Toy Review: Transformers Classics / Generations - Thundercracker (Deluxe class)

Transformers Classics / Generations : Thundercracker (Deluxe Class)

Up for review is the Transformers Classics reboot Thundercracker.  He is an all around update to the awesome G1 seeker for Starscream's original jet squadron and my personal favorite of the original jets.  He is truly a sight to see.

 

This is a perfect update to an already great and iconic figure (whom I own but am yet to review...it's coming I swear).  He has updated articulation to all the right places, additional details, molding and anything you could find issue with seems to have been addressed and fixed from design, to transformation to paint application.

His alt-mode is a great representation of an F-15 Eagle and has perfected grooves, etching, engine ridges, exhaust fans, missiles and anything you could hope for.  He has a yellow/orange tinted opening cockpit and a painted on set of red and white stripes to give him a striking look over his vibrant blue paint job.  His nose has a rubberized black pointed tip and he has two firing missile pods that fit on the underside of his wings.  The Decepticon logo is nicely displayed on the overside of the wings as well.

Transformation is smooth and fixed the nagging issue I had with the G1 rendering of having to physically take off his wings and stabilizers and reposition them between alt and bot modes.  Everything is connected and transitions into place nicely.  The only thing that comes off are the rocket launchers which can either be positioned on his forearms or in his hands as blasters to add some variety.  He has nice extended legs that bend at the knee and has pivoting arms with bendable elbows which add for some nice poses as shown.

As a bot, he is amazing.  Beautiful face mold although his head doesn't move nor does he have light-piping.  He's got a nice paint scheme on the chest with two exhaust fans for breastplates which are a great touch.  They even included the two red triangles on his shoulder guards like the G1 model.  Articulation is very satisfactory and as I'm repeatedly talking about touches and paint on the wings and body, yes, it is all paint now.  No stickers anywhere and the application of the paint is welcome and extremely well placed.

 

Presentation-wise, he's a slick update of one of the most popular original characters from the Transformers Universe.  If you can only decide on (or afford) one seeker, go with this guy.  He certainly will not disappoint and (next to Dirge) he seems to be one of the least expensive Classics you can still score.  Skywarp, on the other hand, is through the roof and Starscream...I dunno doesn't do it for me as an update like Thundercracker manages to do.

Toy Review: Transformers Onslaught (Ultra Class: Universe Classics 2.0)

Transformers: Universe Classics 2.0/ Onslaught (Ultra Class)

Here, we are looking at 2008's Ultra Class Onslaught.  He was fashioned into a larger commander bot with serious armament and intimidating size after a smaller version of him was created for the combiner Combaticon set of Bruticus Maximus also in the Universe toy line.

Instead of being a flatbed military truck with mobile artillery gun, he is now an armored tactical S.W.A.T. vehicle.  The translation works pretty well as he retains major qualities like big tires, a double barreled cannon, similar headsculpt and color scheme.  He works very well for me and I wish they released his buddies on this scale to make an Ultra Combiner based on these molds.  I would love to see a Ultra class Swindle, Brawl or Vortex.  The stuff coming from Warbotron in this department is leaving little to be desired...seriously check out Heavy Noisy or Sly Strike and tell me those aren't dead on G1 faces.  (Is it possible for something in 2014 to look more "G1" than the original G1?)

 

He combines fairly easy with a fold out read section of wheels that converge to his feet with armor plating with bendable knees and hip joints.  He has electronic features that make a blaster noise, a crushing noise and a siren noise. I scored an early version that had a bug in the sound that only lets it play in 1 second bursts so there is no prolonged sounds of machine gun or sirens as was intended and later released in the U.S and Japanese versions.  Point of note, the Takara version also had colors that directly matched the original G1 toy while these seem a bit darker.

He's got a nice headsculpt with light up eyes on a battery jointed arms and shoulders with a flip out cannon on his right wrist and a flip out holder on his left to hold a detachable S.W.A.T. shield. (A feature I absolutely love)  It makes him look like a freaking gladiator in my opinion and it seriously rules.  His cannon is essentially not functioning on his back and only really works if you make him bend over.  I tried and he really cannot do it without looking totally stupid and needing a hand to prop him up.  In his vehicle mode, he is meant to look armored and bulky and it works well.  His wrist gun is belly mounted and he has two flip down spiked battering devices hinged on the helm of the vehicle.  While the shield can be positioned onto the top for an armored roof, it doesn't feel like it belongs there if they are trying to make this look realistic.  I find with a nice suspension of disbelief put into place, you can make the design work.

This guy truly reinvents Onslaught and lives up to his name....Just wish his main cannon could be better utilized in bot mode.