LEGO Soundwave reportedly arrives August 1 with 1,502 pieces and a LEGO sound brick, and at least one host plans to line up day one. Hot Wheels slips Tracks into its Color Shifters assortment, and a glow-in-the-dark EarthSpark Cyberglow Megatron wins over a host who never cared about the original. Dr. Wu’s Slugfest and Overkill cassettes delight the crew, while Infantry watches, Overlord caps and a Matrix of Leadership box round out the merch. In What We Got This Week, Diecast completes his Ocular Max Defensor, and Brian lands a G3 knockoff Inferno with a mystery head and a boxed Euro Overlord.
News
Rumor: LEGO Soundwave Additional Details
New rumors put LEGO Soundwave at about the same price as LEGO Optimus Prime, with 1,502 pieces and an August 1 street date. It reportedly includes the LEGO sound brick, so Soundwave will actually make sounds. One host pointed out the sound brick in the LEGO Retro Radio holds several sounds, so it should manage more than one phrase. The crew’s wish list for sounds starts with “Soundwave superior” and “Laserbeak, eject.” One host will be in line on day one, at a LEGO store or on LEGO.com. [Source: TFW2005]
Hot Wheels x Transformers Color Shifters Tracks First Look
Hot Wheels is adding Tracks to its Color Shifters assortment as the only Transformer in the wave. Brian loves it, and one host wants two so one can be opened and played with. The car color-shifts between blue and black, which might nod to the rare Diaclone-adjacent black Tracks or might just be the easiest color change. Diecast dislikes the generic Autobot symbol dropped into stock hood flames instead of a true Tracks decal. Others figure Hot Wheels reused existing tampos to keep it cheap. [Source: TFW2005]
EarthSpark Cyberglow Megatron Official In-Package Images
EarthSpark Cyberglow Megatron looks like the Warrior-class Megatron redone with glow-in-the-dark features. One host hates how much he wants it, despite not caring about the original toy. Another suspects it uses glow paint rather than glow plastic, and wishes the faction symbol glowed. The crew traced past glow toys to the Tyco Transformers slot cars and a BotCon exclusive Catscan, which Blade Raider confirmed had glow paint. No release date is known yet. [Source: TFW2005]
Swapticons Desert Dunes Mission Five-Pack Official Images
The Swapticons Desert Dunes Mission five-pack includes Ramjet, G2 Sandstorm, Desert Camo Optimus Prime, Hound and G1 Scorponok. One host wonders if Hasbro is just clearing the line out. Swapticons two-packs are turning up even at Walmart Neighborhood Market grocery stores. One host says an uneven number of fronts and backs in one pack would be maddening. [Source: TFW2005]
Wild King Wave 2 Energy Beasts Official Images
TV Magazine in Japan published official galleries of the second wave of Wild King Energy Beasts and their combinations with the Optimus Prime and Megatron core robots. One host likes Megatron with both dinosaurs as arms, but wishes a tail could form a hand for Beast Wars Megatron vibes. With two waves out, each core robot now has a full team. One host thought he had preordered them but can’t find where. [Source: TFW2005]
Dr. Wu Slugfest and Overkill Color Prototypes
Dr. Wu showed color prototypes of its Slugfest and Overkill cassettes. One host calls them his favorite G1 cassette pair, and another says Dr. Wu cassettes are the one third-party thing he always buys. Matt praised the colors, which look spot on to the originals. Slugfest even has a head tilt. Big Bad Toy Store has the set for preorder at $38, up from about $30 for the last pair, with an estimated August arrival. Dr. Wu is also re-releasing Squawk Talk and an Auto Scout drone set this year. [Source: TFW2005]
Infantry x Transformers Chronograph Wristwatches
Infantry’s Transformers chronographs have day and date displays and 100-meter water resistance. The Autobot version lists at $260 and the Decepticon at $290, both with a Miyota 6P29 quartz movement. The crew finds them genuinely classy. One host texted a watch-savvy friend, Ricky, who said both movements are fine. A second line of Infantry modular mechanical watches with a Seiko movement is coming to Kickstarter, though the crew thinks they look less nice. [Source: TFW2005]
Overlord x Transformers G1 Caps
Overlord, the hat brand, not the Decepticon, has a line of G1 Transformers caps at $32. The crew likes every one of them. They debated whether Optimus Prime’s two-finger gesture is a peace sign or a rude British salute, and suggested wearing it to TFNation. [Source: TFW2005]
Matrix of Leadership Box from Nemesis
A 16-centimeter box shaped like the Matrix of Leadership drew more jokes than interest. The crew called it a jewelry box at best. One host called it an urn for a nerd, and Diecast now wants to be buried in it. [Source: TFormers]
What We Got This Week
Don
Don used a $5 Walmart review code to get the Street Fighter x Transformers Chun-Li and Ken crossover set for $23 shipped. It goes on his crossover shelf.
Diecast
Diecast got the last arm for his Ocular Max all-in-one Defensor, called Ventus. Collecting the full team took around a year and a half to two years.
John
John had nothing in Transformers this week.
Rob
Rob had nothing in Transformers this week.
Brian
Brian found the Blokees website and bought three full Shining sets. Version 01 includes Acid Storm, Optimus Prime, Megatron and Cliffjumper. Version 02 has Beachcomber, Sideswipe, Grimlock, Optimus Prime and Soundwave, and Version 03 includes Delta Magnus. He also replaced his old Rhinox saved search with one for the G3 knockoff Inferno, a 90s bootleg in blue and yellow. The copy he found is missing its gun and backpack piece and has an unidentified head instead of Inferno’s. A sealed one arrives next week. Last, he re-bought a European Overlord in its Dutch Classics box, complete except one missile, after regretting selling his years ago.