Here's the Prime Spotlight for BadCube OTS-08 Sunsurge. Check it out and then check out at our online store. Thanks for choosing The Chosen Prime!
Showing posts with label Review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Review. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 22, 2015
Prime Spotlight: BadCube OTS-08 Sunsurge
Here's the Prime Spotlight for BadCube OTS-08 Sunsurge. Check it out and then check out at our online store. Thanks for choosing The Chosen Prime!
Sunday, November 29, 2015
Fans Toys FT-11 Spotter Preview Review
Thanks to Benscollectables, here's a preview review of Fans Toys FT-11 Spotter. Enjoy the video, and then head on over to our store to reserve you set. Shop Smart with The Chosen Prime!
Tuesday, November 17, 2015
Friday, November 13, 2015
DMY D-06 Upgrade Kit for Fansproject M3 Combiner (Quarter Mile Kit) Review
Video review for the DMY D-06 Upgrade Kit for Fansproject M3 Combiner (Quarter Mile Kit). Get yours today.
Wednesday, March 4, 2015
Prime Spotlight: GCreations SKR-01 Thunderous
Prime Spotlight presents:
GCreations SKR-01 Thunderous
Bottom Line (** 1/2 stars- <out of a possible 5>)
By Stygian360
Introduction:
I’ve always loved G1 Sludge. In fact of the G1 Dinobots he’s actually the only one I own currently. I’ve already gushed in previous reviews about how much I adore the Dinobots in general- and how much in heaven I am currently with so many to choose from-so I won’t wax on further about that topic. Ultimately we’re here to discover whether or not this particular latest version of Sludge works and whether he’s worth a purchase. So is Thunderous worth a purchase? Let’s find out.
Articulation:
These days third party is doing it right. Earlier releases were fairly rudimentary, but with the current crop of third party figures it’s almost better to describe to a potential buyer what’s missing. On that front there are no significant challenges that I found with Thunderous. He seems to have all of the fun and appropriate swivels and joints that make for a proper modern era action figure.
Paint:
There isn’t much that constitutes paint on this figure, but what’s here is adequate, clean and ‘tells the story’. For whatever reason most third party companies are including liberal amounts of chrome on their Dinobots, and Thunderous is no exception. I say “for whatever reason” but most would cite the G1 precedent and in that sense you’d be right. Whoever heard of dinosaurs roaming the streets of a modern city and being able to blend in- much less rife with chrome- but hey it worked in the G1 fiction so why not now. It would seem wrong- sacrilegious if you will- not to include chrome on a Dinobot, so thankfully most (if not all) companies producing them in any variety these days are sticking to what works and going with chrome. For the most part Thunderous sticks to where chrome showed up on the original and that’s just fine with me.
There is also the homage to G1 Sludge via his see through smoky plastic head and neck. This works pretty well actually. It may not be how every collector interprets their version of Sludge, but here it’s done well and I enjoy seeing it.
Transformation:
This was the least fun part of the figure for me. It’s not inherently difficult to do, but because the parts, plastic, and various pins and swivels which enable it seem cheap and almost an afterthought, I just couldn’t get into the head space of enjoying transforming him. Additionally, due to his extra-large ‘wing’ pieces, overly large feet, and awkward proportions he handles oddly. It’s hard to describe, but once you’ve engaged the transformation once you’ll get it. It also seems as if GCreations went with a cheaper and less durable plastic with Thunderous, which gives the impression of potentially easy breakage. Admittedly this could simply be my perception, but ‘eye of the beholder’ can’t be discounted as important when it comes to collecting. Take it or leave it the transformation is fairly straight forward but not what I’d exactly term breezy or fun. He’s G1 Sludge through and through, but whether as a collector you feel comfortable paying this much for a G1 style figure, and all that this implies, is going to be very much an individual taste consideration.
Bottom Line:
GCreations did an adequate if not great job with this their first Dinobot release. Some collectors will gush over his G1 faithfulness, but with so many Dinobots to choose from these days “faithfulness” has much less allure than it once did. Also, his overly large and awkward proportions throw everything off and make it seem like he could have used more time in the design phase. Lastly, the cheapness of his plastic is really disconcerting. There is simply no valid reason to go cheap when it comes to a high-end third party release and makes for his most unforgivable attribute. In fairness I’m not certain if “cheap plastic” is how every collector will perceive him, but this is my review and these are the facts as I see them. Be cautious is all I’m advocating. Otherwise, GCreations is off to a decent start and I wish them well moving forward.
GCreations SKR-01 Thunderous
Bottom Line (** 1/2 stars- <out of a possible 5>)
By Stygian360
Introduction:
I’ve always loved G1 Sludge. In fact of the G1 Dinobots he’s actually the only one I own currently. I’ve already gushed in previous reviews about how much I adore the Dinobots in general- and how much in heaven I am currently with so many to choose from-so I won’t wax on further about that topic. Ultimately we’re here to discover whether or not this particular latest version of Sludge works and whether he’s worth a purchase. So is Thunderous worth a purchase? Let’s find out.
Articulation:
These days third party is doing it right. Earlier releases were fairly rudimentary, but with the current crop of third party figures it’s almost better to describe to a potential buyer what’s missing. On that front there are no significant challenges that I found with Thunderous. He seems to have all of the fun and appropriate swivels and joints that make for a proper modern era action figure.
Paint:
There isn’t much that constitutes paint on this figure, but what’s here is adequate, clean and ‘tells the story’. For whatever reason most third party companies are including liberal amounts of chrome on their Dinobots, and Thunderous is no exception. I say “for whatever reason” but most would cite the G1 precedent and in that sense you’d be right. Whoever heard of dinosaurs roaming the streets of a modern city and being able to blend in- much less rife with chrome- but hey it worked in the G1 fiction so why not now. It would seem wrong- sacrilegious if you will- not to include chrome on a Dinobot, so thankfully most (if not all) companies producing them in any variety these days are sticking to what works and going with chrome. For the most part Thunderous sticks to where chrome showed up on the original and that’s just fine with me.
There is also the homage to G1 Sludge via his see through smoky plastic head and neck. This works pretty well actually. It may not be how every collector interprets their version of Sludge, but here it’s done well and I enjoy seeing it.
Transformation:
This was the least fun part of the figure for me. It’s not inherently difficult to do, but because the parts, plastic, and various pins and swivels which enable it seem cheap and almost an afterthought, I just couldn’t get into the head space of enjoying transforming him. Additionally, due to his extra-large ‘wing’ pieces, overly large feet, and awkward proportions he handles oddly. It’s hard to describe, but once you’ve engaged the transformation once you’ll get it. It also seems as if GCreations went with a cheaper and less durable plastic with Thunderous, which gives the impression of potentially easy breakage. Admittedly this could simply be my perception, but ‘eye of the beholder’ can’t be discounted as important when it comes to collecting. Take it or leave it the transformation is fairly straight forward but not what I’d exactly term breezy or fun. He’s G1 Sludge through and through, but whether as a collector you feel comfortable paying this much for a G1 style figure, and all that this implies, is going to be very much an individual taste consideration.
Bottom Line:
GCreations did an adequate if not great job with this their first Dinobot release. Some collectors will gush over his G1 faithfulness, but with so many Dinobots to choose from these days “faithfulness” has much less allure than it once did. Also, his overly large and awkward proportions throw everything off and make it seem like he could have used more time in the design phase. Lastly, the cheapness of his plastic is really disconcerting. There is simply no valid reason to go cheap when it comes to a high-end third party release and makes for his most unforgivable attribute. In fairness I’m not certain if “cheap plastic” is how every collector will perceive him, but this is my review and these are the facts as I see them. Be cautious is all I’m advocating. Otherwise, GCreations is off to a decent start and I wish them well moving forward.
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Friday, February 20, 2015
Prime Spotlight: Toyworld TW-06 Evila Star
Prime Spotlight presents:
Toyworld TW-06 Evila Star
Bottom Line (*** ½ stars- <out of a possible 5>)
By Stygian360
Introduction:
Astrotrain is undoubtedly a fan favorite and not just by me, but by many fans the world over. There is a debate raging currently regarding how timely a character is who transforms into at least two modes that no longer apply in the modern world- the space shuttle program having been retired and steam powered trains for the most part having been retired as well- but the character worked just fine in the 80’s and in my opinion works even better as an action figure today. That said, the company executing this figure- Toyworld- isn’t exactly known for 100% G1 faithful translations. In fact when pictures of Evila Star first surfaced that fear became real, especially where color choice was concerned. But before we get too deeply into any of that discussion let me just say that Evila Star had a lot to live up to. So, does he measure up? Let’s find out.
Articulation:
Evila Star is amply articulated and has everything a collector could possibly want- swivels and ball joints in all of the appropriate places and then some. I would go into detail describing how each joint swivels or moves in concert perfectly- which it does for the most part- but you’re here to also find possible problem areas. So let’s delve into a major one, which in this case are his space shuttle wings. Clearly Toyworld had no idea what to do with these in robot mode.
Going through all of the various modes the wings slide deftly on a pin up and down just as designed, but unfortunately do not peg anywhere in robot mode, which is a problem. This causes his wings to swing back and forth pretty much freely slapping the back of both arms and in general looking awkward. If you can find just the right don’t move, don’t breath (DMDB) position then consider yourself lucky. During this review I could not. At one point I even pinned his arm back to hold the wings from slapping forward. Again, this is really only an issue in robot mode and deft collectors may find just the right way to get these wings to pin back (could be I just missed it), but I couldn’t hence it impacted my overall enjoyment of what is arguably one of his most handsome modes. Otherwise I found his articulation and various functioning which acts in support of articulation great with no major flaws or worries.
Paint:
I find that these days the exception to great paint apps for a third party release is notable only because it is so rare, and in Evila’s case he’s very solid with no problem areas. Unlike some releases he’s not simply molded in the majority colors with only spot applications of paint. Instead as far as I can tell there is liberally applied paint, especially the copious amount of black in locomotive mode, and what’s here is solid.
Transformation:
The three distinct transformations for Evila Star were fairly simple and straight forward even considering the triple-changer nature of the toy. In fact I will call this out as one of Toyworld’s overall strengths as their designs are typically elegant and no nonsense. These aren’t dirt simple transformations mind you- going into shuttle and locomotive had me scratching my head a few times for sure- but simple enough that he wasn’t thrown at a wall or left in a half transformed heap while I wiped the sweat from my brow. In other words you’re going to enjoy this figure. My only issue was shuttle mode; which didn’t peg together satisfyingly enough, especially in the front section. Admittedly I could have simply had a piece out of place which acted as an obstruction. Overall I wasn’t as satisfied with shuttle as I was robot and locomotive modes, but with this degree of transformation buffet it’s tough to complain too loudly. And of course, it’s Astrotrain, so yeah. In fact as someone who loves Astrotrain I was definitely making plenty of space choo-choo noises.
Bottom Line:
If you can get the shuttle wings to stay back in robot mode then you’re a better person than I am and my hat is off to you. But ultimately you’re going to have loads of fun with this action figure and I highly recommend a purchase. As mentioned; his paint work is very solid, his transformations are fun and all three of his modes are going to put a G1 collector smile on your face. But those wings...
Robot Mode:
Space Shuttle Mode:
Train Mode:
Toyworld TW-06 Evila Star
Bottom Line (*** ½ stars- <out of a possible 5>)
By Stygian360
Introduction:
Astrotrain is undoubtedly a fan favorite and not just by me, but by many fans the world over. There is a debate raging currently regarding how timely a character is who transforms into at least two modes that no longer apply in the modern world- the space shuttle program having been retired and steam powered trains for the most part having been retired as well- but the character worked just fine in the 80’s and in my opinion works even better as an action figure today. That said, the company executing this figure- Toyworld- isn’t exactly known for 100% G1 faithful translations. In fact when pictures of Evila Star first surfaced that fear became real, especially where color choice was concerned. But before we get too deeply into any of that discussion let me just say that Evila Star had a lot to live up to. So, does he measure up? Let’s find out.
Articulation:
Evila Star is amply articulated and has everything a collector could possibly want- swivels and ball joints in all of the appropriate places and then some. I would go into detail describing how each joint swivels or moves in concert perfectly- which it does for the most part- but you’re here to also find possible problem areas. So let’s delve into a major one, which in this case are his space shuttle wings. Clearly Toyworld had no idea what to do with these in robot mode.
Going through all of the various modes the wings slide deftly on a pin up and down just as designed, but unfortunately do not peg anywhere in robot mode, which is a problem. This causes his wings to swing back and forth pretty much freely slapping the back of both arms and in general looking awkward. If you can find just the right don’t move, don’t breath (DMDB) position then consider yourself lucky. During this review I could not. At one point I even pinned his arm back to hold the wings from slapping forward. Again, this is really only an issue in robot mode and deft collectors may find just the right way to get these wings to pin back (could be I just missed it), but I couldn’t hence it impacted my overall enjoyment of what is arguably one of his most handsome modes. Otherwise I found his articulation and various functioning which acts in support of articulation great with no major flaws or worries.
Paint:
I find that these days the exception to great paint apps for a third party release is notable only because it is so rare, and in Evila’s case he’s very solid with no problem areas. Unlike some releases he’s not simply molded in the majority colors with only spot applications of paint. Instead as far as I can tell there is liberally applied paint, especially the copious amount of black in locomotive mode, and what’s here is solid.
Transformation:
The three distinct transformations for Evila Star were fairly simple and straight forward even considering the triple-changer nature of the toy. In fact I will call this out as one of Toyworld’s overall strengths as their designs are typically elegant and no nonsense. These aren’t dirt simple transformations mind you- going into shuttle and locomotive had me scratching my head a few times for sure- but simple enough that he wasn’t thrown at a wall or left in a half transformed heap while I wiped the sweat from my brow. In other words you’re going to enjoy this figure. My only issue was shuttle mode; which didn’t peg together satisfyingly enough, especially in the front section. Admittedly I could have simply had a piece out of place which acted as an obstruction. Overall I wasn’t as satisfied with shuttle as I was robot and locomotive modes, but with this degree of transformation buffet it’s tough to complain too loudly. And of course, it’s Astrotrain, so yeah. In fact as someone who loves Astrotrain I was definitely making plenty of space choo-choo noises.
Bottom Line:
If you can get the shuttle wings to stay back in robot mode then you’re a better person than I am and my hat is off to you. But ultimately you’re going to have loads of fun with this action figure and I highly recommend a purchase. As mentioned; his paint work is very solid, his transformations are fun and all three of his modes are going to put a G1 collector smile on your face. But those wings...
Robot Mode:
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Space Shuttle Mode:
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Train Mode:
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