Top of the Bots; Top 10 of 2022

 It's that time of year were we reflect and look back on the year that has past as we start to head into the next. So today I look back on what I consider to be the ten best Transformers toys that I got this year.

Some rules for this listing;

1. This list is my opinion, if you fell I left something out or don't agree, fell free to share.

2. Toys on this list may not have been released this year, this list is based on toys I got this year.

So with those out of the way, lets begin the list with;

10. War for Cybertron Kingdom T-Wrecks

 This was one I was torn on as to whether or not I include it on the list, because this is a great toy to have in both Robot and Dino mode. The articulation in both modes is spectacular and the Design is on point amazing. The toy is weighty and a great size that really depicts the character. But the Transformation is not so great.

Don't get me wrong it is well engineered and a great call back to the original toys transformation process, but on my copy a lot of the parts don't want to cooperate. The hip in particular is very difficult to get apart on my copy, and for the longest time put me off ever wanting to transform the toy, and when I din transform it to Dino I kept it like that for the longest time. A lot of the rubbery panels like to get stuck and hinder the transformation as well. so that's why T-Wrecks is no. 10 on the list, great toy to play with and pose, fantastic sculpt with a great transformation call back process, but awful to transform.

9. Studio Series Bumblebee Shockwave

Yes a surprise even to me that this made the list as I am not a fan of the live action movies or their design, heck I haven't even Seen Bumblebee but here we are. I bought this when it came out as I didn't have a Shockwave in my collection, and while I am generally a scale collector, I figured I would pick this up as it was cheap enough. and boy I wasn't disappointed.

For such a small toy there is a lot of detail pack into this tiny sculpt, and being such a small stature it still manages to look menacing. Shockwave has a great, simple and fun transformation and is great fun to play with in both modes with a great range of articulation for the size.

8. War for Cybertron Kingdom Golden Disk Puffer.

This was a piece I only picked up to help complete my Minibot Collection as I prefer this design for Pipes over the main Kingdom toy, Puffer being a repaint of Pipes in the European G1 toy colours, and I was pleasantly surprised by it.

Puffer is a great toy to have in hand. great articulation and movement that can get the toy into some great poses. The transformation is simple but fun to do and when in truck mode has a 5mm port for pulling trailers, which really adds to the playability. honestly with how cheap this set with Road Ranger seems to go for at the time of writing, it is well worth picking up.

7. Studio Series 86 Perceptor

I was hyped for this when it got announced and it did not disappoint. I love toy, I love the design, I love the colours and the feel. This version of Perceptor looks like he was ripped out of the cartoon, it is a beautiful sculpt.

Transformation is simple and fun and well executed. Granted a toy that turns into a microscope isn't great for play, and a mode I have found difficult to get interesting photos for, but having it also double as the tank as shown in the Marvel comics helps add to the playability and photo potential of the toy. I am going to have to pick up the Gen Selects Magnificus variation of this mould.

6. Legacy Dragstrip

Legacy was the new toyline this year from transformers and for the first time since Power of the Primes, they were bringing back combiners in the form of Menasor! Dragstrip was our first entry of the Stunticons to be released and boy is it a great toy to have. for being a combiner limb there is fantastic level of possability in the toy and from the design you wouldn't think he was a combiner part, though how Menasor combines plays more of a part in that.

The toy has a fantastic sculpt that combines elements of the toon model with the original toy and works stunningly. Transformation is once again easy to remember and fun to do and the end result is the fantastic racecar vehicle mode design. I can't wait to get my hands on Studio Series 86 Rumble to recreate the iconic scene of him driving the racecar that would become Dragstrip.

Due to the combiner method Dragstrip pop in half which can make for some cool photos.

5. Buzzworthy Bumblebee Origins Bumblebee

Yes I had to have this somewhere on the list, and the mid point seemed like the best option. B.B.O.Bee here was a real treat to get, not only do you have a great sculpt inline with the Cliffjumper/Bumblebee Earthrise robot mode, but he transforms into his Cybertronian vehicle mode from the pilot episode!

Robot mode looks fantastic with elements to make it look he would transform into the iconic Beetle. It is a fantastic sculpt with lots of detail paid attention to. To add to the great toy he comes with a blaster and a jetpack, similar I believe to Sideswipes and thanks to it's design can also be used by other characters like Optimus Prime. Transformation is great fun with a great level of ingenuity applied to get it all to work, and as mentioned before, the end result is beautiful to behold.

4. Legacy Velocitron Speedia 500 Burn Out

When Skids was announced I poured over the photos, I could not wait to have that toy, then shortly after they announced Burn Out and of course I had to get it in black first. I love this car mode which is based loosely on that of the Honda City Turbo, a real JDM/street racer car and I live for it. The sculpting is beautiful and the colours really bring to life this beautiful vehicle.

Transformation is a fun process and one I find myself playing with often, and the end result is a robot mode just as brilliant as the car mode itself. I love this design, I love the clunky 80's robot feel of it and the bonnet chest is a robot design that will always win me over. Everything about this design is on point, the car door wings on the back add volume to the design and even little details like the wheels on the shoulder add a level of realness to the design of the robot. I will definitely be picking up Skids and any other repaints of this sculpt, as should you.

3. Legacy Velocitron Speedia 500 Cosmos

Once again from the Velocitron toyline we have Cosmos, one of the most sought after releases of the toyline. Cosmos' alt mode is incredibly like that of his animation alt mode and it is great to see such a loyal adaption. 

Transformation is a great process, and part of the reason for the toy being so highly ranked. how this toy compress from robot mode to vehicle is a great feat of toy engineering and for everything involved it is a great looking alt mode and robot mode with neither being compromised. Once in robot mode, again, like it was ripped out of the TV, a great looking robot mode with great range of articulation, and to add to it all he comes with a little white flag to surrender!

2. Legacy Velocitron Speedia 500 RiD 2001 Scourge

Yep another Velocitron toy but out of the three I got, definably my favourite. When I first saw the Laser Optimus Prime toy announced for Legacy, I like almost all other onlookers knew that this had to come next. Vehicle mode is beautiful, I do love a long nosed lorry, and the black looks amazing on the toy. 

The tanker trailer is well sculpted and a great looking piece and can open up to form a base reminiscent of the original toy. the toy also has great accessory storage in vehicle mode with the possibility to store the axe and sword on the cab as well as inside the trailer.

Transformation is great fun and a call back in ways to that of the original toy, and once transformed we have the iconic robot mode of the first Nemesis Prime to appear in western media. The sculpt, the head, the colours, even the clear plastic parts, everything about this toy is fantastic and is the almost definitive animation accurate take on the character. Having this toy n hand I have been tempted to get the Laser Prime variant, but the weapon storage on the cab would suggest to me there may be other possible variants in the works, so I shall wait and see.

Honourable Mentions

before we head on to who was no.1, lets look at some toys that didn't make the final cut.

Kingdom/Legacy Blaster & Eject

Brilliant toy and real accurate to the coolest cat of G1. this is an amazing toy with a great, simple & fun transformation. The toy goes well with the Netflix Soundwave and it was great to get Blaster as a new Sculpt instead of being a retool of Soundwave as many had thought he may be. Eject is a great toy to have as well and for being a cassettebot has a great range of articulation and real highlight of the set. the one thing that set it back was while it has a great looking alt mode, the alt mode doesn't do much unfortunately. Sorry Blaster.

Netflix Spoiler Pack Nemesis Prime

I love this toy, it is great fun and as I got it on discount for the price a voyager, all the accessories included really made it worth it. Unfortunately that was it's downfall, I couldn't justify  £60 price tag for the Siege Prime with Kingdom's trailer, and when compared to the Kingdom Prime toy, this version is kinda left lacking. Would have been on this list and possibly high up on if it was a Nemesis repaint of the Kingdom Prime, but then if that was the case, I may not have picked it up because I had the Kingdom Prime. Paradoxal and hard to follow, almost like the characters arc in the Kingdom TV show.

Buzzworthy Bumblebee Silverstreak

This was a hard one, I really love this toy. Amazing robot sculpt, absolutely beautiful car mode and a simple and fun transformation. Even as I write this I wonder why I haven't got it on the list but it is just my copy, I think anyway. In car mode, the front left wheel doesn't tab in correctly and any time I go to pick it up either the doors or roof will untab and it's just these tiny annoyances that keep it off the list. 

Kingdom Rattrap

I do love this toy, great looking robot mode very in line with the character design and the original cartoon, great looking almost life like rat mode and a great, easy fun transformation. I even like that the toy has the option of tidying up the back panels or have them in a position to emulate the original toy! the one reason it isn't on this list but is the top of honourable mentions is because when I first went to transform the toy, turning the robot head caused it to pop in half! I had to scourer the floor of the hotel I was in at the time, as I got it on holiday, to find the halves!

1. Studio Series 86 Starscream

Yes call it bias, or based, or simpery, or whatever the kids say these days, I can't keep it up. Yes Studio Series Starscream, I love this toy. The robot mode is purely beautiful to behold and is incredibly loyal to the character's core design. Articulation is everything you would need fort the toy and the head sculpt is pure bliss. This variation of the toy, being a retool of the Earthrise seeker mould, has posable hands so the toy can have some more dynamic poses, to go with the included crown and cape accessories, which is the one other improvement I would have like with this toy was rotating wrists as I find it hard to put the toy into a shrug pose as it is.

Transformation is a great process and a great, unexpected call back to the transformers classics Seeker toy, and once transformed we have the beautiful jet mode. I love it and I love the use of the lighter colours of this mould to tie in better to the animation. The under side of the jet has the robot elements exposed, but it's Starscream, the underside gives me G1 toy nostalgia for it's appearance. 

So dear reader that is it for my Top 10 of 2022, I hope you enjoyed and please feel free to let me know what were your top toys of the year. I would also like to take this moment to thank you for taking the time to read my blog this year and look forward to seeing you again next year, who know what it may bring! Have a Happy New Year!

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