Ratchet joints in places where they will do more harm than good for poseability. When figures are too heavy for their feet due to having too much die cast in their construction ( I'm looking at all figures that have too much die cast in their construction).
Transformations that don't work. Like the recent TR Blitzwing/Megatron mold. The arms don't stay put in jet mode and other things. Unforgiveable - it's a $25 luxury expense for a toy - it's absolutely gotta work or I'm returning it and returning it and returning it again. I don't know why they don't just decide to ensure their toys aren't junk.
Hollow limbs. WTF, Titans power master prime's Hollow arms for example. Would love to buy a new PM Prime, but it looks so half assed I can't bring my self to support/ display it.
Also, Transformer designs that don't look like they transform. I'm looking at the designs from AOE and TLK. Robot designs need to include obvious parts of a Cybertronian's vehicle mode like wheels, windows, windshields, doors, cockpits, wings, and other parts that make it easy to tell that they transform.
Adding more to the list, starting at 4... 1. Extremely tough transformation joint 2. Painting instead of casting 3. How crotches look like faces 4, using clear plastic in important places like moonracer/novastar/Jazz/grimlock's torso 5, the lack of autobot tanks.
Loose joints. The reason why I prefer Studio Series Bumblebee to TLK Bumblebee is the latter's bafflingly loose ankle joints. Fortunately, I don't see it on a lot of figures. Faux parts, specifically when the real part would have worked just fine. Cyberverse Warrior Bumblebee is ruined by fake shoulders and calves. No idea why they didn't just copy Generations Thrilling 30 Deluxe IDW Bumblebee's transformation scheme. Gimmicks that hinder a figure. The Cyberverse Warrior Class figures are an example here as well. Unmovable arms for Prime and Bumblebee for some built in action gimmick that the toy would have done fine without. Titans Return Galvatron is another example. Its head articulation is hindered by its reliance on a spring-loaded helmet, which doesn't look all that convincing.
Gimmick over design functionality. Don't get me wrong LOVEEEEE me a good gimmick. But and this is just such a perfect example Beast Machines Blastcharge. Killer vehicle mode...and Bot mode would also be great...EXCEPT the huge cannon CONSTANTLY sticking out of his chest. Its a bit better if you don't have missiles loaded but at the same time that defeats the gimmick to begin with. So if your gonna do that...why bother with the gimmick to begin with and simply make it fold down to his chest like it LOGICALLY should? And then there is his legs. Massively unbalanced at the hips he has to arc his upper torso back to stand upright, providing a sort of perverted chest crotch thrust look for his....uhhh...cannon. AND on top of that his wheel legs...which spin about endlessly causing footing to always seem...wrong.
1.too much hollowness 2. Lack of paint 3.loose joints 4. I know this might be an odd one and I know some people might say what the heck is he thinking but stickers I know hasbro is trying to be all in the nostalgia with stickers I guess everything like that but come on its 2018 we don't need that many stickers on our transformers
Not necessarily a design pet peeve, but I would rather they give us more paint apps than the comics/cards.
Unsecure torso, prime example Steelbane. In addition to being floppy garbage the torso was flimsy and wouldn't hold together.
Im quite forgiving on certain things like faux parts....since I understand these toys have limits....but outward facing wheel pegs....especially if its discolored or in the case of a certain fembot two different colors I also hate light piping....its cool until you put the figure on your shelf then its dead eyes and pretty lame.
Lack of ratchets where they could've been beneficial: TR Sixshot POTP Rodimi in combined mode Hindered knee range on TLK voyager Optimus. Lack of hinged wrists on sword-wielders(TR laser Prime, TLK voyager Prime, AOE/TLK leader Primes).
This is overly specific, but I don't like it when some modern Optimus figures that invoke the G1 design can't transform without relying on a torso rotation to position the upper and lower bodies forward- Classics, MP V1 and 2, Combiner Wars. It seems like an extra step they could've avoided with a different design.
