General Information:
Release Date: January 2022
Price Point: $33.99 (depending on retailer)
Retailer: Amazon Exclusive (with limited quantities sold via Hasbro Pulse)
Accessories: Quasar Cannon, Tail/Whip Weapon
Official images and text below in italics are from Amazon.com:
- GOLDEN DISK COLLECTION: The Golden Disk is a powerful artifact with the ability to reveal knowledge of the past, the future, and of the infinite possible destinies throughout time. Discover an alternate timeline in which the quantum surge that mutated many Maximals and Predacons into Transmetals, goes very differently…
- CHAPTER 3: ENTER THE MUTANT WARRIOR: In this timeline, the quantum surge kills all Maximals and Predacons, except Tigatron. He survives, but the surge left him severely mutated, aggressive, and savage. He doesn’t remember his allegiance to the Maximals, and another survivor plots to take advantage…
- COMPLETE YOUR GOLDEN DISK COLLECTION: Packaging features a part of a Golden Disk graphic. Collect this pack along with the other 3 Golden Disk Collection packs to complete the graphic! (Each sold separately. Subject to availability)
- CLASSIC CONVERSION AND WEAPONS: Mutant Tigatron figure converts to tiger mode in 22 steps. Includes his classic Quasar Cannon and tail whip accessories
The Golden Disk is a powerful artifact with the ability to reveal knowledge of the past, the future, and of the infinite possible destinies throughout time. Discover an alternate timeline in which the quantum surge that mutated many Maximals and Predacons into Transmetals, goes very differently… The quantum surge kills all Maximals and Predacons, except Tigatron. He survives, but the surge left him severely mutated, aggressive, and savage. He doesn’t remember his allegiance to the Maximals, and another survivor plots to take advantage… Mutant Tigatron figure converts to tiger mode in 22 steps. He comes with his classic Quasar Cannon and tail whip accessories. The Golden Disk Collection includes 4 exciting packs, featuring fan-favorite characters involved in the mysterious story of an alternate timeline! (Each sold separately. Subject to availability) Transformers and all related characters are trademarks of Hasbro.
The Beast Wars based version of Tigatron has already appeared in the Kingdom line but this figure goes deep in history for its inspiration. Before the original Tigatron toy was released in its black and white colors, there was a prototype that was featured at Toy Fair 1996 in more traditional orange and cream tiger colors with some green thrown in for contrast. Thanks to Lee's Action Figure Digest and Toy Review back in the day this photo was (relatively) well circulated so many fans have been aware of this unreleased prototype for decades now. At long last, "Mutant Tigatron" makes this figure a reality. This figure is a retool and redeco of the Kingdom Tigatron so check out that review for my original thoughts on that figure.
Packaging:
The Golden Disk collection was a set of exclusive figures launched in late 2021 centered around the Golden Disk artifact from the Beast Wars series. These figures were Amazon Exclusives with limited amounts of the figures released via Hasbro Pulse. Unlike the retail packaging for Kingdom, these boxes featured a part of the Golden Disk on the front. The idea was to put all the boxes together to fully "form" the Golden Disk.
The back of the boxes featured the actual toys inside. In this case Mutant Tigatron is shown in both modes calling out a twenty two step transformation. The combined Maximal/Autobot symbol is shown in full next to his name and the return of the "More Than Meets the Eye" logo appears on the right. For a set of exclusives the packaging is fine but I think I might have preferred some extra piece of cardboard inside as a piece of the Disk so artwork of the character could be featured on the front (but that may just be me).
Accessories:
Mutant Tigatron includes the same accessories as Kingdom Tigatron. The Quasar Cannon is cast in the same orange plastic as the figure. The "gut" section is painted pink just as it was on the original release. The tail is also orange plastic with black stripes on it. Both weapons still have 5mm pegs, allowing Tigatron to hold them in robot mode (and store in beast mode).
Robot Mode:
Much like Kingdom Shadow Panther, Mutant Tigatron features a new head sculpt based on the "Mutant Head" for the 1996 Cheetor/Tigatron sculpt. This insectoid head has a wonderfully creepy look with bug eyes, a sharp beak-like mouth and teeth on the edges. The head sculpt's appearance really fits with the idea of Tigatron having lost all control and becoming a berserker like character. I think this was a fun choice and the sculpt looks great.
The new deco on this figure looks fantastic. Orange is the main color and has a real powerful impact when you have been so used to seeing Tigatron in white for decades. Cream color is used for accents such as parts of the beast mode head and the armor on his legs. Green colors are used (both in sculpted plastic and paint form) on parts including the head, shoulders, elbow joints and waist cover. The black tiger stripes are present on the tiger head in this mode, but they become more prominent in the beast mode. Interestingly, the photo of the robot mode on the box shows green fists and a green end to the Quasar cannon, but on this figure both parts are orange. The colors do a fantastic job of paying homage to the unreleased figure and I love how distinct it looks from the mass release Tigatron.
All the joints on my copy of this figure are every bit as tight as those on my Kingdom Tigatron. There are no bits falling off or any quality issues as far as I can tell.
Transformation to Beast Mode:
- Detach the weapons and set them aside for now.
- Straighten out the arms and legs.
- Swing the heels into the feet.
- Swing the front of the lower legs down, which will in turn push the feet into the back of the lower legs, forming the rear tiger legs.
- Raise the robot arms up and swing the small panels on the sides out, lining them up with the panels behind the arms. Then move the arms back down.
- Swing the forearms up against the biceps.
- Rotate the arms outward and attach it to the panel behind the arms using the tab and corresponding slot.
- Rotate and extend the front tiger arms out to the sides so they are out of the way.
- Lift the beast mode head up, then swing it forward. Push the robot head down, then swing the beast mode head up.
- Swing the panels with the arms and the ones under them together, forming the sides and lower portion of the tiger mode.
- Attach the tail to the back.
- The blaster can attach to one of the 5mm ports on the underside of the tiger.
Beast Mode:
This mode (mostly) covers up the green color, so the orange, cream and black colors become the focus. The orange plastic is a nice, deep color. The cream color is mostly found on the head, chest and of course the robot leg bits that show in this form. These help break up the orange color and keep the figure from looking dull. The black stripes are all in the same pattern as the first Kingdom Tigatron's release and they contrast really nicely against the orange plastic. Overall, the deco is great except for the eyes, which are beautifully painted individually but unfortunately they do not face the same direction so he winds up looking like Derpy from My Little Pony.
Final Thoughts:
Mutant Tigatron is a fantastic figure overall, but the derpy eyes do subtract from it a bit. I really love the idea of prototypes becoming new figures, and this definitely fits that bill. If that sort of thing is your bag, then this is definitely recommended.
Pros:
- Excellent sculpt in both modes.
- Very cool Mutant Head sculpt.
- More than just an "upscaled Cheetor", instead featuring several differences in design and construction.
- Love the "unreleased prototype" deco.
- I love the "gut gun"!
Cons:
- The "derpy" eyes are kind of disappointing given that they had the entire run of the first Tigatron to get it right.
- I do wish the "gut gun" could have been integrated better into the beast mode.
- I would have liked the tail to be articulated so it wasn't drooping down all the time. You can rotate it around but then you see gaps and no tiger stripes (can you tell I'm stretching a bit for "cons" here?).
