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General Information:
Release Date: January 2022
Price Point: $22.99 (depending on retailer)
Retailer: Fan Channel Exclusive (BigBadToyStore, Entertainment Earth, Hasbro Pulse etc.)
Accessories: Blaster
Official images and text below in italics are from BigBadToyStore and Hasbro Pulse:
The first Lift-Ticket figure was released in 2015 at BotCon as part of a Diaclone 2-Pack souvenir set. Now this figure is released on its own with deco based on the red variant of the Diaclone 4WD Wrecker Type. The Lift-Ticket figure converts from robot to tow truck mode in 20 steps. Figure comes with a blaster weapon accessory and flip down truck ramp in vehicle mode.
Fans can take their Transformers figure collections to the next level with Generations Selects, a fan-dedicated line of figures featuring fan-favorite, special edition characters you can’t find in the main line.
Includes Generations Selects Deluxe Class Lift-Ticket figure, accessory, and instructions.
- EXPAND YOUR COLLECTION WITH SPECIAL EDITION FIGURES: Generations Selects is a fan-dedicated line of figures featuring special edition characters that can’t be found in the main line
- INSPIRED BY DIACLONE VARIANT: This figure was first released in 2015 as part of a souvenir set at BotCon in 2015. Now, the Lift-Ticket figure is released on its own with deco based on the red variant of the Diaclone 4WD Wrecker Type
- CLASSIC TRANSFORMERS CONVERSION: This Lift-Ticket figure converts from robot to tow truck mode in 20 steps
- AWESOME WEAPON ACCESSORIES: Includes blaster weapon accessory and features a flip down truck ramp in vehicle mode
- Figure scale: 5.5 inches
- Ages 8 and up
Lift-Ticket is the modern day name for the Diaclone "4WD HILUX wrecker" (which you can see here). When this sculpt was released during G1, Hasbro and Takara used the green and orange version as Hoist. However, this red variant never saw release in the United States. In 2015, Fun Publications created a Botcon Exclusive based on that figure named, Lift-Ticket. Now the character is seeing a wider release as a Generations Selects figure under the Legacy banner. This figure is a redeco of the Earthrise Hoist figure, so check that out for my main thoughts on this sculpt. This review will focus on the changes made to the figure for this release.
Packaging:
Like previous Generations Selects releases, Lift-Ticket is packaged inside a brown cardboard box with a lid that flips up to reveal the figure inside. However, some changes have been made between the Selects boxes of previous years and this one. First, the artwork on it is much more ornate. In the past, the box was largely plain with a sticker in front giving most of the detail about the figure inside.
This time out, the box has a huge graphic of the figure inside printed on it in black. The back and inside of the box both feature the Legacy logo (which officially makes this my first Legacy review of 2022!). This is a really cool design choice as it helps one see who is in the box without having to stare at the sticker in front. Interestingly, the Generations Selects title has been de-emphasized a lot. You'll only find it on one corner printed in black. Not on top, the back or in front. Open the box and you'll find Lift-Ticket inside attached to a cardboard tray. Past Selects releases used plastic, but Hasbro is currently working to eliminate as much plastic as possible from their packaging and this is part of that initiative. The instructions are set under the tray and figure.
Overall, this new style of packaging is much more attractive than the previous ones. It also helps distinguish this figure from others without having to open the box. I am very happy the designers have gone in this direction with Selects packaging.
Accessories:
Lift-Ticket includes one accessory: a blaster. However, the design of this weapon really deserves some kudos. The weapon has a cylindrical base with a narrow section in the middle that widens again a bit at the end of the barrel. This design was used for Hoist's right hand in both the G1 cartoon and comic book where a blaster/welding tool was found instead of a fist. What's great about this weapon is that it is designed to fit over the fist, covering it to look like G1 Lift-Ticket's right arm (just like Hoist). This lets you have the figure both ways. If you just want him to have regular ol' fists, great! If you want him to have one "weapon hand", great! I love having the option to display him one way or the other.
This weapon is cast in yellow plastic with a lot of silver paint. The end of the barrel has a port that allows you to attach Blast Effects.
Robot Mode:
The red variant of the "4WD HILUX" figure had four primary colors: red, silver, yellow and black. Basically imagine almost everywhere Hoist is green, this guy is red. The vacuum metallized silver parts on the Diaclone figure are represented by silver plastic on this figure. The black color has been de-emphasized, with yellow parts on the legs, hips and back (including his "wings"). The face is painted silver with yellow eyes. Above the head is a his three barreled device (feel free to imagine it is anything from a rocket launcher to a force field generator). Silver paint is also used on the lower legs. The windshield on the chest is translucent blue. To really solidify Lift-Ticket as an Autobot (instead of a Diaclone character) he has a huge red and white Autobot symbol tampographed onto his torso. It is very striking and really stands out. On the sides of the chest are tampographs featuring hazard lines which will come more into play in vehicle mode.
There are twenty four points of articulation on this figure. This includes five in each arm, six in each leg and even waist articulation. There are also fourteen 5mm ports to connect weaponry. Each arm has three, the legs and feet have a total of four and the "back pack" has four. All the joints on my copy of this figure are every bit as tight as they were on my copy of Hoist, so no worries about tooling degradation (especially since it is only the second release of this particular version of the figure).
Transformation to Vehicle Mode:
- Detach the blaster weapon and set it aside for now.
- Straighten out the arms and legs.
- Swing the "wings" on the back and the rectangular piece with the circles inside down.
- Swing the back pack section back.
- Swing the head down into the chest.
- Rotate each forearm around so the top of the fists are facing forward.
- Rotate the arms up.
- Rotate the arms back so the arms are set pointed forward.
- Swing up the bottom section of the torso to form the front of the vehicle.
- Swing the back pack up.
- Swing each lower leg over the back of the thighs, tabbing it in to lock it into place.
- Swing the arms and the arm panels in. The arms should wind up under the front section of the vehicle mode.
- Swing the lower body back and snap it into place.
- Rotate each forearm around so the hinges face up, then swing the forearms in, tucking them against the bottom of the vehicle.
- Swing the back pack down and tab it in against the arm panels and the back of the vehicle.
- Swing the "wings" on the top of the vehicle outward, then swing the platform on the back out. Push the white rectangularpiece back, then swing the wings back in place.
- The blaster can be attached to the side of the vehicle.
Vehicle Mode:
Lift-Ticket's robot mode looks great, but I often feel that the vehicle mode is where he shines. Most of the vehicle is red with black wheels. The cabin section is translucent blue plastic with red and blue paint filling in details. The back section on top is all yellow plastic. The entire front section is translucent blue plastic with most of the grille painted silver. Even better, the sides of the wheels are also painted silver. They look great! The final (and master) touch are the details on the sides of the vehicle. From front to back there are tampographs featuring black and yellow hazard lines. On top of these lines is the word "Wrecker" in white. This is directly taken from the stickers on the Diaclone figure. As homages go, Lift-Ticket is only missing one small detail. The part on the back in the middle that curves downward had hazard stripes on the Diaclone toy, but there are no such details here. Still, I think this vehicle mode looks fantastic.
Lift-Ticket rolls on all four wheels in this mode. There are four 5mm ports in this mode. Two are on the sides and two are on top of the towing mechanism. To use the ones on top you'll need to move the wings aside, but you can have all sorts of fun with it. The platform on the top of the towing mechanism can slide up and down to "tow" another figure in vehicle mode. There is not really a way to "lock" another vehicle in place. I had limited success pulling a Micromaster but not a Deluxe Class figure.
You can also use this platform to connect to the ramps on Earthrise figures. It's a weird play pattern since most of what he can attach to are Modulator style bases, but it's neat that the designers tried to find ways to have different figures interact with one another.
Final Thoughts:
I am a huge fan of Diaclone homages. Figures like Deep Cover and the Cordon and Spinout two pack are totally my jam partly because I'm not sure I'll ever actually own the original Diaclone figures they are based on (they're not cheap!). Lift-Ticket is another fantastic homage to the "pre-Transformers" era that was Diaclone and I love it. Recommended!
Pros:
- Excellent sculpt.
- Deco is a wonderful homage to the Diaclone "Wrecker".
- Good articulation.
- Good play value.
Cons:
- I do wish the "towing platform" had a way to "lock" vehicles in place to be "towed" without falling off the platform.
