General Information
Release Date: June 2025
Price Point: $27.99 (depending on retailer)
Retailer: General Release (Amazon, BigBadToyStore, Entertainment Earth, Target, Walmart etc.)
Accessories: Blasters x 2
Official images and text in italics are from Amazon.com:
- AGE OF THE PRIMES COMBATICON BLAST OFF: This Transformers Combaticon Blast Off figure features deco and details inspired by the Transformers universe
- CONVERT BETWEEN ROBOT AND SPACE SHUTTLE MODE IN 17 STEPS: This Transformers toy figure converts between modes in 17 steps
- 5.5-INCH DELUXE CLASS TRANSFORMERS FIGURE: In robot mode, the Transformers action figure is 5.5 inches (14 cm) tall
- PART OF BRUTICUS COMBINER: Collect all 5 Transformers Combaticon combiner figures to make Bruticus (each sold separately, subject to availability)
- BLASTER ACCESSORIES: Comes with 3 blaster accessories that can attach in both modes
- ARTICULATED FOR PLAY AND DISPLAY: Age of the Primes Transformers figures feature articulation for display-worthy poses or action-packed play
- GIFT TRANSFORMERS COLLECTIBLES: Transformers action figures make a great Christmas, holiday, or birthday gift for boys and girls 8 and up or anyone who collects Transformers toys
Experience the epic universe of Transformers robots with the Transformers Age of the Primes Combaticon Blast Off toy! The 5.5-inch (14 cm) Deluxe Class figure converts from robot action figure to space shuttle mode in 17 steps and can be combined with additional Combaticon figures (each sold separately, subject to availability) to make a Bruticus figure. With intricate poseability and attachable accessories, the Combaticon Blast Off action figure makes an awesome addition to any collection. Look for more Transformers collectible toys (sold separately, subject to availability) featuring characters like Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, Megatron, and more to create a lineup that is — More Than Meets the Eye. TRANSFORMERS and HASBRO and all related trademarks and logos are trademarks of Hasbro, Inc.
Background:
In 1985 Hasbro released teams of Transformers who would go on to be called Combiners. Each featured several characters coming together to form one larger robot. These teams generally centered around themes. One team was known as the Combaticons. As their name suggests, their alt modes were mostly military vehicles (except for Blast-Off, the Space Shuttle). One of these team members was Blast-Off, who transformed into an 80's style space shuttle. This is not the first time Vortex has appeared in the Generations toy line. In 2012, a version was released as part of the Fall of Cybertron line and later that year there was a G2 themed redeco of the same figure. More recently (read: ten years ago) Hasbro released Blast-Off was part of the Combiner Wars line but in a very different form. A more "show accurate" Blast-Off was released by Takara Tomy in their Bruticus boxed set.
Packaging:
Age of the Primes represents a dramatic shift in Generations packaging. Unlike previous years of the War for Cybertron trilogy or Legacy which went in dramatic directions with packaging shape and artwork, the designers have dialed back the look of the boxes a lot. The Age of the Primes packaging winds up looking a lot more like Studio Series packaging. The boxes are now rectangular. No weird angles or anything. The background is just plain black. The "Transformers" logo is no longer vertical (dropping a trend that began over ten years ago) and is now horizontal in the front of the packaging with the "Age of the Primes" name underneath it. Character art is featured to the right, but it's only partial art showing a bit of the character in robot mode with focus on the vehicle mode underneath. To the left are icons describing how many steps the character takes to convert from one mode to the other and the age recommendation (8+ in this case).
Vortex sits inside the box attached to a cardboard tray. You can see the entire figure in robot mode thanks to the return of plastic windows! Fans will recall that for the last few years Transformers toys have had no plastic windows in an effort to (ostensibly) make more eco-friendly packaging. However, this led to damaged toys with heads being yanked off and sometimes figures being outright stolen. For many fans, the return of the plastic windows is a welcome one.
The back of the box shows the character in both modes calling out a 17 step transformation. Behind the character is a sky background with a wheel showing some of the Thirteen Prime symbols. While Vortex's "limb mode" is not shown, it is called out in a text blurb describing him as "2 of 5" and the phrase "Collect to Combine" (catchy!). The other side features a part of Bruticus' artwork.
I think the designers were going for a more "adult" and "premium" appearance to the packaging and to that end it works. It looks like something you'd see in a museum shop, but I do feel some of the fun and whimsy of the dramatic Legacy artwork and visual bombast has been lost and I'm a tad sad about that.
Accessories:
Blast-Off includes two identical blasters. These are based on the design of the one he used in the G1 cartoon and comic book, but with some finer details inspired by the weapon that came with the G1 action figure. The blaster is relatively small and features a cylindrical barrel in front, a rectangular section in back and a targeting scope on top. The sides feature some sculpted vertical line details that appear to be inspired by the original G1 Blast-Off toy. These weapons each feature a 5mm peg and a barrel end that has an attachment point for Blast Effects. Each weapon is made of brown plastic with no paint applications.
I do miss the large cannons that came with the original Blast-Off. It would have been cool to have them to attach to the legs. Yes, there are two of these blasters to kind of simulate that but it's not quite the same. Oh well.
Robot Mode:
When Blast-Off was released as part of Combiner Wars he was a redeco/retool of Quickslinger (aka Slingshot) so the character lost a lot of his distinctive look, including his Space Shuttle alt-mode. Takara Tomy tried to create their own retool that better matched Blast-Off's traditional form, but the results were...mixed. Thanks to the Age of the Primes line however, we now have a Blast-Off based on his G1 animation model, giving us a more traditional version of the character (without paying Japanese import prices).
This new sculpt has a bunch of fun callbacks to the original Blast-Off Marvel model sheet. These include:
- Head: The robot head is rectangular in shape with a distinctive crest in the middle of the head and a mouth plate with a raised, vertical section in the middle. The shape of the head emulates the "cube" head shape used on many of the G1 Combiner limbs.
- Chest: The chest features a vertical section in the center with three distinct oval shaped designs. Flanking that are sections of the chest with horizontal lines sculpted into them.
- Arms: The arms are mostly relatively generic looking blocky arms from the shoulder to the elbows. The forearms feature curved details that sweep to the side and up, almost making it look like Blast-Off is wearing giant gloves!
- Legs: Each of the lower legs has a sculpted wheel on the sides (near the ankle area), echoing those found on G1 Blast-Off's toy. Also, his feet are formed from two of the rocket boosters from the back of the vehicle mode. This gives his feet a very distinct appearance with the boosters pointing forward.
Blast-Off is made up of grey and two shades of brown plastic. This does not sound terribly exciting, but it is G1 accurate. Paint colors include brown, grey, purple and lavender. In robot mode you see most of the paint on his face, chest and feet. The chest is the most ornate, featuring a purple section in the middle with dark grey ovals and a lavender Decepticon symbol. I also appreciate the designers painting his feet purple. They could have skipped that to save budget but they didn't!
There are twenty two points of articulation on this figure. This includes five in each arm and leg and waist articulation. He has ten 5mm ports in this form. This includes three on each leg and the fists. His joints are all nice and tight.
Transformation to Vehicle Mode:
- Detach the accessories and set them aside for now.
- Straighten out the arms and legs.
- Rotate the fists inward.
- Swing his feet down.
- Swing the panel on his back out.
- Swing the robot head back.
- Swing the arms up, then rotate them around and connect them together.
- Swing the back panel over the arms and push it into place.
- Swing the wings on the legs out.
- Swing the front panels on the lower legs forward.
- Swing the back panels of the lower legs up and over the thighs.
- Swing the front panels from the lower legs up.
- The weapons can be attached to the underside of the wings or in the front.
Vehicle Mode:
Blast-Off's vehicle mode is based on the Space Shuttle. This vehicle is now retired in real life, but back in the 80's when the Combaticons were introduced, these vehicles were still in use. Like that vehicle the vehicle mode features an oval shaped front end coming to a point at the nosecone. The back is a bit wide with curved wings and a single vertical stabilizer fin. On the back are four boosters. While there are some definite differences between the real life vehicle and this figure it comes really close to it. Most of the differences are in the shape of the wings and some of the proportions. Also, in real life the Space shuttle had three large boosters in back with two smaller ones. Basically the designers changed this figure "just enough" so there are no potential licensing issues. That said, the four boosters on this figure are more animation accurate.
Blast-Off mostly shows off grey and brown plastic in this mode. Like the animation model, the cockpit section is painted a shiny purple color with a large lavender Decepticon symbol on top. Lavender is also used for the windows and the Decepticon symbols on the wings. The back edge of the wings feature the same shiny purple paint as the front. This is a bit of an embellishment because in the cartoon the back edge of the wings appeared brown. Some grey paint is used on the vertical stabilizer fin to add some detailing. Overall this deco looks good and I love the gigantic Decepticon symbol!
Most of the functionality of this mode is focused around attaching the blasters and Blast Effects. The blasters can attach to the underside of the wings or other ports towards the front. Meanwhile you can attach Blast Effects to the boosters in the back to make it look like Blast-Off is "flying".
Final Thoughts:
Blast-Off is a solid representation of the classic Combaticon, and this figure is really the first time the cartoon/comic book version of him has been "properly" represented in the Generations line. There's nothing mind blowing here, but he's a good, solid figure and of course part of the reason to get this is eventually building up Bruticus! Recommended.
Pros:
- Excellent sculpt that reflects the G1 comic book/animation model very well.
- Good deco.
- Good articulation.
- Good number of attachment points for accessories.
- Intuitive transformation.
Cons:
- I would have liked the big cannons included.
