Dave's Transformers Rant Megatron Megabolt Ah, the joys of modern communication. The nearby Kay Bee took down my name a couple weeks ago, and tonight called to let me know Megahead had come in (after I found nothing earlier in the day). CAPSULE Megatron Megabolt: A long-awaited mold, it's pretty good. Robot mode has balance issues, and the rolling gimmick is hindered by the robot helmet, but the transformation is satisfyingly complex. Recommended. Kay Bee Exclusive, $12.99 (price tag has an automatic markdown from $17.99) RANT DECEPTICON: Megatron Megabolt Function: Decepticon Emissary Mode: Big Slagging Head Motto: "Each fight only strengthens me for the next battle!" [He's a Saiyan?] Embodies the cruel and destructive nature of a nefarious leader. Houses the spark of a Predacon, though newly proclaims himself to be Decepticon - a display of his arrogance. A battle-hardened commander who wants nothing more than universal domination. Has led the devastation of countless worlds before coming to Earth, and is set on eradicating the Autobots. Developed "emissary mode" to combine with his space cruiser and even the secret Autobot defense fortress in an attempt to gain absolute power. In robot form, he attacks with energy claws and sonic missiles. STR 9 INT 10 SPD 9 END 9 RNK 9 COUR 10 FRB 10 SKL 10 Avg 9.5 Yes, the package says Megatron Megabolt, not Megabolt Megatron. The implication is that he's subordinate to 6-changer Megatron...in fact, the ordering of his name almost suggests that Megatron has become a title like Optimus (or Prime), so the character is really named Megabolt, with Megatron being his title. The packaging is standard RiD Deluxe, with Megabolt held into the bubble with five twist-ties. He's kneeling, and his feet aren't correctly transformed, it's an awkward fit. The picture is of his megahead mode. Like other exclusives, the packaging is in English only, rather than trilingual. I kinda wonder if all the Mega's on the package fooled Kay Bee's system into thinking this is a Mega level toy, since the main printed price is $17.99, Kay Bee's Mega price point. But it has the pre-printed "markdown" to $12.99, which is about what they charge for Deluxes. The card art suggests a transparent red plastic chest for robot mode, but it might just be weird lighting tricks. Megahead Mode: 4.5" (11cm) long robotic head on a six-legged carriage. The main chassis grades from a grayish light blue at the front to dark blue at the back, with some purple parts visible and a gunmetal forehead. Atop the head is a blue Vehicon spark crystal in a red mounting. Rocket nozzles at the back are painted mostly black. The carriage is red and blue (red on the outside, blue on the inside) with six black robo-insect legs attached to it. Legspan is about 5.5" (14cm). Pressing down on the spark crystal makes the legs wiggle and the jaw move. Press down really hard and the missile behind the mouth fires. Also, the wheels on the bottom cause the leg and jaw movement (right side wheel controls the jaw and right legs, left side wheel only controls left legs). However, the control helmet juts out between the wheels, a spring forcing it down, and this makes it hard to get the wheels to turn well. And you'll also end up scraping the heck out of the helmet if you roll it around too much. The megahead also sorta free-rolls, between the rear tiny wheel and the front skid formed by the helmet chin. Transformation: Wow. Lots of folding and snapping and stuff, and the instructions are almost totally useless. A bit easier to go to robot mode than vice versa, since the head just sorta unfolds/blossoms into the robot. One of the trickier bits is the way the piece with the legs attached rotates around, because it's very stiffly in place initially, making one wonder what part is actually supposed to move. There's a green band under the abdoment of the robot that's not very noticeable, but it becomes the green eyes of the megahead mode, nice touch. Robot Mode: 5.5" (14cm) tall at the head, add half an inch for the backpack. Or add that half inch by taking the removable magnetic head of one of the Star Wars Ep2 figures and sticking it onto the metal plate on Megabolt's head (hee!). The chest is the gunmetal part with the spark cryatal, and a bit more purple and red are visible in robot mode than in megahead mode. The feet have nice heel spurs, but unfortunately the toy is so topheavy that the knees often give up and sag. This can sort of be fixed by turning the lower legs sideways and then adjusting the feet, making it look kinda like he has boosters in the sides of his lower legs. He loses some poseability in exchange for stability. Shoulders, elbows, hips, knees and ankles are ball joints. The head swivels, but not if you deploy the helmet. The hands are fixed in position and held open in a sort of "shake my hand" pose. They're made from more flexible plastic than the forearms and screwed into place, so they're unlikely to break despite their apparent fragility. And now for the gimmicks. Pushing the spark crystal on Megabolt's chest does two things. One, it makes the legs wiggle as "energy claw" attacks. Also, if it's not deployed already, pushing the button makes the missile launcher flip up and into place. It has a control helmet (like Megatron's in Beast Machines) attached, and it fixes into place with a magnet! Very nice touch, but don't get Megabolt too close to your tapes. }-> The missile does not automatically fire when the launcher deploys, which I think is a good idea...otherwise you'd be too likely to fire it at your own face. (Pause while Dave finds the built-in way to accidentally fire the missile at your own face.) Oooookay. If you push the spark crystal AFTER the launcher is deployed, however, it will fire the missile. Overall: A nice toy, I'm glad it finally got made. A bit expensive thanks to being a KayBee exclusive, but three bucks more is better than never getting it. Dave Van Domelen, also got a cellphone today, woo. And no, you can't have the phone number. Well, some of you can, but don't call me, I'll call you. Or something. }->