Toy Review: Generations Armada Starscream

Series - Generations
Sub-line – Thrilling 30
Wave - Wave 8 2014
Size/class - Deluxe
New/remould/redeco - New
Released here – Not yet, if ever
Approximate Retail Price - Who knows?
Approximate Size – 14cm
Allegiance – Decepticon
Alt-mode – 'Cybertronian Jet Fighter' i.e Jetfire tryhard :p
Main Features/Gimmicks – Design based on IDW design, pushfire missiles
Main Colours – Red, Grey, BLack
Main Accessories – IDW exclusive comic, Missiles, Twin Foldable Energon Swords.





The Short: Simple and elegant. A great representation of the current IDW Screamer as well as a homage to the late Armada Screamer. However while appearances delight, articulation takes a back seat.

The Long: Probably the least hotly anticipated figure of the IDW inspired Generations toys, I feel like I was the only person on the board who was excited when this guy was announced. Armada Screamer looks and feels fantastic in both modes. The simple deco of the original character model lends itself well to Hasbro's sparse paint applications so there is not much to get wrong. The transparent orange plastic is particularly impressive as are the gray paint applications on wing pieces. Which brings me to my next point.

The QC on this toy is impressive by Hasbro standards. I haven't had the opportunity to handle any of the other IDW deluxes in this wave but it seems they've really stepped up their game. The paint apps are even and crisp, even on his FACE, all the joints are perfectly tight and tolerances almost PERFECT, both foldable swords store PERFECTLY in place under the wings. My only gripe is that the 5mm pegs on the swords are slightly too large for Screamer's fist holes. The minicon pegs are also slightly distracting but are understandable given this character's origins and the fact that minicons are a thing once again.

This toy falls over in articulation department. The arm articuation has limited poises and the legs are not much better. The head is able to rotate 360 degrees but is interfered with by a lack of clearance (or perhaps too large a light piping gimmick) which effectly leaves Screamer with a North/South/East/West limit to his head poesability. Perhaps most annoying though is the lack of wrist articuation. It should be a written rule that transformers with swords be given wrist articulation. Instead we see an almost pedantic commitment to landing gears on planeformers, even those of Cybertronian origin. I would rather these points of articulation be sacrificed in favour of twistable wrists. On the upside, his balance is not too shabby for a 'former with a backpack. Transformation is simple, perhaps too simple to satisfy most but simple transformations make for great toys. You don't really need the instructions for this one. The pushfire gimmick is also nice. The transparent orange 'flares' hide the long shaft of the missile well.

In summary Armada Starscream is a great looking figure but does suffer from more than a few design limitations which is fine if he's just going to stand upright like a soldier on your shelf with the rest of your deluxes but kind of nonsense if you like action poses.

Now for some picture treats!

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...ps5d0ced2f.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...ps4332157d.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...psaeccba84.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...ps361f17fa.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...ps6e4cbf79.jpg

I too love this guy as Armada SS is one of my favourite TFs. I'm a fan :)

Eh, I already have the original Armada Starscream. Can't say this toy holds much appeal to me. :/

Argh just realised I forgot to add the poll. Is there any way of adding one posthumously?

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Originally Posted by Lint

Argh just realised I forgot to add the poll. Is there any way of adding one posthumously?

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Yes, click on the Thread tools button above your first post.

Love this figure. I hope we get some Seeker repaints in addition to the upcoming Jhiaxus.

I have nothing new or interesting to add, other than this toy would be near perfect if it had more than 3 points of articulation.

I suppose they were going for toy accuracy to the Amarda toy original?

I don't have the original armada starscream so this fills in well for me. Good proportions. Nice robot mode and good jet mode. The Jhiaxus retool actually looks like a good retool They've changed both the nosecone and the wings. Justifies me getting that one as well when it's released

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Originally Posted by GoktimusPrime

Eh, I already have the original Armada Starscream. Can't say this toy holds much appeal to me. :/

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This one has articulation though. :p

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Originally Posted by Lord_Zed

This one has articulation though. :p

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As far as Armada toys go Screamers articulation was pretty good.

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Originally Posted by Trent

As far as Armada toys go Screamers articulation was pretty good.

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Notice anything wrong?:D

Got my TT one in the mail last week and while I wasn't expecting all that much from it, I really like it ! A lot!

Incredible light piping! Super clean bright white plastic. Less Red than Hasbro's one and very nice articulation, My main complaints are; Where's Swindle? His nose cone should attach to the groin piece to secure the body together. It just floats. His neck joint. Ball into head socket, but the ball joint attaches to the translucent plastic for his eyes. On mine it's an incredibly tight fit so turning his head is tough and I am afraid the plastic will crack easily, being translucent plastic.

I think since they weren't going to have the flippy launchers, they could have dropped the big orange doodads on his shoulders. They do look cool for jet mode and I realise it's part of the character in a way and you can fold them down, but I think they are too big. I would have preferred keeping the launchers on his shoulder with the back half folding down more than the option I have.

Some images:
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k3...psi6zht5tv.jpg

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k3...psiiyfebs3.jpg

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k3...ps7zjosvvh.jpg

I really like Armada Starscream. The jet mode is decent and the colours are nice. However, they still haven't figured out a way to somehow hide the arms better because they rest against the side of the plane, clearly visible underneath the wings.

I miss the two iconic gimmicks from the original. I really wished they could have kept the flip forward cannons since it looks much more impressive with large shoulder cannons that protrude so far in front of the body. While I like the pressure launch missile system of this one (it's really fun), it doesn't completely justify the long part sticking out the back. I don't like resting it on his back because this means that Starscream loses the air intakes on either side which is another defining feature of the figure.

Anyway, while it didn't make a good looking sword on the original toy, I loved the fact that Starscream detaches his wing to form a blade, and the lopsided look we get as a result. The swords are a separate piece attached to the underside of the wing but I loved how the designer used balljoints for the wings when there was a no need, because now you can imitate the lopsidedness by folding the wing out of sight.

http://i59.tinypic.com/28au9w8.jpg

Overall, another solid figure and my favourite out of the wave.

I ended up getting this figure simply as he was part of the wave I ordered from BBTS.

I have the original Aramada Starscream so wasn't massively excited to get this guy but figures might as well as he was part of the wave I was already ordering.

I do like that you can have his cannons pointed upwards so they are a variation of the G1 Seekers shoulder points, but can then flip forward to fire missiles like Armada. The face/head seems to be a nice cross between the two as well.

The swords don't go anywhere in Jet mode, that surprised me a bit as these days usually all weapons are contained within both modes.

One of the simplest Deluxe transformations I've come across in a looong time - even simpler than Scoop! For the first time in ages I have to say I would have preferred a more complex transformation, this was a bit easy for a deluxe class.

Nice to get the comic as always. Since the Minicons are so big in the comics, it would have been nice for this figure to come with one, rather than Legends Starscream coming with Waspinator - feels like they gave the wrong Screamer a sidekick.

Worth getting I spose, happy to have him but would not have shed too many tears if I had missed him.

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Originally Posted by BigTransformerTrev

The swords don't go anywhere in Jet mode, that surprised me a bit as these days usually all weapons are contained within both modes.

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They fold up and clip on to the bottom of the wings, so they are contained. If you look closely at the underside (in robot mode) of the wings you'll be able to see where they go.

ETA: To clarify, the back of the wings in bot mode. There is a hole on the swords that fits on to the tabs on the back of the wings, and you can make out where the round part where the swords fold and the point of them are meant to go. Sorry I can't provide pics but hope that helps!

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Originally Posted by Zommael

They fold up and clip on to the bottom of the wings, so they are contained. If you look closely at the underside (in robot mode) of the wings you'll be able to see where they go.

ETA: To clarify, the back of the wings in bot mode. There is a hole on the swords that fits on to the tabs on the back of the wings, and you can make out where the round part where the swords fold and the point of them are meant to go. Sorry I can't provide pics but hope that helps!

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This is true, you can see how they clip on in Tet's pictures above ;)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Zommael

They fold up and clip on to the bottom of the wings, so they are contained. If you look closely at the underside (in robot mode) of the wings you'll be able to see where they go.

ETA: To clarify, the back of the wings in bot mode. There is a hole on the swords that fits on to the tabs on the back of the wings, and you can make out where the round part where the swords fold and the point of them are meant to go. Sorry I can't provide pics but hope that helps!

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Trent

This is true, you can see how they clip on in Tet's pictures above ;)

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Ah, there ya go. Cheers guys :D