Transformers Armada Super Base Class Optimus Prime (With Sparkplug): Behold, that time when Prime was a Pyromaniac

Armada's a weird part of Transformers, that whole section of the franchise's life is either loved, hated, or overall impartial, in terms of community opinions. What doesn't help is the mixed bag the toyline was for the time. And one of the best examples I can think of to show how drastic the quality can be in this line can come from this mini-series of reviews, starting with Super Base Optimus Prime.

Starting in truck mode and... well it's certainly stylized... I don't think I've ever seen a trailer with tank treads on them. To say that it's an ugly truck mode is an understatement though, as there are flaws in both the truck and the trailer. Looking at the truck section, combined mode hands are completely exposed, along with the robot mode hands being barely hidden away. One flaw this figure always had and is one of the reasons why this is an incomplete review is that the smokestacks did not have any friction on them when this toy came out and is a very common part to lose. The thing about the truck though for me is that if it had some better proportions, it would look like a very good truck alt mode, but it suffers from being a robot laying down on its stomach. It does, however, get off better then the trailer does. This thing is a complete mess. Gaps and kibble walls make it completely impractical, to say nothing about the tank treads on it. You will quickly learn that the trailer is one of the worst things in this set, and considering what we're dealing with, that's saying something. On the plus side though, there is a lot of good paint and sculpting detail on all parts of this set, along with a good amount of weight. This is one of the heaviest figures I've reviewed for this site, and that's not even at full weight because both the truck and trailer have battery boxes. Electronics that I won't be reviewing as there have been stories of this toy catching fire when brand new, and I can't imagine over a decade has helped fix that problem.

Before going to the robot mode, let's take a quick look at Sparkplug, a very Sunstreaker mixed with Bumblebee looking Mini-Con. The Mini-Cons in Armada were a mixed bag overall. There were some that are a lot of fun to mess around with, and others that weren't, suffering from many problems due to their size and how they integrate with larger figures. To me, Sparkplug does fit more in that first category, because while there are some engineering problems, it is still fun to mess around with, and there are others that are far worse then he is. He makes good use of his alt mode parts in robot mode, and the only major problem he really has is a common problem for mini-cons, static legs. One thing I do find weird though is that he's the only bit of Yellow in this set, so he stands out quite obnoxiously.

Onto the robot mode and base mode, because the main gimmick of the trailer is that as you transform Optimus Prime, electronics in the trailer convert the trailer between its three modes. While the trailer is something I couldn't care less about, I do like the robot mode for Optimus. Again, it's not flawless, but there is a charm to it. The proportions are good, and it gives the body a very powerful look too it, but there are problems in articulation, in that the hips cannot move backwards at all. A small gimmick I don't hear a lot of people talk about in the toy is the button on the back of Prime's head. While meant more for his next mode, in this mode it makes the mouth plate move up and down, to make it look like he's talking, like in the Generation 1 cartoon. It's a neat little touch. I also like the Matrix he has with him, while it's not removable like the Cybertron toy a few years later, the plate is well sculpted and the paintwork on it is really well done. as for the Base mode in the trailer, it looks like a trailer flattened out with scaffolding to look like a base. There are a number of places Mini-cons can interact with the base, but it doesn't hide from the fact that this isn't a base. This is a Micromaster playset without the parts forming, but because of the motor to automorph, it doesn't have the moving parts needed to make something that looks good. But, onto the Powerlink mode, when Prime and the trailer combine to form a super robot and...

I'll be honest. This figure was a childhood dream of mine, for reasons you'll see in a few weeks. I want to love this thing, but I just can't. I called out the Revenge of the Fallen toy for being a statue, and that had more moving parts then this guy does. All the articulation this guy has is in the truck, the legs are completely static. While it is already taller then a combiner like Abominus at the moment, at least Abominus can move. There are also some gaps around the shoulders that break up the look of the figure, and while many people aren't a fan of the super mode head, I do like it, but I'll agree that it's not a good Optimus head. Certainly something better for another figure. One function the electronics have which I do think would be cool, I just can't show it off cause I don't have the parts needed for it, is that there is a light in the right fist of the combined form that, when on, can light up either Prime's Gun, or the Star Saber mini-con team when they're combined. Think something like Masterpiece Grimlock's light up fist as an example.

No. This is not a good Optimus Toy. But, that being said, it is a good example of one thing I've said in groups and message boards when it comes to updating other toys that didn't come from Generation 1. I do think there is potential in this figure to be something really good if it had some modern engineering put in, and the electronics were removed. I do think the spark of a good toy is here, but the time it was made just wouldn't allow for it. Granted, that could just be nostalgia for the Armada show talking here. If Generation 1 fans are terrified already at this, a toy from that dreaded anime time, then they're going to hate the next batch of reviews, because I'm not done yet. Up next, Armada Overload.