Transformers Review: Galaxy Force Soundblaster

Reviews

Transformers Galaxy Force: Soundblaster
Size: Voyager
MSRP: $40 – $80
OUT NOW (Japanese limited release)
A TF review written exclusively for Inside Pulse by Rikkomba

Not dead yet: they can take the “figures” section out of IP, but they still have to figure how to get Transformers away from us :-) Here’s your lovely Italian pizza-spaghetti-more pizza reviewer, Alessandro “Rikkomba” Riccombeni. I know you were waiting for this moment.

Gentlemen… restart your engines!

To (re)start with a boost, I decided to introduce you a little pearl, actually a “black pearl”: Galaxy Force Soundblaster, Japanese exclusive whose release was limited to 3000 pieces.
This TF is a straight repaint of Cybertron Soundwave, which hit USA maaaany months ago already.

Let’s be practical: get this toy. It’s just awesome to look at. And you can find it for a good price, I think. I got it from a famous bad toystore for less than 40$, but even 70$ would be fair for this little masterpiece.

Ok, you got me: it’s not a masterpiece. It’s “flawed”. But, as happened with GF Master Galvatron, bad execution’s low mark can sometimes be squished by a great and immortal idea, lying behind the final result. In other words: Soundblaster is AWESOME, after all.

You can’t see me, and you are missing something cool, I tell you

Soundblaster’s packaging is all gray, like Master Galvatron’s, and it’s very appropriate, because they share the same level of coolness. Our friend from Planet X is packaged in his alternate mode, something like a Cybertronian Stealth Fighter: differently from Soundwave’s blue, this form’s colors fit so much better the idea of a stealth warrior! A very elegant black, together with details in gold and metallic red, all make this mode look much better than the original.

At least for its appearance, because problems here are always the same: the “cockpit” area, which will later become a sort of shield, has some problems attaching steadily to the robot legs; its 2 weapons, placed under each wing, need some hard work to clip on; this never led me to damage this toy, but I think it could have been made in many better ways. I think this is one of those cases where designers try to be original at all costs, even if it means to make things worse.
Anyway, once you manage to clip everything together, if you are able to, of course, you have a cool stealth fighter, one of the best aerial alternate modes I have ever seen. Kudos for whomever suggested this color scheme.

07/07/07 Transformers: Their War. Our Orthopedics.

Ok, in robot mode we got some problems, but they are the same as Soundwave’s: baaaaaad kibble on the right arm, no waist articulation, and broken knees. This Decepticon needs not a battlefield; it needs a hospital!

Sigh. It’s a bad flaw, really because of transformation scheme, robot legs have to bend a certain way for alt mode… problem is, when you pose it they have a tendency to spread on their own, making it difficult to hold a pose. Sigh. So, the best pose I found is… straight legs. D’oh.

Although, as you can guess, the new color scheme makes miracles, transforming a robot with limited posability into a magnificent example of how much a great color scheme can do for an action figure. I know, I said the same in Galvatron’s review, but this repaint is even better: it’s another level. 2 pairs of wings, gold and black the first, metallic red and silver the second one… and this red is disguised in alt mode, it’s meant for robot mode and… WOW!
Well, a picture is worth a million words, so… admire the greatness of this repaint.
Really, one of the best color schemes ever in my (not so humble) opinion.

Geeeet in my beeeelly!

As Soundwave came with its partner Laserbeak, Soundblaster comes with Buzzsaw, as it had to be. My Buzzsaw has some paint application missing on the left part of its back, I don’t know if the remaining 2999 had this problem or not. It’s the first time I have such a problem, and I would have preferred a symmetric paint, I can tell you. Bah.

Soundwave’s Cyber Key gimmick works here too, even if my Soundblaster’s panel needs some encouragement, and not a moral one. There are no differences with Soundwave here, except for the panel itself, which, being red is so much cooler. Needless to say, this gimmick is totally useless, but that’s how this homage works. Just a note; Buzzsaw is not a minicon unlike what the box description for Soundwave says.

Is it ’cause I’m cool?

Sounblaster makes a worthy purchase. Its transformation is interesting enough and the homage is well done, but it’s for its appearance that you should really get it. It stands out from any shelf, it’s a paradigm of coolness already. If only all repaint were like this. And it’s not because it’s an old idea from G1. Regardless of its flaws, I highly recommend Galaxy Force Soundblaster to any collector, and please… open that dammed box, it’s too cool to be left there. It must shine on your ‘bots, and show them what Coolness is. Cool. On Elohim’s Energon Cube ranking scale I give Soundblaster a 9 out of 10. Pick him up right away, if you still find one.

Alla prossima,

Alex J. Omba

TBL

Charles Emanuele- For those of you who may not be familiar with the G1 character Soundwave was destroyed in a battle with Blaster then rebuilt into Soundblaster. The original G1 toy was a Japanese exclusive remold/recolor of Soundwave that could hold two cassettes at a time. I have to say I have GF Soundblaster but I never opened him and have no plans too. Soundwave is a great figure but like Alessandro mentioned he has problems in his legs and with everything pegging together well, which carried over to Soundblaster. I do like that he came with Buzzsaw as a nod to the G1 mistake. If you are looking for a collectors piece then definitely pick this guy up.