Titans Return vs Combiner Wars

[UltimateGalvatron]

So which do you prefer? I know it's early on and no one has had Titan Returns figures in hand, but it is already flogging CW. That's not too say I don't like CW, but the lines gimmicks will be cheaper and more affordable then CW.

Also Blaster reminds me of Micromaster stations, who've although I've never owned, I always liked the idea of getting scenery for your battles with figures. This basically upscaled it and made it a Transformer in its on right. Blaster is beautiful, and looks like he will have cassettes (Rewind and Stripes so far), and with Buzzsaw coming in CW the Soundwave remould is inevitable. Blaster is too big for Classics, and will probably end up on my MP shelf. Having the heads be able to be bought alone is awesome, especially given all Titan Masters work across Deluxe, Voyager and Leader! Hardhead and Skullcruncher look awesome. I prefer Hardhead, but Skullcruncher is still neat. I actually didn't like the 3rd party Hardhead MP because it had a mouth plate, but TR made it look awesome.
Galvatron looks like if upscaled could be MP. His third mode looks like Cyclonus from that scene in TF:TM when he is flying around with Galvatron inside him bombing Ultra Magnus.

While the initial CW figures were cool, it has become Remould Wars, and has about 3 Limbless Torso figures.

You know how I said Blaster would go on the MP shelf? I changed my mind. Titan Returns will be getting its on shelf!

[ILikeSoundwave]

I don't really mind. :)

[Holdobot]

I collect primarily on nostalgia, so for me it is the characters that are the key. I had G1 Superion so was all over that but only had wildrider from menasor so didn't get Menasor. For Titan returns, I had blaster and Skullcruncher so really excited for them but not hard head or galvatron.

[prjkt]

Tough call, I wouldn't say one line is better than the other - more that they're just difference facets of the same thing - the current version of the Classics-verse line.

I have a feeling the "newness" of the line compared to Combiner Wars is giving a biased reaction atm - I remember everyone going this nuts when CW was first announced - let's see what the feeling is in a year or so ;)

I do like how there's a lot of interactivity between the different size classes - Leader & Legends, Deluxe & Voyager w/ the individual Titanmaster heads.

Character wise I don't have the same nostalgia value here with TR as I do with CW, as I grew up with S1/2 of the G1 show, didn't see the movie or S3 until much later, so I have more connection with the CW releases, but still looking to grab some of the TR ones.

[Lord_Zed]

For me Titan Returns looks like it will be more interesting than Combiner Wars, even though so far I've only seen two that I really want. Removing the combining gimmick from the CW toys, I found them to be very samey and not all that much fun to transform and play with, they almost all transform the same way.

Titan Returns brings back the possibility of deluxe toys that are fun independent of the rest of the line, but can still through the headmaster gimmick interact with the rest of the line if you want to. For combiner wars you need a set of 5 to get any use out of the gimmick.

Having said that I'm still not as keen as the Generations announcements of yesteryear, as most of these guys still look pretty cut down and I miss wrist articulation which is effectively dead now.

[M-bot]

I can't see how they are competing, at least in my head. Even if they were, Titan Wars has only just been revealed, waaaaaay too early to make any kind of sensible call.

[Handsprime]

I can't see how they are competing, at least in my head. Even if they were, Titan Wars has only just been revealed, waaaaaay too early to make any kind of sensible call.

Same, besides I still think its a little bit stupid to say which is better. Combiner Wars gives us the Combiners while Titan Returns gives us Blaster, a proper Galvatron, and the headmasters!

Whos the real winner here? The consumer.

[tron07]

This Blaster's non symmetry top left and top right speaker protector is quite irritating to me

[UltimateGalvatron]

I'm not implying they are going up against each other, just saying which you prefer.

[BigTransformerTrev]

The easy and most obvious and probably accurate answer is "It's way too early to tell".

Titans Return appears to be much like Combiner Wars, as in they are new versions of Gen 1 characters. In that respect Combiner Wars deserves a lot of credit.

Combiner Wars can be credited with the following:
*Giving us new Generations-styled figures of G1 toys that hadn't gotten one yet (Huffer, Sky Lynx, Bombshell etc)
*Giving us Gen 1 inspired Combiner teams (Stunticons, Aerielbots, Protectobots, Constructicons, Combaticons)
*Giving us versions of G1 characters that had already had the CHUG treatment that now combine. I have a few new versions of Hot Spot (GDO, Titanium etc) but none of them combine to form Defensor.
*Giving a chance for people who missed out on previous CHUG figures of classic characters to grab them. For the most part they are inferior to the CHUG versions (Prowl, Sunstreaker, Hound, Cyclonus, Drag Strip etc) but it's a good second chance for many.
*Even more multiverse versions of classic characters. I personally love to get many different versions of G1 characters for my displays.
*GESTALTS! I'm loving all of them but frag Devastator rocks! It seems (amongst my mates anyway) that after Optimus and Soundwave that the third robot they can usually remember is Devastator.

Titans Return
*A lot of the character revealed thus far have already had the CHUG treatment (Nightbeat, Blaster, Rewind, Hardhead, Galvatron etc) so it depends it you feel they needed better versions. I'm looking forward to having a Blaster that turns into a Ghetto Blaster, though I was pretty happy with my FOC version with his little warriors that you could eject. It remains to be seen if the Titans Return figures will be better or worse than those that came before. A lot of them do look like they will be an improvement, though many question the inclusion of a Headmaster gimmick on what were previously non-headmaster characters.
*There are a few characters coming out that haven't had the CHUG treatment yet that I am looking forward to (Skullcruncher, Horri-Bull, Fortress Maximus etc). The more the merrier I say!


So while a lot of the CW figures were simplistic and there was a lot of mold-sharing, the CW line has been brilliant as a whole. I hope that Titans Return can prove to be even better, but they will have to pull out all the stops to do so in my opinion. But at this early stage, as I said at the top of this post, it is just way too early to tell. I certainly can't say without ever having touched a Titans Return figure which I prefer.

[GoktimusPrime]

I wouldn't be surprised if Titans Returns toys turn out to be better than Combiner Wars, but that isn't necessarily a criticism against Combiner Wars per se, as CW came first. If TR toys are better, then it shows that HasTak are looking at what they achieved with CW and thought about ways to improve, which is great. But it doesn't mean that their previous work was bad per se. :)

It shows that HasTak designers and engineers are taking pride in their work and trying to do better in their future endeavours. Unlike some other people (http://i.ytimg.com/vi/qqW7XtOd_lY/maxresdefault.jpg). :rolleyes:

I also quite like how Galvatron's Headmaster unit is a little Megatron. ;)

[Bidoofdude]

I wouldn't be surprised if Titans Returns toys turn out to be better than Combiner Wars, but that isn't necessarily a criticism against Combiner Wars per se, as CW came first. If TR toys are better, then it shows that HasTak are looking at what they achieved with CW and thought about ways to improve, which is great. But it doesn't mean that their previous work was bad per se. :)

It shows that HasTak designers and engineers are taking pride in their work and trying to do better in their future endeavours. Unlike some other people (http://i.ytimg.com/vi/qqW7XtOd_lY/maxresdefault.jpg). :rolleyes:

I also quite like how Galvatron's Headmaster unit is a little Megatron. ;)

They did vastly improve upon FOC Bruticus. Hopefully they've learnt just as much this time.

[GoktimusPrime]

In FoC Bruticus' defence...
* It was a gestalt based on pre-existing game models rather than being developed as toys first. This will always place restrictions on designs.
* FoC Bruticus' hands and feet are all self-contained, whereas CW gestalts have hands/feet as separate detachable accessories. Evidently trying to engineer each limb robot to have in-built hands and feet proved too much, but you can't blame them for trying.

But yeah, it's evident that HasTak are learning from their experiences. :)

[prjkt]

Funnily, people wondered about non-combining characters now being combiners just like people are now wondering about non-headmasters now having that gimmick - I don't mind too much, as it doesn't seem to affect the figures negatively so far.

As for FOC Bruticus, I really liked the concept - something about each bot having a different shape hand/foot makes sense to me, making Bruticus rather asymmetrical as the sum of his parts. Unfortunately the execution was less than perfect - the limited budget for the FOC line took its toll here, and Onslaught should have been bigger...

[UltimateGalvatron]

That's actually a good point. I wanted those characters in CW not to be Combiners but because I wasn't collecting back when most of them came out (Universe 2 and Classics)

[liegeprime]

Both.

as everyone says they bring various concepts and figures on the table anyways

Combiners mostly for CW but some other figures as well like Leader class Starscream - with a crown :)... I'm hoping they don't scrimp on us and not issue out a Skywarp in the same mould... Thundercracker's already out earlier...
We got Devastator from CW, Insecticons - though I'm still waiting for Kickback

as well as new characters as limb bots - recoloured but hey it's a new character - always welcome :D

For Titans Return

Looks like were getting everyone in Headmaster form and a slight change in concept , having vehicular or creature partnering - reminds me of Actionmasters but with the main figure able to transform ( into a head though ;P)

Plus I really like how the bigger "transtector" are triple changers!

Finally a bigger Galvatron - prefer leader class but hey, Voyager is better than runt deluxe earlier version...:D

[prjkt]

Leader Class Skywarp has been confirmed for early next year, so you've got no worries there.

[liegeprime]

Leader Class Skywarp has been confirmed for early next year, so you've got no worries there.

Sweet! At least they finally realized the trio is a must...Wonder if they'll come up with a Soundwave as well..
If not Im quite content with the FOC Voyager one.

[prjkt]

I'm actually using the WFC version as my Classics-verse Soundwave for now, but then I'm sticking with mostly deluxe class figures

[DELTAprime]

I'm lukewarm on TR so far. I just feel like LG/Gen Brainstorm had a more modern Headmastery feel about how the gimmick worked. Also does everyone need to be a Headmaster? What about Targetmasters, Powermasters/God Masters or Brainmasters.

Hope we get a modern Cab, Goshoota and Minerva out of the line tho, much as I want all three of those characters the originals are painfully expensive.

[UltimateGalvatron]

Wait...if Headmaster Galvatron's head is Megatron (I know it's technically Nucleon but everyone is gonna call it Megatron) does that mean Rodimus'snhead will be Optimus?

[Paulbot]

Galvatron is to Megatron as Rodimus Prime is to Hot Rod. So probably Hot Rod rather than Optimus.

[DELTAprime]

Galvatron is to Megatron as Rodimus Prime is to Hot Rod. So probably Hot Rod rather than Optimus.

But Hasbro doesn't own the name Hot Rod. Damn lawyers.:(

[Ode to a Grasshopper]

But Hasbro doesn't own the name Hot Rod. Damn lawyers.:("Rodimus Minor". :p :D