Retrospective Toy Reviews

[GoktimusPrime]

SCAVENGER
Series - Armada
Sub-line - N/A
Size/class - Max-Con
New/remould/redeco - new
Wave - 2
Released here - Yes
Year of Release - 2003
Approximate Retail Price - $70 (by today's standards)
Approximate Size - 19cm
Allegiance - Autobot
Alt-mode - bulldozer
Main Features/Gimmicks - "walking," sound effects, missile launcher, Mini-Con ports, rolling treads
Main Colours - green, black, purple
Main Accessories - "Rollbar" Mini-Con, missile


Scavenger is a prime example of a toy that was built around its primary gimmick. The toy is slave to the gimmick and thus your view of this toy will entirely hinge upon your feelings towards the gimmick, because that's pretty much all that this toy has going for it. The rolling gimmick serves to generate sounds in both modes. In vehicle mode it causes the shovel to lift up and down, and in robot mode it makes crashing sounds. This toy is notorious for having no true legs, but rather it just moves along its barrel with the shovels dividing into shin pads that move up and down in a thinly veiled attempt to simulate walking. The vehicle mode does sport rolling rubber treads which is cool, although as with many rubber parts they are prone to cracking in time (both treads on mine have cracked).

As with many Armada toys I will give Scavenger points for originality and uniqueness in its gimmick, because truly no other toy in the entire Transformers brand (save its repaint, Treadbolt) has this gimmick. If you love this gimmick then you will enjoy this toy, but there's no doubt that Scavenger critically fails as an action figure. Even if you like this gimmick I just don't know if it's worth the equivalent of what would be a $70 price point if this toy were sold in stores today. What kind of moron would buy this toy?
*looks at mirror*
D'OH! XO
Worth buying if you know that you'll love the gimmick and you can find this toy for cheap.

P.S. that lower lip reminds me of Bubba from Forrest Gump.

[GoktimusPrime]

Double Retro Review!

BLURR ****************************************** CHEETOR
Series - Animated ********************************** Series - Animated
Sub-line - N/A ************************************* Sub-line - TransTech
Size/class - Deluxe ********************************* Size/class - Deluxe
New/remould/redeco - new *************************** New/remould/redeco - Retool and repaint of Animated Blurr
Wave - 5 ***************************************** Wave - N/A
Released here - Yes ********************************* Released here - No (TFCC exclusive)
Year of Release - 2008 ****************************** Year of Release - 2008
Approximate Retail Price - $35 (by today's standards) ***** Approximate Retail Price - ???
Approximate Size - 19cm **************************** Approximate Size - 19cm
Allegiance - Autobot ******************************** Allegiance - Maximal
Alt-mode - race car ********************************* Alt-mode - race car
Main Features/Gimmicks - spring loaded saw weapon ****** Main Features/Gimmicks - spring loaded saw weapon
Main Colours - blue ********************************* Main Colours - yellow
Main Accessories - spring loaded saw weapon ************ Main Accessories - spring loaded saw weapon

I quite like the "Tron-esque" sleek scifi design of the car mode. The electric blue accents that runs along Blurr looks really nice, and the open looking rear wheels also look great (if not impractical IRL, but hey). I don't think that the cheetah colours work as well on Cheetor though. It kinda reminds me of the Beast Riders from Beast Machines (e.g. Che)... umm... yeah? My biggest gripe with the alt mode is the completely open/exposed rear.

I absolutely love the robot mode on Blurr. The slick and streamlined design really suits a speedster robot. So much about the design of this 'bot mode makes it look like it was designed to minimise drag, and the small toes and heel spurs which minimise ground contact also make the feet look like they were designed for speed. Even his head reminds me of helmets worn by velodrome riders. Everything about the robot design screams "speed." I love it. Unfortunately I can't say the same about Cheetor's head. Not only is the "velodrome helmet" now completely gone, but IMO it just looks ugly. The rest of Blurr's body works for Cheetor, but that damn ugly head! Damn!

I understand that the Animated aesthetic isn't everyone's cup of tea, and to this end I do wish that they'd release a new Generations Blurr toy that blends G1 and Animated aesthetics together. I really do love this figure, but the unorthodox Animated aesthetics does make it visually incompatible with Transformers toys from other lines.