The year is wrappin up and a lotta wallets are gasping. Im happy to say I dont THINK there's anything else coming out in 2012 that I need, and it seems like we've seen most of the planned releases. But what a great year to be an old skool TF fan, no?
Of course it was. We've watched the third party scene explode over the past 18 or so months so, to the point where a lot of us have to make decisions on what version of whatever to buy. We wouldnt have imagined that scenario prior to Hercules.
For those of us who were always about the cartoon but sooooo disappointed the original toys, its a dream come true. So what was the best (or your favorite) third party item of 2012? If we can make a list of what came out here this year, i'll create a poll in a day or two to take the official vote.
or do we feel like there's still a lot to be released? Definitely not much thats not a repaint...

And with that, let the first annual "Thirdies" begin!

 

That Maketoys' Giant is a 2012 release seems unfair.

For once, I don't think FansProject is in the running this year. Steel Core and Assaulter are good and solid figures, but they lack the innovation of some of their previous works, and this year, the competition is far more stiff, with Giant, and MMC's Hearts of Steel Seekers also in the ring.

They'll be running the show next year, though, when their Menasor comes out in full, and the other guys will have to have an amazing showing to keep up (although MMC still has Hexatron in their pocket).

 

Giant, easily.

 

Gonna have to go with Giant too.

 

Giant. 3 post combo.

 

Well, there are some months left, so I wouldn't start voting yet... also you have to go over the whole list of 3rd party toys of 2012. Here is what I could compile...

Art Feather Bumblebee

Beezleboss Growing Pains Custom Kit
Beezleboss Heroic Duo

BTS Nightfang and Savage
BTS SunByte and Solar Flare.
BTS Tremor and Frequencey
BTS Tremor and Frequency Workaholics Yin and Yang

CHMS Botcon G2 Redux Breakdown with missile launcher
CHMS G1 Breakdown with missile launcher

Crazy Devy CDMW-28 Hercules Power Parts - Resculpted LED Head with Visor
Crazy Devy CDMW-29 Purple Hercules Mixing Barrel
Crazy Devy CDMW-32 - Auto Brigade Power Parts - Chest & Waist Shield
Crazy Devy CDMW-33 - Sea Brigade Power Parts - Resculpted Waist

Dr. Wu DW-P01SG Face Off (Shattered Glass)
Dr. Wu DW-P04A Invulnerable (City Commander face)
Dr. Wu DW-P05 Eyesight black (red Hercules lights)
Dr. Wu DW-P05 Eyesight green (blue Hercules lights)
Dr. Wu DW-P06 Partners (Spike and Sparkplug)
Dr. Wu DW-TP01 Blade (Prime Wheeljack) Upgrade Kit
Dr. Wu DW-TP02 Martyr (Prime Zombie Cliffjumper)
Dr. Wu DW-TP03 Max Power (Prime Optimus blaster)
Dr. Wu DW-TP06 Sage (Prime Optimus head)
Dr. Wu Dark Energy
Dr. Wu Destroyer Sword (Prime Optimus sword)
Dr. Wu Metroplex Eye
Dr. Wu Prime Matrix Sword Blue gem
Dr. Wu Prime Matrix Sword Gold sword
Dr. Wu Prime Matrix Sword Purple gem
Dr. Wu Prime Matrix Sword Yellow gem

Dream Maker WFC-01 Optimus Prime weapons
Dream Maker WFC-02 Megatron weapons

Fans Want It FWI-2 Battle Cannons and Arm Blades

Excellent Toys Hercules head

FansProject Assaulter
FansProject Steel Core

FansProject KO Protector

Headrobots Blood DX
Headrobots Centurion
Headrobots Courageous
Headrobots Garrison

Heerotoysmaker Botcon Optimus Prime
Heerotoysmaker Clampdown
Heerotoysmaker Deep Cover
Heerotoysmaker G1 Breakdown
Heerotoysmaker G2 Breakdown
Heerotoysmaker Red Alert
Heerotoysmaker Soundblaster
Heetotoysmaker Soundwave (clear white)
Heerotoysmaker Soundwave (clear orange)
Heerotoyemaker Soundwave (prototype colors)
Heerotoysmaker Soundwave (red clear)
Heerotoysmaker Soundwave (white)
Heerotoysmaker Tigertrack

iGear Black Rager
iGear Destroyer
iGear Hench
iGear Medical Specialist
iGear Shafter
iGear Traitor
iGear UFO
iGear W-01 Upgrade Kit (Kup and Perceptor)
iGear Weapon Specialist

Impossible Toys Alicon
Impossible Toys Alpha Traon
Impossible Toys Arbilus
Impossible Toys Kranax

Junkion Blacksmith Power of Destruction

Justitoys Solo Assault Group (Sixshot)
Justitoys Ultimate Fire

Maiden Japan Just Planet Warrior Accessories

Maketoys Bulldozer & Excavator
Maketoys Crane & Dumptruck
Maketoys Giant Type-61
Maketoys Hover & Bomber
Maketoys Mixer & Wheel Loader

Maketoys KO Blue Battle Tanker
Maketoys KO Purple Battle Tanker

Mastermind Creations Awakening
Mastermind Creations Cyclops
Mastermind Creations Screecher

MGS-01P sword
MGS-03 Hound and Ravage upgrade
MGS-03 Turbomaster and SG Ravage upgrade
MGS-04 Cliffjumper and Bumblebee upgrade

not-Fansproject Black Commander weapons
not-Fansproject Crystal DIA Commander
not-Fansproject Shattered Commander

Perfect Effect RC (pink)
Perfect Effect RC Battle (blue)
Perfect Effect Shadow Bat

Renderform Gold Scout

SXS - WFC Weapon Upgrade Kit - Black
SXS - WFC Weapon Upgrade Kit - Red Color

TFClub Iron Army set 1
TFClub Iron Army set 2
TFClub Madblender
TFClub Neckbreaker
TFClub Photron
TFClub Rage of the Hercules
TFClub Shadow vs. Thunder
TFClub Shattered Glass Optiaim and Flamer
TFClub Ultra vs. Warp

Toyworld Grind Rod
Toyworld Hegemon

Unknown Factory Originals Hands and Smokestacks for movie Optimus
Unknown Factory Originals Hook Pair (painted)
Unknown Factory Originals Hook Pair (clear)
Unknown Factory Originals Shield (grey)
Unknown Factory Originals Shield (silver)
Unknown Factory Originals Shotgun
Unknown Factory Originals War Axe (grey)
Unknown Factory Originals War Axe (clear)

X-Transbots Destroyer

 

1) TFC Hercules and

2) Steel Core

3) I-Gear Medical and Weapon Specialist

 

Single figure all around awesomeness: MMC SEEKERS

COMBINER/SET:GIANT

Best inovation: CYCLOPS

 

There should be a second category for add-ons.

 

this is my short list...

FansProject Assaulter
FansProject Steel Core

iGear Hench
iGear Medical Specialist
iGear UFO
iGear Weapon Specialist

Maketoys Giant Type-61

Perfect Effect RC (pink)

TFC Hercules with RAGE

Toyworld Grind Rod
Toyworld Hegemon

 

Giant, easily. MMC's seeker gets an honorable mention, in particular for the sheer quantity of non-intrusive gimmicks.

 

Probably Giant. The "new" hasn't worn off Assaulter and Hench for me to effectively rank them tho.

Best combiner: Giant
Best accessory/upgrade: Igear's Kup head with cygar
Best standalone figure: of the figures I own, Hench but the MMC seekers look awesome

 

MMC Knight Morpher Airborne Squadron Awakening
FP Warbot 02 - Steelcore
MT Giant

honourable mentions - Blood kits, Cyclops and Assaulter

however - the SG battle tanker kits, the deluxe insecticons and mobine sets are still in play. this may go down to the wire.

 

I think we might need to break this down into categories. I mean, comparing something like Giant to a Cassetteformer isn't fair.

Possibly break it down by size class for figures, with another category for accessory kits.

Even then, the Deluxe and Voyager scales are teeming with awesomeness.

 

PP05 Weapons & Medical Specialists.

The first decent G1 Ironhide & Ratchet toys ever....a damn fine achievement.

 

Giant

 

Gotta be the Specialists for me. Waited almost twenty years for these two toys, and they don't disappoint.

 

Giant... with Weapons Specialist coming in a distant second.

 

Hegemon

 

Giant by far.

While I don't think they're "toy of the year" material, I'm definitely looking forward to the Deluxe Insecticon homage set (Barrage, Chop Shop, Ransack) from Fansproject