Yeah, pretty hard to go past those Cyberverse Legion Class figures. Even Action Masters are arguably better in that they don't give you false hope by offering you something and utterly failing to deliver.
Ultimately I think that it comes down to 2 main things:
1/ Does the gimmick compromise the toy? #WhYmYShOuLdErShUrT?
2/ Does the gimmick actually work?
In this regard I would say that one of the worst gimmicks has got to be Cyberverse Warrior Starscream's Wing Slice gimmick. Aside from heavily compromising the figure itself, the gimmick DOESN'T WORK. You can have a compromised figure if the gimmick works, because then at least you can enjoy the gimmick.
e.g. Armada Hot Shot's gimmick notoriously compromises the toy. But the gimmick works, and it works well. You plug in a Mini-Con and the rear axle instantly springs up and fires the missile -- all in the blink of an eye! NO other toy does this. The gimmick is unique and it functions. The toy has limitations because parts of it were compromised to service the gimmick, but at least there's a trade-off. With CYB Warrior Starscream there is no trade off. The toy is rubbish and services a gimmick that doesn't even work.
IMO Pretender Bumblebee's core robot alone is a pretty good toy. You could pack his shell away and just enjoy the figure on its own merits. Some of the other 1989 Pretenders were also okay - much better than the '88 ones.Originally Posted by M-bot
e.g. Bludgeon, Stranglehold etc. -- even Jazz, Grimlock and Starscream were okay considering that they were also Pretenders.
I think the thing that makes the 1989 Pretenders stand out to me is that I can immediately tell what their alt modes are meant to be. You take one glance at Bludgeon and you know he's a tank. Even if you lose his accessories it still looks like an armoured military vehicle. A lot of the 1988 Pretenders were basically just cosplaying contortionists. Bend over, tack on some accessories and pretend that you're a vehicle. The worst Pretenders are the ones who really cannot form any functional alt mode without their accessories - and there are figures guilty of this across both years (e.g. Doubleheader, Pincher, Iguanus, Splashdown etc.). Gunrunner's the absolute worst. His alt mode is kibble for the vehicle (which is the entire accessory). The Pretender Beasts were probably the better of the '88 Pretenders, but a shame that they were never released here.
The Mega Pretenders and Ultra Pretenders are super lame. Thunderwing's the best of that lot, but that's like saying that Shockwave is the best Cyberverse toy. It's easy being a big fish in a small pond.
I didn't mind the downsizing as much, but what I disliked more where the Deluxe Class weapons that wouldn't stay deployed, making the deployed mode useless. Especially melee weapons. What's the point of having an axe or sword if the blade won't stay out?
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