Review – MakeToys Wrestle (Unofficial Transformers Grapple)

One of the things I picked up at Toy Dojo when I visited the Austin store last weekend (store pics posted here) was the limited MakeToys Wrestle, the company’s take on the 1985 Transformers Grapple. Wrestle is a MakeToys web exclusive, but through pure luck Toy Dojo is also carrying the toy in the physical store. Only the physical store, so if you’re in Austin make sure to swing by because this is one fabulous update on Grapple.

Vehicle Mode

As the pics show, Wrestle is a 100% modern take on the classic Grapple truck design. The vehicle detailing is spectacular, and picking up the truck is rewarding since this is a hefty chunk of plastic and die cast parts. I’ve been hit and miss with earlier MakeToys releases so I was slightly concerned when I first saw pics of Wrestle, but after a few moments holding the toy in the store and looking at how the transformation design worked I was happy enough and decided to buy one. I’m glad I did!

Transformation Design

Wrestle is packed in robot mode, but the transformation to vehicle mode is almost intuitive if you’ve ever handled the original Transformers Grapple toy. There are all sorts of minor differences in the transformation design (each one an improvement over the original), but ultimately the majority of the parts fold into the same rough location as they do on the 1985 Hasbro Grapple. I did have to consult a video to work my way through the rear of the truck/feet, but as soon as I saw the one trick with aligning the parts everything popped neatly into place.

Best of all, transforming between modes is quick and fun! Wrestle isn’t one of those third party Transformers toys that you’ll dread to transform.

Robot Mode

At 8.25-inches tall, Wrestle towers appropriately enough over the Masterpiece-class Autobot cars that have been released so far. My opinions on the Masterpiece line have changed dramatically since my first experience with the toys (a Walmart Skywarp from 2009 that’s more of a mess than a toy), and it’s great that MakeToys focused more on minimal transformation steps and fun rather than devising a complex puzzleformer. The result is a classic-looking Grapple robot that stands out as perfect on the shelf.

And as sweet as the transformation design is the toy’s articulation. MakeToys gave Wrestle just enough articulation to work:

• Head – Ball-jointed neck, though the up and down range is severely restricted.
  
• Torso – Swivel waist. Also, a joint used during transformation allows the toy to lean back or forward at the waist.
  
• Arms – Ratchet swivel shoulders that swing 360-degrees and have outward hinges, double-hinged elbows, and swivel wrists.
  
• Legs – Swivel-hinge ratched hips, swivel thighs, ratchet hinged knees, and ball-jointed ankles.

And even with all of that the toy is tight and stable, balancing nicely on those giant feet. The crane hangs to the back of the toy in robot mode and even that added weight isn’t a problem for Wrestle‘s balance. Seriously, this is a great robot design.

Closing Thoughts

Wrestle is exactly what I’d like to see the third party toymakers working on: Awesome updates to classic robot designs in quality materials and with more focus on playability and durability than on excessive detailing and puzzleforming design. Wrestle is perfect for anyone who ever had an original Grapple toy, and I cannot stress enough how great it was to walk into Toy Dojo where I could handle the toy before buying it.

Highly recommended, and so much fun that I’m going to try another design in MakeToys’ Masterpiece-scaled series. For more of the Re:Master series check out this Toy Dojo page. Hey, that Visualizers pack looks like something I’ll have to buy.