Toy Review - DotM Ultimate Optimus Prime
(Please post photos, comments or even a fully comprehensive review - these are just brief details)
Since the SDCC version is supposed to be exactly the same, with just different packaging, reviews of both can be included here.
Toy Review - Ultimate Optimus Prime
Series - Dark of the Moon
Sub-line - Mechtech
Size/class - Ultimate
New/remould/redeco - new
Wave - 1
Released here - July
Approximate Retail Price - $120-150 ($80 in US)
Approximate Size - 30cm
Allegiance - Autobot
Alt-mode - Truck
Main Features/Gimmicks - Convertible Mechtech weapon, combine-able trailer (noted as 3 modes).
Main Colours - Dark blue, red, grey
Main Accessories - Mechtech weapon, Trailer
http://www.toycollectors.com.au/tftoys/mt36.jpg
Stompy Reviews DotM Ultimate Optimus Prime
DotM
ULTIMATE OPTIMUS PRIME
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...PrimeClose.jpg
Official Bio:
"Over the years, Optimus Prime has proved himself to be not only a great leader, but also one of the most powerful warriors in the universe. He is trained in the use of almost any weapon, incorporating them into his combat tactics without effort. He is a walking arsenal with unstoppable combat capabilities."
Tech Specs:
Strength: 10
Intelligence: 10
Speed: 7
Endurance: 10
Rank: 10
Courage: 10
Fireblast: 10
Skill: 9
(Please note that I only used my, decent, phone camera only. Couldn't find my proper camera since the move)
OMEGA PRIME:
Wings Closed:
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...losedFront.jpg
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...ClosedBack.jpg
Wings Open:
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...PrimeFront.jpg
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...aPrimeSide.jpg
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...aPrimeBack.jpg
This is what you get straight out of the box. I'm going to call him Omega Prime since he is donning the Omega Combat Armor. First off you will notice that the head is quite tiny compared with the rest of the figure. Juxtaposed with his thick arms and legs, he's literally a pinhead. A head upgrade or helmet would have been nice. He kinda does with the MechTech but we will get to that later.
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...PrimeTorso.jpg
After the amusing pinhead look you start to notice the rather HUGE wingspan of the wings. With it fully outstretched it's as tall and wide as two Leader Primes. Below is Omega Prime next to RotF Leader Prime...
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...tFLeaderOP.jpg
The wings work well enough and is an impressive spread with a nice gradient blue paint blending to the dull grey forming a nice central focus towards the torso. There's a LOT of pegholes for MechTech weapons to attach to, so if you have a lot, you can certainly arm the wings to the teeth. The wings can be spread out individually. With the lowest ones able to fold down tot he side of the legs. The middle wings able to fold out 90* and the top ones almost a full 180 on ratcheting gears. The wheels on the tips of the wings are kinda kibblish and wish the engineers just made it able to fold behind the wings to hide them, but it's not too bad seeing the actual wheels are on the otherside of a mechanical looking backing. The two gold antenna like protrusion in the middle are on ball joints but bafflingly didn't need to be due to the restrictions its placement produces.
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...gaPrimeArm.jpg
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...gaPrimeLeg.jpg
The arms and legs are quite a sight to behold. Big, chunky and well sculpted and gives off an armored presence. It does look like this will just be a brick in terms of articulation. You would be right partially. Articulation on the legs are limited to spread out to the side by about 20 degrees. There is NO knee articulation at all but there is ankle ratcheting joint to keep his flat footed when his legs are spread apart.
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...ticulation.jpg
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...ationClose.jpg
The arms on the other hand have some pretty great articulation restricted a little by the shoulder kibble, but can be moved towards his head to allow his arm to rotate right around 360. Elbow bend is present with about a 40* bend. No wrist rotation and surprisingly a tremendous amount of articulation for the shoulder despite the armor sitting over the robot arm. There is about 3 articulation points to allow the shoulder to move as such. The head rotates 360 with no ability to look up or down.
Overall a decent looking Prime and makes for a great display piece. Posing is limited due to its limited articulation. 7/10
OMEGA COMBAT ARMOR:
The armor can open up to allow the Optimus Prime figure fit in. The lower torso lowers to reveal a slimmer Prime, arm armor fold outwards to the sides and the leg armor folds out tot he front to reveal his legs with feet in a tip toe position. With a clip on the back and pegs on the leg to hold it in place, while the arm armor is gripped by the Optimus Prime hands. 8/10
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...tchRelease.jpg
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...Disembarks.jpg
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...sembarking.jpg
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...timusPrime.jpg
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...OmegaArmor.jpg
OPTIMUS PRIME:
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...PrimeClose.jpg
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...PrimeFront.jpg
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...sPrimeSide.jpg
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...sPrimeBack.jpg
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...PrimeTorso.jpg
So, this Optimus Prime robot mode has been proportionally sacrificed for the Omega Prime mode. With it's uncomfortably long torso, thin legs, ridiculously kibbly arms and the floating shoulderpads. Looking somewhat like a Pirate with its shoulderpadded bell cuffed silhouette and thin tights like legs. The arms are the biggest disappointment with this figure. With NOTHING done to the arms to make it not look like the front of the cab, complete with unconverted wheels and mud guard. Then there's the huge shoulderpads that just sit there unpegged. The silver paint apps on the face, chest and legs definitely adds to the already excellent paint apps.
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...lationSide.jpg
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...ationFront.jpg
Articulation is decent. With full articulation of the arms to be able to rotate on the shoulder a full 360, as long as you move the shoulder pads away. It can swing outwards 180 and the elbow a 90* bend. No wrist or waist rotation though. Legs and knee bend can spread out a full 90* and the ankle able to move the feet towards the ground by about 80*.
With the legs being so thin and no heel spurs to support the rather heavy back, it is hard to pose this figure, especially with the bleh looking arms. This is probably one of the best poses I can do, with the legs looking odd in order to balance it from toppling:
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...sPrimePose.jpg
Comparing with all other Movie Primes (I forgot the HftD Voyager Battle Blades Prime and didn't bother with the Legends and Commander figures) it's kinda in the middle. This is certainly NOT Leader sized. More a large Voyager or Mega sized. Would be hard to scale this with other figures in the line.
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...oviePrimes.jpg
(L-R: DotM Deluxe, DotM Voyager, MV1 Voyager, UOP, MV1 Leader, RotF Leader)
For your money, the most movie accurate is the RotF Leader, HftD Voyager and DotM Deluxe. 6.5/10
CONVERSION TO CAB MODE:
This was an interesting one, with a totally unique conversion when compared to all previous Movie and every Prime in existence. Well done to the engineers for finding a new way to convert a character we are well too familiar with. Won't say anymore but it is quite refreshing and not too difficult. 9/10
CAB MODE:
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...otMUOP-Cab.jpg
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...P-CabFront.jpg http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...OP-CabBack.jpg
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...OP-CabSide.jpg
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...UOP-CabTop.jpg
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...-CabBottom.jpg
The Cab alt mode turned out a lot larger than I expected, especially seeing how small the robot mode was. The biggest difference is the single windshield look without a middle bracket breaking up the glass in two like all other movie Prime alt mode windshields. Giving off a very wide looking alt mode.There is no real visible robot kibble and also no play value outside of the rolling plastic wheels.
Size comparison, this is certainly larger than any Voyager and can almost match its bigger Leader versions:
(L-R, Bottom-Top: DotM Deluxe, DotM Voyager, MV1 Voyager, UOP, MV1 Leader [RotF Leader not pictured as is pretty much the same size as the MV1 Leader and I couldn't be farked converting it :p])
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...omparison3.jpg
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...comparison.jpg
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...omparison2.jpg
Overall this is a nice looking alt mode and was well thought out, although all the pegholes are noticeable around it's chassy. 8/10
OMEGA ARMOR CONVERSION:
This was no real surprise. Legs and arms get encased by the Wings as a shell forming a nice rectangular box. Nothing complex. 5/10
TRAILER:
Perhaps the main event of this package. We haven't had a real trailer for Optimus Prime for a long time and we pretty much hoped for a movie one and here it is. Without further ado...
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...ailerFront.jpg http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...railerBack.jpg
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...railerSide.jpg
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...TrailerTop.jpg http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...ilerBottom.jpg
It really is just a big grey rectangular box. Although it does boast some nice sculpting of lines, textures, studs and 3 well made Autobot insignias. The sculpting paying homage to its G1 original too with the slanted line towards the back. There is ZERO play features in this mode besides the spinning wheels and the Omega Prime Gold Antenna posts acting as a stand for the trailer when the cab is not attached. There's no opening doors up back nor is there a roller to come out. :( Still its a trailer! A Prime trailer in a decent size and no real faults. Perhaps some visible kibble on the underside. 8/10.
TRAILER & CAB:
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...ailerTruck.jpg
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...rTruckSide.jpg
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...ilerTruck2.jpg
So here it is. Trailer with Cab. The most disappointing thing is that it's just a small peg into the peghole on the cab. That's it. There's no real connector to keep it attached. While it works, it's a little disappointing. The gap between the cab and Trailer is pretty big but it's just right for it to turn. Speaking of which It can turn 150* With the underside kibble of the trailer preventing a potential 200* swivel.
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...bstruction.jpg
See the blue part blocking the cab to go any further? Yeah. Disappointing.
Overall though this is impressive. Not since MP04 have we had a great big hunking trailer. It's impressive as a display piece and recognizable as a movie and a general TF Prime Trailer. With the lack of play value hurting this a little. 8/10
Here's the trailer with mv1 Leader Prime Alt mode:
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...withMV1Cab.jpg
MechTech Weapon:
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...TechWeapon.jpg
The MechTech weapon is this stonkingly HUGE THING that is as tall as the Optimus Prime figure int his pack. It cannot be held on the one arm as a blaster nor can it be used in the alt mode. Instead there's a portion of it that folds back out revealing a helmet and a latch to go on Omega Prime and the blaster held by two hands as the whole weapon blankets the head and shoulders all the way to the back.
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...binedJoint.jpg
Note the orange portion on the right? This is pegged tightly and gripped at the sides. Which is then connected all the way by a blue piece to the helmet.
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...inedHelmet.jpg
The helmet has a clear visor that goes over Primes face with a Target reticule deco'd over it. The weapon then drapes over his torso held by both arms.
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...binedClose.jpg
The weapon has a red lever that when pushed back will make the two grey pincer like pieces fold back as it makes a charging noise followed by a powerful plasma bolt like sound and lights in 3 parts. Then an "I am Optimus Prime" quote. There are also two buttons located towards the back. One makes a salvo of missile launching noises and lights up the front missile racks. While the other have slower missile launching noises and lights up the two rear missile racks.
The weapon stows away in the underside of the trailer, creating more visible kibble:
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...TechBottom.jpg
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...thMechTech.jpg
Overall a nice way to implement the weapon in Omega Prime mode but utterly useless and obscenely large. 6.5/10
QC:
I didn't really have much QC problems except one of the wings came off the ratchet joint, but was easy to re-attach. I guess the wings are too big for the joint and if it's a little loose, will come off with some play. All joints were tight and properly converted will remain solid throughout. Plastic quality doesn't feel cheap and the paint apps are well done with little error or bleeding. The chunk of Hasbro Grey isn't too bad on the trailer. It's not the shiny grey variety so it's believable in this shade of grey.
STOMPY'S VERDICT:
Individually, there's a lot of flaws with each individual component. The robot mode OP is proportionally awkward with lazily designed arms, cheap and forces looking wings, brick like Omega Prime mode and the lack of play value for the trailer. But as a whole package, this is pretty good. We finally get another Trailer at a very decent size and price. As a display piece this is eye-catching in either mode. It's probably a bit better than the RotF Prime + Jetfire combo but not as pretty as DotM Jetwing Leader Prime. But it's got the goddam trailer though! For me that's enough to warrant a purchase. Especially since it appears to retail for $119 (Target). Those who have the Jetwing Optimus should think hard as that one is movie accurate while this is just an excuse to have a cool trailer. Overall 8/10
