General Information:
Release Date: August 2023
Price Point: $39.99
Retailer: Hasbro Pulse Exclusive
Official Information from Hasbro Pulse:
The battle is evolving with the Transformers Legacy Evolution Optimus Prime and Bumblebee action figures! These figures are inspired by the classic G1 Transformers animated series, complete with iconic conversion between modes, deco, and accessories. Celebrate the last 40 years of Transformers history with Transformers Legacy action figures for boys and girls. Transformers Legacy opens the portal to a whole new universe of More Than Meets the Eye, bringing together every generation of Transformers like you’ve never seen before. Collect and combine different characters to create your ideal Legacy lineup.
Includes 2 figures, 5 accessories, and instructions.
- CELEBRATE THE LEGACY: Transformers Legacy Evolution celebrates the last 40 years of Transformers history. The Optimus Prime and Bumblebee action figures are inspired by The Transformers G1 animated series
- 2 EPIC MODES: Transformers Optimus Prime figure converts from robot to truck mode in 11 steps. Transformers Bumblebee figure converts from robot to compact car mode in 11 steps
- G1-INSPIRED TRAILER: This G1-inspired multipack comes with the iconic trailer of Optimus Prime, complete with a flip-down ramp. Trailer opens up into a battle station. Bumblebee figure fits inside the trailer
- AWESOME ACCESSORIES: These toys for 8 year old boys and girls come with Ion blaster, Stinger blaster, Energon axe, repair drone, and Roller accessories
- GREAT GIFTS FOR BOYS AND GIRLS: Transformers toys make great gifts for 8 year old boys and girls and up!
Ages 8 and up
Warning: Choking Hazard - Small parts. Not for children under 3 years.
Background:
In June 2023 Hasbro Pulse announced that it would be releasing an exclusive Core Class set featuring Optimus Prime and Bumblebee. The two figures are redecos of the Core Class Bumblebee and Optimus Prime figures but the set would also include a trailer for Optimus Prime that could transform into the Combat Deck along with some new accessories like Roller and an extra blaster for Bumblebee! This review will focus on the new items and changes made to the figures for this release.
Packaging:
Bumblebee and Optimus Prime are packaged in a small box with surprisingly thick cardboard. In recent years, the quality of cardboard on Transformers packaging has become cheaper and cheaper except for larger classes of figures. This box feels (and looks) like the packaging you’d expect for a Commander Class or Leader Class figure and I was very surprised and happy about that!
The box itself is a rectangular box featuring the beautiful graphics of the Legacy Evolution line including the purple cityscape in the background and the “worn metallic” Transformers logo on the right. The artwork in the front shows off Optimus Prime and Bumblebee in vehicle mode racing along a road. Some fans have pointed out that Optimus Prime’s artwork looks like it could have been Photoshopped art of Legacy Motormaster’s package art. I would not be shocked if an artist used Motormaster’s art as a starting point to make their lives easier but the art still looks cool and the details are definitely Optimus Prime’s, not Motormaster’s.
The back of the box shows off both figures in robot and vehicle modes. It also shows the Combat Deck transformed into its base mode and Bumblebee rolling out of the trailer in vehicle mode. Both figures have 11 step transformations called out on the box. I love this packaging and I hope it points to a return to form for the quality of Transformers boxes in the future.
Accessories:
There is a lot happening with this set in the accessory department. First I’m going to get into the smaller accessories included with the set, then we’ll get to the centerpiece: the trailer!
- Blaster (Bumblebee): The blaster originally included with the first Core Class Bumblebee is also included with this set. This time out this cartoon-based blaster is made of grey plastic instead of black.
- Stinger Blaster: This is a new weapon intended for Bumblebee. It is a short blaster with a round, narrow barrel attached to a rectangular body and a small magazine in front of the 3mm handle. This weapon is made of black plastic.
- Ion Rifle: Optimus Prime’s iconic weapon is back. The weapon is the same as the previous version. You can attach a Blast Effect to the front and it has a 3mm peg in the back. This piece is made of blue plastic and painted black.
- Energon Axe: The axe weapon is based on the same sculpt as the one included with Core Class Nemesis Prime. The design is the same with a ball at the base representing energy. The axe has a 3mm peg at the end to attach to Optimus’ wrist. This piece is made of blue plastic and painted yellow.
- Shield/Trailer Hitch: This set includes a flat piece with a hole in the middle that is designed to serve as the connection point between the cab and trailer sections of Optimus Prime. This rectangular piece sits right on top of Optimus Prime’s legs in truck mode and the trailer connects to that. This piece also doubles as a shield. It has a 3mm peg that connects to Optimus Prime’s wrist when you swing the fist inward (in the same manner you would to attach the Energon Axe). If Optimus Prime is running around your imaginary adventure without the shield, it can be stored in the trailer by attaching it to the main ramp.
- Roller: Optimus Prime’s Autobot Drone(?) Roller is included with the set too! This is not his first appearance in Generations but it’s been a while. This is a pleasant surprise as we did not even get this with Earthrise Optimus Prime (you had to buy a Selects accessory pack to get him). This is heavily based on the G1 design featuring a small vehicle with an angled front end, four seats (two in front, two in back) and six wheels. There is a 5mm port on the back, allowing you to attach blasters from other figures and/or the Combat Deck’s Repair Drone. This little vehicle is not a solid piece of plastic. Instead the six wheels can all spin! I am very happy to see Roller in a release with Optimus Prime once again.
Trailer:
Optimus Prime’s trailer is really the centerpiece of this set. Like the traditional G1 trailer it is rectangular and boxy with a slightly raised section in the back on top. The side of the trailer features an angled line design with an Autobot symbol outline sculpted on top of it. There is a section featuring four rear wheels in back and the door in the back has several details that look similar to the ones on G1 Optimus Prime. One of my favorite details is a sculpted spare tire you will see if you flip the trailer over. The underside of the trailer features two legs/posts that swing down for the trailer to stand without Optimus Prime in vehicle mode.
The trailer is made up of grey, blue and black plastic. The deco includes light grey paint on the angled line running along the sides and red paint on an Autobot symbol within that angled line. Unfortunately, the wheels are not painted silver while the sides of the wheels on Optimus Prime are.
If you want to have some fun, detach the Repair Drone from inside the trailer, then attach it to the top of the trailer to arm up Optimus Prime’s vehicle mode (and pay homage to the G1 play pattern where the Repair Drone could stick out of the trailer in vehicle mode).
Transformation to Combat Deck/Base Mode:
- Swing the legs/posts on the bottom of the vehicle down.
- Swing the door on the back down to form a ramp.
- Swing the sides of the trailer out to the sides.
- Pull the Repair Drone up and swing up its radar dish and arm.
- If you wish the store the shield, it attaches to the center ramp using the tabs towards the top.
Combat Deck/Base Mode:
Taking its cues from G1 Optimus Prime, the trailer converts into a base mode (also once known as the “Combat Deck”). There are a lot of cool mechanical details sculpted into the panels that form the sides of the trailer. This even includes “screens” on the sides which were also found in G1 Optimus Prime’s trailer.
The trailer also features areas to store various accessories. If you’re facing the trailer, the left side has a section to attach the Energon Axe. The right side has two pegs and slots that allow you to attach the Ion Rifle and Stinger blaster. The trailer hitch/shield attaches to the central ramp while the Repair Drone attaches to its traditional spot towards the back of the trailer.
The Repair Drone has five points of articulation mostly in the “arms”. The “blaster” sections have ends that allow you to attach Blast Effects. The bottom has a 5mm peg. You can use this peg to attach it to Roller, adding some fun play value.
The base mode mostly features grey plastic. The base of the Repair Drone is black while the Drone itself is black and blue plastic with light blue paint on the “cockpit” cover. It could be said that it would have been cool to get some tampographs or paint on the trailer’s interior but given the costs of production I’m not shocked this was left unpainted
Overall the trailer is a fantastic addition to the Core Class figures. I love the various storage options for the accessories and having both the Repair Drone and Roller is awesome!
Bumblebee Review
Unlike the previous release of the Core Class Bumblebee figure this version is packaged in vehicle mode. Here’s a brief look at what has been changed.
Vehicle Mode:
There have been no tooling changes to this figure (part of me finds this a missed opportunity to give us a Generations Bumper). The colors on this figure are quite different than the previous version. This time the yellow is a bit deeper and not as bright as the previous version. This gives it a more “animated” look as if it jumped out of the TV from the G1 cartoon. This is bolstered by the windows which are all painted light blue (even the rear window!). The front bumper is painted grey and the headlights are painted metallic yellow. The wheels are now a grey plastic instead of black as they were on the previous release. Finally, a bright red Autobot symbol is found on the top of the vehicle.
Transformation to Robot Mode:
- Turn the figure over and detach the blaster and set it aside for now.
- Swing the rear wheel well cover sections up.
- Pull the doors out (gently) to form the arms and then swing the arms up.
- Swing the front of the car forward to begin forming the robot legs.
- Split the front end of the car to form the individual feet.
- Swing the feet up.
- Swing the back panel under the vehicle mode’s rear window.
- Swing the back section back.
- Rotate the robot arms down.
- The weapon can fit in either hand.
Robot Mode:
This mode also features no retooling (again, a missed opportunity to give us Bumper). Instead, it is a straight up redeco of Bumblebee. The yellow from the vehicle mode makes up most of the figure. The parts that were black on the previous version are now grey. He also features an additional deco point: the fists, which are painted grey to match the plastic. Like the previous release the face is painted silver with blue eyes. Overall, he looks great and is instantly identifiable as Bumblebee.
The joints on this figure are nice and tight but the ball joints on the shoulders are tiny so it is not hard to accidentally pop the arms off as you pose them out so be warned.
Final Thoughts on Bumblebee:
Bumblebee looks great. Despite still being mostly yellow, the designers chose shades of colors that contrast nicely while calling back to the character’s G1 animation model. I do think there was a missed opportunity here to create Bumper, but I also understand how Bumblebee is the way to go from a marketing perspective.
Optimus Prime Review
Optimus Prime is a redeco of the sculpt that was first released as Kingdom Optimus Prime and then Core Class Nemesis Prime. No tooling changes were made for this release.
Vehicle Mode:
Optimus Prime’s new colors are much brighter than his previous release. The red color from the previous release is now a bright red. The blue looks a bit brighter (though it’s still a darker blue) and the silver parts from the previous release are now white plastic. The overall effect is a very “animation” based look that really pops.
The deco layout also appears to be animation based. Like the G1 cartoon, the headlights, grille and bumper are all painted silver, but unlike the previous releases the area above the headlights has been left unpainted. The windshield windows are painted light blue, also reflecting an animated appearance. In another nice touch, the wheels/hubcaps are painted silver. These were left unpainted in the original release and it always makes the figure look better when they have some color on these parts. Overall this deco looks fantastic and is really eye catching!
The Energon Axe weapon and Ion Rifle can both be stored in this mode. The axe fits in between the smokestacks while the rifle attaches to the port on the rear section.
Transformation to Robot Mode:
- Swing the smokestack sections out to the sides to reveal the robot arms.
- Straighten out each robot arm and swing out the fists.
- Rotate the forearms.
- Rotate the section with the chest/head/arms around.
- Swing the section with the front wheels up.
- Swing the waist section back.
- Separate the lower legs.
- Swing the panel from the top of the cab section back.
- Swing the head up.
Robot Mode:
If the vehicle mode’s deco wasn’t enough to convince you this deco is cartoon based, the robot mode should do the trick! Again the red, white and blue plastic colors all contrast beautifully with rich, vibrant colors. Moving away from a more toy-based deco, the mouthplate is painted light grey and grey paint is used on the section right under the chest. These reflect a more animation-based deco. He also has yellow on his waist, reflecting details seen on the animation model from G1. Those who are familiar with the previous Core Class Optimus Prime will note the legs are left unpainted. This may seem like an omission but in fact it is deliberate to match up with the way Optimus’ legs looked in the G1 cartoon. The final touch is a silver outline of an Autobot symbol on the left shoulder. Unlike the toy, the animation model only had one Autobot symbol and this reflects that nicely.
All the joints on this figure are still nice and tight, which is great given this is the third (possibly fourth if you include the Legacy Evolution repack of the Kingdom figure) release of this figure. The weapons and shield also attach without a problem. Unfortunately this figure did not get reused without one issue: the back. The piece with the front vehicle mode wheels will not sit flush against the back (this is not an issue on previous releases). I’m not sure why this is. I tried to manipulate it as much as I could but it never stays in place. You can still pose the figure and it transforms fine but it is annoying when this was not an issue before.
Final Thoughts on Optimus Prime:
A beautifully bright animation based deco serves this figure well. From a quality control perspective the figure has no loose joints and holds its accessories well.
Final Thoughts on Boxed Set:
When only looked at as a set, this boxed set is well worth it. The redecos of both Core Class figures are strong and the trailer plus accessories are fantastic value adds. The thing is, you’re essentially paying $20 for the trailer and a couple accessories which may be a bit much for some fans. This is especially true if you already own these figures and do not care much for redecos. To me, the price tag is on the edge of being worth it but the set itself looks great and is fun to play with. Recommended.
Pros:
- Excellent bright, G1 cartoon based redecos of both Core Class figures.
- The trailer is excellent. Major kudos for including the Repair Drone and Roller.
- No quality control issues with either figure.
- Extra accessories are welcome (ex: Stinger Blaster).
Cons:
- Price point is a few dollars higher than I would prefer.
- Fans who already have Optimus and Bumblebee may not want to double dip on the sculpts.
- Missed opportunity to create a Generations Bumper
- The back piece on Optimus is an issue.
