Transformers Cyberworld Cyber Changers Class
Item No.: Asst. G0746 No. G1050 Manufacturer:Hasbro Includes:Claw Action Feature:Converts from robot to shark car Retail:$9.99 Availability: July 2025 Other:A couple of elbows and a neck away from Cyberjetness
Toys have been sort of under attack since the 1990s, as collectors kept putting in demands for fancier sculpts, more articulation, fewer mechanisms, and things that generally make these kinds of toys out of the impulse price point. Hasbro dialed back its new Transformers Cyberworld line mostly around simple, not-quite-1-step figures like Sky-Byte. The character was a late entry in Beast Wars, who got repainted in a later series and took over the original mold's personality completely. Now we get a new Sky-Byte every year or two.
This one came out as part of the first wave of Cyberworld. Fans seem to like him. The big change in this line is that many figures are mutations of previous concepts. Megatron is a bull, and Sky-Byte is a shark with wheels. I guess they could have called him Drive-Byte, but legacy names sell.
Packaged as a robot - take care to not throw out his claw hand weapon hidden in the tray - he stands about 4-inches high at the fin. The figure has ball joints at the shoulders, hips, and knees making him pretty much on part with a Cyberjet from the 1990s. If the head turned, and the elbows moved, I'd say this would be an A+ kid's toy. As it is, it's still pretty good except the shoulders are stiff enough that it might cause the yellow panels to move out of position. If you hold the shark head when you pose him, though, things aren't really a problem. Despite the limited articulation I was able to get him in numerous battle-ready poses, standing with bent knees or holding other accessories from bigger toys.
One caveat when you go shopping for this guy - the yellow face is painted on gray plastic. The first one I saw was off-center and looked poor. The second one I saw was this one, and it looked great.
The robot mode is better than a lot of 1-step toys I've purchased over the past decade, but isn't quite as good as some of the "Core" class toys. He's also not quite as robust as a 1990s "Basic" toy, the latter of which is pretty close in price when adjusted for inflation. I find the robot stays upright well, and doesn't tend to fall over. You can plug various blast effects or accessories in the many 5mm ports on his person. If that's not enough, there are also ports on the back of the arms, head, and lower back. You can use your existing toys to really arm this guy up.
It's a pretty good toy action figure. Those who say "no it isn't" probably didn't have Transformers in the 1980s, many of which lacked any real articulation other than maybe arms at the smaller tiers. It could be a little better, sure. But it's pretty good.
The conversion process is simple and pleasant. I actually flipped him back and forth several times, and it's easy to forget that you don't need to consult a folding road map to make sure a part is in the right spot. Instructions are sandwiched in the backer card, and all you have to do are swing the arms out, put the legs together, and then connect the legs in the arms and presto - wheel shark.
I played around with the car mode at Toy Fair this year, and nobody told me not to. The final product is just as good. You can roll him around your desk, and take note of his silver painted wheels - most collector figures don't have that. Half of the face is painted, as are the eyes. There's a lot of color here, and a ton of 5mm ports to add blasters or other gear. You can even put a C.O.M.B.A.T. blast in his tail claw, which is a lot of fun.
This is a real toy. It's easy and fun to play with. If you have other Transformers, you'll probably enjoy using their accessories and gear with this one. It's not going to impress your man-nerd pals. But this is the one you're probably going to reach for when it's time to fidget with a toy at work. I got Age of the Primes Sky-Byte a few days before this one... and I'm not sure which one I like better. I prefer Cyberworld Sky-Byte's brighter colors for sure. The Voyager-class toy is big and looks cool... but this little guy is way more fun to play with.
If you're a lapsed toy buyer, this is something I would recommend to shark fans. It's cute, it's fun, and it's not a high-end collectible for adults. Transformers does a pretty good job making sure you have a puzzle or some other fun play element in nearly every release, and this one does a generally good job making sure it's not a frustrating experience. Since the shark head moves in robot mode when you move the arms, you may need to learn how to pose it to not be annoying. But that's the only real problem I have here. I like this one enough to buy a few more of these guys.
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