At no point was I wishing I could get a DK-2 Guard But it's pretty good, and I'm glad they did it with the cheaper Deluxe Ironhide/Ratchet Earthrise deluxe mold we saw used for Amazon exclusives rather than the more expensive Studio Series Ironhide Voyager mold.
The black figure has lots of red, with some gold and yellow and yellow trim. It's a great look that takes the Diaclone design and translates it to a more modern mold - but it also looks a lot like Trailbreaker. The red face really pops, and the blue eyes are just perfect. The silver blaster shines in his hand, and the riot shield is a nice bonus - and something you can't get in the Voyager-class toy. If you missed those quickly sold-out molds, it's a good one and as another black Ironhide (previously sold as a Quintesson Deseeus Army Drone [FOTD #2,313], it looks wildly different. Walmart's exclusive had lots of gray and silver, plus cool brushing-style printed damage. This one is largely clean. On a shelf, you can tell they look different enough to be interesting.
Transformation is still fun, with a cool chest swivel and numerous panels that massage together pretty nicely. They could have made it a lot more simple, and I'm torn on if I'd rather have something interesting, or fast. The van looks great except for the fact that the feet hang out the back of the vehicle, and that's taken care of in the new Ironhide mold. But I'd rather spend $10 less and deal with a good (if imperfect) van with a cool riot shield accessory and nice stripes. And yes, it looks a lot like Trailbreaker.
I was surprised I like it so much - a new deco on an old design is usually welcome, and most of the Diaclone-inspired colorways left me cold. Maybe it's the red face that makes this one so charming, or maybe it's just the fact I like most black repaints. (Maybe I need that Skids repaint too.) As a big Deluxe that's as tall as some Voyagers and close to a few Leaders, it certainly feels like a better value than some of the other deluxes these days. If you've got $25 to burn, this is a nice toy with tight joints and a fun design. I've got nothing to complain about here.
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