Generations Roadbuster

[BigTransformerTrev]

Name - Roadbuster
Series - Generations
Sub-line - Thrilling 30
Size/class - Voyager
New/remould/redeco - New
Wave - 2
Released here – Not yet
Approximate Retail Price - $29.00US
Approximate Size – 22cm
Allegiance - Autobot
Alt-mode – Armoured ATV
Main Features/Gimmicks – Combining weapons
Main Colours – Orange & Green
Main Accessories – Missile Launcher, Rocket Launcher, Machine Gun, Laser Cannon, Laser Pistol, Cannon




Vehicle Mode
Personally I’m not a big fan of the rounded roof, I would have preferred something more squared off with rounded edges at most. He turns into an armoured ATV now rather than an army jeep but still retains his desert combat colouring. Has 6 different peg holes where you can attach his six different weapons which makes it very customizable, especially since lots of the weapons can combine with each other. Overall fairly good, a little reminiscent of Generations Springer due to the rounded roof. I prefer the G1 jeep version myself but that is simply my own proclivity.

Robot Mode
Yeah boy! The shiz and the nit! Roadbuster looks like Roadbuster is supposed to look – like he can kick some fricken skidplate! Well proportioned, imposing, impassive battle helmet and bristling with weapons! Like the vehicle mode, there are 6 different places you can put the 6 different weapons (shoulders, biceps and hands in this case) and some of the weapons combine (this laser cannon becomes the scope for that machine gun etc). I would have liked a bit more articulation at the elbows so he could hold his guns out to the side etc for increased posability but at least he has elbow, shoulder & knee joints. Like Whirl he comes with a sticker sheet with dozens of very tiny stickers to apply which can be a real pain in the butt. However, after seeing how plain his robot mode is when you first take him out of the package compared to what he looks like afterwards it shows applying those stickers is totally worth it. To my mind, this is the best looking Generations bot we’ve seen since Skids (or maybe I’m just a weapons nut and that’s their appeal to me ). The only thing he is missing is his little antenna from the G1 toy.

Transformation
Easy. Like – WAY easy! Like AoE easy! About on par with the G1 version. No challenge here except getting all those little tabs to click into place in vehicle mode.

Overall
Despite a few little drawbacks this is a great looking figure and an awesome representation of Roadbuster the hard-arsed Wrecker. The vehicle mode is good but his robot mode looks freakin fantastic! Photo's do not do this toy justice. Very proud to have him as my 1500th TF figure! If you like G1 you need this figure, go and buy this figure now. I’m not dicking about here – go get on your computer or iphone or laptop or whatever you have and order yourself a Generations Roadbuster so that you too can enjoy his weaponized goodness! To quote Spike just before he gets dropped in the acid pit and using the same tone and inflection – “HURRY!”

[GoktimusPrime]

This toy has exceeded my expectations. Easily the most satisfying Voyager that I've purchased since Generations Springer. The transformation is straightforward, but works well and doesn't feel condescending. My only criticisms are:
* Needs greater heel support. Feet can be adjusted to allow the toy to stand firmly.
* Buttload of teeny tiny stickers!
Other than that, I would highly recommend this toy. The Wreckers insignia chest logo is a nice touch too, although I've personally opted to use the traditional Autobot insignia.

[The Scream Man]

He's not bad. I like the Alt mode, it looks pretty cool. The paint work is so-so all over. And the orange paint is kind of glossy and feels like it will chip easily. The plastic feels a little fragile and different too.

The weapons are a mixed bag, with some looking great, and some looking quite hollow and a little cheap. More good than bad, but I wish the main rifle wasn't hollow.

Robot mode is more good than bad, with nice heroic proportions and angles, and a pretty solid feel. The hip articulation is a bit blocked by the stomach section. I feel like if they had just refined that part and added waist articulation, made it so the hips moved better, then it would be a vast improvement.

[Deonasis]

That windscreen looks so so tiny but he has a gun to my head. Preordered.

[UltraMarginal]

I like this figure a lot, my two main gripes are the paint. it's very thick, and application is a bit rough in spots. I've managed to chip it off a few places where it's dripped.

the forearm wheels should have had somewhere to go, as mentioned the transformation is pretty simple, I would have liked to have seen the wheels relocated so his arms could be more streamlined.

Otherwise I do really like him

[PhaseWave]

I've had this guy for a few weeks now and i must say, apart from his total size compared to other Voyager generations, hes one of my favorites! Yes his transformation is simple, but its also effective, i would have loved some wrist articulation though.

the weapons would have been much better filled rather than hollow, but the combinations between them are a great gimmick! i love having them all combined into one giant rifle. The stickers are totally necessary and it makes me really want to paint him (those who have it will get it).

My only gripe is that when i see him next to Whirl, Sandstorm and Springer he stands a bit short, i want him at least a head above the rest but he stands at equal height, but thats certainly no reason not to get him!

Roadbuster Rules!

[Sky Shadow]

The stickers are totally necessary and it makes me really want to paint him (those who have it will get it).

Anyone with an original Roadbuster will get it too.

[M-bot]

A bit of a disappointment for me. The transformation is super simple - not even as difficult as a deluxe for the most part. It's almost an up-sized commander class toy. No articulation in the hands and wrists at all. And despite his big clown feet, I've had some issues with balance.

To top it off, there are ports on the instructions that aren't on the toy, and even though I'm a fan of the stickers on him (and Whirl), the first few I put on don't actually fit on the toy where the instructions say they should go.

All decked out, he's an imposing figure for display, with some nice colours to boot, but it feels like a lazy cop-out of a toy by Hasbro. Could've been awesome, but just isn't.

[Jinto]

Accidentally posted this in the August Aquisitions thread for some reason.

Reposting here:
Just got my hands on a Generations Roadbuster and the build quality unfortunately feels a bit cheap. His shoulders in particular are held on by a single pin that serves as a rotation joint in transformation and both of them are surrounded in stress marks.

All the other joints within the arms are either ratchet joints or tight swivels so there's a lot of pressure on that pin whenever you move his arms.

Another thing that doesn't come across in the stock photos, those wheels on the back of his thighs poke inwards a good distance, so he has to either keep his legs spread or not have his wheels folded away fully. Otherwise they overlap between his legs.

Otherwise he looks pretty good. Nice sculpting around the torso & shoulders. It's very 'less is more', but it works to make him look like a muscle-bot. Face is good. Weapon selection is great. Just be super careful with those shoulders.

[GoktimusPrime]

I'm not a fan of stickers on contemporary toys. It's such a crude and cheap way of adding more detail to a toy as opposed to just paint apps or tampos that became standard practice since Beast Wars. Just yesterday I brought my original BW Rattrap to school, and some of the kids marvelled at the detailed sculpting and lovingly airbrushed paint apps on that toy. Having said that, considering that Hasbro have been increasingly holding back on paints and tampos, I'd rather be given stickers than just having a bear bones bland figure. It's as if Hasbro's pre-emptively giving us reprolabels, which is preferable to nothing at all. But paints and tampos over stickers any day (one reason why I prefer say Hasbro's TFPRiD Vehicon over TakaraTOMY's AM Vehicon).