June Transformers Round Up

As the weather is heating up, the drops don't stop in Transformers land! I've had a stack of stuff come in over the last little while, everything from tiny legends scale guys to an enormous MP scale Devastator leg. This one's a big one so get ready peeps!

Magic Square MS-B12 & MS-B13 Pillage & Contain (Drag Strip & Dead End)

I love what Magic Square has been doing with this whole legends scale Stunticon lineup and this two pack is a nice little closer for it. Pillage and Contain are tiny but they don't feel cheap, the paint apps on the race car deco are crisp and they actually hold their poses instead of flopping around like some of the smaller third party stuff I've owned.

Scaling them next to the rest of the set on my shelf makes we want the whole combiner even more, which I guess is exactly the trap they wanted me to fall into.

The downside is that at this scale the transformation is basically the bare minimum, there's just not a ton going on with either figure individually and if you're not into the combiner aspect there's not much reason to pick these up on their own. The joints on Contain especially feel a little loose out of the box, nothing dealbreaking but noticeable if you're used to tighter legends scale figures. Still, as a set piece for a future Menasor these are a solid buy.

Galaxy Toys MINI03 Police Light Prowl

This little guy surprised me honestly. Galaxy Toys doesn't get talked about nearly as much as the bigger name third party companies but their mini line has been consistently decent and this Prowl is a good example why. The black and white police deco is clean, no bleed on the paint, and for the price point it punches way above what I expected going in.

That said the transformation is stiff in a couple spots, the arms especially want to pop out of socket if you're not careful moving him from car to robot mode. He's also very small so if you're picking these up expecting anything close to legends scale bulk you'll be a little let down. I still think he's a fun cheap addition if you're building out a G1 police car shelf but I wouldn't call him a must have.

Transformers Studio Series Shockwave (The Transformers: The Movie)

This is the version of Shockwave I've been waiting on honestly, the movie accurate colors finally replace the slightly-off purples we got in earlier releases and it makes a real difference sitting him next to the rest of my 86 movie shelf. The sculpt keeps the classic gun arm silhouette and the tank alt mode is instantly recognizable even with fewer paint details than some of his live action counterparts.

My one gripe is that Hasbro clearly pulled some detail back compared to earlier Shockwave releases in this line, there's just less going on paint wise and the articulation feels a bit conservative for a modern Studio Series figure. He's still a fine pickup if you're a completionist for the 86 wave but if you already own a Shockwave from this general body type you might not feel the need to double dip.

Transformers Collaborative Stranger Things Freakwency and 8-Trax

Crossover figures are usually a hit or miss for me and I haven't seen the last few seasons of Stranger Things so take my opinion here with a grain of salt. The deco choices lean into the Stranger Things aesthetic without feeling like a total gimmick slapped onto an existing mold, and 8-Trax in particular has a fun cassette shtick that ties the whole thing together nicely. It's a genuinely creative use of a licensed crossover instead of just repainting an existing figure and calling it a day.

The price is where this one loses me a little, crossover pricing is always a bit of a premium and I don't think the value quite matches what you're getting for the cost. If you're not already a Stranger Things fan on top of being a Transformers collector I think this one is very skippable, but for people who are into both, it's a fun shelf piece.

Galaxy Toys MINI05 Track Smokescreen

Another solid little entry from Galaxy Toys, Smokescreen's race car deco translates really well to this small scale and I like that they kept some of the racing stripe detail instead of simplifying it down to nothing. He transforms easily too which after fighting with some stiffer minis is honestly a relief.

The face sculpt is where I have some notes, it feels a little flat and generic compared to some of their other releases in this same line, like they didn't put quite as much care into this one as they did with Prowl. Still a fun cheap pickup for people building a mini shelf but not the standout of the wave for me.

Galaxy Toys MINI08EX Destroyer Megatron Metallic Version

I had pretty high hopes for this one considering his Optimus counterpart was gorgeous, but I'm sad to say it was a bit of a let down. The die cast is less noticeable on this model than the Optimus version and that kind of defeats the point to me. I always enjoy when the alt mode of Megatron is a gun rather than a tank so points for that.

The metallic paint does show wear more easily than a standard finish though, I noticed a small scuff near one of the joints after just a couple transformations, so if you're someone who likes to keep figures in rotation rather than displayed once and left alone this one might frustrate you over time. Worth it for the price, but handle with a little more care than usual.

PS Don't come at me about the blurry picture, it's the original picture from Show Z and I have no idea why the original is blurry 😅

Wonderful-Trans WT01 White Ronin (IDW Drift)

This is one of my favorite pickups in this whole batch honestly. The sculpt and paintwork are stunning, both modes genuinely look like art pieces and the metallic finish on the white bodywork photographs beautifully. It's clearly meant to capture that IDW comic aesthetic and it nails it, this is exactly the kind of MP scale rendition of a comic character I wish we got more of from third party companies.

The transformation is where things get a little dicey though, it's fiddly in the torso especially and I'd call it moderately difficult rather than fun. The hands are also a weak point for me, the thumb design makes it hard to get a proper grip on the included swords so a lot of the dynamic poses I wanted to do just don't quite work. Beautiful figure, just be ready to be careful with it.

Transformers Studio Series The Transformers: The Movie Kranix

I really didn't expect to like Kranix as much as I do but he's a fun little deep cut pickup for anyone doing a full 86 movie shelf. The sculpt captures his design from the film well and he scales nicely next to Hot Rod and Kup, which was honestly my main concern going in since background characters like this can sometimes feel undersized or off model.

He's a pretty minor character though and the figure itself doesn't do a ton beyond the core transformation, there's no real articulation surprises or extra gimmicks here. If you're not chasing a complete 86 movie lineup I don't think this one earns a spot on its own merits, but for completionists like me it's a nice checkbox to fill.

FansToys FT-32E Hadid Mixmaster

The face sculpts on this Constructicon lineup continue to be a genuine highlight for FansToys, there's real personality and expression here that a lot of other third party Devastator attempts have been missing. The combiner leg engineering is also impressive, no extra parts needed to convert into Devastator's leg which is exactly the kind of thoughtful design choice that makes we trust this company with these big combiner projects.

I do have to talk about the leg though because it's been a whole thing online, when bent forward in that combiner mode it looks noticeably thin, almost skeletal, and while I understand it's meant to be cartoon accurate it does look a little rough in person. FansToys pricing continues to creep up too and at this point I think a lot of collectors, myself included, are starting to feel the fatigue of premium pricing on every single release in this line.

Dr. Wu DW-E32 Omega Supreme Rocket Giant

This chibi take on Omega Supreme is such a fun change of pace from the usual giant scale releases we get of this character. The extra transformation into an energy cube mode on top of rocket and rocket base modes is a genuinely clever bonus and having the Robodoctor figure included adds a nice bit of extra value to the set.

It's definitely a niche pickup though, the super deformed style isn't going to be everyone's thing and I've seen plenty of people online say it's cute but just not what they're looking for from an Omega Supreme figure. The wait time on this one from announcement to release was also pretty rough, years longer than Dr. Wu's usual turnaround, so patience was required if you preordered early.

Transformers: Age of the Primes Voyager Class Combination Swindle

Swindle continues the trend of this Combaticon wave being a genuinely strong lineup, the alt mode is clean and the proportions in robot mode feel properly Voyager sized instead of undersized the way some entries in this line have felt. The combiner compatibility with the rest of the set is where this figure really shines, he tabs into the Bruticus formation without a ton of fuss.

On his own though Swindle is a little bit of a plain figure, the deco doesn't do a whole lot to stand out and the accessories are pretty minimal for the price point. If you're collecting the whole combiner set this is an easy yes, but as a standalone purchase I'd call it just okay.

Transformers: Age of the Primes Leader Class Herald of Unicron

I like that Hasbro used this retool of the Megatronus the Fallen mold to give us a genuinely new character concept instead of just another straight redeco, the heavily armored design does a good job selling the whole corrupted herald vibe and the included sword and blaster loadout gives you a lot of posing options. The tank alt mode is properly imposing too which fits the character.

My complaint here is more about clarity than quality honestly, the whole Heralds of Unicron concept feels a little thin lore wise and I think casual collectors picking this up without much backstory knowledge might just see it as a generic Leader class figure rather than anything special. It's a well made toy, I just wish the character concept behind it had more meat on the bone.

Magic Square MS-B65 Strafe

Strafe is a fun little addition if you're into the more obscure G1 deep cuts, and Magic Square's legends scale continues to impress with how much personality they pack into such a small package. The color work is vibrant without feeling garish and he transforms smoothly for his size class.

The character himself is niche enough that I think a lot of casual collectors are going to skip right past this one without recognizing who he even is, which is a shame because the actual figure quality is solid. If you already know and love Strafe from the source material this is a great pickup, if you don't you might wonder why you're paying legends scale prices for a character you've never heard of.

Transformers: Age of the Primes Commander Class Combaticon Onslaught

Onslaught as the Commander class centerpiece of this wave is genuinely impressive, he's got real heft to him and the truck alt mode looks properly menacing sitting on the shelf. Being able to build him up alongside the rest of the Combaticon wave into Bruticus makes the whole line feel cohesive in a way a lot of combiner subgroups from Hasbro haven't managed recently.

The price point on Commander class figures continues to be a sticking point for me though, this size class sits in an awkward spot cost wise and I think a lot of people are going to hesitate before committing to the whole wave just because of how quickly it adds up when you're trying to build a full combiner team.

Magic Square MS-B11 Overlord Motormaster

Motormaster as the Menasor centerpiece from Magic Square holds up really well even years after its initial release, the semi truck alt mode is chunky and satisfying and he combines with the rest of the Stunticons in a way that feels sturdy rather than flimsy, which is honestly a relief for legends scale combiner pieces. He looks great leading the pack on a shelf.

The face sculpt is where I have to be honest, it's a little underwhelming compared to how much care went into the rest of the figure, and in combined mode he doesn't tab in as securely as I'd like so he tends to want to pop apart from the rest of Menasor if you're not gentle with posing. Still one of the better legends scale combiner leaders I own though.

Transformers Collaborative Hot Wheels x Transformers Deluxe Class GT-Scorcher

This crossover line has honestly grown on me way more than I expected. GT-Scorcher captures that classic Hot Wheels look really well in vehicle mode, the deco is bold and eye catching in a way that stands out from a lot of the more muted Transformers releases lately, and the robot mode retains enough of that racing aesthetic to feel like a cohesive design rather than two ideas awkwardly mashed together.

The transformation itself is fairly simple though, which makes sense for a Deluxe class crossover figure but it does mean there's not a ton of engineering complexity to get excited about here. If you're a Hot Wheels collector first this is a fun bridge piece, but as a pure Transformers release it's a little light on substance.

Final Thoughts

Looking back at everything I've unboxed this round, the trend I keep noticing is that the smaller companies like Magic Square and Galaxy Toys keep punching above their price point while some of the bigger names, FansToys especially, are starting to feel the pinch of collector fatigue with their pricing. It's unfortunate that the