Toy Review - TFPrime Energon Driller w/ Knock Out

[griffin]

(Please post photos, comments or even a fully comprehensive review - these are just brief details to get you started)

Series - Transformers Prime
Sub-line - Cyberverse
Size/class - Vehicle (w/ Legion class figure)
Wave - 1
New/remould/redeco - New
Released here - June 2012
Approximate Retail Price - $35-45
Approximate Size - 25cm (Driller) 7cm (Knock Out)
Allegiance - Decepticon
Alt-mode - Drill/weapons platform (Driller) Car (Knock Out)
Main Features/Gimmicks - Spinning Drill, LED light (for lighting up weapons and Cmdr class figures), holds up to 3 figures, launching missiles.
Main Colours - grey/purple (Driller), red/maroon/black (Knock Out)
Main Accessories - 2 missiles (Driller), trident & buzzsaw (Knock Out)

Official pic...
http://www.toycollectors.com.au/tftoys/tfpc17.jpg

What it looks like in stores...
http://www.toycollectors.com.au/store1206d.jpg
.
http://www.toycollectors.com.au/store1206e.jpg
.
http://www.toycollectors.com.au/store1206f.jpg

[Doubledealer]

I want these so badly, haha. They look amazing, getting a real Broadside/Quickswitch vibe from Wheeljack's ship. Mmmm, they will be mine!

[Decepticon]

I want these so badly, haha. They look amazing, getting a real Broadside/Quickswitch vibe from Wheeljack's ship. Mmmm, they will be mine!

Yes! Me too! Because we live in Wait Awhile, we should start seeing these here in a few days I think.

[The_Damned]

Liked these so much i bought doubles, so i could have a set out of the box. The legends figures that come with these are very solid figures in there own right.

[Doubledealer]

Yes! Me too! Because we live in Wait Awhile, we should start seeing these here in a few days I think.

Hopefully mate!


Liked these so much i bought doubles, so i could have a set out of the box. The legends figures that come with these are very solid figures in there own right.

Don't blame you, they're a real highlight in the Prime toy line! And come on, who doesn't need a little more Knockout in their life. :)

[KaRNiV8L PRiME]

Yes! Me too! Because we live in Wait Awhile, we should start seeing these here in a few days I think.

Got mine from big w mirrabooka today. Still some left

[Decepticon]

Got mine from big w mirrabooka today. Still some left

Got mine from Kmart today. $35 minus staff discount:D

[5FDP]

Got mine from Kmart today. $35 minus staff discount:D

$35 is a great price. I was alerted to it by a board member late last night (you know who you are ;)).

[liegeprime]

$35 is a great price. I was alerted to it by a board member late last night (you know who you are ;)).

:o:D:D:D:p group text....

[GoktimusPrime]

Finally opened mine today (t'was a bday gift from the missus :D). The Knock Out figure itself is quite nice. The Driller vehicle itself is lacklustre -- even more disappointing that the Star Hammer, if that's possible. In principle it's much like a Beast Machines Beast Rider, only better executed. The LED gimmick does work better on the Driller than Star Hammer's... having said that, it's still pretty poor - only the first section of the drill illuminates -- the light fails to travel beyond that. Still, it's the best electronic light pipe gimmick I've seen in TF Prime so far (which goes to show how crap TFP's LED light pipe gimmicks are :p).

The actual drill spinning gimmick is pretty fun, reminds me a lot of Beast Wars II Galvatron (only not quite so phallic :p). I like how it spins as the vehicle rolls, and it does it pretty well. It then deploys into the battle mode where the roll-spinning gimmick no longer works, but instead you can press a button to make the drill spin. Erm... okay (seems rather complicated just for its own sake). It seems that the "deployed" mode is meant to be a stationary battle platform whereas the "undeployed" mode is more of a moving vehicle mode, so there is some merit in trying to make the two modes serve a different function and offer different play patterns, as opposed to the Star Hammer which transforms from a spaceship into a spaceship with bits sticking out. :o

QC issue: One of the side pop-up launchers on mine keeps getting caught when deploying, so I have to use my finger to wedge it out in mid-deployment.

Overall there seems to be a bit more thought put into this toy in terms of giving the two modes separate play patterns, but in execution it doesn't seem to have translated as well. The Cyberverse playsets are all just pretty plain. Across the Cyberverse playsets I've collected from DOTM and TFP, I've yet to come across one that's as cool as a Micromaster playset. The Ark w/ Roller comes the closest, though given the relative vintages and prices, I still find it inferior to the Micromaster sets.

I'd recommend this set only if you really want the Driller and you can get it on sale (currently $35 at Kmart or $38 at Big W). Knock Out himself is a nice figure, and I like the weapons that he comes with - but not sure if I'd recommend getting the whole kit and kaboodle if you're only interested in the figure. Might be better off waiting for the Deluxe or maybe split/sell the vehicle with someone else who may not want the figure - because unlike Wheeljack/Star Hammer, Knock Out isn't as strongly associated with his vehicle. IMO it looks better with a Legion Class Vehicon at the controls, which is how I'm displaying mine.

[SMHFConvoy]

QC issue: One of the side pop-up launchers on mine keeps getting caught when deploying, so I have to use my finger to wedge it out in mid-deployment.

I don't seem to have that problem. Maybe it's some flashing from when the part was made or the spring might be weak?

I find that the booster works nicely on the commander if you put the barrel of the booster into the peg. I know you mentioned this in your starhammer review

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

Does the led actually do a good job of lighting up the drill, or is it just weak and rubbishy?

[GoktimusPrime]

It only illuminates the first 'base segment' of the drill - i.e. the one that it's directly plugged into. The light fails to pipe into any other part of the drill.

I've yet to see a single LED gimmick in TF Prime that I've been even remotely satisfied with. They're all rubbish IMO.

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

It only illuminates the first 'base segment' of the drill - i.e. the one that it's directly plugged into. The light fails to pipe into any other part of the drill.

I've yet to see a single LED gimmick in TF Prime that I've been even remotely satisfied with. They're all rubbish IMO.

Cool, thanks for the update. If the gimmick managed to the whole drill, I'd be inclined to grab it, but in that case I think it's an easy pass.

[BigTransformerTrev]

$35 is a great price. I was alerted to it by a board member late last night (you know who you are ;)).

Got him on sale from Big W for $10 :D

[Sinnertwin]

Liege was kind enough to pass his Knock Out figure on to me :D
One of my favourite Legion Class figures and characters, actually.
"Buff this"

[Wheelie]

Wheeljack and his ship were still on sale at top Ryde big w on sunday, $15 from memory