I initially figured I'd just continue things on the "Movie" page, but when
the enormity of just what I would buy hit, I realized I should
probably make a new page for the 2009 "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen"
movie. You'll also find some RotF stuff over in Artifacts and Kiddie Lines.
Note that, officially speaking, the "Hunt for the Decepticons" toys and later
are not strictly part of the Revenge of the Fallen line. The phrase does not
appear on their packages, and the line has been referred to as just
"Transformers 2010." Many of these later toys don't share the "Bayformer"
aesthetic, instead looking like they might have originally been planned for
Universe/Generations (especially Voyager molds, given that Generations was
initially a Deluxe-only line). It got particularly bad with Reveal the
Shield, which still held the "movie toys" line in inventory databases, but
you'd see things like the Battle in Space set with clearly Generations-style
toys and a comic that featured several toys released in the Generations
line. From Revenge of the Fallen to NEST Global Alliance to Hunt for the
Decepticons to Reveal the Shield, the "genetics" got more and more diluted,
but I'm keeping it all here rather than start a page just for the stuff
that's no longer really movie-related. Once Dark of the Moon toys start
coming out, the lines will likely go back to being clearly drawn.
REVIEW OF THE MOVIE
Bolded names got Strongly Recommended, while italic indicates a
rating of neutral or worse.
- Wave 1: Megatron (fusion tank), Starscream (redeco),
Optimus Prime (new mold), Jetfire (SR-71, sold as Decepticon), Sideswipe
(sportscar), Ratchet (redeco), Bumblebee (2010 Camaro), Springer (V-22
Osprey). Jetfire's the best of the bunch.
- Wave 2: The Fallen (spaceship), Enforcer Ironhide
(redeco), Grindor (Blackout redeco), Mudflap (Chevy Trax concept). Reshipping
with some of wave 1.
- Wave 3: Autobot Skids (Chevy Beat concept),
Sideways (sportscar loosely based on Audi R8), Tankor (2007's Brawl redecoed
in homage to the Tank Drones of Beast Machines).
- Target Exclusive Two-Packs: Bumblebee and Shadow
Striker (the only set I reviewed, redecos of Bumblebee and G1 Wheelie), Rally
Mudflap and Offroad Skids (redecos), Smokescreen and Starscream (G1 Rodimus
in G1 Smokescreen colors, all black Starscream with blue tattoos).
- Legends Devastator: A Walmart exclusive import of the
EZ Collection Devastator sold as a gift set.
The only difference is the copyright stamps and a couple of VERY minor deco
changes that may have simply been factory goofs on mine.
- Wave 4: Autobot Wheelie (RC truck), Soundwave
(satellite), Power Armor Optimus Prime (redeco, not reviewed), Bluesteel
Sideswipe (redeco).
- Wave 5: Stealth Bumblebee (black redeco), Arcee
(motorcycle), Jolt (Chevy Volt).
- HftD Wave 1: Hunt for the Decepticons is on, with
Ravage, Rampage, Cyberfire Bumblebee (redeco) and Fireburst
Optimus Prime (redeco).
- HtfD Wave 2: Long Haul (dump truck, new mold),
Sandstorm (Beachcomber redeco), Override (Sideways redeco, not reviewed),
Tracker Hound (Autobot Hound redeco, not reviewed).
- HtfD Wave 3: Duststorm (Springer redeco), Tuner
Skids (Autobot Skids redeco, not reviewed). Probably fleshed out with
reships.
- Reveal the Shield Wave 1: Optimus Prime (G1),
Megatron (gun, G1), Starscream (G1), Gold Bumblebee (Goldbug homage, redeco
of Classics). If Generations weren't limited to Deluxe, this would SO be a
Generations set.
- RtS Wave 2: Trailcutter (G1 Trailbreaker), Prowl
(G1). Not released at major retailers in America, but available in Canada
and at places like TJMaxx and Marshalls.
- RPM Wave 1: Okay, these aren't Legends, but they're
about the same size and (unfortunately) about the same price. A bunch of Hot
Wheels style vehicles with an accompanying $40 track set I won't be buying.
This review covers one of the single-pack toys (Megatron) and one of
the double packs (Mudflap vs. Skids). Not reviewed: single-pack
Ratchet, Optimus Prime and Bumblebee; double-pack Optimus Prime
vs. Bonecrusher, Brawl vs. Jazz, Bumblebee vs. Barricade. The Prime and
Bumblebee are the same in both versions, and the Devastator track set has the
two-pack Skids.
- RPM bio notes and techspecs: Due to clearance sales and
the single-packs finding their way to Dollar Tree, I have most of the line
now. Here's the accumulated techspecs and a few comments here and there.
- There's "2 for 1" bonus packs of two random cars from out of a set of
eight possible, at $4, which is a better deal. I picked up Ratchet and Long
Haul in one of these sets, and while I won't be reviewing them, they're not
bad. Long Haul's bed tips back.
- Pan-Handler: A single-pack Mini-Con sold at
smaller chains, along with single-pack redecos of the Recon Team molds.
Mostly worthwhile for the name.
- Wave 1: Ransack (biplane), Depth Charge (boat),
Dead End (sportscar), Dirt Boss (forklift), Rollbar (delivery truck), Knock
Out (motorcycle).
- Wave 2: Scalpel (microscope), Reverb (Knock Out
redeco), Dune Runner (Desert Patrol Vehicle).
- Wave 3: Ejector (toaster), Nightbeat (Dead End
redeco).
- Wave 4: Brakedown (sports car), Wideload (Rollbar
redeco), Sonar (Depth Charge redeco).
- Wave 5: Divebomb (Ransack redeco), Skystalker
(F-303-ish jet), Scattorshot (antiaircraft truck).
- Road Rival Showdown: Walmart exclusive redeco
set of Beachcomber (Dune Runner) and Deadlift (Dirt Boss in an homage to
GoBot Spoons). Great ideas, horrible quality control.
- Hunt for the Decepticons Wave 1: Brimstone (chopped
motorcycle), Hubcap (1930s hot rod), Crankstart (Dune Runner redeco, not
reviewed), Backfire (Knock Out redeco, not reviewed). The two new molds both
have minor problems, but are both worth getting.
- HftD Wave 2: Insecticon (insect), Breacher (APC), Oil
Pan (Brakedown redeco, not reviewed).
- HftD Wave 3: Sunspot (Skystalker redeco), Firetrap
(Scattorshot redeco).
- Reveal the Shield Wave 1: Windcharger (muscle
car), Chopsaw (maroon and yellow redeco of Brimstone, not reviewed).
- Stealth Force Motorcycles Wave 1: High Wire (red
street motorcycle a lot like movie Arcee), Knock Out (CanAm Cruiser, no
relation to the other Knock Out toys).
- Preview Wave: Bumblebee (2010 Camaro, retool) and
Soundwave (orbital debris, er, a couple of unconvincing space based altmodes)
were sold in some places as a preview set, packaged in robot mode.
- Wave 1: Bumblebee (preview wave reship), Sideswipe
(StingRay concept), Sideways (sorta-Audi R8), Rampage (bulldozer),
Breakaway (sorta-F-35). Breakaway's probably the best to give a kid, while
Rampage was a really cool idea that simply couldn't be done at a Deluxe
budget.
- Wave 2: Autobot Wheelie (RC truck), Chromia
(motorcycle), Autobot Skids (Chevy Beat), Desert Brawl (redeco, plus slight
retool to fix his arm connection problem), Smokescreen (Jazz redeco, mostly
dark slate gray with some dark red and silver, NOT a G1 homage scheme).
Chromia is part of a combiner, something the packaging and instructions
utterly fail to mention.
- Wave 3: Mudflap (Chevy Trax), Ravage
(robokitty/spaceship), Cannon Bumblebee (extensive retool), Interrogation
Barricade (has those eyestalk things to add onto his vehicle mode instead of
Frenzy, not reviewed).
- Wave 4: Swerve (Sideswipe retool), Arcee
(motorcycle, new mold, very crappy), Stalker Scorponok (2007 mold redeco, an
okay recolor but not enough to rebuy the mold if you already have it).
- Wave 5: Blazemaster (news helicopter), Dead End
(new-head retool of Sideways), Jolt (electric car), Skids/Mudflap (combine
into ice cream truck).
- Wave 6: Thrust (Breakaway with new head), Autobot
Gears (redeco of 2007's Stockade). Thrust is an improvement on the original,
Gears is...well, he's Gears. :)
- NEST Wave 1: Alliance Bumblebee (redeco of Preview
Wave Bumblebee), Tuner Mudflap (new paint, same crap mold), Armorhide
(redeco of 2008's Landmine), Dirge (new mold). Status: Only Armorhide
and Dirge reviewed, no plans to get the other two.
- NEST Alliance Pack: Battlefield Bumblebee
(Cannon Bumblebee with Premium Bumblebee's head and some other minor redeco)
versus Infiltration Soundwave (blue and red "atmospheric re-entry" redeco)
plus a nice sew-on patch and a mailaway for a redeco Ravage.
- Recon Ravage: The mailaway chromed-up Ravage.
For something with so much chrome, it's not half bad.
- NEST Wave 2: Brawn (armored pickup truck), Autobot
Ratchet (Hummer H2), Lockdown (TF:A homage), Strike Mission Sideswipe
(moderate redeco). All good, but with flaws that keep them from being more
than "recommended".
- Hunt For The Decepticons Wave 1: Ironhide (pickup
truck), Sea Attack Ravage (redeco, not reviewed), Jetblade (Dirge redeco, not
reviewed), Battle Blade Bumblebee (new mold).
- HftD Wave 2: Sidearm Sideswipe (new mold), Hailstorm
(missile carrier), Elita-1 (Chromia redeco, not reviewed), Tuner Skids
(uglier redeco, not reviewed no way no how).
- HftD Wave 3: Terradive (fighter jet), Tomahawk
(assault helicopter), Electrostatic Jolt (redeco, not reviewed).
- HftD Wave 4: Axor (Lockdown with new head and
weapon), Rescue Ratchet (the inevitable red and white redeco).
- Reveal the Shield Wave 1: Turbo Tracks (sportscar),
Special Ops Jazz (sportscar), Fallback (Brawn redeco, Outback homage),
Mindset (Hailstorm re-head).
- RtS Wave 2: Optimus Prime (G2 Laser Prime homage),
Wreck-Gar (dirt bike), Perceptor (halftrack truck) and Bumblebee
(Classics BB in movie BB colors).
- Fast Action Battlers Wave 1: Jolt (Chrysler Volt),
Optimus Prime (new mold), Bumblebee (redeco), Megatron (fusion tank).
Review now has Megatron and Jolt. The Optimus Prime mold is reviewed as its
redeco in wave 5 below.
- Fast Action Battlers Wave 2: Ratchet (redeco), Long Haul
(dump truck), Sideways (sportscar), Jetfire (SR-71). Only Long Haul
currently reviewed.
- Fast Action Battlers Wave 3: Sideswipe, Ironhide
(Enforcer redeco), Starscream (tattooed redeco), Mudflap. Only Mudflap
reviewed.
- Fast Action Battlers Wave 4: Autobot Skids, Desert Blast
Bumblebee (redeco), Grindor (redeco of 2007 Blackout), Mudflap reship. Only
Skids reviewed, although the other molds have been reviewed before in some
way or other.
- Fast Action Battlers Wave 5: Cyber Pursuit Arcee (pretty
good), Power Armor Optimus Prime (too gimmicky) and Night Blades Sideswipe
(didn't get).
- Fast Action Battlers Wave 6: All redecos. Offroad Skids, Rally Mudflap,
Spark Blast Jolt. Not getting any of these.
- Activators Wave 1: FAB is replaced by an upscaled Deluxe
class version of the Activators idea. Implementation is...not so good.
Megatron is the only one I reviewed, Optimus Prime and Bumblebee are
also in this wave.
- Activators Wave 2: Ironhide and Starscream. Passed on these.
- Activators Wave 3: Rally Rumble redecos of Bumblebee and
Optimus Prime. I got Prime for free as part of the Supercharge Your Holidays
promotion, so I reviewed it. Not gonna get Rally Rumble Bumblebee.
- Robot Replicas Wave 1: Ratchet, Optimus Prime, Ironhide,
Starscream. Not only is Optimus an all-new mold, they've abandoned the
pseudo-Revoltech scheme and redesigned them from scratch.
- Robot Replicas Wave 2: Megatron (new mold), Autobot
Skids, Jetfire, Bumblebee (new mold).
- Robot Replicas Wave 3: Sideswipe, Fallen (and reships from wave 2).
Reviewed along with wave 2.
- Gravity Bots Wave 1: Simplistic toys like Cyber
Slammers. Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, Mudflap, Sideswipe, Starscream. Some
stores have gotten all but Starscream, others have gotten Starscream, Optimus
and BB but not the others. I ended up getting Sideswipe when they were on
sale and I had a coupon on top of that. There have been other waves, but I
won't be getting them.
- Stealth Force Silverstreak: And general line
comments. Stealth Force is part of the Speed Stars line that replaced RPM,
and they're vehicles that deploy weapons rather than turning into robots.
Yeah, like M.A.S.K., but without drivers. Silverstreak looks like it was
initially meant to be Sideways.
Not an official size class, but anything sold for $15 or
closer to that than to $10 or $20 will go here.
Due to the inconsistencies in shipping and the official wave assortments
being kinda weird and overlapping, the first bunch I've simply seprated into
two groups based on whether I saw them in stores on Street Date or not until
later.
- Voyager Group 1: Ironhide (retooled), Optimus Prime
(redeco), Starscream (new mold), Demolishor (power shovel), the Fallen
(spaceship), Desert Tracker Ratchet (redeco). Prime and Ratchet not
purchased or reviewed, although I have some comments on Ratchet.
- Voyager Group 2: Stratosphere (C-17-alike with
miniature Optimus Prime), Mixmaster (cement truck), Megatron (Fusion tank
fuzored with space jet), plus reships of group 1 stuff.
- Voyager Wave 3: Long Haul (dumptruck), Grindor
(Blackout redeco, not reviewed). Status: Only Long Haul reviewed, no plans
for Grindor.
- Target Exclusive The Fallen Re-deco: Guest
review, as it never got cheap enough locally for me to be tempted.
- Voyager NEST Wave 1: Recon Ironhide (remolded cab
and doors, lots of new weapons and add-ons, weird camo paintjob), Bludgeon
(tank to undead robo-samurai).
- Voyager NEST Wave 2: Mindwipe (F-117-ish jet),
Defender Optimus Prime (redeco in Nightwatch-style colors).
- Voyager Hunt for the Decepticons Wave 1: Seaspray
(hovercraft transport), Payload (Long Haul redeco, guest review by Wonkimus
Major), Night Ops Ratchet (redeco, won't be reviewed).
- Voyager HftD Wave 2: Decepticon Banzaitron
(Bludgeon redeco), Battle Blades Optimus Prime (at last, a new mold for him
at this size).
- Voyager HtfD Wave 3: Highbrow (not quite a P-38
fighter/bomber) and The Fallen (retool with new head and removable
face, new hands, new staff weapon...same old crappy feet).
- Battle In Space Set: Redecos of Classics
Rodimus and Universe Cyclonus in more G1-movie-accurate colors, with rubsigns
(for Reveal the Shield), a comic and a die-cast metal Autobot Matrix
(G1-style, with holes for adding a necklace chain). Sold at the $20 price
point.
- Voyager Reveal the Shield "Wave 1": Lugnut (TF:A
character homage), Solar Storm Grappel (Universe Inferno retool), Strafe
(Mindwipe redeco) and Deep Dive (Seaspray redeco). This is probably two
waves mashed together, but since none of them have much brick and mortar
penetration, it's kinda moot. Status: Lugnut reviewed, keeping an eye out
for Grappel, not buying the other two.
- Walmart Exclusive Jets: The original Starscream mold redeco'ed as
Skywarp, and the Thundercracker head retool redeco'ed as Ramjet. Guest review of Skywarp, I don't plan to get either
myself, although I've seen them. Even passed on them at $11.
- Fury of Fearswoop set: 2007's Dreadwing recolored
as G2 Hooligan, plus battle damaged versions of Legends Sideswipe and
Mudflap.
- Power Bots Wave 1: Non-transforming successors to the Cyber-Stompin'
figures. Bumblebee and Megatron. Don't plan to get either.
- Mega Power Bots Wave 1: Powered up Optimus Prime with Jetfire bits, it
has more gimmicks and stuff, $35 price point. REALLY don't plan to get this
one.
- Mega Power Bots Wave 2: Devastator with a spinny bit in the chest. I've
seen it and decided it's not worth $20, much less the $35 they want. It
looks like those weak 1970s flattened/deformed robot toys you sometimes see
going for insane amounts of money on eBay.
- Arm Blasters: Sound and light, sorta costume-like. $30-35. No plans to
buy.
- Bumblebee Plasma Cannon - Too small to fit over an adult hand.
- Voice-Changer Helmets: Will fit adults, if uncomfortably. No plans to
buy.
- Optimus Prime Voice-Changer Helmet - Redeco of the one from 2007.
- Bumblebee Voice-Changer Helmet - New one, has song and radio noise
snippets.
- Optimus Prime's Sword - I got one half off on clearance, but the
electronics were broken. It looks nice enough, though.
- Target Exclusive Superion - Redeco of
Energon's Superion Maximus, but it suffers from shoddy production. Not as
bad as some Target exclusives of late, but bad enough I can't really
recommend it.
- Target Exclusive Bruticus Maximus - Redeco of
Energon's set of the same name, using the G1 Combaticon names...Blast Off is
a tank, but still listed as an astronaut. That's so messed up I just had to
get the set. I may have just been lucky, but the quality issues that plagued
Superion were all but absent here.
- Human Alliance Bumblebee - This has the same class glyph
as the combiner class, and the same price point. 1:27 scale vehicle with a
slightly smaller than scale Sam Witwicky figure that can sit inside the
vehicle mode.
- Human Alliance Sideswipe - Comes with Sgt. Epps, seems to
also be 1:27 scale. A total shellmaster.
- Human Alliance Skids - Comes with Mikaela and a
Scout-sized Arcee motorcycle (Chromia mold in pink) that transforms. Best
versions of Skids and Arcee so far, but that's really not saying much, sadly.
- Human Alliance Barricade - Comes with a weirdly
proportioned Frenzy. A lot better than I'd expected, but not without flaws.
- Human Alliance Mudflap - A phantom of sorts, I have yet
to see it anywhere in stores in America (and probably never will), and it's
pretty much only available online at resellers with significant markup.
Accompanied by Agent Simmons and Chromia (Arcee mold in blue).
- Human Alliance Jazz - With Captain Lennox and a
motorcycle that transforms into Jazz's "crescent blaster". Best Human
Alliance figure so far, but a wide margin.
- Wave 1: Guess. No, g'wan. Did you guess Optimus
Prime and Megatron? Well, you're right. All-new molds. $45. Few toys
have inspired such rage in me as this new Prime, whoever greenlit as
something to sell to kids needs to be fired. Megatron's okay, though.
- Wave 2: Jetfire, who combines with Prime. I'm giving up on this size
class, and will not be buying it. Guest review by
DioSoth.
- NEST Wave 1: Shadow Command Megatron: Darker redeco. I do not plan to
get this.
- HftD Wave 1: Optimus Prime (remold with hook-swords), Starscream.
Starscream is well-liked by those who have him, but I'm kinda disinterested
in the size class in general, so don't expect a review from me. But here's a
Guest Review from DioSoth. He liked it.
- BUMBLEBEE: They've retooled the front end and added new sound effects,
but the price has jumped to $100. Not even on clearance would I get this.
- DEVASTATOR: A $100 set of vehicles that combine into Devastator. But
they don't individually transform, making them Zord-style. I'll be passing
unless I can find them on insane clearance. And even then I might not
bother. Guest review by Dio Soth. Updated 2/28/10.
- BATTLE OPS BUMBLEBEE: Not Ultimate Bumblebee, this is a new mold slightly
larger than Leader Class, with more electronics. I don't plan to get this.
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