G1 Topspin & Twin Twist

Robot Modes: Despite looking rather different, the two Jumpstarters Topspin and Twin Twist are very similar in design. Both are very blocky robot with huge feet (which they need for their gimmick, see below) and very limited posability. They can swivel their arms at the shoulders. That's it. They are both colored white and blue, one being the inversion of the other color-wise. Topspin has wings on his shoulders, but otherwise the two look very much alike. Both carry big silver rifles for weapons and Topspin additionally has lasers sculpted into his forearms. So they don't have any problems in terms of arms.

There isn't a whole lot more I can write about their robot modes. Their gimmick starts in vehicle mode, so more on that below. Their posability is very limited and you can't really do much with them here. So average robots for their time, but no more than that.

Vehicle Modes: After a rather uncomplicated transformation (both of them fold in half and that's it) Topspin becomes something that looks like some kind of B-picture space fighter, but apparently it's meant to be some kind of amphibious vehicle meant for land and sea. Whatever. It looks okay, though there really isn't any way to hide the fact that it's a robot. Twin Twist transforms the same way and becomes a tank-like vehicle with double drills in front. Here, too, it's still a robot folded in half. But Twin Twist is the better-looking vehicle in my opinion.

Both Jumpstarters feature the same gimmick. A pull-back motor activates an auto-transformation when released, causing the vehicles to spring up and unfold into robot mode. The gimmick actually works and the two robots literally jump up (roughly an inch above the ground) and land on their big, broad feet, ready for action. Personally I like the Auto-Roller gimmick from G2 better, but it's a nice idea and very nicely implemented.

Remarks: Pretty much the only reason why anyone remembers the Jumpstarters is because they were part of the Wreckers, the Autobots' elite combat unit first created in the old Marvel UK comic books. They consisted mostly of toys that were never seen in the cartoon series, so Topspin and Twin Twist fit right in. The two of them partook in the ill-fated Operation: Volcano and later in the even more ill-fated fight against Megatron and Galvatron during the Time Wars, where they both died (as most Wreckers do sooner or later). The two of them have appeared as members of the Wreckers in just about every comic-book incarnation of Generation 1 since. Oh, and Twin Twist seems to have a real fetish for drilling into the feet of vastly superior foes such as Devastator, Menasor and Thunderwing, usually with less than pleasing results.

The Jumpstarter toys originated as the Diaclone Baku-ten (Blast-flip) Attack Robos, Salt-Man X and Salt-Man Z. Since then (early 80s) there have been hundreds of knock-offs of them, possibly the most knocked-off Transformer toys of all time. It's 2010 and there is a Topspin Knock-Off in our local REAL as part of Simba's Planet Fighters line. So one can't deny the staying power of these toys. Personally, though, I can't really get much out of them. They're okay, but nothing more than that. Average G1 figures, with a slight bonus for being part of the Wreckers. I like the Wreckers.

Ratings: C+