Review – Transformers: Titans Return Mindwipe

Today’s review marks my thirteenth look at Hasbro’s spectacular Transformers: Titans Return toyline (find at Amazon.com*), and at this point all I can say is: I absolutely love this series! These are the best Transformers toys we’ve seen from Hasbro in years, and before we jump in and take a close look at the Titans Return Mindwipe*, let’s make sure you’re familiar with all of the earlier reviews I’ve written.

• Transformers: Titans Return Nightbeat
  
• Transformers: Titans Return Loudmouth
  
• Transformers: Titans Return Hardhead
  
• Transformers: Titans Return Terri-Bull
  
• Transformers: Titans Return Powermaster Optimus Prime
  
• Transformers: Titans Return Crashbash
  
• Transformers: Titans Return Scourge
  
• Transformers: Titans Return Hot Rod
  
• Takara Transformers Head-Master Set
  
• Transformers: Titans Return Fangry
  
• Transformers: Titans Return Blurr
  
• Transformers: Titans Return Titan Master Brawn
  

Okay, all set? Awesome. Let’s go!

Robot Mode

The Titans Return Mindwipe* fits in perfectly with the rest of the Deluxe-sized toys in the line, standing roughly the same height as the others and featuring the same level of quality. Many of the toys in the Transformers: Titans Return toyline (find at Amazon.com*) have limited paint apps, but the plastic colors here do an excellent job of carrying the 1987 Mindwipe design into today’s collections.

Articulation

Running through the numbers, the Titans Return Mindwipe* has a comparable number of points of articulation as any of the other Deluxe toys in the line. The toy’s articulation breaks down as:

• Head – Ball-swivel neck. All of the toys in the series have identical neck articulation since the joint comes from the Titan Master small robot, all of which are interchangeable across the line.
  
• Torso – A standard waist swivel.
  Arms – Ball-jointed shoulders (which are mounted to a hinge that gives the arms increased vertical articulation at the shoulders), bicep swivel, double-hinge elbows (for the transformation design), and the hands collapse into the forearms.
  
• Legs – Swivel-hinge hips, swivel thighs, hinged knees, and hinged ankles.

Bat Mode

As you can see in the pics, the bat mode for the Titans Return Mindwipe* is one of the weakest alt modes we’ve seen in the Transformers: Titans Return toyline (find at Amazon.com*). The design fits the style outlined in the original toy from 1987, but a brick of a robotic bat just cannot compare to the excellent alt mode designs of some of the other toys in the series. Fortunately, I’ll be displaying Mindwipe in robot mode; the bat mode being weak doesn’t damage the toy for me at all.

Vorath

The Titan Master/Headmaster included with the Titans Return Mindwipe* is another callback to the past; the 1987 Mindwipe’s tiny robot partner was also named Vorath. As with other second wave and later Titan Masters, Vorath is without painted details for the robot and this weakens the design significantly. See my Brawn review from last week for an idea of what happens when the faces on these small toys get just a little paint.

Closing Thoughts

Despite the weak alt mode, the Titans Return Mindwipe* toy is one you’ll definitely want if you’re a fan of the original Transformers Headmasters. It is great to see Hasbro bringing the old Headmaster gimmick back to store shelves, and the low price point + great transformation design of this series makes me want the entire line. I cannot remember when I last enjoyed Hasbro’s official Transformers toys this much . . . and if you give a few of these a try, I think you’ll quickly discover why the series is so remarkably fun.