Best:
FansProject/Perfect Effect

Worst:
Xovergen/BTS


Impossible Toys have churned out some shit in their time but that is mostly in terms of quality rather than looks. It's just cheap and nasty.

iGear I feel are coming on strong now and have finally started to get their act together and are looking to produce some slightly more original stuff.

TFC deserve an honourable mention, if only for the behemoth that will be Hercules. To pull something like that out of the bag, design flaws or not, is an astounding achievement for a 3rd party.

 

Another reason Fansproject is the best- the Blesser campaign and all the Japan relief donation money that it generated.


I'm also going to stick up for Impossible Toys a bit. I have 3 of their figures- the Quint Scientist, Prosecutor, and Judge, and they're all pretty damn nice. The LEDs on one doesn't work, and is weak on another, but I don't really mind that- they look great. I know there's hate for their Arcee and I can't speak to that, but these three are solid.

 

i buy what i like, which is a little from each company. and each has things i dont care for at all.
i dont currently own anything from igear but Im probably going to pick up Thundercracker, Huffer, and possibly ratchet after reviews. but they have plenty of their own designs, while i acknowledge the seekers were stolen along with faith leader.
i have FPs Burticus, insecticons, and CC, but i despise their version of Hot Rod/Rodimus, and i dont care for the heartmaster concept.

if i had to drop someone to the bottom of the pack it would probably be BTS because they seem to continue to fail to grasp what we want--- SW and minions are pretty spectacular fails. Also not a fan of impossible toys.

if the guys making SW and Blaster can pull it off, theyll jet up to the top of my list with FP and PE.

Jury's out on Maketoys until Giant is completed. TFC gets major strikes for all their QC/design issues, but it seems they have better customer service than Hasbro as far as replacements.

 

Really?

iGear PP05 Test Shot Prototype Video DragonGames - YouTube

I don't see much in common there other than the dangling panels behind Ironhide's arms (which are coming from the ROOF, not the sides like Inferno).

 

BEST
1. Fansproject: I think most of us can agree on this one.
2. Igear: everything I have from them is tops, Delicate Warrior could be the best 3rd party figure I own.
3. Perfect Effect: Frenzy, Rumble, Rewind, Eject, Reflector.....etc....etc
4. TFC: Hercules 'nuff said

WORST:
1. Impossible Toys: yeah nice Arcee and Alpha Trion there guys, really....the game has changed greatly you NEED to step up your game BIG TIME.
2. BTS: I don't know, everything I own from them is sub-par at best. Prime trailer, Sonicron, frenzy & rumble minions

 

FP is perhaps the best, but they have the luxury of being one of the first 3P companies to spring up out of the woodwork a couple of years ago. They've pumped out some great add-on kits and figures and the quality of their materials as well as their engineering seemingly gets better with every release.

 

I'd like to say I am pretty unbiased towards iGear. I love what they are currently doing with the minibots (over Maketoy's), Ironhide/Ratchet, Impactor, etc. The weapons kit and Kup head are all great products.

However, at the same time, I loath their Faith Leader, and Seeker's mold, if not just for the fact that I am an engineer, and from that perspective (and from an artist, and designer perspective), its pretty low. Yes, maybe they are doing more creative things now, but the past shouldn't be forgotten, but acknowledged.

 

Same here. I love it when iGear shows original stuff, but I simply can't stand that they flat-out stole official molds and make money out of it.

 

it was more obvious in the early concept shots. but the transformation and the arms are fairly close to inferno/grapple.

 

And I love when people assume that all iGear makes is KO trash. Either extreme is dumb.

 

Best:
Fansproject-I have nearly all of their releases and really love them all. A few of them aren't perfect, but the Bruticus upgrade set and City Commander sets are quite amazing. The trailer they made for Henkei/Classics Prime really won me over on them.
Perfect Effect-Their Reflector is quite the amazing piece. The majority of their other releases have been excellent too

Worst:
Unicron.com-Ever see the Unicron stand? Oh my.

 

What he said, it was speculated more after the initial photo set because they did a close up on the shoulder which has a similar joint to Inferno. Once full photos came in of a Nissan Cherry alt. mode most people realised they are nothing alike.

I've yet to pick up any Make Toys, I'll be interested to see if it's the same quality as FP, I feel that since the split they might have lost the magic. The split and the Insecticons knocked me down from "FP completist" to judging each on a case-by-case basis.

 

There was no split as they are two entirely different companies and are not related, but as far as quality goes, the Battle Tanker is top notch and really a nifty little piece that turns a mediocre figure into something special. I don't have the mini-bots so I cant speak as to their quality.

 

Oh there have been bigger messes than the Unicron stand. ALso Unicron.com was the originator of 3rd party add ons with their Beast Machine set (awesome) and the BW Golden Disks.

 

af·fil·i·at·ed   /əˈfɪliˌeɪtɪd/ Show Spelled[uh-fil-ee-ey-tid] Show IPA
adjective
being in close formal or informal association; related: a letter sent to all affiliated clubs; a radio network and its affiliated local stations.


re·lat·ed   /rɪˈleɪtɪd/ Show Spelled[ri-ley-tid] Show IPA
adjective
1. associated; connected.


Related, affiliated, same difference and it has been confirmed that they are affiliated.

 

You obviously haven't watched the video. Inferno transforms in like 5 steps, this Ironhide is like 40. NOTHING in common.

 

I'm with you on this. I can not believe people think iGear's Ironhide/Ratchet have the same transformation as Inferno/Grapple because of one piece.

I bet anyone who believes this has not seen the video review.

 

BEST
Giving this to TFC. The Hercules project is such an amazing & well thought out work of art that (imo) it simply trumps everything else. Obviously FP needs mention as well if for nothing else than being the only third party outfit around long enough to establish a pretty reputable track record.

WORST
iGear without question. Just because they finally churned out a couple of tiny chibi looking 'original' designs and have been teasing that Ironhide/Ratchet thing that is taking forever and a day to ever actually release, none of it negates the fact that their main mantra has been being just another straight-up shitty KO outfit buried in the bowels of China. Absolutely zero credibility as far as I'm concerned.

 

You know when Van Halen split up, and you could buy records by Van Halen with Sammy Hagar and you could buy David Lee Roth records, and you were getting twice as much music but you'd trade it all in for a proper original line-up Van Halen album? That's how I feel about FP / Make toys.

 

Where is it. I want to see that review. NOWWWWW! Cannot wait.