Transformers Legacy toyline

[Sabrblade]

I just don't know why the front of the car had to look like that. I love the robot mode sopp much, but that car mode is very confusing. Vipers are just so pretty. Definitely gonna have to consider it his Cybertronian mode.

It's because the altmode was designed based on Cyberverse Shadow Striker's pre-Frankensteined altmode, but with the addition of Side Burn's exposed engine, creating a single hodgepodge altmode design that Hasbro wanted to use for both characters, and is consequently accurate to neither character.

 

[Shadewing]

It's because the altmode was designed based on Cyberverse Shadow Striker's pre-Frankensteined altmode, but with the addition of Side Burn's exposed engine, creating a single hodgepodge altmode design that Hasbro wanted to use for both characters, and is consequently accurate to neither character.

TBF, one could consider them trying to homage both Cyberverse and the original Shadow Striker, who was a Side Burn Remold, so combining the two isn't completely odd.

 

[lastmaximal]

But the results are nevertheless unimpressive. So basically the Elita/Minerva/Strongarm situation again.

 

[Sabrblade]

Indeed. What we have here, in this mold's case, is less of an instance of "G1-ifying" like with the Prime and Animated designs (since the Cyberverse designs, much like those of the Unicron Trilogy, were already pretty blocky and G1-ish in aesthetic to begin with), and more a case of Hasbro taking two different characters (Shadow Striker and Side Burn) from two different series (Cyberverse and RiD 2001) with two completely different designs, and forcibly trying to mash those two designs together, all because of Shadow Striker's original namesake (Universe Shadow Striker) having been made from the RiD 2001 Side Burn mold, despite the fact that Cyberverse Shadow Striker was a name-slap of a familiar trademark on a new character with a completely original design that looked absolutely nothing like Universe Shadow Striker.

This is like if the Legacy Bulkhead toy had instead tried to have a helicopter mode as a second altmode, and had been given a mustache on top of his very Prime-styled robot mode head, in order to cram in elements from Energon Bulkhead just because he was the first Bulkhead, despite Prime Bulkhead being nothing like him in design or character.

It's basically a return of the "Aligned" mindset that gave all us those mashed G1/Movieverse concept designs from a decade ago.

 

[lastmaximal]

It actually seems to have a bit more thought put into it than the Elita situation which was... I don't know. "what other females are there we can make?" The altmode is utterly weird for Minerva, and the robot mode is off for Strongarm (although I can see the "hood halves on shoulders" tying the latter two together).

Here there's at least that Six Degrees connecting the dots. "So we'll make a Side Burn. He has a redeco called Shadow Striker. Oh, we can make this into another Shadow Striker, represent another series."

Honestly it might have worked if they'd actually chosen or been able to spend on retooling the altmode significantly enough to give Side Burn a better approximation. And/or actually paint the thing to look any better than a sad wireless mouse with clipart flames.

But then that still results in Shadow Striker being inadequately represented, so we're still in a place of the original intent for the mold working (ehh) and the rest being watered down by the compromise... Which also kind of undermined the original intent for the mold anyway.

And honestly the whole "just say it's their Cybertronian mode" is already a thin justification that is stretched to tearing point here.

Like, this is hardly unprecedented for homage redecos/retools and such, but precedent doesn't make it any more appealing when it happens.

 

[unluckiness]

This is the sort of thing Generations especially around the Prime wars era did which was okay back then but with these toys costing as much as they currently do, not nearly good enough.

 

[Haywire]

The other reality is that licensing the Viper is seemingly off the table, and it's not exactly a design that can easily be invoked in a "wink-wink-nudge-nudge-know what I mean?" kind of way. I don't love this design, but I don't exactly hate it, either.

Now, the piss-poor flames on the sample we've seen so far? That is something completely under Hasbro's control. Hopefully it's not the final deco.

 

[Sciflyer]

I understand and agree with most of the criticisms levelled at this take on Side Burn. Let's not forget though, that there will eventually be 3rd party "upgrades" for this thing. Sure, some of them will cost exactly as much - or more than - the figure itself, but I'm certain that better flame decals will be among the offerings. The real question becomes how far are you willing to go to polish a turd?

 

[lastmaximal]

The other reality is that licensing the Viper is seemingly off the table, and it's not exactly a design that can easily be invoked in a "wink-wink-nudge-nudge-know what I mean?" kind of way.

This is a fair point, but it's not like our only choices are "actual Dodge Viper" and "exactly Shadow Striker". There's a wide range of "curvy Earth sports car" options in between.

Most of the car can even work as is, just the rear bumper is a flat plank and that car front is entirely... You know what, why is Shadow Striker's vehicle mode nose so... bulbous to begin with? I'm boggled at how one gets from the show model to this toy; it's like a blind man drew it from memory pre-blindness. If that were leaner and more angular like the Ultra class toy's, there might have been less work to do. Like, from there just round it off and make it a single shape rather than three.

Now, the piss-poor flames on the sample we've seen so far? That is something completely under Hasbro's control. Hopefully it's not the final deco.

This is the bit that genuinely makes it feel like an unfinished digibash.

 

[Gizmoboy]

I think their choice could have been a little curvier like this fine lady, but it really isn't horrible.

 

[LordGigaIce]

Ok first I like the Elita/Minerva/Strongarm mould. Maybe it helps that I don't use it for Elita? Jet Elita 4 life

Anyway I consider myself someone with a fair bit of RiD 2001 nostalgia as it got me back into TFers as a young teen after BM was just too out there for my kid brain to handle at the time... and I think this Sideburn is fine?

My biggest complaint is the paint scheme. Guys, you gotta do a better flame deco.
But I also suspect TT will have me covered on that.

But the mould? No it's not a Viper but also it's 2024 and licensing exists and let's face it- Sideburn isn't Bumblebee where Hasbro's gonna got the extra mile for a licensed vehicle for a Generations release.

It's a sports car, he's got a flame deco (needs improvement there), he looks like Sideburn in robot mode, and he probably won't be a nightmare to transform.

I'd say he's going to be an instant buy if Hasbro had given him a good deco but as it is I'll wait for TT's offering.

But that nitpick aside... I'm not getting the hate.

 

[Donocropolis]

I halfway wonder if this sample is missing one paint operation? Like, if you had the white border around the faded flames, it'd be pretty close?

 

[unluckiness]

The front is relatively tall and chunky in a way that doesn't say sportscar. Those usually have long hoods and a low profile while this mold's hood is high and short in length when compared to its total height which evokes something like a family sedan's proportions. Not to mention that strange protrusion in the middle that makes the hood look even bulkier.

 

[lastmaximal]

This persistent false dilemma of it ONLY either being this or a fully licensed Dodge Viper is not where I saw this going on the Allspark. I don't know that anyone's even specifically asking for a retool of Shadow Striker into a licensed Dodge Viper, so who is that counterargument even for?

"Believably Earthen cars with a front that doesn't look like three knuckles" exist in Transformers toylines. In the last few years alone there's Legacy Knock Out, Legacy Dead End, and even Kingdom Tracks, who for all his engineering faults is specifically a non-licensed approximation of a specific Earth car.

 

[Princess Viola]

Ok first I like the Elita/Minerva/Strongarm mould. Maybe it helps that I don't use it for Elita? Jet Elita 4 life

Anyway I consider myself someone with a fair bit of RiD 2001 nostalgia as it got me back into TFers as a young teen after BM was just too out there for my kid brain to handle at the time... and I think this Sideburn is fine?

My biggest complaint is the paint scheme. Guys, you gotta do a better flame deco.
But I also suspect TT will have me covered on that.

But the mould? No it's not a Viper but also it's 2024 and licensing exists and let's face it- Sideburn isn't Bumblebee where Hasbro's gonna got the extra mile for a licensed vehicle for a Generations release.

It's a sports car, he's got a flame deco (needs improvement there), he looks like Sideburn in robot mode, and he probably won't be a nightmare to transform.

I'd say he's going to be an instant buy if Hasbro had given him a good deco but as it is I'll wait for TT's offering.

But that nitpick aside... I'm not getting the hate.

The Takara release is going to be identical to the Hasbro one fam and I can't imagine they'd do some TTM exclusive repaint with better flames just because...IDK that just doesn't seem like it'd be enough of a difference to make it worthwhile.

 

[Shadewing]

I really like Strongarm and how she turned out, I think she's the best looking version of that Mold. I also don't use it for Elita (Also a Jet Elita stan), but I just hate the car mode for it. I mentioned it previously but its not "it's not a porche" when it comes to Minvera. It's that it just looks bad. It looks like the car Homer Simpson designed. Strongarm could be bigger or bulkier, but to me she fixes the main issues with the mold.

Shadowstriker I was really hoping they'd remold the front end some to make it more evoke the viper. The car mode doesn't bother me as-is for Shadowstriker, but it bothers me a lot for Side Burn. Honestly that's kinda my second biggest issue with the mold*: The robot mode is fine for Side Burn, and the vehicle is fine for Shadowstriker; but the inverse is that they don't work for the other modes. I want a Cyberverse Shadowstriker, that actually looks like Cyberverse Shadowstriker. It's the primary mode she'd be displayed in. I WANT that frankenstien look she has for the majority of the series that they continue to refuse to give us. And I would prefer Side Burn to have a curvier looking car mode. I don't need it to be a Dodge Viper exactly, but something evokative would work. Even just rounding off the front bumper and maybe giving it a less flat roof would work. It feels like these are things that could be changed easily on this mold.

*First issue: The ******* way the did the arms, is the biggest thing that kills this mold for me regardless who it is.

 

[PrimalxConvoy]

This is a fair point, but it's not like our only choices are "actual Dodge Viper" and "exactly Shadow Striker". There's a wide range of "curvy Earth sports car" options in between.

Most of the car can even work as is, just the rear bumper is a flat plank and that car front is entirely... You know what, why is Shadow Striker's vehicle mode nose so... bulbous to begin with? I'm boggled at how one gets from the show model to this toy; it's like a blind man drew it from memory pre-blindness. If that were leaner and more angular like the Ultra class toy's, there might have been less work to do. Like, from there just round it off and make it a single shape rather than three.


This is the bit that genuinely makes it feel like an unfinished digibash.

Exactly. Hasbro has made KO vehicles for many of their TFs (especially of licenced cars), so they could easily do the same for Sideburn.

What with the overpriced Fire Convoy and this lame Sideburn, I think Hasbro has done RID dirty recently so far.

 

[lastmaximal]

I really like Strongarm and how she turned out, I think she's the best looking version of that Mold. I also don't use it for Elita (Also a Jet Elita stan), but I just hate the car mode for it. I mentioned it previously but its not "it's not a porche" when it comes to Minvera. It's that it just looks bad. It looks like the car Homer Simpson designed. Strongarm could be bigger or bulkier, but to me she fixes the main issues with the mold.

I also prefer Jet Elita (and for her to not be half the size of Optimus). I think Strongarm makes the mold work best because her altmode is supposed to have the blocker, wider back half. Hell, she might be the reason the mold even HAS that in vehicle mode, because neither of the other two designs have ever needed it.

I'm in full agreement with you that the Elita and Minerva versions look more like The Homer than either of their original/actual looks. "The Homer" was my exact thought as I looked at Minerva (my first copy of the mold) and saw a car front half with a bubble top welded to a truck back half, with the squat proportions and round vs boxy clash making it worse than Earthspark Bumblebee, who has a similar "boxy rear half of car" issue. (As with Side Burn, I don't need Minerva to be Specifically A Licensed Porsche, just not a car that looks this dumb.)

Strongarm wears the vehicle mode well, and that color scheme looks good on damn near anything. But she necessarily inherits the proportions of the other two, so it's less Strongarm than I'd like (plus the bumper-shoulders are a bit clunkier than I'd like). Maybe if they'd let Minerva be her own thing -- or, you know, have Nightbeat, her built-in mold relative, as her retooling batchmate -- and paired up Strongarm and an EarthSpark style Elita instead. But of course that assumes there can even be more than one base mold, so it's all moot.

I don't know. I'm actually oddly impressed at the ambition of wanting to wring these three distinct and disparate characters out of one mold, but they're just too different for it to be a success.

...You know, if they'd just grouped Elita, Minerva, and Shadow Striker, they could have a sleeker/less blocky altmode with no incongruous back half. The hood on the back can work as is for the first two and give Shadow Striker a frankensteined vehicle hood and single-color chest. Their proportions are all relatively closer to each other. Still three female characters, still a non-G1 third. Just shelf Strongarm until she can have her own mold to anchor -- although I can see the eureka moment of "Minerva's standing shoulder bits can work as horizontal shoulder bits for Strongarm" being HARD to resist, it's the only thing that works for both. This is a better retool base for Shadow Striker and Side Burn can fully own his mold -- there are still redeco/retool options for that.

 

[Princess Viola]

I like Legacy Minerva (obviously, if you know me) but it's still weird how Legacy is so focused on toon accuracy (for characters that originated in cartoons, replace 'toon' with 'comic' for comic-original characters that have gotten toys) and yet Minerva...isn't.

 

[lastmaximal]

I like the robot mode well enough to consider getting a spare (to keep one stock) to modify into a Transtector.