Toy Review - Generations Mini-Con Assault Team
Mini-Con Assault Team
Series - Generations
Sub-line - N/A
Size/class - Deluxe
New/remould/redeco - New
Wave - 8
Released here - should be March 2014
Approximate Retail Price - about $25~30
Approximate Size - 13cm (Centuritron)
Allegiance - Mini-Con
Alt-modes - fighter jet (Runway), assault helicopter (Windshear), tank (Heavytread).
Main Features/Gimmicks - Mini-Cons combine to form Centuritron gestalt robot. Individual weapons combine to form gestalt weapon.
Main Colours - black and green with yellow accents
Main Accessories - dual cannon (Runway), minigun (Windshear), long barrelled cannon (Heavytread). Comic book (reprint of MTMTE #24 (Dark Cybertron Part IV))
Stock image
Windshear
Alt mode
First of all, glad to see that Hasbro has finally worked out the correct contextual spelling of 'windshear'! It's only taken them 12 years... :rolleyes: :p The helicopter mode looks nice enough, but the robot legs are quite plainly visible and there isn't much done to incorporate them into the alt mode other than just tucking them up like an Olympic diver. This is also due to the robot mode being more stylised than the typical Armadaverse Minicon - a lot more sleek and humanoid looking. And of course the toy needs to be able to combine, so all things considered it's not an unacceptably bad weakness for this toy IMHO. What I find more irritating are the two fins on the back of the arms. They don't really do anything useful for the alt mode, but they do get in the way of the primary rotor blades, inhibiting it from being able to spin freely (which is surely the main gimmick of any helicopter alt mode Transformer). And as these little wings don't really even really add anything meaningful to the alt mode, I just don't see the point of them. The tail has "7H3 7A" written on it, and a Mini-Con insignia located just in front of the main rotors.
Robot mode
As mentioned before, a rather stylised robot mode that's designed to look more rounded than would otherwise be permitted with a conventional helicopter mode. A rather slender build with feet that remind me of TF Prime Starscream's, I think Windshear has an arguably feminine looking robot mode. So unless canonically stated otherwise, I'm regarding Windshear as female. :) The shoulders and hips are on ball-socket joints and the knees are on single swivel joints, so a total of 6 points of articulation all up. The thin legs makes it impossible for the toy to stand itself up on its own feet, but the helicopter tail sits behind the robot to help support it (kinda like a kangaroo's tail).
Gestalt
Windshear forms the head component of Centuritron.
Runway
Alt mode
A jet that kinda resembles a highly stylised cross between a Dassault Rafale and F22 Raptor with massively oversized turbines at the back. Otherwise it's much like Generations Thunderwing in that it looks fairly good from above, but you can see the robot arms tucked along the sides and unlike Thunderwing there's nothing to conceal the head (but to be fair, it's a Mini-Con, not a Deluxe). This toy has "VPS1LN" printed along the port side of the cockpit and a Mini-Con insignia printed on the port wing.
Robot mode
The way that the legs and arms transform remind me of Thunderwing. It's a very big and imposing Mini-Con. One thing that the instructions don't mention are two panels which cover the back of the legs. Aside from concealing Centuritron's fists, it also assists with heel support. The shoulders and hips are on ball-socket joints and the knees are on single swivel joints, so a total of 6 points of articulation all up.
Gestalt
Runway forms the torso component (including the arms) of Centuritron.
Heavytread
Alt mode
The turret vaguely resembles an Abrams, but the body is stylised with anti-mine sweeping prows attached on the front. Visually this is the most solid-looking alt mode of the Mini-Cons, revealing very little of the robot. However it lacks tabs to lock the side panels and legs into place, so 'physically' it's not actually as solid as the others. There's a Mini-Con insignia located on the left side of the turret above the rear left treads is "TVCB1D6."
Robot mode
A suitably bulky looking robot (as one would expect from a tankformer). The "monocled" right eye is also an interesting touch. This toy has four points of meaningful articulation.
Gestalt
Heavytread forms the leg component (including the waist) of Centuritron.
CENTURITRON
I think Hasbro might've intended to take the word "Centurion" and throw "tron" in there, but it ends up sounding like "Century Tron." So now I'm imagining cheesy lines like:
"A strike team will land on the Centuritron and deactivate the shield generator." :p
A big and impressive looking Mini-Con gestalt robot who looks like he could rip off Armadaverse Perceptor's head and deposit waste Energon down his neck. The middle of the body is a bit hollow, but forgiveable given the nature of the toy and rather clever engineering with how Runway transforms into the torso component. The shoulder locking could've been better designed, but it's better executed than say MP Lambor's shoulders. The way that each individual robots' weapon can combine into Sanctuary Moon's weapon is a neat touch. :)
Powerlinx!
Each Mini-Con and their weapon has 'dead' Mini-Con ports and posts. So they should be compatible with Armadaverse toys and be able to activate Armada Transformers' Powerlinx gimmicks! I'm always appreciative of these kinds of reverse compatibilities. ;) So they're not just Mini-Cons in name, but they do actually function as proper Mini-Cons! :D
