Toy Review - DINOKING (Legacy)

DINOKING
Series - Generations
Sub-line - Legacy
Hypo-line - United
Size/class - Core (gestalt)
New/remould/redeco - Repaint/retool of Legacy Core Class Volcanicus
Wave - N/A
Released here - October 2024
Approximate Retail Price - $139.95
Approximate Size - 19cm
Allegiance - Decepticon
Sub-Group - Dinoforce
Alt-modes - robotic tyrannosaurus rex, pteranodon, brontosaurus, stegosaurus, triceratops & ankylosaurus
Main Features/Gimmicks - gestalt
Main Colours - yellow, white, blue, green & gunmetal grey with silver & red accents
Main accessories - multi-part axe, multi-part rifle

NOTE: This toy is a redeco of the Legacy Core Class Dinobots/Volcanicus. See reviews on these toys for comments about the original moulds. This review thread will focus on changes made.

In box
https://i.ibb.co/8mnqy23/TL-dinoking00.jpg
The G1 Dinoforce toys were sold either individually or in a box set, and Legacy Dinoking's box pays homage to the G1 box set.
See Heroic Decepticon's review on the G1 box set here: https://heroicdecepticon.blogspot.co...os-part-1.html

GORYU [gouryuu] ("Strong Dragon")
Say "Go" as in the verb, and "Rew" (rhyming with 'few')
Function: Commander
https://i.ibb.co/GsW12Ln/TL-dinoking01gouryuu-A.jpg
https://i.ibb.co/Dk3RTJR/TL-dinoking01gouryuu-B.jpg
G1 Goryu is a mould-mate of Icepick and transforms into a clawed monster thing. His Pretender shell is an armoured tyrannosaurus rex.
Legacy Goryu is a redeco of TL Grimlock. The body has mostly been repainted to resemble G1 Goryu's inner robot body, although the dino head is painted with a silver helmet that resembles the G1 Pretender shell. Goryu's robot head is painted entirely silver with a red visor like the G1 cartoon model, as opposed to the toy which had a white head and entirely yellow face. Goryu comes with Grimlock's tail-gun plus a new club that resembles the one that he wielded in the cartoon.

GAIRYU [gairyuu] ("Armoured Dragon")
Say "Guy Rew"
Function: Defence Soldier
https://i.ibb.co/SxjDpTK/TL-dinoking02gairyuu-A.jpg
https://i.ibb.co/DgfVVRS/TL-dinoking02gairyuu-B.jpg
G1 Gairyu is a mould-mate of Bristleback and transforms into a quadrupedal winged... thing. His Pretender shell is an armoured ankylosaurus.
Legacy Gairyu is a redeco of TL Scar...r. The toy sports a darker shade of green than the G1 robot that more closely resembles the green from the cartoon, and his head is also coloured like the animation model. Gairyu comes with a new tail/hand accessory that looks more like an ankylosaurus tail and a double swivel joint for the fist.

DORYU [doryuu] ("Earth Dragon")
Say "Dorrew"
Note that the "Do" is as in dot, donkey or dock; NOT as in 'dough' or 'domain' or a female deer.
Function: Land Soldier
https://i.ibb.co/vm6FS6w/TL-dinoking03doryuu-A.jpg
https://i.ibb.co/M9NMMWv/TL-dinoking03doryuu-B.jpg
G1 Doryu is a mould-mate of Scowl and transforms into a... uh... whatever Scowl transforms into. His Pretender shell is an armoured stegosaurus.
Legacy Doryu is a redeco of TL Snarl and is coloured similarly to the G1 robot, although his face and chest have been repainted like the cartoon. Doryu comes with a new scythe weapon and a repaint of Snarl's sword.

KAKURYU [kakuryuu] ("Horned Dragon")
Say "Cuck Rew"
Function: Strike Soldier
https://i.ibb.co/gv4zLvs/TL-dinoking04kakuryuu-A.jpg
https://i.ibb.co/nRg16yV/TL-dinoking04kakuryuu-B.jpg
G1 Kakuryu is a mould-mate of Slog and transforms into a... robotic monster thing. His Pretender shell is an armoured triceratops.
Legacy Kakuryu is a redeco of TL Slug^Slag and is coloured similarly the G1 robot, only using mostly yellow instead of gold. The visor has been painted red to match the cartoon model. Kakuryu comes with a repaint of Slag's tail gun, dual-barrelled pistol, axe and Monstr--, Dinoking's rifle.

RAIRYU [rairyuu] ("Thunder Dragon")
Say "Rye Rew"
Function: Sea Devil Soldier
https://i.ibb.co/br57fDN/TL-dinoking05rairyuu-A.jpg
https://i.ibb.co/Ry20Tgv/TL-dinoking05rairyuu-B.jpg
G1 Rairyu is a mould-mate of Birdbrain and transforms into a quadrupedal robot. His Pretender shell is an armoured brontosaurus.
Legacy Rairyu is a redeco of TL Sludge and is coloured similarly the G1 robot. The face is painted yellow as per the G1 cartoon model. The brontosaurus head has also been slightly remoulded to correct the asymmetry from Sludge's dino head. Rairyu comes with a pair of missile pods, which also form Dinoking's feet.

YOKURYU [yokuryuu] ("Winged Dragon")
Say "Yock Rew"
Function: Lightspeed Soldier
https://i.ibb.co/W6pRTm7/TL-dinoking06yokuryuu-A.jpg
https://i.ibb.co/Wp4GcCb/TL-dinoking06yokuryuu-B.jpg
G1 Yokuryu is a mould-mate of Wildfly and transforms into a winged robotic monster. His Pretender shell is an armoured pteranodon.
Legacy Yokuryu is a redeco of TL Swoop and is coloured similarly the G1 robot with a more cartoonlike face. Yokuryu comes with a fist-gun and gun-mount. This not only bulks up the size of Dinoking's right forearm, but it also allows Yokuryu to hold Dinoking's fist like a gun. This is a reference to something that Yokuryu only ever did in one episode of the G1 cartoon; TF Victory Episode 7 ("Explosion!! The Energy Base") where he rides atop his Pretender shell and shoots at the Autobots with 2 guns; his regular gun (that the G1 toy comes with) and a shrunken down version of Dinoking's fist. Of course, just as Wildfly cannot hold Monstructor's fist as a weapon, the G1 Yokuryu toy cannot hold Dinoking's fist. Legacy Yokuryu can now finally hold Dinoking's fist like a gun, just as he did that one time in just one episode and never again! Talk about obscure! :D

All of the Dinoforcers in alt mode.
https://i.ibb.co/RBGr5DY/TL-dinoking07.jpg

DINOKING
Function: Dinosaur Gestalt Warrior
"Witness the power of DINOKING!"
Okay, the motto is lame, but I think this may be the first time that the word "Gestalt" has been officially used, after 30 years of being a fan term!

https://i.ibb.co/WgJdqTt/TL-dinoking08.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/rvs8PXX/TL-dinoking09.jpg

Comparison with my childhood G1 Monstructor and a photo of G1 Dinoking (from tfwiki).
https://i.ibb.co/bHG6fKK/TL-dinoking10.jpg
I don't own a G1 Dinoking but donations are always welcome. :p

Overall: this set has exceeded my expectations. As repaints/retools of the Dinobots, these toys were always going to be limited in how closely they can resemble G1 Dinoforce. CHUG Pretenders usually resemble their Pretender shells, but here they resemble the inner robots - which is something that I prefer because it's the robots who are the Transformers; the shells are just outer disguises. The designers have gone to a lot of effort to make this set look as Dinoforce/Dinoking as possible, including:
+ New gestalt head
+ New & improved gestalt fists (now with wrist swivels!)
+ New gestalt feet
+ New gestalt weapons which can separate into smaller weapons for the individual robots
+ Gestalt fists and feet are also weapons with the right fist being a really obscure reference!
An impressive amount of effort has been poured into this set to make the Dinobots look as much like the Decepticon Dinoforce as possible. Whoever worked on this set is clearly a G1 fan who really knows their Dinoforce. If Hasbro were to repaint this set as the Decepticon Monster Pretenders/Monstructor, I would get that in a heartbeat.

I was undecided on getting this; didn't even preorder it. But I am quite amazed by these figures and highly recommend the set.

My thoughts on the Dinoforce (individually and as Dinoking):
Overall impressions are great. They are a wonderful little team of dino dudes. The colours are on point and they have fantastic cohesiveness. The packaging is fresh and retro. I got mine on a Black Friday sale at an amazing price.
Goryu: Great colouration, nifty dino mode despite the back chunk (his legs in robot mode), good looking robot mode and head with okay articulation.
Doryu: Dino mode a little compromised but second best robot mode. His colours work well, great head, great articulation.
Gairyu: Second fave dino mode, I love an Anklyosaurus. Little squat spiky dude. Dino mode a bit unbalanced without his weapon but still looks good.
Kakuryu: Back end of his dino mode a bit compromised (shoving the combiner head up his butt would do that); very sharp robot mode although limited in articulation.
Rairyu: Probably the most compromised and least favourite pick. Both dino mode and robot mode are pretty meh due to his need to be a bottom torso. Robot mode transformation is pretty ick, slightly improved by attaching his rocket launchers; also improves his stability.
Yokuryu: My absolute fave. I love this guy. Amazing articulation not compromised by combining ability and looks sharp in both robot and pterosaur mode. Thinking about tracking down core class Swoop because of him.

Dinoking: This lad is pretty damn sweet. I managed to get three of six limbs correctly transformed just with reference pictures which always makes me happy when I don't need instructions. Stable, poseable, and his combined weapons are fantastic too. Ready to stomp your face and not apologise for it.

I'm very pleased with the Dinoforce and Dinoking. He's made me love dinosaur themed transformers again.