Toy Review - KICKBACK (Legacy)

[Bemblebuu]

Yeah, I don't like the way Kickback's legs flop around in insect mode either. Maybe they coulda used an accessory to lock the thighs in place and maybe give more of an insect shape, rather than the 'lying down man robot' look it actually is.

[GoktimusPrime]

Again, we are in the minority of fans who aren't demanding slavish cartoonish designs on CHUG and MP toys. Yes, it does mean that CHUG and MPs are now crossing over in terms of design aesthetics... but it's what most fans want, so I can't really blame Hasbro for making these design decisions. At the end of the day, it's all about demand and supply. If you don't like how CHUG is making their toys so cartoony, then... to be blunt, just don't buy them.

There have been a LOT of recent CHUG figures that I've skipped for this reason, including: Earthrise Grapple, Kingdom Inferno, Kingdacy Blaster, Kingdom Tracks, Earthdom Wheeljack, Earthdom Arcee, Earthrise Ratchethide, all of the Seekers (except G2 Sandstorm and Coronation Screamer) etc. Because you're right, if I want a slavishly cartoony figure, MP scratches that itch for me. I don't need my CHUGs to scratch the same itch. Having said that, I'm happy to get Legacy Kickback and the other Insecticons in this design because:
a/ MP Insecticons don't exist
b/ my Legends Class CHUG Insecticons, which scratch that more original/less cartoony CHUG itch; I love how TR Kickback has a cockpit for Titan Masters!
c/ army building, baby!

NTSC (Never Twice Same Clone)
I actually prefer my army troops to be different moulds; this is why I'll get different CHUG Scourges/Sweeps and Wreck-Gar/Junkions. I don't like army-building with exact duplicates as it feels like "cheating" to me; and I like to think of the clones as individuals... similar to Clone Troopers in Star Wars (e.g. Fives, Tups, Rex, Wolffe, Cody, Oddball etc.).

e.g. My TFP Cliffjumper battling Vehicons

None of these Vehicons are identical toys; they're all different figures or variants.

[Sutton]

Again, we are in the minority of fans who aren't demanding slavish cartoonish designs on CHUG and MP toys. Yes, it does mean that CHUG and MPs are now crossing over in terms of design aesthetics... but it's what most fans want, so I can't really blame Hasbro for making these design decisions. At the end of the day, it's all about demand and supply. If you don't like how CHUG is making their toys so cartoony, then... to be blunt, just don't buy them.

I don't mind the cartoony look at all - Inferno and Grapple were superb!

But Kickback is just a lazy toy, even within the parameters of G1 accuracy, with weird design decisions that make him neither cartoon or toy accurate, but somewhere in between. He's not the worst toy in world or anything, but I think they could have done a lot better with him.