Reviews (2)

On your marks... get set...
Although I find the MiniCon Road Assault team's vehicular modes pretty neat-looking, I'm not quite as impressed by their robotic incarnations. As one would expect from such small TransFormers, articulation (AKA poseability) is basically limited to some arm and leg movement, and not much else. However, I must admit their robot forms have a more offbeat appearance than most of their fellow MiniConPatriots. Also, their transformation complexity is a shade more difficult than most of the other MiniCon sets I've encountered.

The SkyBoom shield this trio merges into actually kinda resembles the armament it's advertised to be, unlike the Star/DarkSaber (Air Defense/Assault teams) and the Requiem Blaster (Space Mini-Con team). Well, actually it looks more like some bizarre fighter craft composed of racecars... but why pick nits at this stage of the game? While I find the shield far too large for the Supercon- (ex. WheelJack, Hot Shot) and Maxcon (ex. Red Alert, Scavenger)-sized Armada toys, SkyBoom is just the right size for most of the Gigacons, particularly Tidal Wave and Megatron/Galvatron. If the Gigacon you want to attach this tchochke to has MiniCon powerlink hardpoints on his forearms, I recommend you link SkyBoom onto the hardpoints instead of having the 'bot hold it by its handle. Not only does it give the combatant a free hand to wield some other implement of destruction, it also looks a lot cooler!

'Late

Post Script: This team is available in two different color schemes: white/black/red as seen in the product page pic, and grey/charcoal/bright yellow. So if you're planning to purchase this online, you won't necessarily receive the same color set that you see in the product photo above.

'Later

skyboom
this toy is great every piece is pretty duable.but dirt boss' arm falls off really easely. the best part is the skyboom shield.i just got jetfire and they look awesome together. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Very good Homage to G1 Inferno
While the Energon show may be god awful, thankfully the toys are really cool. And Inferno is a prime example of this. He's very similar to his G1 persona, except he's much more poseable. He's also rather easy to transform. Highly reccomended

Really, really, really neat toy!!!
It's a neat toy. It transforms well, it powerlinks well. It is very articulated. He looks just like he does on the show. This is definitely one of the best transformers I've ever played with! If you are looking for a transformer with a lot of moveable parts and easy transformation this is a good toy for you!

Reviewing TF Engergon Inferno
I'm a transfan from the 80's G1 era who has a son that has been getting into transformers. Between the two of us we've been building our own collections and having a ton of fun. Ok enough about me and my son, lets talk about Energon Inferno, this guy is really cool, and fun to play with. I have three boys and two of them are twin 4 year olds who are very tough on everything so when I say I found Inferno to be very durable, I mean it. As a child from the G1 era I remember how easy they (the G1 TF's) were to break. I love the fact that the newest generations of transformers have "stress points" that are designed to let the toys peices seperate if to much stress is applied to them, the real kicker is that they aren't broken when that happens, you just snap the loosed peice right back on! As I said Inferno is really cool in all three, yes I said three of his modes. 1: he's a neat looking fire truck, 2: would be his robot mode(really awesome) 3: and last would be his totally bad powerlinx mode where he can linx with any other Energon Deluxe figure(Rodimus, Hot Shot, or Prowl). He can be either the leg or torso section of any Powerlinx combo(looks totally cool when powerlinxed with Rodimus)! He's definatley not a good one for Ole Meg's to mess with.

I highly recommend this guy for anyones collection.

Transformers Energon: Looking to be not too shabby
Here it is, the Transformers Energon Inferno figure. I was not disappointed when I opened him up. In fact, I was immensley impressed. This figure is very cool and bears a slight resemblance to two characters from the G1 toyline: Ironhide and the original G1 Inferno. As far as design goes for this figure, it was done very nicely-a transformation style similar to G1 but with the great poseability of the later Beast Wars, Robots In Disguise, and Armada figures. Also, the fire extinguisher/cannon that is mounted on his arm can be removed if you do not find it to your liking and can be mounted on the back of his shoulder or be used as a hand held weapon, a nice feature IMO. Although I haven't tested it yet (and I don't want to), it seems that this figure is very durable- the plastic is very thick and tough. All in all, I highly recommend this figure to all and is a nice addition to the Transformers line. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

It is the coolest toy
This is the best toy ever when you get it at the store you will like it. It comes with a clear red Energon star that atteaches to Stronrarm creats a Energon ax. When I got it at the store I did not like it, but then when you play with it at home you would like it.

Strongarm/weakarm
Strongarm is a bit smaller than i would have liked and he is not very articulate. he has a gun and a spare tire thingy that combine into an axe weapon. his gun alone is a grabbing claw and a boom arm all in one. I would not reccomend this to those whoget borred easily because it isn't the best toy on the shelves of anywhere.

in all it is not the best toy hasbro has made.

Strongarm
This is a great toy for any transformer fan. I was surpised to see how well hasbro made him after the disapointing series of armada. He holds poses well, and has great balance(he can even hold the mini con weapons)! Plus, transformers fans can get a good toy without having to buy deluxe. Well wortth the buy.

Off road fun - Transformers style!
Most Transformers fans think of the Generation 1 character Hound when they think of a transforming jeep...now fans have new jeep and a great one at that. Since Energon is a continuation of the Armada series, its great to see basic sized Transformers again. Strongarm sports a tobacco-ish yellow color scheme that works really well. All of his red Energon weapons/accessories really stand out and honestly look a little odd, but once you remove them you'll see that they are multifunctional. 2 small pieces fit together to form a spare tire of sorts that fit on the back of the jeep, or they separate and fit on the sides of his arms. The large hook type accessory can fit in his hand or mount on his shoulder. All of the red Energon pieces fit together to form a rather large battle axe type weapon. Its a bit too large for the basic sized TFs to hold, but perfect for the deluxe size TFs like Hot Shot or Inferno. Rather easy transformation and good articulation for a figure his size, this is my favorite Energon TF so far. Definately worth the $6-8 price tag he carries.

Its been awhile since we've had good solid basic sized TFs and Hasbro sure hasn't let me down so far. Both Omnicons (Strongarm and Sky Blast) that have been released so far are great additions to any TF collection, whether you're a fan of the newer stuff or not. If Armada didn't live up to your expectations, then try Energon before you write it off as another cheesy TF incarnation. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Mom and Dad might remember a time when toys were just toys and didn't have a complex back story or ornate mythology in which they dwelled. Such is not the case with the perennially popular and always intricate world of the Transformers. Apparently, the Autobot (good guys) and Decepticon (bad guys) forces have been battling over a powerful substance called "Energon" for years. Now the Decepticons have slipped some Energon to Unicron, a powerful outer space entity who's racing toward Earth intent on no good. Jetfire, depicted in this entertaining action toy, is able to transform from robot into jet with a few relatively simple moves. He also sports a claw on his chest, used for apprehending baddies no doubt, and features one spring-loaded missile. We found the transformation to be relatively smooth in our informal test. --Charlie Williams ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Well... uh
This guy is cool in an all due respect but I... am not impressed. He has to have the coolest vehicle mode but when he doesn't have his gun attached there's too much room under the nose and the wheels are a nice touch but, heed my warning DO NOT lose that missile! Try your hardest not to! In vehicle mode he looks ridiculous with the gun and not the missile. The robot mode is awful. With such a nice vehicle mode it would have to. Hasbro hasn't really been showing the love with the Energon line. The head is incredibley loose, let me explain...
The head (in vehicle mode) is on a little flap on the underside of the nose but when you switch to robot mode by flippng it down and flipping the nose down on the back, BUT when resting on the shoulders it's on top of the PL port (Powerlinx) and the fit isn't really perfect so the head wobbles around. Hey, Hasbro it might've been nice to have it stay on his shoulders, eh? It's painstaking to flip out the the hands every time you switch to robot mode (the hands come out in one if four modes) because the flap that you open to switch the thrusters to fists is incredibley tight and you to use some amount of force, which scares me becuse the plastic on energon megas is below par. The fists are big in robot mode and I kinda think they look cool but he cant hold Skyblast's Energon Sword/Spear. There's this really wierd flap on Jetfire that doesn't really make sense, it kinda looks like an extra wing on his leg area, but it only really works in robot mode and no others and it really serves no purpose. Not to mention that all of his wing-flaps come of incredibley easy. With his grabber claw-things you can pry them open and press the button and it'll close on your finger, it doesn't always work and it's kind of strong, I don't think that feature is very kid-friendly. I also wanted to mention that his maroon coloring can be a real eyesore sometimes. The feature that I guess the figure was really built for was PL'ing with the big Ironhide. Jetfire's legs mode is really bad when Ironhide is on top he cant really stand up. Jetfires Grabber claws becpome the stomach and it looks bleh.... WAY TOO CLYLINDRICAL! Powerlinx Ironhide is incredibley cylindrical. Not to mention when he appeared in the show he got his heiney handed to him by Scorponok, haha. Powerlinx Jetfire is a million times better! My biggest gripe is that his head is too small, the second problem is that Ironhide in legs mode has two ways of standing up, either completey up-straight or at a strange angle, but they both look silly. Powerlinx Jetfire/Ironhide is even taller than Optimus but with all that kibble on his back they could have made him even taller. There are actually two ways to assort Jetfire in his upper half mode: One way I call the instructions way and one way I call Dreamwave way. The instructions way is to have the Arms (Jetfire's legs) where his feet pulled out into halfway of Vehicle mode's side panel way and his thrusters(arms) flip up into a sort of "guns" behind his shoulders. The Dreamwave way is how he appears in the Dreamave Energon comic (buy them, They're millions and millions times better than the show version). In this variation his feet flip up/down so they're facing behind him so his hands look more like fists and his thrusters lay sillily pointing to each side. Strangely enough the thrusters look better in the Dreamwave version and the arms/legs look btter in the Instructions version but that's my opinion, whatever.

Tah!

Jetfire Rules
This Toy is Very Cool! When I saw the first armada edition of this guy i thought it was the coolest version of jetfire. I changed my mind this one is. the other jetfire only looked good in Shuttle mode. This one looks cool in both. the only problem i have with this toy is that i dont like the color when it is in shuttle mode becuz it doesnt look like a real shuttle. overall this toy is tyte!!!

Energon Jetfire
Transformers have finally gone back to figures that are designed well and do not require a degree in engineering to transform. The design makes the figure look good in either mode (I personally think it is the best Jetfire since the original). The only problem I have noticed is the plastic Hasbro used to make this and the rest of the Energon figures is that it shows stress marks very easy. The plastic is not of the same quality as used before in the Beast Machines and Beast Wars line. This is why I only gave it 3stars for durability. If you have a patient child then you should have no problem. If he/she wants it changed quick like on TV something will break off.
All in all a good figure for a collector not so good for a 8 year old or younger.

Transformers Energon: Jetfire
Jetfire, one of Transformers: Armada's most popular characters, returns to once again fight the good fight amongst the ranks of Transformers: Energon's new Autobot forces! This awesome figure converts from a futuristic shuttle to powerful robot and back! In addition to featuring several points of articulation and electronic sounds, Jetfire can combine with the Autobot Ironhide (or other Transformers in the same size class)to form a larger, more powerful Transformer: Powerlinx Jetfire! Armed with a projectile launcher, this heroic Autobot is a force to be reckoned with, and comes highly recommended. A great toy, and a great value! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Both modes are spectacular! One of my favorites.
The engineers who design Transformers occasionally come up with a product that really looks great in both robot and 'vehicle' (or animal in this case)modes. This is one of those designs. I actually have an earlier version of this same dinosaur, and it is one of my favorites. The robot mode is tough-looking and well-proportioned. I especially like the feature of the retractable eyes and tongue when you pull on the horn. It gives the head more realism as an arm appendage. I also like the tail that detaches and turns into a gun. Two missiles for the gun rest nicely in the back section that becomes the left arm armor. Transformation is a challenge, but that is one thing I enjoy about my Transformers. Triceradon is very poseable and he is an excellent display piece.

Don't be fooled by other reviews! If you are a Transformers fan, you must buy this Dinobot. I am actually considering buying my second one!

Great TF
I have many Transformers, and this is one of my favorites. Despite what others may say, I find the transformation maneagable - it definitely does not take 2 hours. The features are great and the sculpt / coloring is superb. To counter what was said earlier, the shoulders do not look odd when transformed correctly and completely folded down.

I highly recommend this Transformer to capable collectors - although this is a very nice toy, it's probably not a good first for most.

Dinobots make the worst universe toys
My second Universe dinobot (Autobot Striker being the first.) I gave it a shot since Striker royally sucked. Whatever Hasbro is doing to these dinobots, they sure aren't paying attention to how the toys handle.

He looks coolin dino mode. He's got battle damage in dino mode. That's all the good I can find. Not a toy for children who hate complicated transformation. It took me 2 hours and i've been playing with them for years. Transforming it is clumsy and often frustrating. Parts, once again, don't go where the directions say they should go. He looks alright in robot mode, the dino head as his right hand but his left side is bad. They dino part of his body (including both front legs) becomes a shoulderpad that sticks way up and unbalances the figure. The small left arm can barely move because of the shoulderpad. The tail becomes a gun that is too large to point straight while at the same time, is too small to stay firmly in the figures hand.

Too many wrongs can't save this figure. Kids'll get bored with it because it takes forever to transform from mode to mode. His weapon doesn't stay in his hand, the peg's too small.

My advice. Stay away. He's not any fun unless you want to break something while trying to change it from dinto to robot mode. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Toy names can be confusing for old people (such as this reviewer), but in this case "Armada" actually means something--it refers to the fact that this series of Transformers are designed to snap together to form a team. They can also snap onto other, larger Transformers. There are three Armada team members included in this pack, each one with a particular special function. They aren’t exactly the most posable of toys (points of articulation are limited to one or two per Transformer), but are nicely detailed and are a good value for the price. --David Stoesz ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Little Minicons;BIG fun
These Minicons are very cool. On the T.V. show they can form together to make the Requiem Blaster. They are fun to transform and will make your transformers look cooler than they are.

disappointed
This toy was broken out of the box. The hinges were little plastic bumps that could be easily worn down and/or broken. We were very disappointed and we couldn't get the pieces to work as they were supposed to.

It was a waste of time and money.

The UNICRONicles, Chapter 2: Totally Spaced Out
The Unicron™ toy I received as a gift was lookin' a bit lonely lately, so I decided to find him a few buddies he could hang out with and relate to. And who better to relate to a robot that can change into a mammoth world-munching planet than the MiniCon™ space team? Well, that was my rationale for acquiring the little guys, anyway...

Sky Blast™, the rocket 'bot, is the 'hot-dogger' of the group. He's always buzzin' 'round Unicron™'s head like a gnat, which really cheeses the big guy off somethin' fierce. Especially after he's just come home from a long night of bar-hoppin' with the Air Assault MiniCon™ team (more on these guys in Chapter 3). Methinks Sky Blast™ acts the way he does to cover up a few inadequacies-- like the fact that his left arm is a rocket jet, and his right arm is a cockpit/nose cone, and he hasn't a hand on the end of either of 'em. Regardless of the sick sadism on the part of Sky Blast™'s designer, he's a fair challenge to transform, which I found kinda surprising. Usually, the smaller Transformers™ are the easiest to convert, and the Mini-Cons™ are the smallest Transformers™ I've ever seen.

Being the only member of the trio who lacks spaceflight capability, Payload™ is the sad sack of the trio. He's always hangin' around some dark corner of Unicron™'s surface in a sulky mood. He's also bummed by the fact that he's the easiest piece of this set to transform from vehicle to robot and back. On the upside, he is the strongest teammate, and uses every bit of his strength to haul Sky Blast™ over to the launch pad. After he's done with his duties for the day, one can usually find Payload™ writing and reciting poetry on the bleakness of his existence at the local Goth-run coffee house...

Astroscope™ is the Space team's resident geek. He's a bit of a loner, and spends a great deal of his time orbiting around Unicron™'s ring. He's not on very good terms with Dead End™ (Unicron™'s "natural" satellite), who is jealous of having to share orbiting space with other Mini-Cons. Sadly, Astroscope™ isn't too stable; every time he transforms, he goes to pieces... literally. Every time I try to bend up the parts that become his arms & shoulders, they pop right outta their sockets. Fortunately, the 'Scope does have a saving grace: his right arm is a missile launcher that fires a pretty good distance. Which suits Unicron™ just fine, him bein' a big fan of explosive-laden ballistic weaponry and all (no snide Freudian remarks, please).

Speakin' of weaponry: these three guys unite to form the Requiem Blaster™ gun... well, at I THINK it's a gun anyway. I mean, it SORTA looks like one I guess. Actually, it looks more like a satellite smooshed together with a rocket ship and a flatbed truck. And the 'barrel' of this weapon tends to sag a bit (again, no Freudian remarks please). Sadly, the pistol-grip is too small for Unicron™ to hold onto securely-- no matter how many times I try to properly position his dexterous fingers, the Requiem Blaster™ will not stay put. Guess I'll hafta find somethin' else for him to spread chaos and annihilation with...

'Late

Pretty good set.
When I bought this set I thought that it would be neat because I enjoy space. When I opened the package I was pleased with Payload and Skyblast. When I started to use Astroscope his non-blaster arm keept falling off and it still does. I really don't mind to much because it is extremly easy to put back together. Also you can put Payload and Skyblast together in vechile mode to make a shuttle carrier. When you build the Requiem Blaster it fits in my Optamus Prime's hand easaly. Overall it is a pretty good set with only a few minor problems.

cool bots!
i really like this mini-con team,the money you pay for them will be well worth it,i really like skyblast,so i'll give him a 5 on everything,payload is pretty cool,but i think that his legs come off too easily,and his arms are a little short,astroscope is probably the worst,his arms come off really ouickly,and lacks articulation,the requiem blaster is a cool weapon,i think you should buy them. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Speedy car, small arms, big legs helloooo Hot Shot
I know you wouldn't know it from the title but I love this figure. I have the Armada Hot Shot and I compare them and...
Well where's dah' beef, man? His arms got a serious downgrade and so did his head. I guess he's supposed to be ten years older but man I didn't think Hot Shot was old enough to start shrinking, haha. Okay on a serious note, this is obviously the best PLer in the whole Energon line. Inferno has crappy transformation, Ironhide and Jetfire have bad plastic and dull colors, Rodimus had poor joints so he'll just fall over after a while and Prowl's "ears" are stuck in an annoying way. Well I guess I'll Start with the Vehicular mode, It's a neat little sports car. Cool points: clear plastic headlights, clear plastic windshield, opening doors, opening hood, engine with an autobot symbol on it and a well hidden head (a commodity of this Energon line). Wierd points: gun is not at all well hidden (so much for robots in disguise). Ugly Points: Strange floor protruding beyond the doors edge and looking into the windshield and seeing his torso and finding out he's actually a really ugly converible :>. When you look at the front of his car, he has a wierd little face with a mustache, okay Im really straying from the point. The transformation gets really annoying becuz you can compare it to Megatron and Jetfire and it's incredibley similiar. And his robot mode ive talked about but I'll continue for the sake of the consumer. Cool Points: Cool sniper gun, cool door panels, and uh that's about it. Weird points: Cat-like head, strange mouth-thing and very buff legs. Ugly Points: Incredible no buffnes on arms and chest (for being a sports car he looks like he does a lot of running, hehe) and his incredible necklessness. Now for PL mode with Inferno. PL Inferno: Cool Points: Lots an lots of guns, the red and yellow coloration are fitting for a fire-tamer. Wierd Points: Hot Shot looks almost exactly the same as Robot mode in lower body mode. Ugly Points: Inferno gives the duo a strange upper body bulge. PL Hot Shot: Cool Points: Buff legs become buff arms, and he looks pretty darn cool. Wierd Points: The scope on Hot Shot's sniper isn't on the right side to be used correctly, legs have no poseasbility. Ugly Points: Hot Shot still has no neck, sort of skirtish bulge on his lower half and you notice that his guy has ten wheels, woah. Well I'm sure I had more to say but I have no idea what it is now. Oh well I'll mention it on my Inferno review.

Energon Hotshot's Review
This toy is a lot of fun when you have the inferno transformer with it, but without it, it's a lot less fun. I rated the education vlue a 1 because all it's really teaching is how to move things around. This toy isn't that durable, I was transforming it when i ACCEDENTALLY broke his arm. I will regret thet day because ever since, the arm isn't as strong as it was before. It keeps moving the hand down when it's up and nothing is in it. All-in-all, I give it a 3.85. Have fun playing with it, but don't get disapointed when something brakes, as it will never work the same.

ENERGON HOT SHOT
AS A ENERGON FAN SO FAR THIS IS ONE OF THE BETTER ONES OUT THERE. THIS GUY CAN FORM A POWERLINX WITH INFERNO WHO IS A FIRE TRUCK JUST LIKE HIS G1 COUNTERPART. IF HOT SHOT IS THE HEAD AND WAIST THE POWERLINX FIGURE WOULD BE POWERLINX HOT SHOT AND VICE VERSA IF INFERNO WAS ON TOP HE WOULD BE CALLED POWERLINX INFERNO. I HAVE BOTH ARMADA VERSIONS OF HOT SHOT AND THIS ONE IS A LITTLE BETTER THAN THOSE GUYS. GOOD PRICE TOO FOR THIS FIGURE.

Really cool Transformer Toy
I got this toy for my birthday a little while ago, and I think it's met my expectations for a transformers toy, probably even passed them. I like his vehicle mode, which resembles something you might find on a James Bond movie. He has good articulation in his legs (which are his arms when he combines with Inferno), and his arms are still good but not as articulated as the legs. He has a simple transformation. His accessories are cool too, coming with a gun with a firing missile that shoots a little less than a yard and also a strange sort of cutting tool. Overall, Hot-Shot is a really great transformer, and worth the money to add to your collection.

Hot Shot in the Hot Seat
Well, I never purchased the Armada Hot Shot, but he looked a little worse than this guy. A plus form this HS is his front windows: you can see through them, just like you could with a lot of the RID ones. Unfortunately he has no side windows, but there is a realon for that. This guy's plusses are as follows: He can combine with Inferno (Fire Truck-available now, here), Prowl (police car, I think, available if you know where to look), and Rodimus (Semi cab, same as Prowl), as well as other deluxe-sized releases in the future. He doesn't combine with Ironhidee or Jetfire, though, they are too big, and only jcombine with each other. At any rate, he can combine with any of the above-mentioned dudes to form either Powerlinx Hot Shot (if he forms the upper body, arms, and head), or Powerlinx Respective Transformer,(if he is the legs and one of the others is the head, etc.). As you can see, this gives you several combinations, so he is worth the money. His transformation will probably keep you guessing until you read the instructions, so that is a major plus. I hate the ones where you can tell how it transforms just by looking at both pictures of it. If they had transformations more like the Beast Wars or Robots in Disguise toys, I would be happier. Still, he is a must-have for any true TransFan, because the collectors get all the toys (or at least most of them) ... Read more

Reviews (2)

UNIVERSE
THIS IS ONE COOL SPIDER EVEN THOUGH SHE KEEPS CHANGING SIDES IN THE FIGHT OF GOOD AND EVIL. THIS TOY IS A DECEPTICON.

Another repaint
If you didn't already know, Blackarachnia is repainted from an older figure (the 2000 Beast Machines Blackarachnia, to be precise.) In fact, the entire Universe line is comprised of repaints.

Oh, well.

Blackarachnia's robot mode is extremely well detailed, and offers plenty of articulation. However, the waist is somewhat flimsy and her hair tends to get in the way during transformation to spider mode. Spider mode is pretty good, but the front legs are rather small. I wish Hasbro had made them a little bigger. It can also be kind of hard to pose her in spider mode.

My biggest gripe about the toy is the paint job. The original version was purple with green spots and highlights; it looked pretty good, actually. But this version is purple and orange. It's just not visually attractive.

Another personal complaint I have is the Blackarachnia is a Decepticon. I like her better as a Maximal/Autobot, darn it.

Well, if you missed out on Blackarachnia back in 2000, here's your chance to get another one (albiet a somewhat less attractive version). ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Nothing new except the paint job
Although Rapid Run is just a re-issue of Sideways from the Armada line (see Sideways at www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/stores/detail/-/toys/B0000C9W8N/qid=1082558759/sr=11-1/ref=sr_11_1/002-9099822-8864853 ), this "new" toy's color scheme-- yellow with black yellowjacket stripes and some purple & clear neon green (please note that the picture shown on the product page is that of Sideways, not Rapid Run)-- isn't quite as lame-looking as his predecessor's array of hues. The same goes for his two Mini-Con companions, now dubbed "Nightcruz" and "Nightscream". Each Mini-Con transforms into a head for Rapid Run to wear-- one that makes him an Autobot, and one that turns him into a Decepticon. Unfortunately, when either one is clicked into place, each noggin appears a tad too large in proportion to Rapid Run's body; he ends up lookin' like the robotic equivalent of Jerry Lewis. Fortunately, RR has a pretty neat-looking head of his own (love them handlebar antlers)...

One big downer I encountered with Rapid Run is his limited articulation (poseability). His upper body includes rotating shoulders, twisting (but not bending) elbows, and wrists that bend up. No head movement, sorry. Down south, the only joints are at the hips, which can pose the legs in just about any direction. But without knee joints, all this cybernetic double-agent can do is stand, do the splits, or walk the goose-step. It's kinda sad that the limited articulation significantly cuts down on the action poses this guy can do, 'cuz he looks pretty cool in robot mode. Guess I'll hafta settle for one of those 20th anniversary-edition Optimus Prime dealies (see it at www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/stores/detail/-/toys/B0001206P6/qid=1082558652/sr=2-1/ref=sr_2_1/002-9099822-8864853 ) if I want the best of both worlds. Er, those worlds being an awesome-looking 'droid with great articulation, that is...

On the upside, Rapid Run looks even better in his vehicle mode than he does as a 'bot... though you'd probably have a tough time convincing a rice-rocket-hating Harley-Davidson nut to agree with this sentiment. All he needs now is a rider, which is where his Mini-Con™ companions enter the picture. Not only do they provide their liege with oversized helmetry and help launch his exhaust-pipe arm missiles (which fly a fairly good distance for not being spring-propelled), they can also merge into a larger rider-bot. This nameless 'mech is the most extensively-articulated Mini-Con I've ever seen, with ball-jointed shoulder, elbow, hip and knee joints that can be posed in just about any direction. It kinda reminded me of the Micronauts toys I used to play with way back when. But while the rider's level of articulation is impressive, it's also kinda weird when you realize he's more poseable than the main toy! Er, shouldn't that be the other way around...?

'Late ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Alex's Favorite
My 4 year old loves his Strong-Bot. He is able to change it on his own and his older brothers even think it is fun. When he had money of his own to spend, he even chose to buy more Go-Bots! This is one of his favorite toys!

Fun for brothers
My boys, ages 4 & 2, love go-bots. The 2 yr. old is still learning to change them back and forth but my 4 year old is a pro. These are toys that they play with together. They love construction and dinosaurs so we have stong-bot, reptron, and the one that is a forklift. My 4 yr. old was allowed to take a toy into his adenoidectomy and he chose reptron.

I get by with a little help from my friends...
BREAKING NEWS: Transformers and Go-Bots end two-decade-long conflict by joining forces.

With all of the unrest in the world today, it's comforting to know that two head-strong rivals can set aside their differences.

Like oil and vinegar, cats and dogs, Gary Cherone and Van Halen -- Transformers and Go-Bots were two things that just didn't mix. Today, they join hands (or bulldozer scoops, depending on which form they are in) and return as a sure-to-be timeless collection of toys that children the world over will want.

Stubborn and courageous, Strong-Bot is the first spawn from this collaboration. Bulldozer by day, rubber-tread chested robot by night -- Strong-Bot battles the forces of evil with his massive hands and heart of gold.

Playskool/Hasbro spared no expense when they combined the two toy lines into one. By eliminating the qualities of the dumb Transformers (Jetfire) -- and replacing them with the qualities of the cool Go-Bots (Cy-Kill) -- children are left with one of the most realistic looking vehicle-to-robot toys on the market today.

Mighty Robots. Mighty Vehicles.

Indeed. ... Read more