General Information: Images:
Tech Specs:
While redecos have always been a part of the Transformers line, around 2003's Armada toy line they started to become plot points in the animated series as well. In the case of several key characters such as Hot Shot, a new color scheme in the fiction also indicated a power up of some sort. With the Cybertron line, the designers wanted to do something different and instead gave three key characters completely new forms to represent their powered up selves. One of these is Cybertron Defense Hot Shot, who has sacrificed his traditional, sleek car form for an armored personnel carrier form. Each Cybertron figure comes with a code printed on its Planet Key that unlocks content from the Official Transformers site. Clocker's code is d1o4. The unlocked content reads Hot Shot is the same old Hot Shot that he was when he was a speedy sports car, with just a few more tons of weight, armor and weapons added onto his chassis! During his stint on the planet of Gigantion Hot Shot tried out some tricks on the massive structures that the giant Transformers had created. Using his missile launchers as over-glorified boosters, Hot Shot found that he could still drive around a full-on 360º loop-de-loop. Using his concussion grenades as to cushion his descent, Hot Shot proved to himself that no matter the form, the Spark remains the same... The code also unlocks a scan of the original sketch designs for the figures' vehicle mode.
Vehicle Mode: The details sculpted into this figure really drive home the point that this is a war machine. Small raised circles are found all over the main body, looking like bolts holding down armor plating. Sections such as the back, the sides and the center of the gun post on top all have "X" marks indicating heavily armored areas. Other small details include vents on the front section, headlights and even shovels and an axe mounted on the sides towards the rear! The machine guns on top are really heavily detailed. The middle section has a hatch and cross hatching details. The guns themselves are full of detailing including circles where they can move up, holes on the ends of the barrels and rectangles that look like artillery packs. The overall effect is that this is a machine built not for speed, but for destructive and defensive capabilities and it looks amazing. The primary plastic colors used here are metallic blue, black and red - the same primary colors as Hot Shot's previous figure. The blue makes up most of the vehicle body, with the black used for parts like the wheels. Red is used on the smaller parts such as the gun ports on top and the bumper in the front. Paint applications are done in silver, yellow and black. Silver is used for parts such as the fuel tanks on the sides, the ends of the machine guns and the edges of the blade (mounted on the left side of the vehicle). Black is used on smaller details such as the doors on the side of the vehicle and the vents on the front. Yellow is used for the small headlights in the front. An Autobot symbol with the special "V" shape in back can be found on the top, left side of the vehicle. This is also used by Cybertron Defense Red Alert and Scattorshot. Aside from his two machine guns on top, Hot Shot has added offensive capability that is hidden. Swing out the front bumper halves and you'll see two extra guns along with a row of eight missiles, each with a flat front and a small notch. Insert the Cyber Key into the machine gun port on top and the machine gun barrels swing up to reveal more missile launchers! Each side has eight missle launchers, bringing the total to twenty four missiles that Hot Shot is armed with in this form. Need more firepower? On each side towards the bottom of the vehicle mode is a Mini-Con Powerlinx point. Connect a Mini-Con with some weaponry on him and you will have one of the most heavily armed Autobots to come out of this toy line. I really love how this upgrade is truly a powerful one in both appearance and functionality while still managing to retain the spirit of the character by being the most sleek looking of the three Cybertron Defense vehicles. Transformation to Robot Mode:
Robot Mode: The rest of Hot Shot's new form is by form and concept an extension of his vehicle mode. His arms are positively huge since the upper arms are made up of the front parts of the vehicle form (we'll ignore the questions of how he can see side to side for the sake of this review). They wind up vertical near the elbow and then angling back towards the top. his lower arms have the fuel tanks mounted on them along with the Powerlinx points giving them a bulky, powerful appearance. His lower legs are similar in form with hard angles and a thick design. The tires showing on both the arms and legs add more bulk and further enhance the rugged image of this form. Hot Shot has eleven points of articulation. His range of motion is a bit limited by how bulky his body is, but that is to be expected. Overall the critical points are there including elbow, shoulder, head and knees. Just as he is heavily armed in vehicle mode, Hot Shot is armed to the teeth in this form too. It is deceptive at first however, which makes it all the more fun. At first you'd think all Hot Shot has are the machine guns on his back (that can swing forward and wind up over his shoulders) and his blade connected to his arm. However you can still insert the Cyber Key and reveal the missile launchers inside his cannons. Need more firepower? Swing open the black panels on his arms to reveal fifteen missile launchers in each arm. Not good enough? Push in the black parts on his lower legs and flip them around to reveal fourteen missiles in each leg. The firepower spread coming from this 'bot makes him ideal to take on the nasty Terrorcons on Cybertron and looks awesome to boot! Of course, you can add yet more firepower by attaching a Mini-Con to either arm. I'm happy to see the placement of the Powerlinx points is a good one rather than being in some odd, hard to reach place. Hot Shot's colors are primarily the same here but we get to see a lot more black and red thanks to his main body, head and arms. The same paint colors are used but a lot more yellow and silver appear on parts such as the circles on his chest and the "collar" details near the head. His visor is painted yellow instead of being cast in translucent plastic like the first Cybertron Hot Shot. Some extra silver apps are found on the hands to give them some detail as well. Overall it is a very effective presentation with some simple color applications.
Final Thoughts:
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