1 Transformer Everyone Should Have

[Prowl_2009]

Originally Posted by Pascal

I keep saying Greenscream is superior to all the $100-250 Macross valks produced to date but no one believes me.

I agree with ya 100% there, Pascal, Greenscream is the superior model, whether people want to believe it or not.

And Foxtrot, if you want something a little more mainstream, I've got to say I think every TF fan should grab themselves the 25th Anniversary Optimus Prime and some of the Universe Deluxes like Prowl and Cyclonus just for their sheer accuracy.

[Prowl_2009]

Originally Posted by FreedomGundam

The only "essential" TF that anyone should have: either MP Prime (any of its incarnations) or G1 Prime (or any reissues/whatever).

Not because they are my favorites or anything, but because I'm pretty sure that most will agree with me that they represent the TF universe/toys the most appropriately.

Agreed!

[Scrapper6]

I have to agree on City Commander for third party merch (seeing as I don't have anything else yet.)

I would have to say hands down that the one figure every Transformer fan should have as part of their collection is RID Rail Racer.

Out of all the combiners, past, present and future (PCC I'm lookin' at you.) Rail Racer represents the best vehicle based combiner. Everything is integrated quite nicely. His weapons store perfectly in vehicle mode, the three can become a super bullet train trio when combined in vehicle mode. And also he's actually quite poseable.

Takara's engineers really hit the nail on the head with this combiner, everything since Rail Racer combining wise hasn't been nearly as impressive. (All of Energon Autobots, Movieverse Devastator Supreme simply because he lacks individual robot modes with his components, the PCC Combiners are hard to judge at the moment. And I don't have Legends Devy yet.)

The honor of second best Vehicle based combiner would most likely have to fall on RID Landfill. Because of the engineering, not the fun factor. Most G1 combiners are a lot more fun than the RID combiners, but engineering wise the RID Combiners take the best of G1 and add just enough new stuff to make them 100% perfect.

It's just such a shame that none of those engineers seem to have been able to recapture the brilliance of the RID combiners. Even forced to adhere to a gimmicked up Transform some of those Energon figures could have done a better job with their combining. I mean Jetfire and Ironhide alone have way too much back kibble. The deluxes aren't nearly as bad as those two megas. (Still don't have the Cliffjumper/Beachcomber mold to compare.)

So yeah. Recap.

Must have RID Rail Racer
Must have City Commander

[Pascal]

Originally Posted by Prowl_2009

I agree with ya 100% there, Pascal, Greenscream is the superior model, whether people want to believe it or not.

You try saying that on a Macross board and they call you troll.

Make no mistake, I love my valks, they're beautiful pieces, but for the most part they're fragile and the designs are starting to be dated (althought the Macross Frontier stuff is welcomed breath of fresh air even though it's still the same old recipe). They've been rehashing the same few designs since the 80s yet it seems they still can't get them right. They have no excuse, especially since their designs are nowhere near as complex as actual Transformers. At $20, ROTF Voyager Starscream is a far more complex toy than most if not all valks. Turn it into a $100 toy and you have perfection. Turn it into a $200 toy and you faint.

[Prowl_2009]

@ Scrapper6: Heck yes, Railracer is a deffinate Must Own in any TF Collection. Never got one, but man I sure wish I did. A buddy of mine did and that toy is leaps and bounds ahead of its time as far as the Combiner factor goes.

@ Pascal: Yeah, but this isn't a Macross board.

[Malwave]

Originally Posted by Whisky Tango Foxtrot

I love how these "essential Transformer" threads always end up being about posting the most expensive and difficult-to-obtain figure in your collection.

And no, I still don't own a single figure mentioned in this thread (provided "G1 Prime" refers to the original 1984 toy and its reissues rather than any figure based on the original Prime's character model.)

not necessarily dude; I got My Flash Lio for 32 bucks and G1 Galvatron on a trade,; just because an item is known to be expensive doesn't mean it always is

Check the "best Deal you've gotten" thread and you'll see what I mean

[Richter]

Originally Posted by Scrapper6

I have to agree on City Commander for third party merch (seeing as I don't have anything else yet.)

I would have to say hands down that the one figure every Transformer fan should have as part of their collection is RID Rail Racer.

Out of all the combiners, past, present and future (PCC I'm lookin' at you.) Rail Racer represents the best vehicle based combiner. Everything is integrated quite nicely. His weapons store perfectly in vehicle mode, the three can become a super bullet train trio when combined in vehicle mode. And also he's actually quite poseable.

Takara's engineers really hit the nail on the head with this combiner, everything since Rail Racer combining wise hasn't been nearly as impressive. (All of Energon Autobots, Movieverse Devastator Supreme simply because he lacks individual robot modes with his components, the PCC Combiners are hard to judge at the moment. And I don't have Legends Devy yet.)

The honor of second best Vehicle based combiner would most likely have to fall on RID Landfill. Because of the engineering, not the fun factor. Most G1 combiners are a lot more fun than the RID combiners, but engineering wise the RID Combiners take the best of G1 and add just enough new stuff to make them 100% perfect.

It's just such a shame that none of those engineers seem to have been able to recapture the brilliance of the RID combiners. Even forced to adhere to a gimmicked up Transform some of those Energon figures could have done a better job with their combining. I mean Jetfire and Ironhide alone have way too much back kibble. The deluxes aren't nearly as bad as those two megas. (Still don't have the Cliffjumper/Beachcomber mold to compare.)

So yeah. Recap.

Must have RID Rail Racer
Must have City Commander

You gotta get your hands on a JRX. Railracer without all the Hasbro cheapness

[Pascal]

What's the difference between between the Hasbro and the Takara/Korean version? Markings?

[GMfan]

Clear windows on the Japanese version....but the plastic is much more brittle, I snapped the shoulder off Midnight Express because of that damn clear plastic. I fixed it but be careful with that dude.

[Pascal]

Does the Korean version retain the clear windows too?