CW Megatron (Leader) [uploaded]

[ganon578]

Name: Megatron
Function: Decepticon Leader
Subgroup: Combiner Wars
Size Class: Leader

There was a time when the name Megatron was honored by many across Cybertron. But power inevitably corrupts, and none are so powerful as mighty Megatron. Long ago, he forgot he was a hero, and became nothing more than a tyrant. The war he launched eventually drained his home planet of life. Not even the death of a world could sate his hunger for conquest.

Megatron has been a staple of nearly every Transformers cartoon, movie, and toyline. It’s hard to find a part of Transformers media that doesn’t include him in some way. Honestly, I’ve never been much of a fan of Megatron. I can’t really recall if I ever owned his original toy (though it seems like I did) or if I had just played with it at a friend’s house. The number one villain of the Generation 1 cartoon didn’t do much for me in the character department either. Over time I’ve softened a bit to the big lug, and all the character has to offer.

I’ve only owned two other Megatron toys in my collecting days – the Classics (green & purple) version and the Thrilling 30 black stealth bomber version. Both are nice figures, but neither really did it for me. This figure, is a whole other story…

Alternate Mode:

Megatron’s alternate mode is a tank – I don’t know which tank this is modeled after, but it seems to be a fairly standard one that most Transformer tanks take a liking to these days. The design itself is fairly straightforward, and has tons of detail throughout. There aren’t any spots of blatant robot parts, save for the underside of the tank. Everything is well hidden and put to good use, and tabs together in a solid fashion. This tank really is a tank.

The entirety of the mode is made of silver, with some black molded parts, a tiny bit of red, and one single purple Decepticon symbol displayed boldly on the front. Otherwise, there isn’t much to speak of the paint apps department – it’s simple and gets the job done. Nothing fancy here.

The tank mode has quite a few play features to be found. The best part of the tank is the rolling treads. This is typically a difficult feat for a toy to pull off, but Megatron does this well. The treads are rubber and slide back and forth easily on the moving grey wheels. I was surprised at how well this functions, as I have had a few toys in the past that utterly fail at this. The turret rotates in near 360 degree range, but sadly does not move up or down. The turret also features a spring loaded missile that works well, and is nicely hidden. It really doesn’t look like a toy missile launcher. The top of the turret features a couple 5 mm holes for pegging in the two parts of Megs’ included gun. It’s a nice touch on the tank mode, and doesn’t look out of place – both parts of the gun look like they should be there. You’ll also find four 5 mm pegs on the tank – one on the back, two on the front, and one on the top of the turret. They look to be Mini-con pegs, but I haven’t tried them out; I assume these are for the retooled version of Armada Megatron. They can still add some play here if you choose to do so.

Robot Mode:

As is with most of the CW line that I have experience with, the transformation to get from mode to mode is simple and effective. Some lines in the past (Universe, for one) went overboard with folding parts and quirky tabs, making transformations a chore. Megatron has a nicely streamlined transformation that’s easy to pull off. Personally, I think this adds fun to the figure, as it can go quickly back and forth – something that has been lacking in recent years.

Megatron’s robot mode is clearly inspired by his G1 incarnation. The vast majority of color is done in silver, with some red and black here and there, and a few odds and ends in the chest. The look really does G1 justice, though I can see that some people might think it’s a little bland. Consistent with the vehicle mode, Megs’ robot mode features tons of detail. I don’t think there’s much wasted space here, as most parts have some sort of design that breathes life into this figure. The chest design is nearly spot on for G1, and I really love the head. Megs has the proper sort-of angry face, and the light piping works fantastically well. The fusion cannon is present as well, and for one of the few times it isn’t hindered or causes problems with the arms. This Megatron has a fantastic look, and I personally think this is arguably the best G1 representation in the main line.

There aren’t many interesting play features in robot mode. Megatron comes with the aforementioned gun, which can be dual wielded, or pegged together for one larger rifle. The fusion cannon can be rotated to face either direction, which is a nice feature. I prefer the larger (non-shooting) end of the cannon to face out, but you can just as easily flip it to the firing side for some action. I gather that most people may slightly prefer one or the other, but either display really doesn’t detract from the figure at all. Lastly, Megs has some included stickers that can give him a little more G1 zest, or you can also make him into an Autobot if you so choose (I didn’t).

For articulation, Megs has several areas of movement. The shoulders ratchet well, and swivel too. The elbows bend and rotate, and the fists swivel. The hips have a good range of motion, and the ratchet knees have just the right amount of tightness. The only quibble I have is that since the ankles/feet are rather static, some dynamic poses won’t work too well. That doesn’t mean he has limited motion though. The feet are big enough and he’s got great balance – there’s enough range of motion to balance him and pull off most positions.

Overall, Megatron can be a great addition to your collection. Both modes are great, there’s a decent amount of fun to be had, and he’s got a smooth transformation.

Marks out of ten for the following:

Transformation Design: 9 Simple, fun, and effective. Really good for such a big figure.
Durability: 9 He’s really solid all around. Plastic quality is good, and there aren’t any parts I see snapping anytime soon.
Fun: 7 There isn’t a whole lot going on in the fun department, but what is there is enjoyable.
Aesthetics: 10 I really like his look. Some may think his shins are a bit long, but otherwise, Hasbro nailed it with this one.
Articulation: 7 It’s pretty good, but he won’t win any yoga contests. Nothing is hindered beyond acceptable levels.
Value/Price: 6 He’s kind of expensive and doesn’t do a whole lot, but he looks really good and is really solid.
Overall: 8.5 I can’t 100% recommend Megatron to everyone. He falls into a category of kind of expensive, and kind of big. I’m very pleased to have Megatron in my collection, and to date, he’s my favorite toy version. If you’ve got the cash and the shelf space, I don’t think you will be disappointed.

[ganon578]

Photos:

[Skyquake87]

Proofed!