COUNTDOWN: 10 new Transformers Legacy toys that need to be seen!

The Transformers Legacy line continues to be the stuff of fan dreams!

I say that not lightly, especially given how vast and varied the influences from across the franchise’s history are regarding character choices alone. Multiverse-style sagas may be all the rage in entertainment at the moment, but here we have Hasbro serving it up in 3D form, too, with bots from almost (but not quite) every part of the last forty years represented.

So today, purely and simply, here are ten new current and upcoming Legacy toys, along with just what they represent for Transformers history.

#10: Armada Universe Powerlinx Hot Shot 

The internet was all abuzz recently when Legacy Hot Shot was first unveiled. After all, with a few Armada homages in the line of late, it seemed almost inevitable that the most kid-friendly character of the early noughties would be given the treatment at some point. Also somewhat predictable but no less enjoyable is this blazing red makeover, which represents the Powerlinx take on the character first released in 2003. What does Powerlinx mean, exactly? Well, it’s just the same bot but now with extra Minicon powers and a new look; simple! In any case, who needs deep canonical justification when there’s plenty to be excited about here, starting with the retooled face sculpt (matching a similar overhaul on the original Powerlinx toy from its initial mould)? The G1 Hot Rod-inspired (yes, really) colour scheme also works wonders to make this design seem more alluring than ever. As if that wasn’t enough, some almost Generation 2-esque rifles and blast effects are thrown in alongside a newly-designed figure of Hot Shot’s Mini-Con partner, Jolt! Just when we all thought the little buggers wouldn’t have a presence in Legacy, they surprise us yet again! I’ve seen a few people wondering why Jolt is orange in this case, as opposed to the original figure’s red or his Powerlinx yellow, but it’s all very simple – he was orange in the 2002 cartoon, you see. All in all, Hot Shot Part Deux is looking pretty great.

#9: War Dawn 2-Pack

When we talk about deep cuts in Legacy, this is precisely what we mean! The classic 1980s cartoon episode War Dawn was a real highlight of the series, as the Aerialbots are thrust back through time to the golden age of Cybertron and encounter various big-name characters in their pre-war guise. This two-pack references exactly that, with the oddly-titled ‘Cybertronian Erial’ being a take on the show’s Ariel, the early identity of Elita-1 before she is damaged and rebuilt into her more familiar form. This toy is a retool of Prime Universe Arcee, but here features a detachable ponytail and a new blaster, which can also be gifted to Legacy’s take on the later version of the character for a dose of added cartoon accuracy. Also included is Dion, based on the otherwise-unknown character of the same name (despite many, many unconfirmed fan theories about his true identity). This retool of Studio Series Kup features a new noggin and additional blasters in a neat touch.

#8: Transformers X Stranger Things Code Red

OK, this isn’t actually part of Legacy at all, but it’s worth throwing in here because of how utterly out of leftfield it is! The Transformers Collaborative line has already produced some unexpected twists, with homages to Ghostbusters, Top Gun, X-Men, Jurassic Park and, um, J Balvin all under our belt. Yet I don’t believe anyone anticipated a Stranger Things tie-in featuring a newly-designed, officially-licensed Volkswagen toy based on a pizza delivery van. There’s been a fair bit of muttering that this is somehow either a Studio Series or Siege Ironhide retool, but it’s evidently not the case, despite it sharing engineering with the latter (as proven in detail by @damnyouwillis). Instead, this is an extensive overhaul for such a weird and exceptionally niche reference, but surely fans of the Netflix series must be excited about it, right? Stranger Things have happened.

#7: Legacy Menasor giftset

Those maniacs! They actually did it. Yes, after a large portion of the fandom has only just finished grudging round their local toyshops attempting to locate each individual Legacy Stunticon, the powers that be have announced a giftset in the style of the classic 1980s combiners with some swanky new packaging to boot! It’s fair to say that the online reaction has been a little mixed, with many collectors super excited to see a tantalising group release done in such iconic form, alongside some who are a bit miffed at not being offered an equivalent to begin with. Still, there is a sweetener inside the box itself in this case, as the five toys have also been madeover to give them more of a vintage toy vibe, with new paint and tampos to that effect. It’s not night and day difference, but it certainly makes them pretty tempting, all considered!

#6: Shattered Glass Collection Rodimus & Sideswipe

Another ‘not really Legacy but what the hey’ entry here, and it’s this rather eye-catching two-pack of Shattered Glass lads. The evil take on Rodimus has been the poster boy of the SG universe ever since the Timelines toy back in 2008, so it’s no surprise to see this new Studio Series retool looking hot, too! The black and purple colour scheme is as striking as ever, and the cliché but cool bad guy goatee is suitably present and correct. He’s packed in with a retooled Kingdom Sideswipe, which pays homage to the 2008 Botcon repaint of Armada Wheeljack, complete with the almost inexplicable minty colour scheme and memorable scratched bonnet chest (which is actually moulded in here for an appreciated touch). The real icing on the cake, though, is that there’s another Mini-Con in the box, with Sideswipe’s partner Whisper putting in an appearance too! Now that’s anything but careless.

#5: Deadeye Duel 2-Pack

The niche nods keep a-coming here with yet another two-pack and yet another set of characters that is sure to have a significant portion of the fanbase running to TFWiki. In this case, we have ‘Ascenticon Kaskade’ and ‘Senate Guard Autobot Javelin’, characters which feature during the latter-day run of IDW Transformers comics and have been quite faithfully recreated in robot mode here, considering their retool status. Kaskade shares a base mould with Siege Chromia but looks almost unrecognisable thanks to that bold new colour scheme, whilst Javelin gives the Studio Series Bumblebee Arcee design another outing to great effect. Even if you’ve never read the comics, there’s little doubt these ladies are looking in fine form.

#4: Nova Prime

Nova Prime has been a fan-favourite presence in the IDW comics for years and has even memorably made his way into the Transformers: Devastation video game. Yet incredibly, there’s only been one official toy of the character before this point, and that was a 2015 Collectors’ Club exclusive that didn’t really look like the rather epic winged design many have been clamouring to see realised. In this case, we’ve ended up with a retool of a retool, as the mould began life as Siege Ultra Magnus before being overhauled again for Galaxy Upgrade Optimus Prime! Still, it looks entirely distinct here and perfectly realises the popular character in question at long last.

#3: Nacelle

Nacelle is one of those weird characters that began life as a mistake. You see, there was a Japanese toy catalogue from the ’80s which featured various early versions or prototypes of classic G1 toys, and it’s become so memorable that many of them have been realised as new characters in their own right – it’s where stuff like the inspiration for the e-Hobby Go-Bots hailed from. Also in that image was a blue, white and red take on the vintage Thrust figure, which has been appropriated as a character named ‘Nacelle’ over the years before being made real with a Timelines figure back in 2015. The Legacy take is the first version to make it to full retail, however, and reimagines the Decepticon further by using the colour scheme on the Cybertronian tetrajet design. Sure, it’s another Seeker, but this is one that many have been seeking for decades!

#2: Medix

Where to begin with this one, eh? Well, it’s a retool of Legacy Crankcase, but the character choice and colour scheme are what make this one stand out. It’s based on the Rescue Bots Academy character of the same name (who is a firm favourite in this house, by the way!), except it’s not a straight-up take either. Instead, it’s based on a smaller Playskool Heroes version with a new green-themed colour scheme, although it still takes cues from the original, too (including the heartbeat stripe down the side). It also blends in some inspiration from the Combiner Wars Medix figure originating at Botcon 2016 and sort of smushes it all together to somehow become its own thing! Along with borrowing accessories from toys such as Legacy Elita-1 and Minerva, this is a strange mix but a welcome one nonetheless. The world needs more Rescue Bots rep!

#1: G2 Universe Grimlock

How many times? Seriously, how many times on this blog have I banged on about the unreleased ‘tiger stripe’ Grimlock from Generation 2? How many times have I pined for it to be made or at least referenced in some form? Well, finally, here we are, and whilst it may not be a re-release of the vintage mould, it’s just about the next best thing. Overhauling the Studio Series Grimlock design with all that yellow is a bold choice but one I am absolutely here for. This colour scheme may have never made it to fruition back in the day, but I’m so pleased it’s finally made it, even if it took the better part of three decades! A must-buy.

So that’s our list! Which of these are you most looking forward to?

TTFN