Top 5 Transformers Toys

[legios]

Week 9: 1986 toys

Addendum:-

5) Defensor, taking the slot denied him by Slugfest trying to sneak in a year early. Like Bruticus, he is one of the better integrated combiner teams, and has that same unification of theme.

Week 11: Armada Toys

5) Tidal Wave - (actually Micron Denetsu Shockwave but as we are talking Armada): A flotilla of three separate vehicle modes, the ability to combine into a single mighty spacecraft mode, and a humanoid mode that somehow rose above its limited articulation. And to top it all it does proper bonkers Super-Robot style combining with Megatron. It also comes with one of the best of the 'plane Mini-cons to sweeten the deal.

4) Cyclonus and Crumplezone - These are an inseperable single toy to my mind. Great trigger-activated rotor action, a gangly but appealing humanoid mode on Cyclonus. Allied with a pair of great helicopter modes (on his own he is basically an A- Model "Hind", attach Crumplezone to the front and he becomes a D-Model, I love that.

3) Supercon Optimus Prime: A good "Armadaisation" of Optimus Prime, which feels like it keeps enough classic features but properly reinvents the look.

2) Hoist - He looks fantastic, has a great colour scheme and has a marvelous action feature. Great play-value in a line which really felt like it was aiming to be brilliant at being toys.

1) Megatron - Armada is a line that really did the "toy" aspect of Transformers rather well, and Megatron is a shining representation of that. He may lack lower limb articulation, but that is a secondary concern when you think about the sheer number of play-features he is packing - capture-compartment, fold out missile launchers, big gun which makes a decent sound effect when it is fired (and recoils like an Abrams 230mm gun), a turret which not only turns but lets you elevate the gun. Enough play-value packed into this toy to equip several subsequent Megatrons at once.

Karl

[Philip Ayres]

Week 12: Tapes

Your top 5 transformers tapes please.

[Bogatan]

I have to admit I have never much cared about the tapes. Probably because I didnt own any till Rewind and Steeljaw and Ratbat and Frenzy from a local market in the mid 90s.

1. Enemy - Ever since I found out about this weird bit of merchandise I've found him more interesting than Frenzy and Rumble ~(i cant even remember which is which) largely because he was stuck to a large broadcasting system. I always felt there was a great back story in how in found himself in that role/situation.

2. Wingthing - For me Soundwave true partner in crime and now he as a tape body he can join the list proper.

3. Ratbat - Aside from being one of the few I owned also loved him in the comic. And he makes quite a big toy with those wings.

4. Universe Ravage - again his comic activities make the character stand out, but I also really like the new mould, the problem for most of the animal forms was being so flat and this solution was ingenious.

5. Buzzsaw - Getting Soundwave in 95 it was Buzzsaw that really blew my mind, its the mould that holds up best and was my first tape.

If takara ever get around to reissuing the later waves and Japanese ones I would certainly pick them up but as the originals are so expensive I have never even paid the tapes much attention beyond first 10 characters hence my limited selection pool.

With MP Soundwave hopefully with me in the next couple of weeks this list may change.

[Bogatan]

Just noticed TFU hasnt updated with last years Encore tapes yet.

And bubbling under would be Stripe and Nightstalker purely for obscurity and Sundor because might orange Laserbeak moulds are hard not to love.

[Philip Ayres]

5) Overkill

Finding out about the post 86 cassetes (via the comic Universe entries) was a big moment for me. A T-Rex tape? Want. And finally owned a few years back.

4) Slugfest

Ditto Slufest who's even better in the plastic

3) Steeljaw

Steeljaw I loved on his entry intoducing TF Universe #4, sadly awol in the TPB. Toy is fab

2) Ratbat

But Ratbat is even better, the way so much of him just folds out.

1) Laserbeak

But for me it's the tape birds. Others will like Ravage better - the hump at the base of the overlong neck which cant bend at the head has always annoyed me. I like the tapes and for some reason the red of Laserbeak beats the gold of Buzzsaw.

[Philip Ayres]

Week 13: 1987 toys

See www.tfu.info/year/87index.htm but we're talking Headmasters and Targetmasters, Throttlebots, Clones, Monsterbots and Computron vs Abominus. One of my favourite years of Transformers.

I'm predicting a runaway winner followed by no clear consensus this week.

[Jim]

Armada Toys

1. Cyclonus - loads of fun, the minicon interaction is great
2. Bonecrusher (and all repaints thereof) - Wonderful minicon, love the transformation scheme
3. Supercon Prime - One of my favourite Prime toys, great realisation of a good design, decent posability. Looks nifty as Nemesis as well.
4. Overload - lovely chunky robot, combo head and target master, interacts with Jetfire and Prime.
5. Wheeljack - lots of character, fun to play with, and the scratched out faction symbol is a nice touch (and possibly why we never saw a redeco?)

Tapes

I don't have a lot of experience with the tapes, I somehow still haven't opened any of the encore tape sets, so this will be based purely on how I remember them looking.

1. Ratbat
2. Frenzy
3. Lazerbeak
4. Rewind
5. Steeljaw

1987 Toys

1. Crosshairs - my first targetmaster, remember the day I bought him and annoying my Grandma with how indecisive I was between him and Sureshot. Reckon I made the right choice. This is the only 1987 toy I owned as a child somehow.
2. Weirdwolf - the colour scheme appeals enormously to me and he's quite a fun toy. Wanted so much a child, among the first vintage toys I bought as an adult.
3. Brainstorm - My favourite of the Autobot headmasters I've owned, really like both modes and again the colours.
4. Point Blank - My least favourite of the Autboto targetmasters as a child, but I really like it as an adult.
5. Kup - Works nicely as a targetmaster.

-Jim

[Andy Turnbull]

I am waaay behind.

WEEK 1 -

1 - Optimus Prime - just has to be. Simply one of the best boys toys ever released.
2 - Soundwave - the best toy from the original Decepticon era, so much better than Megatron
3 - Jazz - he's cool. Nuff said.
4 - Sideswipe - lovely looking vehicle, fun transformation.
5 - Ratchet - c'mon he had to go in there. He's my boy. Plus, a really creepy, alien looking toy/ Not enough of them.

WEEK 2

1 - Laser Rod Optimus Prime - brilliant version of the now traditional Optimus Prime
2 - Optimus Prime 1984 - slightly edged out by LROP.
3 - Action Master Optimus Prime - yeah, I know but he was so much fun.
4 - Powermaster Optimus Prime - great bricktastic powerful looking toy.
5 - Armada Supercon Optimus Prime - great toy, hands down the best of that line.

[Philip Ayres]

Aug 2, 2013 12:53:18 GMT Andy Turnbull said:

I am waaay behind.

Do two a day and you'll be up to date by next Friday

[Shockprowl]

1987:

1 Abominus!!!!! Terrorcons!!!!!!

As a unit, best of the team being the mighty Hun-Garr.

Great bizzar designs, great characters. Love 'em.


I didn't mind 1987's change in direction, but found I missed the Earth based alt modes that I'd grown up with the previous years. So strange my best figures from that year are bizzar creatures!!

[legios]

Week 12: Tapes

5) Slugfest - micro-cassette to dinosaur, briliant. He also has such an endearing expression on is dinosaury face that I can't help but love him
4) Buzzsaw - One of the condor-settes was going in here, and I narrowly prefer Buzzsaw. Interact really well with the larger toys, and the moving wings and head make them great for fidgeting with by themselves.
3) Ratbat - the micro-cassette unfolds, then keeps unfolding to a ridiculous degree. Fantastic fun, and very, very clever
2) Steeljaw - I love the Lion mode. He has a square, heroic-looking jaw which befits a heroic Autobot, even of limited stature, weapon accessories are great.
1) Ravage - My love for Ravage is rooted of course in his showing in things like "Crisis of Command" But the toy itself is one that I love - plenty of movement in the legs so you can make it spring, leap and coil to pounce. Missile accessories you can remove and "Wooomsh" through the air, a great sinister-looking head sculpt.Probablynot only my favourite cassette but one of my favourite Decepticons.



1987 Toys

5) Cyclonus - one of the few Targetmasters I owned. Always loved the look of both modes - the fighter mode just screamed "sufficiently advanced technology" with the way it all blended together and the V-cranking of the wings, and the humanoid mode feels like a refinement of the existing Decepticon Jet aesthetic. And this version comes with a smaller robot that turns into a chunky looking gun, a nice bonus
4)Sixshot - six modes, most of them pretty good, looks heavy, solid and formidable in all modes. Has a real presence on the shelf when he is standing there menacing other toys.
3) Goldbug - Bumblebee, only grown in stature and confidence. That was what the bio said, and to be honest the character design really sold that concept. I loved the look of Goldbug, the pullback-and-go motor was actually quite fun as well.
2) Computron - pretty much the highest point of the second generation combiners for me. The individual members are nice, but when they are combined they really feel like they form a single entity.
1) Skorpornok - Triple changing headmaster. The Scorpion mode was fantastic fun - claws, gun-turrets, stinger-cannon. The humanoid mode was the right size to go toe-to-toe with Metroplex, and the arm-shield was great fun in play terms. Base mode is not the best base in Transformers, but is a lot of fun to play with.

Karl

[Philip Ayres]

5) Abominus

Take the Scramble City gimmick and do it with Monsters. Fab but......

4) Computron

.... I think I like the Futuristic Autobots of Computron just a bit better. I like how these two are symbolic of this year's main theme: Futuristic Autobot Vehicles vs Decepticon Creatures

3) Skullcruncher

A Crocodile. With a pilot who sits in it's mouth? Fabulous. Love all the first series Headmasters but he's my favourite Decepticon

2) Highbrow

Just works for me. Love it. Fab toy.

1) Fortress Maximus

The biggest TF ever. A superb robot mode, two great bases and the lust of hundreds of UK fans who couldn't get it. There's a reason so many people wanted a Max he is that good.

[Philip Ayres]

and so many other near misses. As I said above one of my favourite years

[Bogatan]

My childhood top 5 would be
5. Kup - the arms fascinated me and Recoil I thought was the coolest thing.
4. Chase -
3. Strafe - My brother got Afterburner* I got Strafe which I think is fantastic, a pair of bright orange guns that aren't just a silly add on in vehicle mode.
2. Hun-grr - A birthday present I found weeks before my birthday and then went on about constantly, just in case Mum and Dad had plans to give it to someone else. lacking terrocon limbs I ended up making limbs for him out of Kinder egg containers. It didn't work out so well.
1. Fortress Maximus - No other figure can compare seeing it in the shop window drove my little mind nuts for a while.

Now the list would have Raiden on it somewhere. It's a shame this set has never had a western release, it's a lot fun. I eventually got Computron around 1995 so that might replace Strafe too, though to be honest I still think Strafe was the best of the bunch.

And Fort Max probably loses a few places for simply being less cool looking than his two younger brothers.

* Afterburners small gun got attached to a small ball of plasticine and become one of my own mini army of rock lords (I don't know if I knew what rock lords were, or whether I saw them in a rented video and was directly inspired). I still have him and a few others on the shelf.

[Philip Ayres]

Week 14: Jazz

Your top 5 Jazz toys please

See www.tfu.info/1984/Autobot/Jazz/jazz.htm and the pages linked from within

Until earlier this week this was going to be a different character until I realised that I had a new version of it on the way and my opinion might change just after we did so he's been put on hold till next month and instead we've got a bot more suited to the party mood!

[Shockprowl]

I love Jazz!!! Need a new MP of him please. Also a shame there was no Beast Wars Jazz, like Owl Prowl.


5 Action Master -He had a skateboard!!!

4 Pretender -G1 Classical meets G1 modern. They should have done more Classic Pretenders.

3 RTS Legends -Love these, Jazz in my pocket!

2 G1 -the quintessential G1 Autobot mold along with the Prowl/Bluestreak mold. Iconic.

1 Classics/Generations -One of the best Classics figures ever, captures the character perfectly.

[Jim]

1) United - best version of this mould as Jazz.
2) G1 - Still a very handsome toy.
3) Action Master - see Shockprowl's comment!
4) Alt/BT Meister (white version) - No toy in this line is ever much fun to transform, but this is a great-looking one.
5) Pretender - never played with one or saw one in person but I did like the look of him.

-Jim

[Philip Ayres]

5) Pretender Jazz The Pretender is well executed, and the toy inside isn't too bad but somehow it's a step down from the 1984 version

4) G1 Jazz never been a huge Jazz fan. The design is close to Prowl etc which I think work an awful lot better.

3) Universe Legends Jazz Jazz is the first G1 car to get it's own Legends figure (previous G1 Legends were Legends of Cybertron remoulds. It's not perfect, the lower legs are the wrong way round for a start but it's a nice figure. I want a c-clip hands update.

2) Generations Giftset Jazz The only reason this ain't top is it's not mad enough. It needs more of the energon blue replacing all the black body parts. So it gets topped by....

1) RTS Jazz I believe the United version may be better but I've never seen one. C-clip accesories, one of the best Classics etc upgrades (we'll do Classics etc Upgrades in a few weeks time)

[Jim]

Aug 10, 2013 9:02:35 GMT Philip Ayres said:

2) Generations Giftset Jazz The only reason this ain't top is it's not mad enough. It needs more of the energon blue replacing all the black body parts. So it gets topped by....

I forgot about him! They didn't go the full G2 but he still looks great.

1) RTS Jazz I believe the United version may be better but I've never seen one. C-clip accesories, one of the best Classics etc upgrades (we'll do Classics etc Upgrades in a few weeks time)

www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-generations-classics-30-35/brief-united-jazz-image-comparison-gallery-171181/ - it's mainly the little differences, painted trims, lights and grill, the plastic is a bit whiter though the difference looks starker in photographs than real life.

-Jim

[Philip Ayres]

Week 15: Classics

Let's be clear about what we mean here: we're talking the short lived toyline that fills the space between Cybertron and Bay Movie 1 and was the first line to have versions of toys designed to be updated versions of G1 original. See Classics @ TFU for a list of toys concerned. Please vote for the versions there and not their repaints elsewhere.

[Stomski]

Jazz
Surprised to see this in here. There aren't really that many versions. Nothing beats G1 and I find it hard to enjoy others, except maybe RTS Deluxe.

Classics
Optimus Prime (Voyager) - Great! And it's a flat nosed truck!
Starscream - I love this mold. The robot feels a little stumpy for Starscream, but the transformation is simple yet rewarding transformation.
Megatron (Voyager) - Oh he's a gun again! Henkei colours preferred, but there's something strangely alluring about the purple and green.
Jetfire - Oooh, helmet!
Bumblebee - Great reimagining. Accessory is a little out of kilter, but still a nice figure.

Others-
Mirage - That is one sleek looking robot!
Astrotrain - Let down by the blatant split train front on each wing.

[Philip Ayres]

Aug 16, 2013 9:50:34 GMT Stomski said:

Jazz
Surprised to see this in here. There aren't really that many versions. Nothing beats G1 and I find it hard to enjoy others, except maybe RTS Deluxe.

I don't know, there's a fair few. Animated, Movieverse.... TFCC. Most of the G1 cars have at least 5 versions we can vote on

[Philip Ayres]

5) Mirage

Love the Mirage update. Fabulous toy, but somehow it doesn't feel quite like a Transformer

4) Jetfire

Very good jet toy combining original and cartoon/comic design elements.

3) Ramjet

One of the Jets had to go on here as it's a superb mold. Starscream will be done a lot better elsewhere so it's a toss up between Ramjet and Skywarp...... and Ramjet gets it for having the upgraded parts to make a coneheaded jet.

2) Rodimus

Superb. Hot Rod in a nutshell. Ok the original version needs an Autobot symbol on it's bonnet/chest, and the upper leg sides are annoying, and it should have 5mm hands (open style like 2013 Legends Op) and there should be a 5mm hole in the engine block BUT clear blue plastic windscreen and the classic Rod Rod shape and the fold out saw blade and the light piped eyes..... fab.

1) Bumblebee

It's not the best version of this BB mold but there so much that's right about this toy. A massively articulated Bumblebee that's close enough in both modes.

[Jim]

Classics

1. Mirage - Beautiful, sleek, posable. I wouldn't want MP Mirage to look like this, but it fits the Classics remit perfectly.
2. Bumblebee - still my favourite iteration of that mould, not too slavish to the original. The trailer is a nice touch.
3. Jetfire - Again absolutely looks the part, lots of playability and the removable helmet is a nice, rare touch.
4. Megatron - I have no objection to the bright colours, in fact I think they look great!
5. Ramjet - I found Starscream a bit dull but for some reason the conehead mould did more for me. Has a bit more character somehow.

Bubbling under - Optimus Prime. The arm kibble is an annoyance but otherwise a good figure.

-Jim

[Bogatan]

Jazz
5. Pretender - My first Jazz, probably the weakest of the 4 classics though.

4. Animated - A great update without getting slavish about it. One of thebetter animated moulds which for me is saying something.

3. G1 this was the autobot car I loved as a kid, my cousin owned it long before I got the classic version so it was one I saw from a distance for a long time, also I loved the Jazz artwork in Collected Comics 3.

2 Actionmaster - had a skateboard that turned in to a gun and apparently was sentient. All so good.

1 Generations Giftset Jazz - I'm really just grouping all the classic Jazz repaints here but G2 Jazz is my favourite of them. United is probably the most G1 accurate (I still dont have it), but I like the subtle G2 design.


Classics

5. Mirage - a good update, well articulated. Honestly I always found it a little dull in its original colours. Much prefer Machine Wars Mirage from this years botcon.

4. Megatron given the difficulty of making a gun megatron this is fab.

3. Skywarp - its a shame this mould wasnt created a year or two later as I suspect it would have come with better articulation and maybe a little bigger, but it remains a great mould and as was proven at AA 2011 its more than capable of pulling off most poses however disturbing. Opting for Skywarp as Starscreams Universe release was better as was G2 Ramjets.

2. Bumblebee - just a great Bumblebee update. If Cliffjumper had got a new head I'd probably have gone with him as the mould looks great in red.

1. As with the strike plane mould I would have liked to see this a year or two later when it might have come with a little more articulation, all it really needs to angle the ankles and maybe a ball joint head, but what we got is brilliant and having finally seen Henkei Convoy out of the box at AA I think I need to add that to my collection too.


Edit
I just noticed that the TFU link includes Botcon 2007 in which case Dreadwind needs adding to the list in place of Mirage and Thrusts wings in the boxset are stunning so he takes Skywarps place.

Bubbling under Astrorain is great though he's going to suffer compared to the recent three releases. Bugbite has an amazing deco and Botcon Thundercracker mostly for the explosion of rage it caused.

[Stomski]

Because Phil Demanded It...

5. Animated Jazz. Sleek... Something a little different.
4. BT Meister. Will you be lucky and snag a White version? Me? No. Hrmmmm. Really needs some paint apps/stickers to liven it up, and a shame it's not a Porsche.
3. RTS Jazz. Speakers!
2. WST Jazz. Like the original but teeny tiny.
1. G1 Jazz. But the version that fixes the misaligned rear end. Like a lot of the '84 cars, it's difficult to top such a class act. shame about the legs though.

[Shockprowl]

CLASSICS! Classics were a dream come true for me, G1 toy characters, born again! And although my attention has moved mainly onto MPs of late, my 'Classics' collection, including the likes of Prowl, Jazz, Green Giant and City Commander, is and always will be very close to my heart. And Piglet loves 'em!

Out of the first 'Classics' line, I'd have to say...

5 Starscream. The Strike Plane mold drives me mad because it should have been voyager sized. The Strike Planes (I have all 6) are too small next to the Autobot cars. However, the actual mold itself is fantastic. Absolutely outstanding. Great G1y robot, great jet. Good work.

4 Mirage. Not perhaps as G1y as later 'Classics' figures, but a great transformation and a robot mode that seems to say "Mirage" to me.

3 Ramjet. Take the excellent Classics Starscream mode, and give him a proper cone-head! Excellent.

2 Jetfire. A great great figure. Jetfire out of the comics!

1 Astrotrain. I think Classics Astrotrain is a fantastic figure. Great transformation. A brilliant update. The G1 toy to the ultimate degree!

[legios]

Aug 9, 2013 7:46:18 GMT Philip Ayres said:

Week 14: Jazz

5 Pretender Jazz - keeps the aesthetic of the original quite nicely, and the Pretender shell isn't too bad.

4 Actionmaster Jazz - Jazz, who used to be his own Boom Box, now has a skateboard. How terribly fitting.

3 Universe Legends Jazz - Mini-Jazz - fun to transform, enjoyable to muck about with and an all-round decent stab at doing Jazz in a smaller package

2 "The Transformers" Jazz - the originator. A fun toy to Transform, decent set of accessories, all the articulation you really need for play and he feels like he uses all of the car parts properly in his humanoid mode. The Prowl/Bluestreak/Smokescreen version of this transformation may be the technically better, but I encountered this version first so it has a firm place in my heart.

1 Reveal the Shield Special Operations Jazz - Has one mission objective, update the original design to modern articulation standards whilst keeping everything which is great about the aesthetic. Mission accomplished!


Week 15: Classics

5. Mirage - reinvents the aesthetic of Mirage, taking him away from the broad, stocky sensibility of the original design but does so very successfully, fantastic look to it.

4. Jetfire - Sure, the fighter mode can't work out anything to do with the arms at all, and has a nose that looks a lot like a cross between a Super Sabre and an unfortunate arguement with terrain. But it is still such a good toy, bristling with weapons and with the ability to do anything from the orginal's "super" configuration, through a version of "strike" to a "dual strike cannon pod" look. Just wish it had the fuel tanks for the legs.

3. Skywarp - A straight up revamp of the original Decepticon jet design, and in an absolutely stunning colour scheme. Captures the spirit of the original really well, and has the all important "wooshability".

2) Optimus Prime - A really nice update of Prime for my money - nice to have a COE truck again, and the look of the humanoid mode is cracking. Never really been bothered by the door-kibble on the arms, I've always treated it as a sort of "built in riot shield"

1) Bumblebee - It is Bumblebee (excuse the face-sculpt). Still has the same "small legs, big rounded torso" feel to it of the original. The car-mode fits into the same kind of niche as the original did, and it comes with something that turns into a flight-pack for bonus Actionmaster homage. Fantastic stuff.

Karl

[The Doctor]

Way behind on this (lack of time) but I will chip on Jazz. I do feel that is one of those characters for whom the original 1984 toy is still my favourite. The AM one is fun, but the 1984 one is one of those genuinely 'iconic' toys in both modes. The RTS one looked nice but always worked better for me in the other uses for the mould. Can't quite pin down why!

-Ralph

[Bogatan]

Yeah I agree, its a perfect Jazz update and yet it works so well as so many other characters and in other colours. Often better than Jazz. Stepper and Kick Off in particular.

I guess theres only so much you can get out of a mostly white plastic toy which is probably why I prefer the G2 Jazz, the splash of colour brightens it up.