The insecticons were one of those subgroups that were pretty unforgettable - they could clone themselves, and they had their own purple and gold gang colors. And for whatever reason, it took a while to reamke Kickback way back in Titans Return - but he's first in this new resized group which I assume will eventually yield the entire team. Without knowing if/when the other guys are coming, it's kind of a head-scratcher as to if you'll want to upgrade or not.
This one is much bigger and costs a lot more, with a less-impressive grasshopper mode - but I like the robot mode a lot more, and the wings are great. The 2022 toy actually has accessories this time, as well as superior deco and a false opening compartment for storage. You can find things to like about each size, but I prefer playing with this new one. Sure, he's bigger, but I think that's a selling point. For those seeking perfect scale, though, he's probably just a little big. But don't let that stop you.
The robot doesn't break any new ground, but it does stitch together cartoon and toy elements into something new that is, obviously, not going to be the final take on the character. The original toy had chrome wings and Hasbro has rarely used vac-metal silver - instead, you get clear colorless wings that have a bug-like texture that neither matches the toy nor the cartoon. The colors seem to go with a toy-inspired look, dropping some of the labels but keeping painted vents and other design elements that recall the old labels. The Decepticon sigil was moved from the right pectoral to the neck region, and the head is a pretty god mix of all worlds. It looks like Kickback - but it isn't a perfect update to the original toy. By not ever delivering a perfect cartoon or toy update, Hasbro and Takara-Tomy arguably have a reason to keep fans on the hook to buy additional masterpieces and retro remakes for years to come. There's still a reason to try again, unless you're hitting the end of your desire to re-purchase a toy you already own and probably haven't played with enough.
Having said that, since I don't have the 1985 original, I really like this one. The painted blaster looks great, the proportions of the toy are good, and you get two bonus Energon swords that can be used as wing ornamentation or wrist-mounted weapons. I probably would've rather they drop them and make a less-deluxe Deluxe-class toy, but I doubt Hasbro would ever contemplate a world with a $20 "basic" Deluxe next to a $25 "deluxe" Deluxe. (But you know, and I know, they should totally consider it.) Kickback holds his accessories well and is generally a good idealized update of the old design.
Transformation is simple. I don't get to say this much, but it's nice and simple and obvious. The head spins around and you cover the face with a flip-up panel. The legs become the back legs, the arms become the front legs, and if you want, you can fashion the swords into a makeshift abdomen in one of those oh-so-popular undocumented features. It's not frustrating, and nothing pops off. It's staggeringly pleasant to play with this one.
The grasshopper drops the wheels of the original toy and there's no opening compartments for Microchange/Diaclone/whatever figures, but you can see a hinge and it certainly looks as if there should have been something like that here. The figure's legs and wings can be posed, and the insect head looks a lot like the original toy. That is to say, the antenna are connected to the "eyes," and it's a little weird - but you get a true-to-the-toy design. I suppose Hasbro could have flipped the head into the chest between modes, but they didn't, so what you have is a good toy that's an acceptable size for the increasing price.
But is it worth it? $25 for a deluxe ain't peanuts, but I like it enough that I am contemplating selling my Titans Return model. I don't think I could stomach another collector-friendly $25-$30 Kickback though, so this might be the beginning of the end of the road for my Insecticons clan. After decades of collecting, I think that saying that this is a satisfying toy and possibly a good place to promise yourself to stop upgrade is a high compliment. I never felt bad about paying $5-$10 for a basic or a deluxe, but the creep up to the $17, the $20, the $23, and now the $25 deluxe-class toy really shows just what you're getting for your money. Kickback is a chunkier, more impressive, less cappy, nicely-painted and well-colored toy. I like him more than the nifty Fall of Cybertron toy with disc launcher, and if they remake his pals I think $75 for the three black and purple robobugs is plenty. I'll also say that his redeco/retool Ransack is satisfying, plus includes an alternate head. If you read this in the future and they finally completed the Insecticons, I struggle to imagine why you would want to spend on yet another Kickback in the distant future when they're perfectly good right now.
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