All Transformers: Age of Extinction Toy Reviews

This set is part of the Thrilling Thirty.  I am completely sick of the entire Thrilling Thirty debacle.  Hasbro’s incompetence is unfathomable.  This set is worthy of being part of the Thrilling Thirty.  While the Energon Grimlock is not a great toy, it is at least G1 based.  However, we’ve already had a better G1 Grimlock toy in the Grimlock vs. Bruticus set.  We did not need another Grimlock in this series.  We have already had two Shockwave’s, three Predakings, and two Metroplexs.  This toy’s inclusion is less about the thirtieth anniversary and more about promoting Dinobots for Age of Extinction.  Next time, just let the anniversary pass unacknowledged rather than gives us this joke.

Yes, I will be complaining about this until the last toy in this series has been released.

Anyway…

New toy on left in all comparison photos.

Transformers: Age of Extinction Evolution AOE Dinobot Grimlock

I will give Hasbro credit, they partially repainted AOE Grimlock from the single boxed toy, so at least they are not identical.  I may not have found them all, but here is what I see for changes:

• Black paint on dinosaur ankles.
• Dinosaur arms black instead of gold.
• No silver on dinosaur head.
• Hips gray instead of gold.
• Black under dinosaur eyes.
• Black robot chest.
• Silver robot abdomen.
• Black instead of silver on robot face.
• Unpainted horns on dinosaur nose.
• No silver on robot lower legs.

I like the new paint job, but it isn’t really significantly different than the old one.  For more on this mold, click here.

Transformers: Age of Extinction Evolution G1 Dinobot Grimlock

I do not have my Energon Grimlock accessible, so I’ve used a Hasbro stock photo for comparison.  He’s very different from the original.  His paint job is much closer to G1.  This is not the greatest toy in the world, but it’s not the worst either.  Most interestingly, he’s packed with G1 Predacon Razorclaw’s sword cast in red plastic.  This is not the only weapon reuse in the line.  The upcoming Target Exclusive Grimlock Silverknight Optimus Prime 2-Pack includes another Predacon sword (can’t recall which one).  Botcon is using the Spike Headmaster from Fortress Maximus with remolded parts to make a Headmaster Scorponok.  If Hasbro is willing to mix and match on occasion, it opens up a lot of possibilities.  How many toys have we seen that would have been vastly improved with a different weapon?  The entire Dark of the Moon line for starters.  It doesn’t mean they will do a lot of this in the future, but it’s not something they have really done before, and since we are likely to get at least a few DOTM repaints in this line (we are already getting a Skyhammer repaint) I’m fine with the giving them existing weapons from other toys if it improves the toy.

Overall: I really like this set.  Even f you don’t care about the repainted AOE Grimlock, the Energon repaint is worth it, though it would be better if the Swoop that can combine with this Grimlock had been released as well.

Thanks for reading!