Review #53: Legends Optimus Prime & Roller
In a recent review of the 2011 Legends Class Optimus Prime, I talked about how that toy was a pretty good example of a Legends Class toy of the time. Well now, we jump forward a few years to take a look at how Optimus Prime was represented in the Legends Class scale in 2013.
And this Optimus doesn't come alone! Starting in 2013, Legends Class figures started coming in twin packs with a second, much smaller figure. In the case of Optimus, he came with a new version of his little buddy Roller! So let's take a look at this Optimus Prime! |
This version of Optimus Prime, while technically a G1 Optimus, takes his styling mainly from the IDW Comics version of the character. Thus, he has some obvious stylistic differences from how he appeared in the G1 toy line or cartoon. That being said, in truck mode he's still obviously Optimus and not a bad looking one at that.
All six of Optimus's wheels are functioning wheels, and the toy rolls nicely. He has a 5mm hole on the top of his cab into which you can plug his rifle, if you want to have a truck with a big honkin' rifle sticking out on the top.
On my scale of how Optimus Primes look in truck mode, this one definitely falls in the "truck" end, so that is good. His truck appearance is only spoiled by his back end. It isn't uncommon for a Legends class figure such as this to not have feet that fold away, and indeed this was even the case on the 2011 version. But this Optimus has such big feet, and they stick up so high above his truck's back end, that it does look a little silly. |
Roller in this iteration is a little blue six wheeled SUV. He looks small next to Optimus, but I'm good with this. Roller is supposed to be a little guy compared to Optimus, and on that measure they look good together. Roller may be a tiny little guy, but he does have good mold detailing. His middle pair of wheels are fake, but at his tiny scale I'm happy that he even has the four working wheels that he does have. If you look on his back end, you can see what looks like two rocket boosters. In reality, these are something else, the purpose of which you will see later in this review. But that being said, pretending Roller is a little rocket powered SUV is not a bad thing!
Like Optimus, Roller also has a 5mm hole on top of him, so Optimus's rifle can also be plugged in there. I think the rifle looks better on top of him, so he can save his master from looking silly.
This Optimus, unsurprisingly, does not have a trailer. But if you really want Optimus to be towing something, he can tow Roller! The two tabs on Roller's front end can fit into two slots on Optimus' back end. Like having Optimus in truck mode with a big rifle jutting forward, it is a bit silly looking to me as an adult collector. But I have to admit that these are features that could add play value for children. And these features being present take nothing away from the figure if you don't wish to use them. So, objectively, I can appreciate their inclusion.
This Optimus, unsurprisingly, does not have a trailer. But if you really want Optimus to be towing something, he can tow Roller! The two tabs on Roller's front end can fit into two slots on Optimus' back end. Like having Optimus in truck mode with a big rifle jutting forward, it is a bit silly looking to me as an adult collector. But I have to admit that these are features that could add play value for children. And these features being present take nothing away from the figure if you don't wish to use them. So, objectively, I can appreciate their inclusion.
Moving onto robot mode, we come onto an important visual distinction of this version of Optimus Prime, and it isn't something I personally care for: the design of his chest. This version of Optimus features a strange split chest. That being said, while I don't care for this aspect of the design, it was a pre-existing design and this toy does replicate it well. So by that measure, it is a good looking toy.
Something to be said about the split chest: it does not lock into place in the open position. And any time you try to pose the figure's arms, you will almost without doubt end up moving the chest with it. Even if it was just the slightest little nub (such as what this very figure has to hold the shoulder pads in the proper position for robot mode) it would have been nice to have something to hold the chest in the proper position. I do have a little something I use for a cheat: when packaged, Optimus had a little piece of clear plastic in his chest to hold it open just the proper amount. I saved that piece of plastic, and usually shove it in there when I have him in robot mode. I left it out for most of the photos I took for this review, but you can see it in the photo to the left. (I was presently surprised it didn't horribly reflect the camera's flash!)
Articulation is excellent for a figure this side, blowing away the figure from a few years ago. The head swivels. The shoulders can swivel, and can also move back and fourth a bit on the transformation joint. (Just be careful not to dislodge the chest when doing this. Elbows are ball joints, which can also simulate an upper arm swivel. The wast can swivel if you move the back kibble out of the way. Hips are on ball joints, and finally the knees are also ball joints which (like the elbows) can simulate an upper leg swivel. |
The figure, compared to earlier Legends Class figures, is remarkably kibble free. The only real kibble is on his back, made up of the lower half of the front of the truck. But other then (as mentioned above) getting in the way of the waist articulation a bit, the kibble stays out of the way quite nicely.
Moving onto Roller, he has the most innovative transformation of any Transformers toy ever! You take his vehicle mode, stand it up, and voilà! Robot! His only articulation is in his shoulders, which can swivel a bit. His hands have 3mm holes, but he can hold Optimus' rifle thanks to it having a second, thinner post. Holding the gun can make him very front heavy, however, and thus it becomes difficult to get him to stand up.
Moving onto Roller, he has the most innovative transformation of any Transformers toy ever! You take his vehicle mode, stand it up, and voilà! Robot! His only articulation is in his shoulders, which can swivel a bit. His hands have 3mm holes, but he can hold Optimus' rifle thanks to it having a second, thinner post. Holding the gun can make him very front heavy, however, and thus it becomes difficult to get him to stand up.
On his own, Roller would be a kind of disappointing toy. But as an accessory to Optimus, he's kind of cool! I'm digging him. And we're not even done yet... because Roller is a triple changer! A triple changer that becomes a weapon, turning Optimus Prime into a Targetmaster! (This is where the "rocket boosters" on the SUV actually come into play, as the barrels of the gun mode. Hmm, maybe that's where Barrelroller got his name!)
And Roller makes a cool gun for Optimus to wield! The two guns can also combine into one, which I don't think looks terribly good... but much like the combined vehicle mode, it is an added play feature that takes nothing away from the figure if you don't use it, so yay.
And here we finally see the pair of them together in robot mode! To the right, they are with a standard DVD case to show off their scale.
A bit about the wave that this toy was released in: This was part of the first wave of Legends Class Targetmaster twin packs. None of the others in the first wave interested me. (I'm an Optimus fan, so I needed him! But I didn't need another Bumblebee, Megatron, or Soundwave.) But some of the figures from more recent waves are ones I'd like to have, so I look forward to reviewing them for you once I have them! |
Anyway, to sum things up: my personal grievances with the IDW Optimus Prime's aesthetic aside, this is a fun pair of toys. I'd recommend them for both adult collectors and children! And even though they're a year or so old as of this writing, they're not impossible to still find on store shelves. So if you like what you see here, by all means go out and hunt these down for yourself!
Review added 15 July 2014 by Yotsuya. Comments are welcomed! And don't forget the Yotsuya's Review Kickstarter, running through 20 August! |
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