Best Transformers Per Catalogue Classes 1984-1987

[Paulbot]

Ordering is fine Dan, easy to do and does assist in decision-making.



Best Two (2) Autobot Cars (1984): Sideswipe and Prowl

Best Autobot Car (1985): Inferno

Best Autobot Car (1986): Hot Rod

Best Targetmaster Autobot Car (1987): Sureshot

Best Headmaster Autobot * (1987): Highbrow

Best Autobot Deluxe Vehicle (1985): Whirl

Best Autobot Triple-Changer (1986): Sandstorm

Best Jumpstarter (1985): Topspin

Best Autobot Mini-Car (1984): Bumblebee

Best Autobot Mini-Vehicle (1985): Powerglide

Best Autobot Mini-Vehicle (1986): Swerve

Best Throttlebot (1987): Chase

Best Pair Of Autobot Mini-Cassettes (1986): Eject and Ramhorn

Best Aerialbot (1986): Air Raid

Best Protectobot (1986): First Aid

Best Technobot (1987): Afterburner

Best Dinobot (1985): Grimlock

Best Monsterbot (1987): Grotusque

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Best Decepticon Plane (1984): Skywarp

Best Decepticon Plane (1985): Dirge

Best Decepticon Plane (1986): Cyclonus

Best Targetmaster Decepticon Plane (1987): Slugslinger

Best Headmaster Decepticon * (1987): Skullcruncher

Best Headmaster Horrorcon * (1987): Snapdragon

Best Decepticon Triple-Changer (1985 and 1986): Astrotrain

Best Duocon (1987): Flywheels

Best Battlecharger (1986): Runabout

Best Stunticon (1986): Breakdown

Best Combaticon (1986): Brawl

Best Terrorcon (1987): Sinnertwin

Best Predacon (1986): Divebomb

Best Insecticon (1985): Kickback

Best Deluxe Insecticon (1985): Barrage

Best Pair Of Decepticon Mini-Cassettes (1984): Rumble and Ravage

Best Pair Of Decepticon Mini-Cassettes (1987): Frenzy and Ratbat

Best Constructicon (1985): Bonecrusher

[GoktimusPrime]

Some categories left out from before...

Best Omnibot (1985): Overdrive

Best Powerdasher (1985): "Drilldasher"

Best Time Warrior (1985): Time Warrior

Best Reflector (1986): Spectro



Okay, let's do the rest of Hasbro G1...

Best Autobot Power other than Optimus Prime (1988): Getaway

Best Autobot Headmaster (1988): Nightbeat

Best Autobot Targetmaster (1988): Scoop

Best Autobot Pretender (1988): Gunrunner^Landmine

Best Triggerbot (1988): Backstreet

Best Sparkabot (1988): Fizzle

Best Pair of Autobot Mini-Cassettes (1988): Grand Slam and Raindance

Best Decepticon Powermaster (1988): Dreadwind

Best Decepticon Headmaster (1988): Fangry

Best Decepticon Targetmaster (1988): Quake

Best Decepticon Pretender (1988): Submarauder

Best Triggercon (1988): Windsweeper

Best Firecon (1988): None of them. Oh, okay... Flamefeather.

Best Pair of Decepticon Mini-Cassettes (1988): Beastbox and Squawktalk

Best Targetmaster Seacon (1988): Nautilator

Best Autobot Pretender (1989): Bumblebee

Best Autobot Micromaster (1989): Swindler

Best Decepticon Pretender (1989): Bludgeon

Best Monster Pretender (1989): Wildfly

Best Decepticon Micromaster (1989): Whisper

Best Autobot Action Master (1990): None of them^Optimus Prime

Best Autobot Micromaster (1990): Sky High

Best Decepticon Action Master (1990): Devastator

Best Decepticon Micromaster (1990): Barricade

Best Autobot Action Master (1991): Sideswipe

Best Autobot Motorvator (1991): Gripper

Best Decepticon Action Master (1991): Thundercracker

Best Autobot Turbomaster other than Thunder Clash (1992): Hurricane

Best Autobot Rescue Force (1992): Rescue Force 2 ("Jallguar")

Best Decepticon Predator other than Skyquake (1992): Talon

Best Constructicon (1992): "Bonecrusher"

Best Autobot/Decepticon Obliterator (1993): Clench

Best Autobot Lightformer (1993): Deftwing

Best Autobot Aquaspeeder (1993): Jetstorm

Best Autobot Axelerator (1993): Skram

Best Decepticon Trakkon (1993): Calcar

Best Decepticon Skyscorcher (1993): Tornado

Best Decepticon Stormtrooper (1993): Drench

[TaZZerath]

Best Lister of Extending On an Existing Best Transformers By Year And Category (2018): Goktimus Prime

In all seriousness these lists are actually fantastic reference material and gives me some good tfwiki reading when I'm bored

[Dan]

Ordering is fine Dan, easy to do and does assist in decision-making.

There are plenty of ways of mentally sorting things and I guess this worked for two of us.

Some categories left out from before...

Thanks for expanding into mail order and later catalogues. It drives home just how much variety there was, even back then.

In all seriousness these lists are actually fantastic reference material and gives me some good tfwiki reading when I'm bored

I agree. There are kinds of TF I’m barely aware of, worth delving into.

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I should decide on my own responses soon, and might be influenced by the choices of others…

[Dan]

Best Two (2) Autobot Cars (1984): Mirage and Hound

Best Autobot Car (1985): Tracks

Best Autobot Car (1986): Hot Rod

Best Targetmaster Autobot Car (1987): Sureshot

Best Headmaster Autobot (1987): Hardhead

Best Autobot Deluxe Vehicle (1985): Whirl

Worst Autobot Triple-Changer (1986): Broadside

Best Jumpstarter (1985): Twin Twist

Best Autobot Mini-Car (1984): Bumper (abandoning my own rules here)

Best Autobot Mini-Vehicle (1985): Beachcomber

Best Autobot Mini-Vehicle (1986): Outback

Best Throttlebot (1987): Goldbug

Best Pair Of Autobot Mini-Cassettes (1986): Steeljaw & Rewind

Best Aerialbot (1986): Skydive

Best Protectobot (1986): Hotspot

Best Technobot (1987): Afterburner

Best Dinobot (1985): Swoop

Best Monsterbot (1987): Grotesque

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Best Decepticon Plane (1984): Starscream

Best Decepticon Plane (1985): Thrust

Best Decepticon Plane (1986): Scourge

Best Targetmaster Decepticon Plane (1987): Triggerhappy

Best Headmaster Decepticon (1987): Skullcruncher

Worst Headmaster Horrorcon (1987): Both! (more rule-bending)

Best Decepticon Triple-Changer (1985 and 1986): Octane

Best Duocon (1987): Flywheels

Best Battlecharger (1986): Runamuck

Best Stunticon (1986): Dead End

Best Combaticon (1986): Onslaught

Best Terrorcon (1987): Rippersnapper

Best Predacon (1986): Rampage

Best Insecticon (1985): Bombshell

Best Deluxe Insecticon (1985): Venom

Best Pair Of Decepticon Mini-Cassettes (1984): Ravage & Rumble

Best Pair Of Decepticon Mini-Cassettes (1987): Ratbat & Frenzy

Best Constructicon (1985): Bonecrusher

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The factors that I resorted to in close contests varied greatly. Sometimes it was the novelty of not owning it (Swoop won over Grimlock for this reason). Sometimes it was the nostalgia of having owned it for the longest time (hence Bombshell won over the other two Insecticons). Sometimes it was a very personal thing (I find cicadas cute so chose the poorly named Venom). Sometimes it was the cartoon character that won me over (for instance Octane).

Three voters is a small number. Nonetheless it's interesting to note which toys got chosen by all of us - Hot Rod, Whirl, Afterburner, Grotesque. In some cases I suspect this says more about the competition than the winners.

If nothing else, I'm thinking this exercise might help me decide a wish-list for future second-hand purchases.

[GoktimusPrime]

Best Pair Of Decepticon Mini-Cassettes (1987): Ratbat & Frenzy

Ratbat and Frenzy was 1986.

I vividly remember passing up on this set many times because I already had Laserbeak and Frenzy. Thankfully this set was kind of a pegwarmer, and months later I eventually caved and got it. This was the first time that I bought a variant of a toy I already owned, and also my earliest memory of deciding not to get a toy only to later renege and get it.

[DaptoDog]

Ok I'll have a turn.

Best Two (2) Autobot Cars (1984): Jazz* and Hound

Best Autobot Car (1985): Skids* (sentimental being my first Transformer, Smokescreen objectively)

Best Autobot Car (1986): Hot Rod*

Best Targetmaster Autobot Car (1987): Sureshot

Best Headmaster Autobot * (1987): Hardhead

Best Autobot Deluxe Vehicle (1985): Roadbuster*

Best Autobot Triple-Changer (1986): Sandstorm

Best Jumpstarter (1985): Twintwist (never realised these were so early in the line)

Best Autobot Mini-Car (1984): Windcharger

Best Autobot Mini-Vehicle (1985): Warpath

Best Autobot Mini-Vehicle (1986): Pipes

Best Throttlebot (1987): Searchlight*

Best Pair Of Autobot Mini-Cassettes (1986): Eject/Ramhorn

Best Aerialbot (1986): Air Raid*

Best Protectobot (1986): Groove*

Best Technobot (1987): Scattershot*

Best Dinobot (1985): Sludge

Best Monsterbot (1987): Grotesque*

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Best Decepticon Plane (1984): Skywarp

Best Decepticon Plane (1985): Thrust*

Best Decepticon Plane (1986): Cyclonus*

Best Targetmaster Decepticon Plane (1987): Triggerhappy

Best Headmaster Decepticon * (1987): Skullcruncher

Best Headmaster Horrorcon * (1987): Apeface

Best Decepticon Triple-Changer (1985 and 1986): Octane*

Best Duocon (1987): Flywheels

Best Battlecharger (1986): Runabout

Best Stunticon (1986): Wildrider

Best Combaticon (1986): Swindle*

Best Terrorcon (1987): Hun-Gurrr

Best Predacon (1986): Razorclaw*

Best Insecticon (1985): Shrapnel

Best Deluxe Insecticon (1985): Chopshop

Best Pair Of Decepticon Mini-Cassettes (1984): Frenzy/Laserbeak*

Best Pair Of Decepticon Mini-Cassettes (1987): Ratbat/Slugfest

Best Constructicon (1985): Hook*

* Denotes I own it