Post by shaxper on Jul 22, 2003 15:56:18 GMT -5
Yes, I know. Only two days ago I swore that Tidal Wave would be the only Armada toy I would buy, but I was desperately looking to buy a new toy after the disaster my cat inflicted on my collection yesterday, Armada was on sale at Kaybee, and this guy looked the most promising of the lot.
Over all, I'm quite impressed! This is the first later Hasbro TF based upon a G1 toy with which I can honestly wonder if the designers felt they had outdid the original. Thundercracker is beautiful in jet mode (the way it's displayed in the box doesn't do it justice). The design is simply gorgious! Robot mode is quite decent, as well, and the transformation is simple, yet entertaining. All around, a good combination.
My major complaints would be the darn sounds, which are very annoying since they go off every frickin' time you transform him or accidentally bump the canopy, the fact that you need to attach the tiny race car (race car??!) to the tail in order to activate the missile launchers, the sad excuse for a sword that transforms from his plane wing only to look like an unfolded plane wing, and the poor quality of paint detail, which is no worse than any other Armada or RID toy, but also just as inexcusable.
In general, I believe that a few simple changes would make this an absolutely amazing toy:
1. Better quality plastic (wait for the Takara version)
2. Chrome finish on thighs, mid-arms, decepticon logos, and face. These are relatively small parts of the toy, but they'd make all the difference, appearance-wise. Whoever thought it would be a good idea to use hot pink on the face and logos should be shot.
3. A transparant cock pit that opens up. The Solid yellow painted cock pit is actually the main reason I held off on buying this guy for as long as I did!
4. A more appropriate mini-con, like maybe a plane! (Duh!)
5. A sword with solid plastic on both sides. The sword is pathetic enough as it is, but the hollow underside that makes up an entire half of it looks ridiculous. Cover it with a thin layer of plastic designed to look like an actual sword when unfolded, and you've got yourself a winner.
If Hasbro or Takara would actually do that, this toy would be one of the best Transformers I've ever seen...but they won't.
The point being, this design has amazing potential.
[/off soap box]
Over all, I'm quite impressed! This is the first later Hasbro TF based upon a G1 toy with which I can honestly wonder if the designers felt they had outdid the original. Thundercracker is beautiful in jet mode (the way it's displayed in the box doesn't do it justice). The design is simply gorgious! Robot mode is quite decent, as well, and the transformation is simple, yet entertaining. All around, a good combination.
My major complaints would be the darn sounds, which are very annoying since they go off every frickin' time you transform him or accidentally bump the canopy, the fact that you need to attach the tiny race car (race car??!) to the tail in order to activate the missile launchers, the sad excuse for a sword that transforms from his plane wing only to look like an unfolded plane wing, and the poor quality of paint detail, which is no worse than any other Armada or RID toy, but also just as inexcusable.
In general, I believe that a few simple changes would make this an absolutely amazing toy:
1. Better quality plastic (wait for the Takara version)
2. Chrome finish on thighs, mid-arms, decepticon logos, and face. These are relatively small parts of the toy, but they'd make all the difference, appearance-wise. Whoever thought it would be a good idea to use hot pink on the face and logos should be shot.
3. A transparant cock pit that opens up. The Solid yellow painted cock pit is actually the main reason I held off on buying this guy for as long as I did!
4. A more appropriate mini-con, like maybe a plane! (Duh!)
5. A sword with solid plastic on both sides. The sword is pathetic enough as it is, but the hollow underside that makes up an entire half of it looks ridiculous. Cover it with a thin layer of plastic designed to look like an actual sword when unfolded, and you've got yourself a winner.
If Hasbro or Takara would actually do that, this toy would be one of the best Transformers I've ever seen...but they won't.
The point being, this design has amazing potential.
[/off soap box]