Your top 3!

[Jinto]

Just 3? It's tough picking between old favourites and some of the new figures with their amazing engineering, but I think I'd have to go with:

1. Transmetal II Megatron
2. Battle In Space Cyclonus
3. TFP First Edition Starscream

Curse the limit of 3! I feel like I left out several important ones!

[Jinto]

Here's two...



But take your pick...

Oh man, that is one beautiful Megatron. I tried painting up the Beast Machines recolour of that mold once. It was ok but in those days I didn't know that painting him like that would mean either never moving him again, or leaving him with scratches all over. C'est la vie.

[KalEl]

Just 3? It's tough picking between old favourites and some of the new figures with their amazing engineering, but I think I'd have to go with:

1. Transmetal II Megatron
2. Battle In Space Cyclonus
3. TFP First Edition Starscream

Curse the limit of 3! I feel like I left out several important ones!

don't worry i have more than 3 too...

[GoktimusPrime]

Then that is when you gotta do the good ol' enee meenie miney moe

You sir, are a genius!

<goes to random.org>
<generates 3 random numbers between 1-1588>

#377 = Doubleheader (1989)
#122 = Swoop (1985)
#675 = Optimal Optimus (1998)

Comments:

Doubleheader

Overall I think the 1989 Pretenders are better than the 1988 Pretenders - they're much cheaper and the robots are better designed because they don't have stick-thin robot modes and they transform into identifiable alt modes (whereas the 1988 Pretenders bend over and they tell you it's meant to be a vehicle... right). But compared to other 89 Pretenders, I find Doubleheader to be one of the weaker ones. The double-headed Pretender shell is just... odd. Is he meant to be a conjoined twin? Although sculpting is rather nice. The double-jet mode is also weird, though I suppose no stranger than Slugslinger. The accessory for the robot... is that a gun or a barcode scanner? Also not fond of how the landing gears can't fully retract in jet mode. He's not the worst of the 1989 Pretenders IMO (Longtooth is my least favourite), but he's not as good as say ... any of the '89 Decepticon Pretenders. The Autobots lucked out w/ their Pretender toys that year. Character-wise I like Doubleheader though; his "conjoined" persona was pretty funny (although it only seemed to exist when he was in his shell - it'd be funny if it continued when he was outside his shell, kinda like Smeagol and Gollum (only ya know, without the emotional abuse )).

Swoop

Aah, I didn't get Swoop as a kid as he was very rare in Australia! Managed to get one in 2005 undamaged loose complete for the expensive inflated price of $100 (<sigh> ). Anyway, as a result I have limited childhood memories of this toy (I only new 2 kids at school who had a Swoop). He's certainly the physically weakest of the Dinobots... I found a few Swoops with broken dino heads. The transformation is the least interesting of the Dinobots IMO - but I guess that's also because the alt mode is a lot more streamlined than the other Dinobots, presenting an engineering challenge akin to any jet TF (i.e. it's difficult to put all those robot parts somewhere when transforming into such a relatively "thin" alt mode - other dinos are chunk and can easily contain robot parts). Character-wise I quite like Swoop; he seemed to be the second smartest Dinobot other than Grimlock, and also the most lovable for me. Although my favourite Dinobot will always be Snarl.

Optimal Optimus

At first I was like, "What? But we already have a Transmetal Optimus Primal... why another one?" -- but after seeing pics of the toy and finally seeing them in shops... I couldn't resist. The sculpting is magnificent with so much incredible detail. I like how the head looks similar to the design Mainframe gave Optimus Primal in Season 1 of the cartoon - i.e. "open" faceplate with mouth. The colours are also nicely done with airbrushed paint apps on some parts! The electronic gimmick actually works nicely without compromising the engineering too much (ah, the days before Hasbro became obsessed with sound gimmicks on big boxed toys... how I miss that). Holy cow, this toy has movable fingers and opposable thumbs! The vehicle modes, as far as "intermediate" modes are concerned, are okay. I like the jet, but found the buggy mode to be kinda disappointing. My main criticism of this toy... they put the chest light right between the missile launchers... I shot myself in the eyes the first time I played with that gimmick! Character-wise, I do like how Mainframe came up with a story to justify the inclusion of this toy and involving G1 Optimus Prime with it too! Cos I gotta admit, when I got this toy I thought to myself that as neat as this toy is, we're not gonna see it on the show because we already have a TM Optimus Prime - the Quantum Surge has passed. But obviously Hasbro wanted this big toy in the show, and I must commend the writers for actually making it work.

[KalEl]

You sir, are a genius!

<goes to random.org>
<generates 3 random numbers between 1-1588>

#377 = Doubleheader (1989)
#122 = Swoop (1985)
#675 = Optimal Optimus (1998)

Comments:

Doubleheader

Overall I think the 1989 Pretenders are better than the 1988 Pretenders - they're much cheaper and the robots are better designed because they don't have stick-thin robot modes and they transform into identifiable alt modes (whereas the 1988 Pretenders bend over and they tell you it's meant to be a vehicle... right). But compared to other 89 Pretenders, I find Doubleheader to be one of the weaker ones. The double-headed Pretender shell is just... odd. Is he meant to be a conjoined twin? Although sculpting is rather nice. The double-jet mode is also weird, though I suppose no stranger than Slugslinger. The accessory for the robot... is that a gun or a barcode scanner? Also not fond of how the landing gears can't fully retract in jet mode. He's not the worst of the 1989 Pretenders IMO (Longtooth is my least favourite), but he's not as good as say ... any of the '89 Decepticon Pretenders. The Autobots lucked out w/ their Pretender toys that year. Character-wise I like Doubleheader though; his "conjoined" persona was pretty funny (although it only seemed to exist when he was in his shell - it'd be funny if it continued when he was outside his shell, kinda like Smeagol and Gollum (only ya know, without the emotional abuse )).

Swoop

Aah, I didn't get Swoop as a kid as he was very rare in Australia! Managed to get one in 2005 undamaged loose complete for the expensive inflated price of $100 (<sigh> ). Anyway, as a result I have limited childhood memories of this toy (I only new 2 kids at school who had a Swoop). He's certainly the physically weakest of the Dinobots... I found a few Swoops with broken dino heads. The transformation is the least interesting of the Dinobots IMO - but I guess that's also because the alt mode is a lot more streamlined than the other Dinobots, presenting an engineering challenge akin to any jet TF (i.e. it's difficult to put all those robot parts somewhere when transforming into such a relatively "thin" alt mode - other dinos are chunk and can easily contain robot parts). Character-wise I quite like Swoop; he seemed to be the second smartest Dinobot other than Grimlock, and also the most lovable for me. Although my favourite Dinobot will always be Snarl.

Optimal Optimus

At first I was like, "What? But we already have a Transmetal Optimus Primal... why another one?" -- but after seeing pics of the toy and finally seeing them in shops... I couldn't resist. The sculpting is magnificent with so much incredible detail. I like how the head looks similar to the design Mainframe gave Optimus Primal in Season 1 of the cartoon - i.e. "open" faceplate with mouth. The colours are also nicely done with airbrushed paint apps on some parts! The electronic gimmick actually works nicely without compromising the engineering too much (ah, the days before Hasbro became obsessed with sound gimmicks on big boxed toys... how I miss that). Holy cow, this toy has movable fingers and opposable thumbs! The vehicle modes, as far as "intermediate" modes are concerned, are okay. I like the jet, but found the buggy mode to be kinda disappointing. My main criticism of this toy... they put the chest light right between the missile launchers... I shot myself in the eyes the first time I played with that gimmick! Character-wise, I do like how Mainframe came up with a story to justify the inclusion of this toy and involving G1 Optimus Prime with it too! Cos I gotta admit, when I got this toy I thought to myself that as neat as this toy is, we're not gonna see it on the show because we already have a TM Optimus Prime - the Quantum Surge has passed. But obviously Hasbro wanted this big toy in the show, and I must commend the writers for actually making it work.

fun way to pick :P

[Trent]

My top 3:

#1. G1 Ultra Magnus - G1 because thats the only magnus I own. Whilst I agree that he isn't that cool in the cartoon, he goes alright in the marvel comic. But as a kid he was my favourite and to this day still is.

#2. Masterpiece Grimlock - Everyone loves grimlock, but he is one of my standout characters. Can't really explain why.

And my #3 I actually have a photo of:



Alternators Silverstreak - Best car I ever owned. Spent the GDP of a small country on engine and suspension mods so it went like a rocket on rails too. Unfortunately it came to grizzly high speed and premature end.

[KalEl]

My top 3:

#1. G1 Ultra Magnus - G1 because thats the only magnus I own. Whilst I agree that he isn't that cool in the cartoon, he goes alright in the marvel comic. But as a kid he was my favourite and to this day still is.

#2. Masterpiece Grimlock - Everyone loves grimlock, but he is one of my standout characters. Can't really explain why.

And my #3 I actually have a photo of:



Alternators Silverstreak - Best car I ever owned. Spent the GDP of a small country on engine and suspension mods so it went like a rocket on rails too. Unfortunately it came to grizzly high speed and premature end.

very cool man, i have a done up r33 so i know how you feel

[Slag]

who is that clear guy running for his life

[Slag]

@ work so cant post pics

gotta be...

1: G1 Optimus Prime
2: G1 Thrust
3: G1 Soundwave

i know i own probably cooler toys, but for some reason nothing has ever beaten the feeling these toys gave me.... past or present. ( nostalgia is a powerful thing... lol )

janda

it sure is.. nice choices

[Slag]

My top 3:

#1. G1 Ultra Magnus - G1 because thats the only magnus I own. Whilst I agree that he isn't that cool in the cartoon, he goes alright in the marvel comic. But as a kid he was my favourite and to this day still is.

#2. Masterpiece Grimlock - Everyone loves grimlock, but he is one of my standout characters. Can't really explain why.

And my #3 I actually have a photo of:



Alternators Silverstreak - Best car I ever owned. Spent the GDP of a small country on engine and suspension mods so it went like a rocket on rails too. Unfortunately it came to grizzly high speed and premature end.

I'd love to have the money to buy a 'Real Transformer' one day
but i keep spending my money on transformers..
nice Silverstreak.