Linkfest - Beast Hunters

The new year is now here and that means more new Transformers. The first wave of deluxe toys for Transformers Prime Beast Hunters have hit Toys R Us with links to their reviews below. Their are also links to around a dozen different Beast Hunters toys in various classes. Takara has a few exclusives that are about to come out so get a peak at those while third party vendor have their own slate of toys. Basically if you are a die hard collector, its going to be another expensive year.

Beast Hunter's Galleries - deluxe Wave 1 | deluxe Wave 2 | wave 1 Legion | deluxe Bulkhead | Voyager Optimus Prime | Voyager Predaking | deluxe Smokescreen |
It seems the floodgates have opened as a bunch of new images have popped up for the first few waves of legion, deluxe, and voyager class toys. The toys should be coming out over the next few months as get closer to the premiere of Transformers Prime Season Three which is not Feb. 15 as previously reported, actually date unknown.

Beast Hunter Deluxe Wave 1 Reviews - Bumblebee | Lazerback | Soundwave | Wheeljack
Hit the links to get a look at the first wave of deluxe Beast Hunter toys. In many cases if the character is not new to Transformers Prime, then the deluxe toy is just a modified version of the previous TF Prime toy only with more spikes and kibble. Hit the reviews to see the comparisons from one to the other. While the editions are not bad, not sure if its worth buying essentially the same toy a second time but at least its not just another repaint.

3rd Party - Hardbone | Perseus | Apex, Geminus | Uranus
Hit the links for a look at future 3rd party toys. Hardbone (aka G1 Headmaster not Hardhead) is from Toyworld that looks like a nice addition to any collection. The average price is $73 with no release date. Persues is a red and white repaint of TFC Toys Giant which is their version of Devastator. The box set includes all six robots for $500 and should by end of the month. Apex (not Twin Twist) and Geminus (not Top Spin) are based on two G1 Jumpstarters that auto transformed (by nature of just folding in half) but now with a ton of articulation, detail and great looking paint job. They are from Mech Ideas, price at $38 each with estimated release date of March. Uranos is TFC Toy's next combiner project based on the Arielbots only this one has six robots instead of five (review of bot #2 below).

Takara Upcoming - Encore Devastator | Super GT | Arms Micron | Year of the Snake
These set of links are for Takara (aka Japan exclusive) Transformers they are releasing soon. Encore Devastator is the re-release of the G1 Devastator mold from 1985 only in colors and head mold that is closer to his look in the cartoons. The result is a mostly yellow rather then green look as the comparison images show. The release is expected by the end of the month with a price of $135. Super GT is more or less an extension of the Binal-Tech/Alternator/Alternity line with the planned release of Optimus Prime and Megatron with officially licensed race car alt modes. Prime's release is estimated for May with price of $120. Arms Micron is two sets of five Microns that combine to form a oversized weapon for voyager Prime and Megatron. It sounds cooler then it really is as the pictures show. Last is the Year of the Snake re-release of Transformers Energon Optimus Prime and Omega Supreme with special packaging and mold adjustments. Release date is for end of the month with a price of $80 for Prime and $100 for Omega as Amazon Japan and BigBadToyStore.com exclusives.

Fall of Cybertron Reviews - Air Raid | Blaster | Ultra Magnus | Kickback
Above links are reviews of recent War for Cybertron toys that have started to pop up at retail. Air Raid is a repaint of Shockwave, Blaster is a repaint of Soundwave and Ultra Magnus is a repaint of Optimus Prime. The only new mold is Kickback, an Insecticon and not bad looking overall.

Fansproject's Not Chromedome Review
Over Christmas Fansproject briefly offered their version of the G1 Headmaster Chromedome for a Toys for Tots program through various online websites. While sold out (hopefully they will reissue), below is look at the toy that is actually not bad with a clever transformation sequence. A gallery of the toy can be found here.

Uranos Eagle Review
Another 3rd party review, this one for the second of six not Arielbots that will combine to Uranos. Another solid figure from TFC Toys but an expensive one too at a cost of $99.