Toy Review - BotCon 2010 toys

[griffin]

Toy Review:
Pre-reg set - Spark/Pyro, Clench, Breakdown, Streetstar/Streetwise, Sky-Byte
Attendee Figure - Slice/Slicer
Big pair - Doublepunch, Turbomaster/Scorch w/ Ravage
Small pair - Cindersaur, Rapido
3-pack - Airshark, Landshark, Skyshark

Series - BotCon 2010
Sub-line - Timelines, Generation 2 Redux
Size - Deluxe to Voyager
New/remould/redeco - redecos and remoulds
Wave - (6)
Released here - No (June in America)
Approximate Retail Price - $500
Alt-modes - Spark/Pyro (rescue vehicle), Clench (tank), Breakdown (sportscar), Streetstar/Streetwise (police car), Sky-Byte (shark), Slice/Slicer (sportscar), Doublepunch (Scorpion), Turbomaster/Scorch (offroad) w/ Ravage (cassette), Cindersaur (dinosaur), Rapido (race car), Airshark (shark), Landshark (shark), Skyshark (shark).
Main Colours - See below
Main Accessories - Numerous

http://www.toycollectors.com.au/tftoys/oth04.jpg

http://www.toycollectors.com.au/tftoys/oth05a.jpg

http://www.toycollectors.com.au/tftoys/oth05b.jpg

http://www.toycollectors.com.au/tftoys/oth06a.jpg

http://www.toycollectors.com.au/tftoys/oth06b.jpg

http://www.toycollectors.com.au/tftoys/oth07.jpg

[tinyJazz]

I really like this set. Then again, I really like any Classics/Universe repaints - and apparently so do a lot of other tf collectors - so it was a winner from the start anyway!

I don't have Slice... Slicer, or the Sharkticons - not bothered because the molds aren't particularly strong IMO.

The Best:
Double Punch, Spark (Sir Pyro Ignatius Spark. teehee!) and dino Cindersaur look fantastic on display. More pink on tfs I say!
DP's "gigantic hover jet mode" looks like a huge, highly-poisonous, predatory bird-thing. Awesome!

Not so good - but still good?
I'm not sure I like the mold for Sky-byte, but I can't think of a better one so it still works with the set.
SG Ravage < eHobby/kissplay Glit. Seriously, it just looks like he got blue carpet-burn on his legs.
Also, Streetstar doesn't really have lights, so you just have to pretend he's got the retro flip-up style lights and mechanical failure.

Apparently this (neon-coloured transforming cars) is the kind of thing mum would have bought for my bro when he was a kid. :/ I think I got plastic dinosaurs or something.

Thanks to TheHandsomeCrab and Griffin for the souvenir sets :)
Thanks to ebay guy for the box set: still waiting for my feedback :/

[blackoptimus]

Wasn't there G2 Sideswipe too? Or how was that obtained and was it official?

[griffin]

Gen2 Sideswipe was indeed a figure for this year, but was limited to just 50 units, in the Customising Classes.
(two classes of 25 - each get a bag of bits, to paint and build the toy like a model kit)

[kup]

Gen2 Sideswipe was indeed a figure for this year, but was limited to just 50 units, in the Customising Classes.
(two classes of 25 - each get a bag of bits, to paint and build the toy like a model kit)

Are the customized toys part of the official Botcon toy line of the respective year? I ask since it is pretty much being made by an individual who is making it from parts than something Hasbro/club is actually selling as a product.

[griffin]

It's officially produced by Hasbro/TT's factory... the only difference is the enthnicity of the person assembling it... :p

[kup]

It's officially produced by Hasbro/TT's factory... the only difference is the enthnicity of the person assembling it... :p

If the person has to paint it by hand then each figure becomes unique and of varying quality. What I am getting at is that the toy becomes more of a group kitbash sponsored by Hasbro rather than an actual collector toy so I am not sure how this works as far as a collectable 'exclusive' toy goes.

[griffin]

I don't think there is much painting involved. I think most of the effort is cutting up the 'trees', cleaning up the parts, some paint-aps, assembly, stickers... and that should be it. I think the only difference to the factory is that the paint could be applied by machine.
If they were dissassembling existing toys of different characters, painting them up and then re-assembling them, it would be a custom job. These are effectively mass-produced (on the same machines that produce the regular toys) in different colour plastics, and are sent from the factory in the condition that the factory workers would get them when they put the toys together. The only real difference is that the 'toys' are shipped before they are constructed.

It can go either way though - personally, I'd prefer to classify them as 'fan customs' so that I don't have to even think about collecting them, but am leaning the other way because they are following a set pattern, with factory-produced parts... not to mention being similar to the various BotCon toys that have exclusive parts (heads/wings) for FunPub to put toghether, or paint/sticker details of BotCon 95 Nightracer (done by hand as well).

[kup]

I don't think there is much painting involved. I think most of the effort is cutting up the 'trees', cleaning up the parts, some paint-aps, assembly, stickers... and that should be it. I think the only difference to the factory is that the paint could be applied by machine.
If they were dissassembling existing toys of different characters, painting them up and then re-assembling them, it would be a custom job. These are effectively mass-produced (on the same machines that produce the regular toys) in different colour plastics, and are sent from the factory in the condition that the factory workers would get them when they put the toys together. The only real difference is that the 'toys' are shipped before they are constructed.

It can go either way though - personally, I'd prefer to classify them as 'fan customs' so that I don't have to even think about collecting them, but am leaning the other way because they are following a set pattern, with factory-produced parts... not to mention being similar to the various BotCon toys that have exclusive parts (heads/wings) for FunPub to put toghether, or paint/sticker details of BotCon 95 Nightracer (done by hand as well).

So you are saying that the toys are something more to being manufactured by old fashion manual labor than a factory machine. Still kind of weird but I agree from that perspective that it is less of a kitbash and more of an 'oddly' produced toy.

The thing is that so few of them are made (and bound to be of varying quality) that it would be next to impossible to find. I personally choose to ignore them as they would be very difficult to get and there are alternatives to the characters portrayed or they don't fit that well with the set like that Custom class Inferno from Botcon 06 as there is no canonical background to support it.

[GoktimusPrime]

Got Cindersaur today. Man he's ugly! The mould also just screams of Megatron and doesn't evoke Cindersaur to me at all. But ironically, as Megatron this mould doesn't appeal to me at all (I passed up the previous versions of this mould). I wish they'd at least retooled the head... ah well.

I'm happy with the toy, but I must admit that a large part of the appeal is the exclusivity... but there's no way I'd pay a big premium for it - so I'd say only get it if it's "cheap" (i.e. not massively inflated).

[kup]

At first, after seeing photos of it and not being that fond of the mold, I thought I was going to hate him, specially when I am not a fan of the mold. When it came with Rapido, I was thinking of selling him but upon opening and after a good look, It begun to really grow on me and liked it, specially the beast mode.

The Robot mode is indeed too Megatron but I really like the dinosaur mode and Cindersaur has grown on me a lot. Now I wish to get the other G2 Firecons to complete the set :)

Here are some close up pics for your reference:

http://kupscigar.com/fun/g2cinder1.JPG

http://kupscigar.com/fun/g2cinder2.JPG

http://kupscigar.com/fun/g2cinder3.JPG

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

I quite like this years set, more than I thought I would originally. So far I ahve only had a look at Sky-Byte and Breakdown, both of whom I think are awesome!

Breakdown's head is great and the colours actually work quite well. Sky-byte is just fab. I liked the sharkticon mould from the times of energon and here with the colours it works well. Plus I can now use my Energon Shrkticon as a minion (not a fillet minion).

Are Landshark, skyshark and seashark (?) the same colour, or are they slightly different like last years Sweeps?

[kup]

I quite like this years set, more than I thought I would originally. So far I ahve only had a look at Sky-Byte and Breakdown, both of whom I think are awesome!

Breakdown's head is great and the colours actually work quite well. Sky-byte is just fab. I liked the sharkticon mould from the times of energon and here with the colours it works well. Plus I can now use my Energon Shrkticon as a minion (not a fillet minion).

Are Landshark, skyshark and seashark (?) the same colour, or are they slightly different like last years Sweeps?

I was also pleasantly surprised by this set. At first I thought it would just be ok but it's actually very good, much better than last year's. For me at least the toys are far more impressive in person than in pictures.

[GoktimusPrime]

Are Landshark, skyshark and seashark (?) the same colour, or are they slightly different like last years Sweeps?
Another reason why I'm glad Transformers won over Machine Men. Could you imagine if those toys were called Landman, Skyman and Seaman?!? :D ;) :p

[Paulbot]

Are Landshark, skyshark and seashark (?) the same colour, or are they slightly different like last years Sweeps?

Last year's Sweeps were slightly different? I thought the only difference was the biocard?

[griffin]

Both sets of three figures are identical to each other - it was their way of producing a larger run (cheaper) without needing to sell more sets.
The only thing different is the biocards. Sweeps and Sharks had different names, bios and stat numbers.

[Paulbot]

Phew. That was one of my hestitations in selling my set of Sweeps individually but I was sure apart from the bio card (which also and very slight difference in the art of each Sweep) they were the same.

I'd have liked to get Turbomaster and Double Punch as there were the best of this year's range (along with Sky-Byte) but I couldn't justify so much money on repaints. Pyro, Clench and Breakdown are nice ideas, but theme didn't live up to the potential IMHO.

[Lint]

Sky-byte is pure love. The energon sharkitcon mold suits him perfectly and the paint applications are just delicious.

[kup]

Got Clench today:

http://kupscigar.com/2010/180810.JPG

I am sorry to say that I am not that impressed with him. He seems of a lesser quality plastic than the other Botcon toys (and the Universe Onslaught). The head sculpt is not as good as it could be and somewhat doesn't fit the body since it's made of a glossier plastic than the rest of the toy, on top of that his head is of a different shade of color. The mat grey shield also doesn't fit the toy and I can't understand why they added 2 spots of glitter on it's G2 Decepticon insignia.

[Deonasis]

Spark- Not really feeling some of the muted tones on this guy. The red, blue and purple on this guy needed to be a bit brighter and a new head would have helped too. Still a pretty good attempt for Pyro.

Rapido- Fantastic new head sculpt and great colours. Well worth it.

Streetstar- Very plain compared to the rest of the set but the colours work well and I like it more than Spark.

Scorch- The colours are great but I still wish he was the Universe Ironhide mould for the bulky look of his original toy. Also would've been nice for the hood flames to be pointed backward not forward.

Shattered Glass Ravage- I don't like the SG concept. I wish he was Glit.

Clench- Best new head of the set! And a daring mould use for the speckled guy. Fairly well placed paint choices and the shield is quite interesting; it is mostly a dull matte greyish colour but the G2 tampo'd logo is shiney, we are not used to seeing this. Also, the vents on the shield use two different colours fluro green and yellow, I don't know why they bothered with such a slight difference. Mine came with the black rake thingies sans-pins so they are and will remain unattached.

Breakdown- Great paint effort on his tricky ribbed roof. They nailed the brief on this one, pretty cool colours and rad sunglasses!

Skybyte- Nailed the colours, mould and headsculpt! The paint detail in alt mode should be applauded and the mould and new head make him look pirate like. Beautiful!

Cindersaur- Pretty left field idea and the alt mode pulls it off with great wacky colours. If his bot head was not Megatron and more animalistic it would be far greater.

Doublepunch- Awesome! The colours and their placement on this big guy are spot on. I couldn't be happier with big DP!

Slicer- Great idea, great paint! My first version of this mould and I am happy with him. A remoulded chest to remove the embosed autobot logo(silly idea HasTak) would've been nice but hey I love the remoulded parts we got.

Thanks to griffin for for these tfs, he put in a huge effort for us.