Toy Review - RID(15) Drift & Jetstorm

[BigTransformerTrev]

Drift with Jetstorm
Series - Robots In Disguise
Size/class - Deployer
Wave - 1
New/remould/redeco – New
Released here - July 2015
Approximate Retail Price - $23
Approximate Size - 13cm
Allegiance - Autobot
Alt-mode – Cybertronian Car
Main Features/Gimmicks – launches Mini-Cons.
Main Colours – Orange & Black




Robot Mode
The silver face is better than the Deluxe version and it’s bigger and that’s about it. Doesn’t come with any swords which is a shame. Bugger all poseablility. However it is decently proportioned, good helmet and nice colour scheme. Mini-cons can be loaded to be deployed from the launcher behind the right arm





Vehicle Mode
Unless you have the Mini-Con in place it looks absolute balls. I’ve classified it as a Cybertronian car because no earth car would ever look like this, kinda looks like he’s out of DW’s ‘The Age of Wrath’. Again the colours are ok and it’s a decent size. The Mini-Con deployer works well and shoots them out with a decent amount of force.





Jetstorm
Considering he shoots out of a bigger bot and given the colour scheme I reckon for the new RID series he could have been their version of Rewind. Looks kinda cool with all the extras you can add on him, though these need to be removed for his 1-step transformation.





Transformation
Very easy and simple – a bit too much so.


Overall
I haven’t been particularly impressed with any of the RID toys so far and this Drift fits right in with that. If I particularly cared about the character or the cartoon I might have gotten the deluxe as well for the better robot articulation and vehicle mode. As it is I grabbed this guy because at the current Target toy sale both the deluxe and this are going for the same price ($23) and at least with this he is bigger and has a Mini-Con. Really up to you though which one you get (if either) as they both have their pro’s and cons. If buying for a young child though I'd get this version as the Mini-Con deployer gives it more interactive playability.

[Sinnertwin]

i quite like the little Minicons.
i can definitely see their appeal

[GoktimusPrime]

i quite like the little Minicons.
i can definitely see their appeal

Disclaimer: I've yet to see/handle Jetstorm IRL. This post is based on the presumption that his level of design/engineering is on par w/ Fracture's Airazor.

These Mini-Cons are FAR below the standard of any other Mini-Con that's ever come before*, and nothing like the Mini-Cons from say the Unicron Trilogy (where some of the best toys were Mini-Cons, often eclipsing their larger Autobot/Decepticon counterparts!). Look at say Armada Sparkplug. He transforms from a Lamborghini Diablo to an articulated robot mode, which is reasonably well designed for such a small figure. Others like the Air Defence Team Mini-Cons even have weapons sculpted onto them! And they also activated gimmicks when plugged into Autobots/Decepticons. These Deployer Mini-Cons transform from folded up robots (or as I call them, "lumps") to unfolded robots with no real articulation. I will grant that Jetstorm's armour add ons look better than Airazor's (who just looks like he got shredded up by exploding shrapnel), but it's ultimately rather superfluous.

The Armada Mini-Cons were so cool that I enjoyed collecting repaints of them with the Micron Booster sets. I have zero intention of purchasing a repaint of Airazor. I'd get a repaint of Jetstorm just so that I could have the mould without needing to purchase Deployer Drift and repurpose him as Jetstorm in the Gokiverse.

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*I'd even rate them as being below the McDonalds Happy Meal Mini-Cons, because they came w/ Transformers that were only $2 each (or free if you purchased a Happy Meal). These Mini-Cons come w/ $23-29 figures, so in terms of value for money, I'd still rate the Maccas Mini-Cons as being above the RiD2015 Deployer Mini-Cons! And don't get me wrong, the Maccas Mini-Cons are really stupid, but they were literally cheap. These Mini-Cons are only cheap in a figurative sense.

[BigTransformerTrev]

i quite like the little Minicons.
i can definitely see their appeal

Yeah he's pretty cute eh

[shockNwave]

1.A transformer that turns into a hover car.
2.A minicon that turns into a projectyle.
3.A minicon that comes with detachable armor.
I have none of the above in my collection. A must have!

[SMHFConvoy]

Disclaimer: I've yet to see/handle Jetstorm IRL. This post is based on the presumption that his level of design/engineering is on par w/ Fracture's Airazor.

These Mini-Cons are FAR below the standard of any other Mini-Con that's ever come before*...

Ahem

[shockNwave]

I recently got mine and I'm impressed despite the G1 feel (I'm not a big fan of G1). So I'd like to point out this is not an ideal Transformer for kids due to it's lack of playability. For starters:
1. In robot mode, only the arms articulate (strictly at the shoulders).
2. Disc shaped projectiles are the worst kind (e.g. Wheeljack & Skystalker [both BH] and Generations Kickback) and this one's slightly better. Which leads to ...
3. The poor firing mechanism which can jam.
4. Although the orange color scheme is better than Generations Jhiaxus.
5. The flame blades can be added to the sides at the back of the vehicle.
6. Furthermore the minicon can be placed in the launcher with its armor fully attached thus giving the car a meaner BH-like look.

So in the end, this toy is good if you prefer to only display it. P.S. I like how this toy's excellent originality makes up for it's poor engineering regardless of what a sarcastic bully may say.