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154 Comments
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -8/+112Unless they're made of die-cast metal like the old ones, they will still suck.
Old transformers were great, you could abuse the heck out of those things and they'd still keep working. - kevinrose, on 10/12/2007, -10/+59Very true.. I'd also like to buy the old metal Voltron.. that would rock.
- MindFlayer, on 10/12/2007, -2/+42I'm aware they can't make realistic guns as toys anymore, but did they have to make Megatron into a nerf gun?
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -1/+31For the last time Hasbro!
Megatron is not a super soaker! He is a HANDGUN. Yes, I know you have a hard time dealing with yuppie parents who are afraid that little Dakota will grow up to shoot up the high school if he sees one, but if you are to release a "classic" line of TFs, then Megatron is a handgun, not a flipping water pistol. - headzoo, on 10/12/2007, -4/+25The Megatron gun never made any sense to me anyway. A normal sized Decepticon that transforms into a gun that other Decepticons could hold? Plus it was a mother ***** to transform.
- gorndog, on 10/12/2007, -4/+17This is my favorite transformer ... http://www.apc.com/products/moreimages.cfm?partnum=INPA&aPos=4
- spectre_25gt, on 10/12/2007, -2/+14About 143 diggers care at this point.
- allanpat, on 10/12/2007, -3/+14not to mention that megatron already had that HUGE cannon on his wrist. but hey, why use that when you can transform into a tiny little gun for starscream to shoot.
- Matrix_Prime, on 10/12/2007, -0/+11Because Hasbro no longer owns the rights to the name Hot Rod. I'm a diehard Transformers fan, and am the host of the worlds ONLY Transformers podcast, TFWIRE.com, so I've got my facts straight.
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -1/+12I don't have any of the toys left but I still carry a scar from one of many sharp edged, diecast metal, transformer vs voltron battles for the backyard.
It's not just price keeping them from releasing metal toys. Parents didn't sue over everything back then.
All I have is memories from those toys, not a trust fund settlement. - Matrix_Prime, on 10/12/2007, -1/+10then you obviously haven't seen this one: http://www.tfw2005.com/new-prototype-images-of-mp-03-masterpiece-starscream.htm
The upcoming MasterPiece Starscream - Chompy, on 10/12/2007, -4/+12Classics? They aren't die-cast, and they don't look anything like the old toys. I don't want a figure "inspired by" the 80s toys, I want an *exact reproduction* of the 80s toys. Yeesh, they'd sell like hotcakes. I'm 30, I've got scads of disposable income, and I'm not alone. Take my money!
- robotsongs, on 10/12/2007, -3/+11goto tfans.com ... a *ton* of fanboys there.
Basically, Hasbro can't use such generic names anymore because of copyright law. Jazz is now either refferred to as "Autobot Jazz" ot Meister (his original japanese name), Hot Rod is now Roddimus or Hot Shot, Shockwave is now Shockblast, etc...
It kinda sucks, but it's what we got, and it's much better than Optimus George, Harrold Scream or Duder Mc Daniel.
If anyone really want's some quality G1 redux, check out the Alternators line:
http://www.hasbro.com/transformers/default.cfm?page=browse&catalog=1&subbrand_id=167
Those things are *AWESOME* and way more difficult. Definitely not for kids. - lordsandwich, on 10/12/2007, -1/+9Most of the G1 toys didn't resemble the cartoon versions when in robot form (especially Megatron). At least these new toys come much closer.
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+7Don't like it? Don't blame Hasbro, blame the folks who pushed toy safety legislation. Hasbro is limited in what colors they can use in a toy gun.
- Shortpacked, on 10/12/2007, -0/+7"Old transformers were great, you could abuse the heck out of those things and they'd still keep working."
That's not really true. The first years of Transformers toys were exceedingly fragile, due to their half die-cast nature. Since they were half plastic and half die-cast, this meant the weight of the toy was uneven, making it very easy to break it. For example, Mirages always snap at the waist. It's very rare to find one that hasn't. The original Megatron's arms like to break off at the connection between the die-cast and plastic. It's like rocks tied together with Kleenex.
(Die cast metal was cheaper than plastic at the time, that's why they used it. Plastic was the more expensive material. That gradually changed, and soon Transformers were all plastic and built to withstand the constant abuse of children. You will rarely find a post die-cast Transformers toy broken.) - thewebguy, on 10/12/2007, -2/+8yes the starscream looks great, the rest look mad weak.
also, along the lines of megatron -- astro train was the size of the other decepticons, yet in train / jet form all of the transformers (including all of the constructicons forming devastator) could fit and have a royal rumble inside! - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -2/+8@Matrix_Prime
"Hardly a transformers fan."
I'll admit to not being a raving fanboy, but Transformers were a fond childhood memory of mine.
Yeah, I only like the first G1. I tried watching the newer transformers and was decidedly non-plussed. Perhaps I'm just too old now, but it seemed to me that the 1980's version was just more fun.
The advantage of the metal is basically that the toys don't break. When I was a kid, we'd toss things in the air and crash them into things and they'd stay together and not break. They weren't collectibles when we grew out of them, but they were toys to be played with.
@CalvinSlug
I remember that later on, the toys became more plastic than not. Constructicons or Dinobots come to mind. Omega Supreme was really the last Transformer I bought because it was expensive and broke very quickly under normal use. - BassCadet, on 10/12/2007, -2/+8That is the best Starscream I've ever seen. Quality!
- MrUnderbridge, on 10/12/2007, -1/+7Yeah. Megatron's supposed to be a ***** Walther P38.
- MCHampster, on 10/12/2007, -5/+10I couldn't agree more.
We bought a couple of new Transformers for our oldest son and they're all plastic now. We won't be buying any more of those for him as they don't last very long. If they made die-cast Transformers, you can bet we'd pay a premium for the quality. - Matrix_Prime, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5Considering it was Springer that said that in the Transformers movie and NOT Optimus Prime, I doubt it.
- GlitchEnzo, on 10/12/2007, -4/+9Wow! Rodimus looks awesome.
But I am kinda confused. I thought he was a car as Hot Rod, and then turned into a Winnebago as Rodimus Prime when he got the Matrix. How come his name is Rodimus, but he is a car? - slyckidiot, on 10/12/2007, -2/+7That Megatron looks like a freaking Nerf gun!
- Chompy, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6Curse them! I remember asking my parents for Transformers, and what did I get? Frigging cheapass knockoff gobots. There's like a whole market for crappy toys that get sold based solely on parental confusion.
- mongrel, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6True, they released a few (and WAY overcharged for them I might add), but they sure as hell didn't re-release the old-school Megatron, that looked like a real, polished handgun. From... you know, a distance.
- Madh2orat, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5women are like voltron, the more you can hook up, the better it gets.
- Shipley, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5"Unless they're made of die-cast metal like the old ones, they will still suck.
Old transformers were great, you could abuse the heck out of those things and they'd still keep working. "
Hi! I actually own a lot of Transformers made in the past 5 years or so, so I feel qualified to say this. YOU ARE WRONG.
Break any generation 1 transformer and its done. broke for good. and all the diecast did was made them heavier and less poseable.
New plastic transformers may not be perfect, but after an unruly round of DDR with my former roommate, my Unicron, Armada Prime, Galvatron, Tidal Wave, Jetfire, and Overload took an 8 foot spill off the top of my entertainment center. after spending a day or so recollecting all the peices of what amounted to $185 of the biggest figures in the Armada line... I was able to pop all the missles, arms, legs, etc back in good as new.
New Transformers pass a "drop test." Meaning they have to withstand a certain amount of force or pressue and not break off sharp peices. The designers construct toys that can hold up to play wear much, much better than anything from before 92. This is a FACT.
Of course maybe I'm just sore because I submitted this story 4 days ago and only got 8 diggs. - OptimismPrime, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4The reason why Megatron transformed into a Handgun for other Deceptions to hold, was that the Toy did.
The original Transformers Toyline was a Hasbro RE-BRAND of 2 already existing Japanese Toy lines.... namely "Diaclone" and "Microchange". Microchange was "to scale" consumer electronics, like Photocameras, Cassettes and Cassette Players, Microscopes and yes, HANDGUNS. Diaclone was more or less accurate Car and Plane Models, their only thing in common was to "transform" into robots. Hasbro got the rights to sell them in the US, unified them under the Transformers banner, and got Marvel to "cook up a Story around the toys" which also was made into a Cartoon.
So they had Cars, Planes and Consumer Electronics.
Since they had a toy Transforming into a gun, they had to work it into the story, and since it made no sense to have the leader of the bad guys not to transform while the toy could, or to have it being just a big ass handgun no one but Devastator could hold it could change its size, even down to being small enough to be hold by HUMANS in some episodes. So having the toys and having to work them in somehow made for the ridiculous size changes of all of the consumer electronics Transformers. - robotsongs, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4@ mongrel
Takara released him though... even with extras!
I sure as hell got mine. :-D
oops... outfanboy'd by Matrix Prime by a cybersecond! ;) - jflint, on 10/12/2007, -2/+6Man, I tore up my Megatron the first time I tried to transform him from a robot to a gun. Had to have been one of the hardest ones.
What about Soundwave and all those little casette figures that you could get with him. - zatrix, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4guess who will be buying them all? THIS GUY =D
- sTiVo, on 10/12/2007, -2/+6If soundwave is optimized for little transformable CDs I'll be pretty upset about it...
- Matrix_Prime, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3mongrel: Hasbro didn't set the price, Toys R Us did. They were exclusives, hence the high price.
And no, Hasbro didn't reissue G1 Megatron, Takara did in Japan, many times. Look online if you want to pick it up, it even fires plastic bullets. - mongrel, on 10/12/2007, -2/+5LOL, this is the first time I've seen something described as "nerfed," ACTUALLY being NERFED. How could you even get up in the morning, much less lead an evil robot army? HAHAHAHA...
In other news, I already gave Hasbro all my fun money for their Alternators line... bastards. Still, as Starscream was my first ever Transformer (I'm 30) and I was absolutely in love - I may be tempted - he still looks pretty cool. - Matrix_Prime, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3yes, and fatter
- Matrix_Prime, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3There was no Transformer named Jet Stream. The Macross figure that was used in Transformers was called Jetfire, and it wasn't a rip-off, Hasbro licensed the figure.
- allanpat, on 10/12/2007, -3/+6from wikipedia:
"In the alternate universe of the 2003 toyline and series, Transformers: Energon , Rodimus (lacking the “Prime” suffix in English, but still called Rodimus Convoy in Japan) was a great leader on Cybertron ages in the past and was viewed as a hero by many"
I'm guessing the simple 'Rodimus' name is what they're chosing to call him now, even though this is the 'Classic' Transformers line where his name should be Hot Rod. Maybe he's 'Rodimus' in the new movie so they don't want to confuse people. - Matrix_Prime, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Edit: Here is the Train mode for Astrotrain: http://tformers.com/ig.php?mode=album&album=5711&dispsize=800&start=0
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -2/+5Wow, they turned Megatron gay.
- Matrix_Prime, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Yes, Astrotrain IS a triple-changer. There were leaked pics of the prototype a month or so back. Obviously the guy taking the pictures didn't know about the third mode. The train mode is an updated speed train found in Japan.
- spoonman, on 10/12/2007, -6/+9Plastic has it's advantages. Cheaper, paint doesn't chip, joints don't loosen as easy, paint doesn't fade as quickly. From a practical perspective, it's a no brainer.
- robotsongs, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4screw that dude. You'll find that opinion is of the minority in the transformers fan world...
Normal Fan Favorites (in no particular order):
Prime
Ironhide
Jazz
Mirage
Bumblebee
Soundwave
Starscream
Megatron (kinda)
Shockwave
Dinobots
Devastator - mandarin, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3i always though Hound was pretty kewl..
- Canthros, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3Look up 'Masterpiece Transformer' right now. They've got die-cast Prime + trailer and a Starscream due out this fall. Assuming you don't mind parting with that disposable income of yours.
- corvus1970, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2r3zonance said:
"Optimus Prime was certainly mostly die cast metal."
Wrong. This is the kind of innacurate statements you get from someone who hasn't handled a fondly-remembered toy in 15-20 years.
http://www.corvusonline.net/temp_pics/DieCastPrime.jpg
The portions outlined in yellow are the only die-cast metal portions on G1 Optimus Prime. The chest (just the chest, not the rest of the torso), and most of each foot (the inside portions of the feet are plastic). The rest of his body is plastic. Unless you want to count the screws, springs and axles. That's it folks.
As for the Classics looking different. They're SUPPOSED TO. As he press release stated, each of these toys is re-imagined. If you want the same toys you once had, just newer, that's what the reissue lines were for. - Jersey2FL, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2In November 2006 I'll be 31 years-old and still buying toys!!
- chozsun, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2My 4 year old son has been playing with the Cybertron line for little over a year. Starting with Hot Shot (which is still his favorite), he has Optimus Prime, Galvatron (I didn't like the Megatron colour scheme), Red Alert (Cybertron Defence), Blurr and Ransack. His next set will be Crumplezone, Starsceam (Japanese) and Vector Prime (Japanese).
Having own both G1 and Cybertron, the quality, look and feel of Cybertron is heads and shoulders above the original. Many people dismiss the newer lines because the vehicles look all futuristic and not like G1 where they transformed into real world vehicles. Even as a 8 year old kid, I hated the fact that the robot looked nothing like the box and most of them couldn't stand on their own. Especially with the Cybertron line, instead of shoehorning the robot into the vehicle, it feels as though they design the vehicle around the robot and ensure that the robot looked great. Not only can you stand each of the Cybertron TFers but you can pose most of them. As far as quality, my son figured out how to transform Galvatron on his own and he cannot even read. You know he didn't get every moving part correct the first time and he had to experiment. That and after playing with Hot Shot and Ransack in the tub night after night and they are still doing great, quality is excellent to say the least. One more note to quality: he sleeps with Optimus and Galvatron every night.
After how much he plays and takes care of the two $50 toys and one $40 toy, I have no problems getting him more if he wants him including the upcoming release of Primus.
That said, the remade classics look like garbage. OP doesn't even meld altogther. Starscream looks killer but give me Galaxy Force Starscream any day of the week. - katina, on 10/12/2007, -3/+5These are an insult to G1 Transformerdom. ESPECIALLY the Megatron "blaster" mode.
Digg me down all you like, redundant or not I just had to get that off of my chest. - thewebguy, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4i personally don't like most of the alternators, they sacrificed the robot form too much for the vehicle form.
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