TRANSFORMERS TOYS AND MERCHANDISE SECTION

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Blackjack's review: Metroplex

Name: Metroplex
Alligeance: Autobot
Subgroup: Giant Planet
Function: Construction

I'm betting most of the people who has watched the original g1 series remember Autobot City, who can transform into a city sized Transformer...METROPLEX!!!

When the original Metroplex toy came out, I can imagine the young fans' reactions to it. A city! A city! In the G1 series many 'cities' were made by Hasbro. Countdown, Skystalker, Scorponok, big ole' Fortress Maximus and Trypticon to name a few. But before them, there was... Metroplex.

In 2006, the Cybertron line named the Japanese Galaxy Force character Megalo Convoy, the big boss of Giant Planet, as Metroplex. It is befitting that such a powerful leader gets a name as powerful as him.

Metroplex is the head foreman of the Transformers on Gigantion. While he is a calm, quiet and clever guy, like all non-Minicon Gigantions (well, the named ones are Quickmix, Menasor and a crane like Longrack from the toyline) he is immense in size and strength. He tasked the Gigations with forever building cities on his home world, and then immediately abandoning them as a way to forever look to their peaceful future and avoid the past, which was war-torn. The Constructicons will have a nice play in there.

ALTERNATE MODE
This new incarnation of Metroplex does not transform into a city, but rather a large Cybertronian construction vehicle. Let them call it a construction vehicle. It looks more like a demolition or assault vehicle, ready to tear Decepticon strongholds down! What an alternate mode, like, for a peace-loving builder.

In this mode Metroplex looks boxy, and the general look, if you remove that bloody large axe/shovel of his, resembles the battle station mode of the G1 toy. Metroplex's 'buzz saw' on the back is a bit impractical on the position, if it classifies as an error.

The front of the vehicle is two ramming things resembling a bulldozer. He is sturdy, and heavy. Looks like he is well armoured too... Actually it resembles G1 Roadblock, but while Roadblock was based on a 'bulldozer', big M here is based on a 'steam shovel'.

Metroplex in this mode looks great, and his minicon Drillbit on the shovel also looks like a part of him. His head is turned around and the antenna turned down, a lá the original toy. This way the head looks like a cockpit or G1 Omega Supreme's head. Kind of. "someone's in my head!"-G1 Metroplex.

Colour wise, he is colourful without being too flashy, with white and gray being the main colour here, inter spliced with black, two shades of blue and hints of red and gold. Kibbles are not too visible, other than the hands/fists being quite visible, and Sparkdrinker's handle being on the top of the alternate mode.

ROBOT MODE
After a long but straightforward transformation (with many clicking parts. aargh.), Metroplex stands about 13" tall, almost as tall as Supreme Starscream, Movie Leader figures and Energon Omega Supreme, (many thanks to Detective Barricade for the measurements!) taller than G1 Metroplex, and definitely towering over teeny tiny little guys from the LOC and Scouts class.

Despite the I-don't-really-know-what-it-is accent he uses in the show, Metroplex has a few precious scenes, stomping Megatron with one foot, and shooing away the Decepticons with his hands. One of his better lines, commenting about the brashness of the human kids, "Optimus Prime, your troops are so good that they know what you are going to order them before you even say it."

This is by far one of the most magnificent robot modes ever seen. His face, with red eyes that shine beautifully, faces a grim resolute to uphold truth, justice and the Autobot way.

He has shorter arms compared to the rest of the body, but really, really long legs. Metroplex here is the centerpiece of my collection, displayed between Movie Leader Megatron and Ultimate Bumblebee, with a load of Scout sized figures under them.

Metroplex's feet are really wide, and have roller blades, a leftover from the vehicle mode. His weapon, the axe Sparkdrinker, is as tall as him, and he looks great holding it. He is very sturdy, and won't tip over. Colour wise more red and gold and black appear, replacing some of the gray. Kibble wise, nearly no kibble is visible (easy, as the robot mode seems to be all the work Hasbro put into, these Cybertronian alt modes are making them laze-eeey) except for the 'caterpillar treads' on the hands and the bulldozer thingies on the feet.

Play wise Metroplex is very fun. It is fun using him in vehicle mode crashing through Decepticons, but more fun in robot mode STOMPING them. I display my Metroplex with a LOC Barricade crushed underfoot.

'WORK' MODE
Every large transformer has this: a slightly mistransformed version called a third mode. Metroplex becomes shorter with his legs and torso half the size, folded in vehicle mode style, and it looks horrible, like a Frankenstein monster.

Work mode admittedly is much sturdier than robot mode, but it is harder to pose, and Sparkdrinker doesn't really fit on him. He did assume this mode on smaller environments at times in the cartoon, I'll grant you that.

This mode, thankfully, has no 'side effects' on the toy as a whole, unlike a certain green triple changer from G1...

SPARKDRINKER, THE AXE
No Megatron is complete without the fusion cannon, no Optimus Prime is complete without the gun. Metroplex comes with a multi functional axe, the Spardrinker.

In vehicle mode it forms the shovel, with drill bit on top, and the circular saw at the back. In robot mode, it is the weapon! The saw circulates, the shovel opens and closes... Put in the planet key and the saw splits, a light comes out with a sound effect. Metroplex's axe has four places of movement, five if you count the saw.

Rant time. I know there is no perfect toy, but Metroplex is pretty close... If the hands can grip Sparkdrinker more tightly. It falls off quite easily. Oh, they should also give him a freakin' big gun. Then we can name it 'Six Gun' again...

DRILL BIT
Keeping up with the original toy, Metroplex comes with a bonus Transformer (no, not Scamper)! Drillbit is a Minicon, and has three places where it can attach to. In appearance he has a basic face. Tuck and twist, he turns into a Cybertronian (Gigatronian?) double drill machine that resembles G1 Twin twist. Drill Bit's name first appears as a Predacon, then a few odd Minicons here and there, but I guess it's better than his Japanese name, who sounds nothing like him. "Horribull"? That's a 'horrible' Decepticon Headmaster!

He can attach to Sparkdrinker's shovel, into a place where only he can fit in. In vehicle mode it looks like Metroplex will do the large destroying or building part, while Drilly does the more intricate jobs.

He can also link up traditionally via the minicon peg at Metro's arms on his... Back? Drillbit's face and body can be seen clearly, and spoils the effect. Apparently Drill-Bit is based roughly on Armada Leader-1. However, Drillbit is not a repaint or a retool, but a remake. And look at the horrible effect it did. Leader-1 is a great Minicon, but Drillbit...

TRANSFORMATION 9/10 Well thought off, other than Drillbit's mounting showing his ugly face.
DURABILITY 10/10 Nothing that can break too early, but the spikies on the back of the shoulder can go runaway.
PRICE 10/10 Got it for a discount. They're clearing the Cybertron toys for Movie and Animated. Yay.
FUN 10/10 "Metroplex smash Decepticons!"
OVERALL 10/10 If you collect big toys, grab im. If you collect for fun, grab him. If you like playing, grab him. If you like Metroplex, grab him. If you like poseable toys for display, grab him. If you like Transformers, grab him. Simple right?