I got back into collecting in late 2017, so, I missed T30 at retail. But, there are some great designs in there that I picked up and don’t see myself replacing anytime soon.

Rattrap
Rhinox
Waspinator
Springer
Arcee
Chromia

 

No one's mentioned the Slipstream based off Windblade? Or Nightbird from Arcee? I know they're not technically T30 but I love those fembots

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Rhinox and Springer for sure.

 

Jetfire isn't bad per say, still decent. Along with Hoist, Trailcutter,
But for truly "thrilling?" I would say Scoop, Whirl, Roadbuster, Springer, Sandstorm, Skids/Crosscut, Rattrap, Waspy, Rhinox.

 

I have a fair number of them and I honestly still really like most of them, with many, if not for a bit more articulation and better plastic, they could be re-released today and would be close to being on-par with the WFC figures.

Most are fantastic, upscaled and added articulation and they'd be freaking amazing, such as:

Legends Class

• Seekers: they are sleak and look amazing... Simple but I love them still. The only con, is the rubber-like tip that I fear will break one day. I did get a KO that's slightly upscaled and hard plastic for tip, and it proves that it's a great mold.
• Cosmos: probably the best version/mold for this character. Modernized and sleek.
• Skrapnel, 1/3 of the insecticons, and it's great. Even the size works.

Deluxes Class

• Megatron/Dreadwing (wing): great design,transformation a tad finicky and one must never lose the wing tips/weapon.
  
• Orion Pax: amazing figure and love the weapons
  
• Mini-Con Assault Team/Centuritron: one of my all time favourite figures
  
• Armada Starscream/Jhiaxus: I so much prefer Jhiaxus's guns over the SS's swords, but I did have to flip Jhiaxus arm due to the common mold defect that screws up the bending articulation.
• Tankor, a very simplified looking figure, but still fun
• Windblade, while nice and the original, it's a fairly flimsy figure and the head mold wasn't the best.

Voyager Class

• Blitzwing, decent enough mold, but the defect and cheap plastic makes this a fragile figure. I always did like the "Alpha/Robotech" look of the plane mode
  
• Sandstorm: he's part of my Siege display with good reasons, he is an amazing figure. Use better plastic, add ankle tilt and waist rotation and he'd be virtually perfect.
  
• Whirl: one of the larger ones with actually decent plastic, and a decent version, well done update, but the arms should have done better.
• Roadbuster: great figure, so many accessories! BUT freaking crap plastic! everything's loose on him, feels like that if I'd drop him, he'd shatter like glass.

Other classes

• Jetfire: also great looking figure, the robot mode is amazing, the plane is gorgeous, BUT, I repeat the same as Roadbuster: freaking crap plastic! everything's loose on him, feels like that if I'd drop him, he'd shatter like glass. The two main sections held by a stupid tiny part that many have reported breaking on them (not surprising). The source of massive arguments.
• Metroplex, absolutely hate that I blinked and missed it, and now he's overpriced.. hoping for a re-release or updated version!

So overall, this was a great line, and I love most of them still, most are in my displays now, so they would be "still thrilling".

 

Thrilling 30th kicked my collecting habit into high gear. I've sold off some figures, but still have a fair lot.

Fave of the bunch: Titan Metroplex. He may not be able to link up with other bases, but he's the only G1-ish Metroplex that we've gotten. Since Metro was the only base-former that I got during G1 as a kid, I have a special fondness for him.



I also have:

Springer and Jetfire, who sit side-by-side with their Siege versions. Jetfire used to be my favorite bot in my collection, but the Siege version is an overall better toy. Still, I have a lingering appreciation for both of them.



Arcee (who was really hard to find, especially with the closed hands!)



Doubledealer with some upgrade parts.



Plus I still own Blitzwing because I didn't want him as a Head-/ Titanmaster, as well as Cliffjumper, Cosmos, Dreadwing, Swerve, Bumblebee, Crosscut, Skrapnel, Jihaxus, Windblade who I'm actively looking for a replacement for that isn't a Titanmaster, Sandstorm, Brainstorm because I like his size over the Deluxe version, even if the head doesn't fit other bots, Hoist who may be replaced when I find the Earthrise version, and Tailgate because I like that he came with an accessory.

I sold off Legends Optimus, Megatron, and Starscream, as well as Trailcutter, Whirl, Roadbuster, Skids, Starscream, and stealth bomber Megatron. They just weren't doing anything for me anymore.

 

The ones that stand out for me are:

Arcee
Scoop
Roadbuster

 

Wow, everyone seems to love Scoop. May have to pick him up.

 

Lot of love for this line!
As I've tried to pare back my CHUG shelves and tried to avoid 'doubles' I wound up selling quite a few of the figures, but there's a lot of them I just wouldn't part with, even if a better option came along.

And can we just take a moment to appreciate how much innovation this line brought to Generations? The first Legends, Leader, and Titan class figures! A few cheeky road tests for some gimmicks that would come down the line. A deep dive on some really fucking obscure characters. Arcee! All great stuff for me! AND I loved the many and various IDW nods. Great way to celebrate the 30th Anniversary.

Enduring favourites, from Legends class up, include...

Cosmos, Swerve, Shrapnel, Trailcutter/Hoist, Skids/Crosscut, Waspinator, Scoop, Rattrap, Tankor, Jhiaxus, Windblade, Springer/Sandstorm, Rhinox, Whirl, Jetfire, Metroplex.

Honourable mentions go to Brainstorm (if only he'd been a Deluxe), Megatron (If only he'd been a Voyager), Orion Pax, Roadbuster, and Armada Starscream, all gone to new homes now.

I've loved the two trilogies that followed T:30, but I'm ready for something smaller and more self-contained after that. Hasbro could do a lot worse than look back to T:30 for a good example of how to do a 'one and done' line.

 

I still have my Tankor and Rhinox, and I'm STILL pissed that Tankor is so much smaller.  

 

Quite a few are still very thrilling.

Leader Jetfire - Not a great "Transformer" but a great looking vehicle mode and a great looking robot mode. It's a pretty awesome intermediate step between the Classics and WFC:S one too.

Arcee - Still by far the best mold of the character. The upcoming Earthrise one will have to work hard to beat it.

Chromia - Way better than the original Prime mold. Probably also the best version of the character.

Springer - Although his legs are kinda bad and he doesn't look as G1-y as the Siege release, he's an excellent, excellent Transformer. Sandstorm is arguably the better mold with the new wheels.

Waspinator - Perfect release.

Rhinox - ditto.

Ratrap - So good you can put it with the MPs.

Roadbuster and Whirl - It's amazing these two figures exist, and are so perfect, under what conceivable scenario will they ever need to be replaced?

Scoop - the epitome of "stupid but cool".

Metroplex - The biggest thing against him is that his mold is about 20% too big compared to the subsequent Titans (specifically: Trypticon). But he's still pretty awesome. I wouldn't be surprised if we got a new Metroplex with WFC Part 3 though.

Thrilling 30 is still incredible relevant with a lot of good molds. Where its "weak" is that it was pretty hard set in design reimaginings rather than faithful reproductions, and the line has generally moved away from reimaginings. As a result of that definition. Springer has fallen out of favor, Trailcutter is obsolete. Orion Pax is obsolete, Goldfire / IDW Bumblebee is obsolete.

But I think collections should be big enough to have ALL iterations of characters in them. Sure, you probably wouldn't use IDW Bumblebee with your 1984 G1 display. For that you'd probably use TR Bumblebee or a 3P Legends-class now. But IDW Bumblebee is still a very valid and good figure. It's like with classics Optimus Prime. He was the fixture of all 1984 displays for over a decade in one form or another. He's still one of the best Transformers and best Optimus Primes ever made. Just because WFC:S or WFC:ER Optimus probably replaced him doesn't mean he suddenly sucks.

In fact I think things like this will be increasingly relevant as we kind of wrap up the "let's recreate G1" direction with WFC over the next 2 years. Unless we're going to take another tour with Combiners done a bit better (god help us, I wouldn't put it past Hasbro to hit us with another Bruticus), reimagined characters is where we'll have to be.

More detolfs!

 

I like how it was in a way the last line that acknowledges the other TF eras that aren't just G1. Hopefully it won't end up being THE last TF line to do this.

 

I had all the thrilling 30 figures but I sold them all except Arcee. I am glad I kept her since the MP one looks like $hit

 

Transformers Thrilling 30 Deluxe Scoop

He's ridiculously cheap everywhere.

 

These figures from T30 are going to survive the G1 onslaught of WFC in my collection atleast

Springer
Bumblebee
Arcee
Chromia
Hoist
Trailbreaker (come on we know it's gonna happen)
Whirl
Sandstorm
Roadbuster
Skids

 

Good question.
For me it would be;
Cosmos
Springer
Rhinox
Waspinator
Arcee

 

rhinox is legitimately top 5 molds of all time for me, considering what it accomplished not only as a standalone toy but especially taking the retail buget into account. he's essentially a masterpiece that you could pick up off shelves.

orion pax aged really well too, even if he's a little small. but the ankle n wrist articulation goes a long way towards making him stand out amongst his peers.

arcee's giant backpack is a little annoying but she's still a stellar mold despite it.

 

This is just from my experience, Nightbeat and the minicon assault team are TRASH and very poorly painted and made.

 

I still like most of what I bought back then. Whirl, Sandstorm, Arcee, Hoist, Trailbreaker, Scoop, Swerve, etc. The outlier is Nightbeat. But that's because I'd preordered a solid case when he was solicited as an RTS Jazz recolor. Once it changed to the awful Bumblebee/Goldbug mold (surprise! no refunds!), I knew I'd be stuck with them forever.

 

Really, just Arcee and Scoop for me. Everything else is either not G1, not G1 enough, or IDW. Already got rid of or getting rid of the most.

EDIT: right, forgot about Whirl and Metroplex. They're alright. Metro is the first Titan and it shows. Whirl has IDW legs which I despise. Both are on the chopping block once more G1 versions come out.