We live in a great era of Transformers. When I came back to collecting the toys in 2004, it was returning from a 16 year hiatus where I paid little to no attention to what’s going on with the toyline. Now in 2020, I’ve been recollecting for 16 years, as long as my hiatus. Time flies.

Hasbro certainly did not forget us older fans that grew up with the franchise. CHUG (Classics, Henkei, Universe, Generations) draws inspiration mostly from G1. Many G1 favorites were updated in the line, sometimes multiple times.

CHUG obviously started with some of the most popular characters, like Optimus Prime, Megatron, and Bumblebee. And as the years went, more and more would be updated. Characters from the first 2 G1 seasons usually got earlier treatment. G1 Movie characters would soon follow. Even more obscure characters would later get updated. I wrote back in 2009 how I wished Sixshot would get an update, then in 2017 it became reality.

Now as I write this in 2020, and looking back, Hasbro has updated some TFs that seem as if they were reaching for the bottom of the G1 barrel. For example, they updated Jumpstarters (both Topspin and Twin Twist). They updated Duocons (Battletrap and Flywheels). Heck, they even did all the Monsterbots (Doublecross, Grotusque, Repugnus). I can think of way better G1 characters to update. And that’s where I got the inspiration for this post. I present below my top 10 G1 Transformers that desperately need an update today.

But first, some ground rules:

• I am not including any Pretenders. They suck.
• I am not including any Action Masters. They suck too.
• This list is for G1 TFs that got no update whatsoever. Even if a TF got a lame repaint of something else, or got revived as a Micron (like Titan Masters), or got a completely butchered Movie-verse update, that counts as an update. Yes I know that not having a real G1-style update sucks, but not having being updated at all sucks more. This list is reserved for the latter.
• There are G1 TFs where there’s no update now, but their update is coming. These TFs are not included.
• I am not counting 3rd or 4th party products. Only official products are considered

Here we go.

10. Hosehead
Allegiance: Autobot
Sub-Group: Headmaster
Function: Emergency Rescue
Modes: robot, fire engine
 
 

You think there would be an update to Hosehead by now. He is a Headmaster that came around in Season 5, and he transforms into a fire engine. Hasbro LOVES making repaints out of something simply because two characters share the same alt mode. Inferno has been repainted into Hot Spot so many times that I lost count. How about giving some love to Hosehead. Yeah I realize no one outside of G1 has heard of him. But this is too easy to not do. And we all know Hasbro loves easy and quick cash grabs. Admittedly, I had Hosehead in G1. He’s still in pretty good shape. Yes I’m partial to TFs that I own, but this is my blog, so there.
 
 

9. Dogfight
Allegiance: Autobot
Sub-Group: Triggerbot
Function: Aerial Combat
Modes: robot, jet
 
 

I must have a Triggerbot or Triggercon on this list. In G1 there were 3 Triggerbots (the good guys) and 3 Triggercons (the baddies), and I never had any. My favorite out of the 6 is Ruckus, a Triggercon. I wanted to put him on here, but then discovered that he was technically updated. He had a lame Transformers Figure Subscription Service update, being repainted from Combiner Wars Offroad. And worse, they called him Grabuge. Seriously?! Can Hasbro make him anymore trashy? But that technically counts as having being updated, so I went to my next favorite in this group of 6: Dogfight. I don’t know that much about Dogfight, but I do remember him having a scene in one of the IDW comics. In that scene, he was talking to the great Optimus Prime. And Optimus seems to not know who he is, hahaha! It’s refreshing to see that not all Transformers know each other, a concept that the G1 cartoons never explored. Anyways, he transforms into a jet with forward-swept wings. Similar to Conquest X-30 from G.I.Joe and YF-19 from Macross. They could repaint Terradive or Space Case from the movie verse, with a new head mold. Though I would prefer a brand new mold with a more G1-esque robot form. And I want the trigger switch gun action on the updated figure! That never gets old.
 
 

8. Freeway
Allegiance: Autobot
Sub-Group: Throttlebot
Function: Saboteur
Modes: robot, sports car
 
 

I had to include at least one Throttlebot on here. I have all 6 Throttlebots. I know there was at least one update to Goldbug. There could be more. But what about the other Throttlebots? Anyway, Freeway is my favorite out of the six, so I elect him to get an update. I know ToyWorld produced updates to all 6 Throttlebots, including Freeway (which they called Highway). I have their update to Searchlight and Chase (Aurora and Trace, respectively). Speaking of Chase, I think Roadburn may be the modern update to Chase. Still, there is no update to Freeway. If Hasbro wants to be lazy, just take Roadburn and repaint him blue to be Freeway. Personally I rather see a real update with a new mold. C’mon Hasbro get on it.
 
 

7. Venom
Allegiance: Decepticon
Sub-Group: Insecticon
Function: Psychological Warfare
Modes: robot, cicada
 
 

Finally, a Decepticon on here! When I was compiling this list, I immediately saw that they were mostly Autobots. So I very consciously tried to include more Decepticons. But if playing with the rules that I laid out above, there are almost no Decepticons to include. When you exclude Pretenders and Action Masters, it feels like all G1 Decepticons got an update. I did’t specifically exclude Micromasters in my rules, but deep down I feel they are just not cool enough. Deluxe Insecticons never got any love in G1 in the cartoons. The toys came as early as Season 2, so I’m including one here. Out of the 4, Chop Shop is the only one to have had an update (a lame repaint of Generations Skarpnel). So I could have picked any of the other 3. I chose Venom to be on this list for 3 reasons: 1) I like his wacky head mold, 2) he’s technically the Insecticon leader, though realistically that’s Shrapnel, and 3) he shares the same function of Psychological Warfare as Bombshell, my favorite Insecticon. In G1 I never had any of the Deluxe Insecticons, and I don’t know anyone that did. Thus I have no idea if the toys were any good. But if HasTak chose to update them now, I bet they could do something pretty nice.
 
 

6. Slugfest
Allegiance: Decepticon
Sub-Group: Cassette
Function: Messenger
Modes: stegosaurus, cassette
 
 

Another Decepticon on here! Slugfest is one of the few that I could find without any kind of update. I have the G1 toy, along with Overkill. You get these 2 in one pack. That’s how G1 sold the cassettes. Again, I’m partial to toys I had, and I still got these 2 in pretty good shape. They repainted other toys to be Overkill a bunch of times, probably anytime Hasbro felt like making a repaint from another T-Rex for a quick score. Slugfest never got any love. The character does not exist past G1. That’s a crime. Slugfest is just as cool as Overkill, for G1 standards. If you wanna go the repaint route, take Power of the Primes Snarl and give that Slugfest colors (that would look kinda cool, actually). Though I like a new mold, that transforms from stegosaurus to cassette. While you’re at it, do Overkill too. A real update from T-Rex to cassette. Hasbro this is your chance to impress me.
 
 

5. Sizzle
Allegiance: Autobot
Sub-Group: Sparkabot
Function: Interceptor
Modes: robot, funny car
 
 

A Sparkabot or Firecon is required on this list. These 2 Sub-Groups feature another popular toy gimmick at the time. All figures have a friction-motor that produces cold sparks. For the 3 Sparkabots, the cold sparks fire out the rear exhaust in vehicle alt mode. And for the 3 Firecons, sparks come out of their mouths in the monster alt mode. Sizzle is my favorite out of this 6 (and again, he’s the only one I had out of this bunch). For most G1 Fans, Sizzle is the one that everyone thinks of when this group is mentioned. In his tech spec bio, he’s described as a daredevil of an Autobot, akin to Hot Rod, Fastlane, or Air Raid. He transforms into a cool funny car. I think Hasbro needs to update Sizzle for that reason alone; I can’t think of any other funny car Transformers. His color scheme is also quite unique, going from an ash brown in car mode to tangerine red in robot mode. I very much would like to see cold sparks in a modern day figure, though I imagine Hasbro would never do it.
 
 

4. Slapdash
Allegiance: Autobot
Sub-Group: Powermaster
Function: Interceptor
Modes: robot, F1 race car
 
 

I love Powermasters. I first mentioned that here, and probably elsewhere on this blog too. From a toy perspective, having a Mini-con that transforms into the engine to unlock the transformation is kinda cool. But from a story perspective, it’s kinda lame. Now that I think about it, all Master technology makes no sense. If I was a TF, no way I share my head, weapons, or transformation ability with someone else. Nevertheless, the Powermaster toys were all really good for G1 standards. My favorite Powermaster is Getaway, who was updated as Breakaway. So I’m going to include the other 2 Autobot Powermasters not updated. The first one is Slapdash. I really don’t know much about the character, and I only vaguely remember the toy. He transforms into a F1 race car. Hasbro could just be lazy here and repaint WFC Siege Mirage. But don’t be lazy, be cool. Make a new mold.
 
 

3. Joyride
Allegiance: Autobot
Sub-Group: Powermaster
Function: Warrior
Modes: robot, dune buggy
 
 

Joyride is the other Autobot Powermaster that was released with Getaway and Slapdash. I know very little of Joyride as well, other than that his toy was pretty cool. He transforms into a dune buggy. Off the top of my head, I can only think of 2 other Earth mode dune buggies in the entire TF Universe: G1 Beachcomber and G2 Jetstorm. I like the color scheme on Joyride as well. He kinda has the same color palette as Skullcruncher (or Skullsmasher in recent updates). This is a very unique color scheme that belongs only to these 2 TFs. Maybe this needs to be explored. Or not.
 
 

2. Sureshot
Allegiance: Autobot
Sub-Group: Targetmaster
Function: Sharpshooter
Modes: robot, Cybertronian buggy
 
 

I love Targetmasters. So in preparation for this post, I looked through every Targetmaster ever made in G1. As far as I can tell, all the Decepticon Targetmasters have had an update for some kind. As for the Autobots, there are several that could use some love. One of them is Sureshot. I don’t know much about the character. He appeared in “Rebirth”, but his role was next to non-existent, so you would only find him if you really squint your optics and look. I never had the G1 toy, and I don’t know anyone that did. But it looks pretty cool, based on pictures. HasTak can really go to town and make a terrific update of this character if they chose to. If they opt to be cheap, they could make one mold and use it for both Joyride and Sureshot. They are both buggies in alt mode. Make the head mold different. Give Sureshot a Battlemaster and Joyride some kind of engine accessory. This is almost too easy to not do. I’m almost confident enough to bet that this will happen.
 
 

1. Pointblank
Allegiance: Autobot
Sub-Group: Targetmaster
Function: Enforcer
Modes: robot, Cybertronian car
 
 

I can’t believe Pointblank has not been officially updated yet. Back in G1 Season 4 when Hasbro introduced all the “Master” gimmicks, Pointblank is widely regarded as one of the best figures produced for that period. Many G1 fans jumped on getting Pointblank very quickly. His Cybertronian car alt mode looks great, and the robot mode looks well proportioned too. The color combination of red and baby blue sounds hokey on paper, but on the figure it doesn’t look too shabby. I am told too that Pointblank has a bigger role in the Japanese TF Continuity after Season 4. I have the MakeToys update of Pointblank, called Contactshot. Overall, Contactshot is not a bad 3P product, but there could be improvements. He’s a big figure in robot mode, which presents scale issues, even for MP. And the transformation is more complicated than it needs to be for a character like Pointblank. It’s high time HasTak stepped up to the plate and gave us an official update. Pointblank should probably be deluxe size to scale with other CHUG figs. Modern HasTak figures of this size are all very playable, which is exactly what I’m looking for in a Pointblank update.
 
 

So what do you think of my top 10? I know if another G1 fan had to make a top 10 based on the rules I laid out above, it would be very different. Feel free to comment below.

Transform and Roll Out.

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