Hasbro’s Age of the Primes fan stream finally explains Nexus Prime, a Voyager Class figure that plugs into the existing Superion combiner frame, and the crew is baffled. Liege Maximo, Animated Ratchet, Powerglide and Swerve round out the new wave. Hasbro also lands the toy license for Amazon MGM Studios’ Voltron movie, and Takara Tomy sets a T-Spark stream for its new Overgear line. In What We Got This Week, Rob has a Studio Series 86 Soundwave roller coaster and Brian takes McDonald’s Changeables from his kids’ Happy Meals.
News
Hasbro and Amazon MGM Studios Join Forces to Launch New Voltron Movie Toys
Hasbro has the license to make toys for Amazon MGM Studios’ upcoming Voltron movie. The press release only mentions the movie, so the crew can’t tell if Hasbro can make other Voltron toys. Brian admitted he doesn’t care about the movie but finds the license fascinating. The crew wondered whether Playmates lost its Voltron license along with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. One host noted that Hasbro owns M.A.S.K. and still doesn’t make those toys, so a one-year movie line seems likely. One host would love a Vehicle Voltron toy, and at least one other host agrees. One host joked that Hasbro and Playmates will merge as “Hasmates.” [Source: Hasbro]
Transformers Age of the Primes Fan Stream: In-Hand Look at New Wave, Nexus Prime Limbs Confirmed
Brian asked the crew to explain Nexus Prime, and one host called it “kind of crap.” Nexus Prime is a Voyager Class figure that folds into a slab and plugs into the Age of the Primes Superion frame. Per the stream, it took Hasbro three or four tries to land the design, including a Leader Class idea. Hasbro confirmed limb robots are coming, but not this product year. One host joked that you can now build a combiner with zero of its team members. Mark Maher posted a mockup on Instagram mixing existing combiner parts, including a Bruticus leg with Brawl. The colors follow the Fun Publications toy but also echo G2 Silverbolt. One host likes the robot mode, which draws on the Transformers One design, but not at $43. The packaging can’t show combining because Hasbro bars showing parts from another product year. One host asked fans not to harass the designers, who are boxed in by the line’s requirements. Liege Maximo got a warmer welcome, with one host saying it is exactly what he wanted. It can sit in Starscream’s throne, and its ram-skull spaceship mode recalls Beast Machines Megatron’s flying head. A Leader Class Unicron Soldier listing is likely a recolor of it. Animated Ratchet retools the Earthrise Hoist, and one host says it isn’t for him. Prime Cliffjumper repeats last year’s four-pack figure, while Smokescreen looks better than expected. Swerve’s silver paint helps the robot, but the crew agrees his vehicle mode suffers from the color breakdown. [Source: TFW2005]
Age of the Primes Deluxe Powerglide Heart Image
Nate Purswell followed up on Instagram to show that Powerglide had a heart all along. Powerglide’s face spins around so his alien mask can plug onto the back. One host still finds the gray face ugly and hopes to take the head apart to paint it. Another noted the two grays match the cartoon. The swappable face could also make an upgrade kit easy. [Source: TFW2005]
Takara Transformers Overgear Ironhide/Blackout New Image & Line Details
Takara Tomy has a T-Spark stream on February 13 featuring Transformers Overgear. The new line is meant in part as a spiritual successor to Binaltech. Autobots get Mad Max-style vehicles, and Decepticons get modern military hardware. One host likes Blackout but finds the black, gray and silver decos uninteresting. Another reminded him of his Make Toys Cross Dimensions Jetfire. One host hopes the add-on weapons and armor bring more color. Hasbro also plans another stream around Toy Fair weekend, which may replace a Toy Fair event this year. [Source: TFW2005]
DNA Design DK-80 Omega Commander Upgrade Kit for HasLab Omega Prime
DNA Design’s DK-80 kit includes parts to fix HasLab Omega Prime’s Optimus Prime torso. It also reinforces the combined Omega Prime torso. The kit is a single production run at $41. Brian joked that Don has to buy three, but Don has one on pre-order. One host likes the pieces that stop the chest fins from bending. Rob mocked the Ultra Magnus torso part, which stretches the torso to offset the long legs. [Source: TFW2005]
What We Got This Week
Don
Don got the Magic Square cartoon-color add-on kit for his Masterpiece Bruticus. It adds a yellow foot for Swindle, a green foot for Brawl, and a Blast Off shield for the chest. Bruticus still has no gun. Don found the kit cheaper at TFSafari and now can switch between toy and cartoon looks.
Diecast
Diecast got Fans Toys Gaudi, their Hook. He calls it the least visually appealing of the set so far, since Hook has so much to do as Devastator’s top center. The feet are a little wonky, but his Devastator is now halfway done.
Matt
Matt had nothing in Transformers this week.
John DeLuna
John opened the T-Spark Lio Convoy with the anime lion face. He calls it an upgrade and is eagerly awaiting the glow-in-the-dark version.
Rob
Rob’s latest AliExpress spite purchase was a knockoff Studio Series 86 Optimus Prime. It looks better in person than online, but it confirms Dramatic Capture Earthrise is his default Optimus Prime. Thanks to Don and a sale, Rob also got Studio Series 86 Soundwave at near pre-price-hike Voyager cost. Rob calls it an emotional roller coaster. Every cool feature is offset by something trivially odd. The kneecaps fold in neatly, but the molded switches face inward in alt mode. The battery guns lock into the alt mode for storage. The cassette door feels like the G1 toy. Buzzsaw’s and Laserbeak’s weapon parts work as 5mm weapons for other toys. He likes the toy, but its little decisions poke at his brain.
Chris
Chris visited Nashville and finally found Age of the Primes Quickstrike in a vendor booth for $30. It is faithful to the Beast Wars toy, skips clear plastic, and has good paint and tight joints. He wishes it were about 20% smaller. A comic shop had Walmart’s retro Headmasters Hardhead sealed for $15, part of his long-term Titans Return goal. He also got Dramatic Capture Decepticons part one with Thundercracker and the Reflectors. The Reflectors look great with the cartoon-color camera parts. Seeing Thundercracker next to his Studio Series 86 Thundercracker convinced Chris the Studio Series mold wins. He will probably sell the Dramatic Capture Thundercracker.
Brian
Brian got two more McDonald’s Changeables. He took the four-piece McNugget from his nine-year-old’s unopened Happy Meal toy. He took the Boo Bucket from his six-year-old’s Happy Meal and gave her a Dollar General Hot Wheels car instead. Snowed in, Brian opened his “emergency toys.” Mainframe makes the Dramatic Capture Autobot Headquarters set, and Optimus Prime and Jazz look good too. The Triple Takeover set’s Astrotrain, Blitzwing and Starscream all look great. Brian now wants the upcoming set with Skywarp and the Insecticons.