Today I’m doing another Star Wars Transformer review. I’ve only done one of these and it was the Commander Cody Clone Turbo Tank.

This was a pure impulse buy. I was at Target yesterday and saw this smaller Star Wars TF of Anakin. I didn’t even know they made these. Up to now, all Star Wars TFs came in one size, which is somewhere between a deluxe and voyager class. Looks like Hasbro is extending into more petite scale for the Star Wars line as well. This figure looked pretty good in fighter mode so I bought it.

Check out pics in the package.

I’m not exactly sure if this figure is scout class. Star Wars figs never have their sizes stated on the package. I’m only saying it’s scout class based on its price of $7.99.

In fighter mode this figure is fairly robust. For the most part, all the pieces come together quite nicely so nothing would flop around. There’s a lot of good detail. The colors look pretty accurate to Anakin’s Jedi Starfighter. For something this small, I don’t have any complaints about the appearance.

As far as gimmicks go in alt mode, you can extend the tips on the wings like the typical Jedi Starfighter. There’s also a retractable landing gear located on the bottom of the cockpit area, making it possible for the jet to be posed with the wings out on a flat surface.

Check out this pic below for alt mode size comparison, next to DOTM scout class Sandstorm.

My main gripe with the alt mode is that there is nowhere to store the lightsabers. I only expect non-storage for accessories with G1 figures. TFs today really shouldn’t have this problem anymore and I find it unacceptable. Come and think of it, my full size Obi-Wan Episode II Jedi Starfighter TF that I got at BotCon also had this issue. Earlier Star Wars TFs didn’t seem to have this issue though.

Transformation to mech mode is not at all difficult so I won’t describe it. He looks okay in mech mode. Construction is pretty solid. Details and colors are also adequate for figures of this size. Having twin lightsabers is kinda cool too.

There are many weaknesses in mech mode. Poseability is extremely limited. The arms are not bad, but there’s not too much to work with in the legs. The head appears to be able to rotate, but there’s so much kibble behind it I don’t think you can. He’s way too much of a shell former in the G1 Scourge fashion. The shells/wings end up on his back. This makes him totally back-heavy that it’s very difficult to pose him standing up without falling backwards. I also don’t like the wing tips on the arms. I guess they’re supposed to be shields, but functionally they’re really awkward and I just don’t like how they make the arms look.

Below is a pic of Anakin in mech mode next to Sandstorm in robot mode. Notice Anakin is much smaller. He’s probably more of a commander class figure.

Even at $7.99, I can’t recommend this figure all that much. The alt mode looks kinda cool, but that’s about it. Sometimes I think about opening one of my full size Ep III Jedi Starfighter TFs and see how they compare to this. Hopefully the larger ones are much better, but the Force is not with these smaller figures.

Transform and Roll Out!

I’m normally not a fan of Scout Class figures. I think they’re too small and not worth the value. However the other day I came across this Youtube video by Peaugh. And just so everyone knows, Peaugh is probably THE reviewer for Transformers when it comes to Youtube TF reviews. His status in the TF community is now legendary and I always watch his videos if I’m deciding if I should get a TF figure.

The above video is mostly about Beachcomber. And I’m always excited about G1 characters in any TF toy line. As the video suggests, Beachcomber will appear in ROTF as a repaint of Scout Class Dune Runner. I will be buying Beachcomber as soon as he hits the shelves, but I have no idea how Peaugh gets the figures so early. I don’t think I can wait for Beachcomber, so the next best thing is to buy Dune Runner and check it out for myself, which is exactly what I did.

I’ve had some time to mess this mold now, and I will say that Dune Runner is very cool. He reminds me of Deluxe Landmine from the first movie, but in many ways he is more sturdy. I’ll start with the bot mode since that’s how he’s packaged. I like the overall colors, and he’s nicely proportionate. I think the two guns on this shoulders are very cool, especially for a Scout Class figure. These guns can be adjusted and angled in a number of ways. He’s got a decent level of articulation, he can stand up nicely on his feet, and he holds his poses well. I like his head sculpt too. Most movie figures have this “bug” look that I don’t like, especially in the head design, but I don’t sense that from Dune Runner. If anything, he looks more G1 than ROTF, and in my book that’s a very good thing.

In alt mode, Dune Runner is very nice as well. He is very solid as a dune buggy. The guns in this mode can be angled vertically to make it look like he’s aiming for some Decepticons coming from above. The vehicle mode rolls very nicely on a flat surface. He’s got a fair level of detail in this mode. I’m not sure what is the meaning behind the 0318 painted on the doors. The transformation from bot to buggy is nothing we haven’t seen before and the overall transformation is fairly simple, but keep in mind this is a Scout Class figure, so I’m not exactly looking for originality here.

I do have two minor gripes with this figure. First, from bot to alt mode, it can be hard to get the arms just right to make it fold in. It took me quite a while to figure out the arms are supposed to go exactly. If you don’t get it just right, and side of the buggy won’t line up well and you will see lots of seems on the doors and the roof. The other gripe I have is the price. Sure, at $7.49 he’s very affordable, but considering Deluxe figures only run for $10 and they are twice the size, I expect Scout class figures to be around $5. I guess this is more a complain with Scout Class figures in general and not Dune Runner, but still. If I was very budget conscious, I would not be picking up Scout Class figures. Certainly I would not buy Dune Runner if I already had Landmine (which I do).

But overall, Dune Runner is a very solid mold and I’m glad I picked him up. He is very highly regarded in all the Youtube TF reviews that I have come across, including both SEANxLONG and Optibotimus, in addition to Peaugh. This is the perfect mold to repaint into Beachcomber, because of the dune buggy alt mode, the small size, and the G1-like head sculpt. Dune Runner gets high marks from me and I encourage every TF fan to pick him up. And of course you know I will go out and buy Beachcomber when he appears on day 1.

Here’s to Scout Class figures… Transform and Roll Out!