Favourite Subgroup/gimmick/concept?

[theshape]

Headmasters - they incorporated humans into the toys, which i found really cool when i was a kid

[5FDP]

Omnibots Surprisingly, I don't have any

My fav would have to be the Predacons. Never had them as a kid (they were far too expensive) but have since acquired the reissue. I remember reading issue #25 of the original Marvel comic series over and over. Predaking IS the ultimate warrior!

[Golden Phoenix]

Mini-cons. It's like Pokemon but with Transformers.

Gotta Catch 'em All!

[griffin]

Just so that this topic doesn't get distracted by debate over Dinobots combining (which is an interesting discussion topic), a new topic & poll has been posted up here.

[GoktimusPrime]

The trailer/combat deck concept. It means that the cab-robot is the action figure, and the trailer becomes a play set. That's what was cool about the original G1 Prime, and they did the same thing with Powermaster Prime and G2 Laser Optimus Prime. I also like the idea of robots being to combine with their trailers to form a super armoured robot -- I really liked G1 Ultra Magnus and Powermaster Prime for this reason; though I didn't think Super Fire Convoy, Armada Superpants Prime and DotM Ultimate Optimus Prime was done as well. So, I like the concept if it's executed well (yes, I know that G1 Magnus and PM Prime are bricks - but my 1986/88 self thought they were damn cool ).

In more recent times I quite liked the concept of Cyber Key gimmicks -- I thought that they were a good example of a non-intrusive gimmicks that didn't compromise or interfere with the toys' engineering too badly (unlike say the Armada and Energon Powerlinx gimmicks). The automorph gimmick in some of the first movie toys was okay too -- though not astounding.

My fav would have to be the Predacons. Never had them as a kid (they were far too expensive) but have since acquired the reissue. I remember reading issue #25 of the original Marvel comic series over and over. Predaking IS the ultimate warrior!

I also never got any of the Predacons as a kid cos they were just too expensive. My cousin had 2 or 3 of them... didn't know any kid who had the whole set though! I focused my finances more on completing the other more affordable gestalt teams (where you only had to get one expensive boxed toy for the head/torso, and the rest were the cheaper carded figures). Or in the case of Devastator, just x6 $9 carded toys. (not surprisingly Devastator was the first gestalt team that I completed -- either by late 85 or early 86).

[Hursticon]

For me my favourites, Gimmick-wise would look like this:

1. Combiners/Gestalts
2. Headmasters & Powermasters
3. Pretenders
4. Motorvators
5. Duo/Trio-Cons (Proto-Combiners)

Subgroup-wise:

1. Predacons (G1 & BW)
2. Maximals
3. Stunticons
4. Dinobots
5. Insecticons

[rocman12]

From a kid I've always loved the triple changers and its stayed with me all these years! The autobot bases are also cool as they display well with other TF's. I don't think the deception ones display as well. Though I never understood why metroplex had combiner connectors on his arms and shins.

Best subgroup would have to be the dinobots!!!

[GoktimusPrime]

Though I never understood why metroplex had combiner connectors on his arms and shins.

The 1986 gestalts can all interchange their limbs, or what the Japanese called "Scramble". Metroplex was marketed/promoted in Japan as "Scramble City," and so he has connector ports that are compatible with the Scramble Gestalts. i.e. Metroplex is meant to be a city for their Scramble gestalt teams. The leaders of the Scramble gestalt teams can also connect to Metroplex in their base modes. Metroplex's weapons can also be held by the Scramble team leaders and all the Scramble gestalts (they all use the same peg size). Trypticon can also hook up with Scramble team leaders (in their base modes) too.

It was all a carry-over concept that was originally conceived for Diaclone but aborted when Diaclone was cancelled, so Takara adapted it for Transformers. The interactivity of the Scramble City w/ the Scramble gestalts was more prominently promoted in Japan -- and indeed there was also an OVA called "Transformers Scramble City" that showed off some of the Scramble gimmick thing between the gestalt teams. It's horribly animated and the story is about as awesome as Revenge of the Fallen, so you're not missing out on much. But yeah, that's why.

Check out some of this G1 packaging -- not the "Scramble City" logo:
Encore Metroplex
Aerialbots (limbs)
Drag Strip
Trypticon

[rocman12]

The 1986 gestalts can all interchange their limbs, or what the Japanese called "Scramble". Metroplex was marketed/promoted in Japan as "Scramble City," and so he has connector ports that are compatible with the Scramble Gestalts. i.e. Metroplex is meant to be a city for their Scramble gestalt teams. The leaders of the Scramble gestalt teams can also connect to Metroplex in their base modes. Metroplex's weapons can also be held by the Scramble team leaders and all the Scramble gestalts (they all use the same peg size). Trypticon can also hook up with Scramble team leaders (in their base modes) too.

It was all a carry-over concept that was originally conceived for Diaclone but aborted when Diaclone was cancelled, so Takara adapted it for Transformers. The interactivity of the Scramble City w/ the Scramble gestalts was more prominently promoted in Japan -- and indeed there was also an OVA called "Transformers Scramble City" that showed off some of the Scramble gimmick thing between the gestalt teams. It's horribly animated and the story is about as awesome as Revenge of the Fallen, so you're not missing out on much. But yeah, that's why.

Check out some of this G1 packaging -- not the "Scramble City" logo:
Encore Metroplex
Aerialbots (limbs)
Drag Strip
Trypticon

The concept in theory sounds great, but i think they executed it wrong! Big fail in my books! Metroplex doesn't look right with them other limbs connected to him!

Another big fail to me were the action masters! Optimus Prime & Megatron are ok, but the rest were a waste of money. Not proud to say it, but i do have them all!

[Cat]

Seekers.

I love the idea of an elite Decepticon Air Force.