I'm not aiming for pure toon colors---that leads to a "ridiculously purple" loco that just plain looks bland and unattractive. I'm aiming for a nice hybrid of real/toon/toy. (though mainly toon-based)

"Purple wheels" is just nuts---even "obviously fantasy-colored" alt-modes like the seekers don't recolor their tires...

My goal is to have a better-looking loco mode, that still looks very Astrotrain-ish, without negatively affecting shuttle and robot mode.

 

Correct, no parts forming.

 

Do the wings plug in anywhere when he's in shuttle mode? I just got him tonight and put him through each mode but the instructions are pretty bad and I couldn't find a place to tab the wings into. There were several slots along the shuttle body but none of them seemed to line up quite right. Also wondering if maybe the purple panels that are attached to his legs are actually assembled wrong as I think if the right side and left side were flipped the slots would line up with the wings. Anyone able to take some pics of their and help me figure this out?

 

Shuttle mode: ToyWorld
Train mode: ToyWorld
Robot mode: DX9 (I prefer animation to toy, so better than ToyWorld, but still a little off. ToyWorld does get bonus points for the thrusters on the back of robot mode though…)
Size: Depends on collection. I want MP-sized, so DX9 is closer; but (honestly) still too small.

ToyWorld nails its two wins, whereas DX9 is "the least worse" (for me) in its two.
ToyWorld wins.












Maybe they'll OS KO this like they're doing to the Throttlebots…
 

 

I'd like to see comparison pics with Voyager Blitzwing and Deluxe Astrotrain

 

if I had to rate them it would be

train mode...dx9
bot mode...dx9
shuttle...dx9
size..dx9

going by if I wanted a G1(update) toy my preference would be reversed..as I think toyworld stayed true to the G1 toy more so than dx9.. but I really am digging the updated look dx9 went with..


either way I already got Tw ver and have dx9 on order..

 

Thank you.


Kinda funny how DX-9 announces no parts forming for theirs while it does, and nothing is said about this guy and he doesn't.

 

Here's a quick photo I took with Toyworld Evila Star/Devil Star with Generations Blitzwing and Encore Astrotrain.

Quick thoughts on the figure:

BADASS! Incredible detail -- just the right amount -- not overdone. The aesthetic is really well thought out too. The transformation is complex and satisfying.

The instructions were hard to interpret - I had a hard time trying to figure out the transformation from shuttle to bot, especially trying to figure out how to fold down the jet boosters/backpack. I also had a few stress marks on mine -- especially around the ankle swivel.

Overall, this was the PERFECT pairing for my Generations Blitzwing. It's slightly taller, but I don't mind. And after seeing Toyworld re-releasing Hegemon and Orionvil, I'm sure they'll do a repainted G1-Cartoon Evila Star in the future -- probably going to be a con exclusive or something...

 

That doesn't actually look too big next to blitzy.
Any pictures of it next to the new leader Megatron?

 

No. Unfortunately, I don't have the new leader Megatron yet. I don't think that's been released here in the U.S. yet.

 

How about next to an mp seeker?

 

Or just new jetfire. They're near enough the same height.  

 

Thanks for the comparison shot man.

 

I actually think it's "a nice size"   lol.

 

Wings plug in at front and back. They slot into the rear booster pack and the little flaps at the front tab in along the side. The wing rails are on hinges that aren't obvious at first, if you don't fold them down you won't get the wings lined up properly and the train wheels on his arms won't fold in flush for shuttle mode.

The instructions really are hideous. It feels like they are only 50% complete, so many things left out. So many little panels and things to twist just so, this guy really feels like the TF equivalent of a Rubik's cube. It seems they expect you to figure a lot of it out on your own, I bet there will be a lot of breakages by ham-hands.

I'm thinking about carving a couple holes into those slots on the undersides of his wings for those damn floppy train wheel rails to plug into. They should have been molded with holes for them, they line right up.

Transforming that backpack to robot mode was the worst, there are undocumented panels all over his back you need to use, I think the instructions explained the whole mess with a single movement arrow. Piss poor instructions. They tell you where stuff needs to move but not what you have to do to get it there.

I really have no idea how a human could have designed this, the engineering is mind boggling.

 

THANK YOU! This is what I was missing. Holy crap, those little hinges are well hidden.

Agreed. The lack of a place for that train wheel bar is definitely weak sauce on an otherwise stellar figure.

They totally did. There are two panels that collapse inward into the body and then the whole mid-section of the back then swings down through the body on a swing bar. This process collapses (shortens) the body and brings the rocket booster section closer to the lower back kibble. Looking at the instructions that single arrow was the only clue I had that something was supposed to happen.

Amen brother. This is one crazy piece of design work.




All in all I love this thing. My only real complaints about the design are that I with the ankles were designed differently (these make me a bit nervous) and the gray bars on the train wheels seem to not have a place to lock in when in shuttle or robot mode. I do wish there was more die-cast in this, at least in the center structural part.

 

Is there die cast in this? I know the DX9 one has it but this is the first I've heard of it in this one

 

Oh yeah, so I don't have him at hand to take a picture so bare with me...


On each leg there is a purple flap that helps to cover up the leg section of the train/shuttle. The flap, on its open edge, has a little piece that is longer than the rest. On mine the part that sticks on is closer to the bottom of the shuttle than the top. Is that how it is for everyone else?


To me it looks like that piece is installed backwards and the longer side of the flap should be closer to the top than the bottom. Looking for confirmation that I do or don't have an assembly error.

 

I don't think so. Done have it near me to confirm but in my handling of it last night he's very light weight and I was stressing out over not ham-fisting any o fthe parts. If there is any die cast there can't be much. Not a bad thing really as he feels decently solid and balances very well.

 

I would buy this just to support the notion I have of GREAT design work and thinking going into a product such as this. No parts forming, and a gorgeous black train mode and a completely white shuttle mode! They don't even look remotely like the same toy. Very well done ToyWorld. I'll give you my money after I can afford it.