Review – Transformers: Titans Return Powermaster Optimus Prime
A retool of the Combiner Wars Ultra Magnus*, the new Transformers: Titans Return Powermaster Optimus Prime* ditches the “Powermaster” gimmick of the original toy in exchange for the Headmaster design used for the Titans Return toys. It’s a beast of a toy and fits in nicely with the other Titans Return toys I’ve already reviewed.
Official Hasbro Press Pics
The Powermaster Optimus Prime* toy looks great in these Hasbro shots, though even Hasbro’s professional images couldn’t salvage the toy’s weakest mode . . . but I’m getting ahead of myself already. Sorry.
Truck Mode
First up we have the Powermaster Optimus Prime* toy’s vehicle mode, a big truck inspired by the original Powermaster Optimus Prime toy design. You see, when the original was released the trailer and cab combined to form one big truck and that’s the look Hasbro went for with this new design. The cab cannot detach from the trailer, but the piece swivels left and right and the wheels roll well. Additionally, everything tabs together nice and tight and the toy can even be played with in vehicle mode. Always a nice bonus when it comes to transforming robot toys!
Base Mode
I’ll just say it: The Powermaster Optimus Prime* base mode is the weakest of the toy’s three modes, but that’s only because it was clearly an afterthought. Whichever designer at Hasbro created this retool of the Combiner Wars Ultra Magnus* deserves a medal for turning such a disappointing design into a playable toy, so I’m willing to overlook the weak base mode. And it’s not that base mode doesn’t work — because it does, and there are even little seats for the Titan Masters — but it’s more that the Titans Return Blaster’s* base mode is so much more fun. Really, if you get only one of these Leader-sized Titans Return toys then get Blaster*. And yes, I’ll snap pics and review Blaster* soon.
Robot Mode
Powermaster Optimus Prime* is a monster, standing 9-inches tall and towering over every other Titans Return toy I’ve opened so far. The design improves on Combiner Wars Ultra Magnus* by:
- Giving the toy the ability to hold its guns for more than twelve seconds.
- Giving the head a better range of movement.
- Making the various parts tab together better in vehicle mode.
Now it’s not that the Combiner Wars Ultra Magnus* is a horrible design, but more that the Powermaster Optimus Prime* improvements are noticable and make the toy a hell of a lot more fun. Now we need Hasbro to go back and retool Magnus again to bring us the toy — with the improvements! — in the Diaclone colors.
Closing Thoughts
Even though he is a retool of an earlier design, the improvements made to Powermaster Optimus Prime* show that someone at Hasbro is focused on playability with the Titans Return toys. A retool should always expand on and improve a toy in some way, but the differences in feel between these two is remarkable and makes me have high hopes for later Titans Return toys.
I’ve been skipping the Titans Return Fortress Maximus* because of size, but this line is so fun I’m now wondering if it would be all that bad to have to find a home for a giant robot . . . maybe later.
For more of the Titans Return line don’t miss my earlier reviews: