Wow. Just wow. And not in a good way. I almost feel taken in by Hasbro. Insta-disappointment? Close.

Siege Sideswipe was a master class in quality and premium feel while this figure is basically the complete opposite. Premium paint and tight joints versus no paint, loose joints and QC tabbing issues.

Seriously, unless you need this alt mode (and apparently I do, ugh) stick with Siege. It’s by leagues the better figure. I just wasn’t prepared for the chintzy cheap feel of this figure.

 

I was lucky enough to score a set from the restock at Hasbro Pulse this morning.

now for the wait.  

I hope somebody can make some red faux doors for the sides of Sideswipe and red alerts arms. they have peg holes and everything. Hasbro's way of trolling us maybe?
 

He just seems so incomplete without them if I'm being honest.  

 

I got my set in today. Sideswipe is okay, but I do agree with some of the critiques about the windshield. The smoky color of Red Alert's windshield hides the silver insides far better than the bright translucent blue on Sideswipe. And past that, my copy's torso just doesn't tab in at all. It stays in place through friction, but it's a bit annoying when my Red Alert's torso actually plugs in. And, yeah, the lack of painted detail on the back of the vehicle mode leaves him screaming for a spoiler to make something stand out back there. But overall, he's a good figure. Definitely pick up the Nonnef missile launcher & gun if you haven't already, it improves the silhouette so much.

EDIT: Actually, a look at my figure shows off some flexing on the friction hinges for the feet. I don't know what happened on my copy, but the outer hinges flex quite a lot when flipping the feet up or down. May want to keep an eye on that part, it's really flexible for me.

 

Just got mine yesterday. It’s a great figure, it’s just that the Siege stole its thunder. I’m glad the little peg was removed from the missile. Like others have stated above, it needs a spoiler. They should’ve also given him Sunstreaker’s wheels. I am baffled as to why, if Hasbro planned this all along, did they leave that tiny side window on Sunstreaker if it wasn’t included on Sideswipe? Sideswipe is also missing the black trapezoid on the roof.
I’m glad Hasbro includes both weapons. The game they played with Siege was ridiculous.

 

I tried swapping wheels with Sunny, they are a different size and therefore not a simple swap.

I agree though, Sunny's wheels would've looked GREAT!

 

I like the new alt mode, I really do, but if I want this new alt mode, I'd rather hunt for Red Alert.

This version of SS looks unfinished as far at the trim is concerned. The rear half of the car is unpainted plastic and it clashed hard with the painted front half. Plus its missing the extra painted details that Red Alert has with the louvers and vents being painted black.

If I only need him for the alt mode, then its a pass.

 

Did you mean the roof, the window trim, and the door hinge? There is no red paint anywhere else in vehicle mode that would create any sort of clash. My copy has an extremely close colour match that's only slightly noticeable because it's flat. Paint on top of blue plastic (or any other colour that isn't completely neutral) is always going to be a heavy case of YMMV because if the paint is too thin, the plastic is going to tint it. That wouldn't be an issue if they would lay down a proper base-coat/primer colour matched for the chosen paint colour but, that's never going to happen on mass release general retail price points. Granted, exclusives like Netflix/Selects have paint on nearly all if not all of the vehicle mode panels but, those are far smaller production runs which are done after the mass release general retail version has recouped the costs of the mold. The cost will go up and the QC issues will increase if you want the entire vehicle painted and then you get to worry about chipping/scratches/flaking/etc..

If the clash was in regard to the front black bumper (which should have been a far smaller app and only on that very thin strip that protrudes) there is literally nothing to paint at the rear to match that (other than where the exhaust would exit and the unpainted section of the feet/knees are meant to convey that area since it doesn't exist) nor nothing that should be painted.



They could have painted the "spatula" area around the taillights but, Sideswipe's were colour matched to the body (this is also why the louvers/vents weren't painted) and the "spatula" inset doesn't exist on the this toy nor do the taillights.

G1 Sideswipe had those matched to the body colour as did Sunstreaker and so did their Sunbow models (wthough I am curious what Sunstreaker would look like with the section under the engine intake being black like the toy/Sunbow). No, Red Alert shouldn't have had black louvers/vents either but (given that the criteria was clearly G1 Sunbow for anything involving G1) but, Red Alert also didn't have red forearms/thighs nor black inside the shoulders. Is highly probable that they went for the Marvel/Dreamwave layout and then added black louvers/vents to better match Inferno's black accents in vehicle mode (but it could have just as easily been this looks too much like Cordon).

 

My apologies, trim was the incorrect word. I mean the actual body of the car. Maybe its the OP's pics but you can clearly see the rear half of the car is just red plastic, while the front half is painted red.

Like I said, could be the posts pics, but its clear to me that this new mold got way more attention to detail with Red Alert instead of Sideswipe. Its a shame too, because Sideswipe is one of my favorite Autobots, especially with a red Countach alt mode.

 

Yeah, it's missing flat black paint on the air vents, rear window, side vents, compared to Red Alert. I plan on painting mine.

 

Wow, that's one sexy ass!

 

It's a lighting artifact in the pictures. The vehicle mode body panels can play with light in an aggressive way due to their shape (e.g. the shoulders are flat and the hood isn't) so there are angles where the red plastic can look like a different shade. The section that flips/folds down to form the robot chest is unpainted plastic and, so are the doors.

The colour match of the areas with red paint (the roof, window trim, and that small hinge section on the door) to the red plastic will depend on variables and tolerances (e.g. how thick was the paint applied) related to it's production (as well as the batch code of the plastic and the batch code of the paint) combined with the specific viewing environment you will see it in.

 

The only part of the alt mode that is paint is the roof panel because of the clear plastic, the headlights and the bumper. So just a couple small details upfront and a sea of unpainted red plastic.

I suppose this gets to a G1 toy vs room argument. If you’re after toy this falls way way short and looks super plain. If you’re after toon this works better. Though it is still short a few apps that would have made it virtually perfect. (Just look a couple posts up).

Me? I think it looks cheap and needs the apps the Red got. And so does Sunstreaker. But I also vastly prefer the Hasui aesthetic of blending the best of toy and toon.

 

Got mine yesterday and qc issue right out of the box:


Those bits came off as soon as I opened the black shin panels. And not like I was rough or clueless with things either (already own Kingdom Red Alert and the Siege SS)


See some residue on the panel’s inside which leads me believe problem was from the get go (stuck?).

The upside is this doesn’t affect transformation in any way, plus it’s hidden. But just knowing those are broken will irk me to no end.

Watch out folks!

 

Mine was also like that. Luckily, (like you pointed out) it doesn’t affect the transformation. It is annoying, though.

 

I got this 2 pack from Hasbro Pulse today.

They are both amazing, but the stand out to me honestly is Sideswipe.

A great figure. I'm sorry everybody else is having issues with their Sideswipes but I have no issues with mine.

 

Maybe the inevitable proper 3rd party options should be a spoiler in vehicle mode, that splits in two and pegs in to the arms in bot mode? Not quite doors, but it would be close enough for me.

 

Does anyone have some comparisons between the Go Better and ZX spoiler upgrades for this guy? I really want to give him a proper spoiler, but I'm having trouble choosing one over the other

 

Well this might be what you were necessarily asking for, but here is the JRC one that I have on mine. I love it.







It simply swivels up onto the backs of the legs in bot mode. It's well done and simplistic.

 

I've read a couple of people mention it in this thread, but I've been through 2 copies, and the chest doesn't tab in at all on either. Does anyone have a copy where the chest tabs in securely?

 

Not that it dampens my enjoyment of the mold, though I would easily say none of the iterations I have tab down completely.