Transformers Toy of the Week

[grahamthomson]

I would literally camp outside my neighbour's house as he had a Metroplex in the bedroom window.

And at long last I found an Italian one a couple of years ago (with weird rubber missiles).

He's one of my favourite Transformers ever. Plus I hope to get the Japanese versions of Hot Spot and Motormaster to go along with my Silverbolt and Onslaught to make... SCRAMBLE CITY!!!

[mellowshade]

There is an encore Metroplex in my bedroom all boxed up so I can't peek at it till Xmas. Oooohhhhh the frustration!!!

[legios]

I remember when I first saw a Metroplex toy. It was upstairs in Boots in the months before Christmas and it left a deep impression on my young mind - a very big robot, that turned into some sort of field operations base, and a sort of rolling combat juggernaut thingy. I knew what I wanted for my Christmas that year and come Christmas day, when I came down and found him standing guard over the rest of my presents I was most pleased.

Since that day I have had rather a liking for Metroplex. Not only is he a very large and imposing looking toy, but he has lots and lots of play-value. He turns into a base that can interact with smaller toys - and as I had a fair few Mini-bots this was a great thing - comes with smaller robots that work along side him and has flip-out weaponry and stuff. All of this was quite impressive to a youngster. The articulation that he had (mostly courtesy of the joints needed for the transformation) is pretty good as well. As I have aged I have come to appreciate the face-sculpt even more - it has a lot of character to it somehow.

Metroplex ended up as my defacto Autobot leader for a while (taking over from Grimlock), and made for a natural opponent to the rogue element of Galvatron (when Soundwave's Decepticon forces weren't trying to perpetrate some nefarious scheme).

As an adult I look back at Metroplex and realise that I am still quite fond of him. Perhaps not for the same reasons - now it is the quality of the sculpt and the cleverness of the engineering - but he is still a toy I have a lot of fondness for. Of all of the base-formers that I have had a chance to play around with - Maximus, Skorponok, Trypticon - I'd say that Metroplex is the one that stands the furthest out of the pack.

Karl

[Shockprowl]

I had a similar Christmas experience to Karlos. 'Cept I got him for my birthday (just before Christmas). I share the general good feeling for this toy. He rocked a fat one, especially back then. The size and the playability were off the scale. Darn good toy.

[Stomski]

This week, may I nominate Animated Activators Bumblebee?

His spring loaded gimmic works really well and for the price there's a whole lot of engineering and articulation in him.

I much prefer him to the deluxe version, and size wise he fits much better with the rest of the toyline.

[blueshift]

I can't get over his arms.

The rest is so good, but why must his arms be so gimpy?