General Information:
Release Date: July 2018
Price Point: $19.99 (Varies by retailer)
Retailer: General Release (Target, Walmart, Amazon etc.)
Accessories: None
*Images and text below from Amazon.com:
Convert to Activate Signature Action Attack
Convert and attack with Transformers Cyberverse Action Attackers! Change figure from dinosaur to robot mode in 14 steps. The last step of conversion automatically activates Grimlock figure’s signature Rocket Roar Action Attack move! Once converted, attack move can be repeated through easy reactivation steps. Transformers and all related characters are trademarks of Hasbro.
“Picture this: me, on Earth, still cooler than everyone this side of Optimus Prime, but I’ve got zero memories. Now I’m on a mission to recover my memories and discover all of my awesome powers. I’ll have to battle Decepticons, outrun an explosion or two, and be heroic- basically, I’m in for one epic ride across the Cyberverse.” -Bumblebee Grimlock, legendary Dinobot King, uses his strength to fight alongside the heroic Autobots. Convert and attack with Transformers Cyberverse Action Attackers! Change figure from dinosaur to robot mode in 14 steps. The last step of conversion automatically activates Grimlock figure’s signature Rocket Roar Action Attack move! Once converted, attack move can be repeated through easy reactivation steps. Look for other Action Attackers figures, each sold separately, to discover the signature attack moves of favorite Cyberverse characters! Transformers and all related characters are trademarks of Hasbro. Includes Grimlock figure and instructions. Figure scale: 7.5 inches
In late 2017 it was revealed that a new Transformers cartoon would be replacing "Robots in Disguise". The series focuses on Bumblebee with partial amnesia attempting to regain his memories. A blend of G1 and modern characters combined with a more kid-friendly animation style results in a show that leans more towards a younger audience than even "Robots in Disguise", something which is reflected in the toy line. The toy line was released in countries outside the United States such as Australia around late June 2018. A few weeks later it would be released in North America.
Among the first series of "Cyberverse" figures are the "Ultra Class" of figures. The "Ultra Class" was introduced in the "Beast Wars Transformers" era as a rough equivalent to the modern day Leader Class figures. The term was used for years and then fell out of use for quite some time. Now it is back, assigned to a class of larger figures (about 7.5 inches) that feature full transformations and some type of action feature. Grimlock was among the first assortment of these figures.
Packaging:
Grimlock is packaged in an open box, tied to a bubble. The front features Grimlock's artwork in the left corner. On the right side is a vertical Transformers logo with an Autobot symbol above it. The front section that goes over the legs features Grimlock in beast mode with fire coming out of his back and mouth, designated as his "Rocket Roar". Next to that is the "Transformers Cyberverse" logo with his name under it. This packaging features distinctive colors including black, grey, light blue and yellow which really helps it stand out on shelves.
The back of the packaging focuses on the yellow and blue colors from the front. It features Grimlock's name and refers to his function as the "Legendary Dinobot King". He is shown in both modes with a callout for a 14 step transformation. The upper right hand corner shows him using his "Rocket Roar". Towards the bottom are cosells featuring Bumblebee and Starscream.
Robot Mode:
Grimlock's "Cyberverse" design is one of my favorites among the Autobot designs. I wrote about this in my Scout Class Grimlock review. He has many G1 based design elements including the look of the head, the round shoulders, claws on his wrists and even the shape of his torso and legs. Even with new details like rocket pods on his shoulders and spikes sticking out the sides of his legs, he is immediately recognizable as Grimlock. I love the design.
All that said, the actual construction of the figure has one design that may put some fans off. The beast mode head and neck wind up forming the back and the beast mode head winds up behind the thighs. For those wondering, this figure is designed this way to accomodate the beast mode gimmick. Personally, I think the figure looks fine, especially from the front.
This figure is cast in a beautiful silver plastic with smaller parts like the thighs and heels cast in black. That said, there is a lot of paint on this figure! Yellow is used on the chest, wrist claws and legs. Silver paint is used for detailing on the head and chest. Meanwhile red is found on the sides of the shoulders, torso and legs. The eyes are painted light blue and green is used on the legs. Black paint is used for the rocket pods on his shoulders. The finishing touch is a red Autobot symbol on the chest. I am really happy with this deco, it looks pretty incredible given the intended audience of this figure.
Grimlock has six points of articulation: the shoulders, elbows and hips. This is one of the more disappointing aspects of this figure. Given the price point and "Ultra Class" tag, I would have hoped for more (knee articulation at the very least). Each fist has a 5mm port, allowing him to hold some weapons from other figures. There is one flaw in the construction of this figure. The shoulders connect to the arms via gigantic ball joints. When you move the arms up and down they have a tendency to slip off. They snap right back on, but I wish they worked better.
Transformation to "Beast" Mode:
- Swing the fists into the forearms.
- Swing the robot arms up.
- Swing the chest forward.
- Swing the beast mode head/neck up.
- Swing the chest piece back in place.
- Swing each lower leg panel out, then rotate them around.
- Swing the tail and leg panels together.
- Swing the robot feet down, connecting the tabs on the bottom to the back section.
Beast Mode:
Like the robot mode, Grimlock's beast mode takes a lot of design cues from other incarnations. This includes a very angled head design, round thigh sections, small dinosaur arms and a rear section that clearly features robot leg pieces. Also, like the robot mode this design features several updated design elements. These include spikes running along the top of the head, back and tail. The rocket pods point forward on the top of each leg.
Again, I love the design but the ball joints on the shoulders (now the hips) are still an issue if you want to pose the figure at all. The arms can move as well. The "Rocket Roar" feature is activated by pushing down the right side robot foot (now on the back). This pushes a button that causes flames to shoot out of his mouth and back. These pieces are all painted orange and yellow and they look fantastic. It is a simple, but very effective gimmick.
Grimlock is mostly silver in this mode. His claws are yellow and the robot mode leg details wind up near the tail. The eyes are painted light blue. Grimlock's beast mode is not generally very colorful so this looks just right.
Final Thoughts:
Ultra Class Grimlock is just about worth the $20 price point (but not much more). He looks cool in both modes and his action feature is fun and dynamic. I really think kids would dig this toy and even as an older fan I like it. Recommended.
Pros:
- Very cool design in both modes.
- Great deco in both modes.
- Nicely sized and chunky (read: powerful looking).
Cons:
- Limited articulation.
- Arms pop off when turned.
