General Information:
Release Date: July 2022
Price Point: $73.99 (Multi-Pack that includes Goldbug, Ransack, Scorponok & Skywasp)
Retailer: Target Exclusive Accessories: Goldbug (Cannon pieces x 3, Skis x 2, Car trunk/shield), Ransack (Blaster, Energon Blades x 2, Alternate Head), Scorponok (Missile Piece, Cyberbee, "Mutant" Head), Skywasp (Stinger/Blaster, "Mutant" Head)
In July 2022 Target stores across the United States released the "Creatures Collide" four pack of figures, the latest addition to the (increasingly difficult to categorize) Buzzworthy Bumblebee collection of Target exclusive figures. There was never (and has yet to be) any official announcement about this set, but its existence was confirmed by In Demand Toys in the UK in June. As I write this review, the set has yet to even appear on Target's web site making it a bit of an anomaly. That said, this set is highly anticipated as it contains four Deluxe Class figures for $73.99 USD (a relative bargain nowadays). The four figures are:
- Goldbug: A redeco and retool of the Netflix Bumblebee
- Ransack: A redeco and retool of Legacy Kickback
- Scorponok: A redeco of Kingdom Scorponok
- Skywasp: A redeco of Kingdom Waspinator
With Goldbug and Ransack in this set, it became a must have if you wanted to add updated Generations style versions of these characters to your Transformers army.
Packaging:
"Creatures Collide" is being released at a time when Hasbro is working to remove plastic from their packaging as much as possible. Unlike the previous Buzzworthy Bumblebee four packs, this set is in a closed box. Instead of a window box showing all four figures inside, the designers created a beautiful piece of art in the front showing Bumblebee fighting against Ransack, Scorponok and Skywasp. The box has the yellow and black borders seen on all Buzzworthy boxes along with the "Evergreen" Bumblebee head in the lower left hand corner. The other side has the Generations and vertical Transformers logo along with the Buzzworthy Bumblebee logo. The Legacy logo hovers above the artwork which effectively places this boxed set into three categories at once. In my book I see this as a Generations set first, then Legacy and finally Buzzworthy Bumblebee. The center features the "name" of the set: "Creatures Collide". But wait, you may ask, isn't Goldbug a vehicle in his alt mode? Sure, but first off he is named Goldbug and second his vehicle mode is an official Volkswagon Beetle so the theme totally works!
The back of the box features each figure from left to right in the same order they appear on the artwork in front. Each figure has its transformation steps called out. Goldbug has twenty, Ransack has fourteen, Skywasp has twenty and Scorponok has twenty five. Behind each character is their faction symbol. In a bit of consistency with Kingdom, Skywasp and Scorponok both feature the modified Predacon symbol from Kingdom. Goldbug has the official Volkwagon logo next to him, indicating this is a fully licensed vehicle mode, a rarity nowadays in the Generations line. Overall this packaging is beautiful. If we must lose the plastic window, this is a cool way to do it!
Background:
When a new Scorponok figure was released in Kingdom his deco was based on the character's appearance in the Beast Wars animated series. This same sculpt would later be released as Legacy Sandstorm (complete with a new head sculpt). This time out, Scorponok has been released in colors based on the original action figure from 1996! This review will focus on the changes made to the figure for this release.
Accessories:
Scorponok includes two accessories (I'm not counting the Mutant Head, though I suppose you could consider it an accessory). These are the same as the previous release:
- Cyberbee: The Cyberbee is the same sculpt as the piece included with previous releases. However this time out it looks like they put more paint applications on it. The bee is black plastic with metallic purple paint on the head and wings. On top of that some yellow is used on the abdomen. For such a tiny accessory this is a good amount of deco.
- Missiles: The missiles included with Scorponok are not firing projectiles. Instead, they're really just missile "tips" that attach to the inside of his claws. This time out, the red missiles have Maximal symbols on them just like they did in the Beast Wars cartoon! This is a fantastic little detail that pays homage to the TV show.
Robot Mode:
This release of Scorponok does not feature any major retooling, however in a really cool move Hasbro released this figure with both head sculpts! Since the heads are on ball joints, they can easily be popped on and off. By default he comes with his "robot head" (the one with the visor eyes and mouth) but inside the packaging is his "Mutant Head". I absolutely love this. Hasbro did not have to do this as the extra deco on the second head does add cost to the set. On top of that, this set breaks down to about $20 USD per figure, a bargain given that Deluxes currently retail anywhere from $22-24.99 on average.
Using the 1996 Scorponok action figure as its inspiration, Scorponok features black, red and translucent purple (or indigo if you prefer) plastic. The translucent plastic has metallic flakes in it, giving it a gorgeous shine if you shine a light on it. The black plastic makes up the torso, thighs, most of the tail and parts of the arms. The claws and lower legs are made up of the translucent purple plastic. Red plastic makes up the tail stinger and the scorpion legs. The "default" head is purple plastic with gold and white paint on it. The "Mutant Head" is black plastic with red deco on it and yellow eyes. This deco is absolutely beautiful. The colors are bold and the red contrasts wonderfully with the black.
After transforming this figure back and forth a few times it feels to me like the joints on this figure are pretty much as tight as those on my copy of Kingdom Scorponok and Legacy Sandstorm. The accessories also attach just fine inside the claws. All that said, when transforming from beast to robot mode, I did have to fiddle with the waist piece a bit to have it "sit" properly to allow the chest panels to close. It is totally doable, it just took a bit more effort than it did on my copies of Kingdom Scorponok or Sandstorm.
Transformation to Beast Mode:
- Straighten out the arms and legs.
- Point the feet down.
- Swing the arms up out to the sides.
- Swing the tail down.
- Unfold the beast mode legs out from the back so the are out to the sides.
- Open up the halves of the torso. They will only open up partly, creating a small gap in the middle.
- Swing the head down into the gap. It will not go all the way in.
- Pull the lower body down. A hinge that connects the upper body to the lower body will extend.
- Swing both shoulders up.
- Swing back the top half of the back panel and swing out the beast mode head, then push that panel back down.
- Rotate the lower body so the left leg is under the tail.
- Rotate the left leg around and push it into the hollow section of the tail.
- Rotate the right leg around, fold the lower leg over the thigh, then push it into the gap in the underside of the beast mode.
- Position the beast mode arms so they are out to the side and then bend in the middle.
Beast Mode:
In beast mode we get more big color contrast thanks to the red legs sticking out from either side of the black main body. His eyes are also painted red, giving him an extra creepy appearance. It looks beautiful and I think this may be my favorite deco on this sculpt so far.
Like the robot mode, all the joints on the beast mode feel just fine. That said, it is rather easy to pop off the legs during transformation so be careful.
Final Thoughts:
I know the Scorponok sculpt is not a favorite among Transformers fans, but I have really enjoyed it since the first release. Yes, I agree the legs look a bit "stumpy" but overall I think it is a fun and cool looking figure. This deco really knocks the Beast Wars toy line homage out of the park and the chosen colors are gorgeous. This is a really cool addition to this set, though I admit out of the four figures this is probably the one with the least "cool factor". If this were sold separately I would give this figure a "Recommended"! rating.
As for the entire set as a whole, overall I think this set is awesome. From the fantastic packaging art to having a Goldbug that actually transforms into a licensed Volkswagon Beetle there is a lot to love. The price is also right at about $20 USD per figure and the inclusion of the additional heads was a fantastic idea. Overall this four pack is highly recommended!
Pros for Scorponok:
- Really nice sculpt with cool details.
- He has Cyberbee too!
- Unique and fun transformation.
- Creepy beast mode.
- Including the alternate head is a brilliant idea.
- Really beautiful colors (that translucent purple!) that call back to the original Beast Wars toy nicely.
Cons:
- The legs are a bit short resulting in a "stumpy" look for the figure.
