General Information:
Release Date: October 2016
Price Point: $9.99 (depending on retailer)
Retailer: General (Toys R Us, Target, Wal-Mart etc.)
Accessories: Blaster/Tank Cannon
Text in italics and official images below from Amazon.com:
Decepticon Rumble is part of a team of Decepticon spies led by Soundwave. A demolitions expert who often speaks in rhyme, Decepticon Rumble is a trash-talking, Autobot-stalking brawler. Though he's small in size, he's capable of bringing down huge targets by transmitting low-frequency ground waves that create powerful earthquakes. Titans Return Legends Class figures deliver exciting Transformers conversion play in a smaller scale. This Decepticon Rumble figure is a Triple Changer figure that converts from robot mode to tank mode to spy tablet mode. In spy tablet mode, the figure fits inside the chest compartment of the Titans Return Leader Class Soundwave figure. (Sold separately. Subject to availability.) The figure changes from robot mode to tank mode in 12 steps, and from tank mode to spy tablet mode in 6. Also includes a blaster accessory and a collectible character card with character art on the front and tech specs on the back. Transformers and all related characters are trademarks of Hasbro.
While other size classes in the "Titans Return" line focus on the "Headmaster" style play pattern, the Legends Class rolls forward bringing modern day versions of smaller G1 characters to life. One of the second wave of Legends Class "Titans Return" figures is the Decepticon Rumble. Rumble was one of the first Transformers I ever owned in the G1 era, and he was heavily featured on the G1 cartoon in the early seasons. His brash personality and ability to generate earthquakes made him distinctive and most fans have fond memories of him. Over the years the character has popped up in the Transformers toy line several times. Here's a highlight list of post-G1 Rumble-inspired releases:
- "Galaxy Force" Ramble
- "Alternators" Rumble
- "Fall of Cybertron" Rumble with Ravage
- Masterpiece (2013)
- "Arms Micron" Rumble
- KRE-O Rumble (2015)
Rumble is a redeco and retool of Rewind who was released earlier this year. Check out that review for details on the sculpt. This review will focus on the changes made to the figure for this release.
Packaging:
Rumble is packaged in a bubble sealed on a card. The style continues the style used for the "Combiner Wars" Legends Class figures such as Powerglide. If you are facing the card, the artwork for the character is on the left while the Transformers logo is set vertically on the right. At the top is the "Generations" logo. The back features the figure in all modes along with the requisite legal information in multiple languages. Interestingly the artwork shown for Rumble is just a Photoshop of the CG render for Rewind, so he still has Rewind's head but rest assured the actual figure has a new head sculpt.
Titans Return figures come with a collector card, similar to last year's "Combiner Wars" series. However these cards are shaped differently, with corners cut out on two sides. The front features the character's artwork, giving you a better look at the full body. The back features something fans have wanted since last year: tech specs! These are not traditional specs with a full motto and so on, but instead there are four qualities reflected here (via icons). The four icons are: A robot flexing arms (strength), a character running (speed), a brain (intelligence) and a missile (firepower). These are laid out on the X axis of a bar chart with lines going across from a scale of one through ten. Since rumble is not a Titan Master, there is no additional ten points of power on the scale that you would find on say, the tech specs card for Skullsmasher's tech specs card.
Robot Mode:
Rumble features a brand new head sculpt, replacing Rewind's head. The head is largely based on Rumble's G1 animated look featuring a blocky section on the top of the head with a central crest, thin panels on the sides of the "helmet section" and visor eyes with a nose and mouth. To any fan of G1 the head is instantly recognizable.
The body for this figure is pretty distinctive in that if you have Rewind it's pretty recognizable as "Rewind's body". That said, the fact that Rewind and Rumble transformed into similar alt modes in Generation One helped to lead the two figures down a similar evolutionary path. In particular Rumble's torso is shaped much like the G1 version of the character with a distinctive, wide shape on the chest leading to a narrow waist and hip area. The arms are a bit chunky, but even that aligns with the blocky design of Rumble's arms in G1. His legs are rather thin relative to the upper body, but that too fits with the look of the G1 figure who had relatively thin legs. Overall the figure looks good and calls back to the G1 version of the character nicely.
Rumble is cast in black and red plastic. Both of these were key colors of the G1 version of the character's toy form (in the show he was colored blue, leading to a fun debate between fans on just who is blue or red, Rumble or Frenzy?). His eyes are painted red and his face is silver. Gold paint is heavily used on this figure. You'll find it on his shoulders, chest and lower legs. A Decepticon symbol is tampographed onto the center of his chest. The most distinctive gold details are the ones on his chest. They are designed to replicate the look of two cassette spools and a line that connects them. These come straight from G1 Rumble and they look great.
All thirteen points of articulation in this form are nice and tight (surprisingly so on the shoulder joints). Rumble comes with the same weapon as Rewind, so he can hold it in his hand or attach it to the side of his right forearm.
Transformation to Tablet Mode:
- Detach the weapon and set it aside for now.
- Swing the chest panel open, push the head down then close the panel.
- Straighten out the arms and turn the forearms in.
- Swing the shoulder sections up.
- Swing out the lower half of each forearm.
- Push the robot feet down.
- Rotate the lower legs so the front of each leg points inward.
- Swing each lower leg up over the thighs. The stickers from the legs and back will come together.
- Swing the arm panels down.
- The weapon can be slid into the opening on the side of the tablet mode.
Tablet Mode:
There are no sculpting differences between this tablet form and Rewind's. What is different are the colors and stickers used on the "screen". In this form Rumble winds up with the black plastic focused in the middle section and the red plastic on the outer edge.
Three stickers make up most of the details in this mode on the faux "screen". I appreciated that one appears to be an Equalizer devoted to music while another registers Seismic Activity. I can imagine Rumble playing loud music while pounding away at the ground to knock out Autobots! There are also small icons along the top of the screen indicating the strength of a wifi signal, "Stop/Play/Fast Forward/Rewind" buttons and the time (set at 11:59PM). I love all these little details and the stickers look great with vibrant metallic gold, red and orange colors.
There's a bit of gold paint used on the bottom of the tablet and the top has a small Decepticon symbol on it.
Rumble's weapon fits into a slot on the side of the figure, much like a stylus would on a some models of PDA's. Mind you, with the advent of finger touch screens you don't see people using a stylus with their tablets or phones much outside of very specific functions but once upon a time everyone with a Palm was using them (yes, I know how old that makes me sound). I love how this is a bit of a callback to that, even down to the shape of the weapon which comes to a point like a stylus.
For those wondering what else you can do with this form, if you pick up the upcoming Leader Class Soundwave figure Rumble can fit into the slot in his chest, just like he did in Generation One!
Transformation to Vehicle Mode (from Tablet Mode):
- Separate the weapon and set it aside for now.
- Swing the forearm pieces out.
- Swing the lower halves of the forearms against the upper halves.
- Swing the forearms so they come together.
- Push the forearms down to form the tank turret.
- Push the back of the weapon into the gap in the middle of the turret.
Vehicle mode:
Rumble's tank mode is appropriate for the character since wholesale destruction is his specialty. the red plastic winds up mostly on the top of the vehicle with the black parts on the bottom. This mode does a nice job of using the parts painted gold by showing them off on the treads and the front of the vehicle. He looks great and the vehicle mode is a great optional form other than the tablet.
Final Thoughts:
Rumble is a fun figure. I really like all three modes and the Rewind body does work well for Rumble. I'm very happy the figure has a new head sculpt as well. Recommended!
Pros:
- New head sculpt looks great.
- Colors are true to the G1 character.
- Ability to interact with Leader Class Soundwave adds play value.
- Ability to interact with Titan Masters is a bonus.
Cons:
- More retooling would have been nice to make the sculpt look less like Rewind.
- Be careful with the stickers on the tablet screen peeling at the edges, transform with care.
