Robots in Disguise X-Brawn and Scourge Two Pack

Our Walmart 'round these parts finally got the new spychanger/basic toys. Originally I was only planning on buying this pack, but when I saw the Optimus and Ultra Magnus ones, I had to spring for them as well. D'oh. I also have around $45 worth of stuff coming from BBTS, a Tigerhawk I got for $22 (with shipping, good deal me thinks) is also in the mail, and I got my original Rhinox in the mail today as well. Dude. Oh and a TM Cheetor should be in the mail soon as well. Double dude.

Anyways, of the three possible packs you can get, this one is the best. Optimus and Ultra Magnus are cool, but they don't make for overly good basics. I'm not reviewing them here, however, so that's all I'll say. Go check out their reviews.

The only two pack of the wave, this has the first mini-version of X-Brawn (with versions of the other two car brothers out, though nowhere near as accurate as this one) and the first US version of Scourge since the horror that is TM2 Scourge. First US release of Black Convoy as well, albeit not the full sized release (which will be my next RID purchase, barring a super Side Burn purchase, which isn't likely as they are apparently now hard to find (as with all versions of Side Burn)). First, X-Brawn.

Mini X-Brawn
Vehicle mode is X-Brawn's weird pseudo Mercedes Benz SUV design which has the headlights changed because Mercedes probably doesn't want to be mimiced by Transformers or something. It follows his deluxe version quite well, though the hinge sticking out one of the sides takes away from the coolness of it a bit, but overall it's very nice. Rolls quite well, and dwarfs most of my Hot Wheels. Probably about 1:58 scale or so. Give or take.

Transformation is similar to the originals. Pull out his legs, flip open the entire front of the truck (after opening the doors, wow, a spychanger with doors that open!) and tada! Don't even bother with the instructions.

As with the deluxe version, X-Brawn ends up carring the entire hood area of his truck mode on his left arm. He also has the same features of his deluxe counterpart. Actually, it's a pretty good scale down of the larger model. Very cool.

Also cool is his super poseable right arm. His shoulder and elbow are on hings joints that move in opposite directions (like the segments on TM Rattrap's tail) making for an arm the components of Ruination would die for. His other arm is pretty poseable as well, even having a swivel and hinge at the shoulder (which makes for the same as a ball joint) though that arm is hampered a lot by the kibble. His legs are stuck together until the end of time.

It's also worth note that X-Brawn is the only spychanger of this line to not have a fake wheel set. Apparently spychangers aren't allowed to have more than four wheels, and with the other three having more than that, they had some fake wheels added. X-Brawn has all his wheels working, which is a definite plus. Also just a quick note, but he has the Autobot symbol etched into his wrist/arm the same place the deluxe version has it. Very cool.

All in all, XB is a cool toy. For the price ($2.48 at Walmart, given that he's half the price without Scourge, heh) he's even better than the deluxe version, though the engine for an arm thing has kinda worn out its welcome by now.

Rounded up from 7.5

Mini Scourge
Well, if Hasbro thinks this thing is gonna hold us over until the super version comes out, they are mistaken. It's like an appetizer or something. Okay, so it's really cool, but all it does is make me want the damn big version even more. Ah, I guess that's what Hasbro wanted. Good show.

Of course I don't have a Black Convoy or even a Laser Optimus Prime to compare this to, but going by the various pictures I've seen of the two, this is a very faithful reproduction of the original. It also shows where the Decepticon symbol will go on the US release. The hood. Whoo, like there was ever any doubt. Maybe with all this delay Hasbro has been making a mold change and plans of having a molded Decepticon symbol on there or something. Or maybe not. Heck, the didn't even change super Prowl's door tampos, why would they make a mold change to Scourge. Oh well.

Anywho, vehicle mode is the cab of a tanker truck. Sorry, no trailer. It's a neat cab, if a bit small (it's shorter than X-Brawn's vehicle mode). It also has the patented fake set of wheels, though unlike Magnus and Optimus, his appear to be real wheels that were just glued on there instead of putting them on an axle. Why they even bothered I guess we'll never know, but it at least looks better than the ones painted on Optimus and Magnus (some of which aren't even painted on Magnus).

Transformation, I'm told, matches the bigger version, which is always a plus. Pull his legs down, separate the hood of the truck which becomes Scourge's huge shoulders, and then flip up his head. That last part is easier said than done. His head is in there pretty good, and if you don't have fingernails or your fingers are extra beefy, you may have some problems getting Scourge to have a head. If you quickly run your finger over his head from the top to the bottom, it will pop up, but you need to do it right. Plus I'm sure you run the risk of messing with the paint, but it probably won't be too much of a problem.

As for articulation, well, Scourge is a tiny, tiny brick. He has elbows and that's about it. Not that I'd expect much more from a spychanger anyways, so it's cool. All in all, a very excellent toy for its size. If you see this two pack, grab it, because, folks, it rocks. Scourge rules!