Toy Review - Skullsmasher

[GoktimusPrime]

SKULLSMASHER
Series – Titans Return
Size/class - Deluxe
New/remould/redeco - New
Wave - 1
Released here – August 2016
Approximate Retail Price - $29
Approximate Size - 14.3cm
Allegiance - Decepticon
Alt-mode – Mechanical crocodile
Main Features/Gimmicks – Headmaster
Main Colours – Green, Fuschia
Main Accessories – pistol, tail-weapon, Titan Master "Grax"

BEAST MODE

Whereas G1 Skullcruncher was a robotic alligator, Skullsmasher is a robotic crocodile. This is established by significant differences in the head, namely the narrower snout and protruding teeth ('gators have broader snouts and concealed teeth). A really nice surprise with this mode is the head articulation. The beast head sits on a ball and socket joint, allowing an impressive range of neck movement! The tail is also able to slightly move from side to side, which is a pivotal (heh) part of crocodilian aquatic locomotion. Being able to articulate the head downwards allows Skullsmasher to assume the "standing" position that crocodilians use when they just have the top of their heads protruding above water and the rest of their bodies submerged like this. The mechanical aesthetics aside, this is actually one of the most zoologically accurate crocodilian moded Transformers that we've ever had, arguably moreso than croc Megatron (Megalligator) from Beast Wars, as that mode was a generic crocodilian with elements from a croc, 'gator and caiman. Skullsmasher looks more like a definitive crocodile to me than any other kind of crocodilian. See this page on the differences between crocs, 'gators and caimans.

Rather than sitting inside the head as if he's been swallowed, Grax now sits in a compartment accessible from the back of the beast mode. The access port is actually quite well concealed and is made from a soft rubbery plastic so it kinda feels like you're peeling back flesh to open it! And I'm glad that Hasbro were able and willing to use the Grax name. The relocation of the cockpit to the body has allowed HasTak to include greater detailing inside of the beast mode's mouth, including a mechanical looking tongue and ridged upper palate.

TRANSFORMATION
Skullsmasher has some interesting steps in the transformation which allows him to look more streamlined in beast mode but bulked up in robot mode. The inclusion of flip out feet also allows the back to look more slick while granting forward stability for the robot mode (not that it really needs it).

ROBOT MODE

Skullsmasher boasts an impressive eighteen points of articulation! The beast head sits a lot more flush against the robot back compared to Skullcruncher. The tail weapon is no longer a sword but is held like a gun. The Demolecularisation gun (or whatever it's meant to be, the packaging and instructions don't say) can either be attached to the tail weapon or wielded separately. The position of the beast head does tend to make the robot back-heavy, although you can reposition the croc's hind legs on the robot legs to act as de facto heel spurs. So some odd reason, the middle of the visor is raised like a protruding upper nose ridge and is painted gold, visually breaking up the visor and giving Skullsmasher two eyes instead. I have no idea why Hasbro has done this given that Skullcruncher had a single visor eye in the G1 toy, US cartoon, Marvel Comics, Japanese anime - pretty much everywhere up till here - have all had visors. Sticklers for G1 accuracy may want to wait for the TakaraTOMY version.

GRAX

A reasonably close facsimile of G1 Grax with reversed colours (which does look more uniform in head mode) and a broader looking helmet. And for some reason the corners of his mouth are pointing downwards... as if he were illustrated by E.J. Su, or maybe he just watched one of the embarrassingly awkward scenes from a Bayformer film.

↑Yeah, that's the look!

OVERALL
It's too bad that Hasbro lost the rights to use the name "Skullcruncher," but "Skullsmasher" is a close approximation. At least "smash" can be synonymous with "crunch" as opposed to using an irrelevant word like "Furo(s)." I'm really impressed with what they've done with the beast mode, and the robot is also really nice. Highly recommended.

[SMHFConvoy]

I have to ask, did you drive out to tru Campbelltown to get one? Because I drove all the way there for the titan masters

[GoktimusPrime]

Parra

[Lord_Zed]

Got the Taktom version of this guy, as I just don't dig the local release's head sculpt. He is pretty good, the croc mode is great but I have a few gripes mostly to do with him being a bit loose in bot mode and those hollow legs are ugly from many angles.

On the plus side the Taktom version uses transparent red rubber and has painted silver teeth to make the beast mode more menacing which works well.

That said I'm not a fan of the rubber cockpit flap, it just feels tacky.

[M-bot]

My toy is crazy loose. So loose that it's hard to stand him on a smooth surface. In point of fact, all my wave 1 TR deluxes have loose fitting heads (contrasting with Generations voyager Brainstorm whose headmaster fitting ridiculously tightly - perhaps an overcompensation here?), but Skullcruncher -sorry- smasher is loose everywhere. If this is a common flaw, perhaps it could be included in the QC thread? Anyone else have this issue?

But other than that - wow. Colours are bold, the transformation, while mostly simple, gives us great looking robot and alt modes. That crocodile head sculp is extraordinary. One of my favourite TFs in the last year or so, and would be my favourite of this wave of it wasn't for Hardhead being so stellar.

[GoktimusPrime]

My toy is crazy loose. So loose that it's hard to stand him on a smooth surface. In point of fact, all my wave 1 TR deluxes have loose fitting heads (contrasting with Generations voyager Brainstorm whose headmaster fitting ridiculously tightly - perhaps an overcompensation here?), but Skullcruncher -sorry- smasher is loose everywhere. If this is a common flaw, perhaps it could be included in the QC thread? Anyone else have this issue?

Mine is loose, but not anywhere as loose as yours. Mine can stand just fine, so long as I can compensate for the back heaviness. You can see that I've got him standing in a reasonably dynamic pose.

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

I picked up the TT version of Skull too. I really like him and I think the loose legs are just a thing with this guy. On the plus side though, it is super easy to pop off the hips and thigh swivels and apply a touch of nail polish to tighten them up. Worked for mine.

I really dig him, great colours, sure not realistic at all, but they just looks so good. Skull has been blessed with extra paint over hasbro, so he comes with a translucent tongue and gummy plastic in the mouth, which is red. The hollow legs don't really bother me that much, I think because it allows for a nice deep knee bend and his two joints there manage to cover keep the look effectively.

I also really like the way the robot articulation can be applied to the crocodile mode.


More pics here and blurb

[DarkHyren]

I just got the Hasbro version, like most everyone else I find that the legs are way too loose and can be tricky to pose, even if I remove his croc head he still ends up falling backwards or doing the splits.
By contrast the arms (on mine anyway) are very stiff. Can probably loosen the arm screws and use some polish to try and make the ball joints of the legs thicker so that he won't flop all over the place, but really disappointed in robot mode straight out of the packaging because of these flaws.

Croc mode is a lot better, looks really good, though this isn't without it's flaws either.
Most notably: I needed to apply a bit of pressure to get the legs/tail section to lock together properly, the rubbery hatch cover has a tendency to get stuck inside the cavity, and the cavity for the headmaster itself is a bit too deep which makes it tricky to get Grax out from at times.

All in all a nice figure and comparing it to other options out there Skullsmasher does a good job at being a modern G1 Skullcruncher, but is let down by a few flaws that could have easily been avoided.

[Sutton]

Apart from having to nail-polish his legs straight out of the box, I'm really happy with this dude. Great colours and some sweet G1 detailing.

[Holdobot]

Picked him up at the Myer Super Saturday sale yesterday. I was a bit concerned seeing all the QC problems that everyone is having but this was the one from wave one I NEEDED. Skullcruncher was the only headmaster I had growing up so nostalgia in overload.

No problems with the head joint, the thigh swivels and hip balls are fairly loose but I should be able to tighten up.

Overall great, I love the ball joint for the gator head, and hits all the nostalgia buttons.