Transformers Legacy toyline

[ZacWilliam1]

They gave Gears a toy-accurate head, but couldn't be bothered to do the same for Bumblebee?

The general guess is that Gears had that head pre-planed as an existing part of the mold so it was free to be used, but the BB mold didn't have a counterpart.

-ZacWilliam, I mean the Goldbug head is closer but also not exactly the G1 head, so shrug..

 

[LordGigaIce]

They gave Gears a toy-accurate head, but couldn't be bothered to do the same for Bumblebee?

Bumblebee's G1 toy has been reissued with his cartoon head enough that it's kinda accurate.
I really think they did it though, so that people who missed NF Bumblebee could get a second chance at the mould with the "popular" cartoon head.

 

[Haywire]

At this point, I'm a little surprised they don't just come with alternate heads. We already know the molds are usually pre-tooled with at least one, and a few of the multi-pack releases came with extra heads. Unless the heads are able to be gated off during molding, the material costs are already accounted for as waste (I assume), and even if the alternate heads are unpainted, I feel like including them would feel like added value to most collectors.

 

[LordGigaIce]

At this point, I'm a little surprised they don't just come with alternate heads. We already know the molds are usually pre-tooled with at least one, and a few of the multi-pack releases came with extra heads. Unless the heads are able to be gated off during molding, the material costs are already accounted for as waste (I assume), and even if the alternate heads are unpainted, I feel like including them would feel like added value to most collectors.

Warden did say he wants to find a venue for weapon and alternate head packs.
They've been experimenting with both for a bit now, with multi-packs that come with extra heads for figures and redecos packages with weapons/accessory packs.

 

[ChessPieceFace]

Just got the Legacy G1 Universe Optimus from Amazon. What a great little toy! I didn't know he was going to have a Matrix, BOTH the fat and skinny G1 rifles, and rubber tires!

I would buy this in a rainbow of colors, and in a premium deco with the 3D decal details painted. Keep them coming.

 

[CoffeeHorse]

Matrix, two rifles, and the energon ax. Not a lot of Deluxes come with so much.

 

[lastmaximal]

Warden did say he wants to find a venue for weapon and alternate head packs.
They've been experimenting with both for a bit now, with multi-packs that come with extra heads for figures and redecos packages with weapons/accessory packs.

I really want Transformers to start doing this more. But none of those "alternate masks on the neck block" things they did with the troop builder 4pack. Do a uniform neck ball/socket and make heads more easily swappable from toy to toy.

 

[LordGigaIce]

I really want Transformers to start doing this more. But none of those "alternate masks on the neck block" things they did with the troop builder 4pack. Do a uniform neck ball/socket and make heads more easily swappable from toy to toy.

I like the idea behind the neckblock system, it just needs refinement.
Otherwise it was easier when most heads were two pieces held together around a balljoint with a screw. Just unscrew the head and any other head that can fit the balljoint would work. These days more and more heads seem to be two pieces of plastic fused together around the joint, which makes swapping them harder then it needs to be.

 

[Shadewing]

Clearly we just need to go back to Titan/Headmasters. Everyone's head is swappable then!

 

[lastmaximal]

I like the idea behind the neckblock system, it just needs refinement.
Otherwise it was easier when most heads were two pieces held together around a balljoint with a screw. Just unscrew the head and any other head that can fit the balljoint would work. These days more and more heads seem to be two pieces of plastic fused together around the joint, which makes swapping them harder then it needs to be.

The problem with the neck block system is that you end up essentially still only being able to use one of the heads at a time. One benefit of having complete standalone extra heads is putting them on other figures to mix up looks or provide bases for customs.

If a Sunstreaker, for instance, comes with a cartoon and toy based head, one could be swapped out with Spin-Out or Cordon. But if a Sunstreaker just has those two as faces with one neck block, all you've got is extra masks for that one of the three that will use the lone neck block.

It isn't even really necessary as you can just tool the head to have its own neck socket, which you can no doubt do if you're going to tool it to have empty space for the block.

 

[LordGigaIce]

Clearly we just need to go back to Titan/Headmasters. Everyone's head is swappable then!

You joke but TR remains my favourite toyline we've gotten in a long, long while. I legit was feeling like a kid playing with Armada figures again. It was fantastic.

 

[lastmaximal]

I'm not a fan of HAVING to remove the heads to transform and hoping the cockpits and such are good enough storage -- Skullcruncher's rubber plastic back panel wasn't super secure, and Perceptor didn't even have storage iirc (and then there's Wolfwire's odd breakage situation). To be fair, the rest have done very well with this.

But I like the play pattern overall. Little pilots with cockpits in every vehicle, lots of fun. While I'm not wild about non-Headmasters being turned into them, that just expanded the play a lot, and it does show a commitment to the gimmick that's the strongest out of the trilogy (but then POTP was basically "let's do a little of whatever"). And having some sprinkled-in lore for skirmishes (the box sets) and power-ups was better imagination fuel than the lower-key IDW take.

The toys have some of the best balance of interesting transformations and non-fiddly engineering we've gotten. Plus some of the designs were just great (the Jumpstarters have aged very well).

If they wanted to reissue de-Headmastered versions of some of these I'd be into it. But first give us a complete Horri-bull.

 

[ChessPieceFace]

I still can't believe we never got a Takara blind box series of repainted Titan Master heads. Could've had so many fun combinations.

 

[CoffeeHorse]

Titans Return nailed transformation design. They're not overly simple. They just feel simple, because the joints just go. For lack of a better phrase.

 

[Destron D-69]

it really was great

 

[Sciflyer]

You all are just waxing nostalgic - Titans Return sucked eggs!!!





Just kidding, it was an epic toy line and a definite high-water mark for the brand. Just give me a Fort Max with better alt modes, and I'm good.

 

[CoffeeHorse]

My biggest regret with Titans Return is the Titan Master sets. The ones that had a beast mode were cute, but the vehicles were boring.

I would have made a stealth combiner out of them.

 

[Rhinox]

Allegedly I'm supposed to be getting that G1 Toy Prime today from Amazon. "guaranteed" delivery by 10 tonight. Hasn't yet shipped. Plus 2 red Frenzys and SS Megs tomorrow. Not a one has hit shipping.
I have my doubts.

 

[Donocropolis]

My biggest regret with Titans Return is the Titan Master sets. The ones that had a beast mode were cute, but the vehicles were boring.

I would have made a stealth combiner out of them.

They WERE fun. I know Core Class as a sale point seems to be going away, but I'm hoping it's replaced by some other smaller scale, relatively cheap entry. I've always had a fondness for tiny bots.

 

[ChessPieceFace]

Only complaint on the G1 Universe Optimus is the forearms -- it REALLY feels like the hinges are going to snap when you flip them down to rotate the fists (to the point where I thought I had to be doing something wrong), and they don't peg in well to the truck mode. Not the first Optimus toy with that problem, of course.