Who is your favourite Basic Beast Wars Transformer?

[GoktimusPrime]

This poll is just looking at the pre-1998 Basics, Basics from 1998 onwards will be dealt with separately when we look at Transmetals, Transmetal 2s and Fuzors (so calm your farms). :) Due to poll size limitations, I've not included any BotCon exclusive Basics, so if that happens to your favourite then you'll need to 'manually' vote for them via a direct post.

Also, we're just looking at who was your favourite Beast Wars toy at the time that these toys were current - for many of us G1ers it'd be our adolescence or early adulthood rather than childhood, but for our younger members these may very well be your childhood favourites - but whichever is the case, please vote according to what was (and may still be) your favourite, not necessarily what is your favourite now.

My favourite then is the same as now -- Terrorsaur. :) The sculpting on that toy is just beautiful and I love how the wings majestically form up on the back of the robot. I also like how the purple helmet and hands offsets the red on the rest of the toy, which I've always felt was something lost in the show model (which I think is based on an earlier prototype of Terrorsaur). I also really like the design of the gun and how it neatly stows away behind the robot head in beast mode. Just a gorgeous toy that's so much fun to play with.

And of course, 9 points of ball-socket articulation on these simple and cheap flipchangers puts all contemporary One Step Changers to shame. Interesting to see that toys released in 1996 are still massively outclassing current day toys. If you take any of these toys and place them next to an AoE or RiD One Stepper, it's abundantly apparent that there's no competition. Take a toy like Terrorsaur and place him next to say One Step Changer Thunderhoof. Even adjusting for inflation, Terrorsaur still works out to be a cheaper toy, representing absolutely superior value for money.

[CHILENO20]

Rattrap: "We're all gonna die"
Everyone else: "Shut up Rattrap!" :)

[MayzaPrime]

Had to go with Rattrap. Terrorsaur is a close second

[Handsprime]

Who are you calling basic? :p

My vote is rattrap because he's the only one I have

[UltraMarginal]

no favourites, I've never even handled a Beast wars basic toy.

[BigTransformerTrev]

no favourites, I've never even handled a Beast wars basic toy.

^This

[GoktimusPrime]

Let's compare...

Thunderhoof (One Step Changer)
Cost: $19
Articulation: 2 points - the shoulders swing up and down. About as articulated as a 1985 Jumpstarter
Gimmick: Transforms in 1 step
Accessories: None
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Transformers/compar_bwrid_thunderhoof_zpsaialah2c.jpg

Terrorsaur (Basic Flipchanger)
Cost: $15 ※Adjusted for current day pricing
Articulation: 9 points - head, shoulders, elbows, knees and hips on ball-socket joints and ankles on swivel joints
Gimmick: Transforms in 1 step, weapon folds and stows away in alt mode
Accessories: Pistol
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Transformers/compar_bwrid_terrorsaur_zpsfotpdsmp.jpg

And this is why I'm rather uninspired by RiD. I don't mind the Legion Class figures, but none of the larger figures have particularly impressed me. I managed to collect RiD One Step Changers and Warrior Class figures for free because I did translation work for a friend (so he "paid" me in toys ;)), but I can't justify actually parting with my money for these toys. On the other hand, I went nuts collecting Beast Wars when they came out -- which was harder on the wallet because I was still a student at the time. There was much eating of instant curries. ;)

[Jaxius._]

To quote Verno



10 RATTRAP
We’re all gonna die.

11 RHINOX
Yep.

[GoktimusPrime]

A reminder that this poll is purely based on one's opinion of the toys with no regard to the character. It's definitely possible to have different opinions on a toy and character.
e.g. I think that Titans Return Wheelie is a great toy, but this doesn't change my low opinion of G1 (cartoon) Wheelie. ;) Conversely people may really like the character of G1 Ratchet but may not be a great fan of the original G1 toy. If you happen to like both the toy and the character then that's a bonus, but please ensure that you are voting only according to your opinion of the toy.

Thanks. :)

[Paulbot]

I voted for Airazor who does a lot of the things Terrorsaur does but with more articulation (bendable and flappable wings) and no spring-loaded one step transformation

[Shirokaze]

Voted Airazor because I was never a massive fan of flip changers so she ticked all the boxes. That said, I really loved Croc Megatron! Remember buying him from a bloke at the Sabretron convention when I was in High School. Good times :)

[Seraphim Prime]

A reminder that this poll is purely based on one's opinion of the toys with no regard to the character. It's definitely possible to have different opinions on a toy and character.
e.g. I think that Titans Return Wheelie is a great toy, but this doesn't change my low opinion of G1 (cartoon) Wheelie. ;) Conversely people may really like the character of G1 Ratchet but may not be a great fan of the original G1 toy. If you happen to like both the toy and the character then that's a bonus, but please ensure that you are voting only according to your opinion of the toy.

Thanks. :)

Yes, but if you were a child who grew up with Beast Wars on TV, rather than G1, your memories of the toy are going to be intrinsically tied to the character, rather than it's engineering or sculpting.

Just as it would be valid for G1 kids to love the Bumblebee toy over the Beachcomber toy because Bumblebee ended up being the human interaction character, despite Beachcomber being a much more proportional and recognisable (in human terms) robot.

[Deonasis]

I didnt know BW basics were automorph until i got my first one 6mths ago (Botcon 96 Onyx Primal bat).

[GoktimusPrime]

Seraphim Prime: a person's (even a child's) opinion of a toy can easily differ from their opinion of the character. According to the Mini-Cars poll (http://otca.com.au/boards/showthread.php?t=22907), 13.95% of respondents have voted for Beachcomber as their favourite Mini-Car; equal second alongside Warpath with Seaspray at the #1 spot with 18.6% of votes! :eek: Beachcomber was definitely my favourite Mini-Car as a kid, even though I preferred Bumblebee as a character. Many kids in the 80s probably preferred Ironhide and Ratchet as characters than toys.

Deonasis: Took ya long enough! :p Not all BW Basics are Flipchangers though. It's just Armourdillo, Iguanus, Lazorbeak, Megatron, Optimus Primal, Rattrap, Razorbeast, Snapper and Terrorsaur. Ah, Drillnuts! I forgot to include Megatron and Optimus Primal in this poll! I wouldn't have been able to due to the 15 option limit though, so I guess they'll just have to be "manually" submitted via posts. :o But yeah, the other Basics are just regular Transformers that require multiple steps to transform.

[Lord_Zed]

What no basic 2 pack Prime and Megs?

In the absence of the above I vote Iguanus, I really like the reptilian mold he shares with Megs. And his alt mode is pretty much as Australian as Snarl's.

Though I think I like Megs the best of the early basics, I always like crocodilia alt modes, and also the two shades of green colour scheme.

[Seraphim Prime]

A person's (even a child's) opinion of a toy can easily differ from their opinion of the character. According to the Mini-Cars poll (http://otca.com.au/boards/showthread.php?t=22907), 13.95% of respondents have voted for Beachcomber as their favourite Mini-Car; equal second alongside Warpath with Seaspray at the #1 spot with 18.6% of votes! :eek: Beachcomber was definitely my favourite Mini-Car as a kid, even though I preferred Bumblebee as a character. Many kids in the 80s probably preferred Ironhide and Ratchet as characters than toys.


Agreed, but to be insistent that this is a poll on you favourite toy only from childhood, is to open it up to people loving the toy because they loved the character, because the two are linked (people dont love G1 Ironhide 33 years later because he was an amazing toy).

I say this as I sit next to a shelf full of Generations toys, a line which goes to prove how important media characterisation is as a part of selling the toy.


I don't think I've actually explained which one I chose, which was ultimately Razorbeast, but it was a tie between him and Armordillo, partly because of Armordillio became my stand in Ironhide having been upgraded by Unibot (Unicron's Autobot counterpart - I didn't read the comics)

[GoktimusPrime]

What no basic 2 pack Prime and Megs?
As I said...

Ah, Drillnuts! I forgot to include Megatron and Optimus Primal in this poll! I wouldn't have been able to due to the 15 option limit though, so I guess they'll just have to be "manually" submitted via posts. :o
I find Iguanus and Megatron's feet too prone to falling off, which bugs me heaps. I've lost one of my Iguanus' robot feet which I've since replaced with a junker Megatron's foot, but of course now they're mismatching. :rolleyes:

I quite like the overall design of Optimus Primal, especially the "Batman-esque" head design, and I also love how the wings sit on his back. My main qualm with this mould is that the arms pop off too easily and the scimitars are really prone to dropping off when stored in beast mode. But otherwise it is a smexay robot mode! ;) The scimitars are also a pretty awesome set of weapons, and I must confess that I occasionally like to flip them around and make them into makeshift hook swords. :cool:

Before the BW cartoon came out and when I heard that they were making a cartoon, I was hoping that the show would start off with Optimus Primal and Megatron as the bat and croc, then later upgraded as the gorilla and T-Rex. Apparently Mainframe originally wanted to do this, but the budget didn't allow it. The early episodes with Bat Primal in mind, hence why there are scenes where he flies, so when the decision was made afterwards that they'd only use the gorilla figure, Primal was given "Prime Jets" in robot mode so that they wouldn't need to re-write entire scenes that required him to be airborne.

[SharkyMcShark]

Cripes I didn't read properly because it's late and missed Snarl entirely :(

Snarl would be my choice - had a different transformation to most at the price point, and I liked the way that the weapon attached to robot mode. It reminded 9 year old me of G1 Megatron's fusion cannon.

My choice in the poll was Insecticon. My first ever BW figure, and I liked his crossbow.

[i_amtrunks]

Would've gone Croc Megatron, but since he wasn't there, I went laser beak. All the terrorsaur positives but it a funky purple!

[GoktimusPrime]

I have Hydra, who's a similar colour scheme to Lazorbeak, but without the illiteracy. ;)

[klystron]

I voted Razorbeast...

But, sorry, I broke all your poll rules - didnt even know the toy existed when the show was current; and he's my fave BW character.
I love the toy now tho (I even have two - my ONLY figure double-up) so that must count for something, right?

[GoktimusPrime]

So just out of curiosity, who was your favourite Basic BW figure back in the day?

[liegeprime]

Claw jaw... i like how he has a different weapon and the sleekness and poseability of the figure is awesome. He was my 2nd basic bw figure, first was Snarl but i didnt like his altmode in a way...

[GoktimusPrime]

first was Snarl but i didnt like his altmode in a way...
Snarl's alt mode is really badly inaccurate. It's meant to be a Tasmanian Devil, but really doesn't look like one, but rather just a generic dasyurid (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dasyuridae). If they ever do a Generations BW Snarl, I'd like to see it done with a more accurate beast mode.

I know that Snarl isn't the only BW TF with an inaccurate beast mode. Dinobot and Grimlock's velociraptor modes are also grossly inaccurate, bearing a closer resemblance to a deinonychus, although both 'raptors and deinonychuses. Mutant Beast Razorclaw's 'raptor mode is more accurate. While both velociraptors and deinonychuses were feathered dinosaurs, the evidence for this did not exist when Beast Wars came out, so I think that we can forgive Hasbro for not making them feathered.

[liegeprime]

plus those raptor modes of Dinobot and Grimlock are fat ass... I highly doubt they would be effective predators if Raptors were that stocky. lol

[Arctorro]

Dinobot and Grimlock's velociraptor modes are also grossly inaccurate, bearing a closer resemblance to a deinonychus, although both 'raptors and deinonychuses. Mutant Beast Razorclaw's 'raptor mode is more accurate. While both velociraptors and deinonychuses were feathered dinosaurs, the evidence for this did not exist when Beast Wars came out, so I think that we can forgive Hasbro for not making them feathered.

I doubt it would've mattered what evidence was available back then. The Jurassic Park franchise has really screwed things when it comes to real Dinosaurs and the latest movie proves they don't give a damn about reality :( (Though they proved that with the first movie by deliberately going with the over-sized velociraptor instead of the deinonychus because they thought the name was cooler)

Hasbro would've been more interested in giving kids what they thought was right instead of what was actually right.

[GoktimusPrime]

In Kenner's defence, they were based on the way that velociraptors were portrayed in Jurassic Park (http://img.cinemablend.com/cb/5/3/1/e/8/1/531e813e0598af32e21b80f3c859a4e0d4458e63fff181322e f824e05c6a4181.jpg), which was a main competitor against Transformers during the G2 years. It's not paleontologically correct, but it's what was popular with kids. Kenner had the unenviable task of saving Transformers from extinction so it would've been very important for them to capitalise on whatever was popular with kids at the time, according to their market research. And it worked. :) Hasbro's Beast Wars packaging had the Saurian eye and scales on it, reminiscent of the iconic scene from Jurassic Park where the 'raptor stares at the camera.

[Arctorro]

In Kenner's defence, they were based on the way that velociraptors were portrayed in Jurassic Park (http://img.cinemablend.com/cb/5/3/1/e/8/1/531e813e0598af32e21b80f3c859a4e0d4458e63fff181322e f824e05c6a4181.jpg), which was a main competitor against Transformers during the G2 years. It's not paleontologically correct, but it's what was popular with kids. Kenner had the unenviable task of saving Transformers from extinction so it would've been very important for them to capitalise on whatever was popular with kids at the time, according to their market research. And it worked. :) Hasbro's Beast Wars packaging had the Saurian eye and scales on it, reminiscent of the iconic scene from Jurassic Park where the 'raptor stares at the camera.

Oh, I agree. I completely blame Hollywood for the misconceptions with dinosaurs that continue to this day. If they had gone with something more accurate everyone (me included at the time) would've panned them for their "inaccurate" dinosaurs. Everyone (almost) believed that the Jurassic Park movies were accurate and that was what we wanted.

Beast Wars is my favourite TV show, transformers or otherwise, hands down. I don't care about any inaccuracies, I just love it.

[GoktimusPrime]

Inaccuracies in extinct species like velociraptors is one thing but inaccuracies in extant species like Tasmanian Devils is harder to excuse. Most people's initial exposure to velociraptor would've been through Jurassic Park, and unless you'd read up on the animal, you wouldn't have known any better. But Tasmanian Devils still exist and can be found in zoos! And there are plenty of photos and videos of these creatures.

These aren't the only inaccuracies though. Hasbro refers to Megatron as a crocodile (https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/b0/2f/23/b02f238a1516165188a3b6c5953aa13d.jpg), whereas Takara refers to him as an alligator (http://www.suruga-ya.jp/pics/boxart_m/607066150m.jpg). In actuality it's a fairly generic crocodilian, but the protruding fang would mean that it's not a crocodile, but the snout structure is more similar to a caiman (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caiman) than an alligator (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alligator) (although caimans are more closely related to gators than crocs). Then there's Iguanus who's more like a mythological creature than a real animal; he's got the head of a Komodo dragon, a frilled neck, and the body of an alligatorid! :eek: You'd expect Perseus to come along and fight this thing. :p

But hey... like I said, this was early days for Beast Wars in a time when Kenner were desperately trying to do something to rescue a nearly dead Transformers franchise. No one TF series is perfect, and Beast Wars' strengths far outnumber its weaknesses (as evidenced by its resounding success). :) Besides, how often do we have Transformers whose vehicle mode isn't entire accurate to the real thing, or are a hybrid of different vehicles, or are completely fictitious. :o