Toy Review - Studio Series 29 Sideswipe

[GoktimusPrime]

SIDESWIPE
Series - Studio Series
Sub-line - Transformers Dark of the Moon
Size/class - Deluxe
New/remould/redeco - New
Wave - 5
Released here - January 2019
Approximate Retail Price - $29
Approximate Size - 12cm
Allegiance - Autobot
Alt-mode - Corvette Stingray sports car
Main Features/Gimmicks - scale, greater screen likeness
Main Colours - silver, grey
Main Accessories - swords, guns

I've come pretty late to the Studio Series Sideswipe table (impulse buy ). Here are my pics and thoughts about this toy...


The first thing that you'll notice is that this toy is the most screen accurate looking version of movie Sideswipe we've had thus far. The body is far more compact and the swords are also much more screen accurate. It also comes with a pair of pistols that Sideswipe uses in DOTM and I do like how the toy can hold both the swords and pistols at the same time. On the down side it's not as clever as the sword-gimmick on the original ROTF Deluxe figure; this time the swords are detachable accessories which help to form part of the doors. So I guess you could say that the down side is that this toy is a bit more of a partsformer, but the upside is the visual fidelity.

Comparison with the ROTF and DOTM Deluxe Sideswipes in vehicle mode. I find it's about on par with the ROTF figure and hands down better than the DOTM Deluxe, although that's not a high bar.


Vehicle comparison from the rear; the Autobot logo on my DOTM Sideswipe is a sticker that I've attached. The toy has no logos by default, and for that matter neither does Studio Series Sideswipe.


I was told that Studio Series Sideswipe can carry a Diaclone pilot so I tried it out, but also tried it out with DOTM Sideswipe and the DOTM figure actually holds the Diaclone pilot better. SS Sideswipe is too small and as a result the Diaclone pilot sits far too high up (his feet are level with the windscreen).


Vehicle comparison from the side. Somewhat disappointing that Studio Series Sideswipe is the only one here without painted hubcaps.


Robot comparison. As mentioned before SS Sideswipe offers a far more compact robot form, not only in the way that it compacts the chest but also in the way that it compacts the back kibble much more successfully than its forerunners. This all helps to make the toy look less bulky and more like the screen model. However SS Sideswipe also uses a cheaper looking lighter shade of grey whereas ROTF Sideswipe used various nicer and darker shades of grey and more silver. As mentioned before there are no gimmicks on SS Sideswipe; gone is the extendable blade gimmick and the articulated waist pistons are also gone. Having said that, SS Sideswipe absolutely outclasses DOTM Sideswipe.


Comparing poseability


Now here's one of the most impressive things about Studio Series Sideswipe - look at that balance! And a lot of this is due to the design of the feet which allow them to grip the ground rather than just precariously standing on it. Balance has long been an issue with the Movie Sideswipe design, and while the balance on this toy is by no means exceptional compared to most other Transformers, compared to other Movie Sideswipe Deluxe figures I find that this is the best balanced due to the design of the feet.

[shockNwave]

With the DOTM (scan series) Sideswipe in my collection it's hard to see any movie Sideswipe being able to step up and outdo it's WOW factor. So I have to pass on this one.

[GoktimusPrime]

With the DOTM (scan series) Sideswipe in my collection it's hard to see any movie Sideswipe being able to step up and outdo it's WOW factor. So I have to pass on this one.

DotM Scan series Sideswipe is a redeco of ROTF Sideswipe so I can do a direct comparison with that mould. Now I'm going to ignore comparing colours/decoes since yours is a repaint and just directly compare moulds.

Ways in which SS Sideswipe is better than the ROTF mould:
+ Far more compact robot mode. He doesn't look like he's wearing giant shoulder pads the size of runways. SS Sideswipe also really cleverly compacts the back kibble in ways that make the other two look utterly primitive.
+ The overall mould is more visually screen accurate
+ Superior articulation design in the legs allow not only for greater poseability, but the superior articulation in the feet allow for superior balance. I was surprised that I was able to get SS Sideswipe to do a mid-air kick; I haven't been able to pull that off with either of the other two Deluxe moulds
+ Detachable blades creates the illusion of them being retractable as opposed to just folding back. The blades also look like blades and not a pair of pointed chopsticks.
+ Inclusion of screen accurate dual pistols that also become the exhaust pipes - very clever!

Ways in which ROTF Sideswipe is better than SS Sideswipe:
* While not as screen-accurate, it does have a larger and more imposing looking robot mode which just has a greater presence.
* It has the pistons on the inside of the groin and hips, which is actually more screen accurate. I think it's really clever how the pistons can move about when the legs do, and it's one area where the SS figure dropped the ball in terms of emulating screen accuracy
* The retractable blade gimmick is just more clever and fun to play with than the detachable blades. They also act as shields when retracted, adding additional play value. The partsforming blades on the SS Sideswipe kinda feels like an engineering cop out.
* I like how the exhaust pipes end up on the top of the back kibble, which to me emulates the mortar launchers mounted on Sideswipe's back in the film. Although this probably isn't a deliberate design feature and just something that I've improvised in my imagination.
* I generally prefer the look of the sculpting on ROTF Sideswipe; while not as screen accurate it just looks cooler. The head sculpt on both DOTM and SS Sideswipe looks more like an alien creature, which is accurate to the screen model, but ROTF Sideswipe's head sculpt actually looks more like a Transformer. Like if you only saw the head alone it wouldn't look out of place on a G1/CHUG body.

But then again, SS Sideswipe is meant to be Dark of the Moon Sideswipe, not Revenge of the Fallen Sideswipe -- i.e. the one with the open canopy and spoiler (whereas ROTF Sideswipe has a roof and no spoiler). So you could argue that comparing this toy with the ROTF mould is taking it out of context and it would be more appropriate to compare it with the DOTM Deluxe mould. In which case Studio Series wins hands down, but... that's not a high bar.

[shockNwave]

Sorry to inform you but I also take into account colours/decoes as well as moulds. The scan series look is what made me take the plunge and finally buy a movie Sideswipe.

[GoktimusPrime]

I bought none of the Scan Series because the deco never interested me. Cos... how else do you play with them other than when they're mid-scanning an alt mode? But hey, glad to hear that you like them.

[SharkyMcShark]

I quite like that this has the poseable tail light pecs. It also feels quite dense for the size and has the comprehensive set of Sideswipe accessories (blades and guns).

It doesn't dethrone Sidearm Sideswipe as the best representation of this character.

[Magnus]

Vehicle mode







A rendition of the Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Concept speedster, a variant of the original 2009 Corvette Stingray concept car. The car's sleek lines and low stance are faithfully reproduced, and the whole thing is finished with a nice silver paint job. Sadly, the wheels are unpainted, save for glossy black for the tyres.

On my example, the front tyres are tight and don't roll freely, although there may also be ground clearance issues.

It is possible to store Sideswipe's double-barrelled pistols in vehicle mode, with the muzzles echoing the car's four exhausts.

Transformation

Not very complex, but still fun.

There may be some cases of 'massaging' and pressing panels into place when transforming to vehicle mode. I've also noticed that there doesn't seem to be a locking point for the forearms in vehicle mode.

Robot mode









Now we see three shades of unpainted grey plastic, which give surprising variety to Sideswipe's colour palette, with flashes of red from the taillights. The paint was largely for the benefit of the vehicle mode - there are fewer painted surfaces specifically on the robot mode than there were on the vehicle mode. Nonetheless, it's a great-looking robot mode.

In keeping with a sense of internal scale for the Studio Series line, Sideswipe is short - about 12cm tall. He's barely taller than Jazz.

Sideswipe has tyres for feet, and so the various toys have had to make sure there were extra pieces on the feet to make sure the figures could stand up. This one has 'feet' formed by the front wings and wheelarches, and fortunately the 'heel' and 'toe' are adjustable, so Sideswipe can stand with his feet at different angles by adjusting these pieces so that they contact the surface the figure is standing on.

As for the rest of Sideswipe's articulation - the head is mounted on a ball joint, the shoulders are ball-jointed, the upper arm has a rotator, the elbow is hinged, and the wrists can shift inwards as part of transformation. The waist can rotate, the hips are ball-jointed, the thighs have rotators, and the knees and ankles bend - like a lot of movieverse Transformers, Sideswipe has digitigrade legs.



Parts of the doors and sills become Sideswipe's distinctive wrist-mounted blades.



It is possible to stow all four weapons on Sideswipe - the pistols have dedicated slots on the back, while the blades can slot onto the thighs - the same slots that are used for attaching them in vehicle mode.





The included backdrop is of the intersection in Washington D.C where Sideswipe and Ironhide had their four-way Mexican standoff with the 'dreads' Crankcase and Crowbar.

Verdict



Sideswipe looks good in both modes, is well articulated, and comes with both swords and guns. Recommended.