Customer Reviews

Transformers Alternators - Subaru Impreza WRC

5 star:		(41)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Transfans have asked for a figure like this for 20 years! The Alternators is the domestic version of the Japanese BinalTech line, and Smokescreen is the first of this series to be released. This is one toy that does not disappoint its targeted audience.

For the first time since the original line, Smokescreen's car mode is that of an actual vehicle: the Subaru WRC, the car company's rally car. The vehicle mode is uncannily realistic, so much so you could almost see this thing driving down the dirt courses, tearing up earth in pursuit of victory. The hood, all four doors, and trunk all open, though the trunk door doesn't open that much due to the parts needed to transform this figure. The front wheels turn slightly, and the interior is somewhat realistic. This mode represents the term "Robots in Disguise" you can't really tell that this car will transform into a lean, mean, fighting machine.

Transforming Smokescreen from car to robot is a little difficult, nearly impossible if you don't read the instructions. As other reviewers have mentioned, the small magnets that hold the wheels to a brace make transforming the arms properly difficult, though there is a way to do it without tearing the arms off.

As a robot, Smokescreen is both lean and powerful looking. He doesn't have any feet to speak off, so standing him up will be challenging until you figure out how his feet work. But this figure is possible; I have my figure in an "action" pose and he's pretty steady, even if I bang into the shelf he's on. The intercooler of the car transforms into Smokescreen's weapon of choice, probably the simplest of his transformations. His head is reminicant of his G1 form; perhaps the one thing most fans will like about this character.

This is one figure that most Transfans will like; even the kid in front of me in line at the Target was drooling when he saw this guy! Smokescreen is a must have for any fan; unless you're an absolute purist. Also, look for the following Alternators for your collection: Side Swipe (Dodge Viper), Silverstreak (Subaru WRX, repaint and retool of Smokescreen), Hound (Jeep Wrangler Sport), Tracks (Chevrolet Corvette), Miester (Mazda RX-8, Jazz's Japanese name), and the first Decepticon Alternator, Dead End (Dodge Viper, repaint and retool of Side Swipe). I'm waiting for Takara and Hasbro to start making Alternators figures as jets; I'd love to see Starscream as a MiG-29!

I own both the Takara version aka binaltech and the Hasbro version aka alternators. First off the toy is great besides the fact its plastic. The only thing i worry about transforming this toy is well.... Its plastic gotta be extra careful. When transforming this toy i suggest not applying to much stress treat it carefully as if it were a model i suppose. This is a nice cheap alternative to the diecast version. As far as detail goes for the hasbro alternator everything is almost exactly the same as the Takara binaltech version. I still think the takara version looks much better in my opinion because of the diecast metal. Yet if you cant afford the diecast version this toy will still make a great collectors item and if taken cared of right bring you years of joy. Also keep an eye out for the rest of the alternator series lined up they are bringing out a dodge viper, jeep wrangler, chevy corvette, and a Mazda Rx8. Truly amazing line of toys that every transformer fan should have.

I absolutely love my Alternators Smokescreen. He occupies the honored spot on my nightstand by the bed. In my opinion, this guy beats Sideswipe (red Dodge Viper Alternator) hands down, even though he seems to be less popular in sales. Smokescreen is extremely poseable (except for his elbows) and he looks just like the old stylized package paintings of G1 Transformers.

Amazingly, Hasbro has packed incredible detail into this car while still allowing a cool transformation. Seats fold, hood opens, all four doors open, tail lights and headlights are extremely realistic, legs separate for excellent robot poseability, and there is plenty of articulation to make very realistic poses.

I am disappointed when parents buy this Transformer for their kids under 12 (under 16 in some cases). Parents may think their kids are excellent at transforming their Transformers, but these Alternators challenge even 33 year olds like myself. Maybe that is one reason Smokescreen is a MUST HAVE for any good old G1 collector!

Wow. I didn't realize how fun it would be to play with these Alternators Transformers. When I got them by UPS this morning I couldn't wait to get them home after work. Yes, I said "work". I'm 26 and was a big Transformers fan when I was a kid. Now that I'm older I can afford to buy the collectors edition Transformers and boy are they sophisticated today. I wasn't so sure about Beast Wars or the Armada series, but Hasbro has redeemed themselves with the Alternators. It's what all us grown ups have been waiting for. Kudos go to Hasbro and Takara!

Man, they weren't kidding when they say in the instructions, "Some parts are made to detach if excessive force is applied." I saw a few parts go zingin' off when I thought I was forcing a stubborn hinge. Some parts are really close together so watch out when you're trying to do what you think is depicted in the instructions. Good thing they're easilly reattachable. Same can't be said of my old collection of Transformers. A few were broken and so was my heart when I looked at them in my toy chest as a kid. I can't decide which is my favorite Alternator though. Side Swipe or Smokescreen. They're both so bad a$$. I can't wait to get the Jeep one and the Corvette one. And I can't wait to get the 20th Aniversary Optimus Prime. Though I'm not too totally sure if he belongs to the Alternators line. But he would definitely round out my Alternators collection. Or maybe I should wait and see of they make a Peterbilt Optimus Prime. :) (...)

This is the best toy in any line Hasbro has put out for two years, no matter the age of the buyer. That's really all you need to know.

It has a stunning realistic alt mode - kids and adults of all ages will finally be able to imagine a Transformer they might actually see on the street, firing their imaginations at playtime. Touches like clear windows and rubber tyres make it look much more plausible and cool.

It has a fun robot mode - very articulated, which makes it a great deal of fun to play with. It could have done with lateral elbow movement, but it still has as much play value as a great many action figures, never mind ones that also transform into another car.

The transformation is fun and interesting - it's not for people who get overly frustrated with the oversimplified toys in the Armada line, but anyone who is willing to read instructions (although the instructions aren't great - bad Hasbro, bad!) won't have any real problems, and after two or three times it'll be a breeze. The extra challenge is great for kids, lending the toy an educational puzzle element and allowing them to work on their hand eye co-ordination, as well as giving them a rewarding toy after they're finished.

All in all, a stunning toy, and well worth it to anyone who isn't better served by the pre-school bots. Highly recommended - I haven't put him down since.

I have to admit, I've been dissapointed in Armada and Energon. Most of the robots have terrible aesthetics, and the alt-forms are blocky.
But this Alternator had me stunned. It's a beauty to look at in both robot and alt-mode.

Car Mode: Looks like a car that actually exists in the real world (as opposed to most of what comes out in Armada and Energon). It comes compleate with adjustable steering column, opening trunk and hood, foward suspension, four doors that open, adjustable seats and an engine. Can we say "detailed?"

Robot Mode: The articulation allows for just about any pose you could possibly want. The feet may seem a little big, but over all, it is very articulate and very detailed.

Transformation process: This took me a while to figure out the first few times. I personally love a puzzle in my Transformers, and this really worked for me. It's amazing the engineering that had to have gone into this. It's much more advanced than most of the Transformers you see out there. Children may need their parents help the first couple times.

Fun: I gave it five stars because I'm constantly transforming this thing. The engineering is just awe-inspiring. It far surpasses what we got back in the 80's and most of what else is coming out now.

Educational Value: This is a perfect toy for developing hand eye coordination, an appreciation for how engineering and inventing new ways of doing things works and all around puzzle solving skills.

Durable: I wouldn't take it and throw it against a wall, but put to it's attended use, it should last a good long time, even in the hands of a child.

This has got to be one of the coolest Transformers we have seen in a long while. The design ideas go back to the original series where robots turned into realistic looking cars, it even comes in a display box similar to model cars!!! It's all plastic with rubber wheels so you don't have to worry about paint chipping or anything. If you are a collector of Transformers or a fan of Generation One toys, by all means purchase this right now. I wouldn't recommend this to a little kid, because the transformation is a bit complex, but if they have a little patience they will love this guy. The best part about Smokescreen is the engineering that went into his transformation...All kinds of clever formations and not too much kibble hanging off in robot mode. His interior is completely molded, with folding seats and a steering wheel, etc... The seats themselves fold up with the sides of the car, flip around and become the robot's mid section...When I first transformed that I just said, WOW!!! This toy has ultimate re-play value, or re-transform value :) I can't put him down. And at this price, he's worth every penny.

One word: WOW. It looks like Hasbro is finally wisening up to the fact that most modern Transformer fans were also TF fans 20 years ago, and they've decided to create a special line just for us 20-plus-year-olds who still play with Transformers, but need bigger challenges than those provided by the toys we grew up on. Accordingly, Smokescreen is extremely beautiful in both robot and car modes, and has a very complex and difficult (and therefore fun) transformation that requires folding the front-row seats down. Brilliant move, Takara! Yes, it's true that his arms are virtually impossible to pull out without snapping them off. However, you could just do what I did: snap them off! They're cleverly designed to be reattached if this happens, so although it's sort of "cheating", it makes things a lot easier. I got this guy done in just a few minutes without instructions, a sharp contrast to that poor fellow who couldn't even do it in an hour and a half :)

His level of articulation/poseability is about on par with the RID line: in other words, excellent but not quite Cyberjet (for those who don't know, the Cyberjets were a line of Decepticons from the late G2 period [~1994] who were designed for extreme poseability). His knees and elbows bend backward, but he can't do the splits.

This toy still has some holdovers from his G1 counterpart; namely, the windows that form the legs are extremly fragile (though his increased size makes them that much harder to actually break off), he has no distinct "feet" to speak of, his backside isn't totally solid, the doors form little "wings" because Takara didn't know where to put them, etc... He could have used a bit more time on the drawing board in this respect... Basically, Takara took the original toy, fixed what wasn't broken, and left what WAS broken alone. Still, he's quite an improvement over both the G1 toys and the current line of Armada/Energon toys.

Although I generally don't consider Transformers to have any educational value, this thing's transformation will really sharpen your spatial reasoning skills :)

Warning: This is for hardcore fans/collectors only. If you give it to your 8-year-old nephew Jimmy for his birthday, expect him to go home crying over either the fact that he can't transform it.

I want Hasbro to make a Grimlock like this. That would make the G1 fans go completely apespit nuts!

Still...these things are cool. Smokescreen is far and away the best robot mode of any transformer EVER. Many points of articulation (if you include those which are strictly for transformation, an absolutely INSANE number...I figure around 50), very poseable, and just well-proportioned. (Way better than the Viper figure).

Transforming this thing though, is like solving a Rubik's cube. And some of the articulations are kind of flimsy. Still, it's an amazing piece of design.

I would actually say that this transformer has educational value. It may be nil for most of them, but this is a very realistic car, and has very complicated topology. Playing with this thing without breaking it would be a challenge for any child (or adult). I wouldn't be surprised if many a young engineer 20 or 30 years from now remembers this as one of their favorite childhood toys. It's that damn cool.

I just like the Subaru, and though it looked amazing. I'm not a transformers fanboy. If you're a fan of transformers, though, this is a must-have.

Well, Transformers enthusiasts, there is finally a line of transformers that is worthy of collecting. Transformers Alternators.

What can be said of this line? Exquisitely detailed vehicular mode and impressive in the robotic form as well. These robots are soon to be sought after just as Generation 1 TF have been for decades. These robots are ideal for the collector. However, if you are wanting to purchase the toy for PLAY and not display, you may be somewhat disappointed. True it is beautiful in appearance, and amazing in it's complex transformations, but the durability of this toy is questionable for those who intend on having robot battles, and frequently changing it back and forth from car to robot (aka children and non-collectors). Don't get me wrong, I would recommend this toy to any adult or teenager, but the fact remains that younger owners might not be able to manipulate the toy through its involved transformation, or understand the care necessary to maintain the good (unbroken) condition that continuous wear will bring to this toy.

The right choice for a high endurance plaything might be Transformers Binal Tech versions of this line of robots. These toys look basically the same, but have much more die-cast metal and less plastic that may be easily broken. BUT the Binal Tech line is the japanese line and is about 3 times the cost of the very similar, domestic Hasbro line of Transformers Alternators.

So collectors, welcome a new age of prize collectables, and parents a new line of toys destined to be enjoyed by your children as well.