Transformers: Generations: Titans Return Titan Masters Wave 3 (Fangry, Overload, Ptera, Sawback)
There are a few things I need to say about the Titans Return line.
First off, the trading cards. Hasbro made a big deal that they were doing real trading cards and not just a picture with no meaningful back. I guess they tried, but in the then end, they failed miserably. The cards suck. There are only four ratings instead of the eight that nearly all other tech specs have had for 30 years (when we’ve actually had tech specs). There is no quote or function, and the only bio is a couple lines on the back of the package, they didn’t even bother to put it on the card. Hasbro fails again. What else is new?
Secondly, what the fuck is it with Hasbro that they need to focus on only one theme at a time? Why are we getting Targetmasters and Powermasters as Headmasters? It makes no sense. Worse yet, the two Targetmaster converts, Blurr and Scourge, both have awful paint jobs (or I should say, barely any paint jobs at all). They put all the work into the real Headmasters and just mailed it in on the Targetmasters that they shouldn’t have been doing in the first place. As usual, they half ass everything, just like with Combiner Wars, where they ended the line without doing Terrorcons, Predacons, Seacons, Monster Pretenders, G2 Protectobots, and G2 Constructicons (in both colors). I mean, they still could do those as box sets next year, but I’m not going to hold my breath.
Thirdly, the Titan Masters. Why can’t they be consistent? Apeface, Brawn, Nightbeat, and Terri-Bull are named for the actual characters they are the heads for instead of the actual heads they represent. Clobber and Skytread could theoretically be the Headmasters for Grimlock and Flywheels. This makes no sense. Pick one way of doing it. It would make far more sense to name them for the Headmaster and not the character they partner with, as we are only getting the Headmaster. Related to that, it really sucks that we aren’t going to get any real versions of the second wave of Headmasters or Headmaster Horrorcons.
Finally, the Headmasters are freaking tiny. G1 Headmasters were way better than these, and had the ratings meter on the chest gimmick that they didn’t even try to reproduce. Another thing that sucks is that the heads of the Headmasters are articulated. This makes it so that the larger robot heads are articulated, but also makes it hard when plugging them in to Titan Masters vehicles. G1 Headmasters were so much better, but that’s true of most G1 toys.
Anyway, on to the reviews.
Fangry
I am still not a fan of making Titan Masters for characters who should get real toy. Having said that, Fangry is pretty cool. He looks great in all modes, and his head sculpt is a great homage to the G1.
Overboard
Overboard is supposed to be Overlord. It is a travesty that we get this instead of a real Leader Class Overlord. Even worse, they stuck him with this T-Rex/Bird mold. Overlord was a tank and a jet. The vehicle that came with Skytread was a tank and a jet. That would have mode so much sense, but no.
Ptera
Ptera, who is supposed to be Swoop, like Fangry, is very well done. His weapon mode seems to be a bow and arrow. I mean, it could be a crossbow, but it’s meant to be held vertically and not flat, so I am assuming bow and arrow. His dinosaur mode is great. The vehicle is okay, but the head sculpt is a perfect Swoop.
Sawback
My favorite the wave is Sawback. He is supposed to be Lione, one of the Japanese single pack headmasters who transformed from a head into a lion. Shuffler, the elephant is upcoming in the next wave, and I assume we will get the third animal, Trizer, and panther, as a black repaint of Sawback. Sawback is awesome. I love his lion mode. Instead of a gun, he turns into a shield, which looks very cool with the lions head on the front. Vehicle mode would look better if the wings went out to the sides rather than pointing back, but it’s not bad.
Overall: If you throw Overboard overboard, then this is a great wave.
Thanks for reading!
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You said something positive about a Hasbro toy. I’m in awe 🙂
Twinferno’s mold basically was begging to be retooled into Fangry, but obviously Hasbro taked the worst and less logical solution.
Look at the face sculpt. I can’t imagine he is meant to be anyone other than Overlord. Since Overkill doesn’t have a face being that he is a dinosaur, they may have decided to make it ambiguous as to who he is supposed to be and can be considered either one. You make a good point though. I googled it and see people referring to it as both Overlord and Overkill. I don’t think there is a definitive answer from Hasbro.
I’m pretty sure Overboard is a homage to the G1 cassette, Overkill.