General Information:
Release Date: April 2018
Price Point: $14.98 CAD or $39.99 SGD
Retailer: Toys 'R' Us Exclusive (Canada and Asia)
Accessories: None
*Images and text below from Toys 'R' Us Canada:
Picture this: me, on Earth, still cooler than everyone this side of Optimus Prime, but I've got zero memories. Now I'm on a mission to recover my memories and discover all of my awesome powers. Ill have to battle Decepticons, outrun an explosion or two, and be heroic- basically, Im in for one epic ride across the Cyberverse. -Bumblebee
Thundercracker was one of the first Decepticons introduced in the "Cyberverse" cartoon. While Hasbro released Warrior Class figures of Starscream and Acid Storm, Thundercracker wound up being released only at Toys 'R' Us stores in Asia and Canada. As of April 2019 (a year after the figure being released) there is still no indication the figure will be released in the United States. Special thanks to fellow fan Tony K. for picking up this figure for me to review. This figure is a redeco of Starscream and Acid Storm, so check out those reviews. This write up will focus on the changes made to the figure for this release.
Packaging:
Warrior Class "Cyberverse" figures are packaged on bubble cards. The cards have a new design which takes cues from more recent Transformers packaging. There is still a vertical "Transformers" logo on the right side, above it is a symbol (Autobot or Decepticon based on the character) and the character art is at the top of the packaging with the "Cyberverse" logo under it. Perhaps the most distinctive part of the packaging design are the colors, which utilize yellow and light blue helping them stand out against the black and red colors used for "Generations" packaging on shelves. The back of the packaging features the figure with its action feature called out. In Thundercracker's case he has a "Lightning Slash" feature. The back of the packaging shows the figure in both modes with a 7 step transformation. Optimus Prime, Starscream and Bumblebee are the cosells. Interestingly, the photo on the packaging shows red paint on the edges of Thundercracker's wings in robot mode which do not exist on the actual figure, suggesting it was supposed to have more paint at one point.
The insert on the packaging notes a recommended age of "6+" which is important to keep in mind with this Class of figure. Contrast that with a "Generations" Deluxe (such as Jazz or Sunstreaker) which have recommended ages of 8+. This age recommendation is more along the lines of "Robots in Disguise" Legion Class figures such as Bisk.
Robot Mode:
Thundercracker is cast in metallic blue and black plastic. Most of the figure is metallic blue, and it is beautiful. Shine a light on it and the metallic bits really pop. The paint colors on the figure take their cues from the animation model. Light blue paint is found on the head and lower legs. Black paint is used on the mid-body. The faux cockpit on his chest is painted orange with a purple Decepticon symbol on top. Sadly, the figure lacks red paint in this mode outside of the eyes. The animation model has red on the legs, wings and the blasters on his arms. Worse, the insides of the wings (revealed when you use the action feature) are unpainted. All these details are missing and it has the unfortunate effect of making this mode look really plain. Given the relative lack of complexity in this figure and that this is the third use of this sculpt, it is disappointing that more investment was not put into the deco.
Thundercracker's action feature is his "Lightning Slash", which is pretty much the same as Starscream's "Wing Slice". The instructions are not very detailed, but near as I can tell, the idea is you twist his upper body to one side and it "clicks" into place. Then you push the jet cockpit piece in the back and the torso twists (sort of like the hold 80's He-Man figures). Now, in theory I believe what is supposed to happen is the wings go horizontal to form "blades" that slash at enemies. At the same time, the ends of the wings should swing out, Decepticon symbols underneath. Now, the wings do move up a bit so the effect is achieved to some degree, but the ends of the wings never swing out and the wings move up super quick, so it is not much of an attack. Overall, this action feature is just underwhelming and not worth the sacrifice of deco and articulation in this figure.
Transformation to Vehicle Mode:
- Straighten out the arms and legs.
- Push the robot legs together.
- Rotate the upper body around to the left.
- Swing the legs and waist section back.
- Swing the cockpit section forward.
- Swing the robot arms in, tabbing them into the sides of the vehicle.
Vehicle Mode:
The vehicle mode consolidates a lot of parts on this figure, so it winds up being a big blob of metallic blue for the most part. While the blue is beautiful, the lack of deco really causes a lot of sculpted details to get lost in the mix. That's not to say there are no paint details. The cockpit is painted orange and there is bright red paint on the edges of the wings and vertical stabilizer fins. The problem is that's all there is.
Final Thoughts:
Sadly there is not much about this figure to endorse. The plastic color used is great, but that's about it. The action feature is not terribly exciting and the articulation leaves a lot to be desired. Given that this is a redeco (and the third use of the sculpt) I wish the designers had put more effort into punching up the deco so it could at least stand out in that regard. Not recommended unless you are a big "Cyberverse" or Thundercracker fan.
Pros:
- Beautiful plastic colors.
- Nice character design.
Cons:
- Extremely limited articulation including legs that do not bend at the knees.
- Action feature does not quite work as it appears it was meant to.
- Could use more paint applications.
- Vehicle mode looks awkward.
