This is more of a "in store" "in package" review from a few newer TF toys I saw in stores today while doing some early Christmas shopping.
Platinum Ultra Magnus looked worse at my TRU store today. The toy literally looked like a cheap KO compared to last years Weaponizers Optimus toy. What makes this toy looked really bad is the blatant Ultra Magnus head sculpt that mimicks the long chins from the TFA toy line. The Head sculpt was horrid as it looked like the ball joint was too tall supporting the head. it looked like half the bottom of the head sculpt was cut off. The newer UM colors screamed KO. The extra top shoulders parts looked worse in person.
Oddly enough I saw the BH Voyager Ultra Magnus toy for the first time at varioud stores like TRU & Walmart. I even got a chance to compare the Platinum UM next to the Voyager BM UM. Clearly the BH Voyager UM is the superior toy hands down.
This is the first time I ever saw the Titan Ultra Magnus on a store shelf. Obviously it was at a TRU store.
I saw a few of the Exclusive TFP FE deluxes,Ofcause all they had were like 6 Bumblebees & no one else.
My TRU store had a health stock of TFP & BH voyagers. I literally saw over 6 TFP Voyager Skyquakes on shelves. I didn't get any since I prefer the TFP Dreadwing colors/persona best on this mold. I saw a whole bunch of TFP Voyager Thundertron's,FOC Soundblaster,various other voyagers.
I saw the MP Acidstorm in stores for the first time. It a really nice repaint. I'm not interested since I already own Three color variations/remolds of this mold Via Startscream,Thundercracker & Skywarp. Had this been repainted & retooled into the Three 1985 Coneheads I would have bought all three. I don't need a generic repaint of a character that barely got a few seconds in a G-1 episode.
Had it been colored in Sunstorm's colors,I might have been tempted to buy it,as the DW comics did a great job on fleshing this chaaracter out with a interesting persona.
My TRU store had all the TF toys marked up by more than 25%+. It clearly a better deal right now just going to the TRU.com site instead of the TRU stores. My TRU store had Titan Metroplex priced at $150.
I did see a few newer BH toys I never saw in stores before like BH Deluxe Arcee,BH Deluxe Knockout,BH Deluxe Dreadwing,A full set of the legion BH Terrorcons at TRU & Target. I saw the exclusive Construct-bots Predaking toy in stores toy.
I saw the Platinum Bruticus VS FOC Grimlock gift set at TRU. Marked up 25% more in the store compared to the TRU.com site.
Apparently the TRU stores is the only place I still see the KREO build it sets stocked on shelves. I saw a few BH Kreo build it sets. Some Kreo G-1 Combiners sets. A whole bunch of Star Trek Kreo build it sets. In my state/area,stores like Target,Walmart & Kmart don't stock any Kreo build it sets.
Everytime I see those BH 16 inch or other smaller inch BH action figures,I say: " who the heck designed those,how did these even get mass produced. why would anyone think these are awesome ideas."
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.js ... age=family
Walmart had a really shameful action figure section in their store. It appears this walmart reduced the action figure section by more than 75%. I don't know if this is a nationwide USA thing or? It was rather odd Walmart would reduce the boys action figure toys section by more than 75% especially considering this is the Christmas buying season.