Hi, guys! Sharp-O back again with a look at the multiversal menace from the BOOM! Studios Power Rangers comic books; Lord Drakkon!

Hi, guys! Sharp-O back once again to gush over one of the exclusive Power Rangers Lightning Collection releases from Hasbro. The cruellest and most brutal of the villainous Psycho Rangers; Psycho Blue!

Get yours from In Demand Toys here!

Sharp-O’s back once again to answer the call to review one of the highlights of Hasbro’s first wave of Power Ranger Lightning Collection figures – SPD Shadow Ranger!

Hi guys! Sharp-O back once again for another toy review and this time I’m taking a look at a downright dastardly duo of DUOCONS! Battleslash and Roadtrap are Legends-class figures from the Power of The Primes line that combine together to form the G1-homaging BATTLETRAP!

The amazing Titans Return line continues and not content with reviving the Headmasters, Targetmasters and Powermasters of yesteryear, the line has taken a swift right into the bad part of town that is home to the bizarre assortment of 1987 robots known as the Monsterbots.

Twinferno (aka Doublecross) is one of the Monsterbots, an Autobot trio that makes the Dinobots and the Wreckers look positively friendly by comparison.  His comrade Repugnus makes an appearance in the low-price Titan Master assortment so we may be seeing the trio complete before the line is done.

Twinferno’s beast mode is an awesome two-headed, bi-pedal dragon — ala King Ghidora. The twin heads have a decent array of movement since they’re also pulling double duty as arms in robot mode, allowing for some cool poses! Unfortunately, the tail refuses to stay together via friction and had to be forcefully compressed together for the photos.

Partnered with Twinferno is the Titan Master, Daburu. His name is derived from the Japanese pronunciation of Double and his nicely sculpted robot form is a homage to White Leo of the Battle Beasts/Beastformers, a toyline with close ties to the Transformers in Japan.

Daburu can ‘pilot’ Twinferno via several mounting points on the dragon mode which is pretty neat.

Being a Titan Master, the pair can combine to form a singular robot and Twinferno’s head is a really handsome visage, if a little plain.

Twinferno stands a little shorter than the other figure I have from this line, the previously reviewed Mindwipe and can even swap heads as part of the signature cross-play pattern.

As a solo figure, he definitely cuts an impressive silhouette and looks like a proper boxy brawler. He has a decent range of articulation and can do a fair Rider Kick and even be a pretty ballerina!

The twin cannons that were previously mounted on the dragon mode’s back can be wielded in robot mode as either shoulder cannons or by attaching them to the side of his dragon face hands.

Twinferno was one of my highly anticipated figures from the Titans Return range and I’m happy to say that this figure does not disappoint! He’s an absolute blast to play with and I highly recommend picking him up for yourselves.

After too long in the dark, the beastial Decepticons of the Headmaster era return in the aptly titled Titans Return line and today we’re looking at the master of hypnotism; Mindwipe!

Mindwipe is a superstitious and cowardly ‘Con, the Transformers equivalent of a Ouija board enthusiast who desperately wants to communicate with the dead. Quite a macabre character bio but it soon devolves that into sitcom shenanigans when he’s paired with his scientifically-minded Titan Master, Vorath.

Mindwipe’s bat mode brings to mind the Ricky Gervais bit: Have you been over-feeding a pipistrelle? because this is a proper chubby bat. The wing span is epic and has amazing articulation, befitting of such a creature of the night. His gun/shield kibble tail is a bit slapdash though (Oh! Oh! Can we get a Titan Master Slapdash?)

Just like an evil Kinder Egg, Mindwipe has a prize inside and it’s none other than Vorath! This 1½ inch head on legs has a surprising amount of detail but sod all paint work (but that’s why people fork out for the Japanese ones) but that’s fine because it’d only get chipped in the process of inserting his tiny head into Mindwipe’s neck hole over and over again. That’s way grosser than I intended…

Vorath can ‘pilot’ the weapons in their gun… sled… configuration. My one complaint about this line is the forced inclusion of rubbish ‘vehicles’ in the Deluxe figure range.

The conversion process is lovely and intuitive, the bat wings folding into nice boxy legs while his stumpy legs unfurl for the robot mode arms. Scale-wise, Mindwipe stands at a little under 6″ tall. While that isn’t quite as big as you’d expect but for what he lacks in height, he makes up for in quality.

Ooooooh myyyyyyy! I think I might be turning robosexual with this figure because DAMN, Mindwipe looks gorgeous. The colour palette is like a pimp’s finest suit; blacks, reds, subtle browns and the same sexy-ass purple I have on my bedroom walls!

The proportions are full of satisfying chunk and tight joints. You can pull off a great range of poses but there’s no ankle articulation so his legs are constantly in a wide stance. His weapons includes an update of his trademark Viper Pistol and the clawed shield dealie which will probably end up in a box somewhere…

Mindwipe’s return to the Transformers line is much appreciated as his figure is the best Transformer I’ve messed with in a very long time and after this initial hands-on experience, I will definitely be trying to hunt down both Skullsmasher and Wolfwire to complete the trio. I want to give a super-special-awesome shout-out to Dawfydd Kelly for sending this figure to me out of the kindness of his heart though considering how now I want more, he’s more like a plastic crack pusher…

Anyway, thank you for checking out my review and I’ll catch you guys next time with another Mint in Box!

The Transformers Prime: Beast Hunters line has had some really interesting toys that I can’t wait to own and this sub-line throws more into the ring. Predacons Rising is a retailer exclusive sub-line for Target in the States and Tesco in the UK. Today we’re looking at a Cyberverse two-pack, bringing me one step closer to a Predacon gestalt and another edition to my Lost Light crew shelf. They’re the smallest-scaled Transformers out right now but they can be some of the most entertaining toys I’ve owned.

Smokescreen is a damn good character, I was unsure of his inclusion so late to the series but Nolan North managed to make him extremely likable. In this two pack, the Cyberverse mould is repainted to look like Smokey’s G1 namesake and that’s always a great thing. His vehicle form is sleek, sexy and very cool, although there’s some weird issue with the back end. The pieces just don’t quite fit together the way you expect leaving the vehicle mode with a slight hump back. Let’s take a look at his robot mode!

Smokey is a delight to transform, having enough steps to not be too simple but intuitive enough to keep it interesting. The finished robot mode is a great representation of Smokey at a tiny scale and his sparkly red really pops against the navy blue. For a cheap repaint, he’s a solid little figure, despite the problems in vehicle mode.

But where there’s Smoke’, there’s Firecon and Cindersaur is a fantastic G1-inspired repaint of Predacon gestalt leg, Rippersnapper. His beast mode is an awesome looking bipedal dragon shark monster. Cast in grey and, what I believe to be, the same purple as my bedroom walls. Clearly Hasbro is keeping tabs on what shades of purples I dig. I love all the Cyberverse Predacons, not only because they combine into the dread Abominus but also because they’re all brilliant figures, each in their own right. Although again, he has a little trouble in beast mode keeping his face together. Which is an unfortunate undercurrent in this two-pack. Let’s heat things up in robot mode.
While the transformation is much more involved, having to pull double duty for both robot and leg component, the result is a stocky little chap that I just adore. He’s one of the smaller Predacons on the market but he’s got bulk and you cannot ignore his girth. He’s definitely the star of this two-pack for me.
The Transformers Prime: Beast Hunters – Predacons Rising Cyberverse Cindersaur & Smokescreen two-pack (Can you see why I abbreviated the review title now?) is an awesome little set with only a couple niggling issues to tarnish what is otherwise a solid release for this line. I picked this up for around half price and I’d definitely recommend it for that price.

With a wealth of bow-wielding female protagonists dominating media, with the likes of The Hunger Games, Brave and Tomb Raider, it was only a matter of time before someone capitalised on that and Nerf is leading the charge with this new line aimed squarely at that demographic and is on course for a bullseye in my opinion.

“Hit me with your best shot!”

The aesthetic is refreshing and the design of each blaster is certainly unique, rather than simply painting a Maverick pink and calling it a day. Each blaster is curvaceous, with eye-popping pinks, purples and white paint apps and apparently some decal customisation option as well!

The focus is not only on empowering female Nerfers with a line of blasters that rival the boys (Matching the N-Strike Elite blasters’ range of 75ft ) but also encouraging social interaction and expanded play features. Let’s take a look at some of the products that are going to be on offer.

Heartbreaker Bow

Heartbreaker Bow

Taking the mechanics of the classic Big Bad Bow and giving it a stylish make-over, the Heartbreaker is the quintessential bow weapon but if I’m honest, it looks a little goofy, especially given its size. It’s less Katniss Everdeen and more Baby Cupid in terms of scale. The Heartbreaker Bow will retails for around £19.99.

Crossbow

“Smile, you sonuva–!”

No quaint little title for this hefty beast, it’s a mo’fuggin’ CROSSBOW and isn’t afraid to say it. It’s no doubt going to be one of the best blasters of the line on looks alone, I mean, look at it. It’s awesome! The tactical rail is useful for the Smartphone Cradle, which will help with the App-based gaming experience they’re so quick to peddle towards you, which is cool but I think this blaster stands on its own merits. The Cradle will be £14.99 and the Crossbow itself will retail for £24.99.

Alpha Girl Mission Kit

“Shiny, let’s be bad girls!”

If bows aren’t your forte, you can always go cowgirl. NOT LIKE THAT! The Alpha Girl Mission Kit features a pretty cool looking Revolver pistol, with a cocking mechanism that favours holding it one handed so these would be really fun to dual-wield. Not only do you get a kick-ass pistol but you also get protective eyewear and holster. This is looking to be a fun rival to other sidearms like the Maverick and Strongarm.

Mission Control App

Other products include a mini crossbow pistol, a two pack for “BFFs” and a variety of accessories to compliment the line. All-in-all, it’s shaping up to be an incredibly successful line, much like LEGO Friends has been, not conforming to the typical “Girls like dresses and horses and being subservient and nothing but pink“ stereotype. As the older brother to a 7 year-old girl, I’m thankful that more and more companies are realising that the old girl archetypes don’t hold anymore. I’ll be glad to pick up some of these for my little sister and she can have some kick-ass Nerf all her own (so she isn’t bugging me for MY Nerf guns).

The Nerf Rebelle line will be launched worldwide this coming Autumn.

This is one of those train-wreck movie ideas that really demands my interest because it’s just so hilariously misguided. Yes, this is indeed based on the board-game of our youth. Yes, it does star both Liam Neeson and pop singer Rihanna. And no, I can’t wait for it either.

When the announcement was made a year or two back that this was in production it raised not much more than the typical chuckling and eye-rolling from online community that you’d expect. Many a joke was made about a possible Snakes & Ladders movie starring Samuel L. Jackson (that may just be me making that one up, but c’mon, you’d watch it too) and we all dismissed it as a bad idea that might never happen anyway.

Well it did, and it’s here. And I can’t wait to see the trailer, can you? Let’s watch.

– Wait.. What?

You know when they boast that a film is “from the producers of that big film you like” or “from the makers of that similar kind of film”?

Have you ever seen them boast that it’s from the makers of those TOYS you like? No, me neither. Welcome to a whole new world, folks. It’s only going to get uglier from here…

– So uh, aliens

Anyone see this coming?

I look forward to the alternative game version where one side is lime green and the battleship is shaped like a saucer.

– It’s a metaphor or something

Want to see this movie summed up in a facial expression?

Yeah, we don’t know why you’re in this movie either Alexander Skarsgard. You’re much better than this.

– Wanna blow some stuff up?

I’m not gonna lie, some of the action in this looks cool and there seems to be a hell of a lot of it.

But far too much of the design (and sound effects) mimic the Transformers franchise. Like, REALLY mimic it. To the point where a lot of this looks like a spin-off movie rather than one of it’s own making. That might be a good thing for some more than others.

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Overall: This will either be awesome or terrible. There is no middle ground here. So far, it’s wacky enough to have my attention. It could be a fun action flick. I just hope that the writing won’t be as bad as the movies this is trying so hard to look like.