Toy Review - DotM Deluxe Optimus Prime

[griffin]

(Please post photos, comments or even a fully comprehensive review - these are just brief details)

Toy Review - Optimus Prime
Series - Dark of the Moon
Sub-line - Mechtech
Size/class - Deluxe
New/remould/redeco - new (with Mudflap's Mechtech weapon)
Wave - n/a
Released here - June 2011 (BigW exclusive - Walmart in US)
Approximate Retail Price - $19 ($13 in US)
Approximate Size - 15cm
Allegiance - Autobot
Alt-mode - Truck
Main Features/Gimmicks - Convertible Mechtech weapon
Main Colours - Dark blue, red, grey
Main Accessories - Mechtech weapon



This would have to be a first... a store exclusive that get's to use a new mould first, instead of being stuck with a mere redeco. At least this mould will be reused in other ways/releases, unlike the Aveo Swerve mould that was never used again.

[Decepticon]

I got this to match my voyager DOTM Megatron for size. When both in truck form, they go really well together.

[jena]

I don't like this figure but I don't really know why. He looked great inside the packaging but once I opened him up I felt quite disappointed. He looks pretty nice from the front but the back is just a mess. Truck mode is nice though, with some nice metallic looking paint. I still just don't really like him much.

[jena]

I forgot to mention that his feet actually fold down in truck mode to show a little trailer hitch, unlike the picture that shows his feet sticking up in truck mode.


Sorry it's only an iPhone picture but it shows how his feet should be.

[GoktimusPrime]

Got him tonight for $15 - so for the price of a Scout I'm satisfied.

The toy is actually pretty good in it's own right. The robot mode is also mistransformed in the stock image - it looks better when properly transformed. It's a bit of a backpack-former in robot mode, but considering that it achieves a reasonably screen-accurate robot mode, that's not too bad. Much preferable to Ultimate Optimus Prime's "Popeye arms". (>_>)

The yellows and Hasbro grays in robot mode are pretty bland, but the truck mode colours are neat - it even has silver on parts like the grill, tanks, steps, smoke stacks, windscreen shades etc., as opposed to the Hasbro grays on Ultimate and Leader Class Optimus Primes! The back panel of the sleeper section doesn't sit perfectly flush and does have a gap - but same with Ultimate OP. There are also a bit of robot parts exposed behind the sleeper section too, but I don't think it looks too bad. The transparent side mirrors look silly, but I suppose they sacrificed paint apps for them (as well as the Autobot hood ornament) in favour of the MechTech Weapon. There are also 2 5mm holes on the roof that can hold MechTech weapons (or other 5mm post weapons like G1 Optimus Prime's guns! ). This of course allows Optimus Prime to shoot forward or any other direction (x-axis), unlike say Deluxe and Voyager TF Prime FE Optimus Primes whose rear-mounted guns can only point backwards!

Remember that they are engineering a complex CGI model into a smaller and cheaper (thus greater budgetry constraints) size toy. So in this context, I'd say it's much better than Ultimate Optimus Prime and arguably on par with Leader Class/Jetwing Optimus Prime.

The MechTech weapon is alright - I like how it flips out to reveal his battle axe... although like other Deluxe Mech Tech weapons it lacks any locking mechanism to keep the axe deployed... which is really stupid and useless on any kind of melee weapon. (you'd think Hasbro would have learnt this lesson from DOTM DLX Sideswipe... )

As adult collectors - especially those of us with other versions of movie Optimus Prime - it's easy to dismiss this toy as rubbish and say "I prefer Leader Class"... but as a relatively cheaper figure that's also a helluva lot easier to transform, it offers greater value for kids (who are the primary target market for these toys after all). But in spite of this, the toy has obviously not been a great seller... the fact that even discounted to $15 it was still pegwarming at Big W speaks volumes.

I really got this toy cos I wanted to see if this mould was compatible with 1984 G1 Optimus Prime's trailer or not (cos nobody else seemed to be able to tell me!). Sadly... it's not. *sigh*

My verdict? It is a good Deluxe Optimus Prime figure for sure. Arguably the best engineered Deluxe Optimus Prime toy made to date, considering the nature of what this toy is (i.e. adaptation of a CGI model consisting of 0,108 individual parts, 1,830,898 polygons, 27,744 rig nodes, 2336 texture maps with a volume of 154m^3)... unfortunately it's overshadowed by the fact that there are just too many freakin' Optimus Prime toys out there - including so many versions of DOTM Optimus Prime... all of which continue to shelf/peg warm. But putting that aside, it is a good toy in its own right.

Can't be bothered taking photos atm but here is a pic of the toy in more correctly transformed robot and vehicle modes.