View Poll Results: Worth buying?

Voters
21. You may not vote on this poll
  • Yes

    13 61.90%
  • Only if cheap

    3 14.29%
  • Only if something else (specify)

    0 0%
  • No

    0 0%
  • Not even interested

    5 23.81%
Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 13

Thread: Toy Review - OPTIMUS PRIMAL (Kingdom)

  1. #1
    Join Date
    27th Dec 2007
    Location
    Sydney NSW
    Posts
    37,637

    Default Toy Review - OPTIMUS PRIMAL (Kingdom)

    OPTIMUS PRIMAL
    Series - Generations
    Sub-line - War For Cybertron
    Sub-sub-line - Kingdom Come
    Size/class - Mega
    New/remould/redeco - New
    Wave - 1
    Released here - January 2021
    Approximate Retail Price - $50
    Approximate Size - 150,000μm
    Allegiance - Maximal
    Alt-mode - gorilla
    Main Features/Gimmicks - Pop out shoulder & forearm cannons
    Main Colours - Greys, white, red, blue
    Main Accessories - x2 swords














  2. #2
    Join Date
    30th Dec 2007
    Location
    Japanicus Minimus
    Posts
    7,673

  3. #3
    Join Date
    5th Feb 2010
    Location
    Perth
    Posts
    3,270

    Default

    I'll have a go, having picked this up last night

    SUMMARY
    Tiny but characterful. It wasn't on my list of figures to get, but I'm glad that I did. It's well made and fun.


    PROS
    - Loads of character in both modes (especially ape mode!).
    - Abundant play features. I was going to say accessories, but really the only accessories are the swords. There are otherwise popout arm blasters and shoulder cannons. No jetpack though
    - QC and plastic on mine are rock solid.
    - Great poseability, in both modes.

    CONS
    - I swear that this is the size that deluxes used to be about 15 years ago. I know its gauche to complain about size, and yes I know its a price class not a size class, but this thing is really quite small. It makes up for it by feeling dense.
    - The way that the robot legs collapse for ape mode and then sort of hide under a bum skirt isn't particularly satisfying.
    - The way the chest transforms is kind of... iffy? It's not particularly satisfying, the shoulders don't lock (which on the one hand gives the butterfly-joint action, but on the other hand leaves them subject to the whims of friction), and the robot mode chest doesn't lock or sit flush with the collar.

    DEPRESSING CONFESSION
    - Im not one of those old skool TRUKK NOT MUNKY guys, but I've always found this design really boring. It's just an ape that stands up. Notwithstanding that, I'm glad I got this figure.
    Last edited by SharkyMcShark; 22nd January 2021 at 01:00 PM.
    I'm really just here for the free food and open bar.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    30th Dec 2007
    Location
    Japanicus Minimus
    Posts
    7,673

  5. #5
    Join Date
    5th Feb 2010
    Location
    Perth
    Posts
    3,270

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Tetsuwan Convoy View Post
    Thanks, that's pretty good.

    Is the bumb skirt as obvious in reallife as I think it is in photos? (I mean, like, VERY obvious)
    When the gorilla mode is posed on all fours (like in the first photo Gok posted above - sorry, at work with no figure to hand), it's not noticeable at all and flows completely in line with the figure.

    When the gorilla mode is standing on its two hind legs (second photo Gok posted), it's noticeable, but not offensively so.
    I'm really just here for the free food and open bar.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    4th May 2015
    Location
    Sydney
    Posts
    793

    Default

    I've never been a big beast wars fan, but this mini MP Gorilla is alot of fun.


  7. #7
    Join Date
    27th Dec 2007
    Location
    Sydney NSW
    Posts
    37,637

    Default

    The thing that I hate about the bum skirt is... there's no reason for it. MP Arcee's look is hampered by an oversized collar, but that collar houses a large hinge used for transformation. Could it have been improved? Sure, but either way there's a practical reason for it. But this panel serves no other purpose other than to form the gorilla's crotch and abs. It just gets tucked away in robot mode. There is no reason why this panel couldn't have been sculpted to resemble the gorilla's crotch and abs.

    So as such, Kingdom Optimus Primal is forced to transform into a gorilla with his bottom on backwards.


    "Why didn't anyone tell me my Astrotrain was so big?"

  8. #8
    Join Date
    11th Mar 2009
    Location
    Melbourne
    Posts
    897

    Default

    All of the Deluxe class plus BW characters in Kingdom Wave 1 have already had MP treatment. Even though sticking close to the source material has been a thing for Generations WfC, knowing TakTom, they would want to do something different. And for me personally, they've just got the right amount of difference.

    Packaging:
    I don't normally keep packaging but this time around I have to make an exception. Whoever was responsible for the packaging design deserves a lot of credit. These will definitely pop on the shelf. And the box arts.. are just plain gorgeous across the board for all of these Kingdom figures. The need for box art of both modes because of the less window space certainly helps imo. If they ever sell these arts on t-shirts or in prints, I might have to buy them all too.


    Source TFW2005

    Beast Mode:
    I love the beast mode. The slightly stylized realism works great here. The sculpted fur details look great in person. And the head sculpt is absolutely fantastic.

    When on all fours, the backpack piece covers the exposed robot bits quite nicely. And you can tell here the robot thighs are supposed to form part of the gorilla body, and the gorilla legs actually starts from the robot knees down.











    The upright configuration works best when the gorilla legs are slightly bent forward imo, and the legs do differentiate themselves enough from robot mode.






    What I love most about gorilla mode is the articulation. The head is on a three-axis joint that can rotate on two plains for either crouched down or upright position. The dedicated shoulder butterfly joints offer the extra range you need for a more natural knuckle walking or chest-beating pose. The lower legs have a limited outward rotation which also helps to get Primal into a more natural-looking stand. It's subtle, but it definitely helps. The up and down range in the head and the waist rotation even has the MP figure beat. He's just full of personality in various poses here in gorilla mode.






    He looks great with the Maximals and Megatron.




    Transformation:
    Nothing surprising here. Follows pretty much the same logic as all the previous Primal figures that turned into a gorilla. But the simple engineering is executed quite well here.

    'Bot mode:
    I quite dig the aesthetics here that hopefully sets the tone for all CHUG style BW figures going forward: more mechanical details are added but the overall look isn't too far from the source material.






    Articulation is still pretty great in 'bot mode. The foot piston mechanism works almost as well as it did on the MP figure, although a bit more limited. The head could use a bit of side to side tilt for more attitude and the he can't look up quite far. The sculpt on the upper thigh limits side to side rotation a bit, and it has slight paint scraping issue. But overall still decent for a main line Voyager figure. The integrated cannons are great, and effect parts would no doubt make him look awesome with weapons deployed.










    Although Rattrap looks a bit on the small side, the Kingdom BW figures look great together.




    Overall:
    A great CHUG style update to the character. The expressiveness in both mode makes it such a fun figure. Kingdom took all that has been great from Siege and ER and fed it through the beast filter, and we've landed at possibly one of the best times of main line Transformers in the variety and quality on offer.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    31st Jul 2008
    Location
    Launceston
    Posts
    1,277

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by doublespy View Post

    Overall:
    A great CHUG style update to the character. The expressiveness in both mode makes it such a fun figure. Kingdom took all that has been great from Siege and ER and fed it through the beast filter, and we've landed at possibly one of the best times of main line Transformers in the variety and quality on offer.
    Great review of a great figure - this was enough to convince me to pick this guy up on sight, and then Primal was good enough in hand to make me go back and get the rest of the Beast Wars Kingdoms figures...

  10. #10
    Join Date
    2nd May 2009
    Location
    Perth
    Posts
    3,868

    Default

    The mutant mask can be wedged on by the shoulder cannons


Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •