Devastation Optimus Prime G1 For the Masses Transformers Studio Series Deluxe Item No.: Asst. G0479 No. G0620 Manufacturer: Hasbro Includes: Energon Axe, Matrix of Leadership, Smokestacks Action Feature: Transforms from robot to truck Retail: $24.99 Availability: March 2025 Other: It's a lot cheaper than the last one
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As a collector, I think I'm supposed to grouse that Devastation Optimus Prime is not as good as the many other Optimuses Prime I already own - and boy howdy are there a lot. When I was a kid, the whole of Generation 1 had three toys with the name spanning the first ten years of American toys. Now, we get at least one or two - or more - G1 Optimus toys per year.

The familiar flat cab truck that turns into a surrogate parent figure for a generation of kids raised by toy commercials is not a tough sell, especially at lower price points. Last year we got a toy-based Legacy United Deluxe G1 Universe Optimus Prime [FOTD #2,786] - weeks after the not-quite-Masterpiece (but close) Studio Series 86 Optimus Prime [FOTD #2,777] which was about as fancy as they can get. One was based on a played-with, de-stickered toy from 1984 and priced for the masses. The other was basically a low-end high-end collectible with almost every sensible bell or whistle you could expect for the price. That's what makes the decision to follow up with another $25 version of the character that takes the low-end for the price, ratchets up the distribution by making it an A-Level figure, and makes some curious accessory selections so interesting.

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If you just want a good cartoon 5 1/2-inch Optimus and can live without an Ion Blaster (or can bring your own) this is a nice figure. It's remarkable to see how many ways Hasbro can redo the character without resorting to "Arctic Camo" or "Combat Ninja" variations. These recent Optimus toys all do basically the same dang thing, reinterpreted to meet the requirements for every last possible consumer group.

Posing the toy is easy - I was goofing around after opening him, gave him a silly pose to see if he could stand on one foot, and he could. That sort of thing impresses me, but it is difficult to make him look cool with the given articulation. The colors are great, the joints are the joints you would ask for, but it is challenging for a figure to look awesome when swinging his axe fist. He looks great holding the unpainted Matrix, though, or just standing with your other guys. It is probably the smallest cartoon-specific (even though it's from a game) version of the character to date that can actually transform, but we've had tons that riff in the space combining elements of the comics, cartoons, toys, and original redesign elements.

Transforming the toy was a snap. I didn't need the instructions to get it in the truck form, but I did use it to verify that I had the head in the right position. Unlike most other Optimus Prime toys, the head is visible on the back of the cab - so be sure to rotate it out of the way, as you'll see a blue spot if you do it correctly. And you even have a trailer hitch!

5mm ports were lacking on the robot, but two reveal themselves near the wheels in truck mode. The wheels roll fairly well, and they're connected by a metal pin rather than the plastic pegs. Hasbro even painted the wheels, which along with the painted windshield gives it a more premium look. If you look elsewhere, the various gaps in the truck mode take away from any premium-ness as chunks of feet hang off the back and visible pegs and slots remove any illusion of this being a toy truck. That's one advantage that the original toys had - they started as cars, trucks, and planes, and the engineers made very good robots out of them. This is a robot-first toy, but I assume most modern Transformers are meant to be bought and largely always kept in robot mode by adults in their 40s. And in some cases, younger fans also appreciate them. There's nothing wrong with that, and the robot does benefit from a generally great head and torso.

You have so many opportunities for Optimus that you may not need another one. I had to see how he turned out because I was so curious, and it's a decent little robot action figure for the money. Readers of this site who have more Optimus toys than Megatron has Decepticon jets probably don't need another one. It seems like a great gateway product to get people in to Generations and Studio Series, not as good as Hasbro's best toys but it's a good enough taste to get people interested in wanting more. It's a perfect toy for your desk at work, or for some guy who just wants a toy.

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