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General Information
Release Date: May 2023
Price Point: $34.99 (depending on retailer)
Retailer: General Release (Amazon, BigBadToyStore, Entertainment Earth, Target, Walmart etc.)
Accessories: Mace Weapon
Official images and text in italics are from Amazon.com
- TRANSFORMERS STUDIO SERIES VOYAGER CLASS: These 6.5-inch collectible action figures inspired by iconic movie scenes and designed with specs and details to reflect the Transformers movie universe
- 6.5-INCH SCALE BATTLETRAP: Transformers Studio Series 99 Battletrap action figure for boys and girls is highly articulated for posability and features movie-inspired deco and details
- 2 ICONIC MODES: This Transformers toy for 8 year old boys and girls features classic conversion between robot and licensed GMC tow truck modes in 30 steps
- AWESOME ACCESSORIES: Transformers figure comes with a mace accessory that attaches to the Battletrap figure in both modes
- REMOVABLE BACKDROP: Removable backdrop displays Battletrap figure in the Attack at the Museum scene. Fans can use the backdrop and pose their figures in the scene with their own style
Bring the epic action of the Transformers movies from the big screen into your collection with the Transformers Studio Series Voyager Class Battletrap action figure! Battletrap fires a barrage of blasts at Noah and Elena to secure the Transwarp Key. Transformers Studio Series toys are collectible action figures for 8 year old boys and girls that feature movie-inspired details and accessories. Convert the action figure from robot to licensed GMC tow truck mode in 30 steps and pose the Battletrap toy in the included Attack at the Museum removable backdrop scene. Transformers action figures for boys and girls make great gifts! Transformers and all related characters are trademarks of Hasbro. Hasbro and all related terms are trademarks of Hasbro. CHEVROLET, the BOWTIE logo, CORVETTE and the CORVETTE logo, and CAMARO, are registered trademarks of General Motors, LLC.
Background:
In Rise of the Beasts the primary villains of the film are not Decepticons, but rather Terrorcons. Unlike the G1 or Energon Terrorcons these Transformers characters serve the Dark God Unicron and their sheer power makes them a potent threat against the Autobots and Maximals. One of these Terrorcons is Battletrap who transforms from a pickup truck to a powerful robot.
Battletrap was originally packaged with Voyager Class Cheetor. While Cheetor was relatively easy to get on shelf, Battletrap sold out fast and then all but vanished from store shelves and online shops in the United States, making him fairly difficult to get by the end of 2023 and the first half of 2024. Then around October 2024 Cheetor and Battletrap suddenly appeared at Toys 'R' Us stores located inside Macy's Department Stores in the U.S. Months later, they began to show up at clearance at Ross stores on discount for $20 USD. This particular copy actually came from a preorder from Entertainment Earth at the end of 2023 which shipped in 2024.
Packaging:
Battletrap's box is a standard, rectangular Studio Series box. Unlike boxes from past years there is no large opening with a plastic window. Instead, the window has been shrunken significantly so you basically see the robot from the chest up and that's it. There is no plastic window since Hasbro is trying to eliminate all plastic from its packaging. Like previous Studio Series boxes this one has a black background with the Studio Series logo along the bottom outlined by blue with the number "99" with his name next to it. Above all that is an image of Battletrap in robot mode. The left side of the box (if you are facing it) the same Battletrap artwork but focused on the head.
The back of the box features the figure in both modes, calling out a 30 step transformation along with the tag line "Attack at the Museum". Towards the bottom is an image featuring the backdrop included with the figure showing off the area outside the museum where a major battle takes place in the film.
Accessory:
Battletrap includes a Mace weapon which he was seen using in the film. The piece is ball shaped with spikes sticking out on all sides. The middle has a cross shaped groove with chains sculpted into it. This represents the chain that attaches to the Mace in the film. Unfortunately, this figure does not include an actual chain. However, in a bit of unintentional synergy, the chain that is included with Leader Class Optimus Primal can work with this by attaching the 3mm peg into the port in the middle of the Mace. Without that piee however, this attaches to Battletrap's fist by flipping it open and attaching it via a 5mm peg, then closing it. If this feels familiar that is because a very similar mechanism was used for Legacy Bulkhead. The inspiration from this likely from the concept art by Furio Tedeschi where the Mace is shown attached to the forearm, taking the place of the fist.
This piece is made of silver plastic with no paint applications. At first I thought it was some other color plastic painted silver, but the peg is also silver and usually pegs are not painted because of the potential wear and tear.
Robot Mode:
Battletrap is kid of a classic Transformers design in many ways with the front of the pickup truck forming his chest and the rear of the truck becoming his legs but there are lots of layers of detail that help make him look extra threatening ad powerful. Here are some of the main design elements from the film carried over into this figure:
- Head: The head design is very unique, with "horns" that sweep back on the "helmet section" and then a "V" shaped brow piece over his Y shaped eyes and mouth. It's a very dynamic design and feels like it has some Japanese influece recalling robots like Mazinger Z. Overall this is a beautiful head sculpt.
- Chest: The front of the truck splits and becomes the robot chest with the blower from the truck mode sticking out in the middle. The very front has cages slightly covering the headlights and panels under them with small details that look almost like a cowcatcher. There are also some beautifully sculpted details leading to the neck featuring tubes and wires.
- Arms: The arms feature fairly standard designs like armor over the shoulders and rectangular forearms, but there are some really nice smaller details including spikes sticking out the sides of the forearms and spikes sticking out from behind the shoulders. These give him a cool, dangerous appearance befitting a Terrorcon.
- Mid-Body: The area between the chest (formed by the front of the vehicle) and the legs has some cool mechanical details including faux pistons and an armor panel in between the legs with a distinct shape sculpted in the middle that looks like it was a Decepticon symbol at one point but was removed.
- Legs: The legs feature a ton of detailing. The thighs have layers of armor sculpted on top of one another and other details including tubes, vents and pistons. The knee armor has spikes sticking out that echo the spikes on the arms.
Overall the scupted detail on this figure is beautifully done. I love the tiny mechanical details like the ones near the neck and the thighs. Due to the necessity of the figure having to transform, a bit of accuracy is lost. For instance, the panels on top of the chest that form the hood of the vehicle here are smooth but on the CG model they look like layers of armor that would slide into place against one another to form the car hood. That is lost here since the panels simply do not do that and "faking it" would lead to a weird looking vehicle mode.
This figure is made up of orange, gunmetal grey, black and translucent orange plastic. Paint colors include orange, gunmetal grey, silver and black. In the film, Battletrap does use orange and gunmetal grey as his base colors, but he also has a lot of rust and wear detailing on top of these colors. This figure is, for lack of a better term "clean" so it looks more like how Battletrap may have looked right off the assembly line. I really do like the way the colors come together on this figure and the combination of gunmetal grey and orange offers lots of contrast. The translucent orange parts on the head and back call back to the "glowing energy" seen on the character in the film (which I always took to represent Unicron's power flowing through him). For what it is, this deco is really nice but part of me just wishes the orange parts had some dry brushed details on them to give them that "worn" look the CG model has. It would also help bring out some of the sculpted details as well.
There are twenty two points of articulation on this figure including four on each arm and six on each leg. The parts from his vehicle mode's tow arm wind up under his forearms and can be swung out like melee weapons. I am sad that his right forearm does not have the ability to swap out the fist for the machine gun he used in the film. Often Hasbro gets early versions of CG models to develop their figures, so I would not be shocked if this detail was not given to Hasbro even though it appears in the final film. If you want to store the Mace weapon, open it up and tab it on to his back.
Transformation to Vehicle Mode:
- Detach the Mace and set it aside for now.
- Straighten out the arms and legs.
- On the back of the figure, swing the halves of the vehicle mode's lightbar out and then connect them together, using the tabs on them to connect to the top of the cabin section (which forms the back of the robot mode).
- Push each shoulder armor piece down.
- Rotate the arms so they point back.
- Move the head and the cages pieces on the chest forward.
- Swing the chest sections with the headlights on them up.
- Swing the robot head back, then swing the entire piece it is attached to back so it is under the front of the truck.
- Swing out and straighten the two arm pieces on each arm.
- Lift up the back piece and rotate it around.
- Swing the front grille out from the back piece.
- Rotate the arms so they are pointed up.
- Gently pull the grey panel connected to the shoulders out, then swing them back to form the doors of the truck. Make sure the shoulder "spikes" are pointing up and there is a small tab on top of the thighs that fits into a small notch on the doors.
- Bend each arm at the elbow, then connect the halves of the tow arm together.
- Push the legs together using the tab and slot on the lower legs.
- Swing he orange panels on the outside of each thigh out then under the bottom of the vehicle.
- Swing each robot foot down.
- Swing the side panels on the lower legs out so they take the place of the robot feet.
- Swing the lower sections forward, creating the sides of the vehicle mode.
- Push down the top part of the vehicle. You're going to have to do some adjusting, pushing it down and tabbing it to the top of the doors and adjusting the arms. You may have to reconnect the tow arm pieces as well.
- You can slide the Mace onto the back of the two arm.
Vehicle Mode:
Battletrap's vehicle mode is a licensed GMC C70 Pickup Truck (aka the Kodiak). I love licensed vehicle modes because they are authentic to the vehicles as seen in the films and they also give an excellent level of detailing since licensors get a say in whether the product represents their vehicle well. The sculpt on this vehicle uses a lot of details from the real life vehicle including:
- The front of the vehicle has a cage partly covering the front grille. The shape of this cage is very close to the one used on screen.
- There is a small round mirror on the driver's side but not on the passenger side.
- The front grille has a "GMC" logo in the middle and two round headlights inside squares.
- There are plenty of side windows and reflectors including the two side view mirrors and two smaller reflectors at the very front of the front wheel wells.
- There is a pair of horns on top of the vehicle but only on the left side.
- The blower on the top of the hood features three small circle details in front.
- The lightbar on the top of the vehicle is flanked by two reflectors.
- The sides of the vehicle have sections with indentations for a character to step up on under each door.
- There are three lights sculpted into the back on each side.
- The towing arm uses the same rough shape as the one seen in the film complete with what appear to be handles on top.
You can get a good look at the vehicle (not driving around) on Motortrend. I love just how many of the real life vehicle details were captured on this figure and overall it looks good, but it is not without some weakness. For one, the robot forearms really just stick out on the back of the vehicle and it doesn't look great and it hampers the potential movement of the tow arm. At the bottom of the figure the robot feet stick out on the sides which doesn't look great. I wish they could have maybe given the feet an extra hinge to fold under the vehicle somehow.
The deco in this mode uses the real life vehicle as its foundation which includes:
- Orange makes up a lot of the front of the vehicle with grey making up the sides and back (though in the film it was a much darker grey).
- Grey racing stripes run down from the top of the cabin section down to the hood.
- The front bumper is painted with a beautiful brownish wear pattern. This is the type of wear I wish we saw elsewhere on the figure.
- The blower on top of the hood is painted silver with three circles in front painted red, just like in the film.
- Each door has "Bernie's Towing & Autobody" stamped on it in orange. This comes right from the vehicle used in the film. This is very likely a reference to actor Bernie Mac who played a small but memorable role in the first live action Transformers film.
- In a very uncommon move, the rear lights are painted red.
I really love this truck mode and despite some of my complaints about the sculpt, it still looks very cool and I'm very glad it is an officially licensed vehicle mode.
Final Thoughts:
Battletrap is a very cool figure, but a few more tweaks to it would have made it truly fantastic. I enjoy both modes and the transformation is not super simple but it is not overly complicated either. Recommended but with some reservations.
Pros:
- Excellent robot mode sculpt that carries over critical details from the CG model.
- Good vehicle mode sculpt that represents the real life vehicle mode well.
- Some really beautiful colors were chosen for this figure, especially the gunmetal grey and translucent orange plastic.
Cons:
- The transformation can be fiddly, especially once you have to connect the cabin section piece to the rest of the vehicle. There is a lot of tabbing that has to happen to get everything locked together.
- The forearms really needed some work. I would have liked the fists to be able to retract so they didn't stick out in vehicle mode.
- I would have liked a machine gun arm accessory for him to hold in robot mode (or a way to transform the arm into the machine guns).
- The deco could have used more rusty "wear and tear". As it is, the orange looks to "clean" versus what was seen on screen.
