Transformers Universe Classics

[FalTorPan]

Earlier today I gave in to my inner child and purchased three "Transformers Universe Classic Series" toys. I bought Sideswipe, Sunstreaker and Acid Storm, a "seeker" in the same vein as Starscream, Skywarp and Thundercracker.

The Classic Series toys are heavily influenced by same-named characters from the 1980s "G1" toy line. In G1, "brothers" Sideswipe and Sunstreaker had similar Lambourghini vehicle modes and vastly different robot modes. The new incarnations of the characters have identical vehicle modes, and robot modes which consist of mostly the same components, but with slightly different transformations that result in the robots' chests and heads looking different and more like those of their G1 counterparts. I was pleasantly surprised by the robots' "same yet different" styles. As with most newer Transformer toys, the Classic Series robots are much more poseable than their G1 counterparts. My only gripe with Sideswipe and Sunstreaker is that their vehicle-mode "engine blocks" have to be detached prior to transformation and reattached elsewhere following transformation. On the other hand, this sort of thing was much more common with G1 toys.

Acid Storm is essentially a recolored version of Starscream, one of the first to be released in the Classic Series. Compared with the G1 mold, Acid Storm's F15 jet mode is significantly smaller, while his robot mode is perhaps a half-inch shorter. The Classic Series design is vastly superior to the G1 design -- the hands are integrated into the toy, and the head no longer has a cone sticking out behind it. From studying the toy's design, it's obvious that the basic mold is intended to recreate not only the original G1 seekers -- Starscream, Skywarp and Thundercracker -- but also the "conehead" seekers Dirge, Ramjet and Thrust.

I love these toys! Compared with G1 they're more posable, they have fewer snap-on accessories, they're more durable, there's no die-cast metal with easily chipped paint, and it's clear that they were designed by people who love the G1 characters. I recently saw a Classic Series Ironhide at a Wal-Mart. Although its vehicle mode is an SUV rather than G1's van, its robot mode looks like what the G1 robot should have looked like: a chunky robot with an actual head rather than a flat, decaled plate behind the windshield.

Time to change Acid Storm back into a jet... CH-CH-CH-CH-CH!!!

 

[Unicron]

I have Hot Rod (Rodimus), Prowl, Sunstreaker, Acid Storm, Powerglide, and Octane (Tankor). Octane is easily the weakest of that lot, though he's certainly not a bad toy. He just has some awkward elements, and the robot mode is kibbly. Acid Storm is loosely based on a generic green Seeker from "Divide and Conquer", with a better color scheme. I'm actually a little mixed in that they reused the F-15 mold from the classic Seekers, rather than the Cybertronian version that Acid Storm would have.

Prowl and Hot Rod are my personal favorites.

 

[FalTorPan]

If I hadn't recently sold the vast majority of my G1 collection, I'd be able to justify mass-collecting toys from the Transformers Universe Classic Series. As it stands, I'm restricting myself quite a bit.

The upcoming Cosmos remake looks very cool, although I think I prefer the original version.

 

[Captain Craig]

This is a great line that Hasbro is doing. I have all but Acid Storm and its because he isn't a "true" G1 character. Sure, you can back into a 4sec cameo of what "could be" Acid Storm in a G1 episode and then its a Cybertronian jet mode and no name is given. I think the episode is Acid Rain?

Still I'm looking forward to the Hound w/Ravage figure that is coming.

 

[Bird of Prey]

I've collected most of the Deluxe class of the Classics/Universe line, with the exception of repaints. I also have Prime and Megs. These guys are great. I never got to collect the originals when I was younger, so this is a great way to get them.

 

[FalTorPan]

I was tempted to buy Starscream when he could be found in retail stores, but his revised paint job was too different from his G1 paint job for my liking. It looks like Hasbro will soon resolve that problem.

I do wish I'd purchased Hot Rodimus. G1 Targetmaster Hot Rod was my favorite Transformer.

As for the repainted "new" characters, I actually like this. I liked how early episodes of G1 implied that the Earth-bound Decepticons had a larger fleet of seekers than just Starscream, Skywarp and Thundercracker. Hasbro recently sold a box set of about a dozen individually named and painted R2-D2-like astromech Droids. I think it would be uber-cool if they'd sell a similar box set of nine or ten seekers, including Starscream, Skywarp, Thundercracker, Dirge, Ramjet and Thrust, all with G1-faithful designs and color schemes, as well as Acid Storm, Sunstorm (or whatever the new yellow-orange character is called), and one or two other uniquely colored designs.

 

[Unicron]

Hasbro originally considered naming Acid Storm "Rainmaker" but couldn't secure the rights to that name.

 

[Good Will Riker]

Hasbro originally considered naming Acid Storm "Rainmaker" but couldn't secure the rights to that name.

John Grisham would have sued.

 

[Bishbot]

These are in general really nice toys. My Transformers collecting is WAY down these days, unfortunately, for budget reasons, but I really wish I'd picked up Hot Rod (I don't care what the licensing people have to call him) when I had the chance. I have a reissue of G1 Hot Rod, so its not a disaster, but he looked like a nice toy.