Pictures of Walmart Transformers: The Last Knight Endcaps and Displays in USA and Canada
Friday, June 9th, 2017 11:40PM CDT
Categories: Movie Related News, Toy NewsPosted by: william-james88 Views: 26,627
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Fellow Seibertronian Cobotron and myself both had a nice surprise when we went toy hunting in our respective haunts (him in Omaha, USA, and me in Montreal, Canada). Walmarts in both countries appear to have special displays and endcaps for this movie line. Cobotron's endcap has a lenticular poster of Bumblebee pictured below, while my display in the aisle had Optimus and Megatron art framing all the newest toys.
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Posted by william-james88 on June 10th, 2017 @ 12:15am CDT
The car shell of course is fully new (including the wheels), but so is the head, torso, hips, legs and feet. The only thing remaining unchanged are the robot arms, and even then the samurai armour hanging off them is a different piece on both. However, as you will see, these new pieces are made to resemble the older ones and that's where the toy becomes disappointing due to the lack of variety.
Below are images of their robot modes. You will notice how the heads are slightly different at the mouth area. I personally do not know which I prefer. The TLK version replaces the clear plastic in back of the head for a black piece, which I don't mind since the light piping attempt had previously failed.
You will also notice that TLK Drift is unable to store all his swords on his back. He does not have extra slots in his back kibble, which also hangs lower than the AOE Drift. Also, the Mercedes logo on TLK Drift is fake kibble while the Bugatti grill on AOE Drift was surprisingly a piece from his actual alt mode, but we knew that from the stock images.
So, let's move on with the subtle and frustrating retooling. As you can see in the image below, the TLK version's lower leg is a different piece from the AOE. You can tell with the detail right above the connection to his foot where that detail is twice the length as the AOE version, meaning that the piece is different in size, slightly. The hips with Samurai armour are also different. Instead of little pin sized vertical rectangles decorating the hip it is now larger horizontal rectangles. Lastly, the feet pieces have also been changed to have holes to fit the swords in vehicle mode.
Here are shots from the sides and back. Another significant downgrade with this toy over the AOE one is that the parts of the back are loose and do not clip anywhere. The back for the AOE one was surprisingly solid and doesn't swing around when you pick it up or pose him. This one does. It is also a bigger backpack since the entire back of the car is now part of the shell and instead of folding inward, it folds outwards giving TLK Drift a lot of junk in the trunk.
None of these flaws are deal breakers though, especially if you do not have the AOE version, but it's getting closer to me not recommending this toy. Extra paint would help of course, since he looks a bit drab with a lot of unpainted plastic, which means some nice sculpted detail is left unhighlighted.
Now let's look at the cars!
Their sizes are about the same and of course the real "genius" feature here is that what was once the front is now the back and what was once the back is now he front. However, in terms of transformation, that doesn't change anything. It is still the very similar steps. These are partly puzzle toys and there is nothing new or exciting in terms of the puzzle here. He is a tad bit simpler too since this time the entire car is a shell so the no part of the robot's upper torso needs to move, the car just wraps around him.
But like I said, this doesn't make him all that inferior, it's a small detail. What isn't a small detail is the paint on the car mode. Take a look at the image of the back of the two, the TLK Drift has 0 paint applications there. The back lights are not painted, it's all black unpainted plastic. Whatever red paint motif they try to keep throughout the alt mode stops short and it's jarring.
To add insult the injury, the paint that is applied is applied in the poorest way I have ever seen.
In the end, the only part of this figure that I find quite cool is the idea of an all black car becoming an all red robot. But any imaginative engineering was provided in the previous toy so the novelty wears off fast. I find the previous version superior in ever way. More options with the swords, better alt mode integration, far superior deco in alt mode and a cooler alt mode (personal opinion of course) that we don't see much. That said, I would still be open to a more premium deco of this toy, to highlight the sculpting and make the sleek car mode pop more.
Posted by Nexus Knight on June 10th, 2017 @ 2:13am CDT
Posted by TimothyR on June 10th, 2017 @ 3:18am CDT
.. here's hoping the movie masterpiece line continues and we get a masterpiece drift at some point.
Posted by Carnivius_Prime on June 10th, 2017 @ 3:37am CDT
Posted by Va'al on June 10th, 2017 @ 4:23am CDT
Posted by Va'al on June 10th, 2017 @ 4:31am CDT
When the cube is placed in the figure, more than 15 lights and sounds are activated. The cube detects whether the figure is in robot or vehicle mode. The cube also supplies other Allspark Tech figures with energy.
Posted by Carnivius_Prime on June 10th, 2017 @ 4:47am CDT
Posted by Carnivius_Prime on June 10th, 2017 @ 4:59am CDT
Posted by X3ROhour on June 10th, 2017 @ 6:26am CDT
that certainly looks expensive.
Posted by Rainmaker on June 10th, 2017 @ 6:28am CDT
Posted by -Kanrabat- on June 10th, 2017 @ 7:05am CDT
Let's just hope he don't go all "Steel Bane" and be a floppy mess.
Posted by Carnivius_Prime on June 10th, 2017 @ 7:09am CDT
-Kanrabat- wrote:That leader Drangonstorm is a sure buy for me. It just look FANTASTIC!
Let's just hope he don't go all "Steel Bane" and be a floppy mess.
I'm still planning to buy Steelbane (or Skullitron) and just fix the floppiness with glue or nail polish. Yeah it's an issue that shouldn't happen but it's really not a big deal and easily fixable.
Posted by Va'al on June 10th, 2017 @ 7:09am CDT
Nonetheless, check out the image proof below, and make sure to mark any sightings you have in our database right here!
Posted by -Kanrabat- on June 10th, 2017 @ 7:24am CDT
Posted by Carnivius_Prime on June 10th, 2017 @ 7:28am CDT
Posted by william-james88 on June 10th, 2017 @ 7:57am CDT
-Kanrabat- wrote:If that Optimus 2 pack set is going to be 80$CAN, expect some massive shelfwarming.
Been found in canada for 70$
Posted by Va'al on June 10th, 2017 @ 11:43am CDT
Posted by TimothyR on June 10th, 2017 @ 12:31pm CDT
Posted by MGrotusque on June 10th, 2017 @ 2:15pm CDT
EDIT: That leader class Megatron is tempting though......
Posted by Chriphord on June 10th, 2017 @ 2:24pm CDT
Posted by Tresob on June 10th, 2017 @ 3:34pm CDT
What if it turns out he is the medieval alt.mode for Skids and Mudflap?
Posted by Jelze Bunnycat on June 10th, 2017 @ 3:38pm CDT
Tresob wrote:So Dragonstorm is a combiner...
What if it turns out he is the medieval alt.mode for Skids and Mudflap?
Same principle it looks like. But canonically speaking they're killed off in DotM. So no individual dragon modes.
Posted by dragons on June 10th, 2017 @ 3:51pm CDT
Posted by Ultra Markus on June 10th, 2017 @ 4:22pm CDT
Posted by -Kanrabat- on June 10th, 2017 @ 8:27pm CDT
william-james88 wrote:-Kanrabat- wrote:If that Optimus 2 pack set is going to be 80$CAN, expect some massive shelfwarming.
Been found in canada for 70$
...
Well, My point still stand I guess.
40$ or 45$CAN should be the max this set should cost. Just wait for a sale or clearance.
Posted by Rainmaker on June 10th, 2017 @ 8:30pm CDT
-Kanrabat- wrote:william-james88 wrote:-Kanrabat- wrote:If that Optimus 2 pack set is going to be 80$CAN, expect some massive shelfwarming.
Been found in canada for 70$
...
Well, My point still stand I guess.
40$ or 45$CAN should be the max this set should cost. Just wait for a sale or clearance.
Toys R Us will probably put these on clearance over here as well, the legion packs aren't moving at all because why would a parent want to buy a kid a legion 2-pack that's $30 when you can get 4 of them for $30 with worse paint jobs but why would a kid care about the paint-job. I don't know why Hasbro would make them more expensive...
Posted by Kurona on June 10th, 2017 @ 8:33pm CDT
Rainmaker wrote:-Kanrabat- wrote:william-james88 wrote:-Kanrabat- wrote:If that Optimus 2 pack set is going to be 80$CAN, expect some massive shelfwarming.
Been found in canada for 70$
...
Well, My point still stand I guess.
40$ or 45$CAN should be the max this set should cost. Just wait for a sale or clearance.
Toys R Us will probably put these on clearance over here as well, the legion packs aren't moving at all because why would a parent want to buy a kid a legion 2-pack that's $30 when you can get 4 of them for $30 with worse paint jobs but why would a kid care about the paint-job. I don't know why Hasbro would make them more expensive...
This is what qualifies as a 'better' paintjob?
Posted by Tresob on June 10th, 2017 @ 8:37pm CDT
Posted by william-james88 on June 10th, 2017 @ 8:37pm CDT
-Kanrabat- wrote:william-james88 wrote:-Kanrabat- wrote:If that Optimus 2 pack set is going to be 80$CAN, expect some massive shelfwarming.
Been found in canada for 70$
...
Well, My point still stand I guess.
40$ or 45$CAN should be the max this set should cost. Just wait for a sale or clearance.
even then, I doubt clearance will make the price any better. That Butterscoth TOHG Prime was clearanced to %70 and I still found that too pricey. I remember getting the TRU Exclusive Evolution Optimus pack for the last film with 2 voyagers with premium decos for $50. I didnt mind paying full price for that, it sounded totally fair.
Posted by Rainmaker on June 10th, 2017 @ 8:40pm CDT
Kurona wrote:Rainmaker wrote:-Kanrabat- wrote:william-james88 wrote:-Kanrabat- wrote:If that Optimus 2 pack set is going to be 80$CAN, expect some massive shelfwarming.
Been found in canada for 70$
...
Well, My point still stand I guess.
40$ or 45$CAN should be the max this set should cost. Just wait for a sale or clearance.
Toys R Us will probably put these on clearance over here as well, the legion packs aren't moving at all because why would a parent want to buy a kid a legion 2-pack that's $30 when you can get 4 of them for $30 with worse paint jobs but why would a kid care about the paint-job. I don't know why Hasbro would make them more expensive...
This is what qualifies as a 'better' paintjob?
Wow...they didn't even seem to change that one. The one that I've seen with Grimlock in stores though looks better than the original.
Posted by Kurona on June 10th, 2017 @ 8:46pm CDT
Rainmaker wrote:Kurona wrote:Rainmaker wrote:-Kanrabat- wrote:william-james88 wrote:-Kanrabat- wrote:If that Optimus 2 pack set is going to be 80$CAN, expect some massive shelfwarming.
Been found in canada for 70$
...
Well, My point still stand I guess.
40$ or 45$CAN should be the max this set should cost. Just wait for a sale or clearance.
Toys R Us will probably put these on clearance over here as well, the legion packs aren't moving at all because why would a parent want to buy a kid a legion 2-pack that's $30 when you can get 4 of them for $30 with worse paint jobs but why would a kid care about the paint-job. I don't know why Hasbro would make them more expensive...
This is what qualifies as a 'better' paintjob?
Wow...they didn't even seem to change that one. The one that I've seen with Grimlock in stores though looks better than the original.
Yeah, it's pretty pathetic. TLK seems to have a very weird division - it's either good-looking new molds or old molds with barely a dollop of paint. All the effort in one area leaving none for the other.
Posted by william-james88 on June 10th, 2017 @ 10:24pm CDT
Kurona wrote:Yeah, it's pretty pathetic. TLK seems to have a very weird division - it's either good-looking new molds or old molds with barely a dollop of paint. All the effort in one area leaving none for the other.
Even then, I wouldnt call this a great looking new mold
And both Berserker and Barricade are far from being phenominal.
Posted by Jelze Bunnycat on June 10th, 2017 @ 10:30pm CDT
Kurona wrote:Yeah, it's pretty pathetic. TLK seems to have a very weird division - it's either good-looking new molds or old molds with barely a dollop of paint. All the effort in one area leaving none for the other.
Is it the same design team as the one for AoE? The "new team" that took over a couple years back?
Posted by william-james88 on June 10th, 2017 @ 10:41pm CDT
JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:Kurona wrote:Yeah, it's pretty pathetic. TLK seems to have a very weird division - it's either good-looking new molds or old molds with barely a dollop of paint. All the effort in one area leaving none for the other.
Is it the same design team as the one for AoE? The "new team" that took over a couple years back?
Yes it is, its the John Warden team. But to be fair, there is very little Hasbro does this time for dsign. They confirmed that for this film, the technical drawings are from the movie department in time for toy production and its Takara who then figures out how to get from one mode to the next.
Posted by Jelze Bunnycat on June 10th, 2017 @ 10:50pm CDT
william-james88 wrote:JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:Kurona wrote:Yeah, it's pretty pathetic. TLK seems to have a very weird division - it's either good-looking new molds or old molds with barely a dollop of paint. All the effort in one area leaving none for the other.
Is it the same design team as the one for AoE? The "new team" that took over a couple years back?
Yes it is, its the John Warden team. But to be fair, there is very little Hasbro does this time for dsign. They confirmed that for this film, the technical drawings are from the movie department in time for toy production and its Takara who then figures out how to get from one mode to the next.
I will tell you this: pre-IDW Don Figueora they're not.
Posted by william-james88 on June 10th, 2017 @ 11:35pm CDT
Big W has listed an exclusive six pack of one step Turbo figures which we previously heard of in the Australia exclusives list. This is actually one of the few exclusives that will be made available in most of the world's regions (though various retailers). Since it s not a Walmart Exclusive, Hot Rod is not part of this mix of figures. Instead we have Grimlock, Optimus, Bumblebee, Megatron, Barricade and Hound, all with new red spotted decos to simulate the red decoder gimmick which reveals a message when you use clear red plastic. Speaking of which, this set also comes with new clear red weapons to help you reveal what is written on Barricade's hood or Bumblebee's belly. This is supposedly a target exclusive in the US.
And here is that Optimus for those who wanted a quick recap.
Posted by Jelze Bunnycat on June 10th, 2017 @ 11:44pm CDT
Be sure to drink your Ovaltine buy Hasbro toys
Posted by Cobotron on June 10th, 2017 @ 11:49pm CDT
And this time it's cooler 'cause it's ON THE TOYS!
Posted by william-james88 on June 10th, 2017 @ 11:53pm CDT
Cobotron wrote:I actually think it's kinda cool to see this old gimmick revived.
And this time it's cooler 'cause it's ON THE TOYS!
These will be great for my daughter, she can use them to play doctor and try to cure their chicken pox
PS: Lol, I aint buying this
Posted by NOBODY LOVES WHEELIE on June 11th, 2017 @ 12:16am CDT
Including this.
Posted by Rainmaker on June 11th, 2017 @ 12:48am CDT
Posted by Jelze Bunnycat on June 11th, 2017 @ 1:29am CDT
Posted by Rainmaker on June 11th, 2017 @ 1:46am CDT
JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:Further proof that the removal of that particular piece is not intentional... and that Hasbro shouldn't cheapen out on metal pins. Then again, pins in clear plastic...
There are no pins to keep that peg in though.
Posted by Jelze Bunnycat on June 11th, 2017 @ 2:57am CDT
Rainmaker wrote:JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:Further proof that the removal of that particular piece is not intentional... and that Hasbro shouldn't cheapen out on metal pins. Then again, pins in clear plastic...
There are no pins to keep that peg in though.
Hence me saying "cheapen out" by not using them at all
Posted by -Kanrabat- on June 11th, 2017 @ 7:19am CDT
william-james88 wrote:And both Berserker and Barricade are far from being phenominal.
Barricade is not mind-blowing for sure. But his simple, classic design warm the heart.
Posted by william-james88 on June 11th, 2017 @ 12:07pm CDT
Firstly, while this toy's robot mode is sized smaller than a deluxe, it definitely feels like a deluxe class toy in terms of paint applications, size of the alt mode, complexity, accessories, and heft. I don't feel in any way ripped off for paying a deluxe price and frankly, I feel I am getting more from this toy than any other deluxe in this line so far. Plus, him being smaller means we will be able to recreate Megatron trying to crush him when we get the Leader Megatron figure in hand.
We will start with the alt mode which baffles me a tiny bit with the fact that both the box and instructions make sure to highlight the Mercedez Benz licence. That's odd since there is no mention of the brand anywhere on the toy and Mercedez doesn't make scooters, at least none like this. This looks more like a Vespa with some changes done to avoid licensing. The Vespa inspirations are even more apparent on the CG art on the box where some recognisable Vespa traits are found in panels making up the robot. Even the colour is very Vespa like.
Ok aside from that oddity, the vehicle is great. I really like how part of the robot head pops out near a rear wheel well to help give shape to the wheel well. It seems to be part of the alt mode, what part I could not say, but it works. The other factor that might make you think this transforms is that there are two additional handle bars on the sides, which become the robot hands in robot mode. But these can be taken out if you want to complete the illusion. And they store in the cargo trailer. Speaking of which, both extra handlebars and interchangeable arms can fit in the back compartment in the red tool box. The only accessory that does not fit is the giant gun, but it can be attached to any peg along the alt mode. I really like how tight the connection with the cargo trailer is. It will never let go, and yet it being a ball joint means you can remove it by finding the right pressure point and not exerting yourself much. The whole alt mode balances very well and if you detach the cargo trailer, you have a stand to have the scooter stat upright.
Now onto cargo trailer. I do not know why, but it is almost entirely made of clear blue plastic. That colour is not used anywhere since the trailer is fully painted light blue, with some brown wash to show dirt. The wheels are clear blue plastic, but that doesn't really help explain anything. It does mean you end up with easily the most painted toy in the entire line so far.
The cargo trailer opens up to be a nice maintenance bay. This is easily the best looking maintenance bay I have ever seen on a transformer and a much better transformation than just opening Prime's trailer. You really lose track that this was once a cargo trailer. More paint inside, of course. And the tool box opens to give you all the hand options you may need.
Now those hands and arm need to go on a robot, so lets transform this bugger. The Transformation is not simple but not complicated and 100% refreshing. This is not a shellformer and it does one of those nice transformation moves where the plane of transformation shifts. Like what was horizontal now becomes vertical. Another fascinating bit is how this transformation is essentially trying to convey and go around some massive morphing that happens in the movies. Like how bits of the alt mode grow smaller or bigger to suit a purpose. With Sqweeks, his headlights should be his eyes, but that doesn't work due to the size difference and its impossible to achieve. The toy finds an ingenious way to have the alt mode headlights disappear while having the robot head appear to replace it, at the same spot. This really blew me away. When affixing the handles, unless you left them in alt mode, you will notice that he does end up with 4 handles. 2 forming his hands and 2 coming out of his neck. Now that is not as big a problem as I would have thought since in this mode, the handles coming out of his neck are made to represent the breaks that also come out of his neck in the film. So he still ends up with small alt mode pieces at the same spot, helping to give the look we see in the film, I have no problem with that.
In robot mode, you have a ton of options depending on how deadly you want to be. The giant gun can replace either of his hand(le)s. He also has a beefy right arm that you can swap out and that arm itself can hold the gun too (or another weapon you have handy, and you can keep the gun on the other hand). if you want even more firepower, you can take that cargo trailer we spoke about before and attach it to his back to give him some shoulder mounted missile packs. The backpack attaches really well here too.
So there you go. Lots of paint, a fun refreshing transformation unlike the usual movie kind, lots of play-ability and personality and looking good in both modes. This is usually all I need to be happy and right no I am very happy.
Oh and another thing, his glasses can flip up to give him that Millhouse look.
Posted by VikingsBlade247 on June 11th, 2017 @ 12:18pm CDT
Posted by william-james88 on June 11th, 2017 @ 12:49pm CDT
Posted by william-james88 on June 11th, 2017 @ 12:53pm CDT