General Information:
Release Date: January 2011
Price Point: $12.99 (varies depending on retailer)
Retailer: General (Toys R Us, Target, Wal-Mart etc.)
Accessories: Wavecrusher Jetski/Backpack
*Text below and images from Transformers.com
BUMBLEBEE is always ready for anything. He has an arsenal of gadgets designed just for him, which he can use to meet the needs of any mission. No matter where the DECEPTICONS hide – whether they flee to the deepest ocean, or disappear into the clouds – BUMBLEBEE is ready to pursue and destroy them.
Turn the tables on enemy forces when you throw this warrior into the fight! Press the button to reveal this figure’s robot allegiance and then prepare him for a battle. Your BUMBLEBEE figure is dedicated to destroying any opponent, but needs your help to do it. Convert his WAVE CRUSHER vehicle and trailer into a jet pack so he can “soar” after his enemies! If robot combat turns into a car chase, convert your warrior into cruiser vehicle mode and send him racing off to rule the “road”!
Figure comes with WAVE CRUSHER accessory and trailer. Ages 5 and up.
Many of the figures being released for the "Reveal the Shield" toy line are new sculpts featuring new versions of classic Transformers characters. However, redecos are an inevitable reality in any Transformers line, and this wave of "Reveal the Shield" figures includes a straight up redeco of one of the first "Classics" style figures: Bumblebee. This sculpt has been used several times in the Transformers line since its original release. If you want to look at some of the past reviews I've done, take a look at the reviews for Classics Bumblebee, Classics Cliffjumper and the Bumblebee Legacy three pack. This review will focus on the changes made to the figure for this release.
Vehicle Mode:
Bumblebee's new colors run very much along the lines of his previous releases. Most of the vehicle is cast in yellow, with the interior and wheels cast in black. The translucent parts such as the windshield and headlights are translucent blue. That said, I have to say that the yellow color used on this figure is my favorite out of the three US releases so far. Instead of a brighter yellow like the last two versions, this yellow is a deep, metallic color that looks fantastic. It is reminscent of the Movie Bumblebee's color, but still manages to stand on its own. The translucent blue plastic looks fantastic while the black contrasts nicely against the yellow.
Yellow, black, silver and red are the paint colors used on this figure. A large portion of the top of the vehicle is made up of translucent plastic, so a lot of yellow paint is used on the top of the cabin section to match it up with the rest of the vehicle. The silver is used for the front grille, the edges of the seats and the sides of the wheels. Black is used for two stripes that run from the back of the vehicle to the front, ending in triangular points. This is different than the other two versions of the figure which used the same pattern that had the stripes running all the way to the front bumper and had triangular details on the sides. The red paint is found on the rear lights. On the top of the figure is the rub symbol in the same spot that it appeared in the previous two incarnations, but this time it is one of the "trim cut" versions of the symbol instead of the older style rectangular version. This works a lot better than the previous rub symbol, which actually hung off the sides of this section a bit and made it succeptible to being peeled off easily.
Bumblebee's Wave Crusher partner is cast in the same colors as the main figure. It is also painted in the same colors, with yellow and black on the seat and windshield. Silver is found on the back of the seat and the wheels on the sides.
The Wave Crusher Drone attaches well to the peg on the back of the vehicle and the wheels roll perfectly.
Transformation to Robot Mode:
- Detach the trailer from the vehicle.
- Pull the doors out slightly and swing them down onto the underside of the vehicle.
- Swing the front section of the vehicle down.
- Fold the seats down.
- Split the front end of the vehicle in half.
- Swing front sections up to form the robot feet.
- Swing the robot arms out.
- Swing the windshield section down.
- Swing the robot head down.
- Rotate the lower robot arms around and then rotate the door around so it is out of the way of the fists.
- Push the doors in so the pegs on them connect to the holes on his lower arms.
- Swing the sides of the trailer out.
- Rotate Wave Crusher so it points up.
- Rotate the trailer halves around so the tires point down.
- The Wave Crusher backpack attaches to the section with the rear window behind Bumblebee's head.
Robot Mode:
The robot mode winds up showing off a lot more black plastic than the vehicle mode. You'll find it on the legs, upper arms, wrists and the joints that connec the arms to the doors. This contrast is a very strong one that is bolstered by the metallic shade of the yellow plastic. The colors are just so strong it really creates a fantastic visual impression.
Just as the paint pattern in vehicle mode differs in this figure from the previous two releases, as does the robot mode's color pattern. Black, silver and blue paint take center stage here. The black stripes from the vehicle mode wind up on the chest and legs here. Black is also found in a thin stripe pattern around the edges of his wrists. Silver winds up being heavily featured on his upper legs thanks to being on the back of the car seats. Silver is also found on his face, in the same pattern as the previous releases. The blue paint is also used in the same pattern as the original release on the shoulder armor and on his head.
After three U.S. releases and a Japanese release, I really expected there to be some type of joint issues or functionality issues with Wave Crusher, but every joint on this figure is just as tight as the previous releases. He can also still hold Energon weapons like the last version.
Final Thoughts:
Normally, I'm not big on recommending the purchase of a redeco that has already been put out twice already. However, there are times when a redeco is simply so strong it deserves praise. This is a fantastic redeco of a sculpt I already liked a lot before. In this case I'm going to highly recommend this figure. It's a fantastic redeco and deserves it!
