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(APR-2013) Beast Wars Era Toys - Reviews and Favourites
Beast Wars was a fairly Significant Era of Transformers, in both Japan and Hasbro markets.
(Western) Beast Wars (1996-1999) (NOTE - in Japan, Season 1 aired in 1997, while the other 2 Seasons aired in 1999 as Beast Wars Metals, after Neo)
JP Beast Wars Second (1998)
JP Beast Wars Neo (1999)
What are your Best and Worst toys of this Era?
What was your first one, and when?
What ones are you currently most looking for and why?
Show us some pics of your collection of the ones you have.
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What are your Best and Worst toys of this Era?
Best:
Rampage
Depthcharge
TM Tarantulus
The 3 Primal versions (nostalgia
Worst:
Meh I love them all.
What was your first one, and when?
Dinobot in 98 i think?.
What ones are you currently most looking for and why?
Tigertron and Ravage to complete my show characters.
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What are your Best and Worst toys of this Era?
So many great figures, and even figures that are only decent have great ideas or unique transformations, they are hard to dismiss.
The flip formers (Razorbeat, Terrorsaur, Airrazor, Iguanus etc) were revolutionary and are still better than their modern day counterparts.
Waspinator, Rhinox, Cheetor, Dinobot, Prime and Megatron were easily the best of the first year showcast.
Second year showcast best figure were again Prime and Megatron, Rampage, Depth Charge (technically a third year toy) and TM Tarantulas
Third year showcast had fewer toys, Tigerhwak and TMII Megatron the highlights, Optimal Optimus a very close third. The other show toys were ambitious and not as good.
Non (US/Canadian) show toys range from the wonderful and absurd to the absurdly made. Fuzors were clever, mutants very different. I find the toys based on the japanese character generally better: Leo Prime, Galvatron, Longrack, Mach Kick, BBoom, Cohadra, Stampy etc.
Croc Megatron, Polar Claw, K-9, Torca and the non show transmetals (Waspinator, Rhinox etc) were also standouts.
If I had to pick one show figure I thought very weak, it would be Scorponok, hated his tail (and still do) as one extra joint is all it needs to be more manoeuvrable. However the tail is impeded due to playability additions, so it is hard to fault them, Beast Wars toys had all the gimmicks, weapons etc built in, something later lines have been unable to replicate.
What was your first one, and when?
Cousins had a few, and I always loved Rhinox. Nabbed a Waspinator and Rhinox one year along with Airrazor, and a Universe Silverbolt. They were my only beasties for many years, until I found a Universe Nemesis Prime. After watching the series back to back I was fortunate to find a minty TMII Megatron and Optimal Optimus in a country town toy store and from then on it was a frenzy, to the point where family were buying me Japanese figures like Longrack and Leo Prime for Christmas!
What ones are you currently most looking for and why?
I have completed the show cast, and only really look for BW non show cast when I find them cheap due to lack of display space. Will one day try to complete, starting with more of the great Neo/Second unique beast modes.
Looking For: Wreckers Saga TPB Collection (with Requiem)
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What are your Best and Worst toys of this Era?
Best: Ultra Optimus Primal, Transmetal Megatron, Archadys, Apache/B'Boom, Terrorsaur, Inferno
Worst: Retrax, Injector, Optimus Minor.
What was your first one, and when?
Ultra Optimus Primal, 1996.
What ones are you currently most looking for and why?
None.
Show us some pics of your collection of the ones you have.
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What are your Best and Worst toys of this Era?
My favourites are many. The TM/TM2s are great but the shiny paint flakes. The basic flip outs are easy to transform but basically stand up and in robot mode which may put some off from the toy. All weapons integrate into the alt mode. Retrax is good but many hate this mould and don't show any love.
Snarl is a weak mould and he's jump gimmick doesn't execute well. The ultra/mega leaders, ultra/megas and ultra/mega tms are great toys to add to any collection. Seemed bigger the toy, the better it is.
What was your first one, and when?
Probably the basics. I remember being in the store seeing fuzors and everything before the show had started lol.
What ones are you currently most looking for and why?
Botcon repaints. Any mould that I have not currently owned. Japan toys if available and cost effective to my wallet. Mainly new Japan moulds.
Show us some pics of your collection of the ones you have
I have shown my pics before. If I didn't sell any and kept them all, I would have almost had it 99% completed excluding the japan ones.
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As dirge said in his review of that toy, it's a toy that lives or dies by his gimmick.Originally Posted by Autocon
Retrax is good but many hate this mould and don't show any love.
Yeah but Snarl isn't as 'overwhelmed' by his gimmick as Retrax is. Sure, the jumping gimmick is lame, but it doesn't interfere with how the rest of the toy works. My main gripe about Snarl is that he looks nothing like a Tasmanian Devil and more like some generic marsupial.
+1.
Ironic that it seems to be the complete reverse of that nowadays.
Which was your first Basic? Mine was Rattrap and Terrorsaur (got 'em at the same time)
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What are your Best and Worst toys of this Era?
The Transmetal 2 ones were kinda cool. The worst was whatever that half bee/half lionfish thing was
What was your first one, and when?
Depthcharge -late 90's
What ones are you currently most looking for and why?
Not looking for any - concentrating more on finding G1 toys as well collecting the TFPrime & Generations figures
Show us some pics of your collection of the ones you have.
There is a pic of my various Waspinators in this thread:
http://www.otca.com.au/boards/showthread.php?t=15361
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Injector.
I remember once seeing a really funny photo story where Injector enters some guy's collection room, and the other Transformers all freak out (it was Sizzle who discovered him and thought there was a monster -- others gathered around and discovered he was a new Transformer). The other TFs were like, "Oh no, you've got a giant fish on your shoulders that's swallowed your head," and Injector's like, "No, this is my head."
...awkward silence from every toy...
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What are your Best and Worst toys of this Era?
Best - Optimal Optimos
Worst - Retrax or Injector but I still liked them
What was your first one, and when?
I bought all 4 deluxes as soon as they were released I think it was the following
Cheetor, Waspinator, Dinobot & Tarantulas. 1996 or 1997 whenever they hit the stores here
What ones are you currently most looking for and why?
Botcon Tigatron 2001, I just love this mold
Show us some pics of your collection of the ones you have.
In Hibernation, I'll see if I can bust some out
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What are your Best and Worst toys of this Era?
Really the entire line is full of so much great engineering and crazy designs that it's hard to really say 'worst'. It's a true high point of the franchise. That said, Optimus Minor barely transforms and the Mutants are an interesting idea but not for me.
The best? Hmmm. Excellent question. I love Silverbolt and TM Tarantulus, even if I only owned them myself recently. Always made sure I used my friends ones when playing. Armordillo is crazy awesome for a basic.
I brought Snapper over Insecticon once and regretted that, if that counts.
Honestly, though I never got many of the toys, like with G1. sucks growing up poor.
What was your first one, and when?
Armordillo. Got him for Christmas 1997, and I was thrilled. I originally wanted Razorbeast because of the name (and the Lion King), but I was far happier in the end.
What ones are you currently most looking for and why?
Definitive toys of show characters, and visually striking toys. Also TM Prowl II, because a transforming Owl is cool.
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