Review – Transformers: Titans Return Hardhead

After reviewing two of the small Titan Master sets (Nightbeat review here, Loudmouth review here), I thought it time to dive into a Transformers: Titans Return toy (find at Amazon.com*) that’s a bit meatier than those fun little guys.

Say hello to Hardhead*, one of the original 1987 Headmasters that has joined 2016’s line of official Transformers toys.

Tank Mode

As with the 1987 version of the character, Titans Return Hardhead* is a classic Transformers “H-Tank” in vehicle mode. These are called “H-Tanks” because of the shape of the vehicle from above, but where the H-shape was more pronounced in the original design, this newer take on the character pulls the treads in closer to the main body.

One of the great things about Titans Return Hardhead* in vehicle mode is that he’s covered in little posts where the smaller Titan Master toys can connect and ride the tank. Better still is that the large cannon has an opening section where a little robot can sit and man the gun. Hasbro finding ways for the Titan Master robots to interact with these larger toys just reinforces my opinion that the Transformers: Titans Return toyline (find at Amazon.com*) more playable than ever. This is very good news.

Robot Mode

Unlike the smaller Titan Master sets (Nightbeat review here, Loudmouth review here), these Deluxe-sized toys include both a transforming robot head and a body for the head. Those little Titan Master packs are a fantastic idea — they’re quite playable and inexpensive — but there comes a time when your disembodied robot heads really need to snap onto a body and rush into battle. And now that I’ve opened up Hardhead*, my trio of 1.5-inch tall robots can fight over which one of them gets to drive the robot body.

Standing just over 5-inches tall in robot mode, Hardhead* is a fairly standard height for current Transformers Deluxe-sized toys. He looks great and is a fun update to the original 1987 version of the toy, and once we overlook one tiny issue with the design then we’re left with a fantastic modern Transformers toy.

A Single Flaw?

Hardhead* has a fun transformation design, incredible sculpt, decept paint apps, and mostly great poseability. Where the toy lets us down is in the waist articulation: There is none! I understand that it’s because the transformation design doesn’t need a waist joint, but this feels like an oversight and takes an A+ transforming robot toy down to a B+. Yes, the toy really is that fun.

Closing Thoughts

So far I have opened three releases in the Transformers: Titans Return toyline (find at Amazon.com*), and to this point every single one feels like an improvement over the previous series of official Transformers toys. Hardhead* feels a bit tougher than Combiner Wars robots, appears to have fewer hollow parts, and the transformation design is more intuitive and fun than a lot of recent Hasbro designs.

I don’t know what has changed in the Hasbro offices, but whatever decision led to these new toys is a decison that I am 100% happy with. It is as “playable” and “fun” have returned to the Transformers along with the return of the Titan Masters.