Toy Review - NOVA PRIME

[GoktimusPrime]

PRIME NOVA
Series - Generations
Sub-line - Legacy
Size/class - Leader
New/remould/redeco - Retool/redeco of Siege Galaxy Optimus Prime (itself a retool of Siege Ultra Magnus)
Wave - N/A
Released here - October 2023 (Amazon exclusive)
Approximate Retail Price - $105
Approximate Size - 28.5cm (max config. height); 23cm (top of wings); 19cm (top of head)
Allegiance - it's complicated
Alt-mode - Cybertronian fire engine
Main Features/Gimmicks - cab-robot combines with trailer to form armoured super-robot
Main Colours - white, grey, blue
Main Accessories - x3 guns, trailer/armour components, forearm blaster/grills, x2 pauldrons

NOTE: This toy is a retool of Siege Ultra Magnus and Siege Galaxy Optimus Prime. Refer to the Siege Ultra Magnus and Galaxy OP review threads for comments on the previous moulds. This thread will focus on differences made.













This toy is based on Nova Prime's appearance in the Transformers Devastation game, which itself was based on Nova Prime from the IDW comics (who himself was based on G1 Prime Nova... such as he was ).

The Galaxy OP mould works surprisingly quite well as Nova Prime. The main differences are:
* Wings are much shorter.
* Galaxy OP's ladders are obviously inaccurate. These cannot be separated.
* Galaxy OP's forearm grill/cannons are also inaccurate. These can be removed. Although they do make the arms look slightly more accurate to IDW Nova Prime.
* Galaxy OP's leg side parts (vestigial bits from Ultra Magnus' trailer).
* Leg wheels are on the feet instead of the sides of the lower legs.

The toy is quite bland with all the white, with a lot of mould details that were better highlighted on Galaxy OP becoming more obscured here. Of course, this blandness is entirely source-accurate, so I understand why they've made it so. The fire engine mode is also obviously not accurate to any form of Nova Prime. Overall this mould works well as Nova Prime and there are no unreasonable flaws. Highly recommended.

P.S.: this toy features no Autobot insignia and the packaging does not mention any factions. This is accurate to IDW Nova Prime, who lived before the war and formation of the Autobot/Decepticon factions, and was the captain of Ark-1. It is also visually accurate to the Devastation game, although lacking the designation of Autobot on the packaging is inaccurate to the game (as Nova Prime was an Autobot in that continuity). Having an Autobot rub sign might've been more appropriate for this toy.

[Ode to a Grasshopper]

I just opened and messed with this guy over the weekend, and I cannot for the life of me get his rear wheels to sit straight...the rear of the combined truck is at a slightly elevated angle facing upwards at the rear.

Is there a trick I'm missing here, or is it just how the mold is?

Either way, it's my first experience of the Siege Magnus-&-friends mold and I quite like it for Nova Prime. The truck mode in particular works a lot better for the character than I was expecting.

[GoktimusPrime]

Is there a trick I'm missing here, or is it just how the mold is?

Can you post some photos? Hard to advise without seeing what you've done.