It's even smaller than the original, it's nuts. They did a version colored like Go-Bots Pathfinder and a blue one that was not exactly like the one from that eHobby exclusive box set a while back, but I think (I think) I can pass on those. Would be wonderful to see a Pathfinder and Warpath in this series too.
I wish a third party would go in the opposite direction and make versions on new characters to scale and style of the original Diaclone Car Robo derived toys. That would be so wild.
I have a Shackwave (grey Shockwave) that I scored at a yard sale 20+ years ago, also a Cassette Man, which is just a bootleg Soundwave in a slightly darker blue. Pretty good bots.
There’s a local antiques shop in my neighborhood with a shackwave complete with box that I look at whenever I stop by. It’s a little pricier than I’m willing to pay, but it’s cool
What a weird wolf! The Walmart Blaster reissue arrived yesterday, and while Blaster himself is probably going to stay in the box for a while, Steeljaw has been freed: View this post on Instagram Good: Like the Ravage from the "Covert Agent Ravage and Micromaster Decepticons Forever Ravage" set released a couple of years ago, it is tampo printed on both sides and has metal parts (painted on Steeljaw vs. unpainted on Ravage). Bad: The weapons aren't chromed, they're actually yellow plastic painted gold. It looks like the cassette accessories included with the upcoming Soundwave reissue are going to be the same. Happy to have it, though.
Magmatron is being solicited in Japan: https://takaratomymall.jp/shop/g/g4904810933212/ I would love to see them make a Big Convoy to go along with it, scratching two itches of mine simultaneously (Transformers and mammoths).
Got the Walmart Soundwave reissue today, here's what the included Ravage looks like (bottom) compared to the one from the Agent Ravage set from a couple of years ago (top). Just scrutinizing the kitty, there are some good and bad changes this time around. Good: Metal parts are still included, and are painted this time instead of bare (forgot to mention that Steeljaw's metal parts are also painted). Fit of the parts during transformation is much nicer than last time. Bad: None of the tampo-printed detail from last time is included, just a Decepticon symbol and a gray square that doesn't even look like a cassette window. Laserbeak also has minimal printed detail on him. Also, just like the Steeljaw reissue, there is no chrome on the plastic, just black plastic accessories painted silver. I also noticed that both the Blaster and Reissue Soundwave reissues are made in Vietnam, not China, and it's clear that these have been retooled up from scratch. If you feel like paying $90 for the two of these, go for it, but if you want just one, get Soundwave, he comes with two cassettes.
Machine Wars was pretty cool, one of the many Hasbro/Kenner "resurrections" that Kay-Bee toys gave to collectors. I remember reading up on the background of the designs and being floored at how the Transformers line continued well beyond its original YS lifespan in Europe and Japan.
Good pics here showing how different the Soundwave reissue is from the original: https://news.tfw2005.com/2024/01/18...eissue-soundwave-in-hand-images-502392#images
The core class toys are really tempting. I do have Rumble and Frenzy on preorder and they look like they're tiny (not a bad thing, IMO). I found accessories for Snaptrap but it was a pain in the ass. Don't think I'm going to do that again. View this post on Instagram
