General Information:
Release Date: August 2022
Price Point: $33.97 (depending on retailer)
Retailer: Walmart Exclusive (with limited numbers sold on Hasbro Pulse)
Accessories: Blaster
Official images and text below in italics are from Hasbro Pulse:
Universes collide! Transformers: Legacy brings together fan-favorite characters from across the Transformers multiverse. Figures feature deco inspired by their universe with an updated Generations design. In honor of the almost 40-year legacy of Transformers entertainment, the fandoms come together from across the Transformers multiverse, all in one toy line.
- The race is on! Bots from across the multiverse have gathered on Velocitron to participate in the Speedia 500, a planet-wide race to determine its next leader.
- Override is the returning champion and is ready to defend her title as leader of Velocitron.
- Transformers and all related characters are trademarks of Hasbro.
- Includes: Figure, accessory, and instructions.
- Figure scale: 7 inches
- Ages 8 and up
- Warning: Choking Hazard - Small parts. Not for children under 3 years.
Background:
In 2005 Transformers fans were introduced to the Cybertron cartoon. The series would introduce several Cybertronian colonies, an idea which made perfect sense but had not been explored much in the lore. One of these worlds was the "Speed Planet" known as Velocitron. On this world, races were used to determine supremacy including the grand event known as the Speedia 500. Riffing off this event, Hasbro created a Capsule Program for Wal-Mart using the Speedia 500 as its inspiration. It also incorporated characters from the IDW Publishing version of the Speedia 500 including Burn Out and Road Rocket. This line was released at Wal-Mart in August 2022 with limited quantities made available on Hasbro Pulse. Pulse shipped first with Wal-Mart putting the toys on shelves in stores before shipping their site pre-orders out. As of August 21, 2022, Wal-Mart's estimated ship date for their pre-orders is October 2022.
Override was introduced in the Cybertron series as the leader of Velocitron who was deeply affected by meeting Autobots from Cybertron, becoming a better leader and even befriending the human ally, Lori. Since her original release, this character has pretty much faded away into obscurity until now! If you're going to make a series of toys based on Velocitron, she is a must have character in the set! Much to my surprise, Hasbro decided to make this an entirely new sculpt (early concepts would have made Override a retool of Studio Series Hot Rod).
Packaging:
When the original Generation One figures were released, they were packaged in a rectangular box with a large flap on the back. They sat inside the box in their alt-modes relying on the package artwork to show off the robot mode. However, for quite some time now, Transformers have been mostly packaged in robot mode instead, a move partly intended to show off the value of the figure you are purchasing. This has led to more vertical packaging that discarded the old "rectangle box with flap" design. Aside from some Vintage reissues and the Vintage Headmaster line, this style of packaging has been very rare in modern day releases.
Enter: the Speedia 500 collection! This entire line features its characters packaged in G1 shaped boxes complete with a rectangular shape, a window in the front and a flap on top. The only exception is Scourge, who is packaged in a big, closed box with an illustration in front. The background features a wonderful black to blue gradient and each box features the text "Velocitron Speedia 500 Collection". A lot of graphics on the boxes are references to the race including arrows and even the symbol of Velocitron itself boldly shown off on the front of the boxes. Each character does feature new box art including Override. Interestingly, the box for Override features her in both modes. The flap on top has her in vehicle mode while the left side of the rectangular section shows her in robot mode. Override is part of the multi-versal Legacy line so she is referred to by her universe as "Cybertron Universe" Override (which probably takes up slightly less room than "Unicron Trilogy Override"). The back of the box shows her in both modes, calling out a 19 step transformation.
To say I love this packaging design would be an understatement. It manages to blend some nostalgia with a modern day line and the graphics are all consistent with the world of Velocitron itself.
Class and Price Point:
Override is sold at a Voyager Class price point which was $33.97 at Wal-Mart and $33.99 at Hasbro Pulse at the time of release. The figure itself however is not quite the large size one would expect of a Voyager Class figure. Indeed, if you just weigh the figure head to head against say, Legacy Bulkhead, the weight difference is pretty dramatic. Bulkhead (with all accessories) weighs in at about 5.1 ounces. Override however comes in at around 3.5 ounces (Deluxes on the other hand can come in around 2.0 to 3.2 ounces). When rationalizing this discrepency, it is best to think of the Class system less in terms of size (which is the traditional way to think about it) and more in terms of cost to produce the figure. Between parts count, deco and of course its exclusive nature, this figure simply "priced in" closer to a Voyager price point than a Deluxe. More on this at the end of the review.
Accessories:
Override includes a weapon that also seems to double as her vehicle mode engine. In vehicle mode it forms a chunk of the vehicle's rear section. The design of this accessory is heavily based on the original Cybertron Override's. This includes having two small fins, a raised section with a port for a weapon/accessory and a raised circle part next to that. Now, this version of the weapon does not have the same Cyber Key gimmick of the original Override. On that figure, you would insert the key and the weapon barrels would swing out. No such mechanism exists on this weapon but you can insert a Cyber Key from Cybertron in the back so it looks like she is being powered up!
This weapon is made up of black and white plastic. The black makes up most of it with white used for the barrels. The ends of the barrels are painted red.
Now, here's the bad news. Unlike the Cybertron version of Override, you cannot deploy the weapons in this mode. Given that this figure is being sold at a Voyager Class price point, that was really disappointing. I didn't need the weapon barrels to flip out automatically, but it would have been nice to have them be able to swing out and forward while the figure is in vehicle mode. There is a bit of a consolation prize however. On the top of the weapon/engine section is a 5mm port so you can attach a weapon to it even if it isn't her own.
Vehicle Mode:
Cybertron Override's vehicle mode was absolutely awesome. Originally intended as a homage to the Mach 5 vehicle from Speed Racer, the design of the vehicle remains unique in the Transformers line to this day. Like the Cybertron Override figure, this one features a large engine section in back, a cockpit/cabin section in the center with hints of the robot mode head behind it. The front end is made up of curved sections formed from the robot legs that lead to the oval shaped feet in front. Smaller details that translate over from the original Override to this one include vents over the rear wheel wells, a triangular section on the top of the cockpit/cabin section and raised details on the front half of the vehicle that look like "speed lines" sweeping back as Override races to the finish line!
From a sculpt perspective the vehicle mode looks fantastic, but there is one detail that I think could have been done better: the front end. There the robot legs that form the curved side sections are set kind of flat, whereas on the original figure they angled upward more, creating a "scoop" shape, this figure has the legs set more out to the sides, so the angled shape on the sides is lost a bit which is a shame. Still, I won't lie, this vehicle looks super cool. Whether you see it as a Mach 5 homage or just a neat scifi vehicle I love the look of this car!
Override is made up of black, white and translucent red plastic. The translucent red is perhaps the most striking of the colors. It is a slightly darker shade than the one used on the Cybertron Override figure but it is used in the same places including the cabin section and the wheels (which honestly surprised me). Red, gold and blue paint are used for detailing that very closely matches the detailing on the original figure. Indeed, she's only missing one bit of deco (that I'm sure was cut for cost): the headlights. At the very front you'll see indentations on the robot feet. These were painted gold on the Cybertron version of the figure but here they were left unpainted. This is unfortunate for sure, but boy did they nail other parts like the red details on the front of the vehicle and the gold trim on the cabin cover. They even painted the sides of the wheels gold! Overall she looks fantastic.
Transformation to Robot Mode:
- Detach the engine/weapon section in the back. Swing out the barrels and swing the fins up and set it aside for now.
- Split the front half of the vehicle in the middle to begin forming the robot legs.
- Swing the white parts of the legs forward, then snap them into place at the knees.
- Rotate the lower legs so the knees face up.
- Swing the robot feet up.
- On the back of each lower leg, swing the piece that is painted red up, then swing the black piece against the back of the lower legs.
- Flip the vehicle around and you'll see the robot arms. Swing each of them out.
- Swing the entire rear half of the vehicle back on the central hinge.
- Push the arms in towards the center, then swing them back. Each shoulder section has a tab which fits into slots on the black piece that forms the back.
- Swing the cockpit/cabin section down to form the middle of the torso and reveal the robot head.
- Rotate the fists around into the proper position.
- Attach the weapon to either fist.
Robot Mode:
For its time, the Cybertron Override figure was a very cool toy, and back then it was somewhat rare to have female characters in the Transformers toy line so her figure was an absolute treat. However, even back then fans had to admit she did not quite match the proportions of the character in animated form. It seems like the designers were trying to go more for her animated appearance with this design and boy, I have to say they did a great job! Instead of the cockpit/cabin section of the vehicle taking up most of the torso (and the shoulders adding a lot of width) this figure has similar proportions to the animation model with a smaller sized torso section and arms with what looks like armor over the shoulders and forearms that add some bulk, giving Override a powerful appearance. Her legs are long and curved with a distinct knee armor design and the wheels on the sides. The head sculpt is also on point, featuring her distinctive crest and "horns" sticking up the sides at angles. It's like someone took G1 Prowl's head design and stretched out certain details and it looks awesome.
Like the vehicle mode, the deco in this mode is really great. The plastic colors are nicely distributed, with the black on the arms broken up by both red and white. The translucent red on the torso adds a beautiful contrast to the white plastic on the torso and waist areas. In addition to the deco from the vehicle mode, red, blue and gold is used on the head while gold is used to paint the angled details on the arms. Aside from the "missing" gold on her feet the deco really pops.
There are twenty two points of articulation on this figure. This includes five in each arm and leg. The waist articulation is hampered a bit by the design of the torso area. I have seen at least one hack online where someone sliced off bits of that section to give it more range of movement but I'm not a fan of slicing off bits of my figures so I left mine alone. Like most modern figures in the Generations line, Override has a few 5mm ports to attach additional weapons. You'll find them on the forearms, the legs and on the back.
Final Thoughts:
Override is not a perfect figure, but she is definitely a solid one. I love the aesthetics and transformation. She's also the first version of the character we've had in well over a decade, making her extra welcome. That said, I can totally understand if some fans balk at the thought of paying $34 USD for a figure of this size, especially since she lacks any kind of gimmick such as flip out blasters in vehicle mode. For me, the character, the figure itself and its exclusive status make it a must have addition to my collection. Recommended!
Pros:
- Excellent sculpt.
- Beautiful deco and plastic colors.
- A new iteration of a character that has been ignored for a very long time.
- Good articulation.
- Attachment points for extra accessories adds fun play value.
- Another shout out for the amazing packaging.
Cons:
- Weapon cannot be deployed in vehicle mode.
- Fans will definitely have issues with a figure that is not quite as heavy or large as other Voyagers being sold at this price point.
