Review – Transformers Generations Scourge

Hasbro’s 2011 Transformers Generations Scourge* takes the wacky-looking 1986 Scourge character/toy design and modernizes it, turning what’s an unidentifiable flying thing into a stealth bomber-like jet. But you can tell all of that by looking at the pics, so what can I tell you about the toy that you can’t see in the photos? Let me tell you.

Jet Mode

With a wingspan of almost 8-inches, the Transformers Generations Scourge* jet mode is fairly large for a Deluxe-class Transformers toy and truly looks fantastic. Best of all is that everything snaps neatly into place without any weird seams or problems and the transformation works neatly and well.

Three landing gear beneath the jet keeps the toy nicely balanced in jet mode, but none of that’s all that exciting since what we (well, I) prefer is displaying Transformers toys in robot mode . . . so now let’s transform this guy and see how he looks as a robot.

Transformation Design

Changing Hasbro’s Transformers Generations Scourge* from jet to robot mode is mostly intuitive, with the wings and legs fairly straightforward while the arms/torso require a little examination of the instructions. Overall I’m very happy with the design, but I’ve got to complain about the chest transformation which slides up in robot mode and then slides down to go back to jet. Well, it’s that sliding down bit that’s a problem.

The chest snaps into place when it slides up for robot mode, but when I first went to transform Scourge* back into robot mode the chest was stuck and simply would not move. Fifteen minutes with a small screwdriver and a lot of pain later and the chest plate was back in its jet mode position, but not without scratching and damaging the plastic. Very sad face here because an otherwise great design was damaged by this one detail.

Robot Mode

With Scourge* transformed, the toy looks very close to its 1986 character design and functions great as a robot action figure. As the castlegeekskull.com review of Scourge says:

“The design is amazingly faithful to the original cartoon model, giant popped collar and all!”

Articulation

As a modern Transformers toy, one area where Scourge* really outdoes his 1986 ancestor is in the articulation department. Running through the joints we get:

• Head – Ball-jointed neck.
  
• Torso – Swivel waist.
  
• Arms – Swivel shoulders (as well as vertical hinge joint used in transformation that gives the arm a better range of motion), swivel-hinged elbows, and swivel wrists.
  
• Legs – Ball-jointed hips, hinged knees, and hinged ankles.

The only joint I feel would make Scourge* just a little more modern action figury is a swivel at the upper arm, but we can be perfectly happy without such a joint.

Closing Thoughts

The 2011 Transformers Generations Scourge* is a basically fun update to the 1986 Scourge design, and while I cannot say it is perfect — that chest slide part of the transformation design really frustrated me — I can agree with the yo go re review at OAFE where he writes:

” . . . he’s got a great look, is well-made and has a few cool tricks when you’re changing him from one mode to another, and what they did with his guns is pretty dang neat.”

Guns? Yeah, I should have mentioned the gun trick. I guess we’ll save that for a later review of this mold.