Cliffbee.com Smallest Megatron Toy Review

Individual Review




Name: Megatron
Series: World's Smallest Transformers
Allegiance: Decepticon
Function: Leader
Alternate Mode: Walther P-38 pistol



GUN MODE
Height: 4cm Length: 6cm Width: 1cm

   A small silver pistol with a black handle that's remarkably similar to the original, despite lacking any metal. The silver is entirely painted on, over red plastic which is left unpainted on a couple of attaching locations (it's just wear off them anyway). The left side of the barrel has the black decorative patterning seen on the original toy, the other side is left plain silver. He comes with a little black fusion cannon which can clip onto a (painted) post on top, although the other stock extensions aren't included.

   It's a pretty detailed gun for the size. The safety, trigger, cock and sight are all there. The handle has grip and while it's flatter than the handle of the larger one, there's a lot less room inside for stuff to slide out of so I can live with this. There's no play value other than the optional fusion cannon, but at this scale I wouldn't expect a working trigger or pellet gun, and obviously electronics are out - the gun is smaller than a AA battery!

TRANSFORMATION TO ROBOT MODE

   More or less the same as the original, which is a pretty good achievement. The hands flip out rather than extending, and the chest doesn't quite lift up right. Something good lost in translation it seems, since you can't actually "slide" it up, rather you have to pull it off completely and re-attach loosely. Transforming back to gun isn't so bad, since you just snap it firmly into place.

ROBOT MODE
Height: 3cm Width: 6cm

   Again a tiny little silver affair, Megatron has black hands and on the outsides of his boots and unpainted red inside the boots and arms. His face is silver with red eyes and the black patterning now sits on his chest, which has a tiny stamped Decepticon logo, incidentally. The black fusion cannon attached to the right forearm, as you'd expect. Again it's a great copy of the original.

   Unfortunately the cost of managing to reproduce the complexity of the larger toy at this scale is stability. Nothing really clips together here and the fusion cannon's weight makes him easy to topple. The arms and head don't clip in at all and the barrel on his hip just sort of floats there. The arms are somewhat poseable but in reality you don't get too many choices since the right arm needs to be positioned so his cannon doesn't send him sprawling.

   Still this is a great display piece and a pretty damn good piece of engineering despite the problems. No doubt Megatron would feel being this small is a great injustice!

VARIATIONS

   There was a "Farewell" giftset which also included Smallest Convoy, sold as a magazine exclusive. This Megatron had blue rather than red plastic.

OVERALL

   Despite some notable shortcomings in engineering, this is still a worthwhile addition to the Smallest Transformers line. Both mode are well reproduced and there's an awful lot of good in the engineering, which makes up for the flaws (at this scale, anyway). Fans of the Smallest Transformers concept should pick him up and I'd probably recommend him as a display piece to fans of the character. He'd get a higher score if you didn't have to pop the chest off, since that's just asking for lost pieces - 7/10

"Transformers" and other indica trademarks of Hasbro and/or Takara.