Unfortunately that's an Aerialbot's lot in life (and Seekers and any other jet transformer). Almost all are destined to be a jet aircraft with a box of robot kibble underneath.
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Unfortunately that's an Aerialbot's lot in life (and Seekers and any other jet transformer). Almost all are destined to be a jet aircraft with a box of robot kibble underneath.
I think the third party option is more than "a bit more" - last I looked it was ~$90-100 per limb, a bit more for the torso, oh and don't forget the addon kit(s)....
Sure those figures may look better, have a wider range of articulation and transform more streamlined BUT you've gotta look at the cost and the target market. These guys are amazing for the price, and a big step up from their last combiner effort. Are the perfect? No, I'd especially like some foot articulation. Are they great? Yes.
Comparing the engineering and plastic quality on the wave one deluxes with the last generations wave (Chromia/Arcee) I found those felt a lot "cheaper" - especially in Arcee's case.
Now I'll be the first to admit I'm not a purist, you saw Green Giant in my pics earlier on in the thread, and I also have Caelus, Hexatron and Mania King. Sure they're better figures than others in their size class, but they cost a lot more too...
I guess what I'm trying to say is you get what you pay for, and what you get these days is actually quite a lot (at least in my opinion.)
Edit: Lugnut's a propeller driven plane, not a jet ;)
I am REALLY loving the Deluxe Combiners. :D
I wouldn't care if they recoloured them fifty times... they are the perfect balance of engineering for great articulation and quick play without being too simple to transform, or having too much kibble (no more than the original toys they are homaging), or ruining the "humanoid" proportions of the Robot mode.
And I haven't even got to combining them yet - that'll just be gravy. This is just from transforming them from Robot to Vehicle and back again... they are THAT GOOD.
I can't wait for more of these, and will have trouble deciding a favourite for the year, for next year's Ozformers Awards.
(I haven't been this excited in a contemporary set of toys for a long time.)
I'm also amazed at why their feet/hand attachments are each completely different (sculpting, and even an alternate colour part on the Aerialbot ones), when they could have all been the same piece to save money... and no one would have cared or complained.
If anything, it's more of a negative having different feet/hands for each, in that it could make the feet and hands of the Combiners look different and wrong with close inspection, when they should be identical (or were on the original Combiners).
I also though that Firefly/Fireflight and Skydive should have had their guns swapped over, as the original Fireflight had a double-barrel gun and Skydive had a single-barrel gun.
One thing that does bug me from a design perspective is how tiny the rear spoiler is for Dragstrip. I think it could have been wider or bigger... as it looks like a stunted limb on the back of the car mode.
And why is Dragstrip crying tears of blood...
Some pics of mine...
Nice.
http://www.toycollectors.com.au/blog/c431.jpg
Very nice.
With the Gen1 originals, and the Classics Dragstrip.
http://www.toycollectors.com.au/blog/c432.jpg
Alt modes...
http://www.toycollectors.com.au/blog/c433.jpg
.
http://www.toycollectors.com.au/blog/c434.jpg
Very nice. :D
looking at the above, it's fitting that Alpha Bravo is Slingshot's "replacement" - both of them are the slimmest of the teams...
Playing with Ultra Prime today, comparing OP and Silverbolt as limbs, made me realise just how much bigger and oppressive Menasor will be compared to Superion - can't wait for wave 2 to hit.
If I wasn't expecting multiple redecos of these over the next couple years, I'd be seriously looking at getting a second set just to have in combined mode next to these in robot mode.
http://www.toycollectors.com.au/blog/c436.jpg
This is probably the first time in decades that I've been this impressed about a group of toys... they are just so much fun to play with and transform. :D
If you don't have these in hand or on pre-order yet, what are you waiting for?
PRID Magnus is looking ready to smash some skulls in the background :p