I had this when I was about 15 years old and enjoyed playing with it very much. It's design and transformation were great, I didn't know at the time which series it was from. Wish I could find a new one at a good price.
Sadly, mine came with 2 RIGHT HANDS!
*LEFT
All the versions had two left hands, never seen one with a right hand.
Seeing these pictures, I think I actually had this as a kid! I watched Xabungle last year, and it didn't click. But seeing it in red and yellow, with those firing feet missiles, I remember it now! Thanks so much for that.
The problem for this guy is the availability. I'm lucky to find one in physical stores or I can pay extra online, which I won't do. Hasbro's distribution hasn't improved, unfortunately.
" I could almost accept him missing most of his hallmarks if he was an all-new toy. But he's not! He's like 75% Metroplex!"
*facepalms super-hard*
I shouldn't have to explain what's wrong with that statement, but I obviously do.
He's missing several of his hallmarks precisely because he's 75% Metroplex instead of an all-new toy. Fortress Maximus' base mode features are, by and large, things that Metroplex did not have. Since this Fortress Maximus was made by retooling Metroplex, he doesn't have them either.
You might then ask, why make him from Metroplex in the first place? Well, the answer to that is cautious investment. Hasbro at the time could not be sure if people would actually buy Titan-class citybots other than Metroplex, so they played it safe by doing Fort Max as a Metroplex retool so that they wouldn't lose too much money if he flopped. In hindsight, it would have been nice if they'd at least invested in new lower legs that ratcheted sideways below the knee; that alone would bring him much closer to G1 Fort Max.
I'd still say the compromises were worth it in the long term, even if they make TR Fort Max less awesome than he could be. Because TR Fort Max proved a commercial success, and that paved the way for Trypticon and Scorponok, both of whom are brand-new molds that do retain several features.
As for the accessory count, well... That's because most of a Transformers' price comes down to piece count and plastic mass. In the case of the Titans, most of that mass goes into the actual main robot body (or bodies, in the case of the 2 combiners) so that it's actually as big as it needs to be. That leaves less for weapons. If you'll recall, the retail version of T30 Metroplex only had one rifle.
I can see multiple things that pass as buildings in the base mode: Scorponok's arms with the silver pieces covering the claws; they're towers with the ridged sections acting as sci-fi windows.
The central tower made by the shield is another building. Even has grooves in it to be windows!
The rifle and rifle guard also have grooves in them that are supposed to be windows.
It is better thought of as a base than a "city" tho. It definitely works as a base, with those buildings and the gun emplacements and the repair stations and the missile batteries in Scorponok's legs.
Fasttrack would look better with some detail paint.
So, this figure was a thing. It existed. It was somewhat desirable, particularly after Titans Return Fortress Maximus came out to match it in articulation.
But seeing the characters, brings a certain deja vu feeling. But that toy is awesome! It reminds me a little of super robo galatt. Gland you shared this with us. :)
Over the years I have seen several KO Gundams in Easter baskets sold at places like K-Mart (now defunct unfortunately). Occasionally I may see one or two at the local Dollar Store.
The triangle-shaped gun that unfolds into a bladed weapon is the Cerberus-Delta (named Kerberos-Delta) and Bothwinder is basically a gun that shoots ropes and special ammunition.
I'm kinda pissed that Bandai already gave up on making figures for the Metal Heroes side of S.H. Figuarts when they already have prototypes of Metalder and Janperson on display in a previous toy fair.
I can attest to the fact that Ratchet was a lot of fun if you had the Diaclone pilots. On the Christmas of 85' my mother had given me a Diakron Multi-force 14 along with a couple of G1 toys (of Diaclone origin). It didn't take long for me to put those little dudes into the G1 vehicle cockpits. At that point I didn't play with the toys as Transformers, but instead pretended that they were mecha....as nature intended!
One thing I've always loved about these vinyl figures are all the crazy colour schemes & many, many different variations of a particular figure. From earth-tones to neon-bright rainbow colored.
I would've gladly paid $200 for this if Nausicaä were SH Figuarts scale and the glider didn't separate into that weird butterfly nonsense. And she should've come with an accessory of her pet! How can you forget including that, Bandai?!?!? And some extra head sculpts to configure her with/without goggles, face mask, or helmet would've been nice too.
However, with a figure at this small a scale, it wouldn't be that difficult to make a play set or diorama of her secret laboratory. That would be a fun project to undertake.
Regarding Josh's comment on the Beast Morpher Zords...
"Not only did it look bad, but each component was so expensive, I would have easily spent over a hundred dollars to get the whole set, that is if you could ever find them at stores."
I didn't believe these Zords were expensive at first but upon seeing just one Wrecker Zord set in a local toy store, it was priced at $42 and the rest of the Zords were unavailable everywhere I looked. Forking more than $100 to build an Ultrazord that's not really well-made is utterly ridiculous.
I'm just gonna stick with the 3&3/4" size. I had been for years and years. So why change? You're barely gonna get vehicles for the 6" scale, and bases are not happening at that size. No way in Hell.
The 6" Joes are just okay, most looking nothing like what you'd consider the "definitive" design or aesthetic of the character. They lack the "essence." Too much techy crap plastered onto them. No real guns either! Imagine how much better Duke would look without all the metal and blue glowy bits. He needs to just look like an officer in uniform. If they want to do an armored up, geared up, armed to the teeth Duke, then do that as a separate figure. Just look at how far Scarlett is off the mark. Dear God, she's asking to get shot up on the battlefield in those flashy gold colors. Roadblock here looks like he wants to be his Version 2 look but his colors are wrong and he too has gold armor.
However, Snake Eyes looks fine whichever way you slice him, that's just the versatility of his character. Storm Shadow too. Gung Ho and Beachhead do seem a bit more "toned down" though, than their flashy gold and blue wave 1 Joes. Honestly, all the Cobras look decent and fitting in their designs, even the various variants of the Commander cause he's known to be flashy and excessive. Yeah, Cobras are definitely the stars of this line so far. If you can even obtain any of them. LOL.
I was planning to get Gung-Ho, Destro and Cobra Commander later on but after going through three toy stores yesterday without a single G.I. Joe Classified figure, I figured I'll just get Gung-Ho online and never look back at this toy line. There's no way I'm going to pay more than the SRP of these again online. The line had so much potential but Hasbro's methods are sending it to an early grave.
Yeah, this line is pretty much online-only if you're collecting it. I still haven't seen a single figure from the line at any retailer. All I got right now is both Snake Eyes figures. Not sure who else I even want to get. Maybe some more Cobra guys. Not really feeling the Joe figures at all. Kinda feel discouraged to even try collecting the line, especially the Target exclusive ones. Good God are those super-scalped to hell. $100+ per figure on the aftermarket. ****ING DISGUSTING. It's "anyone who isn't He-Man or Skeletor in Masters Of The Universe 2002 gets scalped" all over again, except now it's an entire line. Screw this line. Let it die.
Gah! my brain! I'll fix it, thanks!
I had this when I was about 15 years old and enjoyed playing with it very much. It's design and transformation were great, I didn't know at the time which series it was from. Wish I could find a new one at a good price.
Sadly, mine came with 2 RIGHT HANDS!
*LEFT
All the versions had two left hands, never seen one with a right hand.
Seeing these pictures, I think I actually had this as a kid! I watched Xabungle last year, and it didn't click. But seeing it in red and yellow, with those firing feet missiles, I remember it now! Thanks so much for that.
The problem for this guy is the availability. I'm lucky to find one in physical stores or I can pay extra online, which I won't do. Hasbro's distribution hasn't improved, unfortunately.
You seem to always whine on the past toy reviews. Are you always this whiny?
" I could almost accept him missing most of his hallmarks if he was an all-new toy. But he's not! He's like 75% Metroplex!"
*facepalms super-hard*
I shouldn't have to explain what's wrong with that statement, but I obviously do.
He's missing several of his hallmarks precisely because he's 75% Metroplex instead of an all-new toy. Fortress Maximus' base mode features are, by and large, things that Metroplex did not have. Since this Fortress Maximus was made by retooling Metroplex, he doesn't have them either.
You might then ask, why make him from Metroplex in the first place? Well, the answer to that is cautious investment. Hasbro at the time could not be sure if people would actually buy Titan-class citybots other than Metroplex, so they played it safe by doing Fort Max as a Metroplex retool so that they wouldn't lose too much money if he flopped. In hindsight, it would have been nice if they'd at least invested in new lower legs that ratcheted sideways below the knee; that alone would bring him much closer to G1 Fort Max.
I'd still say the compromises were worth it in the long term, even if they make TR Fort Max less awesome than he could be. Because TR Fort Max proved a commercial success, and that paved the way for Trypticon and Scorponok, both of whom are brand-new molds that do retain several features.
As for the accessory count, well... That's because most of a Transformers' price comes down to piece count and plastic mass. In the case of the Titans, most of that mass goes into the actual main robot body (or bodies, in the case of the 2 combiners) so that it's actually as big as it needs to be. That leaves less for weapons. If you'll recall, the retail version of T30 Metroplex only had one rifle.
I can see multiple things that pass as buildings in the base mode: Scorponok's arms with the silver pieces covering the claws; they're towers with the ridged sections acting as sci-fi windows.
The central tower made by the shield is another building. Even has grooves in it to be windows!
The rifle and rifle guard also have grooves in them that are supposed to be windows.
It is better thought of as a base than a "city" tho. It definitely works as a base, with those buildings and the gun emplacements and the repair stations and the missile batteries in Scorponok's legs.
Fasttrack would look better with some detail paint.
So, this figure was a thing. It existed. It was somewhat desirable, particularly after Titans Return Fortress Maximus came out to match it in articulation.
And then Earthrise Scorponok happened.
Glad you liked it, and thanks for reading!
But seeing the characters, brings a certain deja vu feeling. But that toy is awesome! It reminds me a little of super robo galatt. Gland you shared this with us. :)
Over the years I have seen several KO Gundams in Easter baskets sold at places like K-Mart (now defunct unfortunately). Occasionally I may see one or two at the local Dollar Store.
The triangle-shaped gun that unfolds into a bladed weapon is the Cerberus-Delta (named Kerberos-Delta) and Bothwinder is basically a gun that shoots ropes and special ammunition.
I'm kinda pissed that Bandai already gave up on making figures for the Metal Heroes side of S.H. Figuarts when they already have prototypes of Metalder and Janperson on display in a previous toy fair.
Sadly already sold out and being marked up into...not worth it price so i am out...
I can attest to the fact that Ratchet was a lot of fun if you had the Diaclone pilots. On the Christmas of 85' my mother had given me a Diakron Multi-force 14 along with a couple of G1 toys (of Diaclone origin). It didn't take long for me to put those little dudes into the G1 vehicle cockpits. At that point I didn't play with the toys as Transformers, but instead pretended that they were mecha....as nature intended!
Wish I'd never sold mine, it really is awesome in hand.
This toy line started life out as an April Fool's joke. The reception online was so great that Bandai decided to actually make it real.
See here:
https://twitter.com/HobbySite/status/980248385503531008
& here:
https://www.spoon-tamago.com/2018/05/14/from-prank-to-product-nekobusou-...
& here:
https://hobbylinkjapan.tumblr.com/post/173286914857/neko-busou-started-o...
"Who's the fluffy, cute killing machine? Yes, it's you."
Weird yet interesting is what I can say about this line.
Yup, that's the brain of Robocop 2, made from the big bad drug dealer that's the antagonist of the second movie.
One thing I've always loved about these vinyl figures are all the crazy colour schemes & many, many different variations of a particular figure. From earth-tones to neon-bright rainbow colored.
I would've gladly paid $200 for this if Nausicaä were SH Figuarts scale and the glider didn't separate into that weird butterfly nonsense. And she should've come with an accessory of her pet! How can you forget including that, Bandai?!?!? And some extra head sculpts to configure her with/without goggles, face mask, or helmet would've been nice too.
However, with a figure at this small a scale, it wouldn't be that difficult to make a play set or diorama of her secret laboratory. That would be a fun project to undertake.
For whatever it's worth, I've got two extra of Scarlett unopened if anyone's looking for her specifically.
I'm still trying to find Beach Head & the Baroness. Have wave 2 pre-ordered with BBTS and Profit Director Destro pre-ordered at Hasbro Pulse.
Regarding Josh's comment on the Beast Morpher Zords...
"Not only did it look bad, but each component was so expensive, I would have easily spent over a hundred dollars to get the whole set, that is if you could ever find them at stores."
I didn't believe these Zords were expensive at first but upon seeing just one Wrecker Zord set in a local toy store, it was priced at $42 and the rest of the Zords were unavailable everywhere I looked. Forking more than $100 to build an Ultrazord that's not really well-made is utterly ridiculous.
I'm just gonna stick with the 3&3/4" size. I had been for years and years. So why change? You're barely gonna get vehicles for the 6" scale, and bases are not happening at that size. No way in Hell.
The 6" Joes are just okay, most looking nothing like what you'd consider the "definitive" design or aesthetic of the character. They lack the "essence." Too much techy crap plastered onto them. No real guns either! Imagine how much better Duke would look without all the metal and blue glowy bits. He needs to just look like an officer in uniform. If they want to do an armored up, geared up, armed to the teeth Duke, then do that as a separate figure. Just look at how far Scarlett is off the mark. Dear God, she's asking to get shot up on the battlefield in those flashy gold colors. Roadblock here looks like he wants to be his Version 2 look but his colors are wrong and he too has gold armor.
However, Snake Eyes looks fine whichever way you slice him, that's just the versatility of his character. Storm Shadow too. Gung Ho and Beachhead do seem a bit more "toned down" though, than their flashy gold and blue wave 1 Joes. Honestly, all the Cobras look decent and fitting in their designs, even the various variants of the Commander cause he's known to be flashy and excessive. Yeah, Cobras are definitely the stars of this line so far. If you can even obtain any of them. LOL.
I was planning to get Gung-Ho, Destro and Cobra Commander later on but after going through three toy stores yesterday without a single G.I. Joe Classified figure, I figured I'll just get Gung-Ho online and never look back at this toy line. There's no way I'm going to pay more than the SRP of these again online. The line had so much potential but Hasbro's methods are sending it to an early grave.
Yeah, this line is pretty much online-only if you're collecting it. I still haven't seen a single figure from the line at any retailer. All I got right now is both Snake Eyes figures. Not sure who else I even want to get. Maybe some more Cobra guys. Not really feeling the Joe figures at all. Kinda feel discouraged to even try collecting the line, especially the Target exclusive ones. Good God are those super-scalped to hell. $100+ per figure on the aftermarket. ****ING DISGUSTING. It's "anyone who isn't He-Man or Skeletor in Masters Of The Universe 2002 gets scalped" all over again, except now it's an entire line. Screw this line. Let it die.