So, like I shared earlier, I do not have an immense wealth of knowledge and experience with Transformers toys and their long history. When I approach Transformers toys, I come from the perspective of an adult collector who appreciates the toys for what they are- the details on the molding, poseability, paint job, complexity in transformation, the quality of material used, and the value of money that I feel I get out of the fun derived from the toy.
Based on the factors mentioned earlier, I need to say that I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of fun that I got out of Transformers Titans Return Wave 1 Deluxes! What we have here are individual figures and characters that collectors can go for without shelling out a lot of money. Unlike Combiner Wars which requires you to get the entire wave to form the combiner, Titans Return is wallet-friendly as you can stop at any character/figure that you like. Of course, nothing is stopping you from getting the entire wave but you can always go slow and wait for them to go on clearance discount. It is better to have a complete character than to be stuck with a partial combiner!
Scourge
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| Scourge- Robot Mode |
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| Headmaster Fracas |
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| Scourge- Alt Mode |
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Pew!
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Blurr
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| Run, Blurr, RUN! |
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| Headmaster Hyperfire |
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Blurr- Alt Mode
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Hardhead
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| Hardhead- Robot Mode |
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| Headmaster Furos |
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Hardhead- Alt Mode
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Skullcruncher
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| Skullcruncher- Robot Mode |
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| Headmaster Grax |
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| Skullcruncher Alt Mode |
Without repeating too much of what have been going on online, the most significant problem of Wave 1 Deluxes are the gaps and spaces in the underside of the arms and legs. I understand that the space may be necessary to fit parts during transformation but at least cover them up properly! It is mind-boggling that most of the figures utilise thin plastic flaps to cover up parts in the key design of the series but they weren't consistently utilised. This flaw is pretty damaging as the figures look terrible from the side and let's not even look at them from the back. I can already imaging 3rd party companies releasing upgrades to plug the gaps.
On the plus side, the transformation of the figures were intuitive and fun! I will highly recommend this wave to children and even those who want to start their very own Transformers collection. The transformation of the figures were easy for someone like me who cannot follow visual instructions and I am sure most of you will fare better. The figures generally have good articulation for poses but were severely hindered by the gappy limbs.
The modern and updated design is a big hit for people who like the cartoon and comic designs too. Pretty sure this is a much better entry point for old and new fans than Transformers movie toys... But before I start ranting, I must say that the paint job on the figures were really clean and neat! The colour scheme stayed true to the G1 designs and before you go on to say that they are plain and bare, please note that stickers will be released to add details on the figures. A bit lazy? A cost-saving move? I don't know for sure. But I must say I am starting to grow fond of pasting stickers on my toys and I wouldn't mind if the quality is good.
I just want to say that I truly appreciate the consideration of play and fun catered for the younger buyers. There is so much interaction available for the headmasters and figures in different modes. It's a good reminder we don't always have to pay exorbitant prices to 3rd party companies for the fun we can get out of toys. I am not against 3rd party products but I am strongly against what we are paying these days. Of course, that's about expectation that differs with people. Oh well, another topic for another post. Anyway, thanks for reading and keep a lookout for more updates on toys from same wave!
