was also modified to give a few of them better articulation. Elbows n' guns, baby!
Mixmaster: Unite Warriors (2015). With that said, I do hope they do a Studio Series '86 version of Devastator some day. Mixmaster's vehicle mode is awful. I hate it so much.
Long Haul: Unite Warriors (2015).
Hook : Unite Warriors (2015).
Bonecrusher: Unite Warriors (2015).
Scavenger: Unite Warriors (2015).
Astrotrain: Siege (2019). It was recently hinted that we might get a Studio Series '86 version of this character, perhaps with more cartoon-accurate colors. I don't hate the Siege version, certainly.
Blitzwing: Legacy (2022). Another G1 update that got a lot of flak, but honestly I think he's more authentic and faithful to G1 than any of the previous versions.
Kickback: Legacy (2022). I've got a handful of these. I'm kind of thinking the three "main" Insecticons in robot mode and the rest of the clones in bug mode, depending on shelf space.
Shrapnel: Evolution (2023). The lines between Legacy and Evolution are very blurry in my mind. I have a tough time keeping them straight.
Bombshell: N/A. We know he's coming, likely for the third chapter of Legacy (Uni-Something) in 2024. I honestly can't wait.
Dirge: Earthrise (2020).
Thrust: Earthrise (2020).
Ramjet: Earthrise (2020).
1985 (OTHER CHARACTERS)
The first season of the G1 cartoon didn't really introduce a lot of characters who didn't exist as Hasbro toys, but in the second season we got a LOT of them. And, what's crazy is that there are actually modern toys for almost all of them now.
Alpha Trion: Legacy (2022). Man, if it weren't for the "Hero is Born" 2-pack, I'd have to use that weird Titans Return lion toy or something to represent him.
Chromia: Siege (2019). This isn't a perfect update for the character (her stretch limo vehicle mode is completely wrong, and we hit some serious mold fatigue because this same mold was used SO MANY TIMES) but it's a good-looking robot mode, and better than the weird motorcycle version from 2014.
Firestar: Power of the Primes Novastar (2018).
Moonracer: Power of the Primes (2018).
Greenlight: Siege (2019). Apparently she's super hard to find nowadays.
Lancer: Siege (2019). I cannot believe this toy even exists. They're making toys out of characters who didn't even get NAMES in the episodes. These are truly blessed times.
Devcon: Evolution (2023).
Guardian Robot: Legacy (2023).
Orion Pax: Legacy (2022).
Dion: Evolution (2023). This set was just BARELY available at San Diego Comic-Con, and I love that these toys exist.
Ariel: Evolution (2023).
Nightbird: Siege (2019). Not the best update for the character, but at least Hasbro made an effort. I might track down the Takara Legends version from 2015 (remold of Generations Arcee) some day.
1986 (AUTOBOTS)
Metroplex: Generations (2014). The oldest toy on my list so far, and perhaps the one character who I feel most desperately needs a do-over. Maybe some day! (At SDCC, Evan Brooks actually floated the idea, so at least Hasbro is thinking about it.) The Siege version of Six-Gun was excellent, and I liked Kingdom Slammer, so really all we would need now, if they revisited Metroplex, is a Deluxe-class Scamper to go with him.
Hot Rod: Studio Series '86 (2021). I know some people weren't super happy with this version, but I think he's great.
Kup: Studio Series '86 (2021). I guess the Buzzworthy Bumblebee version is actually slightly better. That's the one I would actually put on a shelf.
Blurr: Studio Series '86 (2021). I don't like his face. What happened, anyway? Did somebody accidentally bump their mouse when designing him and they inadvertantly stretched the CAD file?
Sky Lynx: Earthrise (2020). A solid update for a character who just doesn't get a lot of updates.
Hot Spot: Combiner Wars (2015). We have to go back a few years before we get to the updates for most of the Scramble City characters. Combiner Wars was really the beginning of the rennaissance that we're enjoying today, and basically the first time Hasbro realized they could update characters who weren't named Starscream or Bumblebee.
First Aid: Combiner Wars (2015). The Combiner Wars toy line recycled a lot of designs, and not all of them enjoyed a strong fidelity to the G1 characters. First Aid, for example, really needs to be a boxy Ratchet-style ambulance. But, we got new Stunticons, so maybe we'll get new Protectobots some day.
Groove: Combiner Wars (2016). Takara designed their own Deluxe-class version of Groove, which was eventually sold by Hasbro. I feel like it's superior to the tiny Legends-class version.
Blades: Combiner Wars (2015).
Streetwise: Combiner Wars (2015).
Rewind: Kingdom (2023). I'm not super happy about the translucent plastic, but it's a good update for the character. Too bad you had to buy Twincast just to get him.
Eject: Kingdom (2022).
Steeljaw: N/A. There's no modern Siege-style cassette version of Steeljaw as yet. We need to get one of these eventually.
Ramhorn: N/A. The last Ramhorn we got was the weird Titans Return mini-vehicle in 2017, but he really needs to be a cassette tape!
Springer: Siege (2019). I know there is a Leader-class Springer coming, and I have no idea if it's a redeco/remold of the Siege toy or something else entirely. I'm honestly pretty happy with the Siege version, but I guess he could stand to be a bit bigger.
Broadside: Titans Return (2017). This was not a great update for the character. I would welcome a bigger and better one.
Sandstorm: N/A. There is reportedly a Leader-class toy coming for 2024, which I assume will be designed to look like the G1 version.
Hubcap: Earthrise (2020). The toy sold through Hasbro Selects satisfies my desire for a Hubcap update.
Wheelie: Studio Series '86 (2022). His robot mode is fine, but his vehicle mode was terrible. I wouldn't hate it if they revisited him some day.
Tailgate: N/A. Once we get a Deluxe-class Windcharger, a redeco as Tailgate will be the obvious reuse of the mold.
Outback: N/A. We got a new Studio Series '86 Brawn for this year, so it's inevitable that they'll remold him and resell him as Outback. We'll get all te 1986 Mini Autobots eventually.
Swerve: N/A. Again, as soon as they give us a Deluxe-class Gears, it's highly likely there will be a Swerve toy down the road. It's just a matter of time.
Pipes: Kingdom (2021). A surprisingly good update for a character who just hasn't gotten a lot of love in the past.
Rodimus Prime: Kingdom (2021). An excellent update for the character, despite what the heathens say about him.
Wreck-Gar: Studio Series '86 (2021). I cannot emphasize how much I love this toy. I don't even love Wreck-Gar that much as a character, but this is such an incredible update.
Ultra Magnus: Studio Series '86 (unreleased). A month ago, I would have said the Kingdom toy, and sort of begrudgingly accepted that it was probably the best mainline Ultra Magnus update we're likely to get. But now we've got this gorgeous Commander-class toy coming eventually, which is going to blow that sorry piece of Kingdom trash right out of the water. Can't wait to add that one to my collection.
Silverbolt: Combiner Wars (2015). The toy from which all other modern Transformers toy engineering originates. Okay, not really.
Slingshot: Combiner Wars Quickslinger (2015). Once they finally kicked that upstart Alpha Bravo off the team and gave us the true and correct Aerialbot roster, all was right with the world.
Air Raid: Combiner Wars (2015).
Fireflight: Combiner Wars Firefly (2015).
Skydive: Combiner Wars (2015).
1986 (DECEPTICONS)
Gnaw: Studio Series '86 (2021). I forget how many of these I have. Around a dozen, I think? It's honestly an amazing toy, and such a good army builder.
Galvatron: Kingdom (2022). Wait, scratch that. Make it the Legacy version with the slightly better paint job.
Razorclaw: Power of the Primes (2018). Power of the Primes was kind of a stinker of a toy line, but it did give us an updated Predaking. So for that I am thankful.
Rampage: Power of the Primes (2018).
Divebomb: Power of the Primes (2018).
Tantrum: Power of the Primes (2018).
Headstrong: Power of the Primes (2018).
Runamuck: Earthrise (2020). An honestly amazing update for a fairly obscure and unsung character.
Runabout: Earthrise (2020). Shame he was so hard to find for some folks.
Onslaught: Combiner Wars (2016).
Swindle: Combiner Wars (2016). Not a lot of fidelity to the character, admittedly. I wouldn't mind Legacy-style updates for the Combaticons at all.
Brawl: Combiner Wars (2016).
Vortex: Combiner Wars (2016).
Blast Off: Power of the Primes (2018). I hated that they recycled one of the Aerialbots and tried to pass it off as Blast Off. The decision to finally sell the Takara version from the Unite Warriors line in Japan was definitely the right move on Hasbro's part.
Trypticon: Titans Return (2017). Probably my favorite Titan-class toy. He came with Full-Tilt, of course, but we also need to include Siege Weaponizer Brunt here from 2019.
Octane: Titans Return (2017). Honestly not a true home-run update for one of my favorite Decepticons. But, they've systematically been addressing all the heritage Triple Changers as Leader-class toys, so I think Octane will get his turn eventually.
Motormaster: Legacy (2022). I know the combiner configuration is super weird, but it was the only way to capture Menasor's look from the cartoon. I think he's boffo.
Dead End: Legacy (2022).
Drag Strip: Legacy (2022).
Breakdown: Evolution (2023). I'm still not happy that he's not a Lamborghini Countach. But, what can you do.
Ratbat: Siege (2019). What a cute little guy.
Scourge: Studio Series '86 (2021). Despite there being an official Sweep toy released, I am going to use multiple Scourge toys to represent them, since they are all supposed to be physically identical to each other, and the Sweep toy is actually a different color than the Scourge toy. I understand why they did it, but it's a little disingenuous.
Cyclonus: Kingdom (2021). Assuming my Cyclonus toy hasn't sponteneously transformed into a weird purple-and-gold color, of course. I haven't checked him in a while.
1986 (OTHER CHARACTERS)
I guess I would need to figure out how to hang HasLab Unicron from the ceiling in planet mode or something like that. I also have several Earthrise versions of the Quintesson Judge, but it's a shame that Kranix and the Quintesson Prosecutor are so tiny and out-of-scale. Voyager-class Junkheap will get to hang out with Wreck-Gar.
1987 (AUTOBOTS)
Fortress Maximus: Titans Return (2016). I wouldn't hate if they addressed the character again, since this release was kind of cost-cutty and a little Metroplexy. But I honestly love Cerebros. We also need to add Siege Cog from 2019.
Brainstorm: Titans Return (2017). I'm not super happy with this update (he's very Blurry) but he's okay.
Hardhead: Titans Return (2016).
Chromedome: Titans Return (2016).
Highbrow: Titans Return (2016).
Scattershot: Unite Warriors (2016). So, I debated whether I wanted the Hasbro or Takara version of Computron, but in the end I felt like the Takara approach was just slightly better on some characters and a LOT better on other characters.
Strafe: Unite Warriors (2016).
Lightspeed: Unite Warriors (2016).
Nosecone: Unite Warriors (2016).
Afterburner: Unite Warriors (2016).
Fastlane: Titans Return (2017).
Cloudraker: Titans Return (2017). Didn't like having to hunt down the Walgreens 2-pack with Wingspan just to find this guy.
Punch/Counterpunch: Power of the Primes (2019).
Goldbug: Buzzworthy Bumblebee (2022). From the "Creatures Collide" set.
Chase: N/A. I had thought for a whole that the Roadburn toy from Titans Return was going to serve as a template for the rest of the Throttlebots, but that never ended up happening. Now it's my hope that Goldbug has set the precedent, and we'll eventually get Deluxe-class versions of all of them.
Freeway: N/A.
Rollbar: N/A.
Wide Load: N/A.
Searchlight: N/A.
Crosshairs: Siege (2019).
Sureshot: N/A. He's supposed to be coming for 2024.
Pointblank: Legacy (2022).
1987 (DECEPTICONS)
Sixshot: Titans Return (2017)
Slugslinger: Titans Return (2017)
Misfire: Titans Return (2017)
Triggerhappy: Titans Return (2017)
Scorponok: Earthrise (2020). Also throw in Earthrise Fasttrack from the same year.
Hun-Gurrr: Power of the Primes (2019). Well, actually, the superior version of Hun-Gurrr is the Takara edition from the Abominus gift set. The differences in the other small Terrorcons don't really matter, but Hun-Gurrr is greatly improved.
Cutthroat: Power of the Primes (2019).
Rippersnapper: Power of the Primes (2019).
Blot: Power of the Primes (2019).
Sinnertwin: Power of the Primes (2019).
Pounce: Titans Return (2017). Putting him in a big $100 gift set was a huge mistake.
Wingspan: Titans Return (2017).
Flywheels: Siege (2019).
Battletrap: Power of the Primes Battleslash/Roadtrap (2019). I don't like that his individual vehicles transform into robots. There's no symmetry. He needs an update that's more like Siege Flywheels.
Slugfest: N/A. No updates yet for the poor little unhappy Decepticon stegosaurus.
Overkill: N/A. That Titans Return thing doesn't count. He needs to be a cassette tape.
Mindwipe: Titans Return (2016).
Skullcruncher: Titans Return Skullsmasher (2016).
Weirdwolf: Titans Return Wolfwire (2016).
Apeface: Siege (2019).
Snapdragon: Earthrise (2020).
I'm ending the list here. I can't believe you made it this far. Like I said, there are some really good character updates for 1988 and after, but it would be hard for me to build a cohesive display that I really liked until they updated a lot more of those characters and there weren't so many gaps in the line-up.
But, it really is absolutely astounding to me that they have pretty much produced modern incarnations of almost all the Transformers characters from the G1 cartoon. Moreover, it's all happened within the last few years—you don't have to go back much farther than 2019 for the vast majority of them.
Of course, this means I have entire boxes full of updates from around the 2010 era that are simply no longer suitable to represent those characters. It's astonishing how quickly they were rendered totally obsolete.
Thanks for reading this. Typing it up also gave my cat a chance to take a big, long nap in my lap, so she thanks you, too.
Zob (not bad for a toy line that started with only 18 Autobots and 11 Decepticons!)
Velvet Glove
Jul 31, 2023, 2:58:35 PM7/31/23
to
This is so much fun. I trust your opinions on the toys, so I'd consider this a fairly definitive list of the best versions of each character. How many does it add up to?
I sort of skimmed through, but comments below on a few characters where for one reason or another the toy details are more interesting to me.
On Monday, July 31, 2023 at 2:58:24 AM UTC+1, Zobovor wrote:
>
> Wheeljack: Earthrise (2020). I'm happy with this version of the character.
>
For a minute I was surprised there was no Studio Series version and then I thought about it a bit more. When they do eventually do one, what do you think we'll get first? Cartoon Wheeljack or dead body Wheeljack?
> Ideally, I would also put the Ark (Kingdom, 2021) in vehicle mode somewhere in the vicinity of the 1984 Autobots (who might or might not get to mingle with the 1985 Autobots, depending on shelf space). The Nemesis would also go somewhere in ship mode as well.
>
A: I love this idea. B: Have they only done a transforming toy? I know the brand is literally called Transformers, but I feel like not everything needs to live up to the name.
> Grimlock: Studio Series '86 (2021). I can't tell you how much I will enjoy putting these massive Leader-class Dinobots on display amongst a bunch of puny Autobots, once the entire team is released.
>
The cost of the entire team is astronomical, but yeah... they would be so much fun to have.
> 1985 (OTHER CHARACTERS)
>
> The first season of the G1 cartoon didn't really introduce a lot of characters who didn't exist as Hasbro toys, but in the second season we got a LOT of them. And, what's crazy is that there are actually modern toys for almost all of them now.
>
I really didn't realise how many of these had been toy-ified!
What have you got against Elita One?
> Alpha Trion: Legacy (2022). Man, if it weren't for the "Hero is Born" 2-pack, I'd have to use that weird Titans Return lion toy or something to represent him.
>
Another one where I'd rather have a non-transforming figure. But it's still awesome that any sort of toy exists!
> Firestar: Power of the Primes Novastar (2018).
She's really suffered for having a name they can't trademark, hasn't she?
> Greenlight: Siege (2019). Apparently she's super hard to find nowadays.
>
> Lancer: Siege (2019). I cannot believe this toy even exists. They're making toys out of characters who didn't even get NAMES in the episodes. These are truly blessed times.
It's amazing, isn't it? I really like the look of Greenlight, but the toy rendition of Lancer's colour scheme is godawful. She needs a do over. Yes, I am complaining that the un-named, one-episode character doesn't have a good enough toy for me to not buy.
> Devcon: Evolution (2023).
>
That.... is stunning. Dang. The wiki notes that they wanted to include a Slizardo with him, which warms my heart. One day, mark my words, that's going to happen.
> Guardian Robot: Legacy (2023).
>
I had absolutely no idea this existed. Years ago, I came up with a fan character Iacon Guardian called Force Hyperion. Now he has a toy. That's truly insane.
(OK, the toy is too ridiculously priced for me to buy, but can I save his picture to my hard-drive? Yes, yes I can.)
> Hot Rod: Studio Series '86 (2021). I know some people weren't super happy with this version, but I think he's great.
>
This is the one that comes with the Matrix, right? I love that.
> Blurr: Studio Series '86 (2021). I don't like his face. What happened, anyway? Did somebody accidentally bump their mouse when designing him and they inadvertantly stretched the CAD file?
It looks OK to me? Maybe a little over-long, but his cartoon version always had a long face and it's not wildly off.
> Wreck-Gar: Studio Series '86 (2021). I cannot emphasize how much I love this toy. I don't even love Wreck-Gar that much as a character, but this is such an incredible update.
I've got G1 Wreck Gar in my attic box. It's absolutely terrible. Thank god they've updated it.
> Octane: Titans Return (2017). Honestly not a true home-run update for one of my favorite Decepticons. But, they've systematically been addressing all the heritage Triple Changers as Leader-class toys, so I think Octane will get his turn eventually.
Octane's one of my favourites too. Starscream's Ghost and Thief in the Night really made him pop. (It would have made more sense for Starscream's Ghost to feature Blitzwing, but I don't know if it would have gelled so well with S2 Blitzwing. With a new guy, it's just a stand-out character piece.)
> 1986 (OTHER CHARACTERS)
I'm very sad to discover Beta hasn't got a toy. I mean, not only does she have a name, but she's probably got more lines than a good third of the TFs on your list. (And yes, I know that when they do get round to her, she'll just be a recolor of Arcee or Chromia or something, and she'll have an anachronistic vehicle mode.)
Velvet Glove (I missed Perceptor when going through, so noting here that he's very under-rated for just how good looking his robot mode is. Lovely colours and a nice face--the toy should really have him smiling slightly. He's a cheery guy.)
I sort of skimmed through, but comments below on a few characters where for one reason or another the toy details are more interesting to me.
On Monday, July 31, 2023 at 2:58:24 AM UTC+1, Zobovor wrote:
>
> Wheeljack: Earthrise (2020). I'm happy with this version of the character.
>
> Ideally, I would also put the Ark (Kingdom, 2021) in vehicle mode somewhere in the vicinity of the 1984 Autobots (who might or might not get to mingle with the 1985 Autobots, depending on shelf space). The Nemesis would also go somewhere in ship mode as well.
>
> Grimlock: Studio Series '86 (2021). I can't tell you how much I will enjoy putting these massive Leader-class Dinobots on display amongst a bunch of puny Autobots, once the entire team is released.
>
> 1985 (OTHER CHARACTERS)
>
> The first season of the G1 cartoon didn't really introduce a lot of characters who didn't exist as Hasbro toys, but in the second season we got a LOT of them. And, what's crazy is that there are actually modern toys for almost all of them now.
>
What have you got against Elita One?
> Alpha Trion: Legacy (2022). Man, if it weren't for the "Hero is Born" 2-pack, I'd have to use that weird Titans Return lion toy or something to represent him.
>
> Firestar: Power of the Primes Novastar (2018).
> Greenlight: Siege (2019). Apparently she's super hard to find nowadays.
>
> Lancer: Siege (2019). I cannot believe this toy even exists. They're making toys out of characters who didn't even get NAMES in the episodes. These are truly blessed times.
> Devcon: Evolution (2023).
>
That.... is stunning. Dang. The wiki notes that they wanted to include a Slizardo with him, which warms my heart. One day, mark my words, that's going to happen.
> Guardian Robot: Legacy (2023).
>
I had absolutely no idea this existed. Years ago, I came up with a fan character Iacon Guardian called Force Hyperion. Now he has a toy. That's truly insane.
(OK, the toy is too ridiculously priced for me to buy, but can I save his picture to my hard-drive? Yes, yes I can.)
> Hot Rod: Studio Series '86 (2021). I know some people weren't super happy with this version, but I think he's great.
>
> Blurr: Studio Series '86 (2021). I don't like his face. What happened, anyway? Did somebody accidentally bump their mouse when designing him and they inadvertantly stretched the CAD file?
> Wreck-Gar: Studio Series '86 (2021). I cannot emphasize how much I love this toy. I don't even love Wreck-Gar that much as a character, but this is such an incredible update.
> Octane: Titans Return (2017). Honestly not a true home-run update for one of my favorite Decepticons. But, they've systematically been addressing all the heritage Triple Changers as Leader-class toys, so I think Octane will get his turn eventually.
> 1986 (OTHER CHARACTERS)
I'm very sad to discover Beta hasn't got a toy. I mean, not only does she have a name, but she's probably got more lines than a good third of the TFs on your list. (And yes, I know that when they do get round to her, she'll just be a recolor of Arcee or Chromia or something, and she'll have an anachronistic vehicle mode.)
Velvet Glove (I missed Perceptor when going through, so noting here that he's very under-rated for just how good looking his robot mode is. Lovely colours and a nice face--the toy should really have him smiling slightly. He's a cheery guy.)
Zobovor
Jul 31, 2023, 5:42:09 PM7/31/23
to
On Monday, July 31, 2023 at 12:58:35 PM UTC-6, Velvet Glove wrote:
> For a minute I was surprised there was no Studio Series version and then I thought about it a bit more. When they do eventually do one, what do you think we'll get first? Cartoon Wheeljack or dead body Wheeljack?
Well, we got a dead Optimus and there's an about-to-be-dead Ironhide/Prowl set as well. It kind of opens the door for all sorts of dead-or-dying toys. I mean, now they kind of have to do Ratchet and Brawn, at the very least, to finish off the shuttle crew. Something tells me that if we ever get a new Windcharger, they might do a set with him and Wheeljack in it. (Crying Arcee sold separately.)
> For a minute I was surprised there was no Studio Series version and then I thought about it a bit more. When they do eventually do one, what do you think we'll get first? Cartoon Wheeljack or dead body Wheeljack?
> A: I love this idea. B: Have they only done a transforming toy? I know the brand is literally called Transformers, but I feel like not everything needs to live up to the name.
There was technically a small die-cast scale model called the Autobot Ark, but it was closer in design to the shuttles from The Transformers: the Movie. So, aside from that, the only official Ark toy we ever got was the transforming one.
> What have you got against Elita One?
> Another one where I'd rather have a non-transforming figure. But it's still awesome that any sort of toy exists!
I also have an unofficial non-transforming figure made by Impossible Toys, and that one gets to hang out with my G1 toys.
> I'm very sad to discover Beta hasn't got a toy. I mean, not only does she have a name, but she's probably got more lines than a good third of the TFs on your list.
Zob (unironically wants a Nancy toy, too)
Irrellius Spamticon
Jul 31, 2023, 9:54:26 PM7/31/23
to
On Sunday, July 30, 2023 at 8:58:24 PM UTC-5, Zobovor wrote:
> Sadly, I don't have any modern Transformers toys on display except for Masterpiece. Eventually, I want to do a neo-G1 display that will include one toy of each media character from 1984-87, but that will require a few more glass shelves than what I've got right now. Some day, I'm sure.
>
> I actually went through and started a list the other day of what this collection would look like, giving myself a rough idea of how many shelves it would require. I knew on some level that *most* of the main characters had gotten good, modern toys, but it was really eye-opening for me to actually compile the list and see just how close we have actually come to having very nearly a complete set of updates.
>
> So, just for fun, this is a list of what toys I would choose to display, representing the robots from the G1 toy line plus a few extras from the cartoon series. (Note that, yes, we've actually gotten a number of really good updates for characters from 1988 and beyond, but the number of them is significantly incomplete as compared to the 1984-87 characters.)
>
> 1984 (AUTOBOTS)
>
> Optimus Prime: Earthrise (2020). It's likely I will swap him out for a Commander-class toy, when and if they do one, which I expect would have bigger and better trailer as well as Roller. But, the Earthrise toy really is a great representation of the character for now.
>
> Brawn: Studio Series '86 (2023, unreleased). Don't own him yet, but he's on the way as we speak.
>
> Windcharger: N/A. There's no Deluxe-scale update for this character as yet, so he's one of the handful of characters for whom no really good modern-era update exists yet. There's the Power of the Primes version from 2017, sure, but he's woefully out of scale with the modern-era collection from Siege et al.
>
> Cliffjumper: Earthrise (2020). Actually, the Buzzworthy Bumblebee version of that toy, since it's slightly more authentic to the cartoon colors. In my mind, he's not a *perfect* update (the configuration of the windows in robot mode is weird ) and I would buy a replacement that was more G1, but this is a good modern update.
>
> Bumblebee: Netflix (2020). As with Cliffjumper, he's decent but not perfect, and I wouldn't hate a slightly better update.
>
I just hate the giant back chunk coming off and being lazily declared a shield
> Sadly, I don't have any modern Transformers toys on display except for Masterpiece. Eventually, I want to do a neo-G1 display that will include one toy of each media character from 1984-87, but that will require a few more glass shelves than what I've got right now. Some day, I'm sure.
>
> I actually went through and started a list the other day of what this collection would look like, giving myself a rough idea of how many shelves it would require. I knew on some level that *most* of the main characters had gotten good, modern toys, but it was really eye-opening for me to actually compile the list and see just how close we have actually come to having very nearly a complete set of updates.
>
> So, just for fun, this is a list of what toys I would choose to display, representing the robots from the G1 toy line plus a few extras from the cartoon series. (Note that, yes, we've actually gotten a number of really good updates for characters from 1988 and beyond, but the number of them is significantly incomplete as compared to the 1984-87 characters.)
>
> 1984 (AUTOBOTS)
>
> Optimus Prime: Earthrise (2020). It's likely I will swap him out for a Commander-class toy, when and if they do one, which I expect would have bigger and better trailer as well as Roller. But, the Earthrise toy really is a great representation of the character for now.
>
> Brawn: Studio Series '86 (2023, unreleased). Don't own him yet, but he's on the way as we speak.
>
> Windcharger: N/A. There's no Deluxe-scale update for this character as yet, so he's one of the handful of characters for whom no really good modern-era update exists yet. There's the Power of the Primes version from 2017, sure, but he's woefully out of scale with the modern-era collection from Siege et al.
>
> Cliffjumper: Earthrise (2020). Actually, the Buzzworthy Bumblebee version of that toy, since it's slightly more authentic to the cartoon colors. In my mind, he's not a *perfect* update (the configuration of the windows in robot mode is weird ) and I would buy a replacement that was more G1, but this is a good modern update.
>
> Bumblebee: Netflix (2020). As with Cliffjumper, he's decent but not perfect, and I wouldn't hate a slightly better update.
>
> Huffer: Kingdom (2021). It's very important to me now that all my Mini Autobots are Deluxes.
>
> Gears: N/A. Like Windcharger, there's no Deluxe-scale update for him yet, just the tiny Generations update from 2014. There's reportedly a new Gears coming in 2024.
>
> Wheeljack: Earthrise (2020). I'm happy with this version of the character.
>
> Trailbreaker: Earthrise (2020). So much better than his Generations release from 2014.
>
> Ironhide: Studio Series '86 (2022). Arguably the definitive neo-G1 update for the character.
>
> Ratchet: Studio Series '86 (unreleased). As with Brawn, this version of Ratchet is coming out shortly, and will be the perfect companion piece for Ironhide.
>
> Jazz: Studio Series '86 (2021). Another slam-dunk update.
>
> Hound: Buzzworthy Bumblebee (unreleased). We know there is an Earth-mode version of Hound coming eventually, and since we have seen Detritus we have a pretty good idea of what he will look like.
>
> Sideswipe: Kingdom (2022). The Amazon-exclusive two-pack that came with Magnaboss Silverbolt is the best Sideswipe we've gotten, even though he's missing a spoiler in vehicle mode.
>
> Bluestreak: Earthrise (2020). This guy was a Walgreens exclusive and hard to track down, but he's the best version of the character to date.
>
> Prowl: Earthrise (2020). The Prowl toy we got in the Amazon 2-pack with Ironhide is the best version of the character, though I did put the head from Siege Prowl on mine since the Earthrise version had the Bluestreak head design. I think we might get a Studio Series '86 version of him some day.
>
> Mirage: Kingdom (2021). The Amazon-exclusive set that came with Beast Wars Grimlock gave us the Earth mode version of Mirage, which isn't perfect, but it's the best representation of the character so far.
>
> Sunstreaker: Earthrise (2020). I don't love the design of his arms in robot mode, but aside from that he's a solid update. I wouldn't be surprised to see a Studio Series '86 version of him some day.
>
> 1984 (DECEPTICONS)
>
> Megatron: ??? This is a character for whom I don't think the truly definitive version exists yet. The Siege toy was good, and the Earthrise version would have been slightly better if it hadn't been for that derpy replacement head sculpt. If I was going to build the display today, I guess I'd go with Siege, probably, but I hope there's a really good Studio Series '86 version of him some day. Yeah, I know he's not going to turn into a gun, but maybe they could give him a submarine mode.
>
> Soundwave: Netflix (2020). This is the best Soundwave to date, though I am expecting the upcoming Leader-class Soundwave might be a redeco of the Netflix toy, so it might supplant the Netflix release depending on the colors.
>
> Buzzsaw: N/A. We haven't gotten a Siege-style cassette for Buzzsaw yet, and we desperately need one.
>
> Rumble: Studio Series '86 (2023). Core-class toy for the win!
>
> Frenzy: Studio Series '86 (unreleased). This toy isn't out yet, but we know it's coming.
>
> Ravage: Netflix (2020). The retooled version of the Siege toy with a slightly cuter kitty cat face is the best non-Masterpiece version of him we've gotten. I think we might see a Core-class version in the Studio Series '86 line eventually, but this will do for now.
>
> Laserbeak: Netflix (2020). Same as above. Retooling the Siege version into an Earth mode didn't quite give us the perfect Laserbeak. If they took some cues from the Masterpiece release, and did a Studio Series '86 version, that would be ideal.
>
> Starscream: Earthrise (2020). I know a lot of people disliked this toy because it was essentially the Classics-era toy that was scaled up and rejiggered a bit, but why reinvent the wheel?
>
> Thundercracker: Earthrise (2020).
>
> Skywarp: Earthrise (2020).
>
> Reflector: Siege (2019). Yes, I know Reflector wasn't available until 1986 during G1, but he was introduced in the cartoon pilot in 1984, so to me he's part of the first-season group of Decepticons. The Refraktor toy is perfect, especially when you buy three of them.
>
> 1984 (OTHER CHARACTERS)
>
> Ideally, I would also put the Ark (Kingdom, 2021) in vehicle mode somewhere in the vicinity of the 1984 Autobots (who might or might not get to mingle with the 1985 Autobots, depending on shelf space). The Nemesis would also go somewhere in ship mode as well.
>
> 1985 (AUTOBOTS)
>
> Perceptor: Studio Series '86 (2022). Such a good update. He makes me very happy.
>
> Grimlock: Studio Series '86 (2021). I can't tell you how much I will enjoy putting these massive Leader-class Dinobots on display amongst a bunch of puny Autobots, once the entire team is released.
>
> Sludge: Studio Series '86 (2022).
>
> Slag: Studio Series '86 (2021).
>
> Snarl: Studio Series '86 (2023).
>
> Swoop: N/A (unreleased; expected 2024).
>
> Omega Supreme: Siege (2019). It's going to be much harder to display a Titan-class toy than the G1 toy. Titans are monsters. (I've seen some people put their Titan-class toys on TOP of their Detolf cabinets, but then they'll just collect dust, and I don't like that idea.)
>
> Blaster: Kingdom (2022). Like Perceptor, a slam-dunk update for this character.
>
> Cosmos: Velocitron (2022). Hasbro has said they're planning to make this guy available again eventually, for those who missed out. I wonder if it will be a package refresh, or if they'll change up the deco.
>
> Seaspray: N/A. The last Seaspray we got was the Titans Return version from 2017, but the pizza delivery edition is tiny and is not aligned with the current neo-G1 design philosophy. I hope we get a Deluxe toy in the next couple of years or so.
>
> Powerglide: N/A. You have to go back even farther for Powerglide, since the last update we got was the tiny Combiner Wars edition in 2015. I am very excited about the notion of a Deluxe version eventually.
>
> Warpath: Kingdom (2021). Honestly a great update.
>
> Beachcomber: Evolution (2023). I'm very enamored with him right now; he's one of my favorite modern toys ever, at the moment.
>
> Skyfire: Siege (2019). It took them a while to give us a good Jetfire/Skyfire, but after several attempts, we finally got there.
>
> Hoist: Earthrise (2020). I love Hoist as a character, but I actively hate his Generations 2014 toy. I'm so glad they did a better one.
>
> Inferno: Kingdom (2021). They really knocked it out of the park in the last handful of years, didn't they?
>
> Tracks: Kingdom (2021). I know not everybody was happy with him, but he's still leagues better than the Generations update we got in 2010. Man, the year 2010 feels like SO LONG AGO.
>
> Smokescreen: Earthrise (2020). He was one of my first G1 toys, and I'm super picky about his color scheme. They got it wrong a number of times, but they finally got it right for Earthrise.
>
> Skids: Legacy (2022). Who would have thought this character with only a few seconds of screen time would get such a great toy?
>
> Grapple: Earthrise (2020). For a long time, I was using the Energon Roadblock toy as my neo-G1 Grapple. Glad that's a thing of the past.
>
> Red Alert: Kingdom (2021). Another Walgreens exclusive, making him difficult to find. I ended up swapping out his red arms with donor parts from Deep Cover.
>
> 1985 (DECEPTICONS)
>
> Shockwave: Siege (2019). His purple color is really dark, and not particularly Sunbow, but he's still a good toy.
>
> Scrapper: Unite Warriors (2015). Shockingly, one of the oldest toys on this list so far, and also a Takara release to boot. The Hasbro version sold during Combiner Wars was nearly the same, but I went for the Japanese edition because it came with handheld guns for the individual Constructicons, and it was also modified to give a few of them better articulation. Elbows n' guns, baby!
>
> Mixmaster: Unite Warriors (2015). With that said, I do hope they do a Studio Series '86 version of Devastator some day. Mixmaster's vehicle mode is awful. I hate it so much.
>
> Long Haul: Unite Warriors (2015).
>
> Hook : Unite Warriors (2015).
>
> Bonecrusher: Unite Warriors (2015).
>
> Scavenger: Unite Warriors (2015).
>
> Astrotrain: Siege (2019). It was recently hinted that we might get a Studio Series '86 version of this character, perhaps with more cartoon-accurate colors. I don't hate the Siege version, certainly.
>
> Blitzwing: Legacy (2022). Another G1 update that got a lot of flak, but honestly I think he's more authentic and faithful to G1 than any of the previous versions.
>
> Kickback: Legacy (2022). I've got a handful of these. I'm kind of thinking the three "main" Insecticons in robot mode and the rest of the clones in bug mode, depending on shelf space.
>
> Shrapnel: Evolution (2023). The lines between Legacy and Evolution are very blurry in my mind. I have a tough time keeping them straight.
>
> Bombshell: N/A. We know he's coming, likely for the third chapter of Legacy (Uni-Something) in 2024. I honestly can't wait.
>
> Dirge: Earthrise (2020).
>
> Thrust: Earthrise (2020).
>
> Ramjet: Earthrise (2020).
>
> 1985 (OTHER CHARACTERS)
>
> The first season of the G1 cartoon didn't really introduce a lot of characters who didn't exist as Hasbro toys, but in the second season we got a LOT of them. And, what's crazy is that there are actually modern toys for almost all of them now.
>
> Alpha Trion: Legacy (2022). Man, if it weren't for the "Hero is Born" 2-pack, I'd have to use that weird Titans Return lion toy or something to represent him.
>
> Chromia: Siege (2019). This isn't a perfect update for the character (her stretch limo vehicle mode is completely wrong, and we hit some serious mold fatigue because this same mold was used SO MANY TIMES) but it's a good-looking robot mode, and better than the weird motorcycle version from 2014.
>
> Firestar: Power of the Primes Novastar (2018).
>
> Moonracer: Power of the Primes (2018).
>
> Greenlight: Siege (2019). Apparently she's super hard to find nowadays.
>
> Lancer: Siege (2019). I cannot believe this toy even exists. They're making toys out of characters who didn't even get NAMES in the episodes. These are truly blessed times.
>
> Devcon: Evolution (2023).
>
> Guardian Robot: Legacy (2023).
>
> Orion Pax: Legacy (2022).
>
> Dion: Evolution (2023). This set was just BARELY available at San Diego Comic-Con, and I love that these toys exist.
>
> Ariel: Evolution (2023).
>
> Nightbird: Siege (2019). Not the best update for the character, but at least Hasbro made an effort. I might track down the Takara Legends version from 2015 (remold of Generations Arcee) some day.
>
> 1986 (AUTOBOTS)
>
> Metroplex: Generations (2014). The oldest toy on my list so far, and perhaps the one character who I feel most desperately needs a do-over. Maybe some day! (At SDCC, Evan Brooks actually floated the idea, so at least Hasbro is thinking about it.) The Siege version of Six-Gun was excellent, and I liked Kingdom Slammer, so really all we would need now, if they revisited Metroplex, is a Deluxe-class Scamper to go with him.
>
> Hot Rod: Studio Series '86 (2021). I know some people weren't super happy with this version, but I think he's great.
>
> Kup: Studio Series '86 (2021). I guess the Buzzworthy Bumblebee version is actually slightly better. That's the one I would actually put on a shelf.
>
> Blurr: Studio Series '86 (2021). I don't like his face. What happened, anyway? Did somebody accidentally bump their mouse when designing him and they inadvertantly stretched the CAD file?
>
> Sky Lynx: Earthrise (2020). A solid update for a character who just doesn't get a lot of updates.
>
> Hot Spot: Combiner Wars (2015). We have to go back a few years before we get to the updates for most of the Scramble City characters. Combiner Wars was really the beginning of the rennaissance that we're enjoying today, and basically the first time Hasbro realized they could update characters who weren't named Starscream or Bumblebee.
>
> First Aid: Combiner Wars (2015). The Combiner Wars toy line recycled a lot of designs, and not all of them enjoyed a strong fidelity to the G1 characters. First Aid, for example, really needs to be a boxy Ratchet-style ambulance. But, we got new Stunticons, so maybe we'll get new Protectobots some day.
>
> Groove: Combiner Wars (2016). Takara designed their own Deluxe-class version of Groove, which was eventually sold by Hasbro. I feel like it's superior to the tiny Legends-class version.
>
> Blades: Combiner Wars (2015).
>
> Streetwise: Combiner Wars (2015).
>
> Rewind: Kingdom (2023). I'm not super happy about the translucent plastic, but it's a good update for the character. Too bad you had to buy Twincast just to get him.
>
> Eject: Kingdom (2022).
>
> Steeljaw: N/A. There's no modern Siege-style cassette version of Steeljaw as yet. We need to get one of these eventually.
>
> Ramhorn: N/A. The last Ramhorn we got was the weird Titans Return mini-vehicle in 2017, but he really needs to be a cassette tape!
>
> Springer: Siege (2019). I know there is a Leader-class Springer coming, and I have no idea if it's a redeco/remold of the Siege toy or something else entirely. I'm honestly pretty happy with the Siege version, but I guess he could stand to be a bit bigger.
>
> Broadside: Titans Return (2017). This was not a great update for the character. I would welcome a bigger and better one.
>
> Sandstorm: N/A. There is reportedly a Leader-class toy coming for 2024, which I assume will be designed to look like the G1 version.
>
> Hubcap: Earthrise (2020). The toy sold through Hasbro Selects satisfies my desire for a Hubcap update.
>
> Wheelie: Studio Series '86 (2022). His robot mode is fine, but his vehicle mode was terrible. I wouldn't hate it if they revisited him some day.
>
> Tailgate: N/A. Once we get a Deluxe-class Windcharger, a redeco as Tailgate will be the obvious reuse of the mold.
>
> Outback: N/A. We got a new Studio Series '86 Brawn for this year, so it's inevitable that they'll remold him and resell him as Outback. We'll get all te 1986 Mini Autobots eventually.
>
> Swerve: N/A. Again, as soon as they give us a Deluxe-class Gears, it's highly likely there will be a Swerve toy down the road. It's just a matter of time.
>
> Pipes: Kingdom (2021). A surprisingly good update for a character who just hasn't gotten a lot of love in the past.
>
> Rodimus Prime: Kingdom (2021). An excellent update for the character, despite what the heathens say about him.
>
> Wreck-Gar: Studio Series '86 (2021). I cannot emphasize how much I love this toy. I don't even love Wreck-Gar that much as a character, but this is such an incredible update.
>
> Ultra Magnus: Studio Series '86 (unreleased). A month ago, I would have said the Kingdom toy, and sort of begrudgingly accepted that it was probably the best mainline Ultra Magnus update we're likely to get. But now we've got this gorgeous Commander-class toy coming eventually, which is going to blow that sorry piece of Kingdom trash right out of the water. Can't wait to add that one to my collection.
>
> Silverbolt: Combiner Wars (2015). The toy from which all other modern Transformers toy engineering originates. Okay, not really.
>
> Slingshot: Combiner Wars Quickslinger (2015). Once they finally kicked that upstart Alpha Bravo off the team and gave us the true and correct Aerialbot roster, all was right with the world.
>
> Air Raid: Combiner Wars (2015).
>
> Fireflight: Combiner Wars Firefly (2015).
>
> Skydive: Combiner Wars (2015).
>
> 1986 (DECEPTICONS)
>
> Gnaw: Studio Series '86 (2021). I forget how many of these I have. Around a dozen, I think? It's honestly an amazing toy, and such a good army builder.
>
> Galvatron: Kingdom (2022). Wait, scratch that. Make it the Legacy version with the slightly better paint job.
>
> Razorclaw: Power of the Primes (2018). Power of the Primes was kind of a stinker of a toy line, but it did give us an updated Predaking. So for that I am thankful.
>
> Rampage: Power of the Primes (2018).
>
> Divebomb: Power of the Primes (2018).
>
> Tantrum: Power of the Primes (2018).
>
> Headstrong: Power of the Primes (2018).
>
> Runamuck: Earthrise (2020). An honestly amazing update for a fairly obscure and unsung character.
>
> Runabout: Earthrise (2020). Shame he was so hard to find for some folks.
>
> Onslaught: Combiner Wars (2016).
>
> Swindle: Combiner Wars (2016). Not a lot of fidelity to the character, admittedly. I wouldn't mind Legacy-style updates for the Combaticons at all.
>
> Brawl: Combiner Wars (2016).
>
> Vortex: Combiner Wars (2016).
>
> Blast Off: Power of the Primes (2018). I hated that they recycled one of the Aerialbots and tried to pass it off as Blast Off. The decision to finally sell the Takara version from the Unite Warriors line in Japan was definitely the right move on Hasbro's part.
>
> Trypticon: Titans Return (2017). Probably my favorite Titan-class toy. He came with Full-Tilt, of course, but we also need to include Siege Weaponizer Brunt here from 2019.
>
> Octane: Titans Return (2017). Honestly not a true home-run update for one of my favorite Decepticons. But, they've systematically been addressing all the heritage Triple Changers as Leader-class toys, so I think Octane will get his turn eventually.
>
> Motormaster: Legacy (2022). I know the combiner configuration is super weird, but it was the only way to capture Menasor's look from the cartoon. I think he's boffo.
>
> Dead End: Legacy (2022).
>
> Drag Strip: Legacy (2022).
>
> Breakdown: Evolution (2023). I'm still not happy that he's not a Lamborghini Countach. But, what can you do.
>
> Ratbat: Siege (2019). What a cute little guy.
>
> Scourge: Studio Series '86 (2021). Despite there being an official Sweep toy released, I am going to use multiple Scourge toys to represent them, since they are all supposed to be physically identical to each other, and the Sweep toy is actually a different color than the Scourge toy. I understand why they did it, but it's a little disingenuous.
>
> Cyclonus: Kingdom (2021). Assuming my Cyclonus toy hasn't sponteneously transformed into a weird purple-and-gold color, of course. I haven't checked him in a while.
>
> 1986 (OTHER CHARACTERS)
>
> I guess I would need to figure out how to hang HasLab Unicron from the ceiling in planet mode or something like that. I also have several Earthrise versions of the Quintesson Judge, but it's a shame that Kranix and the Quintesson Prosecutor are so tiny and out-of-scale. Voyager-class Junkheap will get to hang out with Wreck-Gar.
>
> 1987 (AUTOBOTS)
>
> Fortress Maximus: Titans Return (2016). I wouldn't hate if they addressed the character again, since this release was kind of cost-cutty and a little Metroplexy. But I honestly love Cerebros. We also need to add Siege Cog from 2019.
>
> Brainstorm: Titans Return (2017). I'm not super happy with this update (he's very Blurry) but he's okay.
>
> Hardhead: Titans Return (2016).
>
> Chromedome: Titans Return (2016).
>
> Highbrow: Titans Return (2016).
>
> Scattershot: Unite Warriors (2016). So, I debated whether I wanted the Hasbro or Takara version of Computron, but in the end I felt like the Takara approach was just slightly better on some characters and a LOT better on other characters.
>
> Strafe: Unite Warriors (2016).
>
> Lightspeed: Unite Warriors (2016).
>
> Nosecone: Unite Warriors (2016).
>
> Afterburner: Unite Warriors (2016).
>
> Fastlane: Titans Return (2017).
>
> Cloudraker: Titans Return (2017). Didn't like having to hunt down the Walgreens 2-pack with Wingspan just to find this guy.
>
> Punch/Counterpunch: Power of the Primes (2019).
>
> Goldbug: Buzzworthy Bumblebee (2022). From the "Creatures Collide" set.
>
> Chase: N/A. I had thought for a whole that the Roadburn toy from Titans Return was going to serve as a template for the rest of the Throttlebots, but that never ended up happening. Now it's my hope that Goldbug has set the precedent, and we'll eventually get Deluxe-class versions of all of them.
>
> Freeway: N/A.
>
> Rollbar: N/A.
>
> Wide Load: N/A.
>
> Searchlight: N/A.
>
> Crosshairs: Siege (2019).
>
> Sureshot: N/A. He's supposed to be coming for 2024.
>
> Pointblank: Legacy (2022).
>
> 1987 (DECEPTICONS)
>
> Sixshot: Titans Return (2017)
>
> Slugslinger: Titans Return (2017)
>
> Misfire: Titans Return (2017)
>
> Triggerhappy: Titans Return (2017)
>
> Scorponok: Earthrise (2020). Also throw in Earthrise Fasttrack from the same year.
>
> Hun-Gurrr: Power of the Primes (2019). Well, actually, the superior version of Hun-Gurrr is the Takara edition from the Abominus gift set. The differences in the other small Terrorcons don't really matter, but Hun-Gurrr is greatly improved.
>
> Cutthroat: Power of the Primes (2019).
>
> Rippersnapper: Power of the Primes (2019).
>
> Blot: Power of the Primes (2019).
>
> Sinnertwin: Power of the Primes (2019).
>
> Pounce: Titans Return (2017). Putting him in a big $100 gift set was a huge mistake.
>
> Wingspan: Titans Return (2017).
>
> Flywheels: Siege (2019).
>
> Battletrap: Power of the Primes Battleslash/Roadtrap (2019). I don't like that his individual vehicles transform into robots. There's no symmetry. He needs an update that's more like Siege Flywheels.
>
> Slugfest: N/A. No updates yet for the poor little unhappy Decepticon stegosaurus.
>
> Overkill: N/A. That Titans Return thing doesn't count. He needs to be a cassette tape.
>
> Mindwipe: Titans Return (2016).
>
He was pretty good but another case where third party did so much better.
> Skullcruncher: Titans Return Skullsmasher (2016).
>
> Weirdwolf: Titans Return Wolfwire (2016).
>
> Apeface: Siege (2019).
>
> Snapdragon: Earthrise (2020).
>
A really great job.
> I'm ending the list here. I can't believe you made it this far. Like I said, there are some really good character updates for 1988 and after, but it would be hard for me to build a cohesive display that I really liked until they updated a lot more of those characters and there weren't so many gaps in the line-up.
>
> But, it really is absolutely astounding to me that they have pretty much produced modern incarnations of almost all the Transformers characters from the G1 cartoon. Moreover, it's all happened within the last few years—you don't have to go back much farther than 2019 for the vast majority of them.
>
> Of course, this means I have entire boxes full of updates from around the 2010 era that are simply no longer suitable to represent those characters. It's astonishing how quickly they were rendered totally obsolete.
>
> Thanks for reading this. Typing it up also gave my cat a chance to take a big, long nap in my lap, so she thanks you, too.
>
>
> Zob (not bad for a toy line that started with only 18 Autobots and 11 Decepticons!)
Zobovor
Aug 1, 2023, 6:15:41 PM8/1/23
to
On Monday, July 31, 2023 at 7:54:26 PM UTC-6, Irrellius Spamticon wrote:
> I just hate the giant back chunk coming off and being lazily declared a shield
Well, you *can* leave it on the robot mode if you want to. But, yeah, it's not an ideal solution. But, both Cliffjumper and Bumblebee appear in The Transformers: the Movie, so theoretically we could get Studio Series versions of them some day. Maybe they'll get a good do-over.
> I just hate the giant back chunk coming off and being lazily declared a shield
> > Prowl: Earthrise (2020). I think we might get a Studio Series '86 version of him some day.
> >
> Some day? Like the upcoming Amazon 2 pack Studio Series 86-20BB/86-24BB set?
Well, I'm looking at this in the context of the best representation of the character for my display shelf. A dead Prowl with explosions erupting from his chest simply cannot go on my shelf of 1984 Autobots.
> Some day? Like the upcoming Amazon 2 pack Studio Series 86-20BB/86-24BB set?
> The lack of spoiler and top engine irritate me
> I thought one of the leaked distribution lists had a Stuidio 86 Megatron on it as a future leader for 2024
> Don't like the Studio 86 with hand upgrades and a chair?
> If CW Powerglide is too small, there was that Generations Ultra class....
> Takara Legends is a thousand times better
> I don't get why so many people give this mold so much flak when Fortress Maximus is right there...
> I really hope we get the update Astrotrain should have been where he's bigger instead of them giving us accessories. I don't need him to have energon pants or a tophat.
> I still like both robot and vehicle mode of the Titans Return Wheelie better.
> The Generations Tailgate was great. Having a Deluxe Tailgate is so weird considering his G1 toy wasn't nearly as big as a Deluxe.
The Sunbow height scale for season three puts Swerve and Tailgate at the same height as Bumblebee/Cliffjumper/Windcharger/Gears, and Outback is slightly taller (almost Jazz/Wheeljack/Mirage height) and then Pipes is the biggest of them (eye-level with Ironhide and Ratchet).
They should just do a Deluxe-class Wheelie. In my mind, he's the smallest Transformer ever, but if you look at the scale chart, he's the same height as Bumblebee.
> T30 Swerve was really good, and like Tailgate it seems wrong to make him the same size as Prowl.
> > Ratbat: Siege (2019). What a cute little guy.
> >
> Like the Studio Core Rumble, I have never seen this guy in person.
> Terrible terrible from the waist down. His legs ruin his whole city mode, being that he just has Metroplex's legs but locked closed by gun frames.
> We finally got a Hauler and you ignore him.
Zob (Battletrap is a non-media character and I'm surprised nobody called me out for that)
Velvet Glove
Aug 3, 2023, 2:21:37 PM8/3/23
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On Monday, July 31, 2023 at 10:42:09 PM UTC+1, Zobovor wrote:
> (Crying Arcee sold separately.)
You joke, but in four years' time, there'll be an Arcee who is exactly the same as the previous issue, except with a sad face--Honestly, it's not a bad idea. My studio series Arcee arrived today, and she's great but she has got that pointy little smile that makes her look more like WfC Arcee than Sunbow Arcee.
You asked else-thread what was on my wishlist for TF toys, and it's mostly the movie Autobot cast plus Shockwave, Octane, Devcon and Alpha Trion... And there are definitely others I'd be happy to add, but I'm not interested in having a display of Transformers. More like having one or two on my desk. But I also quite like the idea of having a box of toys and swapping out the figures on the shelf depending on who is in my head at the time.... So it might just be that the Studio Series line hooks me into collecting toys. The main reason I wasn't fussed about them before is that they never looked as good (especially when together) as the cartoon characters. And that has definitely changed.
> > Another one where I'd rather have a non-transforming figure. But it's still awesome that any sort of toy exists!
> Have you seen the toy, though? They used the Studio Series Scourge toy as the basis for Alpha Trion, and it really works perfectly. He's got the right rounded body shape, he's got the cape and shoulder armor, he's basically perfect. The toy being able to transform is fine and all, but it doesn't get in the way of looking like Alpha Trion.
Oh, I agree... he looks awesome. If they reissued him as a single figure, there's an excellent chance I'd pick him up.
>
> I also have an unofficial non-transforming figure made by Impossible Toys, and that one gets to hang out with my G1 toys.
> > I'm very sad to discover Beta hasn't got a toy. I mean, not only does she have a name, but she's probably got more lines than a good third of the TFs on your list.
> They only started systematically addressing the female Autobots within the last few years. I see no reason to believe they'll just stop cold with Ariel and never address Beta in any capacity. I'm sure she's coming eventually.
I expect you're right, but as we can assume they'll want her to transform, it's going to be super difficult to get a cartoon accurate version. I don't think they can pull off what they did with Alpha Trion... I think my best hope is that they go the Earthrise Arcee/Elita route and have most if not all of the vehicle mode detach into a surfboard.
> Zob (unironically wants a Nancy toy, too)
The 'unironically' is totally redundant. I mean, who *wouldn't* want a Nancy toy?
Velvet Glove (Though I wish they'd change her name or try and find some way to expand it into something remotely consistent with the other Junkions. Mainte-Nance-E)
> (Crying Arcee sold separately.)
You joke, but in four years' time, there'll be an Arcee who is exactly the same as the previous issue, except with a sad face--Honestly, it's not a bad idea. My studio series Arcee arrived today, and she's great but she has got that pointy little smile that makes her look more like WfC Arcee than Sunbow Arcee.
You asked else-thread what was on my wishlist for TF toys, and it's mostly the movie Autobot cast plus Shockwave, Octane, Devcon and Alpha Trion... And there are definitely others I'd be happy to add, but I'm not interested in having a display of Transformers. More like having one or two on my desk. But I also quite like the idea of having a box of toys and swapping out the figures on the shelf depending on who is in my head at the time.... So it might just be that the Studio Series line hooks me into collecting toys. The main reason I wasn't fussed about them before is that they never looked as good (especially when together) as the cartoon characters. And that has definitely changed.
> > Another one where I'd rather have a non-transforming figure. But it's still awesome that any sort of toy exists!
> Have you seen the toy, though? They used the Studio Series Scourge toy as the basis for Alpha Trion, and it really works perfectly. He's got the right rounded body shape, he's got the cape and shoulder armor, he's basically perfect. The toy being able to transform is fine and all, but it doesn't get in the way of looking like Alpha Trion.
>
> I also have an unofficial non-transforming figure made by Impossible Toys, and that one gets to hang out with my G1 toys.
> > I'm very sad to discover Beta hasn't got a toy. I mean, not only does she have a name, but she's probably got more lines than a good third of the TFs on your list.
> They only started systematically addressing the female Autobots within the last few years. I see no reason to believe they'll just stop cold with Ariel and never address Beta in any capacity. I'm sure she's coming eventually.
> Zob (unironically wants a Nancy toy, too)
Velvet Glove (Though I wish they'd change her name or try and find some way to expand it into something remotely consistent with the other Junkions. Mainte-Nance-E)
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