Ultra Magnus
Transformers - Generation 1 (Hasbro) - Series 3
Rated 4.25 stars by Karl T. Face
Magnus was an interesting toy. We hadn't really seen any major upgrades to existing Transformers yet, and here was this white Optimus with a car carrier trailer that becomes an exo-suit. But that point has been discussed ad infinitum, so how's the toy? Right off the bat, mine's not in the best shape. Everything's nice and tight (worryingly so in some cases), the chrome is just near death. Which hardly matters to me, as it's only ever getting displayed in two modes; vehicle(s) and robot. In that order, we've got a very boxy car carrier here, with room for four cars. The rocket launchers stick straight out the front, but I haven't figured out what to do with the hands and rifle. I do know the helmet fits on the chestplate to form a sort of mobile gun emplacement. We get a pretty full range...[See More]

Wheelie
Transformers - Generation 1 (Hasbro) - Series 3
Rated 2.00 stars by Karl T. Face
Well, it's Wheelie. If you're the type to want to read Transformers toy reviews, you're probably not a fan of this guy. Hell, Floro Dery doesn't care much for him, and he designed him! But that doesn't necessarily guarantee a bad toy, does it? And hey, he was the only new-mold Minibot of his wave. Had to be something special, right? Either way, be thankful I'm not doing this whole thing in rhyme. For starters, vehicle mode. It's, ah.... creative. Definitely looks like an alien car. Also looks like a dustbuster, or a geoduck. Or other, less polite things. The color scheme, best described as "candy corn: disassembled", works better in person than on paper, and the wheels roll well. The Autobrand is, oddly, barely half an inch from the rubsign. Kind of redundant. The arms/fenders are a bit...[See More]

Piranacon
Transformers - Generation 1 (Hasbro) - Series 5
Rated 5.00 stars by Karl T. Face
Behold, a truly unique combiner team! In the Scramble City vein, no less. What's so cool about it? Let's dive in! Full disclosure, I don't actually have the giftset as it was sold. Poor old Nautilator was left out of that one, probably for price reasons. It is the first 6-member team since Devastator, after all. Naturally, I had to pick him up, so this will cover the full team regardless. As a team, they're certainly eye-catching. Lots of salmon pink, seafoam green, and a smattering of black, grey and silver. The limb-bots suffer from the usual odd proportions and egregious kibble from these sorts of teams, while Snaptrap makes the best of his larger size (and pricepoint) with fairly nice work all around. Altmodes are quite fun across the board- a murderous tortoise with teeth is one...[See More]

Perceptor
Transformers - Generation 1 (Hasbro) - Series 2
Rated 5.00 stars by Karl T. Face
I own 3 microscopes, and 2 of them are Perceptors. This guy is seriously impressive. Not bad at all for a g1 toy thanks to his Microchange ancestry (if you ever had Micronauts, you know how good even the basic figures could be), Big P sports swivel shoulders, hinged elbows, and swivel-hinge knees and hips. Combined with a little vertical play in the toes, he's actually quite poseable compared to many. Armed with a rifle and (neutered for the TF release) missile launcher, he cuts an imposing figure. The only real downside here is the immobile neck. The altmode looks a tad wonky, but it's mostly the color and blocky central section. Compare it to children's/students' microscopes of the era, and it's fairly nice. The slightly wavy and uneven mirror below the tray doesn't look like it would...[See More]

Cliffjumper (Red)
Transformers - Generation 1 (Hasbro) - Series 1
Rated 3.00 stars by somebody1
Cliffjumper was part of the original Autobot crew of the Ark. When the Autobots and Decepticons were reawakened, Cliffjumper was given the alternate mode of an Earth car. Cliffjumper and Hound were sent to scout out the location of the Decepticons. Although ordered not to engage the Decepticons, Cliffjumper took the opportunity to try to shoot Megatron, revealing their existence to the Decepticons. Because of this, Hound was blown off the road by Laserbeak - something that made Cliffjumper regret his impulsiveness. Hound, however, didn't blame him, quipping that he was only sorry he missed. Cliffjumper's bravery was often a boon to the Autobots - as well as a problem. In the episode "Changing Gears", Cliffjumper's rash actions helped the Autobots get past a Decepticon force field and stop...[See More]

Beachcomber
Transformers - Generation 1 (Hasbro) - Series 2
Rated 4.00 stars by somebody1
Beachcomber first appeared in the television series episode "The Insecticon Syndrome", and continued to appear throughout the second season. His most prominent appearance was in "The Golden Lagoon", he inadvertently brought fighting to a hidden lagoon full of electrum, which had an invulnerability property discovered when the Decepticon Thrust Thrust (Transformers. Thrust is the name of several fictional characters in the various Transformers universes.... coated himself in the golden liquid. This sparked a battle for control over the Lagoon that left the secret forested area a charred wasteland. Beachcomber, who showed his sensitivity for this once peaceful oasis was crest-fallen by the destruction that now laid out in front of him. As his Autobot comrades celebrated another victory...[See More]

Optimus Prime
Transformers - Generation 1 (Hasbro) - Series 5
Rated 3.50 stars by Collector1
Powermaster Optimus Prime was the first new design for Optimus Prime since the original toys release in 1985. Released in 1988, Powermaster Optimus Prime comes with a new trailer and his Powermaster partner who this clearly lacks. The toy in the pictures above is my brothers Powermaster Optimus Prime which has been locked away in an old toy chest the size of a small table for quite some time. In sever disrepair, lacking a foot and all of his weapons, this Optimus Prime may not be the best example, but it was the best I could come up with. It should give you a little bit of a good picture of what he looks like completed. The Optimus toy itself stands about five, maybe six inches tall. The mold is completely different from the original and the transformation even more different. Instead...[See More]