General Information
Release Date: December 2023
Price Point: $24.99 (depending on retailer)
Retailer: General Release (Amazon, BigBadToyStore, Entertainment Earth, Target, Walmart etc.)
Accessories: Crossbow/Axe, Truck roof/Shield
Official images and text in italics are from Amazon.com
- INFERNAC UNIVERSE MAGNEOUS ACTION FIGURE: This 5.5-inch (14 cm) Infernac Universe Magneous toy is a Transformers Armorizer, a lifeform made from living rocks and minerals found throughout the galaxy
- INTRODUCING ARMORIZERS: Combine Transformers robot figures with this Armorizer toy to create rock armor and weapon accessories! (Each sold separately, subject to availability)
- 2-IN-1 CONVERTING TRANSFORMERS TOY: Transformers action figure converts from rock creature toy to offroad vehicle car toy in 10 steps
- AWESOME ACCESSORIES: This Infernac Universe Magneous Transformers figure comes with rock axe and shield accessories. Accessories attach in both modes
- CELEBRATE THE LEGACY: Transformers Legacy United honors 40 years of Transformers animated history! Collect other Legacy: United figures to unite your collection (each sold separately, subject to availability)
- GIFT TRANSFORMERS COLLECTIBLES: This Infernac Universe Magneous action figure toy makes a great collectible figure gift for any Transformers fan
Unite your favorite characters from across the world of Transformers robots into your collection with the Transformers Legacy United Deluxe Class Infernac Universe Magneous action figure! This 5.5-inch Infernac Universe Magneous action figure is an Armorizer, a creature made from living rocks and minerals on other planets! Combine this Armorizer toy with other Transformers figures to create cool rock armor and weapons. Figure also converts between rock creature and offroad vehicle modes in 10 steps. Gear up for battle with the included rock axe and shield accessories. Celebrate the last 40 years of Transformers history with Transformers Legacy action figures. Transformers Legacy opens the portal to a whole new universe of -- More Than Meets the Eye -- bringing together every Transformers generation like you’ve never seen before. Collect and combine different characters to create your ideal Legacy lineup. TRANSFORMERS and HASBRO and all related trademarks and logos are trademarks of Hasbro, Inc. © 2024 Hasbro.
Packaging:
Magneous is packaged in a now standard Legacy box design. The box is roughly rectangular with an angle on the top and side. The front features an open window and there is a cardboard hook on top. The graphics are very similar to previous years of Legacy boxes with blue and purple tones. The tray Magneous sits in features yellow and orange colors, offering nice contrast to the darker outer box. On the left side is a box referencing the "Infernac Universe" with Magneous' name under it. The Legacy United logo is under artwork of Magneous' vehicle form (which oddly looks more brown than the actual grey color of the figure). The left side of the box (if you are facing it) features Magneous' robot mode art.
The back of the box shows Magneous in both modes calling out a 10 step transformation and broken up into his Armorizer components. It also shows him connected to Legacy "Animated" Bumblebee as armor and accessories. Under all that is the new 40th Anniversary Transformers logo. One thing of note with this box: the cardboard is of significantly better quality than the previous two years of Legacy figures. This cardboard feels solid and firm which hopefully means damaged boxes on store shelves and right out of the case will be less likely. I was very pleasantly surprised by this.
Background:
In 1986, the Gobots toy line expanded with a sub-brand known as "Rock Lords". This line featured creatures who changed from rocks to humanoid, monster or animal-like forms. This line even inspired appearances and references in Transformers lore. Now as part of Legacy United a new type of Transformers figure has emerged inspired by the Rock Lords! Following the play pattern of figures like Cog, Ractonite and Crashbar these Rock Lords-inspired figures are known as "Armorizers".
Accessory:
Like the Weaponizers and Fossilizers, Magneous is intended to be a figure that forms accessories for other figures so I'll largely cover that aspect of it in this review, but Magneous does come with a couple of accessories that are not part of his robot form.
- Crossbow/Axe: The crossbow/axe weapon is a single piece shaped like a crossbow if held horizontally or a pickaxe if held vertically. The weapon has both mechanical and rock like details all over it. This weapon has one 5mm port at the base to hold as an axe and another on the handle to use as a crossbow. This piece is gunmetal rey plastic with no paint applications. There are tabs on the axe blade section to attach to the vehicle mode and two larger tabs in the front. This allows you to attach parts from the front of the lower legs to turn the weapon into a battering ram or hammer weapon.
- Cover/Shield: The cabin cover of the truck mode also doubles as a shield. As a cabin cover it has some fun "Mad Max" styling complete with armor over the window areas. Rocky details are found on the top of the cover in asymmetrical shapes which looks really cool. This piece has a 5mm peg that allows it to attach to the vehicle mode or fit in his fists (or forearm) as a shield. This piece is made of gunmetal grey plastic. The windows are painted black with silver outlines.
Robot Mode:
Magneous is an uncommon kind of Generations figure nowadays: one not based on a previously existing character. The idea behind the figure was to pay homage to Rock Lords but also ensure a lot of traditional Transformers design elements were represented as well. From a Transformers perspective Magneous looks like a symmetrical robot with vehicle mode bits hanging off such as the wheel wells that form the chest and the ones attached to the sides of his lower legs. His head also has elements of a traditional Transformers design including a "helmet" section and two eyes, a nose and a mouthplate.
Where the Rock Lords influence comes in are the details on each part of the figure. On almost every section of this robot mode are parts that look like rock formations that have either been attached to a robot or perhaps molten rock was poured on him and solidified. The head furthers this impression. While it has a "helmet" section, the edges of it look rocky and the top sections are uneven, looking almost like a piece may have been melted off. This aesthetic won't be for everyone in the same way the "techno-organic" textures of Beast Wars figures don't work for all fans but they definitely work for me.
Magneous is made up mostly of grey plastic (that looks kind of like gunmetal grey but not quite as metallic looking). Paint colors include different shades of grey such as a lighter grey on his chest and the wheel wells on his legs. His eyes are painted yellow. Black is used for the vent like details on his knee armor. Honestly as much as I like this figure this mode really needs some variation aside from grey on grey on grey. I think if some of the edges had been painted with black and orange to simulate lava it would have looked incredible.
There are twenty two points of articulation. This includes four in each arm and six in each leg. Each fist has a 5mm port. There are 5mm pegs on the shoulders and if you remove the armor pieces on his forearms you will free up two more 5mm ports.
Transformation to Vehicle Mode:
- Detach the weapon and set them aside for now.
- Straighten out the arms and legs.
- Pull the back piece out a bit, then pull the chest section forward a bit and up.
- Swing the wheel wells that mke up the robot chest outward.
- Swing the robot head down.
- Swing the robot feet up against the front of the lower legs.
- Push the lower legs together.
- Swing the robot fists in and rotate them so the "rocky" parts face outward.
- Swing the arms in.
- Attach the cabin cover section to the top.
- The axe weapon can attach to the rear of the vehicle using the tabs and corresponding slots.
Vehicle Mode:
I mentioned in the robot mode review that Magneous looks like a robot mode that had molten rock on it that hardened in various patterns. The vehicle mode also reflects this aesthetic. It looks like a Transformer in truck mode drove through liquid rock and kept driving as it solidified. Some of the patterns really look like the rock is sweeping backward, especially the details on the sides (specifically on the forearms) and the larger "rocks" on top of the vehicle. More traditional truck details include a grille in the front and the armored windows. Overall I really dig the sculptin this mode but again, if you're not into the "rocky" look this won't be for you.
All the same colors from the robot mode carry over here and I'll reiterate my comment that there needed to be some bright color helping to break up all the grey. I do appreciate that various shades of grey were used on this figure's deco but having something pop against them would have been nice.
This vehicle rolls on four wheels. If you detach the forearm armor from the robot mode that opens up two 5mm ports to attach additional weaponry in this mode.
Armorizer Mode:
As an Armorizer, you can separate various parts of this figure to use as armor and weapons on other figures. I cover the weapon and shield above, but here's a rundown of the rest of the parts:
- Robot Arms: The arms can detach and be attached to other figures via a 5mm peg at the shoulder. If you attach some weapons into the fists that adds to the combat power for any 'bot using these parts!
- Feet/Lower Leg Armor: Formed from the top of the truck bed, these two pieces detach and can be attached to the axe weapon to form something resembling a sledgehammer. Sadly there are no 5mm ports or pegs on these parts which I find to be an odd oversight.
- Rear Wheel Wells: The rear wheel wells can detach from the sides and feature two 5mm pegs.
- Forearm Armor: The armor attached to the forearms can be detached. Each piece features a 5mm peg allowing you to attach it to other figures.
A good amount of parts wind up breaking off Magneous but I feel like they are not super successful as armor or weapon bits. The parts that detach from his lower legs for instance have no 5mm pegs or ports, so they're only useful to attach to the axe weapon to make the "hammer" weapon. The wheel wells detaching is cool and all but it doesn't do much to act as armor. Perhaps the most useful bits are the robot arms which can be used to hold additional weapons when attached to another figure. Still, given how successful the designers were with the Weaponizers and Junkions I'm surprised that Magneous' parts don't form more interesting bits of armor and weapons.
Final Thoughts:
I am one of those weird fans who has been very excited about the release of the Armorizers. I think Rock Lords are a fun and goofy part of action figure history and having Transformers pay homage to them is cool in my book. I also think Transformers needs to diversify its line beyond remakes of existing characters and this fits the bill as well. However, as an Armorizer in terms of function this figure is a lot less successful. The best accessory here is his axe/crossbow weapon followed by his shield. I feel like the other parts are good to layer on top of say, Weaponizer or Fossilizer parts, but on their own they are not particularly impressive. This is a good figure, don't get me wrong, but I was hoping for a bit more functionality. Recommended especially if you can get it on some type of sale.
Pros:
- Excellent sculpt that is different than your typical Transformers figure.
- The axe and shield are cool accessories.
- Intuitive transformation.
Cons:
- The deco could be more exciting.
- This figure's "Armorizer" features/parts are not particularly interesting.
