G1 Megatron

Robot Mode: In some ways Megatron personifies the trends from the early Transformers toys. A robot mode that is clearly subordinate to a realistic alt mode, not a whole lot of likeness to the TV character, and not very posable. The construction is quite sturdy, though, and Megatron has stood the test of time. The robot as such is nothing too special, but offers a lot of different ways to apply the weapon parts. You can either use the classic scope-on-arm, put all the parts together into an artillery station complete with tripod, or construct a mighty bazooka for Megatron. All in all the robot mode is good, but nothing too special.

Alternate Mode: Megatron transforms into a gun, complete with silencer, scope and that thing where you can press it against your shoulder. The model is a Walther 38, a genuine gun model that was sold during the eighties. The gun looks pretty realistic, but that's pretty much all I can say about it. It's also the main reason this toy was never reproduced outside Japan, seeing as toy guns for children are out of fashion for some reason.

Remarks: From a toy perspective Megatron isn't that special. From a nostalgia perspective you just gotta have him, though. And I was definitely pleasantly surprised when my girlfriend (aka my future wife) presented me with a genuine G1 Megatron for St. Nikolaus. Complete with package, booklet, techspec decoder, and sticker sheet (though the stickers were already applied). She won't tell me how much she paid for him, but said it was a bargain. And considering what original Megatrons go for on ebay I will just have to believe her. Anyway, I wanted this toy mostly for the nostalgia of possessing the original Decepticon leader. And he isn't half-bad as a toy, either. So if you can get one for a decent price, he's most definitely recommended.

Rating: B