TRANSFORMERS TOYS AND MERCHANDISE SECTION

Robot Mode:
Alternate Mode:
Box Art:
Technical Specifications:
STR
INT
SPD
END
RNK
CRG
FPR
SKL

fort_max's review of: Snowcat

Name: Snowcat
Allegiance: Decepticon
Function: Unknown
Sub-Group: NA
"There is no terrain, or opponent, that I cannot conquer."

Snow Cat is a powerful Decepticon who can overcome any environment. He transforms into an all-terrain vehicle and has given his Decepticon allies a strategic advantage in battle on many occasions. Though unruly at times, Snow Cat has proven to be one of Megatron's most valued warriors. His insane fighting tactics are feared by his enemies, and sometimes, his allies.

Vehicle Mode:
Snow Cat's vehicle mode is an artic half-track, modeled after the GI Joe vehicle of the same name, and (though I'm sure the GI Joe fans out there are going to disagree with me) I think he looks pretty good. Snow Cat's windshield has frosted plastic, creating a frozen over look, except in the path of the windshield wiper (which can pivot!). One thing that I really liked was that they added seats in the cab, which adds that extra touch of realism. The color scheme is mostly blue-gray, maroon, and white (with some blue-gray translucent plastic thrown in for good measure), and works better than one might expect. My only real problem is this: This guy doesn't look like a Decepticon. At all. In fact, if it weren't for the spark crystal and a single, tiny Decepticon logo, I'd have thought he was an Autobot. On the whole, though, I'd have to say that I like this toy's vehicle mode.

Robot Mode:
As far as I can tell, this mode only has two real failings: The torso and the panel on the left arm (I'll explain in a moment). Snow Cat's torso is formed from the cab of his alt mode, and it would look just fine, if it didn't stick out so far. His torso sort of makes him like Generation 1 Prowl, only with a major weight problem. The other problem I have (and I realize this is kind of a stupid gripe, but, hey, it's my review) is the panel on his left arm. When transforming Snow Cat to robot mode, there is a small piece that swivels to become part of his arm. But there's no way to lock it into place. More often than not, it winds up sticking out in weird ways, or getting in the way when moving his arm. One thing I have noticed (for those looking to get this toy) is that, while the instructions say they're supposed to go on the sides, the pivoting runners looks better on the back of the legs. On the plus side, though, the sculpting on the head looks great, and this toy is surprisingly good (not to mention fun to play with). But he still does NOT look like a Decepticon.

Hyper Mode:
Like the other Decepticon deluxe toys, Snow Cat has a 'Hyper Mode'. To transform to hyper mode, just flip the wheel guards down to form the runners, then flip the missile launchers up. Snow Cat's hyper mode is alright, but I think they may have been better off leaving it out. Especially when the runners tend to keep the toy from sitting quite right. To transform Snow Cat's robot mode, just swing the missile launchers on his back up to his shoulders. Then, flip the runners on his legs down to form the skis (that's right, I said 'skis'). Now, I'm sorry, I just can't get past this. I understand that skis make sense with a character that spends large amounts of time in the artic. But this is one of the stupidest gimmicks since Beast Wars Megatron's Transmetal skates. Skis.

Transformation: 3 - Not hard at all. One shouldn't even need the instructions the first time.
Durability: 7 - Seems to be pretty sturdy, though I could see the runners on the legs loosening eventually.
Fun: 9 - Surprisingly fun to play with.
Price: At $10 US, Snow Cat isn't expensive at all, and he seems to be worth it.
Summary: 7 - Despite a few problems, this is a decent toy at a decent price. Not a necessity for your collection, but if you have an extra 10 dollars kicking around, it's worth it.