Toy Review - BOMB-BURST

[GoktimusPrime]

BLOOD
Series - Generations
Sub-line - Legacy
Size/class - Core
New/remould/redeco - New
Wave - Three
Released here - December 2022
Approximate Retail Prize - $19.98
Approximate Size - 8.5cm
Allegiance - Decepticon
Sub-Group - Pretender
Alt-mode - Scifi VTOL jet fighter
Main Features/Gimmicks - N/A
Main Colours - blue, grey
Main Accessories - x2 guns, axe

















Much like Legacy Iguanus, Bomb-Burst has a robot mode that resembles his G1 Pretender shell, and a vehicle mode that resembles what the actual G1 Bomb-Burst transforms into. Only that this is done so much better than Iguanus! I'm generally not a fan of these CHUG Pretenders being based on their Pretender shells... makes about as much sense as a CHUG Grimlock toy with a robot mode that resembled his human Pretender shell who transforms into a robotic tyrannosaurus rex. Weird. But having said that, Legacy Bomb-Burst is my favourite execution of this concept. The robot mode is very much the Pretender shell and the vehicle mode is very much Bomb-Burst's inner robot's alt mode. TL Iguanus' alt mode suffers from being reptilian motorcycle, and TL Skullgrin is basically the actual Skullgrin inner robot, just with the Pretender's head (imagine if you had a G1 Starscream CHUG toy with the Pretender human head... yeah). Bomb-Burst here doesn't dilute the two design aesthetics in either mode, there is a clearer "line of separation" between the modes. The robot is the vampiric bat monster, and the jet is a proper mechanical jet like the G1 robot's alt mode. It's not a vampire bat monster transformed into a jet, and the robot mode isn't just Bomb-Burst's inner robot with a vampire bat monster head.

Obviously there are still some elements of each mode visible in the other; this is just a small and relatively inexpensive Core Class figure, after all. But within this limitation they have worked impressively well to maintain aesthetic fidelity in each mode. My only real objective gripe about this toy is that the robot arms don't lock or clip in anywhere in jet mode. I would still prefer CHUG Pretenders to just look like their inner robots in both modes, but if Hasbro is going to insist on doing these hybrid robot-shell things, then I do hope that they follow Bomb-Burst's cue and maintain this new standard in design. If you are a fan of these hybridised designs, then you'll be in for a treat with Bomb-Burst in air.

[dirge]

Yeah this guy is very well executed. The robot looks like the G1 shell, the jet mode like the G1 alt mode - and it's elegant. The weapons work well with both modes.

[Seraphim Prime]

Was very impressed with this little guy.

My only gripe about it is that it looks like the batwings didn't quite come off as intended - a better use for them would be to attach to the rear such that the black side faced forward and the wings looked closer to the shoulder - however the final shape and transformation of Bomb-Burst prevents this.

[SharkyMcShark]

I don't know why I bothered with this.

The transformation is nominal at best (rotate waist, peg legs into chest, flip cockpit up off back). The arms barely plug into the jet mode sides. The wings partform.

It's only real saving grace is that it is quite characterful in both modes.

[GoktimusPrime]

The arms barely plug into the jet mode sides. The wings partform.

These are both issues that have been addressed on this review thread back in January, so I'm not sure why this would come as a surprise. <shrugs>

My only real objective gripe about this toy is that the robot arms don't lock or clip in anywhere in jet mode.

My only gripe about it is that it looks like the batwings didn't quite come off as intended - a better use for them would be to attach to the rear such that the black side faced forward and the wings looked closer to the shoulder - however the final shape and transformation of Bomb-Burst prevents this.

[reillyd]

I remember the character from the comics, and always regretted not having the G1 Pretender toy. So to get a fun to play with approximation, at a core class price point, is pretty awesome. He’s a very fun pocket toy, and I bought a second for when I wear out the first. One of the better core class figures, and I’d love to see more Pretenders rendered this way.