SLUGSLINGER
Series – Titans Return
Size/class - Deluxe
New/remould/redeco - Significant remould of Triggerhappy
Wave - 6
Released here – August 2017
Approximate Retail Price - $30
Approximate Size - 15cm (including the back mounted nosecones)
Allegiance - Decepticon
Alt-mode – Jet
Main Features/Gimmicks – Headmaster
Main Colours – blue, whitish grey
Main Accessories – 2 guns, "Caliburst" Titan Master

Note: This toy is a redeco of Titans Return Triggerhappy. See Triggerhappy's review thread for comments on the original mould. This review will focus on differences made.

A nice enough toy in its own right but the weakest of the winged TR Targetmaster jets. Slugslinger suffers a bit from "Broadside Syndrome" - where slavish accuracy to the G1 toy is holding him back. The wings that droop down behind his upper legs get in the way (it'd be nice if they could fold up like Misfire's wings), and the large wrist tabs that are needed to lock the arms into place feel like they might end up with stress marks, especially if anyone should accidentally start unfolding the legs before untabbing the arms. The nature of the alt mode has also rendered either of the two cockpits useless for a Titan Master so sit in. They're just too small. And if HasTak made them larger, then they'd look too big/fat. In order for Slugslinger to have two nice looking and G1 accurate cockpits, they need to be narrow. As a result, the actual cockpit sits inside the fuselage behind the twin cockpits. I like the way that the guns can combine and divide without symmetrically connected/dividing along a lateral centre line! That's kinda getting old now. Instead the grey gun can connect to form the barrel of the blue gun, which is reminiscent of how G1 Caliburst's barrel clips on.

Visually this toy is gorgeous. They've done so well in really making this toy look just like G1 Slugslinger, although as usual the head and face sculpt are based on the cartoon rather than the original toy. Even though the toy heads look better in every instance (just look at how cool Misfire looks in the IDW comics with that toy accurate head!). Caliburst is nicely coloured (so good to see Titan Masters in colour!) and is sculpted to look like a miniature Slugslinger. Don't know why. I would've preferred for it to look like Caliburst. Are these Motorvators now?

Overall Slugslinger is a nice toy, but the weakest between him, Triggerhappy and Misfire. If you only want one version of this core mould, I would recommend either Triggerhappy or Misfire. But this is still a perfectly good toy anyway and I would still recommend it for anyone looking to complete the CHUG Decepticon Targetmaster characters, but I would advise getting it below $29.95. I got mine from Myer and got them to price match Big W.


PICTURES

MOSC


Comparison with G1 Slugslinger. My G1 Caliburst is missing his barrel so I borrowed Blowpipe's for this pic.


G1 & TR Caliburst (G1 Caliburst is borrowing TR Slugslinger's barrel weapon)


Weapons combined


Weapons separated


Close up of head and chest


Vehicle mode


CHUG Decepticon Targetmasters


G1 & CHUG Decepticon Targetmasters. Okay, I cheated with G1 Cyclonus and Scourge - those aren't Targetmasters (they're the regular 1986 versions - I don't own the TM versions )