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Transformers Toy Review Archive (older series, 1984 to date)
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Sir Auros' review of: Supercon Optimus Prime

Generation: Armada
First cartoon appearance: First Encounter
"Freedom is the right of all sentient beings."
Function: Autobot Leader

"For those of you who want an Armada Optimus Prime but don't feel the need to fork over a hefty $40 for the standard version, there's Supercon Optimus Prime. The figure is basically a modified version of the more expensive model sans the trailer and with a new minicon. This version is also set in the same price range as figures such as Hotshot or Cyclonus, so you can get an Optimus Prime for around $10. As with nearly all the Armada figures, the art on the included sticker is by Dreamwave and the toy comes with a mini-comic that also serves as a toy catalogue. If I may digress a little, I think the inclusion of a booklet that contains a comic as well as a toy catalogue is awesome. It really reminds me of the old Kenner toys that always came with catalogues and the Masters of the Universe figures that were packaged with mini-comics. Very cool, and kudos to Hasbro for coming up with something nice like that since they could no longer include tech specs with their figures."

Vehicle Mode: In accordance with the times, the current tractor-trailer version of Prime is no longer a big Mack truck, but a version that's much more common. It looks pretty good and there are few points where the robot mode is apparent while the figure is in its vehicle mode. The only problem I can see with this mode is that it's sometimes difficult to get the rear wheels aligned so that the truck can be rolled around on a level surface. It's not impossible to do and it's not a big thing, but it is nice to have a vehicle mode that can actually be played with as a vehicle. The minicon has a fairly nice vehicle mode (that of a futuristic jet) and I greatly prefer it to the awkward robot mode..

Robot Mode: This is the mode in which my Supercon Prime is usually displayed, both because it's the better of the two and because it is just a really cool mode. The figure is still very recognizable as an incarnation of Optimus Prime and it's a pretty darn good one at that. The grill from the truck forms the chest and can be pulled down to reveal the place for the Autobot Matrix. The arms have little guns that can be detached...perhaps for battle damage or something. The minicon gimmick with Supercon Prime is supposedly that you can plug a minicon onto his back and move the plug up and down to use some sort of punching action, but I've yet to get it to actually work. Whenever I've tried it, Prime feebly attempts to move his arms, but they rarely move more than a few millimeters. The minicon that comes with Prime can be transformed to form his gun, and since I can get that to actually work, I tend to prefer using the minicon for that purpose. There also aren't as many places for minicons to attach on this figure compared to other figures in the same price range, and while I don't necessarily think this is such a bad thing, others may find this a little disappointing. The minicon itself has a rather dodgy robot mode. It has a head even more reminiscent of a bucket than the original Megatron and the nose of the jet mode juts out in front of it so it has this insanely huge chest.

Poseability
Excellent! As with the Beast Wars, Robots in Disguise, and some Armada figures, this toy has amazing articulation and the poses you can put it in are nearly limitless. There's really not a single bad thing I can think of regarding the articulation in this figure. The minicon on the other hand...well, it can spread its legs in robot mode and that's about it. The arms barely move at all and the legs don't bend, but it is just a minicon, so I suppose you can't expect a whole lot of articulation.
Transformation: Very easy to transform.
Durability: Very sturdy toy, but I was kind of nervous transforming it into robot mode for the first time because there is a lot of force required to transform the arms/shoulders properly. Nothing seems to be that fragile though.
Fun: Tons of fun with Bendy Prime.
Price: Priced the same as the basic figures, so you should be able to find one for around $10 USD. Well worth the price too.
Summary: Really a great figure at a great price. May not have the best minicon gimmicks (or even many minicon links), but it's a great alternative for anyone wanting an Optimus Prime who doesn't want to pay $40. Even if one has the bigger version of Armada Optimus, the Supercon version is worth picking up too. Initially this toy was pretty scarce, but now it can be found in abundance at nearly any store that carries the Armada toys. In fact, I've noticed that many Walmarts seem to have more Supercon Optimus Primes than any other basic figure.
 
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