Review – Transformers: Titans Return Decepticon Clones

I reviewed the Titans Return Autobot Clones a few months ago (review posted here) and now I’m finally getting the Decepticon Clones photographed and online. As with the Autobot clones, these two small robots — Pounce and Wingspan — were sold by Hasbro in two different box sets. A Walgreens pack that also included Cloudraker and the Siege on Cybertron* set that’s becoming more difficult to find. Putting the pair together was not an easy task.

Alt Modes

First thing’s first, gang. The alt modes of the Clones, as with the already-reviewed Autobot Clones, are pretty weak. They work, yes, but not much more than the original versions of the toys from 1987.

Wingspan, in the above pic, is okay, but it looks more like someone folded up a robot and tacked on some bird parts than it does a bird. It’s not bad, but the lack of tabs for some of the parts means that the robot arms/bird legs like to shift a bit more than I’d like.

Pounce isn’t much better than his teammate, and this pic actually makes the toy look significantly cooler in beast mode than it really is. If these two were easier — and cheaper! — to get, the alt modes wouldn’t be quite the disappointment that they are. The colors are great, the modern updates to the originals are okay, but the challenge of buying these two make me say: You should probably not try to chase these down.

Robot Modes

Here’s where things get way more fun. As you can see in the pics, both Pounce and Wingspan look very similar with only minor differences. What I find even more interesting is that it looks like both of these designs share some common DNA with the already-reviewed Autobot Clones. There are parts of the torso that are similar, and even the transformation design and articulation have a lot in common. I don’t think they’re re-tooled, but I do suspect that the original CAD files started from the same base.

Closing Thoughts

Many of the Transformers: Titans Return toys (find at Amazon.com*) are spectacular updates on classic characters, but there are a few releases that bring the overall quality of the line down slightly. Pounce and Wingspan are weaker than the average Titans Return robot, and it’s the expense of the toys that has me recommending that you give these a pass. Besides, Takara is supposed to release two-packs as part of their Transformers Legends* line, so you should be able to get these two for a bit less in the near future. Hopefully. You know how it is; sometimes, without warning, a release is cancelled. Especially at the end of a line.

Check all of my earlier Titans Return reviews for more!

• 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
  
• Transformers: Titans Return Mindwipe
  
• Transformers: Titans Return Brawn
  
• Transformers: Titans Return Bumblebee
  
• Transformers: Titans Return Decepticon Quake
  
• Transformers: Titans Return Topspin
  
• Transformers: Titans Return Autobot Clones
  
• Transformers: Titans Return Nautica
  
• Transformers: Titans Return Roadburn