Toy Review - CW Chop Shop

[BigTransformerTrev]

Chop Shop
Series - Generations
Sub-line - Combiner Wars
Size/class - Legends
New/remould/redeco - Redeco of Thrilling 30 Skrapnel
Wave - 5
Released here – Not yet
Approximate Retail Price - $13.00US
Approximate Size – 10cm
Allegiance - Insecticon
Alt-mode – Cybertronian Stag Beetle
Main Features/Gimmicks – n/a
Main Colours – Brown, Orange
Main Accessories – n/a




Robot Mode
Really works well as Chop Shop, even though this is a redeco of Skrapnel all the legs sticking off the sides looks more like Chop Shop did in the G1 toyline. Great colours and a good new head. I perfer to have his pincers sticking more vertical to differentiate him from Skrapnel a bit and give it more of a look like the G1 toy.




Stag Beetle Mode
Let me quote the review I did of Skrapnel in September 2014:

Stag Beetle Mode
I really don’t know if I like this or not. Can’t remember when I have been more on the fence about how an alt-mode looks. Everything that should be there is there – looks similar to G1 Shrapnel, has the bug legs and antenna etc, just having a hard time taking to it. Sorry – maybe someone else can provide a better review than I .

All that has turned around for me with Chop Shop. I don't know if it's the more uniform brown colouring with the orange patch on the back but he looks freaking awesome as an insect! If you were walking through a rainforest where those big beetles live I think you'd have to look closer to realize you are looking at a toy on a branch and not a real beetle - just great!




Transformation
Same as Skrapnel - pretty easy

Overall
I'm really surprised how much more I like Chop Shop than Skrapnel. Whether it is the more relistic bug-like colours or just that Chop Shop is the only G1 Deluxe Insecticon I own I don't know. But I'm really happy with this fella! Only thing is the price - to quote my Skrapnel review again:

Worth the $11.00US he cost though I wouldn’t be inclined to pay much more than that for them.

Chop Shop actually costs that bit more and doesn't come with a Targetmaster partner so I think charging more for him when it's less than 18 months since Skrapnel came out is a bit cheeky. Still - a worthy addition to anyones Insection collection

[GoktimusPrime]

I like Skrapnel (not a fan of the name though), and I like Chop Shop. My only gripe is the lack of a partner-weapon (just as Skrapnel had Reflector). Okay, the weapon doesn't need to transform, but any kind of weapon would've been better than nothing. Still, it's not a deal breaker and I still like the toy on its own merit. Now let's hope that this Chop Shop does something that G1 Chop Shop never did and hit Aussie toy store shelves!

I hope that this toy does sell well and prompts Hasbro to consider releasing the rest of the Deluxe Insecticons in the Generations line, and I don't mind more redecos like this Chop Shop. Bombshell could be redecoed as as Barrage. Hasbro might consider releasing a Legends Kickback and then redeco it as Ransack. The tricky one might be Venom, as there isn't any G1 redeco potential, although he could be redecoed as Cicadacon (and the Generations line doesn't have to be all just G1, we have seen Beast Wars characters before).

[philby]

just a small thing but I noticed at the top of your review it says "not released here yet" but I've seen it around at stores

[BigTransformerTrev]

just a small thing but I noticed at the top of your review it says "not released here yet" but I've seen it around at stores

Yes it's been released since I originally wrote the review a while back - took me a while to post it so apparently it must have been released in the interim.

You will have to cut me some slack - I live in the bush with no toy stores so have to order everything online from overseas - I don't exactly have my finger on the pulse as to when things first show up on the shelves here

[Jaxius._]

Chop Shop will steal himself into my collection


Horrible joke

[shockNwave]

Chop Shop tops the already impressive CW Bombshell in both robot and alt. modes.:

[philby]

has anything changed like face sculpt or anything like that? or is just a straight colour change?

[prjkt]

New head