Sometimes a Transformer either has a robot mode that makes your eyes bleed, or an alt-mode that's just too beautiful or adorable. Either way, what are some of your favorite figures that you prefer to keep in alt-mode? Some of mine are: The Twins as a pink, rusty, beat-up ice cream truck for obvious reasons. ROTF Wheelie, because he's a Transformer toy of a Transformer who transforms into a toy. Also, his big chunky tires are adorable. TFA Blitzwing in his tank mode, because it's super deformed and cute as a button.
Most Dinosaur TF's stay in Dino mode in our house. A lot of legends class figures do too. Just cause they tend to fit on shelves better in alt mode. -G
Most G1 figures, honestly. The alt. modes generally looked really neat, but the robots were mostly un-articulated bricks.
Tigatron, since he spent most of his time in beast mode on the show, and I already have Cheetor in robot mode.
✩ Robot Masters Starscream. The alt-mode is a gorgeous dinky little plane, but the robot mode is a little...lack-lustre. The head and arms are too small, and the colour scheme makes him look a little...childish? ^^ Oh god yes, and Blazemaster. Awesome alt-mode, but robot-mode is...is...*cries* On the flip-side of the coin: ✩ ROTF Legends Ratchet. Very good robot mode, but the alt-mode sucks because his arms stop him from rolling along the ground. ✩ TFA Swoop. Awesome robot mode, but the alt-mode is a little...well, you can see through the transformation. Especially with the face.
My first "prefer the altmode" toy was G1 Whirl. He's such a skinny cyclops with an awesome helicopter mode, so that's what he remains most of the time. I've been finding that to be the case with a lot of the ROTF scout toys too - not because the robot modes are particularly bad, but the nifty unusual alt modes are so nifty and unusual, especially Divebomb, Skystalker, and Deadlift. (What's the good of being a Go-Bot/Machine Robo homage if robot mode covers up the MR number? )
I keep most TF'07 / RotF deluxe Autobots in vehicle mode, just because the robot modes are cluttered messes. I have some TFA deluxes in vehicle mode because I got bored with the robot modes, too.
The original TF1 Deluxe Bumblebee ('76 Camero). The Camero mode is nifty, but the robot mode is fugly. (Especially when compaired to the highly accurate movie Bees that have come out since then.) That, combined with the very real possibility of breaking him every time I transform him is, in my mind, reason enough to keep him locked in vehicle mode.
Though mine is in robot mode right now, I much prefer the vehicle mode of the masterpiece seekers to their bot modes.
Frostbite from the first Universe line, he's better proportioned and looks more fierce in beast mode. Cybertron Override... the bot mode is bad and I only bought it cos 'she' was a Convoy character in Japan. So it stays in vehicle mode, which is slightly less bad Cryotek usually gets to alternate between bot and dragon mode, cos they're equally awesome Universe Overkill, cos I have both him and Grimlock, and one of them has to show off the dino mode ROTF Lockdown gets transformed as often as Cryotek for the same reason I've bot Botcon Cindersaur in dino mode... his bot mode colors are more ridiculous, but the dino mode just fits the intent better
-Generations Bumblebee -HA Bumblebee, Skids, Mudflap, and Sideswipe -Alternators Prime -Armada Hot Shot There are more, these are the main ones that stand out to me.
RotF Blazemaster would have to be at the top of the list in this context. I think the funniest thing about that toy is the way that they devote such an enormous amount of effort and jointing to the tail section, which only winds up as a goofy-looking backpack that doesn't even hold together at all. Couldn't they have used some of that wasted mass to, I don't know, maybe improve his shitty LEGS? RotF Rampage is pretty high up there but his robot mode actually looks somewhat decent even though the articulation is nonexistent. His altmode has to lose some points, though, for the fact that he has rubber treads that DON'T do the only thing rubber treads SHOULD. Some of the earliest attempts at creating realistic TF altmodes also fall into this category. RiD Sideburn and X-Brawn are good examples. I admit I actually like X-Brawn's robot mode, but that has everything to do with how absurd it is. And it's all topped off by his deadly weapon, a......pizza cutter. There are a couple of Alternators I would include, like Skids, Prowl, and Optimus. The proportions are horrific on all three. And the HA line has Sideswipe, The Backpack That Hungers. Aren't TFs great, though? If one mode is utter fail then you've got another one to maybe save the day.
None of my figures are like that. I've been lucky enough to not buy a transformer whose saving grace is their altmode. Oh...Wait... Never mind. The piece of crap that is Universe Galvatron just popped into my thoughts, taunting me...