TRANSFORMERS TOYS AND MERCHANDISE SECTION

Robot Mode:

Alternate Mode:

Box Art:

Sir Auros' review of: Sideswipe

Name: Sideswipe
Allegiance: Autobot
Function: Autobot Warrior
Sub-Group: NA

Well, I've already thrown in my two cents on the Alternators line and its plight in my Smokescreen review a while back and since then it looks like the line's doing fine and here to stay until Hasbro finishes it up. Good! The prototype pictures just get better and better and the first two figures out of the gate are excellent. I initially wasn't interested in picking up Sideswipe because the photos I had seen online weren't flattering to the figure's robot mode. Stonecold Skywarp imported the Binaltech version of the figure and he highly recommended it so I gave it a shot since the vehicle mode was just gorgeous. I wasn't disappointed in the least by the figure.

Vehicle Mode:
Drop-dead gorgeous. Perfect imitation of a Dodge Viper and has a stylish Autobot insignia on the covertible top (which doesn't actually convert to a top). The mirrors are somewhat adjustable, the tires are rubbery, and the interior is amazing. So much attention to detail was paid to the interior of this figure it's amazing. Like Smokescreen, the fact that this is a car that transforms into something other than a car is barely hinted at unless you look at the bottom. Of course, the Autobot insignia is a dead giveaway, but they did a tremendous job making this a robot in disguise. Once again, a beautiful vehicle mode.

Robot Mode:
I orginally thought the robot mode wouldn't be up to snuff, but I was pleasantly surprised by it. The feet are a little weird and the arms don't quite have the range of motion that Smokescreen has, but those are the only complaints of any significance I have. Some of my friends have commented on his hood functioning as a "lame cape," but I really don't see a problem with it myself. The doors of the car can interestingly be positioned the way the instructions suggest or in a manner very similar to the original Sideswipe's arms. That's pretty nifty in my book. I do have a problem with the transformation and the arms because I can never quickly transform the figure because I always forget the trick to the arms. They bend and rotate at odd places and sometimes it feels like you might break them. The instructions aren't any help either, but it's still not a difficult transformation.

Transformation: 8 - Clever, of course, but I do have trouble with the arms and the hood is sometimes hard to pull up.
Durability: 9 - Nothing loose or broken so far, but I do worry about the arms sometimes.
Fun: 9 - Would be a perfect 10, but it's not as articulate as Smokescreen. Still loads of fun and can be put in some good poses.
Price: 9 - $20 for an amazing toy. Beats the pants off of some recent figures that cost twice its price.
Summary: 9 - Almost perfect and entirely awesome. Oh yeah, dig the adjectives.