Transformers Top Lists News on Seibertron.com

10 of 2022 - Share with us your Top 10 Transformers Purchases of 2022

Date: Friday, December 30th 2022 1:29pm CST
Categories: Site Articles, Top Lists
Posted by: D-Maximal_Primal | Credit(s): D-Maximal_Primal

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Hello there!

Welcome all. My name is D-Maximal_Primal, your friendly neighborhood Seibertron.com Admin, and today, I'd like to take you all on a journey through the year.

This journey is called the top 10 Transformers figures of 2022. It's a simple journey: I am going to talk about the Top 10 (or so) figures I personally bought and received during the 2022 calendar year, and in doing so, I hope to prompt you, dear reader, to share you own 2022 Top 10.

The top 10 is only limited to buying this year, not release of this year, and the terms of what makes your favorites are up to you. Me personally, I am going to talk about the 10 toys that brought me the most joy and that i like to handle the most.

Sound like fun? I hope it is! So let's go!

10) LEGO Optimus Prime

Boy oh boy, what a way to start this list off. I adore legos, always have, since I was a little boy. Seeing such a nice big lego set of Optimus Prime himself come to life was such a gift. It took a good while to build him, but the result is so very nice. The fact that this thing transforms so competently is a sign of how much love went into him. They nailed this one, well done.



9) Legacy Jhiaxus

I have always had this weird soft spot for Jhiaxus, and it wasn't even necessarily because the G2 comics started me there. I became weirdly attached to him during the IDW2005 run, and then properly bought and read G2, where I fell in love with this berserker. And then this toy comes along and kills. This toy is so very good, it deserves a lot of praise, and a lot of people deserve the chance to get to handle it. It's great.



'8) Transformers Animated Waspinator

Waspinator was one of those toys I was hunting down for a while, but always seemed a tad expensive. Well, good thing I waited, because not only did I get one for a decent price, but the one I got was signed by Derrick J. Wyatt himself. That signature alone made this guy worth every penny and every minute of waiting. Thank you to Grimlockimus Customs on Twitter for this guy, he is treasured here.



7) Transformers Cyberverse Battle Call Optimus Prime

This figure was a total surprise to me. He showed up in an Ollies near me, so I decided to give him a go, since I do love Cyberverse. Wow, was he a pleasant surprise. He is both very posable and also very fun, with a strong build that can take some punishment but still throw some great shapes. The spark armor and entire 2nd head that is a posable as the main head was such a cool touch. This is a really fun figure, and fun figures make for great figures to talk about on lists!



6) Robots in Disguise 2015 Legion Heatseeker

Speaking of fun figures, check out this little knucklehead. Heatseeker was one of those legion figures that were skipped over in many parts of the world, which is a shame with how good he is. I lucked into this one after a friend on Twitter just kindly threw him in a package to me. What a great surprise! The RiD2015 legions were a fantastic little era of robots, and Heatseeker lives up to the joy they brought.



5) Black Big Convoy

Speaking of eras, lets go back to the beast era, and check out this guy. I lucked into this guy at what is essentially a large pawn shop, and following some haggling, coupons, and more, I got him for a great price, especially considering his vintage and exclusivity. I love Big Convoy, and to get this gleaming black and gold version was a treat. He looks so nice, and is a joy to have. And he also sparked a journey I am now on to own all the Big Convoy repaints. Just 3 to go I think!



4) Dark of the Moon Deluxe Leadfoot

As a movie fan, there are some figures that were very limited that you just wish you could get. And early in the year, I got super lucky with a chance to finally get the only live action Wrecker mold I did not own: Leadfoot. This guy was a bit of a white whale for me, given how rare and expensive he is, given how his release went. And to now have him properly, and to have a full and proper set of original deluxe Wreckers, it feels so very good.



3) Transformers Animated Blackout

As someone who loves Animated, there were some figures that I had not had the chance to handle and add to the collection, though that number is slowly dwindling. But Blackout was a huge grab this year. I got really lucky with the deal I got made, and it feels great to have the bruiser in the collection at last. He is a fun toy, not the best, but still very fun, and the exclusivity of him coupled with how long it took to get him makes him feel extra special now.



2) War for Cybertron: Kingdom Rodimus Prime

I had passed on this figure initially, and then part way into the year, I felt a pang of regret, especially as I began to realize Rodimus might actually be one of my Top 3 favorite Transformers characters. So I corrected a mistake, and I am glad I did. There is no doubt in my mind this toy is the best WFC toy released, and he can do so much while looking amazing at all times. He is truly a great toy, one I am more appreciative of after almost missing him. He is positively great.



1) ThreeZero Revenge of the Fallen Jetwing Optimus Prime

Anyone who knows me knows how much I love the movies. They are my bread and butter. And in the course of the live action movies, there have been a select few that have truly captured my imagination more than any other.

Jetwing Optimus Prime, the fusion of Jetfire and Optimus Prime at the climax of Revenge of the Fallen, is one of those. No release had ever done the design full justice. Such small details like the extra facial armor to the inner leg guards had never been done before. But then, ThreeZero went and did it. They gave us the perfect, be all end all Jetwing Optimus Prime. Getting this guy this year was the true highlight of the year, and was always going to be #1. I am beyond the moon excited that this is something I get to hold in my hands now. I will always treasure the moment I fully finished the combined mode. It is a sight to behold.







Honorable Mentions:

I just wanted to highlight a couple of other figures that were standouts this year, but didn't quite make the cut.

Beast Wars II Moon was a fun grab, and one I bought after reading IDW's Last Bot Standing. So thank you, Nick Roche, for finally counterpunching me into this adorable little wabbit.



Beast War II Thrustor was a necessary evil, as I have had his 3 Cyborg compatriots for a couple years now. To finally get him and complete the set of lackeys for Galvatron feels so good.

Legacy Transmetal II Megatron will also join this list, mainly because he is so very good. He is such a great figure, he really turned out great despite the questionable early looks. They did him good.

Legacy Metroplex is the figure I determined was figure of the year for 2022 on our Seibertron year in review article, but Given how much I will gush about him there, I felt like he could sidestep here, especially given how personally important some of the rest of the list are to me.



Studio Series Premium Edition Megatron was so close to making the list, as he is so very good and so rich in beautiful paintwork. But I decided ultimately that he'll just be shy of the list as I have splurged a lot about that mold before. But he was still worth mentioning again.

And with that, that is a wrap on 2022! I hope you all enjoyed this article, and I hope you find time to share you own Top 10 of 2022!

Until we talk again, Happy New Year!

Top 5 Best Transformers Cyberverse Toys

Date: Monday, April 18th 2022 6:34pm CDT
Categories: Site Articles, Editorials, Top Lists
Posted by: william-james88

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Views: 124,092

Every two weeks, Seibertron.com brings you a Top 5 list related to all things Transformers written by me. These are my opinions (just like movie or game reviews hosted by sites are still just the opinion of one person) so what matters most is what you guys think of the topic or list, and I hope to see your own lists or comments on omissions and ranking. Let's have fun! All previous lists can be found here. Some images for this article come from Toybox Soapbox.


Top 5 Best Transformers Cyberverse Toys

With the Cyberverse show over and the toyline now being the place where the Rise of the Beasts 2022 toys will be released, I felt it was time to look back at the toys made for the Cyberverse show. While the show did end up winning over a lot of fans in the later seasons (if you didn't watch the first half of season 3, you are missing out), the toyline was never made to win over older fans. It was a toyline for kids through and through. There were some pretty fun toys in there and I am looking at the ones I think are the best of the lot.


5. Deluxe Soundwave

Soundwave is one of the best characters from the Cyberverse show. While some characters get hat is the equivalent of a cameo, Soundwave got a full arc from Cybertronian citizen just having a good time, to ruthless Decepticon soldier, to Cybertronian resistance warrior to Cybertron's ultimate hero. And he had a great design too, which is why the toy looked disappointing from the start for not fully invoking the design and having some issues with kibble. But the toy won me over. It's very solid, has a fun transformation and comes with a cute transforming Laserbeak. In the end, it gives us another good Soundwave toy and e finally have a good toy for this wonderful version of the classic character.








4. Warrior Hammerbyte

This is a really fun toy of a new original character. While he is indeed a warrior as opposed to a deluxe figure, he feels more like a toy from the Cybertron line with nice hard plastic and a simple yet also meaty transformation. And it has a great design in both modes plus a fun non intrusive gimmick. And all for the low price of yesteryear's deluxes. So yeah, very reminiscent of the Cybertron line, which is something you will hear a lot of in the next entry.








3. Ultimate Grimlock

No other Cyberverse toy aimed only at kids even comes close to being as awesome as him. He is very imposing and really commands the space he takes. While he is light, the plastic feels strong and durable. The transformation is not too difficult but interesting and there are even surprises in it for people who know the typical Grimlock conversion inside and out. He has decent poseability and fine gimmicks that don't get in the way. Plus, he is the size of a leader class toy, almost 9 inches tall and only cost $30 USD. Design, transformation and articulation wise, this is almost like a Grimlock we would have gotten in the fabled 2004-2006 Cybertron toyline.










2. Deluxe Slug

While I love animated Slag, I think this guy takes the cake as the best deluxe Slag/Slug we've ever gotten. Now that I think of it, is he the best deluxe toy to represent one of the Dinobots? Could be. He has great articulation, including his horns which actually have their own transformation step, even the SS86 leader Slag doesn't have that. Lots of accessories, a nice colour palette with many differently coloured plastics working well together and a simple yet very well done hand to "paw" transformation. The face is very expressive too.








1. Deluxe Bumblebee

This is one of the greatest deluxe Bumblebee toys we have ever gotten and that is saying a lot since there have been some really good deluxes lately. This one works really well though since it finally gives us a version of that Evergreen design which combines multitude of now classic Bumblebee elements. While probably unintentional, I really like how the black and yellow plastic around the feet are perfectly aligned with the stripes on the car roof making it look like the car's design runs deep within the robot's innards. Nice car mode, great robot mode, good articulation, smart transformation, nice weapon storage for the gun in car mode, relevant accessories with unique blast effects make this an all around winner.





Honourable Mentions:

Deluxe Arcee: the car mode is super cute and a fun new take on Arcee. there is very minimal alt mode integration with the robot mode but at least the backpack you get is show accurate.

Deluxe Megatron: too loose for my liking in important areas but that transformation is really amazing. I love toys that feel like origami where you are shaping a vehicle into a robot and that's what this was, especially for the upper torso/back.

Warrior Cybertronian Starscream: now this is how you make a simpler toy! Articulation is not jeopardized, neither are proportions or the look of either mode. It simply requires few steps to get from one mode to the next. Of course, that is not always achievable, but when it works it can be a thing of beauty and the perfect toy for a kid wanting to mimic the speed of conversion seen on the show.

Top 5 Best Transformers Thrust Toys

Date: Thursday, December 23rd 2021 3:47pm CST
Categories: Site Articles, Editorials, Top Lists
Posted by: william-james88

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Views: 173,299

Every month or so, Seibertron.com brings you a Top 5 list related to all things Transformers written by me, your fellow editor. These are my opinions (just like movie or game reviews hosted by sites are still just the opinion of one person) so what matters most is what you guys think of the topic or list, and I hope to see your own lists or comments on omissions and ranking. Let's have fun! All previous lists can be found here.

Top 5 Best Thrust Transformers Toys


While he might seem like just another seeker type bot in the Decepticon ranks, Thrust has become a legacy character with prominent roles outside of G1. He got quite the spotlight in Armada and thus eventually in the Legends Universe where that incarnation became part of the Grand Galvatron combiner. He was even in the Bayverse toyline and in Cyberverse (though only in the English dub since he is Red Wing in Japan). Now after over 30 years of Thrusting, let's check out the best toys out there.

5. Transformers G1 1985 Thrust

I am way more lenient with the G1 seeker mode when it comes to the coneheads due to the added variety of the molding, with the idiosyncratic wings and weapons. Sure, they have double the partsforming of regular seekers but the way I see it, if you're gonna partsform either go big or go home. Thrust was a G1 mainstay, getting constantly reissued in the 80s and I can see why he was popular. He is afterall my favourite G1 seeker. I just love the addition of the VTOL fans on the wings, along with the burgundy colour scheme.










4. Transformers Masterpiece MP-11NT Thrust

The masterpiece toy does a good job at conveying the Thrust we all know and love though that mold makes the bot mode look too busy depending the angle. I do like that the MP conehead retool gives that extra transformation step of rotating the nosecone chest so that it is tapered properly. The retooling does lead to the unfortunate fact that the "real" nosecone kibble does end up between the robot's legs, so I guess it's a give and take with this dated mold. I do have an extra gripe with this release concerning Thrust, you can't switch his face out with an open mouth look to recreate the scene where Prime rams him (probably his most iconic scene). I almost felt so petty about it that I wasn't going to include the MP on this list. But there aren't that many Thrust toys out there.








3. Studio Series 76 Bumblebee Movie Thrust

While the Armada toy is not on this list, I do find it very interesting that he was the conehead to break through the pack and become his own character in that continuity. And it's had a lasting impact, as we can see with this toy that borrows the colour scheme from Thrust's Armada version rather than the G1 counterpart. And he is singled out again in the Bumblebee movie by being the only conehead to join the seekers in taking down the tower at the very beginning of the film. The toy itself is very good, much better than the Blitzwing mold, which looked similar at first. Everything connects in a very solid way in both molds and while the bottom of the Cybertronian jet is a bit more chunky than I would like, it does come together well in giving us a new type of Cybertronian alt mode for the seekers. And I love that extra touch of giving him that triangular design behind his head to distinguish him from the other seekers and refer to his conehead roots. Also, of many toys released today, he really has all I would expect from a voyager class mold, with greater complexity and mass (we tend to only get one or the other sometimes).






2. Transformers Unite Warriors Curse Armada Thrust

Does this mean that a combiner wars limb is better than an MP? Hell yeah it does! The deco here is just absolutely sublime. I really like the headsculpt which is a G1ified version of the Armada face and I think it looks better. He's a wonderful homage in one of the coolest combiner sets we have ever gotten. While I am not a fan of the Armada toy, I did like how Thrust distinguished himself as his own character rather than being just another seeker, so I find it a real treat to have a great looking version of that character.
















1. Transformers Generations War for Cybertron Earthrise Thrust

The classics mold was good, and I think the Henkei Thrust (Japanese version of the classics toy) looked especially glorious. And while I do really give props to having the head actually be the nose cone, I admit it did mess with the jet mode, both by being too short and seeing a robot face underneath. This new version gives us the ultimate Thrust toy. We get proper proportions in all modes and makes the classics version feel obsolete (I mean, I personally sold mine). It's a shame he was tough to get for some but that turned out to be the case for most of the coneheads.

Top 5 Best Arcee Transformers Toys

Date: Friday, March 5th 2021 1:21pm CST
Categories: Site Articles, Editorials, Top Lists
Posted by: william-james88

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Views: 97,226

Every month now, Seibertron.com brings you a Top 5 list related to all things Transformers written by me, your fellow editor. These are my opinions (just like movie or game reviews hosted by sites are still just the opinion of one person) so what matters most is what you guys think of the topic or list, and I hope to see your own lists or comments on omissions and ranking. Let's have fun! All previous lists can be found here.


Top 5 Best Arcee Transformers Toys

2020 was the year of Arcee since we had a toy of this character in every line. We got one in Masterpiece, Studio Series, Cyberverse and Generations. So clearly, we now have enough toys to get a decent Top 5 list going on. Here we go!


5. Cyberverse Deluxe Arcee

Arcee was a super fun character on the show, especially thanks to voice actress, Jaime Lamchick, and the toy conveys her lax and gunslinging personality well. Greatly posable, real dynamic, and hey, she comes with an actually useful Maccadam part (hammer!), and unlike other Arcees out in 2020, this one has a manageable and actually accurate backpack.
-notsoalex






4. MP-51 Masterpicee Arcee

The vehicle is absolutely PERFECT. All the details are there. Despite the arms hanging a bit low, the car roll flawlessly. The interior is perfectly detailed, down to even a painted dashboard! Transformation is long and hard, but surprisingly not frustrating. Also, everything felt SOLID in hand with nothing seeming fragile or about to break. |We end up with a pretty nice fembot with a backpack that is not too bad in person, considering that the car mode have NO sacrifices. Obviously, Arcee is back heavy and it limit some poses. The chest and high collar is an odd design choice but it's not too bad, she's still worth every single cent that I paid. Could this Arcee be better? Maybe yes, but some choices had to be made. Here, it's the vehicle mode that got priority so the robot is a bit compromised with her backpack. Regardless, I highly recommend this official MP.
- Kanrabat








3. Prime RID and First Edition Arcee

For the Prime line, certain characters were released twice in totally different molds at the begining. There was the First Edition (FE) version that was supposed to come out first in some sort of exclusive capacity followed by a Robots in Disguise (RID) mold that was meant for a more general release. For most bots, there is a clear winner between the two versions, but not Arcee. It turns out both her FE and RID molds are excellent and you can't go wrong with either of them to represent Prime Arcee in your collection. The RID version is a bit more accurate with her wings but the FE version has that nice complex transformation that adds some unique alt mode integration in the robot mode for the chest area. And both just look great!
-william-james88






2. Animated Arcee

We often get sleeker versions of earth based cars (like Cybertron Hotshot) that don't capitalize on the potential of designing vehicles from other worlds. This one totally fits the bill though. Unlike so many other alt modes, it bravely crosses the line between being a futuristic design to a full blown cybertronian one. It is a great homage to G1 Arcee which is followed through in robot mode and I like the added massive spoilers in the back. That detail gives it enough variation from the traditional Arcee model. Too bad it has exposed hands in vehicle mode though. Props go for it having that signature Arcee backpack without going the easy route and making this a shellformer.
-william-james88






1. Takara Legends Arcee

While we have had several Arcees since this release, two more in the Generations line, this still feels like the best one. As a fan of Transformers toys, vehicle integration goes a long way and of all the Arcees with this G1 vehicle mode, this is the one that tries the hardest. While the backpack is unavoidable, the integration of the hips and chest means there is less to attempt to compact together in the back and you are instead left with what G1 Arcee would look like on the show if her backpack didn't magically shrink. The deco given by Takara just pushes it over the edge for G1 accurate goodness. It's a great toy all around and still the definitive Arcee to this date.
-william-james88

Top 5 Best Shark Themed Transformers Toys

Date: Sunday, August 16th 2020 3:52pm CDT
Categories: Site Articles, Editorials, Top Lists
Posted by: william-james88

Discuss This Topic · Permanent Link
Views: 74,247

Every two weeks, Seibertron.com brings you a Top 5 list related to all things Transformers written by me, your fellow editor. These are my opinions (just like movie or game reviews hosted by sites are still just the opinion of one person) so what matters most is what you guys think of the topic or list, and I hope to see your own lists or comments on omissions and ranking. Let's have fun! All previous lists can be found here.

Top 5 Best Shark Themed Transformers Toys

There are some animals that the Transformers line keeps going back to for inspiration and cool designs. The shark is one of the main ones, and it's been a staple of the brand since the 86 film. So now, let's look at the best shark themed Transformers we got so far.

5. Transformers Beast Wars Fuzors Air Hammer

I just like the insanity of this toy. It combines water and air together, as a Sharknado predecessor and I feel it pulls it off quite well. The beast mode looks good, especially with the awesome paint job that we would never see today which has that fading metallic blue and every feather's tips painted, even on the underside of the wings. While I am not a gimmick guy, I do like chomping options whenever a beast mode has sharp teeth and we get that here in both modes. While the transformation is not mind blowing, I do like that the axis of the figure is flipped and I really like that the dual beast theme is present on the robot mode as well with he head being reminiscent of Airrazor with the three crests but having the middle crest be more prominant, referencing a shark fin. It's just a brilliant design.









4. Transformers Cyberverse Spark Armor Battle Class Skybyte

This toy came out of nowhere. Firstly, the Cyberverse line, in its first year, was just for a younger audience with emphasis on gimmicks with simpler transformations and less articulation and only had G1 characters (or retroactive G1 characters like Windblade). And then we get a line with scout sized figures that had traditional complexity (for a toon based line) and articulation and no obtrusive gimmicks aside from small vehicles that could split up into armour and weapons that attached with 5mm ports, and are also compatible with the Siege line. Plus, we got a new Sky Byte out of that, a character from RID who was a redeco of a Beast Wars toy. So it was really a breath of fresh air in a toyline that seemed rather uninspired in every way. The Transformation to shark mode is great. I really like how the legs are just the right shape to become the shark body. It’s the perfect complexity for a toy this size and both modes look great for an adorable little Sky Byte.








3. Transformers Super God Masterforce Submarauder (Gilmer)

This is one creepy looking Pretender. Submarauder is a mixture of a lot of horific designs like the Creature from the Black Lagoon, a classic Kaiju and something out of the late great H.R. Giger’s twisted imagination, all rolled up into a Shark themed monstrosity with the gills and very prominent fin. There is a lot more at play with the combination of the carapace-like armour design, gribbly pseudo-organic tubes on his chest, strange fin and sucker details and those horrible orange gills in place of a mouth that take him up a notch than just being an upright shark. His inner robot, whilst abstract like most Pretenders, kinda resembled a horseshoe crab in vehicle mode too so at least they keep the water theme going there too. This toy is as good as any other pretender but its look really sets it apart fro the rest.










2. Transformers Legends Gelshark (Generations Sky-Byte)

This is an extremely underrated toy which came and went with few caring. And that is a shame. Not only was this the representative of the Robots in Disguise 2001 / Car Robots line in the thrilling 30, he was also one hell of an update. He was still a shell former like his previous Beast Wars mold roots but unlike his original toy, the shell was very compact and made for elegant wings in robot mode which did not take any attention away from the robot mode. Also, and I can never stress this enough, Takara outdid themselves on the engineering of the chest. The original toy was a shark who transformed into a robot who had a shark-like face on his chest that was a different colour on each side (giving a hint to his states of mind). Of course, the real shark head was still somewhere on the toy (part of his massive shell) so the chest was more of a reference that he was a shark and not supposed to be the shark head. This update however had the shark head actually be the chest as well. No fake parts this time, reducing the shell considerably and making the robot far more sleek. There was even a nice panel flip on the shark's nose to give the chest new robot mode detail and to further look like the original cartoon model. Takara's improved deco for Gelshark goes a long way, longer than any other improved deco, turning a toy many dismissed into, what I consider, a must have. The deco has the head of the shark mimic the asymetric deco of the original toy's chest, something the Hasbro version ignores.












1. Transformers Beast Wars Cybershark

An extremely efficient transformer whose body length shell serves as a great disguise to a very poseable robot. The shark mode has beautiful deco which looks as good as any plastic shark toy found in toy stores in the 90s. What is amazing is that, despite it being a shellformer, it has great alt mode integration that is very reminiscent of traditional transformers with having the head of the alt mode as the chest. A main aspect of the original toys that make up what we call G1 was the disguise component and how they could infiltrate other toylines which didn’t transform. With its phenomenal alt mode, this sharkformer is a perfect example of this legacy. The deco on this toy is as masterful as that headsculpt and he comes armed to the teeth with extra shark themed projectiles (that can be stored within his back) and his pincertail. Of course, that is aside from his hammerhead shark head which he can shoot from his body!









Honourable Mentions: Sharkticons!!!!!!!!!!!!

The main army builder in any Transformers collection turns out to be shark themed too. I was personally never a huge fan of the more rotund look but I won't write a best shark themed list without mentioning these guys!











Also, very important caveat, I did not consider Energon Sharkticon for this list. Though the name is shark themed I felt the figure itself was just tangentially related to the animal and thus I considered more shark-like toys. If you want to see a proper entry for that toy, here it is: /transformers ... oys/35168/

Top 10 Best Shockwave Transformers Toys (Updated)

Date: Monday, July 13th 2020 12:12am CDT
Categories: Site Articles, Editorials, Top Lists
Posted by: william-james88

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Views: 90,446

Every two weeks, Seibertron.com brings you a Top 5 list related to all things Transformers written by me, your fellow editor. Nathaniel Prime also joins us this week. These are our opinions so what matters most is what you guys think of the topic or list, and I hope to see your own lists or comments on omissions and ranking. Let's have fun! All previous lists can be found here.


Top 10 Best Shockwave Transformers Toys


This will be my third time doing a list of best Shockwaves, something I haven't done for any other character. There is a reason though, for a long time there was some sort of drought for the character to the point where people (including me) were using redecos of Whirl and Jazz as stand ins on their shelves for a decent Shockwave. Well, with Hasbro doing their best to give us definitive toys of the various versions of Shockwave out there, I can finally do a list including only toys that were made primarily with Shockwave in mind. It's pretty cool that we live in an age now where I can make a list of top 10 Shockwave toys and no longer need to include redecos. Hopefully this list can stay as it is for a while, now let's get to it!


10. Transformers Energon Shockblast (Laser Wave)

Now this is a fun figure and a nice new take on Shockwave. He has all that you would expect from a Shockwave figure such as a gun arm (the biggest he has ever had!), a perfect headsculpt, and a hexagonal chest. This is a solid figure where everything perfectly clicks and fits together just fine. What I really love is how his cybertronian cannon mode has his head and chest visible (since as with most Shockwaves, the alt modes are rearranged robot parts with no new alt mode detail) but the angle of his head is flush with his shoulder making a smooth uninterrupted surface, hiding the head in plain sight. The robot chest also blends well by being mirrored on the back, adding a nice sense of symmetry and integrating the chest as the alt mode’s body. This figure is an interesting study of contrast between symmetry in the alt mode and asymmetry in the robot mode. It’s like Shockwave himself, perfectly logical, but dark and twisted.









And for fun, he also has a 4th fan mode that works ok.




9. Transformers Combiner Wars Legends Shockwave

Combiner Wars Legends Shockwave is a perfectly fine legends class toy and deserves some praise. His alt mode can be both a space ship or a gun which fits in the hands of Combiners, like Bruticus, letting fans recreate a favourite G1 scene. The robot mode is spot on for Shockwave and I like how they used clear plastic effectively on this toy for a stunning deco.








8. Beast Hunter Shockwave

This is a solid and great feeling toy. He has a hulking robot mode with the widest chest/shoulders found on any Shockwave design. Unlike most versions, this mad scientist seems to be as strong as he is intelligent. The legends class "Cyberverse" figure transforms just about the same way. While that makes for a great smaller figure, that means that the transformation is a bit lackluster for a voyager class figure. The alt mode is thus not much to go on but the robot mode works well. I especially like how they hide the hose as a tank thread in the voyager, as well as the working wheels found under the feet that only touch the ground in alt mode, it’s very well done. Speaking of things that were well done, the cyberverse version of the mold was surprisingly well served as Bludgeon. This toy does pale in comparison to the other toys found in the Prime line and the odd alt mode and big gimmicky gun arm (two issues also found with Energon Shockwave) keep him from being higher on the list.






7. Transformers Cyberverse deluxe Shockwave

The colour, is a nice full grape colour. Not too dark ala G1 toy but still very full. The deco is pretty great, with a nice use of panel lining on both the front and back. There are some neatly painted pink highlights across the figures, as if to give a sense of the energy coursing through him. While the alt mode is new for Shockwave, a spider-tank, the designers did keep gun barrel element from the G1 design on his legs. It's a nice touch. They also went out of their way to fully transform the hands to spider tank feet and make the spider tank head more different than just his robot mode chest, by adding palps. This not only makes him more screen accurate but it also adds to the spider theme.








6. Studio Series Shockwave

Say what you want about the Bay movies, the design for Shockwave was pretty spot on for that world. He looked like a badass sci fi robot. The portrayal is another story, but the movie design translated perfectly well into the toy, who looked a bit smoother than the usual movie figures up to that point. I would even say Shockwave is the best movie Bayverse design we got. It looks enough like Shockwave, yet also very alien and robotic, yet with some organic aspects adding the fact that these mechanical beings are a living species in their own right. The single eye helps a lot to convey the robotic elements.

I was gonna put the two best movie Shockwave toys on this list as a tie since I like them both as much but in different ways. However, I have a top 10 for different Shockwave molds so I wanted to highlight them separately and give my thoughts on them individually. While it's a marginal range in my admiration of the figure, I would say that while this toy looks amazing in robot mode, imitating the best Transformers design from the Michael Bay series, as a toy I still prefer the voyager. But I'll talk of that one shortly, let's get back to this behemoth. I just love how imposing that robot mode is. The rib cage has a nice Geiger feel to it, creating an unsettling feeling. The dry brush paint job is a big plus too. I could have done with more articulating with the hands though, along with less of that easily mishapen soft plastic and greater stability in the ankles. He will stand fine, but posing him is always a bit harder than it should be. I also totally buy him as a leader class toy. While he may seem small for one, especially since he takes some cues and parts from the voyager Megatron mold, when comparing to the previous voyager Shockwave we have, its clear this is much bigger. And I never heard complaining about the DOTM Shockwave toy not living up to its voyager name, so this leader toy warrants his class name just as much.












5. Transformers Dark of the Moon Voyager Shockwave (Movie the Best Shockwave)

While the Studio Series leader is more accurate, I really love what the designers did with this toy. For a simple example, look at the thrusters on the robot mode's back. The leader class doesn't do anything with them, while in the voyager toy they are split up into becoming wheels for the alt mode. It's a rather complex transformation with a lot more folding than you'd think, especially in the leg area, creating different panel detail for the robot and tank mode. I also love how the hands fold away into groove on his arm and attach to the vehicle. It just feels really structured as a transformation. Plus we have a nice face mask, to help the aspect of visible head syndrome and add another level of uniqueness to the alt mode, making it more than just the robot in a different pose. All this effort to provide us a classic conversion experience for a character that didn't transform in the movie really scores bonus points for me. And even better, the most recent release of this toy, the "Movie The Best" version, has an amazing deco.








4. Transformers Animated Shockwave

This toy is unlike any other Transformer ever designed by Hasbro. Spoilers for the Transformers Animated series abound. The idea behind this toy is for it to be Shockwave disguised as an Autobot who looks completely different with a different alt mode. The real fun is converting him from small stocky Autobot Longarm into the Decepticon Shockwave. The little hands turn into claws, the normal looking autobot face loses his mouth, nose and eyes for only the red cyclops eye to remain and the stocky limbs lengthen to reveal a tall and lean creepy silhouette. Speaking of height, this is a tall voyager figure, just look at that picture of him next to Megatron. I can’t think of that many Transformers which had as much value as this one. Definitely one of the best Transformer toy designs of all time.










3. Transformers G1 1985 Shockwave (Laserwave)

The G1 toy is still an amazing toy. Any lack in articulation is offset by the playability factor and heft. It's an awesome space gun that turns into a cool looking robot, the argument stops right there!

It still holds up and I really like how he looks, his articulation, and his lights and sounds. - Nathaniel Prime






2. Transformers Masterpiece MP 29(or 29+) Shockwave

While not overly complex, this Masterpiece gets the job done. It's Shockwave as anyone may have expected him. They basically modernized his transformation, and added more articulation from his G1 toy. I really like the light piping here, Takara really made sure it would pick up any light around and amplify it as much as possible. Both decos are nice, depending on what you want though I can definitely see how that + version's purple may be more appealing. And this is one MP toy what I find really warrants those electronics.











1. Transformers War for Cybertron Siege Shockwave

I love how unlike the Mastepriece version, this being a definitive Shockwave figure was just a building block to build more upon. To me this is not the Shockwave figure to own if you can't own the MP (ala POTP Leader Prime). Instead it is simply THE Shockwave to own. - William-James88

He has everything a Shockwave could have in a CHUG size package( properly voyager size too). I really like his extra bits he comes with, and some of his combinations with them are really cool. I really like his superstarship mode, but come on, he finally gets a gun mode in this size, even if he has to Sixshot his way for one. Did I mention his colors and articulation are perfect too? -Nathaniel Prime

Top 5 Best Grimlock Transformers Toys

Date: Saturday, April 25th 2020 2:41pm CDT
Categories: Site Articles, Editorials, Top Lists
Posted by: william-james88

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Views: 82,136

Every two weeks, Seibertron.com brings you a Top 5 list related to all things Transformers written by me, your fellow editor. These are my opinions (just like movie or game reviews hosted by sites are still just the opinion of one person) so what matters most is what you guys think of the topic or list, and I hope to see your own lists or comments on omissions and ranking. Let's have fun! All previous lists can be found here.


Top 5 Best Grimlock Transformers toys

Grimlock is one of the most iconic and popular characters in the Transformers brand. I made a list three years ago for his best toys and I must say there wasn't the cornocopia of great Grimlock toys we have now, so I really felt this character needed another list. He feels a lot like Shockwave and Ironhide where even though they are classic characters, it took a while for Hasbro to give us some really great toys for our collections. Well, I am glad Grimlock is now getting his due.


5. Transformers G1 1985 Grimlock

The Dinobots are some of the crown jewels of any G1 collection and while their poseability is nothing to brag about, they will always looks great. Grimlock especially with his massive shoulders and decorative wings, adding to his upper mass. His T-Rex tail become the legs brings equal mass to his lower area, offsetting any top heaviness. The colours are also just great, with that gold just popping. It was a smart transformation and one that keeps getting carried over through different iterations over the years, even the movie toy covered above. And that biologically incorrect T-Rex mode adds to this toy being a time capsule of the 80s era while also giving him a more stylized mechanical dinosaur look, turning something dated into a timeless design.






4. Transformers Studio Series SS-07 Grimlock

FINALLY a good movie Grimlock figure came out. The previous voyager was not bad, but it wasn't something great. This one though really takes it up a notch. Firstly, they make him as big as you could while trying to still fit in a leader class box and then they give it a sweet air brush deco that is found all throughout the toy, making him look much closer to how he appearaed in the film. Speaking of that, we finally have a grimlock which, like in the film, has 2 full T-Rex heads as shoulder pads. And that second T-rex head is hiding in plain sight when in dino mode is pretty cool to me. I always love clever details like that. There is actually a lot of the robot mode detail hiding in plain sight in the dino mode, but that gives it a nearly kibble free robot mode. He is a tad simple, and not all pieces like to stay in place, but his imposing stature and look in both modes make him an easy pick for a list of the best Grimlock toys around.










3. Transformers Cyberverse Ultimate Grimlock

What's so fun to me about that toy is that it feels like a toy we would have gotten in the Cybertron line from the unicron trilogy, right down to a spring gimmick. It's something that both kids and collectors could enjoy while really having a presence and a smart transformation that feels familiar yet has some extra tricks to it. And it just looks so good as an update to g1 while being it's own take at the same time, and a the price of a voyager figure, you sure got your money's worth with this big beefy looking toy.










2. Transformers Adventure TAV-30 Battle Grimlock / Robots in Disguise Platinum Grimlock

Lipstick on a pig is an expression fans throw around when there is a deeply flawed Transformers toy that Hasbro or Takara tries to amerliorate with a paint job. It doesn't always work and usually the toy ends up remaining just the same, but with lipstick. However, this is a good example of a time when it worked. Of course some retooling helped a lot to the point where this Robots in Disguise Battle Grimlock (the Hasbro version was just called RID Grimlock) feels very different from the Fall of Cybertron Grimlock toy it is based on, with different transformation steps too. The shoulders which were once a mess are reworked and made simpler and less frustrating, and if you didn't know the mold existed before you would think this was made just for this character. They reworked a lot of pieces from the original and give it a faithful colour scheme (Hasbro's version is a tad less faithful). Here is a quick example to show how it keeps the base mold yet reworks it.










1. Transformers Masterpiece Grimlock (Grimlock (MP-08))

What can I say at this point that hasn't been said? This toy is nearly flawless. It has an imposing robot mode and a smooth Dinosaur mode that looks exactly like the show but with the extra shine of the G1 toy. The Transformation is well executed as it replicates the G1 transformation while taking modern engineering into account. Plus he is fully poseable and comes in gorgeous comic colours as well (and there is a version with hus tux too if you want). After three years and a huge influx of Grimlocks, nothing's come close.










Honourable Mention:

I didn't have an honourable mention last time, but now that we have more toys, you can look back on the previous list to see who didn't make the cut this time around: /transformers ... oys/38563/

Also, I do want to mention another: Transformers Animated Grimlock.

While he isn't too innovative on the G1 formula transformation wise, I do like like how they were able to get the proportions and cartoon look into an actual toy. And he is a solid toy, as is most of the animated line, probably even one of best voyager class toys from that whole line.

Top 5 Best Transformers Toys with Drill Themed Alt Modes

Date: Friday, April 10th 2020 11:35pm CDT
Categories: Site Articles, Editorials, Top Lists
Posted by: william-james88

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Views: 75,414

Every two weeks, Seibertron.com brings you a Top 5 list related to all things Transformers written by me, your fellow editor. These are my opinions (just like movie or game reviews hosted by sites are still just the opinion of one person) so what matters most is what you guys think of the topic or list, and I hope to see your own lists or comments on omissions and ranking. Let's have fun! All previous lists can be found here.


Top 5 Best Transformers Toys with Drill Themed Alt Modes

You'd be surprised how many Transformers turn into drill themed alt modes, mainly drill tanks. They come up throughout the generations. G1 alone had a Powerdasher, Twin Twist, Nosecone and Drill Horn. All those got redone in the Generations line (even multiple times for some). Beast Wars couldn't resist keeping the drill theme with Drill-Bit, the Unicron Trilogy gave us Menasor, and one of the best toys from the current Cyberverse line includes a drill tank that you can take apart to armor up Sky Byte. Even the comics made a big deal of the drill tank alt mode when it was believed to be Rung's fabled mysterious alt mode. Just to say that it's a theme we keep seeing. Now that we recently got another toy of this type with Generations Selects Zetar, I thought it would be a fun theme of toys to explore. And I am sure all of us would like a fun distraction at the moment.


5. Transformers G1 Victory Drillhorn

While there were many drill tanks in the long G1 era, the only one who's update was rather lackluster compared to the original is Drillhorn. What's great about the G1 version, aside from it being an original mold of a decent looking drilltank, is how Takara went all out on the animal theme. The Liokaiser combiner, as the name would suggest, had an animal theme going on where each bot not only had an animal styled helmet but also a triple changing animal partner. Drillhorn had a robot Rhino buddy that turned into a gun and a chest shield. Add that to him also being a combiner component and you just have loads of playability in one set.












4. Transformers Cybertron Menasor (Moledive)

While the Transformation is barely anything to talk about, it's still quite an imposing toy in both robot mode and alt mode and that drill plays a big factor in that. And I always like to plug in the Unicron trilogy since it's an often forgotten generations but here we see that they were being new and fresh in designs while still homaging some aspects of G1, like the idea of drill tanks and reusing G1 names like Menasor. I just love how nightmarish this toy is in that nimble looking alt mode with that cowcatcher and drill weapons extended out on both sides, making this seem far more offensive in design than anything linked to construction.











3. Transformers Power Core Combiners Sledge

The Power Core combiners get a bad rap for their combiner limbs, which is understandable. They arent articulated, don't have their own bot modes, and are spring loaded. But that bad rap should not extend to the core bots where several are very good toys all on their own. Like Sledge for instance who looks great in both alt mode and robot mode. What takes him up a notch is his partner Throttler who probably has the best (or most convincing) alt mode, which is a big drill. You can attach that drill to Sledge's alt mode or even to his chest in robot mode. It also turns into an armour for both Sledge in robot mode and the bigger combiner.












2. Titans Return Twin Twist

Top Spin and Twin Twist were a big surprise for me in Titans Return. They were easily the most lackluster G1 figures for me, and we didn't really have better versions of these cool characters looking as they did in the G1 comics. But then Titans Return came and the designers went all out on these. For starters, these were big deluxes. Also, as with the G1 toys, even though they transform similarly and have a similar build, there was enough difference in the two molds to make them distinct more than just in colour scheme. Which should be the case when they have different alt modes. I really like the transformation, where it requires big pivoting movements and how the arms recede is always very satisfying.






1. Transformers Unite Warriors Nosecone

This toy is perfect. Combiner Wars was founded on the idea that henceforth, you could maximize a single design by using it for several characters. While fans were happy it meant they would get lots of characters all at once, I was hesitant. And my fears came true when I saw the poor excuse of a drill tank that Hasbro had in mind with reusing the Combiner Wars Brawl tank mold and adding a tooth pick at the end of it and calling it a day. No way Jose, the drill tank is a sacred alt mode, it needs a good update, not an extra accessory added to the worse mold of the line. Well, Takara answered my call and gave us a really good drill tank in its Combiner Wars line with Unite Warriors Nosecone. I really love how that front drill can even be removed and can become a hand for Computron, which is just cherry on the sunday.














Honourable Mention

Transformers Cyberverse Spark Armor Battle Class Skybyte

Speaking of drill hands, Spark Armor Sky Byte also has that ability. His smaller drill tank drone's drill front can either be handheld or totally fit onto the hand of Sky Byte. It's a great smaller toy all around and easily the best of the first year of the Cyberverse line. And you can see more about him here.

Top 5 Best Ratchet Transformers Toys

Date: Sunday, March 15th 2020 12:00am CDT
Categories: Site Articles, Editorials, Top Lists
Posted by: william-james88

Discuss This Topic · Permanent Link
Views: 68,110

Every two weeks, Seibertron.com brings you a Top 5 list related to all things Transformers written by me, your fellow editor. These are my opinions (just like movie or game reviews hosted by sites are still just the opinion of one person) so what matters most is what you guys think of the topic or list, and I hope to see your own lists or comments on omissions and ranking. Let's have fun! All previous lists can be found here.


Top 5 Best Ratchet Transformers Toys


It seems like Hasbro and Takara waited until after I wrote my first Best of Ironhide list to finally do him some justice, at least in terms of toys with his G1 design. Since both characters often share the same design and toys, the fact that I waited until now for a Top 5 Ratchet means that we can get a much better representation of that character. So let's get to it.

5. Studio Series Ratchet

While it is a slight improvement over the Dark of the Moon Ratchet figure, that still means it is building off of the best movie Ratchet we ever had. It has an involved but pleasant transformation for a deluxe which becomes very dynamic due to all the 180 turns you keep having to perform. That makes makes this one of my go to toys when I just want to experience a nice transformation. With the scale revised in the Studio Series line, this Studio Series Ratchet ends up looking better in scale with the rest of the toys in its toyline than the original Dark of the Moon mold did. Plus there are some really nice additions, like the headlights on his shoulders, which were resent in the film and easy to see since they were turned on when this character was first introduced to Sam at night time. Of course, that means the Dark of the Moon repaint is just as good, if not better depending on your preferences in the deco and weapon. - William-James88









4. Transformers Animated Cybertron Mode Ratchet

The first thing I notice when I hold any figure from this line is the quality of the plastic. The figure feels very sturdy in hand in either mode. I really wish more Transformers figures were this durable because I don't feel like I need to worry about the toy breaking. Transformers are meant to be enjoyed and played with. It's a lot easier to enjoy the experience of transforming and posing when you don't have to worry about something breaking.

Getting back to what I specifically enjoy about this figure, I would have to say that the altmode is really fun because it's a creative fantasy vehicle. It's looks like a frog mixed with a tank that is also somehow an ambulance. A tank-frog-bulance? Is that even a word? It is now. He is also unique in the way that his play feature is to use his defibrillator pads to revive his allies.

I also have to say that I like that we got a happy looking Ratchet. He's usually serious or grumpy but this figure does a great job or representing the younger Ratchet we see in Transformers Animated before he aged and grew to be more hardened by his experiences. - Wreckerjack








3. Transformers Prime: Robots In Disguise Ratchet

Fans of the Transformers Prime TV show can appreciate the level of care that went into sculpting Ratchet's features. His head and torso are well molded and the details are very accurate to the show. I am glad they chose to keep his transformation simple by molding these things and painting them. They didn't miss a beat with the doors on his chest or his grill. One of my favorite things about this figure is how the light piping is used to give our grumpy ol' docbot glowing optics to enhance his expression.

One of the coolest things is the arms are designed to hide his hands when he holds his scalpel blades if you choose to fold them in. It also works nicely with his transformation and feels satisfying when the forearm panels click into place. This makes posing him an absolute blast. Of course you can have him hold his weapons any way you'd like and still get great poses.- Wreckerjack






2. Transformers Masterpiece Ratchet

Oh man, I remember getting this toy as Ironhide and being blown away. We finally had a good update to that G1 design and it was far better than decent, it was grrrrrreat! And then we got Ratchet, which we all saw coming, and I think he looks even better. Mainly due to the pelvic area which looks less bloated, and I really like the EKG display feature you can have for his chest. This toy is the winner we all knew it would be. - William-James88










1. Siege Ratchet

Was that so hard?! All we wanted, for over a decade, was to have an updated version of the G1 toy that was not as awful and not hard to get. And yet, Ratchet always got the shaft. We got the very poor Universe toy, and then there was the slight retool in Combiner Wars that was only available if you went to the Custom Class at Botcon or ought an entire Takara Unit Warriors Lynxmaster. But that is all behind us now because Hasbro has now given us perfectly fine Siege Ratchet that, while still exclusive, was more accessible than the previous attempt at a Classics Ratchet. I really love that they went the extra mile, more than even the MP which had to stay cartoon accurate, at making him unique from Inrohide. Every surface detailing is different, even his hands. I was so impressed I wrote an entire article on just that. He even got special accessories and the asymmetric detailing on his forearms to give him sculpted surgical tools was a really nice touch. That played into the med bay mode they also gave him. Ratchet was never given as much special attention in a toy and he feels truly unique, which I think is a great way to represent a bot who I believe is an icon within the franchise. - William-James88








Honourable Mentions:

I always liked the first movie's voyager class toy. It was very well engineered and it was a nice mix of the blocky transformations of old with some more complexity thrown in for detail and good measure (like the legs morphing). It kept being reissued for every film almost, that's how good the mold was. I would also like to give a shout out to the Cyberverse Spark Armor Ratchet since I love the design and transformation. There is a lot going on for a scout class toy there.

Top 10 Best Transformers Action Figure Hauls of 2019

Date: Sunday, January 5th 2020 12:06pm CST
Categories: Site Articles, Editorials, Top Lists
Posted by: D-Maximal_Primal | Credit(s): D-Maximal_Primal

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Views: 82,858

Another year, another round of toys! 2019 offered up not only some excellent new figures, but it also provided collectors of all ages plenty of opportunity to collect older figures as well.

And that is what we will be focusing on today. Today, I will be sharing with you the Top 10 Transformers that I collected last year, and then you can comment on the hauls as well as share your own Top 10 of 2019! And remember: any figure you bought from January 1, 2019 through December 31, 2019 is fair game for your lists! And the figures don't have to be ranked based on being technically good, they should also be ranked on how much joy they gave you.

So here we go!

10) Transformers 2007 Movie Premium Optimus Prime

This was the figure that I was hunting when I went to TFcon D.C. this year, which was also my first ever TFcon. And it was a great experience! If you haven't gotten to go to a convention like this, I highly recommend you do.

But back to Prime: I have the leader Allspark Power Nightwatch version of this mold from the 1st movie, and it is my all time favorite Transformer, the one I could not give up ever. And I wanted to find the version with the sword, very badly. But throughout the Con, I could not find a hint of it, anywhere. And then, when me and my buddies were getting ready to leave, I ran to grab one final autograph. And after getting that, I saw a Prime on top of a pile at a table; it was the Leader with a gun; underneath that, a 2nd of the same Prime; and then, somehow, at the bottom of the pile, was a 3rd Leader Prime, and it was the one with the sword.

I got him! It was a great find, and one I will cherish not only since it is a good figure, but also because of the circumstances of the score.



9) Studio Series Dark of the Moon Optimus Prime

This one ends up on the list not for being the best Studio Series figure, but for being the one that I had been hoping to happen for 8 years.

When I saw Dark of the Moon, all I wanted was a Prime with a trailer that turned into a combat arsenal and flight tech, and it finally happened. And while it does leave some to be desired in terms of trailer detailing/paint, it is still a joy to finally get this set as I had always wanted and envisioned it.



8 ) Ghostbusters / Transformers Ectotron

At the beginning of this year, we knew a Ghostbusters MP-10 was coming out, but we had no idea this wonderful thing was coming. And it was the most fantastic surprise ever. Not only is it a wonderful crossover of 2 franchises I love, but it is also a very very good figure in and of itself. Ectotron is a wonderful figure that is so full of fun stuff, least of all being the first ever Transformer with a Proton Pack.

Ectotron was probably the greatest surprise of 2019, and is one of the best of the year, retro-hauls and all.



7) Siege Omega Supreme

This was a late entry to my collection this year, but ever since I have gotten him, I can't stop messing with and talking about him. Omega is the Titan that we have always deserved, he is of great quality and posability, with intricate detailing and some great paint work. Not to mention his transformation is really fun and his alt mode has so much playability. Omega is a fantastic figure, and one that everyone should get if they want a Titan figure.



6) Studio Series Rampage

My Studio Series figure of the year. Rampage this year was a lot like Jazz from 2018 - He is immensely fun. He is the best figure, technically? No. He doesn't even have elbows. But is he ridiculously fun, and also forms a leg to a massive combiner? Absolutely. Rampage is a wonderful Decepticon figure, and is one of the best Studio Series figures of the year, and one of the best figures of the year.



5) Siege Smashdown

I cannot stop singing the praises of this figure. For a $6 figure, this thing delivers so much. For one thing, a Minotaur that turns into a Hammer. That is brilliant. And then, a hammer, the one sole hammer that we have got in the battlemaster class, one of the few melee weapons, and one of the few hammers we got in the decade. Hammers are rare in Transformers, and I love every single one of them.

This is a figure where you can get 5 of them (like me) or more, and not feel like you've wasted money. Get as many of them as you can. And with a re-release coming in Earthrise, it's evident Hasbro recognized how good Smashdown is.



4) MPM-8 Megatron

While I ranked Smashdown as the figure of the year, Megatron is the most important figure of the year to me. This was a masterpiece of my first ever Transformer, and it was a perfect update. This is a huge figure that impresses in so many ways, not least of which is the fact that he is combiner sized and heavy as heck. He is wonderfully painted, and the sculpting is perfect. This was the update I really wanted my first Transformer to have, and it was delivered upon perfectly.





3) Armada Powerlinx Jetfire

The final 3 on my list are older figures, and those 3 start with Jetfire. I have recently been getting into the Unicron Trilogy, and bought a lot from those lines this year. Armada Jetfire was one of the very first figures I got this year, and it should say a lot that one of the first is in the top 3 of my year-long list.

This Jetfire is really good and really fun. For one thing, he is a massive shuttle, and he forms a great giant robot from that shuttle. The Powerlinx colors are great on him, and I love the faceplated head. And then he forms the pants to a giant Prime. This is an insanely fun figure by himself, and he's a team player too. I could not be happier to have him.



2) G1 Dreadwind and Darkwing / Dreadwing

This was a pair where the story is as important as the actual find. This was a 1:00 AM Friday night hotel find at TFcon D.C., where both of these, as well as a G1 Slapdash and Flywheels, were up for a barter for a half hour, with some help from a friend of mine from the Podcast. Finally, after a half hour, I got the price I wanted, and suddenly I had 3 of the Powermasters in one go, and these 2 are the greatest of that. I now have 5 of the Powermasters, including all 3 Decepticons, and plan to finish that entire team this year.

But back to these 2: not only was getting them a highlight, but these 2 are pretty dang good by themselves. The robots and jets are really good, and then the combined jet mode is really fun and bonkers. It's a sign to me that G1 still has some pretty nice tricks up its sleeve, and I love the entire Powermaster team/concept.



1) Cybertron Defense Red Alert

I will be fully honest, this one was a huge surprise to me. Whenever the Siege Selects Cybertron Defense Hot Shot was revealed, I ended up getting the original from a Twitter friend, and once getting him, I decided to get the other 2 members of the team if I could. And late Saturday night at TFcon, I found a boxed Red Alert and scored him for a great price with the last of my cash (and some help from previously mentioned friend/podcaster).

And wow, this figure is so good. So so good. This is a large toy that has some great weapons, poses pretty dang well, and is just fun. And that chest and head sculpt are fantastic. This is the figure of the year for me, special both for how I got it, and for just how dang good the toy itself is. It is pure joy.



Honorable Mentions:

- Classics Optimus Prime

This was another TFcon haul, and while it was not a Top 10 of the year, it is still a great toy that is fun to mess around with and is a good toy all on its own. It feels good to experience a mold so many have had such high praise for.

- G1 Pretender Jazz

Also TFcon haul, this one was complete and a surprise to find for his price. After some Toyhax stickers, he is nearly perfect, and is a wonderful Pretender addition.

- Cyberverse Ultimate Grimlock

I got 4 Cyberverse figures, and this Grimlock is a great toy. He is one of the best Grimlocks we have ever gotten, and he's a great Cyberverse toy. He also has a fun gimmick. This is a toy that Cyberverse needed, and it's one I am glad to own.

- G1 Powermaster Prime with Apex Armor

I got this figure in the fall, and it was wonderful. This G1 toy is incredibly fun, with tons of great features and gimmicks. Every mode has something fun about it, and it is a large great toy.