Toy Review - Titans Return Deluxe Chromedome

[doublespy]

Series - Generations
Sub-line - Titans Return
Size/class - Deluxe
New/remould/redeco - Re-used engineering from the CW Dead End mold
Wave - 1
Released here - September 2016


I don't read the IDW comics that much as I'm very particular about the art style I like, no matter how good the story is. But I guess this allows me to assess the toy solely based on its merits.

CAR MODE:






I love the car mode. Streetwise took Dead End's smooth Ferrari lines and made a hard-edged Gallardo-esque car out of it. And Chromedome took it even further. It is very futuristic looking yet still keeps some of the 80's retro feel to it. Whoever did the concept design for this should go do industrial design for a car company. I may be among the minority but just as on Wheelie, I really like the translucent wheels. They add to the Season 3 space/Sci-Fi motif.




The now-standard big gun/TM turret mounts on top of the canopy. It's a shame that Chromedome didn't come with his signature double laser pistols though. His small gun is the same as Blurr's molded in red. And the TM Stylor uses the same mold as Blurr's with a different face stuck on the back (which I forgot to take photo of).


The interior is reasonably detailed.

TRANSFORMATION
He re-uses the core engineering of the CW Dead End mold. I haven't compared Chromedome and Dead End or any of his remolds side by side, but from memory there's not a single part that's the same. As much as I hated the excessive re-molding/re-shelling in Combiner Wars, this is a very clever use of the engineering to even accommodate the TM gimmick.

TITAN MASTER
As mentioned before, Stylor is a re-deco of Hyperfire, with a new face.

BOT MODE

A very strong robot mode. People may have preference on the head sculpt but to me this is close enough to the Rebirth animation model. All the necessary colors/paint apps are present.


Same as Dead End, there's virtually no back kibble.




Poseability is your average Combiner Wars level. The lower legs provide good stability which we don't see often enough on TR Deluxes.



Mine came with a left fist not cured properly in the mold. It misses some of the geared area so the left fist doesn't lock in place nor can it ratchet. Unsure if it's a wide spread QC issue though.

OVERALL


Both modes are strong. Definitely worth picking up.

[prjkt]

Nice photos, still waiting on my order of this guy, but liking the look. Not exactly IDW/MTMTE look, but the I've got the TFCC Chromedome for that. This guy will be plonked right next to the rest of the TR figures on my shelves.

[Lint]

It's an ugly arse car but I can't remember the last time I had a pleasure of transforming such a solid car mode. The tolerances are all spot on and the transformation design ensures all panels are locked down, nothing is floppy or easily deformable. I am thoroughly impressed!

Downside is that of all the figures released so far it appears to be the most unfinished in terms of paint apps. Not sure what's with the transparent wheels either.

[Deano85]

I ended up buying two chromedomes from kmart while they are on special. That way I keep one in car mode and the one in robot mode gets to have two red guns like the original.

[GoktimusPrime]

I cannot even FIND this guy in stores, and I searched about half a dozen Kmarts and Big Ws yesterday. If anyone has recently found one (or any other of his casemates) in Sydney, please post on the NSW sightings thread!

[SharkyMcShark]

The comparison to a Combiner Wars deluxe car has turned me right off this figure.

[Lint]

The comparison to a Combiner Wars deluxe car has turned me right off this figure.

Your loss, while it shares the same transformation design philosophy, the execution achieves the polar opposite of the CW stunticon molds: a good quality transformer.

[Deano85]

[SharkyMcShark]

Your loss, while it shares the same transformation design philosophy, the execution achieves the polar opposite of the CW stunticon molds: a good quality transformer.

With your recommendation in mind I'll give it a good look over if I ever happen across it.

As much as I appreciated the sentiment behind CW I found a lot of them to be bland cookie cutter figures, especially the Stunticons and the Aerialbots.

[UltraMarginal]

I felt the same about this guy, which is why he was the first one I opened up.

While the base concept takes a lot from the Combiner Mould there is some extra parts and transformation that largely reworks the top of the car and the structure around the front.

While it does rehash some combiner wars it's fresh enough to be interesting