Transformers: Energon & Beyond

[El Chuxter]

I saw the Universe Sunstreaker, Prowl, and Tankor Octane at TRU today. They look SWEET.

However, they're $10.99, and I'm pretty certain WM and Target will have them for less, and they shouldn't be too hard to find, being the first releases in the line.

[figrin bran]

I saw the Universe Sunstreaker, Prowl, and Tankor Octane at TRU today. They look SWEET.

However, they're $10.99, and I'm pretty certain WM and Target will have them for less, and they shouldn't be too hard to find, being the first releases in the line.

So should I direct you to the posts where I discussed the huge disappointment that is Tankor/Octane or let you find out for yourself?

[JediTricks]

I saw that review on Silverbolt, confirms everything I suspected from the first pictures. Awful awful awful.

I'll pay $10.99 each when I see 'em. WM and Target aren't even putting them on pegs yet. I haven't seen 'em yet though.

[figrin bran]

I found a restock of Universe Classics at the local TRU this morning but the scalpers were all over them.

While they were fighting over those, I was able to pick out the Leader class animated Megs with the best paint app. I used the McDonald's coupon but it ended up only saving me a dollar. Still a dollar's a dollar.

I've only transformed him once so far but my initial impressions are that though I'd give him a high grade, he does lose points for being a lego former.

I say this about every TF copter/rotor powered aircraft (just to include Incinerator into the conversation) but the rotors could've been done better. In this case, they opted to have the two blades "spin linked". The end result is even worse than Blackout and Incinerator as the gears are so tight and ratcheted that you can't spin them rapidly at all. So when is Hasbro going to figure out that free spinning is the best solution.

Bot mode for Megs is very imposing looking and he definitely makes the grade based on that.

[Tycho]

Glad you liked him. I did too when I was looking at him.

You forgot to mention that he talks and his mouth moves when he says stuff.

How cool is that? I like that feature on the toys actually. I think it worked for the 12" Indiana Jones.

Though the Falcon won't have moving mouths, it will be fun to play with that on the BMF, too.

[JediTricks]

Spotted TFA Leader Megs at TRU Burbank today. He looks ok, but seems too small for a Leader-class figure. I'm surprised to hear he legoforms, how so?

Found TFU Prowl and Sunstreaker as well, same store, in the middle of the afternoon no less. No Tankors though, why anybody would hoard what appears to be the line's big loser is beyond me, but I'm thrilled to have these 2.

Transformers Universe Prowl - very cool, wish the wheels were fatter and the paint were a little better or more interesting, but otherwise lots of nifty stuff going on, clever transformation bits, good poseability. Side view is a little gappy, I don't like how the shoulders or torso look from here at all, and the whole thing could use better paint. Homage is good stuff, 280z to a 350z, shoulder rockets, even the chest hood, door wings, and rear end legs make it charming. Still, it's nifty

TFU Sunstreaker - alt mode is good but like their last lamborghini attempt (RID Prowl), they kinda thicken up the car vertically. Deco is badly hurt by yellow paint on black part, impossible to do this right on this budget (needs an extra primer coat underneath). Transformation has a lot of weird and wild stuff going on, kinda Alternators-y. Bot mode is cool, one of the best G1 homages yet (and you can see how they're gonna do Sideswipe with this mold which is cool, a good variation) and just clever on its own. No torso gapping which is great, feels like a rough customer. Head is automorph geared to reveal, also reveals the ears, but this leaves the chest at a 1 or 2 degree angle (you can kinda work with it to get out of there, but it doesn't ratchet so it could break). Upper arms slide off, but I don't mind. A real winner.


It's funny, both have paint issues, and both have instructions that don't fulfill entirely (the feet pulling all the way down on Prowl, the beginning order on both is a bit out of whack).

[figrin bran]

Oops, I forgot about Animated Megs' talking feature.

JT, the part of him that legoforms is the bottom part of the cockpit where the cannon is attached. When you transform to bot mode, you pull that entire section out and then lock it onto either wrist.

Wow, that's hilarious that Burbank TRU had those deluxes at midday because at LF TRU this morning, two of our local scalpers were fighting over them. That's why I wasn't able to stash for you but in the end you still got them. Believe me, it's no loss that you don't have Tankor yet.

On my Prowl's (Universe) car mode, there are some horribly large seams in the front, especially that area between the doors and windshield - is yours the same? And on that piece comprised by part of the hood and bumper that flips to reveal the head, there's no black paint along the seams. Lastly on the rear window, there's an awful lot of white between the seams. Tell me I just happened to get a really poorly painted Prowl, JT and it's not like this across the board! I haven't had the benefit of examining other Prowls closely as the 2 times I've seen Universe deluxes at stores, scalpers have always been present and swooping in on these. They seem to snatch Tankor first which makes me laugh inside a bit.

[El Chuxter]

So should I direct you to the posts where I discussed the huge disappointment that is Tankor/Octane or let you find out for yourself?

I have the original Octane.

It would be really tough to not improve upon that.

[JediTricks]

JT, the part of him that legoforms is the bottom part of the cockpit where the cannon is attached. When you transform to bot mode, you pull that entire section out and then lock it onto either wrist.

Ah, ok. I don't consider that legoforming, it's a weapon, it's not uncommon for that sort of thing to behave that way. It being integral to alt mode is not uncommon these days either. Aren't all the axes on the Animated Optimus Primes the same thing?

Wow, that's hilarious that Burbank TRU had those deluxes at midday because at LF TRU this morning, two of our local scalpers were fighting over them. That's why I wasn't able to stash for you but in the end you still got them. Believe me, it's no loss that you don't have Tankor yet.

Scalpers are going to be more desperate with gas so high, I hope it chokes the life right out of their foul deeds.

And yeah, I didn't mind not finding Tankor, the previous triple-changer disappointed and this one looks to be worse.

On my Prowl's (Universe) car mode, there are some horribly large seams in the front, especially that area between the doors and windshield - is yours the same? And on that piece comprised by part of the hood and bumper that flips to reveal the head, there's no black paint along the seams. Lastly on the rear window, there's an awful lot of white between the seams. Tell me I just happened to get a really poorly painted Prowl, JT and it's not like this across the board! I haven't had the benefit of examining other Prowls closely as the 2 times I've seen Universe deluxes at stores, scalpers have always been present and swooping in on these. They seem to snatch Tankor first which makes me laugh inside a bit.

Yeah, snaking Tankor is a laffer! Can I interest you guys in buying some rare 1996 pennies too?

First off, on my Prowl, the paint is tacky on the fenders and doors, that's kinda lame. As for gapping, there are a lot of paint issues where the white shows through. I wouldn't say there are huge seams though, there's a small physical gap where the windshield meets the door though, that's bad design. And there's gapping in bot mode. I'd say you probably got a fair version, the paint isn't great, but yours probably is a little higher on the offend-o-meter.

I have the original Octane.

It would be really tough to not improve upon that.

And yet, they failed. Compare and despair:
http://tformers.com/reviews.php?op=showcontent&id=920
http://www.tfu.info/1986/Decepticon/Octane/octane.htm
The new head isn't as good as the old, and the new truck mode looks like it's pooping a plane.

[Jedi_Kal-El]

You guys are making me wonder if getting back into the Universe line is even worth it. I have most of the first Universe line, so I imagine I'll end up picking up some of these new ones eventually.