Animated Swindle Pictorial Review

Discussion in 'Transformers Feedback & Reviews' started by Peaugh, Nov 14, 2008.

  1. GogDog

    GogDog Logic's wayward son Veteran

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  2. Feralstorm

    Feralstorm Good Morning, Weather Hackers! TFW2005 Supporter

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    Pros:
    * Rivals Snarl for most adorable robot mode in the Animated toyline.

    * Innovative transformation.

    * looks good, and an excellent homage in both modes. I think the toy actually looks better than the cartoon depiction.

    * cannon gimmick is neat, along with the various flip-out weaponry.

    * Intentional or not, the light-piped eyes have a little bright spot in the center which looks exactly like the 'pupils' he has in the cartoon.

    * He's got a bolo tie and his head design gives the impression of big sideburns. He's a 1970s car salesman. :) 

    Cons:
    * A bit gorilla-like in proportion, given the massive forearms and hands.

    * the various QC problems noted by others, namely the loose abdominal plate that doesn't lock down properly, a loose joint here or there. My particular one was also missing a thumb.

    * Tiny nitpick - his only Decepticon symbol ends up split in half across his arms. Guess I'll have to get a sticker in there somewhere. Hey, at least it's purple!

    * Potential nitpick - I'm a little concerned with the transparent plastic being used on the limbs. It looks nice, but I've had bad experiences with clear plastic getting brittle and breaking on high stress areas like limbs and other joints.

    * Hummer-esque mode could use some paint detail around the rear end, and looks pretty plain without the cannon on the roof.

    Note: Anyone else see this toy getting repainted or remolded into something Optimus Prime-like in the future?

    Overall: The flaws bring the toy down, but if/when they are fixed up the toy is pretty excellent.
     
  3. GogDog

    GogDog Logic's wayward son Veteran

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    Ok, the Hasbro instructions show the back transformed like this:
    [​IMG]

    But it's not very accurate and kinda ruins the illusion that the little guns are popping up. I found a better method to transform the back when the guns are in undeployed mode:
    [​IMG]

    It's kinda tricky, but not really. You can't just rotate them 90 degrees down, you have to rotate them 270 degrees in the opposite direction.
     
    Last edited: Jan 11, 2009
  4. GAUGE

    GAUGE Wargod ARTS

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    Now if Swindle trips and falls he'll Shoot himself in the Ass.

    Wait no that sucked, how about: "Damn Those Hemorrhoid Flare Up's"
     
  5. neospark1

    neospark1 Well-Known Member

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    Animated Swindle

    Vehicle Mode: 6

    Swindle trades in his yellow/orange military jeep mode with an olive armored SUV mode. The vehicle mode is solid enough, holds together well, and rolls nicely. What detracts from the vehicle mode is the complete and utter lack of paint apps on the rear end of the vehicle. No paint apps for the lights, license plate, vents, nada. Also, as is becoming a more icky trend, no painted wheels.

    Robot Mode: 7

    Solid robot mode. BIG head <grin>. It's almost like Swindle wants to have a big, somewhat cute head. Better to make someone do what you want, right? Decent enough articulation. Big honkin arm cannon that has a neat little color changing trick when you fire the cannon's missle. Robot mode would be an 8 with some more paint apps in the lower legs/knees.

    Overall: 7

    Solid vehicle and robot modes that just shine a little less bright with such glaring lack of paint apps.

    And that concludes another short and to the point Neospark1 review. Till next time!

    Neo
     
  6. Grimlock_13

    Grimlock_13 Currently facepalming at your post

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    My biggest gripe about Swindle is the pancake head. I don't like it whatsoever, and it's just a personal preference thing. There's also some balance issues in robot mode, and I wish the 'backpack' could be pegged down somehow since I really don't care for the way it just flops around back there. Also the robot 'abs' piece doesn't peg into the slots on the underside of the car in vehicle mode, so the piese drags on the table. I do like the detail inside the eyes though, it words very well. The hands don't look as claw-like as they did in internet pics, so that was a relief. Articulaed fingers are always a plus for me anyway, especially with so many figures in the line having open molded hands which I dislike a lot. The vehicle mode is pretty cool, though the front end isn't very solid on mine (mainly the joint that folds back during hand transformation). It took me about three days to realize the orange panels on the gun when the missile is inserted. Very cool detail.
     
  7. Torque

    Torque The WORDSMITH

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    i think one of the best things about this toy is the eys-not only have they been sculpted so he has pupils, they are positioned so that hes always looking right at you with his eyes-THAT is awesome. (just got him today, dontknow how i ever got on without him
     
  8. Feralstorm

    Feralstorm Good Morning, Weather Hackers! TFW2005 Supporter

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    Swindle, now with "I will kill you in your sleep" staring action!
     
  9. GogDog

    GogDog Logic's wayward son Veteran

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    He is also the only Decepticon in Animated to not have red eyes. Unless that has changed.

    This guys is seriously my favorite toy right now. :) 
     
  10. Peaugh

    Peaugh Hi.

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    Waspinator also has purple eyes, although I'll allow that he doesn't quite count since he isn't officially released yet.
     
  11. Optimus Prime

    Optimus Prime TFW2005 Supporter

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    Picked a Swindle up today, this is one cool toy. I love his compact alt. mode, even if it's slightly lacking as far as paint/detail goes. The robot mode is excellent, mine didn't have any problems except for the abdominal piece that doesn't tab solidly; however, it doesn't flop around either or anything, so it's not a problem at all, really. The light piping for his eyes is great, the color-changing cannon vents is neat, and so are the extra weapon bits. Overall, Swindle's one of my favorite Animated toys yet, and I like all of them. Tied with Blitzwing for third-favorite Animated TF (after Lockdown/Ultra Magnus, and Jazz).
     
  12. Aigis

    Aigis Anti Shadow Weapon TFW2005 Supporter

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    Man, I can't wait to get this guy. I can't find him anywhere.
     
  13. GrimlockAutobot

    GrimlockAutobot Volcanicus Torso

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    I'm with Grimlock13 on this figure. I can't stand the huge flat "pancake head" on this figure. The huge eyes with the lack of a prominant nose is ruining this figure for me. I know Swindle is supposed to have huge eyes but, they look bad with his flat head and virtually no nose.

    I like Swindle's character especially from G1 but the head design on the Animated figure is preventing me from getting it. The head is making me want to buy one and put a bomb in the back of his head just to watch it explode in 15 hours. (G1ers who watched the episode B.O.T. know what I mean.)

    I've seen Swindle on several occasions at several different Wal-marts and he was an easy pass because of the fugly head.
     
  14. AndreyOfDoom

    AndreyOfDoom maximize

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    LOL MISSING AN AWESOME FIGURE JUST BECAUSE OF HOW ITS HEAD LOOKS. I take it you simply look at your transformers and don't really appreciate their engineering and transformation.
     
  15. GrimlockAutobot

    GrimlockAutobot Volcanicus Torso

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    First off, you need to tone down the all caps bud......no need to yell here OK?! I don't see anything wrong with my point of view. I'm not a completionist and I only buy the figures I think look cool and figures of characters that I enjoy.

    I just think that Swindle looks a little goofy in robot mode......what's so wrong with that?

    And by the way, I DO appreciate figures with good engineering and transformation but, design also makes a difference as well.
     
  16. yovnocrats

    yovnocrats Well-Known Member

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    Anyway.


    Did anybody else get a Swindle with joints so tight he was actually hard to transform at first? I had no loose joints, mine has the exact opposite problem, they came way too tight. They've loosened up a lot, and now he's very stable. My new animated favorite.
     
  17. Feralstorm

    Feralstorm Good Morning, Weather Hackers! TFW2005 Supporter

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    Recently found Swindle at a store to complement the one I got from HTS (the one with loose joints and a missing thumb from my review). This newer one is much better than the first, with tighter joints (the abdominal flap doesn't appear to clip in place, but the joint is tight enough it will stay where you put it.) This one has the full number of available hand parts too.

    Now that I have one which is "QC flaw-free" for the most part, the only real problem I have with Swindle is the design of the feet, which can make stable standing a bit of a problem in certain circumstances. (actually leaving the wheels in their vehicle position, instead of folding them under the feet like they are supposed to go, can help stability.) Contributing to this is the bigass cannon, which is a big weight relatively. Mount the cannon on the arm, and Swindle is right-side-heavy. Mount it on the back, and the toy is (you guessed it) back-heavy.

    Now I gotta go put a 'Con sticker on that little chest-gun panel.
     
  18. Zress Tayasu

    Zress Tayasu Axiom

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    "I don't see anything wrong with my point of view."
    ...people generally don't see anything wrong with their own point of view. ;) 

    anyway, can't say much about swindle, since I haven't seen any animated deluxes later than jazz/soundwave where I am. (grrr, distribution here sucks) ;_;
     
  19. Ray Kremer

    Ray Kremer Well-Known Member

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    Haha that's nothing. A lot of good TFs get a 50/50 split between like and hate around here over something relatively minor.
     
  20. Aigis

    Aigis Anti Shadow Weapon TFW2005 Supporter

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    Finally got him. I freaking love him. His chest isn't floppy at all and tabs into place perfectly.