I don't know if this has been done before but each time a new MP comes out people are, obviously, going to compare them to what's come before, and invariably we start talking about if the new addition is the best or makes out top five or ten or whatever. It got me wondering, what are our top MP's and why?

So I'm asking if you were to order your MP's in order if greatness how would that look and why?

No real rules for this, its just a bit of fun. List as many or as little as you like, post just their names, post a little explanation for each one, post a full reviews with photos for each one if you wish! The only real rules I'd stipulate are, it must be an official MP figure and you must own, have owned or had a good amount of contact with it to give it a placing. Fell free to post an update on your list as an when you get new ones in.

OK cue Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love"

Aaaaaat number...

10. MP-09 Rodimus Prime
A fantastic looking figure with a nerve wracking transformation, crumbling joints and tendency to explode!

At 9. MP-27 Ironhide
A marvel of engineering no doubt! Chock full of accessories and beautifully painted. However the robot mode doesn't quite hit the show accuracy mark.

At 8. MP-11 Starscream
Finally they fixed Starscream! I lovely looking figure with some nice touches. Doesn't hold together so well in robot mode and his feet have issues but over all a welcome update.

At 7. MP-22 Ultra Magnus
A totally unexpected MP, and the biggest yet (until Star Saber came along). The all-in-one transformation really benefits the figure and aside from an easily hidden butt flap the G1 accuracy is in abundance. Could do with better articulation though.

At 6. MP-17 Prowl
I love Prowl, he's a self-righteous so and so but I love him nontheless. This figure is great, fun to transform and a great representation of the character. Just don't turn him round, he's not decent back there!

At 5. MP-08 Grimlock
Another classic Iconic character and not only that! I have the option to display him with a red visor a la the Marvel comic books   Most of the G1 Transformation scheme remains but where it is updated it's quite ingenious. Some say he's too small but not me.

At 4. MP-21 Bumblebee and Exo-suit Spike
Flawless? Maybe not but a bang on representation of G1 Bumblebee to my mind. Beautiful and clever transformation, great looking robot mode that really captures the character PLUS a fully transforming Exosuit Spike!

At 3. MP-01 Convoy/Optimus Prime
The one that started it all. When this guy came out, and for the longest time after, there was nothing to compare him too. MP-01 was the greatest Transformer ever made full stop. Just the weight of the diecast made he feel quality. The engineering and transformation ingenious, the robot mode imposing, and a matrix chamber with a retina burning light up feature! A piece of Transformers history no doubt.

At 2. MP-13 (well as I have the Hasbro version MP-02) Soundwave and Cassetticons
Truly deserving of the title Masterpiece and the Hasbro release is a bargain! Spot on robot mode and alt-mode, great articulation, loads of play features, great accessory storage. Its really hard to fault him. Plus Hasbro bundle in Lazerbeak, Buzzsaw, Ravage, Rumble and Frenzy! Each one a delight in itself. Ravage is probably the weakest but 6 Decepticreeps for the price of one? Yes please!

And an number 1 for the 230th(ish) week running MP-10 Convoy/MP Optimus Prime!
The big guy, the jewel in the crown of the MP line. The design, transformation, articulation, accessories...a trailer! All fantastic. This figure takes the good work done with MP-01 refines it, adds new features and all important playability. He's a beautiful, imposing and fun figure of a truly iconic character who is always the centre of any display I set up.

 

Totally agree with 1-5 so I don't need to add my own list - Good job!

 

Apart from MP-09 Rodimus Prime (I'd have MP-24 Star Saber) that's a solid list and though I might not agree with the order I would also put MP-10 as number 1

 

I don’t have many MP’s so I can’t even make a Top 10, but I agree with MP-10 as number 1.

I would however put MP-24 in there, possibly among the Top 5. He may be simple in terms of transformation, but he very much embodies the spirit of Masterpiece: Perfect representation of the cartoon character, tons of articulation and well implemented gimmicks where they are needed.

Of course Star Saber has a completely made up alt mode and needs no compromises for a real car mode so his whole transformation isn’t on genius level of engineering, but the fact that we have a 100% true representation of the cartoon model with every bit in place and every gimmick retained + a great deal of articulation and every accessory he would need… I think that’s what Masterpiece is all about and Star Saber pulls it off flawlessly.

 

Thanks for the compliments on my list guys!

On Star Saber, he does looks fantastic and I'm sure a worthy addition to anyones list, I just don't have him (I have no connection to the character) so he is therefore admitted from my list  

 

I won't include my third party stuff--as it stands, my MP collection stands about 80 bots strong (I think I officially have more 3rd party MPs than official at this point...). Anywho, here's my top 10:

10.) Exhaust - I got this guy because I love the Wheeljack mold and because of the controversy surrounding him. He really surprised me and he now stands as a lone Decepticon in my shelf of Cybertronians (basically I've turned all the non-show repaints in to a group of Cybertron citizens).

9.) Ironhide - I was VERY skeptical of this guy, but in-hand he is amazing. His paint is awesome, he can get some very expressive poses, and he looks fantastic in-hand and on the shelf. Yes, he has those hip skirts--but they don't bug me in person--though I do feel that like MP03, he'll be re-done down the road.

8.) Rodimus Prime - For all the flaws, this guy really has some shelf presence. It's a shame he has the issues that he does because he looks fantastic with MP-10 Prime, Ultra Magnus and 3rd party figures like Apollyon and Tyrant. I also have the eHobby black version and he's MP-10B's shelf buddy.

7.) Optimus Prime (MP-01 version) - A lot of people will argue that this figure is outdated and it's true that MP10 is aesthetically superior, this guy is so much fun. His build quality is top-notch, he has crazy articulation and some of the coolest gimmicks on any transformer ever! Moving faceplate? Check. LED for the Matrix? Check. Vid screens built-in to both wrists? Double Check. In 2004, we hadn't seen anything like it and I owe it to this figure for kicking off my love-affair with the MP line.

6.) Starscream (MP11 version)- Starscream in the coronation gear is just plain awesome. Easily something I had always wanted since I was a kid. The mold has a a few flaws--I hate that the hands are the same as those on MP03 and the chest screws needed to be tightened to keep everything in place, but what a breathtaking display piece!

5.) Bumblebee (w Exosuit Spike) - This version of Bee is just so much fun! I love Bumblebee's transformation and this is just a great representation of the character. He's maybe a little under-engineered (I don't like the hollow forearms, lack of wrist swivels or opening hands) but he looks great with his Autobot buddies--especially seeing him next to MP10.

4.) Grimlock - Another figure that was a dream come true. Sure, he's a bit under-sized, but he just nails the look of Grimlock in both modes and he's absolutely fun to transform. Currently cheating on my shelf with the OS Reximus Prime, but I'd love for Takara to do a larger 2.0 version of this guy with the same engineering--sans the gimmicks.

3.) Soundwave (and the cassettes) - This was just a dream come true. This guy is just so much fun, nails the look and has so much shelf presence. The odd choices for leg articulation are the only thing holding this guy back from being higher on the list.

2.) Optimus Prime (MP10 Hasbro version) - As much as I love MP01, this guy just looks like he lept off the TV screen and on to my shelf. He's so much fun to pose in both modes. I love all the things you can do with this trailer and accessories. He's a cornerstone of my collection and I'm so happy to have him.

1.) Ultra Magnus - This may be controversial to some, but I love this figure. Everything about him. He's got the heft of MP01, he has an animation accurate transformation (sorry those who want the cab to turn into a separate robot--this is what I wanted) and the attention to detail on this guy is superb. I love that the cab can still detach from the trailer, I love that you can fit four cars on his trailer, he's got a matrix chamber, that hidden face, posing him... To me, he just brings back so many memories from playing with Magnus as a kid and what I wanted out of him.

 

Optimus (MP-10), Star Saber, Ultra Magnus, and Ironhide are my top four. Can't decide between Soundwave or Bumblebee for five.

 

At 10... Our first shocker: it's Masterpiece Optimus Prime! To be fair, I only own the Hasbro version, and I believe the Takara version is just a little nicer. Still, I find Optimus prime to be good, but not great, especially considering the Masterpieces that came after. His alt mode looks pretty good, but I can't unsee the oversized rear-end of his cab. He's also a little too low for a proper COE tractor unit.
In robot mode, he looks suitably heroic, but here again, his flaws are apparent to me: long 'gorilla arms', ugly legs, ugly feet. The Hasbro version does most certainly have his face and eyes going for him compared to the Takara version. It's a great toy in his own right, but unfortunately, he's slipping out of my top 10...

At 9... MP-27 Ironhide! The first of an intermediate size of Transformers, just larger than the standard Autobot cars. Not the most exciting of alt modes and not one of my favorite characters, so it almost goes to follow that he is not my favorite Masterpiece either. He's good, but he isn't great. Alt mode looks perfect, that's true: its a great model of a Nissan Cherry Vanette with only a couple of unassuming panel lines. Though no side mirrors is a minor niggle, personally.
In robot mode however, Takara's attempts to bribe us with a complete arsenal of accessories unfortunately can't hide a couple of flaws, most significant of which are the hip flaps, which just can't be unseen. I like a lot of Ironhide's 'bot mode, but there's a certain... 'smoothing' missing which on other Masterpieces hide certain flaws and which doesn't work here. I like the legs but hate the tabs on the insides of his legs, I don't mind the diaper crotch but hate the hip panels. His accessories do add a lot of play and display value, that's certain. in the top 10, Ironhide will most probably be replaced by Ratchet once he has also been released (if MP-29 Shockwave and MP-28 Rodimus don't push off the mold entirely from the list).

At 8... It's Tracks! To be honest, he's jostling with MP-12 Lambor for positions 7 and 8. His alt mode is just superb, a perfect scale model of the Corvette Stingray. Even better, he still has the triple changing ability to sprout wings, boosters and tailfins, like his cartoon counterpart. His robot mode is good, although perhaps a little too ambitious: especially the way his backpack holds up is a little loose for some. His tiny rockets could also stand to be a little bigger, although in hand it's less obvious than in photo's. As a display model, however, he's just perfect, especially with his accessories and flight stand. His mold mate and female counterpart MP-26 Road rage is also great: some nice remolds of Tracks's blocky limbs and with the original big gun that the G1 Tracks toy once came with. Also, paint is perfect on both: not always a given with Masterpieces...

At 7... It's MP-12 Lambor! The first Masterpiece to show off the approximate size for Masterpiece cars: little did we know what was to follow! Even with this early release, the designers showed vision, and Lambor / Sideswipe still holds his own very easily next to his newer brothers (and sister). The alt mode looks great, but unfortunately on mine, and on a lot of the first releases, the rather bad paint application is a let-down... I do have a second official 'Korean' (robot-mode packaged) release which is supposed to have a better paintjob, but mine is still MISB. In robot mode the paint flaws are significantly less obvious, although again, on the very first release, he has very strange squinty eyes. Oh well. As a complete package, with alt mode, robot mode and Transformation he's still an excellent and fun Masterpiece.

At 6... It's MP-24 Star Saber! A genuine labour of love for its designer Hisashi Yuki and it completely shows. The alt mode is an aquired taste, to be true, because it doesn't look like any real life vehicle at all. What it does look like is his cartoon counterpart, and in that likeness it's as if he's just flown out of the TV (perhaps Sadako forgot to turn off the TV after she crept through in 'Ringu'). In his various robot modes, he's almost perfect as well. The tiny 'Brain of Courage' figure looks great with detailed paint apps, the Saber figure looks suitable heroic, and the complete Star Saber figure is huge, imposing and still highly articulated. Only flaws are slightly hollow arms for the Saber figure and a weird choice to not give his his sword a proper double-handed hilt (the loose double-handed hilt still looks great for display purposes). A great figure, just outside the top 5.

At 5... It's MP-13 Laserbeak! This diminuative little Transformer is one of the few Decepticons, but certainly one of the most accomplished Masterpieces. Exactly as smal as his G1 counterpart, but this time entirely self-contained including his rocket-boosters. Super-poseable, with wings, neck, leg and even his camera being able to flip up. To be fair, his size does make him rather fragile and susceptible to breaking, but that really is his only flaw. His brother, MP-16 Buzzsaw is equally great, BTW.

At 4... It's MP-20 Wheeljack! I love classic race cars, and the Lancia Stratos Turbo is about as classic as it gets. Wonderful lines, the super-wide rear wheels, the relatively accurate Alitalia design... Wheeljack got flak for not being entirely painted and for looking slightly plain as a result. Others wanted a more G1 cartoon look for his paint job, which always seems rather strange to me: the cartoon version was just a simplified version of the pretty accurate Diaclone toy.
Transformation and resulting robot mode are also great: he just is Wheeljack, although for me, this is one of the only Masterpieces where the alt mode might just beat out the robot mode in looks.

At 3... It's a shocker for some: it's MP-19, Smokescreen! I had a hard time choosing my favorite Datsun Fairlady mold, but in the end, it had to be the almost perfect incarnation of the G1 toy I wanted most when I was young, but never got (so back then I had to build him in Lego). In alt mode, he's not entirely accurate to the Electramotive Racing Datsun 280ZX but he hits the right notes, with the extended air dam and spoiler. In robot mode I know some people dislike his face, however, I think he looks amazing! A slightly different handgun and the two shoulder mounted guns make him a very distinct version of the mold, and I think he's the best of all of the superb Datsun Fairladies!

At 2... It's MP-13 Soundwave! Certainly not the most exciting alt mode, ever but so very true to his G1 origins. Now with a three tape capacity, without even needing to puff up his chest. Just don't turn him around, because someone had a little trouble with inserting his batteries! In robot mode, he just becomes a perfect embodiment of Soundwave, in head, shape, poseability and even accessories. Most significant pose: tapping his own eject button!

And at number 1, I have MP-22 Ultra Magnus! A perfect likeness of MP-10's cab with a slighly futuristic looking but very 'toon accurate trailer transforms ever so elegantly (and so completely differently from MP-10!) into a wonderfully large, hulking beast of a Transformer. Metal parts in all the right places, great gimmicks (a second face, a Matrix Chamber, functioning car carrier), excellent quality control, sturdy and just all around fun! Yeah he has a butt flap, yeah he has no waist swivel, yeah his BFG is slightly smallish and arguably in the wrong color... Still, I just love this guy, and he's probably my second favorite Transformer toy ever, just after G1 Scorponok.

 

1. MP10 (TRU VERSION) Thus is the Optimus prime that was on the show and it walked out of the TV. Colors and mold are perfect. So much articulation and he can pull off 1 legged poses
2. MP STARSCREAM The coronation gear is a must for true starscream fans and the paint scheme is just perfect. Lots of articulation as well.
3. *TIE* between MP MAGNUS and MP SOUNDWAVE. Both figures are amazing. This was the Magnus everyone wanted and he didn't fail to please, perfect color and Alt mode and not mode is just spot on. Nice big size and head sculpt. Soundwave is spot on as well and the nice headphone jack port was a nice touch. Amazing articulation and a lot of accessories


HONORABLE MENTION- MP GRIMLOCK used to be my top 3 but after I saw Grinder I realized the loads of issues the figure has


WORST- MP IRONHIDE- Like all MPs he still looks tempting but the butt wheels and thigh flaps discourage my interest for him.

 

Nice thread Booster. I've often wondered how others would rank MPs. My list would be

10 - MP27 Ironhide
Nice feel and finish, but his bot mode aesthetics (hip panels, tire butt, lower back gap, large crotch, no detailing) and lack of real-world branding and mirrors on his alt mode makes him feel less 'special' to me than previous MPs.

9 - MP8 Grimlock
Grimlock is a wonderful figure with some horrible design decisions...all of which are pointless annoying gimmicks that do nothing but hurt the quality of the figure.

8 - MP22 Ultra Magnus
A marvel of engineering without a doubt. Still, his lack of a waist swivel; his infamous butt flap that I feel could have easily been hidden away; and his overall 'stocky' proportions make him less than perfect to me.

7 - MP12 Sideswipe
A great figure with some unfortunate QC issues. His face sculpt is definitely not the best in the line. I also would have liked to have seen his forearms silver like Red Alert as that is both toon and toy accurate.

6 - MP25 Tracks
A tremendous figure with some unfortunate and unnecessary short fallings. His wings, while necessary for flight mode, are far too big in bot mode. His nearly transparent windshield fails to hide his very obvious head kibble in alt mode. Finally, a pin running straight through his side window is a bit unattractive.

5 - MP21 Bumblebee
While unquestionably a great figure, his orangish color is a bit odd and his face is a bit too nondiscript (muddy?). I also hate that they changed the shape of his horns to a more rounded look...

4 - MP20 Wheeljack
I absolutely love Wheeljack. My one and only gripe is his unpainted white plastic. That alone does give him less of a finished feel compared to the other carbots.

3 - MP10 Optimus Prime
An all around gorgeous figure with brilliant engineering. His only flaw being his legs in alt mode sticking out like a sore thumb.

2 - MP13 Soundwave
Amazing figure that, like Prowl, embodies everything 'right' about the MP line. The only reason he's not #1 is his alt mode is generic and he's not fully painted...not his fault of course, but thems the breaks.

1 - MP17 Prowl
Maybe not the sexiest choice for #1, but he just embodies absolute perfection in my mind and is the poster child for what I feel the MP line should be. Real-world fully painted alt mode, toon-accurate bot mode, toy-accurate detailing, phenomenal face sculpt. To me, it doesn't get any better than Prowl (and Bluestreak\Smokescreen of course)

 

Thank God that we're excluding third party releases, because there are so many masterpiece scaled third party releases out there now...that a best of list would be unmanageable for me.

So sticking to official releases, my best of list would be something along the lines of:

6 - MP Ultra Magnus
5 - MP Star Saber
4 - MP Wheeljack
3 - MP Lambor
2 - MP Soundwave
1 - MP Optimus Prime (MP10)

MP Bumblebee just barely missed making my best of list.

A special shout out goes to Takara's Masterpiece Great Exkizer. I love the two figures that make up that bad boy, even though they aren't technically Transformers.

And sadly, MP Ironhide didn't break into my top six. I like him a lot, but he isn't inner circle for me. I say "sadly" because he would have been an instant number two or three on my list had a few relatively minor design choices been made. Heck, he could have even supplanted the top spot. Oh, what could have been...

 

Some awesome lists with excellent commentary! Extra points to those who had fun with the TOTP (possibly UK centric) format. Really interested to see people top picks and why. Keep 'em coming!

 

Without including 3rd party.

10 Sideswipe.
The mix of toy and animation model is just right. Looks a lot like a 'guy in a suit' yet the 'too big' chest and leg details make it look like a car just stood up like the original toys.

9. Rodimus Prime.
Yeah, he's flawed in many ways, and I still don't like the backpack being visible from the front, but he does so much I love too and his Hot Rod face remains one of the best MP faces imo.

8.Wheeljack.
Great figure. My only worry is unpainted white and possible yellowing.

7. Bumblebee.
Still don't like the toon face or chest square but with the toy face on he is easily one of my fav figures.

6. Rumble/Frenzy.
So much personality in such a small figure. Great as new toys and one of the few that really reminded me of getting the originals back in 84.

5. Grimlock.
As a toy and comic fan I found him to be everything I wanted, except the permanently closed hand.
To this day I don't think single a single 3rd party Dinobot comes close to him.

4. MP11 Starscream.
Had this been Kobayashi's original this would have been top 3, but this comes close enough and makes up for all the angst the Kawamori version caused.

3. Prowl/Bluestreak
Love this figure so much. Both head sculpts are amazing, Prowl in particular, and the retooled and repainted box art accurate Streak may be my fav TF paintjob ever.

2. Soundwave.
This is the figure I wanted since childhood and if it wasn't for number one would, imo, be the absolute flagship toy of the line.

1. MP01 Optimus Prime.
The original and best. Sure, the alt mode is lacking some, but more than any other figure I look at this toy and see the Optimus I saw as a child.
It's the Transformers equivalent of when Morten Harket stepped out of the comic in the take on me vid.

 

This is my ongoing Top25 Masterpiece List with 3P MP's too.So here they are.Oh and as for ongoing I mean this list may change as more is added to my collection.

25.MP13 TRU Exclusive Soundwave he is basically alright as far as cartoon accuracy goes,but many times I have said I prefer the black repaint of Soundblaster,and hopefully one day in a few months I hope to get Soundblaster.
24.Combiner Wars Leader G1 Tank Megatron sure he may not be an official MP but he does a pretty good job as a stand-in,atleast until Takara does 2.0 Megs.
23.MP12 Lambor/Sideswipe even tho I don't have the official one I do have the knockoff just as a temp placeholder till I get extra money to get the real deal,the figure is alright for a knockoff but is severely lacking.
22.MP Rumble & Frenzy TRU Exclusives these may be part of a set but I consider them as their own individual figures and these are cute and fun to pick up,and there pile drivers are an added bonus.
21.MP Ravage from the TRU Soundwave set over the years many people have criticized Ravage for his spindly legs and so forth but I really have no problem with this figure,he slightly beats out Frenzy/Rumble due to their soft pastelle colors.
20.MP Laserbeak & Buzzsaw TRU set these are very show accurate but do have their issues,by far the best of the Cassetticons.
19.Generations Deluxe Warpath yeah I know fudging a little but he like CW Megs is just a placeholder till we get an official MP of him,pretty cool figure.
18.Platinum Edition YOTH Optimus Prime he is a nice figure but far from being perfect.
17.MP11 Acid Storm TRU Exclusive Acid Storm has one of the best paint color schemes of any MP but his joints and swivels are some of the worst flimsiness.
16.MP09 TRU Exclusive Rodimus this figure had so much potential as Rodimus himself but Takara and I guess Hasbro too basically tried to add his Hot Rod form into it and turned him into an MP with an Identity Crisis,as just Rodimus he is great but throw Hot Rod into him he is just a mess,that's why I'm glad Takara is fixing to release MP28 next week,so the confusion can stop.
15.Generations Leader Jetfire/Skyfire also a placeholder till we get a proper version from TakTom or some 3P.
14.MP17 Prowl have a knockoff of him too but only temporarily till they reissue him again,hopefully HLJ will get him again.
13.MP18 TRU Exclusive Bluestreak one of the best MP's but I really want his blue repaint from Takara,one day I will get that one too.
12.Generations Deluxe Arcee excellent likeness but just a tad too small to fit in with MP's,but hopefully Takara or some 3p can make one one day.
11.MP21G G2 Bumblebee this figure just blew me away after Takara released his first version,this has a great gold color scheme that envokes both his G1 Goldbug persona and other incarnations,plus his jetpack that came with this is far better than that Spike/Daniel in Exo-Suit.
10.Generations Windblade like Arcee I just wish Takara would make a proper MP of her in MP11 size.
9.MP0? Starscream Walmart Exclusive with all his problems Starscream still remains one of my faves.
8.MP25 Tracks as a kid I never really like Tracks or his Corvette alt mode,but after I got MP25 I was very surprised by his appearance,sure he has problems but what MP doesn't?.
7.MP20 Wheeljack & MP23 Exhaust as I've said before it is so hard to pick which I like best,they both have their strengths and drawbacks,but they equally Awe Me!!.
6.FansToys FT15 Willy or Hound by his proper name,technically I haven't got him yet but hopefully in the next month or two from BBTS,he just looks identical to G1 Hound why I like him so much.
5.MMC Ocular Max PS01 Sphinx or Mirage just looks like he stepped out of the tv,he does have some majorly loose joints and stuff but when he is in either his alt or robot mode he is pretty sturdy.
4.MP27 Ironhide no matter how many people badmouth him for me he is one of the best MP's I own for a combination of reasons,so I just say Let The Hater's Hate while I sit here and enjoy my Ironhide.
3. to 1.FansToys FT04 Scoria,FT05 Soar & MP08 Grimlock I am finishing off my list with these 3 because I have never considered the Dinobots as individuals I always thought of them as a set,even tho these were made by different companies I think they all compliment each other like they belong together,also after I get Sever and Stomp my Dinobot Collection will be complete which I am really looking forward to that,these figures are some of my Holiest of Grails,Long Live The Dinobots!!!

 

10 Grimlock
People say he’s too small, but I don’t care. He looks amazing, he’s easy to transform, he’s solid, and he comes with an apron, bowtie and tray of drinks. He gets into the top ten for that alone.

9 Tracks
Tracks seemed a bit more contentious than the other car bots, but despite his warts I really like him. Aside from just looking stunning he is fun to transform, sturdy, fun to pose. I think the worst thing He’s got going for him is coming after so many other great car bots that were so great might have dampened his appeal. Most of the car bots improved on the previous in some way, Tracks’ sin was just being ‘as good as’.

8 Wheeljack
All the same good stuff I said about Sideswipe applies here, and is refined. Wheeljack transforms like butter, poses like butter and rolls like butter.

7 Sideswipe
I loved Sideswipe as a kid and named a goldfish after him (and his bowl-mate was named Jazz). I wanted the toy so bad back then and never got it. The Binaltech version was a letdown, the Classics version was great but didn’t really tickle the “G1” spot hard enough. Then this thing came along and not only was it amazing looking, it was licensed and it opened the door for smaller Masterpiece toys which made us rejoice at the possibility of getting MPs beyond the big dudes. Crappy paint aside (although I will add the KO I got later had perfect paint, weirdly enough) it’s fun to transform, solid, poseable and just a really great representation of Sideswipe.

6 MP-01 Optimus
The OG. The proverbial Big Daddy. While the line has gone in a very different direction from this guy over the years and even offered a new, improved Optimus, I can never forget or discount the impact MP01 had on me and the community as a whole when he was revealed and when he made it into people’s hands. It was a whole new world of Transformers toy possibilities, and truly ushered the brand into the ‘high end’ category. Aside from the history, I still very much love this toy on its own merits. He’s a joy to transform, he’s impressively heavy and solid and well made, and even though the alt mode looks a bit weird it’s still really satisfying to roll around. I’ll never get rid of my MP01.

5 MP-28Hot Rod
Hot Rod was another favorite toy as a kid. I wanted MP09 to be as great as it looked, but sadly it only looked great and felt mostly terrible in hand. After that huge letdown I was ecstatic when MP28 was revealed. MP28 is everything MO9 wasn’t: Easy to handle, fun to transform, solidly built. Like Ironhide, once you get him in bot mode he’s just a great, super poseable action figure. After some time passes I think Hot Rod might actually make it into my top 3.

4 Ironhide
Still fairly new, but I give him high marks because I’ve never been a big Ironhide fan and this toy totally won me over with it’s excellent combination of sturdy design, fun transformation and action-figure-like bot mode and an alt mode that could pass for a little scale replica toy car.

3 Soundwave & Minions
Soundwave was my favorite toy as a kid so to get an updated version that looks like the cartoon and retains all of the play features of the orginal, not to mention adding some, was a dream come true. I’m counting all of the minions as part of him, all of them excellent.

2 MP-10 Optimus
He’s Optimus, he looks like he stepped off the screen, he’s durable, fun to pose and all of the accessories (trailer, roller, spike, etc.) and gimmicks are so well done and fun. Even my 4 year old girl loves playing with this one.

1 Star Saber
Been a Victory & Star Saber fan for over ten years and wanted a truly great updated toy for most of that time. This toy delivers on all counts. Aside from liking the show, it’s just a really fun toy with a lot of options, really durable and just stunning to look at.

 

Really good to hear he's good in hand. I'm a little worried about his top heavy, wearing a life jacket look from some of the photos. Still he still looks a lot less worrying than Ironhide did and most people did a u-turn on him once in hand.

 

He's surprisingly not top-heavy and is really well balanced. I think he'll be a lot like Ironhide where people like him better once he's in hand. It's that whole thing where you just see things differently in real life than you do while staring at a 2D photo.

 

10.Grimlock
Showing it's age when compared with the 3rd party Dinobots and the gimmicks aren't great but it's still a pretty good rendition of Grimlock.

9.Optimus Prime v2 (MP10)
Like all things Prime it gets a bit too much hype but it's definitely a very good figure. It's the only official MP I own that is anywhere near the build quality of the better 3rd party MP figures.

8.Smokescreen
I love the amount of retooling on this version of the mold. The only thing I'd change would be to remove the phony sponsor names.

7.Bumblebee
Took a while for me to get used to a realistic looking alt mode and I'm still not keen on the white used for the face sculpts but it's a fun figure.

6.Soundwave
Another very solid figure, but one that I feel is overshadowed by the work of genius that is one of his cassettes.

5.Sideswipe
Despite the paint issues and minor molding problem on the headsculpt it's still one of the nicest official figures I own. The alt mode is very iconic and made a hell of a statement for what was to follow.

4.Prowl
Has one of the best headsculpts on any Transformer and looks very striking in either mode.

3.Bluestreak
My favorite of the Nissans. That we also got the long requested blue version as a variant was the icing on the cake.

2.Wheeljack
A full paintjob would have probably given this number 1 spot. I was glad they didn't go cartoon accurate and actually paid out for the Alitalia branding as it makes the alt mode look much less bland.

1.Laserbeak
A G1 sized cassette with a much more accurate and better articulated bird mode and no partsforming on the weapons. Absolute genius.

 

OK I'm gonna take a whack at this. Keep in mind I don't have many and am only keeping it to the ones I have -------->

8. The other cassettes
I have the Rumble and Jaguar set, and they're pretty neat. Rumble in particular is very cool with his piledriver arms and such. A bit expensive for such little guys though.

7. Starscream
I have the MP-3 Walmart one that I have modified heavily, and say what you will about the original version of this mold, the plane is on point, and the US Walmart one has panel lining and painted details that you just don't see anymore. As weak as it is in relation to the MP line, it's still a very strong toy.

6. Wheeljack
This one took a real hit going from drawing to real-life toy, and its proportions suffered. Still, all-in-all, it's pretty fantastic, and that car - man I love that car and I love that they went real-life deco on that one. Also it's production is super-solid and transformation is really cool.

5. Sideswipe
Did not know that I needed a Sideswipe, but I do love that Countach, and there is no doubt that it is one sexy beast, in car and bot mode. I was blown away by how super-cool the robot is and how fun to pose it is. If better articulated it would place even higher.

4. MP-10 Optimus
Bit of a surprise to me. I already had the MP-1 which in many ways is a much better toy, but the MP-10 goes further away from the animation model and closer to the super-cool model, and just looks so great in whatever pose you put it in.

3. MP-1 Convoy
I'm talking about the original, die-cast out the wazoo, light-up, fun features powerhouse that blew all our heads off when we saw it. Still looks great, still super-heavy articulated, probably the best in the line, and still shows what is possible when you go all out.

2. Prowl
It's wicked cool, great alt mode, and better articulation scheme than most of the MPs. Poses like a dream. Love how the rockets can pop out from inside the chest. Everything about it is awesome, except that I had to buy 3rd party launchers for it that were not included.

1. Soundwave
It's the toy that was so cool, it made me start an obsession. The reason I got into Transformers, and the Masterpiece reboot was this guy. Looks amazing, very very articulated, still one of the best articulated bots in the line, comes with a pretty amazing Laserbeak too, but even without it this one would top the list.

That's it. That's all I have and all I want, but I am really really interested in what happens to these standings once Hot Rodimus and Laserwave hit!!
3P honorable mentions - MakeToys GunDog, MakeToys Hellfire, DX9 Tyrant, Cloud9 Quakeblast