If you're like me, you hate the way the board is divided. I like cool toys regardless of where they come from. Instead of doing an all third party or all official thread for a year end "best of" thread, I thought I'd make one that combines them both. It doesn't matter if your list is all official, all third party, or a mix of both--it's welcome here.

Here are my top 3:

1. Perfect Effect Psychro Knight. Why? Check my user name. Also, this guy is stupendous in both modes, has a near perfect deco, wicked swords...I could go on, but I think it's pretty clear why I like this figure.

2.Mastermind Creations Stray Shadow Ghost. Why? Stray is arguably MMC's most playable mold, and this deco is probably the best it has ever looked. I love Deadpool, I love MMC, this is a perfect toy for me.

3.Siege Spinister. Why? A great deco, great head sculpt, and he has wonderful articulation--he's capable of more dynamic poses than most third party figures I own because of his wonderfully designed feet.

 

Out of curiosity, where'd you get your Spinister? I preordered one from Hasbro Pulse because Amazon said they weren't shipping until December 31st while Hasbro was saying it'd be ready to ship "around" December 1st (plus they were doing that 20% off at Thanksgiving). But HP hasn't fulfilled my order yet.

Anyway, my top 3 this year... hmm...

1. TIE MS-01 Light of Freedom and TE-01 Op Leader: Both are so good it's hard to pick which one is actually better. MS-01 is easier to transform, the cab section of the truck mode looks better, and I prefer the beefier proportions and articulated hands. TE-01 has a much more clever transformation from the waist down, and that makes for a better-looking rear half of the truck, plus it can tow MP-10's trailer.

2. Fans Hobby Double Evil: Solidly built, fun to transform, great sculpt. Has more shelf presence than anything short of a combiner.

3. Fans Toys Spoiler: I'm not usually the biggest fan of Fans Toys. They (usually) make toys that look good, with good sculpts and copious paint. They make toys that feel good- if you're brain tells you that heft = quality, then you'll be hard-pressed to find heftier. But I don't just display my figures, I like to mess with them, and that's where FT keeps dropping the ball. Sometimes they have some articulation issue, like goofy shoulders (Apache), limited ankles (Lupus), or limited waist swivel (Quietus). And very often their engineering ranges from not bad, but joyless (Dracula) to flat out torture (Rouge). And then Spoiler comes along, and he's got all the good stuff people associate with FT, but in a figure with good articulation and a simple, intuitive transformation that shrinks him from a Seeker-sized robot to just a tad bigger than an MP car. I think Spoiler might honestly be their single best release to date, and I can't wait for the other three Stunticon limbs.

 

I'm a little ashamed to admit I paid $40 shipped for him on eBay.

 

I found a spinister at my walmart

 

still a couple of figures to be released this year so the jury's out for me

 

You can always update the list!

 

I can't remember what came out the first half of this year other than the disappointment that was Phoenix-X and the pretty good Roadking.

 

TE01 Optimus is off the chain. But I only made minimal purchases this year as I’m moving overseas.

So my votes go to mini Tarn and PE01.

 

#1) and #2): FT Roadking and FT Spoiler (in no order)



#3) TE-01 and FT Quietus T (sue me, i pick both)

Sorry, not my pics, but "borrowed" from the web...

 

In no particular order, MMC Springer, Fanstoys Motormaster, TE Optimus Prime.

 

1.) MP-44
Best looking Optimus ever. Poseability is pretty crazy too. It could have been even better if they had dropped the stupid sound gimmick to make a good looking backpack but everything else about it just looks so good I can get over that issue.

2.) MP-45
Finally a toon accurate Bee that transforms into a Choro-Q style beetle. I've been wishing for this since the announcement of MP-21. The back of the feet is pretty terrible and I wish a 3P could fix it because that would make the figure close to perfect in my book.

3.) MP-43 / DX9/UT L.A. Hire
I can't choose between these two. I like how BW Megatron looks more but the transformation of L.A. Hire is pretty clever and fun, it reminds me a lot of Peru Kill (a figure that I like a whole lot).

Honorable mention to TE OP Leader. I own the regular and the black decos and I like both of them. The figures are really nice, solid and well thought but not accurate enough in my taste to make it in my top 3.

 

I'm surprised no one has named one of the MMC Assaultus bots in their list. Mine is:

• FT- Road King
• FT- Spoiler
• MMC- Fraudo

Honorable Mentions:

• Almost anything Iron Factory produced in 2019
• Have to agree that Siege Spinister is pretty amazing

 

1. Iron Factory DJD combiner
2. Iron Factory Hound
3. Siege Spinister

Special mention to Power Baser v2, Siege Optimus (feel like this was 2018?), and Siege Flywheels

Feel like a bunch of other great stuff came out this year, but Im having trouble remembering. These are the ones I’ve cared for most it seems.

 

1. Planet X Kadmos

2. Planet X Ismenios

3. Maketoys Buster Skywing

 

So no one chose MP Blackaracknea?

Decided to skip it as it was too much money (and i was late to the cheaper pricing anyways, which is higher that desired too).

 

I'll chose it immediately if we start listing our worst TF experiences of the year.  

 

Why was Phoenix X disappointing?

 

No order
Siege Jetfire
MS legends Optimus Prime (light of justice? Something like that.)
NA Starscream (Lucifer)

 

Really, why? Makes me happier i didnt get it though...lol

I believe he find the original looks better color wise. For me, i really wish i had the X instead of the regular, but hell will i pay the much higher price for it.