TRANSFORMERS TOYS AND MERCHANDISE SECTION

Robot Mode:

Alternate Mode:

Box Art:

Sir Auros' review of: Galvatron

Galvatron
Allegiance: Predacon
Function: Predacon Commander
First Cartoon Appearance: Peril from the Past

I wasn't originally interested in the RiD Megatron/Galvatron mold, but I saw one for a mere $12 at a KayBee toystore, so I decided to pick up a Galvatron because I liked the color scheme better. He's really not a bad toy, but I personally wouldn't have paid more than I did for him. He has oodles of alternate modes, but only about 3 of them really seem to work for him and the others are kind of so-so. The robot mode, jet mode, and two-headed dragon mode really are pretty cool though. Despite all the criticism (it is a critic's job), I do like the toy.
As I said before, I picked Galvatron over Megatron because I like Galvatron's color scheme better. Yes, I know that black and purple are traditional Decepticon colors, but I just like the white and black and purple better. He doesn't come with much in the way of accessories, and while I would've liked to have seen him come with a gun or something, his swords/missile launchers really compensate. I like the design on the things and I think they would've been even cooler if they functioned as some sort of flamethrowers.

Robot Mode
I usually keep Galvatron in robot mode for the same reasons I keep Optimal Optimus in robot mode - it's just awesome. As far as evil leaders go in robot mode, I really think Galvatron's top-notch. Transmetal 2 Megatron was better, but other than that, I'd say Galvatron's the best-looking evil leader since G2 Megatron...in robot mode at least. He looks like some sort of robotic semi-samurai with his highly stylized chest, shoulder pads, and shin and arm guards. The wings are undoubtedly my favorite part of having him in robot mode. The translucent plastic just works so insanely well and his wings make him look really intimidating. I also tend to spread the wings and allow him to fly like that instead of having to transform when I'm pla...err, admiring him. Galvatron's at his most poseable in this mode and he can be put in all kinds of snazzy poses for display.


Alternate modes
Well, as I pointed out, RiD Galvatron is no different from the Megatron released earlier in the series except that supposedly one is able to perform four additional transformations with Galvatron. This was true in the Japanese Car Robots release of Gigatron (Megatron) and Devil Gigatron (Galvatron), but the American (and European as far as I know) releases of Megatron were just the Galvatron molds, so they can be transformed into the four "new" modes, but the instructions for Megatron don't cover the four new modes. The four modes are a transport, a dragon, an elephant, and a griffon. The transport isn't much different from the car transformation and the griffon and dragon modes look pretty much the same. The elephant, while the only really novel mode, is also one of the dumbest alternate modes I've come across. I mean, what kid wants to play with a white and purple thing that vaguely resembles an elephant? In my eyes, the "new" modes are really a gimmick to get Galvatron and a really poor gimmick at that. I don't necessarily think they're bad (I really like the dragon mode), but I just think that they're extremely similar to existing modes or each other. Really, decide which color you want and get Megatron or Galvatron, whichever floats your boat. The original Megatron transformations are still quite solid and I'd have to say that the jet mode is my second favorite after robot mode, with the two-headed dragon coming it at a close third.

Poseability
Like most of the newer Transformers out there (and especially this particular line), RiD Galvatron is superbly poseable. My only beef with him is that his legs do not move forward at the hips. I find that kind of odd because I can't see any reason why such movement would hamper his transformations, but other than that, he can be put in some really fantastarastic poses.

Transformation: 9 - Some of the modes are really tough to get into the first few times through, and if you're a real man and do it all without instructions, then you'll spend a significant amount of time getting all Galvatron's transformations right.
Fun: 6 - Had to take of points for some of the rather uninspired alternate modes and the lack of weaponry other than swords in robot mode. He's still a proper villain to use against whichever heroic faction you pit him against.
Price: 9 or 7 - Since I was able to pick up mine for half the original price, I give Galvatron a 9, but I just can't half that number to say how much he's worth if you buy him at full price, because he's still worth it at that price.
Overall: 7 - His alternate modes are weak but he's still a great-looking villain in robot mode and if you're into figuring out transformations, then he's a good choice at a really good price now that RiD has run its course...assuming you can find him of course.