Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015) Three Step Changers Wave 10 & 11 (Bumblebee, Optimus Prime, Grimlock, Seismic Strike Thunderhoof)
Bumblebee
When I first looked at this toy, I thought it was a heavy remold of Bumblebee. I think that is true, but so much of him has been remolded, that perhaps he is a new mold based on the same three step transformation. Maybe that’s the same thing. He looks pretty great in robot mode. I like the blue and black paint and I love the launchers on his shoulders. I don’t like what they’ve done to his car mode. It is vaguely reminiscent of Dark of the Moon Speed Stars Stealth Force, which were vehicles that sort of opened up to reveal weapons. Sadly there are no weapons. He just looks like he is mistransformed.
Optimus Prime
As with Bumblebee, when I first looked at Optimus Prime, I thought he was a remold. Also like Bumblebee, he transforms pretty much the same as the previous mold. However, he has had much more extensive changes to the mold, so much so that I don’t think you can call this a remold. It’s not bad looking. I like the guns on top of the vehicle. They are removable, though I don’t know why. Robot mode looks pretty good. Oddly, only four of his wheels are real wheels. The others are just molded to the body. Even his front wheels don’t spin.
Grimlock
Grimlock is a completely new mold, and in my opinion inferior to the original. In dinosaur mold. The original had a better dinosaur head sculpt and looked more like he does in the cartoon. In robot mode though, the new one looks way better. He has actually legs as opposed to dinosaur parts. He has actual fists and his arms aren’t oddly connected to his shoulders. He has a better head sculpt also.
Seismic Strike Thunderhoof
So, for some reason, Hasbro gave Thunderhoof a prefix on his name. I don’t know why none of the others got this. I hate it when Hasbro releases multiple toys in the same line of the same character without giving them a name suffix or prefix to differentiate them. Anyway. I really like the Thunderhoof repaint. The black and purple look great. I kind of wish they had kept the silver on his neck, but that’s a small thing. This is still one of my favorite Three Step Changer molds.
Overall: For completists only.
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