What are your favourite and least favourite gimmicks/features in a Transformer?

This is thread idea I've been sitting on for a while (decided to put it out there because, tbh, I now prefer to think of something else besides Cyberverse). It was going to be a poll, but there's heaps of gimmicks in Transformers, and I'd probably butcher their names. Also, I'm not sure how to elegantly put it so that we could vote on favourites and least favourites..

So anyways, as mentioned, there's tonnes of gimmicks and features that we've seen in Transformers like:
- Combiners/gestalts,
- Headmasters,
- Targetmasters,
- Pretenders,
- Micromasters,
- Triple changers,
- Light-piping,
- Spring-loaded missile launchers
- Water-squirting,
- Electronic lights and sounds,
- etc. (loads more)

What are your favourites and least favourites? Also are there any gimmicks or features you've seen in other toy brands that you think might be cool to see in Transformers?

Favourite: Combiners. When done well, it's fantastic.

I wouldn't call it a gimmick as such, but the addition of poseability as standard (Beast Wars era) - I'm showing just how long I've been into Transformers here - is still the greatest aspect that's been added to the toyline.

Least favourite: electronics. Some toys do it well (G1 Shockwave, for example, where it makes sense for his alt mode). But some it just ruins them - the soundboxes in voyager class and bigger in some Unicron Trilogy toys so hampered the Transformer itself to ruin them - and I just don't find the trade off worth it for some generic lights and sounds that don't really fit.

Me personally, the ones I like are:

Triple-changers - Because I get more choice of alt-mode, and engineering-wise, a lot more thought would need to go into creating something that changes into a variety of different things and still look good in each mode. I feel I get more value for money, and there's more to explore in the toy.

Headmasters - It's the first type of Transformers I played with as a child, and I like the idea of the Transformer having a pilot/driver and cockpit, because it makes the alt-mode a bit more believable as a vehicle that that can be manned.

Beast modes - I like to see a variety of alternate modes, and I find car modes to be a bit boring especially if the transformation is quite common or cliche. Adding beast modes into the mix gives added diversity to the types of transformers we get.

So, that's my favourite three. I can now see why I went all gaga over Titans Return when it was released in 2016 :)

My least favourites are:

Water-squirting (or anything to do with water) - It's not good to get Transformers wet because it causes the screws and other metal parts to rust. Such a gimmick seems pointless because using it might damage the toy in the long-term.

Mech-tech accessories - The idea of a transformable weapon that can be retractable via a spring-based mechanism sounds impressive, but having experienced them with the Transformer Prime Voyagers; they're not very pleasing to the eye and look quite silly when attaching them to the alt-modes.

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Originally Posted by dirge

Least favourite: electronics. Some toys do it well (G1 Shockwave, for example, where it makes sense for his alt mode). But some it just ruins them - the soundboxes in voyager class and bigger in some Unicron Trilogy toys so hampered the Transformer itself to ruin them - and I just don't find the trade off worth it for some generic lights and sounds that don't really fit.

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One thing I don't like about electronics is that you have to be conscious of the batteries. If you don't use the electronic gimmicks for a long time, and you don't remove the batteries; the batteries can leak and ruin the toy.

My likes and dislikes are somewhat shaped by me still thinking the oldest stuff is the coolest. I like full bios on packaging rather than one-liners. I like bits of die-cast and rubber. I think that articulation can be taken too far if it over-complicates the transformation process.

However, I also like some developments since the 80s. Tampographs are better than stickers. Light-piping is cool (and indeed translucent bits in general if they work well in all modes). Accessory storage is most welcome. Maybe some of these things are just features rather than gimmicks.

Something I would like to see more of is 'play pattern' relationships between toys that make sense in terms of alt-mode. It always has frustrated me that a big transporter like Jetfire could never carry even any mini-vehicles in, on or under it. Consider some sort of drop-ship toy that is compatible with a smaller land-roving toy that it can release into the field.

Another thing I think would be cool is toys that are more like the play-sets that other toy lines have. You can put smaller figures on and around 'city' Transformers but rarely in them. I would even give up transformation for something like this.

Finally, and drawing inspiration from far more crappy toys, would glow-in-the-dark features be cool or is that just tacky? :)

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Originally Posted by Dan

Finally, and drawing inspiration from far more crappy toys, would glow-in-the-dark features be cool or is that just tacky? :)

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Nah, not at all tacky :). It could be used to simulate glowing eyes. Luminous paint/inc would be cheaper than light-piping I imagine, and electronics to simulate glowing eyes (or other parts) might get in the way of articulation and transformation.

Thinking about it now, I kind of like Transformers that can "talk" (phrases in the form of electronic sounds, e.g. G2 Optimus Prime, G2 Megatron, Takara's anime-decoed G1 Galvatron, etc.). Electronic speakers and battery compartments can be intrusive and drive the production costs up, but the Star Wars Force Link toys seem to show a way of doing it that won't drive the cost of the individual figures up (except you'd need to buy the Force Link wrist band). Yeah, having to wear the wrist band is a bit corny, but at least it offers a way to give the characters speech without adding too many additional parts to the individual figures. Would be cool if Hasbro migrated this feature over to Transformers.

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Originally Posted by FatalityPitt

Thinking about it now, I kind of like Transformers that can "talk" (phrases in the form of electronic sounds, e.g. G2 Optimus Prime, G2 Megatron, Takara's anime-decoed G1 Galvatron, etc.). Electronic speakers and battery compartments can be intrusive and drive the production costs up, but the Star Wars Force Link toys seem to show a way of doing it that won't drive the cost of the individual figures up (except you'd need to buy the Force Link wrist band). Yeah, having to wear the wrist band is a bit corny, but at least it offers a way to give the characters speech without adding too many additional parts to the individual figure. Would be cool if Hasbro migrated this feature over to Transformers.

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I hate it in Transformers. There were a few toys in the Unicron Trilogy where the Transformer itself turned out terrible because the torso was a giant battery/speaker block which defined the toy's engineering.

In Star Wars toys, I get it. They don't suffer the same drawback.

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Originally Posted by dirge

I hate it in Transformers. There were a few toys in the Unicron Trilogy where the Transformer itself turned out terrible because the torso was a giant battery/speaker block which defined the toy's engineering.

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Yeah, the talking gimmick is pretty hit and miss (mostly miss). It can be cool if done right, but hellishly annoying in some situations. Worst part is when the talking gimmick goes off when you don't want it to (like during mid-transformation.. Gah!). But the Star Wars Force Link gimmick seems to offer a way to give toys that speech gimmick, while avoiding the problems of having electronics within the figure itself.

From other brands, why not colour change transformers? Theyve done it with hot wheels etc in the past. Cost could be an issue but i like the idea of having a green tf then goes blue with heat or cold.

Most Fav Gimmick:

Combiners: This wins it for me, I love the fact that can unite to become something more. The evolution of the modern versions such as the HFG and the poseability we get are awesome.

Minicons: To link them as a way to find or bring out a hidden weapon is a clever touch.

Least Fav Gimmick:

Bodiless Headmasters: This I find is really annoying! What's the point of a headmaster that doesn't have a body??

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Originally Posted by CHILENO20

Most Fav Gimmick:

Least Fav Gimmick:

Bodiless Headmasters: This I find is really annoying! What's the point of a headmaster that doesn't have a body??

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Agreed. It seems crazy having those spare heads. If only there was some sort of multi-faced monster to plug them into - a Quintesson for instance! I prefer the POTP Pretenders as a lowest price point option.

Electronic Voices: For any toy, I find this a bit odd because, to me, it makes those statement more _real_ than any other thing a kid might want to make the toy say.

Glowing Eyes: Talk of using fluorescent paint as an alternative for light-piping, which sounds cool, reminds me of another dislike I have - painting over light-piped eyes in subsequent re-decos!

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Originally Posted by CHILENO20

Least Fav Gimmick:

Bodiless Headmasters: This I find is really annoying! What's the point of a headmaster that doesn't have a body??

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This also describes the inherently flawed nature of the Headmaster gimmick in general. Even those that come with a body. Because any detachable accessory (which is what a Headmaster is) can be lost, and what happens when you lose the detachable head? You have a headless robot.

It happened to me in 1988. I lent Snapdragon to a classmate who then lost my Krunk. :( I suffered owning a headless Snapdragon for over a decade until I finally replaced Krunk. :( From a toy perspective, Headmasters are a stupid gimmick and ultimately needless because Transformers are sentient robots. Why do they need pilots? The Rebirth tries to explain it... awkwardly. Oh you have the advantage of a second mind... uh, okay... you could do it by having your partner just ride inside your chest. Or speak to you remotely via radio. Why do they need to transform into your head? :confused:

Targetmasters and Powermasters are weird, but losing those Nebulans isn't as devastating. If you lose a Targetmaster then you just have a robot without a gun. Just find another 5mm post gun and Robert is your parent's brother. If you have a Powermaster without its Nebulan, it just means that it doesn't have an external engine component, but we all know that the toy can still transform by pushing down on the release trigger with your finger. :p My G1 Powermaster Optimus Prime came without Hi-Q (I got it for free) -- I got Hi-Q many years later, but I could easily transform Optimus Prime without Hi-Q. And Optimus Prime already has his front grill in place - the external protruding engine really isn't necessary even to form the vehicle itself.

As adult collectors we may not care about every Titans Return figure being a needless Headmaster because we won't lose the heads. But guaranteed that some poor kid out there will have. Having said that, from a child's POV these Titan Masters are cool as replacement heads. If we had Headmaster Warriors here in Australia when our Headmasters came out, I would've gone out and bought a spare Headmaster Nebulan for my poor Snapdragon. No, it wouldn't be the same as having Krunk, but it sure beats being headless! The secondary market must be full of headless G1 Headmasters.

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Originally Posted by CHILENO20

What's the point of a headmaster that doesn't have a body??

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Sacrificial offerings to Trypticon. Or if you don't have Trypticon, I think they make good victims in simulated vehicular accidents and robotic animal attacks :)

Fav gimmicks: Triple Changing and Combining
(Hence why Scattershot remains one of my very fav G1 toys :D)

Least Fav: Action Masters (no transforming for a Transformer) and batteries as it’s years since I changed any and all those toys prob don’t work now :(

Not a real fan of Headmaster/Titan Master figures either for reasons others have already stated. Really dig Targetmasters though!

Favourite Gimmick:
Combiner , Tripple/Hex Changing , Target Masters , Pretenders

Least Favourite:
Action Masters , Head Masters

I'm gonna call the whole line a gimmick, known as Robot Powered Machines (RPMs). How dreadful the 'transformation'.