TRANSFORMERS TOYS AND MERCHANDISE SECTION

Robot Mode:

Alternate Mode:

Box Art:

Sir Auros' review of: Optimus Prime and Prowl

Name: Optimus Prime, Prowl
Allegiance: Autobot
Function: Autobot Leader, Security Officer
Sub-Group: Spychangers

After buying tons of clear spychangers and the KB exclusive G1 Spychangers on clearance, I really had no interest in buying this (or the Ultra Magnus and Ironhide) Walmart exclusive two-pack, but since both sets had been marked down to $3 at the local Walmart and I didn't own spychanger Optimus Prime, I decided to pick this set up. Even at $3 it doesn't feel like it's really worth my while, but I attribute that mainly to having so many spychangers already. If one doesn't have many or still thinks the things are nifty, they're certainly worth picking up on clearance if you can find them. They are Walmart exclusives, so they could become harder to find within the next month or so because once Walmart puts something on clearance, they get rid of it fast.

Vehicle Mode:
Something I think is neat about this set is that both vehicles actually do go together. Prime's his Robots in Disguise era fire truck and Prowl's one of those fire patrol cars you see every now and then. Prowl looks fine and his vehicle mode really passes for what it's supposed to be. Significantly less convincing is Optimus Prime's ludicrously colored, tacky yellow fire truck. This is, without a doubt, the worst recoloring seen in the entire Universe line, and given what many think of the overuse of purples and burnt sienna in the line, that's saying a lot. Ugly ugly ugly. The ladder also irritates me in this mode but it's much more annoying in robot mode. The mold for Prime is pretty good though and were it colored differently, could theoretically pass itself off as a fire engine. Both of the figures are as fun as any Hot Wheels type toy car in this mode like the rest of the spychangers.

Robot Mode:
Prowl has a gun in robot mode and Prime doesn't even have holes in his fists to put a weapon. Weak. Prowl has a good-looking robot mode and Prime's isn't that bad either (except for that horrible coloring) and both are reasonably fun to play with, but the vehicle modes are really more impressive (or if you need, inconspicuous) than the robot modes. Prowl has the same articulation as the rest of the spychangers, legs together, arms that go up and down, head that can barely see over his chest, etc. Prime, on the other hand, has legs that separate and a head that turns. The lack of weapon really hurts the figure and the ladder is insanely irritating to fuss with in this mode. It's either constantly coming loose and extending farther than it should or overbalancing and knocking the figure over. The paintjob's not really up to par on Prime either. They did a good job giving Prowl definition in the face (something I felt most of the G1 spychangers were severely lacking), but prime has almost no painting on his face other than two black dots for his eyes. Not cool guys, not cool.

Transformation: 7 - Prowl has your basic spychanger transformation (though it is ESSENTIAL that you pull down his hood before pulling out his arms because there's a catch there) and Prime's transformation really isn't that much more complex except that you split the legs at the end.
Durability: 8 - Don't foresee any parts breaking off, though you may snap Prime's ladder out of frustration...
Fun: 8 - Fun toy cars, fairly fun toy robots.
Price: 8 or 2 - I'd give them an 8 if you can get them for the $3 I got them for, but they're certainly not worth $7.
Summary: 7 - Overall, fairly average and Prime's paintjob makes infants cry, but if you still think spychangers are the shizzle and have $3 to spare, they're ok.