Transformers Generations Titans Return Deluxe
Item No.: Asst. B7762 No. C0272 Manufacturer:Hasbro Includes:Tiny head robot, big robot/spaceship, two guns Action Feature:Transforms from space jet to robot, head to robot Retail:$17.99 Availability: November 2016 Other: Better Watch Out Punk
As remakes of characters you don't care about go, Triggerhappy is amazing. Fans of the "classic" toy remakes Hasbro has been increasingly generously doling out year over year since 2012 are no doubt a little tired of the re-remakes, so something new like this is a bit of a shock to the system. On one hand, it's new! On the other, you probably have no idea who this is unless you actually owned the original toy from 1987. The figure is not an exact translation of the original toy - the colors are well done, but the Targetmaster gimmick is now a Titan Master gimmick plus the head is different. We'll get to that. But before we do, just know you should drop the cash on this one if you see it.
The tiny 1.5-inch Blowpipe is perfectly good. You've seen a few of these, and they're all basically the same toy in terms of functionality. 5 points of articulation and a slightly recolored mini robot can serve as a pilot for Triggerhappy's shuttle mode quite nicely. The colors don't match the original at all, other than a vague blue and greyness. and the color layout isn't quite the same either. The sculpting between the two robots are mildly similar, though, so I assume the Japanese one will have a green face and all of that. There are small vents and tiny details, and you'll need a magnifying glass, a macro lens, or eyes of a young boy to see them.
The head mode is interesting. Well, the plate for the face is - the rest of the head is the same as all the others, but the face plate is a curious one. You'll notice that the orange eyes are outlined in blue on the final toy - all prototype images showed painted red around the eyes, same as the face plate. The original toy had a visor rather than eyes, making this new toy closer to the original Marvel comic book look than anything else. It matches the body nicely, and even though there was a change I'd say it looks nicer than the original concept. It's no perfect match, but it does provide a nice contrast to the peepers.
I really dig the Triggerhappy robot mode. The chest has a seating area for a Titan Master figure, and the design improves on the original. The classic toy had a nosecone swinging between his legs, and the new on has it fold away as a backpack. The fold-up guns on the forearms are very similar between the original and remake, but things like the little wings on the shins are new, as is the chest that looks like a chest rather than plane kibble. It's almost a new design when you take a big step back - the little gold shapes on the chest, the white Decepticon logo in the middle, and the aforementioned head almost make this feel like a heavily mutated Cyclonus in spots.
The twin blasters merge to a single weapon, if you're so inclined, and you can have dual blasters too. I love having options. They can also mount under the wings in vehicle mode and darned if they don't look good. It's no Targetmaster buddy but you've got to admire a perfectly good accessory. The guns on the forearms can fold forward and displace Triggerhappy's fists, which is a nice nod to the few toys who could plug their Targetmaster buddy in to their forearms. You've seen this with the Cyclonus from Universe and Reveal the Shield.
Transformation is actually fun and changes up how these things can work. We've seen lots of planes, but there's a lot of folding and rotating in the midsection that are unlike anything I've got in my toy box. There are all kinds of slots and tabs that fit together nicely and the process is not unintuitive, so you'll want to pick this up just to futz with it. I very rarely ever say that about these things, and I've got a lot of them.
As starfighters go, this not-an-X-wing is pretty sharp. The wings can be positioned up and down, and there's a retractable landing skid under the seating area for Blowpipe. The canopy opens easily and you can fit a pilot in there with no real problems, and... well, that's about it. While Hasbro has made some pretty nifty advancements in things like engineering, deco, and parts reuse, nobody's doing anything about vehicle features. The best you can hope for in the last few years are landing skids or spinning wheels - unless it's a beast, in which case maybe you get an opening jaw or jointed tails. Everything fits together nicely with pegs and tabs and slots that help make the transformation process even better, guiding you to the correct position for all parts and pieces to get the most out of your nifty toy robot experience.
You've got Decepticon robot jets, I'm sure, but go ahead and get this one too. The transformation process is fun and interesting, with a perfectly nice robot mode and a typically adequate jet mode. Nothing here comes up short over the last few years, as the deco and design do a good job updating an old design you never bothered to pay attention to 30 years ago. For a character I couldn't be bothered to care about, this is one of my favorite Hasbro Transformers in ages. Get it and be impressed. Skip it and... well, you'll probably be able to get it later because he's not popular in the comics yet.
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