SDCC 2016 – Transformers Titan Force Set Review

News, Reviews, Spoilers, Top Story

Welcome back, Primates! Kaye here to do a review on a few of the SDCC 2016 HasbroToyShop exclusives! All the SDCC exclusives are now available at HasbroToyShop.com!

Fine Print: Although subject to change, we are planning on having the Convention Exclusives available to order on Tuesday, August 9th. The product will be located in the EXCLUSIVES category. No phone orders will be accepted. All Convention Exclusives are excluded from any promotions and discounts.

Now that we got that out of the way, onto exclusives!

Today I’ll be reviewing the Titan Force Set SDCC 2016 exclusive. Here’s the official product description:

TRANSFORMERS GENERATIONS TITANS RETURN Titan Force Set
(Ages 8 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: $74.99/ Available at HasbroToyShop.com on August 9)
SENTINEL PRIME has plans to return Cybertron to glory, and he’ll use whatever force is necessary to achieve it. The TRANSFORMERS GENERATIONS TITANS RETURN Titan Force Set allows fans to bring the battle to life. The set features a Voyager Class SENTINEL PRIME figure, DELUXE CLASS BRAINSTORM and WINDBLADE figures, as well as 2 TITAN MASTER figures – AUTOBOT TESLOR and AUTOBOT INFINITUS. Unite the figures together and power up for battle! Fans can also bring the action up a notch by combining the TITAN MASTER figures with the DELUXE CLASS, VOYAGER CLASS or LEADER CLASS Titans Return figures (each sold separately). The Triple Changer SENTINEL PRIME figure can morph between robot, space jet and train modes, with the BRAINSTORM figure converting from robot to CYBERTRONIAN jet fighter, WINDBLADE converting from robot to VTOL jet and Titan Master figures converting from robot to head.

The Primus (Good): This is a neat set once you get into all the side gimmicks. For example, you have Sentinel Prime in all his orange glory. My first inclination was “Well, I have the retail figure. Why open this one?” Then it hit me: Fire Guts God Ginrai. I really don’t know if that’s what they were going for with the clear version, but that struck a chord. Brainstorm is a nice homage to the IDW incarnation. Since IDW is the new toy selling engine, I’m perfectly ok with getting this version. Last, but not least is Windblade in a new grey deco. I really didn’t get the need for another Windblade SDCC deco. That’s until I realized the gimmick is her color scheme fits with Fort Max’s. She’s a City Speaker (able to telepathically speak to Titans like Max and Metroplex), so this version gives Max his own little buddy. She’s actually the reason I really wanted the set. I think it’ll make a great display piece with her on big Fort Max’s shoulder.

The Titans Return transformations have been great through the first wave. Sentinel Prime is made into a triple changer (more on that later) with both modes working well for him. The transformation is fairly intuitive and makes it fun for me or my two year old. The ship mode “fits” a little better for the gimmick, but the train isn’t horrible. It’s reminiscent of the Energon Omega Supreme train mode. Brainstorm fits into the “good transformation and play-ability” category as well. The figure looks good for a deluxe in either mode and serves as a good tribute to his G1 and IDW counterparts. It would have been great had he come with a briefcase and a Decepticon logo behind his mask. Windblade continues to surprise me. I found her retail release to be loose while the transformation tabs didn’t quite fit. This incarnation is tight and everything tabs perfectly. (Edit: I realized this was a different mold after looking at the original. It’s actual the RiD2 mold for the figure. I have to say, it’s a vast improvement.)

The Unicron (Bad): The only real gripe I have for these figures is their timing with their mass retail counterparts. This set was the only one I would be on the fence about since you could theoretically get Sentinel at retail (normal deco), Brainstorm shortly as a Walgreens (random, right) exclusive in more of a G1 deco, and Windblade has been out…a year? two? However, it depends on how much the gimmicks I described above appeal to you and your Kollection. I’m happy I got them now that my inner 12 year old figured out the deco appeal.

My only concerns about the figures relate more to the line themselves and not the SDCC figures. Sentinel’s triple changer mode does feel a little shoehorned in so that we can get an Astrotrain shortly down the line. It works, but it’s one the fandom immediate said, “Hey, I bet that becomes Astrotrain!” That’s why I like the spaceship mode more as it again “fits” the Sentinel Prime gimmick. The Titan Masters (Headmasters for anyone born pre-2000) are very small. They have more articulation, but it’s tough putting them beside their G1 counterparts. It’s nice to see the gimmick work universally throughout the line though.

Where is my super-out there-crazy-box? God, I miss the Dinobot/Ark box type playset. This one is fairly basic with some nice artwork across the front.

The Quintesson (Verdict): Buy (if you like the gimmicks). This was a hard one for me. I really was on the fence about these figures due to the retail releases. Then I fell in love with the Windblade deco. Then I really wanted to open a Brainstorm and put him beside Hardhead (not to mention I’m an IDW mark). Last, I talked myself into Sentinel by appealing to my Masterforce love. Now, I’m just enjoying staring at the open set in all its fan favorite goodness. Enjoy!

‘Till next time, Primates!

That’s just Prime

Transformers Kollector Extraordinaire. Mike originally wrote a weekly article called the Cybertronian Enquirer for Inside Pulse, but now does special events such as SDCC, Botcon, and other conventions. Mike has one of the largest Transformers collections ranging from G1 to Power of the Primes including Japanese, European, 3rd Party, prototypes (G2 Stunticons!), and Lucky draws.