Just like the title sounds. I'm new to collecting, and I am finding the Deluxe class TR figures to have some really fun and inventive things going on: Mind Wipe's wings becoming his bot legs, or Hard Head's transformation in general.

On a smaller size class, I'm still impressed with Wheelie's transformation, especially for a legends scale toy. Even if he was a Deluxe sized toy, I think I might be more impressed with him than most of the other figures I've purchased so far (which, to be honest, is only a few )

Conversely, I thought Highbrow was a little on the simple side - though I did like the way his legs collapsed when going into his Helicopter mode.

I'm coming to realize that a lot of what I'm experiencing for the first time has been going on for a while in terms of transformation engineering, but it's still all new - and fun -for me.

Conversely, having watched some transformation videos for more complex toys - usually 3rd party - there have been times when I lost the excitement I had for a figure because I realized I would dread switching back and forth between modes (not trying to pick on 3P here, just the examples I had in mind)

With all that in mind, what makes a TF toy fun or a chore for you to transform? Thanks!

 

Animated Lockdown is a great one. How a deluxed sized altmode expands out to a Voyager sized robot always impresses me. The transformation is a lot of fun too.

Prime Vehicon is another one like that, doesn't get the height that Lockdown gets but the transformation for a car-former is quite unique with how the legs are formed.

 

DOTM Leader Class Sentinel Prime. From boxy fire truck to angled and curvy robot with a ridiculous amount of detail.

One of my absolute favorites.

 

I'm kinda odd but the more complex the better imo. With that said.......ROTF Optimus Prime!

Others that most wouldn't view as complicated as Prime but are fun imo.

Leader Brawl
FE Bulkhead
RID Vehicon
RTS Jazz
MP Prowl

 

MP Magnus & Shockwave. Spent hours I think with Magnus, just transforming him back and again.
TR Blurr mold too.

DX9 carry comes to mind. Love the way everything moves.

 

Prime RID deluxe Vehicon is still a marvel in toy engineering.

 

For me, a transformation can be a chore if it is too finicky or too complex. Complexity for complexity's sake should never be the goal of a transformation. For example, Binaltech Wheeljack / Grimlock is a great looking toy, but I hate transforming him due to his overly complex and counter-intuitive transformation. A transformation scheme should serve the purpose of going between one mode to another, preferably as efficiently as possible without giving way to a lack of accuracy or detail in either mode.
Also, I don't enjoy transformations f the mode a transformation leads to (be it alt mode or robot mode) isn't worth it. For example, the figures for TF: Revenge of the Fallen were extremely complex, but due to me disliking the TF live action movie robots, I wasn't very fulfilled by transforming those figures.

I can appreciate an involved transformation when it serves that purpose AND makes both modes look good: for example, I love messing around with WfC Optimus Prime, and I still sometimes get confused going from one mode to the other.

I think it was Maz that coined the term 'Masterpiece moments' for the superb part of a transformation which makes either or both modes just so much better by way of a surprising and interesting twist or fold. MP-21 Bumblebee with his disappearing crotch plate, MP-20 Wheeljack's disappearing huge rear wheels, MP-33 Inferno's disappearing ladder, the way MP-22 Ultra Magnus's cab implodes and almost completely fold away into nothing...

 

The HFTD Highbrow/Gen Powerdive mold might have my favourite transformation ever. Goes from an unusually shaped WWII fighter to a clean and distinctive robot mode via a fun and engaging transformation. The way the robot uses the vehicle mode parts (landing gear as flight harness, wing tips as ammo pouches, gatling guns as revolvers) is just the icing on the cake.

HFTD Starscream, DOTM Wheeljack, Sidearm Sideswipe and both the Concept Camaro and Battle Blade Bumblebees also come to mind for how accurate they are considering their clean transformation.

 

The classic seeker mold is lots of fun because its simple and invokes how the transformed in the cartoon.
I love to transform my CW Silverbolt and Cyclonus and UW Scattershot, they are really fun.
Deluxe beast hunters Windrazor.
Tr Galvatron and scourge and chromedome.
The CW jets, Rook.
Classics OP
Tr and t30 brainstorm
...
I generally hate it when there's a lot of large pieces folding open from the figure in altmode that have to be rearanged and then refolded onto the main figure like with universe sideswipe for example.
Or when pieces are connected to a thin hinge and have to be moved into another place on the main body like with universe cyclonus.
I always want the transformation to be something that wouldnt "expose" the TF in a battle situation.

 

^ This.

One of the smartest designs to ever come to the TF world. Whoever was responsible was on their A-game with this one.

 

Vehicon is easily one of the greatest transformers figures released.

A lot of the dotm/rotf non movie figures are great at hiding the bot. Breacher was fun as hell. Amazing engineering and sculpt on a legends scale. Mind wipe and the minibot for him were badass. Hoist is one of the coolest looking ones in the line.

TR Alpha Trion is fun. Really nice triple changer and the purple is sexy and a nice shade.

Oh yeah, motherfucking RTS Lugnut is badass.

Also everything from the WFC/FOC line except grimlock.

 

I know it's been said a few times already, but the Prime RID Vehicon is a bunch of fun. Personally, I also like Evasion Mode OP.

 

I might look into getting one down the road simply becuase of all the postitve things people have said about it in this thread.

 

Generations Warpath, MP Ultra Magnus, MP Sideswipe/Tigertracks/Red Alert, DX9 Carry, MMC Impactor/Turmoil, TR Brainstorm/Blurr, Generations Drift/Blurr, MP Hot Rod and MP Ironhide/Ratchet have really enjoyable transformations.

The rest range from fun to just alright.

I loathe transforming MP Tracks, XTransbots, Classics Galvatron

 

HFTD Terradive breaks the mold for regular, bland jetformers and is super interesting.

Hotspot and Silverbolt's transformations to combined mode are quite cool.

TR Weirdwolf's leg transformation is neat, and TR Astrotrain/Sentinel Prime has a simple but highly effective transformation.

 

I'll echo the praise for Evasion mode Prime, MP Magnus, MP Ironhide, and Prime RID Vehicon (they're all f**king amazing).

I'm also a big fan of CW Prowl. A quick but well thought out transformation that allows for two great looking modes (as well as bonus combiner compatability).

 

Titans Return Blurr/Brainstorm

Thrilling 30 Skids/Crosscut/Rollbar

Thrilling 30 Swerve/Gears

Combiner Wars Dead End/Brake-Neck/Streetwise/Prowl/Smokescreen/Bluestreak

Generations Warpath/Treadshot/Strika

All Transformers I have a blast transforming.

 

It's the leg collapsing move that everyone loves. Never been done before and it hides all kibble into one of the cleanest, slickest bot modes ever. The super articulated elbows are a nice touch as well.

 

Thank you! That leg transformation is amazing!

 

Like other have said the PRID vehicon mold was pretty good. Personally I always loved PRID/Arms Micron Swerve and Breakdown. Theres a lot of space really compacted in there in a simple transformation that really evokes the Mass Shifting depicted in the show.