General Information:
Release Date: July 2019
Price Point: $34.99 (In a boxed set of 10 Micromasters)
Retailer: Target Exclusive
Accessories: None
Official images and text below in italics are from Target.com:
- BUILD THE ULTIMATE BATTLEFIELD: The Generations War for Cybertron trilogy introduces an expansive ecosystem of collectible figures and weapon accessories. (Each sold separately. Subject to availability)
- EXCITING 10pk WITH CLASSIC MICROMASTER COMBINATION: This 10pk includes 5 teams of Micromaster toys that convert and combine to form weapon modes!
- CLASSIC G1-INSPIRED CHARACTERS: Adult fans nostalgic for the original Transformers animation and kids discovering classic characters for the first time can share and experience exciting play patterns across generations
- AWESOME CONVERSION: Each figure in this Micromaster 10pk features simple conversion to micro vehicle modes. For kids and adults 8 years old and up!
- COMPATIBLE WEAPON MODE WORKS WITH ALL OTHER FIGURES: War for Cybertron: Siege figures have multiple weapon ports that enable fans to attach the weapon mode of Micromaster figures
- Build the ultimate battlefield with Transformers War for Cybertron: Siege collectible figures, featuring classic G1 characters. (Each figure sold separately. Subject to availability). Siege plunges fans into the epic fight to survive on the final day of the Autobot and Decepticon battle to control Cybertron. The Decepticon resistance army and the Autobot counter-resistance fighters gear up with the universe's most advanced modular weaponry, including the weapon modes of Micromaster figures - sentient bots that become weapons!
Micromaster figures combine to form weapons to equip other Siege figures (sold separately)!
- WFC-S58 Ricon and Irontread form Dual-Port Scrapgrinder
- WFC-S59 Road-Police and Wheel Blaze form Powershot Plasma Cannon
- WFC-S60 Overair and Ground Shaker form Ultra-Sonic Shredder Blade
- WFC-S61 Slyhopper and Nightflight form Dual-Edged Soundbreaker Sword
- WFC-S62 Cratermaker and Fireline form Gravatronic Rubblemaker Cannon
- Includes 10 Transformers Generations War for Cybertron: Siege Micromaster figures and instructions.
- Figure scale: 1.5 inches
- Ages 8 and up
- Warning: Choking Hazard - Small parts. Not for children under 3 years.
-Transformers and all related characters are trademarks of Hasbro.
As part of the burst of new products at Target in late July/early August 2019, Target carried an exclusive ten pack of Micromaster figures. A majority of this set featured redecos and retools of previously released figures. Two of the figures in the pack (Irontread and Ricon) were redecos of the Off-Road Patrol, which was not readily available online (via Amazon) until about two weeks after this set was released. Instead of featuring the "missing members" of the previously released patrols, many of these figures represented characters who originally came with transforming bases in Generation One or Japanese exclusive Micromaster homages.
Ricon is the only member of this boxed set who is not a homage to a Micromaster from Generation One. This was confirmed by John Warden at San Diego Comic-Con 2019. His name is actually a homage to G1 Ironworks, a Micromaster who featured a sticker that said "RI Construction" on it (likely a reference to Rhode Island, where Hasbro is located). Perhaps coincidentally, "Ricon" sounds like the word "recon", which may hint at one of Ricon's functions.
Packaging:
The Micromaster 10 Pack is packaged in a box with a large window in the front. This allows you to see all ten Micromasters inside. The Micromasters are packaged in robot mode and roughly divided between Autobots and Decepticons. The left side says "Autobots" while the right says "Decepticons", but Ground Shaker and Overair (both Autobots) are near the "Decepticon side" while Nightflight is on the "Autobot side". The "Siege" logo is located towards the bottom and the side of course has the "Generations" logo along with a vertical Transformers logo on the right.
The back of the box features each Micromaster in both modes along with the number of steps to transform them. It also shows off each pair's combined weapon mode, but does not name them (they are however named in the official product description above). In the lower right hand corner is Red Alert holding the "Dual-Port Scrapgrinder" formed by Irontread and Ricon.
Robot Mode:
Ricon is a retool and redeco of the Highjump sculpt from the Off-Road Patrol. While the character is not intended to be a new version of any G1 Micromaster, the chest panel and head are both based off of the G1 Micromaster Hydraulic! This includes a head with "horns" on the sides and a chest panel featuring vertical vents on either side of the chest. The rest of the design is similar to G1 Highjump including the rear of the vehicle forming his legs and the sides of the vehicle forming the arms.
While there are some nice details on this figure, there are a couple awkward design choices. First, each of the vehicle's rear wheels wind up in front of the fists. Now, I guess you could imagine these are some type of weird saw weapon, but they do look a bit odd. Also, the front of the vehicle winds up behind the head, but it does not really fold out of the way or tuck into the back nicely. It just kind of sits there. It does not look terrible, and it actually reminds me a bit of G1 Huffer and Pipes, but it feels a bit awkward when you transform it. These design choices do not ruin the figure, but I would be remiss if I did not mention them.
In what feels like a bit of a throwback to G1 Ironhide, Ricon is cast in red and black plastic. Silver paint is used on the torso and lower legs while orange is used on the face and shoulders. I really like the color combination and it does help Ricon stand out from the rest of the ten pack.
Ricon has seven points of articulation. Each arm can move up and down and he has waist articulation. His knee joints are tight, which is cool but you need to be careful or the legs pop off the ball joints at the hips fairly easily. It's not big deal if they do since you can just pop them right back on.
Transformation to Vehicle Mode:
- Straighten out the arms and legs.
- Rotate the lower body around.
- Push the two lower legs together.
- Swing the lower legs up over the thighs to form the back of the vehicle.
- Push the front of the vehicle mode down.
Vehicle Mode:
Ricon's vehicle form is a Land Rover style vehicle. It features a boxy design with a straight front end and a taller, box shaped back end. A series of rectangular devices are lined along the rear of the vehicle (similar to where Highjump had a hinge/cylinder in G1). For a Cybertronian vehicle, Ricon really looks like an Earth vehicle complete with a grille and headlights in the front.
This mode mostly shows off red plastic with black on the wheels. An orange Autobot symbol is printed onto the top of the hood and silver is used to paint the windows, sunroof and the front of the vehicle. Surprisingly, the rear windows are painted, a detail that was neglected for many years on various Transformers toys. The sides of the vehicle feature orange lines running along the side, reinforcing the visual connection to G1 Ironhide.
Transformation to Weapon Mode (Starting in Vehicle Mode):
- Swing the rear of the vehicle out so the weapon barrels point back.
- Swing the front of the vehicle up, swing out the peg and push the front piece back into place.
Weapon Mode:
Ricon's weapon mode (like so many of the Micromaster weapon modes) looks like a truck with legs sticking out the back. He's bulky and powerful looking, which is great. However, the only things that really make this a weapon mode are sculpted weapon barrel ends under the robot feet and the handle towards the front. Overall the weapon looks good (for what it is) but I am sad that the weapon barrel ends under the feet are not designed to allow you to attach Blast Effects. The way the feet are designed, I think the designers could have worked indentations in to allow a Blast Effect to wrap around. Oh well, opportunity missed.
Ricon is intended to combine with Irontread to form the "Dual-Port Scrapgrinder" which sounds like a weapon you would get in a video game as a power up, and I love it. The official configuration involves Ricon forming the top of the "Scrapgrinder". Any larger robot holding the combined weapon would use Ricon's weapon peg to do so. Unfortunately Irontread winds up drooping down slightly in the process. I only wish the product description or packaging told us just what the Scrapgrinder did exactly but with a name like "Scrapgrinder" you can let your imagination roam.
Final Thoughts:
Ricon is not the best Micromaster in this set, but he is a cool little figure. He's bulky, features new parts and a cool deco. I also dig the combined "Scrapgrinder" weapon form. I do recommend this entire boxed set since it is a lot of fun all in one package. It is also quite a bargain since ten Micromasters would normally cost you about $50 USD at retail.
Pros:
- Bulkiness in the sculpt gives it a powerful appearance.
- Beautiful deco.
- Has a new head and chest.
Cons:
- The front of the vehicle does not really move out of the way nicely in robot mode.
- The wheels in front of the fists are a bit odd to me.
- You cannot attach Blast Effects.
