Best engineered Transformers toys

[Shockprowl]

What are your opinions of the best engineered Transformers toys that have existed over the years?

A few examples spring to my mind.

Firstly, Generation one Megatron. They got a gun to turn into a robot? Decent proportions, fantastic gun on his arm. Very clever.

Secondly, the first G1 Triple changers. Not one realistic earthen alt mode, but two! Blitzwing and Astrotrain really were a revolution to me back in the 80s. It was cool enough that cars and jets etc could transform into robots, but to have a toy that had two very different, but very believable vehicle modes was amazing.

And more recently, Classics Sideswipe and Sunstreaker. Wonderful how they enabled the twins to look like their G1 selves, yet use the same mold. The clever difference in transforming each is marvelous.

[The Doctor]

Micromasters. Seriously. I love how they transform so quickly and easily, yet have two distinct modes.

-Ralph

[Grand Moff Muffin]

1985 Constructicons. It's easy to make a combining team which is basically just a large leader with four little vehicles stuck onto him as extended limbs, usings standard square peg heads, especially if you get to add chest plates, hands and feet from nowhere. Much more of an achievement to produce a giant robot out of six realistic vehicles of equal size, using only extra parts which also serve a purpose on the vehicles themselves. (The Constructicons can carry all the Devastator parts in their enhanced vehicle modes, albeit at the expense of their disguises.)

Martin

[blueshift]

I'm not sure about the Constructicons, there are so many Devastator parts that have to be added I find it 'cheating', and they don't really fit that well onto the vehicle modes.

I keep going on about Puzzler, but he was released at the same time, and forms a really nice robot with no extra parts needed

www.toyarchive.com/Gobots/Combiners/Puzzler.html

[Shockprowl]

He looks ace!

[grahamthomson]

May you all pelt me with old teabags, but I think Revenge of the Fallen Leader Optimus Prime is one of the best engineered Transformers toys.

Also: Masterpiece Starscream; the only time in 25 years there's been a robot/jet with a near perfect jet mode.

[Dezzeh]

I do love the Lio Convoy mould, fantastic lion form and the 'bot mode is a near perfect representation of an adoloscenty Oppy prime.

[Dark Stranger]

I really liked the way the first movie Prime transformed, was ROTF Prime much different?

My vote definitely goes to deluxe Animated Bulkhead. Everything just flows so intuitively and satisfyingly.

[bertie]

In my old age when I have to justify toy collection at 32 to myself. Once all of the cool colours and action and weird sub-groups aren't enough to justify your occasional trips to TRU or purchases from an online store (Henkei Hound is on the way), I have to fall back on the base core of my addicton to the cars that turn into robots - the engineering.

For me the best engineered Transformers for me are the Masterpiece and Binaltech figures.

Regardless of fit, finish, quality or material, the best engineered toys are the MPs and BTs.

El.

[bertie]

Less 'niche' and more available to the masses, I'd have to say the Henkei range are a good indication of a step forward for modern Transformer design.

[jasonw]

Shockwave.

I think the best engineering/ design is sometimes the simplest.

He looks great in gun or robot and I love the way the circuits/ diodes from his light/sound electronics are visible in the chest. Awesome.

[blueshift]

Actually Graham I'd go as far to say ROTF Leader Prime is the WORST Transformer toy. He is far far far too complicated. If a room of adults cannot work out how to transform him (when we were at Swincon!) then a child certainly won't

There are some figures, such as Binaltechs and Masterpieces, who are meant to be complex. But they are for adults, and use a much higher quality finish, die-cast, paint apps etc. ROTF Prime has barely any paint and horrid cheap-looking red and grey plastic. He's either a dreadful child's toy or a tacky-looking adult's collectable.


For best-engineered, I'd say RID Sideburn. Sure he's a shellformer and he loses points for his removeable 'crossbow' but he is just so beautifully designed, all the parts have a real order and place which they must clip into. His transformation is both simple and complex (one wheel goes into his chest!) He was what got me back into Transformers, and still amazes me to this day.

[Hero]

I had no probs with ROTF leader Prime. At least he's not Henkei/Classics Ironhide.

From what I've seen of Kapow Toys youtube review of Animated Rodimus, he looks to be very well designed aside from his robot face being slightly visible in car mode.

===KEN

[blueshift]

Aug 12, 2010 10:26:33 GMT Hero said:

I had no probs with ROTF leader Prime. At least he's not Henkei/Classics Ironhide.

I like the idea behind Ironhide, he's got some nice design quirks and hey, it's a proper G1 Ironhide! But the neck and some of the strange overengineering lets him down.

[Shockprowl]

Classics Ironhide and Ratchet get my vote as the worst engineered TF ever! Hate that mold!

I too love my Matserpiece/Alternator/Binaltech collection. G1 for grown ups. Heh, I called myself a grown up! It's nice when you can make yourself laugh.

[blueshift]

The worst part with the Ironhide mold is the mis-aligned head. It's like they just gave up and said 'eh, good enough'.

Still, he's no BM Silverbolt!

[Hero]

Haha. lovely colours!

===KEN

[The Doctor]

As crap as Ironhide is, I'd still buy a Universe Ratchet if I saw one as it's a Marvel homage with 'HELP US' on the licence plate. We get so few Marvel homages I feel duty bound to buy them all.

-Ralph

[KoshNaranek]

Actually, I have to agree with Graham as far as ROTF Prime goes, his engineering is very impressive IMO and I don't think he's that difficult to transform.

As for my favourite, I think Cybertron Primus is very impressive. True, that the cyber-key or whatever it's called is intrical to the transformation, but it's a proper spherical shape and the robot mode is well articulated.

MP's and BT's/Alt's are a given too.

- Tony

[legios]

I do think Masterpiece Starscream is a well engineered toy. As Graham has observed he is probably the best combination and humanoid and aircraft mode that the Transformers line has seen. I think he can hold his head up with the best of the transformable fighters that Bandai or Yamato have produced - which is high praise for me.

He might actually be my pick in terms of simple engineering. I just wish I had a Thundercracker to complete the three-ship formation.

I'd also like to nominate Alternity Convoy as a candidate as well. The transformation is elegant and works amazingly well for that scale, and the end result is a wonderfully dynamic humanoid mode that folds up almost seamlessly into a really nice looking car.

Karl

[The Doctor]

ACTION MASTERS.

-Ralph

[Shockprowl]

ALL PROWLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



AND SHOCKWAVES WHILE I'M AT IT EVEN THOUGH G1 SHOCKWAVE'S ARMS DON'T MOVE UP AND DOWN AT THE SHOULDER!!!!!!!!!!!

[grahamthomson]

Nah, Shockwave loses points for having a detachable piece which has no where to go in robot mode.

Were there any pre-Beast Wars combining teams that didn't use any extra parts to form the super robot? Or were Magnaboss and Tripredacus the first?

[Shockprowl]

From my limited memory banks, I can't think of any before Tripredacus and Magnaboss (Grrr!). Speaking of which, you've read my mind Mr T, I was going to nominated Tripredacus and particularly Magnaboss and Magmatron as fantastic engineering. Great Transformers, great ideas, great execution. Grrr.

[Shockprowl]

Oh, that's one good thing about the Devastator design in All Hail Megatron (PUTTUP!), it has no added bits, just all comes from the Constructicons. MAKE IT HASBRO!!!

[Grand Moff Muffin]

Aug 15, 2010 0:28:31 GMT Shockprowl said:

Oh, that's one good thing about the Devastator design in All Hail Megatron (PUTTUP!), it has no added bits, just all comes from the Constructicons. MAKE IT HASBRO!!!

I still say the original Constructicons come pretty darn close on that score. All the extra bits can form parts of their vehicle modes, some of them in very cool ways (e.g. putting Scavenger's drill missile on the front makes him an articulated drill / Scrapper is a flying bulldozer) and many of them also fit on them in robot mode (Mixmaster holds Devastator's gun in both modes, Scavenger and Bonecrusher have the missile launchers attached in both modes).

It's just the annoying fact that you have to remove them to make them convincing Earth vehicles that annoys. So near and yet so far...

Martin

[Hero]

I've just dug out all my Constructicons and parts. Might need some instructions to make Devastator as I have none . Will start with using a pic for refference.

===KEN

[Shockprowl]

The only Devastator I own is a G1 knock Off. I seem to remember Scrapper was missing an entire arm from the packet, got two right fists (or is it two left fists?), but the plastic is good and the appearance is G1 accurate. He's good to look at, from a distance! I do think Dev' deserved points for being the first combining Transformer. It's a fantastic idea.

Was he the first ever combiner? If not, which toy was first? And who, if anyone knows, designed Devastator?

[Hero]

My Devastator is an original that George bought years and years ago from a guy called Kevin Smith (not the director). Some Hubbers may remember him.

Since then, Devastator was never assembled until today. What a fantastic Transformer toy experience!

I had to find an instructions scan when I got making up the torso, but the rest was also a challenge and definitley not a cookie cutter gestault affair.

I've been totally sold on G1 Devvy!

===KEN

[grahamthomson]

I haven't heard from Kevin for yeeeeeeaars!