G1 Springer

Robot Mode: Springer holds a great deal of resemblance in robot mode to the character we saw both in the 1986 Transformers Movie and the 3rd season of the G1 cartoon series. Especially the head is very nicely done and the rest of the body looks pretty good, too, so no complaints on that front. In terms of posability Springer is an average robot for his time. He can move his arms pretty freely at both shoulders and elbows, but that's it. The rest of him is a statue.

A slight flaw here is the legs. They consist of two separate parts each that align side by side, but the alignment isn't perfect, so there's a bit of a gap in the shins. Also, it's a bit of a good thing that Springer can't pose much, cause these feet wouldn't support most dynamic poses. In terms of weapons Springer carries a chrome-polished laser rifle and he can use the rotor-blades of his helicopter mode as a sword. Sadly the joint of the rotor-sword is pretty worn on my Springer, so the sword has problems staying erect.

All in all, though, Springer is one of the better-made robots from the 1986 line, both in terms of look and posability. Not perfect, but good.

Alternate Mode: As a triple changer Springer has two different alternate modes, though 'different' might be stretching things a little. The first alternate mode is a helicopter and that one is done pretty well. It does look a bit too futuristic to be an Earth-style helicopter, but apart from that there is really very little to complain about here. The rotorblades can turn and the entire vehicle looks very wholesome. The only slight flaw here is that you can see the fists of the robot mode on the 'wings' of the 'copter, but apart from that: Very nice.

Springer's second alternate mode, though, seems to be little more than an add-on. It's basically the helicopter without the rotor blades and with a somewhat shortened tail section. You can more or less tell that it's supposed to be a car, but barely. Springer's gun can be mounted on top in the spot where the rotor blades were. All in all by far the worst of Springer's three modes.

Remarks: Springer first appeared in the 1986 Transformers Movie and went on to become one of the primary characters in the third season of the G1 cartoon series. At one time he even seemed set to become the next Prime when Rodimus Prime was badly wounded in the 5-part "Five Faces of Darkness" episode. Springer wanted no part of it, though. He kind of disappeared without explanation after the end of Season 3, but remains one of the best-known Transformers of that time.

As a toy Springer makes for a good Transformer, but a bad Triple-Changer. Most of the G1 Triple-Changers accomplish the task of having two rather different-looking alternate modes (even Broadside, the worst of the lot), but Springer doesn't. His car mode looks pretty much exactly like his helicopter mode. Added to that is the fact that Springer hardly ever used his car mode in the series, so personally I barely think of him as a Triple-Changer. But as a "normal" Transformer he's pretty good and being one of the main characters of the third season, he's very nearly a must-have. So if you can get him in good condition at a decent price, my recommendation is to grab him.

Rating: B+