Hooray! Skids' brother got here today!



As we know, his vehicle mode is the Chevy Trax concept:







His license plate even says "TRAX" on it.



Here's some comparison shots with his twin and Deluxe Bumblebee from the first movie:







One of the things that's really neat is that while there are enough differences to keep it interesting, the twins have VERY similar transformations. You can see how everything folds up the same way underneath:



One last thing about vehicle mode. That "missile launcher" everyone has been pointing out on his back as possibly being used for a combined mode? It's not. It's just a molded slot to store the missile in vehicle mode. There's no gimmick or attachment to it. Just a plastic slot.



Also, unless Hasbro intends to release a separate instruction sheet revealing some secret, the twins, and least in these forms, do NOT combine. There's no mention of any such feature on either of their manuals.

Transformation, as I mentioned earlier, is about the same as Skids, with the exception that the doors end up on his shoulders and are going to REALLY piss you off with how often they pop off. The back kibble, as you'll see in the video gave me some trouble as well, but then I figured out how to get it to collapse the same way it does on Skids, and that completely fixed the stability/locking problem I complain about in the video. So if you watch the video, remember that the only complaint that I didn't find a fix for is those damned doors.

Anyway, robot mode is pretty cool. The doors are on ball joints (if they're not on the floor), and can be posed however you like, I like to fold them down a bit over his backpack.









Poseability is pretty good, about the same as Skids. Instead of a punching gimmick on his giant forearm, he has a missile launcher. It's pretty neat. If you fold his fist down, the dark panels separate and the missile launcher pops up. Push the missile launcher back down and his hand folds back out and the panels close. As on Skids, the thumb is on a hinge joint and can be moved separately from the rest of the fist/forearm. He also has the same "push on chest" feature that Skids does, that moves some armor panels and makes his head bob as if he was talking or chuckling. Nice to see that common to both of them.

Here's a couple of shots with Skids and Bumblebee in robot mode this time.





Overall, a good addition to your collection. Once I got the backpack/stability issue solved, my only real complaint is the aforementioned doors. Even the face is growing on me. I still say the headsculpts could have been a little better, but I've calmed significantly since they were first revealed, moreso after the last trailer and the showest footage. I'm willing to give them a chance in the flick until I see it, and I'm definitely happy to have them on my shelf. Nice, innovative little deluxes.

Video review available here:

Wonder twin powers, ACTIVATE!

 

That is a funky robot. I look forward to him and Skids.

 

Great review. The more I look at these the more I like them, although the bot face looks like just got punched and stepped on by the Cons.

 

Love it.

 

man thats a big backpack, its like the untransformed back half of the car, im surprised that doesnt fold down a little more.

 

Love it. Cant wait to get him along with Skids. They shall stand on my desk performing an epic brofist.

 

Hideous. Pass. LOL. Alt mode looks ok though.

 

It does. He's still got a giant backpack, but it folds up a little more than even my pics show.

 

Looks great. God I'm going so broke this summer.

 

What about a chestbump?  

 

 
Oh god. Even better.
Mudflap and Skids confirmed for vast amounts of win.

True bros.
All they need is some little red cups of beer and they're ready to party.

 

epic drool, love them!

 

Looks pretty good, but I think he looks a bit hollow in the chest and shoulders. I like the way skids' torso is more filled out, as opposed to mudflap's parts floating a bit more.

 

Better a sigil on the crotch than a rub sign.

 

Awesome review, awesome figure. Cant wait to pick up the Twins  

 

cool toys but they both look like they were beaten about the head with an ugly forest

 

Skids looks cooler, I think, but both have neat vehicle and robot mode. With the exception of Mudflap's head. I don't think I'll ever like Mudflap's head. IMO, it's the worst one in TF history, moreso than G1 Ironhide/Ratchet's sticker face.

 

I do love this picture