Out of the 3 Cybertron figs I've gotten so far, Hot Shot falls squarely in the middle.

Alt mode is a sports car, and it's kind of generic looking. I thought light blue was an odd choice for color, and in person it still is; I could easily picture this car looking ten times better with different colors and a coat of polish. But this ain't Alternators, and for what it is, it's solid.

The car features visible seating. You can sort of open the doors, but not really (due to the requirements of the transformation). The weapon mounts in a hole on the roof, and the Cyber Planet Key goes right below it, triggering yellow wings on each side.

The weapon is large, transparent yellow plastic. It looks both generic and kind of garish. Honestly, I think the car mode looks best without the mounted weapon or the wings out ... which could be a problem, since (AGAIN) there's nowhere else to store the Planet Key. Plus, lose the Key, and you lose the ability to pop the wings (though you might get lucky and have them pop out by themselves ...)

So yeah. I hate, hate, HATE the Cyber Planet Key gimmick. Out of all the Cybertron/GF figures I've bought, the Keys have ZERO reason to exist with any of them. They're a poor, easily lost substitute for simple push buttons, and I'll be glad when they're gone (hopefully) after this line.

(end rant)

Transformation to robot mode is real simple. Pull the doors out with the front wheels, rotating 90 degrees. Pop the visor (notice that the cockpit goes with it). Split the hood into shoulders and spin the head around. Pull legs straight out. Pivot forearms up; rotate the cockpit/rear assembly 180 degrees. Split legs, pop the feet, and close the cockpit. Insert the Planet Key to pop the wings.

It wasn't obvious in car mode, but in bot mode it is: this guy is Hot Rod, version 3.0. If the wings aren't a dead giveaway, the molded tri-blasters inside the doors are, as is the rotating cockpit. As homages go, he actually IS a homage, rather than a straight clone -- more of a cross between Hot Rod and E. Hot Shot than a direct descendant.

The downside to this is that the wings REALLY need to be extended for the bot mode to look its best. Extending the wings requires the Planet Key ... and the Cybertron Keys have a new "feature": a random 4-character code emblazoned on their backside, supposedly for use with the Transformers Cybertron Web site (which currently DOESN'T EXIST). Because the Key is transparent, the letters are clearly visible in bot mode -- and distracting as hell. That means you'll probably want to leave the Key off, which in turn increases the chances of losing it and being able to pop the wings in the future, etc, etc.

Hot Shot's weapon is a generic, bulky piece of transparent plastic. It's notable for being completely undistinctive -- and for Hot Shot not being able to hold it without fully extending his arms. Even then the gun tends to get hung up on the doors. Of course, when you HAVE guns molded into the doors already, an extra crappy looking weapon is unnecessary. Hot Rod didn't need one, and Hot Shot doesn't need his.

Retracting the wings is straightforward enough ... until they pop back out when you let go. Sometimes they hook, sometimes they don't. I've found that reinserting and removing the Planet Key sometimes helps to "reset" the mechanism (which makes no sense, but there you go). You might simply choose to leave the wings out (esp. if you're worried about losing the Key).

As posability goes, it exists but is limited by some odd design choices. First, the long cockpit blocks backwards leg movement. You can get around this by popping it up, but that looks silly. The shoulders operate on a series of spaced-apart joints; one lets you shrug the shoulders, one lets you pivot them forward/backwards. Forearms are on a ball joint, and are REALLY short -- too short. Rotating the shoulders causes them to brush against the wings and the back panel, annoying, but workable.

Hot Shot is exactly what you'd expect; a figure aimed squarely at the kids, with a couple nods to the older collectors. He's also the best of the three Hot Shots so far (which isn't saying much, but hey). Solid and remarkable; the kids will probably dig him.

Final grade: B

-XCN-

 

Actually, I kind of like Hot Shot, going by the pics. With a slightly better paint scheme I can picture his 'bot mode looking awesome.

I'm not entirely sure by what you mean about "Hot Rod didn't need any weapons" (I'm paraphrasing). Maybe I misunderstood. Hot Rod actually came with two guns, and the chrome pipes on his arms were also supposed to function as weapons in his bot mode. If anything, that's why Hot Shot probably has extra guns molded into his doors. And then there was Targetmaster Hot Shot, but we won't go there.

Still, nicely done overall.  

 

What I meant is that neither Hot Rod nor Hot Shot needed the guns, because they already HAD guns in their arms.

Also, because their handheld guns look like ASS.

AFAIK, Hot Rod never used a gun in the movie, only his arm blasters.

-XCN-

 

 

Well, that's one way to put it....

I think you're right on the movie, but I haven't seen it in a while. I assumed you meant the toy. No harm done.

EDIT: I think I'm still going to get this one. IMHO he's at least an A-.

 

IMO Hot Shot is one of the best so far. Solid vehicle mode, good looking bot mode with good (not excellent) articulation. As for me I just keep the force chips in the instruction baggy when I'm not using them so I won't lose them.

 

picked up Hot Shot friday (was torn between him and Landmine, but he won out for having the better looking Alt Mode)

wow.

After Armada, and the Lackluster Autobot Deluxes in Energon (IMO the combining gimmick COMEPLETLY RUINED many a decent design, Rodimus and Downshift to name 2, particularly since nobody really looked that great combined), we're truly in a brave new world now.

Many of the Cybertron Deluxes look excellent, and seem to bring the level the closest it's been to BW and RiD since.

While Hot Shot has a couple questionable design choices and niggles with missing articulation (Swivles at the thigh or below the knees would make a morld of difference) he's still well done. I also wish SOMETHING (i'm just not quite positive WHAT) could have been done with his doors - i like them on his arms, but they're also a bit large and in the way ~ a paint ap on the molded blasters would have been nice too, might have to pick up a bottle of silver model paint...

And the sculpting, good frief. I dare you to line up ARM, E and C Hot shots and try not to laugh at the last 2. C Hot Shot looks like a SERIOUS robot toy. Well proporttioned, lots of detail (but less of the 'cluttery' surface detail of Armada). It's also interesting that while Hot Shot retains some of the "blockiness" of Armada, it's executed with so much more class ~ the contrast betweent the blocky lower legs and thin upper thighs, gigagantic shoulders and smaller arms, it all just works well. the head sculpt is just absolutely Top Notch ~ completly redeems the character. (think back to Toyfare '02, when we saw the horror that was ARM Hot Shot)

While more useless than the minicons, for some reason the force chip gimmicks also seem less intrusive, which is nice ~ and since it seems any chip can activate any feature, you really only need one, so i'm not concerned about losing it (i just tossed it in a bin with excess parts and minicons)

I love that the vehicle mode is futurist and sci-fi, but not so much that one couldn't imagine it driving down the I-5 in 5-10 years time. and the fact that they made the effort to include seating insde is HUGE. they really didn't need to mold in a steering wheel, but they did, and i appreciate it.

I give Hot Shot a B+ (maybe even a B++   ) if it wasn't for a couple wonky articulation issues, he'd be an A-

now, the only way they could make me happier would be to do a red recolour of him... and swap out E-Rodimus' head (i'm pretty sure it could be done!) to make C. Rodimus (since Hot SHot's gonna get the Military upgrade)

Edit: wanted to add something else i love about Hotshot compared to recen lines (and looking at my GF Galaxy Convoy and reviews of Landmine, seems this is a common them for Cybertron) the Transformation, while simpler than your BM/RiD/even some Energon, is simple ~ it's still FUN and CREATIVE (<-- i hated the vrtual lack of thought in most of Armada's transformations, way to many alt modes looked like the robot mode lieing on it's face) i've transformed Hot Shot back and forth like 2 dozen times, because it's entertaining to do. and the shoulder amr transformation is really clever and well thought out (the legs are pretty simlple, but the backpack swivle makes it work.

 

Gotta get out there and find him!!!!

 

Sooo poseable!

 

Hehe if you think he is you REALLY need to get some Beast Wars era toys or RiD stuff.

 

oh lord, don't ask SW about beasts!   I like him, but I wish he was hot rod colors!!!

Andy

 

Done. I didn't even have the urge to laugh.

That's probably cause I think the Armada Hotshot mold is the best of the 3, with cybertron HS coming in second.  

 

Just picked Cybertron Hot Shot up myself yesterday. What an awesome figure. He's like a spot on representation of his animated self. He could have used thigh or knee swivels, but that goes for a lot of TFs. My figure has the same wing popping problems that a lot of them do, but it's not that severe. My Hot Shot's problem is that the left wing won't stay in. I mean, sometimes it'll stay, but not all the time. At least it doesn't pop out whenever it wants to.

 

hey, what can i say, i like my TFs with useful articulation, well sculpted, with transparent windows, cockpits and not looking like ******ed 6 year olds. your milage may vary.

 

Nothing wrong with that, but don't crap on others just because they have a different opinion, mmmkay?  

 

Kickback


Any indication if we will get hotshot in hot rod colors? I REALLY want this bugger but if theres a repaint waiting in the wings, i shall hold off. I've loved the pics, and the reviews you guys have put up for this guy, but if theres a repaint...I shall wait.

 

A Note On the Wings

In my original review, I mentioned that I had a problem keeping the wings in on the figure, and couldn't reliably figure out how to get them to stay. (Think I mentioned something about using the Planet Key to reset something ... yeah, forget that.)

Since then, I've found that the trick is to click both wings back into place AT THE SAME TIME. This doesn't work 100%, but it DOES work a lot more often than doing otherwise (say, 80-90%).

Your mileage may vary.

-XCN-

 

I posted a fix for the wings here: http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/thread77269.html

As I stated there, though, it's an absolute bitch to do. If you can devise an easier way, all the power to you.

Out-of-package, Hot Shot is rather flawed. He looks good, but there are quite a few design issues that become rather irritating. Thankfully, they're all fairly easily fixed.

First off, his leg slider clips are kinda weak. Easily fixed by disassembling his lower legs and stretching the internal spring a bit, so they apply more force.

Next up, is his slightly loose hips. Superglue/nailpolish will fix that right up.

And finally, is the lacking hip articulation. If you have a small hacksaw/hobby saw handy, trim 3-4 millimetres off the side skirts. I personally carved them out so that there's a bit of an angled slope to where they meet the front skirts, but it doesn't really matter. This'll increase his hip articulation tenfold.

After mods, definitely one of the best car TFs ever.

 

While not the best TF I own, I do really like Hot Shot because despote some little frustrating articulation issues, it is miles ahead of the other wastes of plastic called Armada and Energon Hot Shot (Energon at least had a great alt mode, Armada Hot Shot....well I've said it all before many times...but it's a pice of shit)

Back on topic , Cybertron Hot Shot has an impressive robot mode (he looks like the quinessential hero guy), and an AWESOME vehicle mode. I simply love it.

I gave him a few bonus points in comparison to his predessesors (knees And hips, elbows, shoulders and an articulated HEAD) so Hot shot Gets a 'B+' from me.

 

That's what I really want to know. If there is, I'll wait, but if not I'll grab the bugger and do the painting myself (even if it won't look nearly as nice).