Top 5 Transformers Toys

[Philip Ayres]

*NEW* Weekly Feature!

If you venture into the other toys forum you'll see we've been running a Top 5 Toys thread in there for the last 6 months.

Each week a new category for you to nominate your top 5 toys in.

So I thought..... what about the same thing for Transformers

Each week a new theme like

Top 5 Optimus Prime Toys
Top 5 Armada Deluxe Toys
Top 5 Micromasters
Top 5 Japanese toys not released in the UK
Top 5 Transformers construction vehicles

You get the idea. Plenty of room for this to run and run

Any suggestions PM me.

---

So to get things rolling let's start at the very beginning:

Week 1: Top 5 Transformers Toys released in 1984

See www.tfu.info/year/84index.htm for a list

(and just in case you're put off by some of the early posts - this thread was started during Rhyming Week 2013)

---

Here's a list of the subjects covered so far. Feel free to join in late and vote for older categories if you've not played earlier rounds

Here's what we've done so far - click to reveal

Week 1: 1984 Toys
Week 2: Optimus Prime
Week 3: Beast Wars
Week 4: Micromaster Bases
Week 5: 1985 Toys
Week 6: Megatron
Week 7: RID/CR
Week 8: Pretenders
Week 9: 1986 Toys
Week 10: Bumblebee
Week 11: Armada
Week 12: Tapes
Week 13: 1987 Toys
Week 14: Jazz
Week 15: Classics
Week 16: Autobot Diaclone Cars 1984 -1985
Week 17: Repaints of Autobot Diaclone Cars that weren't sold 1984-1985
Week 18: 1988 Toys
Week 19: Starscream
Week 20: Robotmasters
Week 21: Diaclone Body Decepticon Jets
Week 22: 1989 Toys
Week 23: Grimlock
Week 24: Energon
Week 25: Headmasters
Week 26: 1990 Toys
Week 27: Ultra Magnus
Week 28: Bay Movie 1
Week 29: Helicopters
Week 30: US G1 toys that were never sold in the UK
Week 31: 1991 Toys
Week 32: Prowl
Week 33: Beast Machines
Week 34: Top 5 TFs you got for Christmas
Week 35: 1992 Toys
Week 36: Shockwave/Shockblast
Week 37: Alternators/Binaltech/Binaltech Asterisk/Kiss Players
Week 38: Smokescreen
Week 39: Third Party toys based on official Transformers toys
Week 40: 1993 Toys
Week 41: Sideswipe
Week 42: Cybertron
Week 43: Scramble City Combiners
Week 44: 1994 Toys
Week 45: Tracks
Week 46: ROTF
Week 47: Mini Autobots
Week 48: 1995 Toys
Week 49: Cheetor
Week 50: Universe (repaint line)
Week 51: Construction Vehicles
Week 52: 1996 Toys
Week 53: Ironhide
Week 54: Power Core
Week 55: Targetmasters
Week 56: Third Party Add Ons/Accesories
Week 57: 1997 Toys
Week 58: Swerve
Week 59: Universe 2
Week 60: Flipchanger Vehicles
Week 61: 1998 Toys
Week 62: Galvatron
Week 63: DOTM
Week 64: Scramble City Limbs
Week 65: 1999 Toys
Week 66: Springer
Week 67: Prime
Week 68: Emergency Services Vehicles
Week 69: TF Guns
Week 70: 2000 Toys
Week 71: Red Alert
Week 72: Animated
Week 73: Dinosaurs
Week 74: 2001 Toys
Week 75: Sunstreaker
Week 76: Generation 2
Week 77: Tanks
Week 78: Missiles & Missile Launchers
Week 79: 2002 Toys
Week 80: Bluestreak/Silverstreak
Week 81: Beast Wars II
Week 82: Scramble City Leaders
Week 83: 2003 Toys
Week 84: Ratchet
Week 85: The Transformers Collection
Week 86: Giftsets
Week 87: 2004 Toys
Week 88: Blaster
Week 89: Generations (2010)
Week 90: Minibot Remakes
Week 91: TF Swords & Hand Weapons
Week 92: 2005 Toys
Week 93: Jetfire
Week 94: Hunt For The Decepticons
Week 95: Powermasters
Week 96: 2006 Toys
Week 97: Hoist
Week 98: Reveal The Shield
Week 99: Non SC Combiner Parts
Week 100: Action Masters
Week 101: Soundwave
Week 102: Gold Boxed Classics
Week 103: Mammals
Week 104: 2007 Toys
Week 105: Hot Rod/Rodimus
Week 106: Henkei
Week 107: Autobot Planes
Week 108: Japanese Exclusive G1 toys
Week 109: 2008 Toys
Week 110: Optimus Primal
Week 112: G2 Gobots/Spychangers
Week 113: Lost Light Crew Members
Week 114: Hot Shot
Week 115: Age of Extinction
Week 116: Fictional & Mythological Animals
Week 117: Euro Exclusives
Week 118: 2009 Toys
Week 119: Cyclonus
Week 120: Beast Wars Neo
Week 121: Insects & Arachnids
Week 122: 2010 Toys
Week 123: Scourge
Week 124: Encore
Week 125: Decepticon Cars
Week 126: 2011 Toys
Week 127: Sandstorm
Week 128: Generations WFC & FOC
Week 129: Post Diaclone Body Decepticon Jets
Week 130: Toy Packaging
Week 131: 2012 Toys
Week 132: Blackarachnia
Week 133: VS Packs
Week 134: Minicons
Week 135: 2013 Toys
Week 136: Inferno
Week 137: Bot Shots
Week 138: Wreckers
Week 139: 2014 Toys
Week 140: Devastator
Week 141: Transformers GO!
Week 142: Fish
Week 143: Movie Repaints from other lines
Week 144: 2015 Toys
Week 145: Arcee
Week 146: Generations 30th
Week 147: Drill Tanks
Week 148: Legends & Legions
Week 149: Hound
Week 150: Micromasters
Week 151: Post Diaclone & Microchange Autobot Cars
Week 152: Animorphs
Week 153: Cliffjumper
Week 154: United
Week 155: Household/Real Life Objects
Week 156: Gimmicks
Week 157: Basic
Week 158: Grapple
Week 159: Machine Wars
Week 160: Military Vehicles
Week 161: Deluxe
Week 162: Skids
Week 163: Cyberverse
Week 164: Motorbikes
Week 165: Mega
Week 166: Wheeljack
Week 167: Store Exclusives
Week 168: Space Shuttles
Week 169: Toys from Microchange
Week 170: Voyager
Week 171: Mirage
Week 172: Botcon/Convention Exclusives
Week 173: Boats & Submarines
Week 174: Ultra
Week 175: Blurr
Week 176: Unite EX
Week 177: Trains
Week 178: Transformers with the same name as GI Joe/Action Force toys
Week 179: Leader
Week 180: Trailbreaker
Week 181: Robot Heroes
Week 182: Flipchangers
Week 183: Buzzsaw
Week 184: Barricade
Week 185: C-Clips
Week 186: Frenzy
Week 187: Thunderhoof
Week 189: Thrust
Week 190: Arms Microns
Week 191: TFCC
Week 192: Rumble
Week 193: Waspinator
Week 194: Modern Combiners (BW - PCC)
Week 195: Bats
Week 196: Ravage
Week 197: Ramjet
Week 198: Hardhead
Week 199: Combiner Wars Boxsets
Week 200: Bases
Week 201: Air Raid
Week 202: Rodimus Prime
Week 203: Combiner Wars Deluxe/Limbs
Week 204: Top 5 Toy homages/updates that aren't CHUG or MP
Week 205: Laserbeak
Week 206: Blackout
Week 207: Combiner Wars Voyagers
Week 208: Guns
Week 209: Toys with a smaller figure pack in
Week 210: Scattorshot
Week 211: Combined Wars Combined Robots
Week 212: Toys with GPS
Week 213: Predacons
Week 214: Unite Warriors
Week 215: Jetstorm
Week 216: SCF/Heroes of Cybertron
Week 217: Top 5 G1 Transformers with no modern re-release
Week 218: Maximals
Week 219: Sunstorm
Week 220: Modern Hasbro G1 Reissues
Week 221: Japanese Exclusive Minicons
Week 222: Decepticons
Week 223: Beachcomber
Week 224: Platinum
Week 225: Diaclone Car Remakes
Week 226: Autobots
Week 227: Whirl
Week 228: RID 2015
Week 229: Remakes of non Diaclone car G1 toys
Week 230: TF toys you don't have
Week 231: Ratbat
Week 232: Powerglide
Week 233: Thunderwing
Week 234: Female Transformers
Week 235: 2013+ Legends
Week 236: Dirge
Week 237: Titans Return
Week 238: US post G1 toys that were never sold in the UK
Week 239: 2016 toys
Week 240: Ambulances
Week 241: Bludgeon
Week 242: Repaints
Week 243: Top 5 Transformer Years
Week 244: 2017 toys
Week 245: Nightbeat
Week 246: Masterpiece
Week 247: Toylines
Week 248: G1 toys
Week 249: Top 5 Evil Black Optimus Prime Toys
Week 250: Top 5 Transformers Toys

[Stomski]

Prime - Great size, tons of playability, only problem is that his fists were easy to lose
Soundwave - Still today it stands up well as an action figure, amazing articulation and great features.
Sideswipe - well proportioned robot, great car.
Starscream+pals - Amazing F15 likeness, like Prime though, shame about the fists.
Megatron - May look doofy in robot mode, but is still an amazing feat of engineering.

[Shockprowl]

WHAT AN EXCELLENT IDEA FOR A THREAD!!!!


1984:
5 Optimus Prime -Awesome toy back in '84. So much playability.
4 Megatron -He's a gun! And has a huge arm cannon in robot mode!
3 Starscream/Strike Planes -I only had Starscream, but loved their size in relation to the Autobot cars, the fact they were the same mold, like a little army.
2 Soundwave -Didn't own one 'till later in life, but just such a wonderful figure with his little cassettes minions.
1 Prowl -Not just 'cos he's Prowl, but also because I feel this mold, and the Jazz mold, are the iconic Autobot car molds, the front of the car forming the chest. That image of Transformers was one of the first to grip me.

[Stomski]

Shockprowl has stolen my list, but one,
and I must confess for Sideswipe,
I could have gone with Prowl or Jazz too,
but 80s Lamborghini's are just my type.

[Philip Ayres]

5 Prowl - the standard by which arm articulation on TF toys would be measured by - and fail to live up to - for years to come. The missiles either side of the had. The Transformation. Of the the Fairlady Z's this is my favourite.

4 Sideswipe - a red supercar and the first with the standard TF Car transformation.

3 Megatron - I didn't appreciate Megatron that much at the time. But now realising what you can do with his accesories and why you can do them.....

2 Soundwave - You're into the stratosphere of best transformers toys here. A design so iconic it will never be beaten for the character. So much so that they didn't even try in the classics line, they just reissued the original.

1 Optimus Prime - enough said. Big red robot with decent articulation and a superb basemode.

[kayevcee]

1) Optimus Prime (surprise surprise): great robot, great base/playset with loads of features, natty wee scout car. Lost one of the fists into a rhodedendron bush outside the front door and didn't see it until downstairs' cat dug it up seven years later, but his fist-holes are the right size for Broadside's axe which I made do with until the fist's rediscovery. Handy.

2) Mirage: distinctive vehicle mode and robot features (with the Egyptian-headdress-style head), fun transformation, well proportioned robot mode and excellent articulation on the upper body- much of which isn't needed for transformation.

3) Ratchet: (Ironhide was an 85 release if the catalogues are to be believed) Sturdy vehicle, quirky and very distinctive robot, and a bonus MARB/repair drone from the back half of the van mode. Brilliant.

4) Ravage: unique among all the tapes. Stands up well in a variety of poses despite being almost 2D. Undeniably cool.

5) Rumble/Frenzy: Distinctive weapons, cool stickers, really fun transformation. Only let down by inability to raise shoulders forwards, though with the parts and technology of the time it would have been impossible for them to stay up.

I'm going purely by the toy catalogues, otherwise Wheeljack and Megatron would be in there too.

-Nick

[Philip Ayres]

May 10, 2013 11:51:31 GMT kayevcee said:

(Ironhide was an 85 release if the catalogues are to be believed)

May 10, 2013 11:51:31 GMT kayevcee said:

I'm going purely by the toy catalogues, otherwise Wheeljack and Megatron would be in there too.

Megatron, and the second car wave (Ironhide, Wheeljack, Trailbreaker, Sunstreaker & Prowl) all have 84 dates on every site I've seen.

When they turned up in the UK is a different matter.

[Benn]

I'll go by the website, if thats the rule.
To discount my first choice would be too cruel.

5. Sunstreaker ~ my first TF, and I like his awkwardness, oddly enough.
4. Trailbreaker ~ A nice solid toy, and you could get away with treating him rough.
3. Mirage ~ It's funny that I've always liked Mirage, even though I didn't get into F1 for another six years or so.
2. Hound ~ Jeeps are cool, and lots of shiny accessories. He plays well with Spider-Man also!
1. Jazz ~ The quintesential Transformer for me. Blatent car parts in robot mode for the win!

That's my choices, those are the guys that make me grin.

(These ryhmes are getting increasingly forced... 0_o;)

[Bogatan]

No particular order and I've tried to base it just on toys not characters.

Soundwave - didnt get one new till 95, even then it was better than most of what had been released.
Hound - My first autobot car and still a favourite. I can not really say why.
Gears - My first Minibot and still my favourite solid and well proportioned.
Jazz - Well its jazz. Another classic bit of design.

In a departure from others I'm not sure I consider Prime one of the best. As with the jets, stick on hands are a minus. On the other hand I can't say that anything else is better.

[Grand Moff Muffin]

I can join in with this!
Oh what toy-filled bliss!

5. Jazz
4. Sideswipe
3. Bluestreak
2. Prowl
1. Optimus Prime

I've gone off my '84 'Cons and will give them away before long.
Getting more joy from my '85 baddies - Insecti/Constructicon.
Soundwave's robot mode is the best, it's true,
But a truck-sized Walkman and gun make me go 'Boo'.
The size-changing gag has not aged well in my mind.
Disguise modes that roll around are better, I find.

Martin

[Jim]

1. Soundwave. Great fun and still a good toy.
2. Optimus Prime. Ditto. A design classic.
3. Gears. My first Transformer.
4. Brawn. I find it hard to pin down why but I love that design.
5. Sideswipe. Beautiful toy in both modes.

Four of those five I only experienced in reissue form as an adult, the closest I got to Optimus was a friend's Ultra Magnus. I literally never saw one in person until the TFC reissue landed on my doorstep in ... 2003?

-Jim

[Toph]

1- Thundercracker
2- Thundercracker
3- Thundercracker
4- Thundercracker
5- Bob

[The Doctor]

For it not to be Prime, that would be the ultimate crime!
All hail the mighty Roller, more deft than Thomas' Fat Controller!

-Ralph

[Philip Ayres]

It's Friday so it's a *NEW* top 5 Transformers Day!

Week 2: Toys called Optimus Prime

Any toy. As long as it's called Optimus Prime. No Caveats, but we reserve the right to return to this one at a later stage....

See www.tfu.info/disambiguation/optimusprime.htm for some hints.

[The Doctor]

Three way tie between 84, Laser Rod and Action Master. With honourable mention for the God Ginrai version of PM Prime.

If pushed, 84 sneaks just ahead as it comes with Roller, thus adding a play pattern no other Op toy has.

-Ralph

[Stomski]

So I guess this counts out Japan exclusives that are only named "Convoy"?

Original
Cybertron
Masterpiece
Laser Rod
PM

[kayevcee]

Hmmm.

Laser Rod.
Original/Diaclone.
MP10 Masterpiece w/ trailer.
Powermaster w/ Apex Armour.
2007 Movie leader.

-Nick

[Toph]

May 17, 2013 8:41:43 GMT Stomski said:

So I guess this counts out Japan exclusives that are only named "Convoy"?

Original
Cybertron
Masterpiece
Laser Rod
PM

I would say as long as it's intended to represent Opti

[Philip Ayres]

May 17, 2013 20:08:09 GMT Toph said:

May 17, 2013 8:41:43 GMT Stomski said:

So I guess this counts out Japan exclusives that are only named "Convoy"?

I would say as long as it's intended to represent Opti

Indeed. So while Star Convoy, Super Fire Convoy and Galaxy Convoy would count (being an unreleased in the west Optimus and 2 western Optimus Primes) none of the Beast Convoys would cos they're Optimus Primal

[Jim]

Limiting myself to those I have owned or at least played with (in no particular order):

1. Armada Super-con Prime
2. G1 Original
3. Powermaster
4. RTS Legends
5. RiD Prime

-Jim

[Toph]

May 17, 2013 20:08:09 GMT Toph said:

May 17, 2013 8:41:43 GMT Stomski said:

So I guess this counts out Japan exclusives that are only named "Convoy"?

Original
Cybertron
Masterpiece
Laser Rod
PM

I would say as long as it's intended to represent Opti

May 17, 2013 20:34:18 GMT Philip Ayres said:

May 17, 2013 20:08:09 GMT Toph said:

I would say as long as it's intended to represent Opti

Indeed. So while Star Convoy, Super Fire Convoy and Galaxy Convoy would count (being an unreleased in the west Optimus and 2 western Optimus Primes) none of the Beast Convoys would cos they're Optimus Primal

That's *exactly* what I was trying to say, almost word for word, with the exact same examples.
For some reason mid sentence, proboard decided to spontaniously post, then crapped out and wouldn't let me do shit for two hours.
God I hate proboard. I am on the verge of quitting this site just because of frustrations of not being able to enjoy it here because it's so fucking buggy. It's useless.

On topic, got erased when I tried to edit to fix my original post after that got cocked up-

In no particular order:

RiD
Cybertron
Classics Voyager
RotF Voyager
Masterpiece

[Philip Ayres]

1 1984 G1 Optimus Prime - Obviously

2 Powermaster Optimus Prime, for preference the Japanese God Ginrai version. Combines with Trailer to producer a larger Optimus Prime

3 Hero Optimus Prime for preferance the European Sureshot version. I love this toy. Yes the truck mode is 7 shades of wrong but the robot is superb, it's the first Op with lightpiped eyes and the weapon is fabulous.

4 Star Convoy a futuristic version. That moves. And has a base mode. And a Micromaster Rodimus.

5 RID Optimus Prime One of the greatest Transformers toys of modern times. Vehicle or Robot & Base or Super Robot or Combined with Ultra Magnus. If Optimus Prime is anything other than a truck he aught to be a fire engine!

[Bogatan]

Too hard. It would be too hard at just G1 Primes.

Again no particular order whittling down to 5 is hard enough.

2002 New Year Prime - g1 and actionmaster in one shiny box, take that top 5
Classics Prime - Going with Crystal Convoy because its a thing of beauty.
Laser Rod Prime -
RID Prime - again I'm opting for the Translucent version as they really make Primes red pop

I don't know, Ginari, Movie Jetwing, armada Supercon, 2007 Premium leader class, too many.

Ahha
Machine Wars Prime. gotta love inappropriately coloured inappropriate moulds. Or G2 Gobot Prime.

Oh I dont know I suppose I have 5 in the list already, so I'll stop before I hurt myself.

[Philip Ayres]

May 21, 2013 8:43:41 GMT Bogatan said:

Too hard. It would be too hard at just G1 Primes.

It is very tough. There are so many redos of G1 Prime alone and then nearly every subline has had a Prime. We'll almost certainly come back top this one at a later date and split it up

[legios]

Hmmm, to catch up a bit:

1984 Transformers Toys

1) Optimus Prime - trukk, base with loads of play value, heroic leader robot, small scout vehicle... This one has the lot
2) Soundwave - so much fun to play with, feels chunky and powerful like an evil alien robot should. Also looks good - aesthetics have always mattered to me even as a youngster
3) Jazz - love the vehicle mode, love the humanoid mode. Never minded the vehicle kibble on it at all
4) Ravage - As a kid it felt right that one of the evil robots was a predatory hunting cat. A robotic hunter that will never tire, never quit, until it catches you? That is scary stuff. He's also fun to play with as a child - he can bite and scratch at mini-bots even when he has used his missiles. As an adult I love the fact that his alt-mode is 1:1 real-world scale.
5) Sideswipe - Perhaps because I owned, and still do, the G2 version? Or perhaps it is the clean-lines of the design in both modes? Whatever the reason I have a great love of 'Swipe.

Optimus Prime toys (hmm. Restricting it to Optimus Primes means no God Ginrai... I may need to sub-in a reserve..)

1) Laser Rod Optimus Prime: Tanker Truck that transformers to a heroic leader robot and a battlestation toting an enormous array of firing weapons? Brilliant! The Prime Cab robot himself is an absolutely cracker too - great proportions and articulation and has lots of hand-carried weaponry for play value
2) 1984 Optimus Prime. See list above for all the good stuff about this one
3) Robots In Disguise Optimus Prime - Fire Engine alt mode, articulated, streamlined update to the basic humanoid mode, Cobination gimmick ala Powermaster Prime.... Yep, that'' do nicely.
4) Powermaster Optimus Prime - my first Optimus Prime toy - classic-looking cab robot, and big trailer to combine with to take on overwhelming odds... that's the stuff. It is a shame that the version released as God Ginrai has the tweaks to make it a bit better, but still the Prime version is pretty good.
5) Classics Optimus Prime - Truck to Optimus Prime robot with two different style guns available to ensuring the freedom of sentient beings. Modern articulation but a classic look. That'll do me.

Karl

[Philip Ayres]

May 21, 2013 18:28:25 GMT legios said:

Optimus Prime toys (hmm. Restricting it to Optimus Primes means no God Ginrai... I may need to sub-in a reserve..)

A) It was issued as an Op as the TRU Classics PM Op so it counts

B) It's so obviously Op that it should count anyway. ditto Star Convoy. And Sureshot

[Philip Ayres]

Week 3: Top 5 Beast Wars toys

www.tfu.info/series/bw.htm

[Stomski]

Hubba hubba hubba. Not including BW2 or Neo then?

Optimus Minor
Optimus Minor
Optimus Minor
Optimus Minor
Optimus Minor

Order Of Merit:
TM2 Megatron (In my top 5 of all time I reckon)
TM2 Tigerhawk (What's not to love? His robot mode is still my favorite of all time I think)
Megatron (Yessss, near perfect alt mode, just a shame he's missing a hand)
Fuzor Silverbolt (The Transformer that started my adult collecting)
Transmetal Cheetor (I dunno, there's something about the way the hands become the head...?)

Honourable Mentions:
Optimus Primal (So... Much... Playability...)
TM Megatron (Alas poor GPS, we knew him)
Depth Charge (The disk launcher is pretty neat and the transformation is pretty clever)
Cheetor/Tigatron (Great deluxe mold!)
Airazor (For some reason, dunno, seems pretty neat for the size)
TM2 Cybershark (Because he went on to be the coolest shark in town)

[Philip Ayres]

May 24, 2013 14:55:31 GMT Stomski said:

Hubba hubba hubba. Not including BW2 or Neo then?

Japanese BW lines at a future date

[Toph]

BEAST WAAAARS!

Number one is Transmetal Tarantulas. That is still one of my alltime favorite TFs period.

The rest in no order:
Transmetal Megatron
TM2 Prowl
Clawjaw
Airhammer

Honorable mentions go to:
Cheetor
TM Cheetor
Airazor
Stinkbomb
Magnaboss
TM2 Megatron
Depth Charge
Nightglider
Manterror

Secondary Honorable Mentions:
EVERYONE ELSE.

Suggestion for a future top five... how about best alt modes? Often the most under appreciated aspect of a transformer. Also, a few "worst of" lists wouldn't hurt to break things up.