(NOTE: Because this is a repaint, this is not a full-blown review. This mainly covers any changes made to the mold and the color scheme, and merely compares it to the original RID2015 3-step Bumblebee toy. For a review on the mold itself, read the review of the original RID2015 3-step Bumblebee here.)

    The Toys "R" Us exclusive "Clash" version of the 3-step changer Bumblebee mold has a color scheme not unlike the Night Ops "reverse" color scheme, but with significantly more variety, particularly in robot mode. As with the usual "reverse colors" 'Bee toy, black is by far the main color in vehicle mode and one of the main colors in robot mode. This black is a charcoally, "impure" black-- I think a more "pure" black would've looked better-- BUT it's semi-metallic with some glitter mixed in with the plastic, so those two qualities balance each other out, in my opinion. There's actually two different shades of yellow on this version of 'Bee; there's the yellow plastic, which is used only on the upper legs, and is an orangish "cheesy" shade of the plastic not unlike that used on many toys of the Movie version of the character. There's also a more typical "pure yellow" used on all the paint-- on the chest, the head, the lower legs, and on the sides and front of the lower legs/feet. Against the black plastic on the lower arms and feet, though, the yellow isn't layered on quite thick enough, so the black "shows through" a little and makes the yellow a bit darker than it should be, which is a minor bummer. The other major color on this version of Bumblebee is a moderately light blue, which is used on most of the "Clash" toys to sort of give it that "Energon-y upgrade" feel. It's used on the windows of the car mode-- which just looks really, really nice against all that charcoal black-- as well as the headlights, around the knees, the sides of the chest, the lower arms, the eyes, and on the "armor bits" on the sides of his head. The blue and the yellow don't outright clash, but they don't go together nearly as well as the blue and black, in my opinion. There's also some silver paint on the abs and the face, as well as some light metallic silvery blue-- the kind often used on car windows-- used on the faux headlight details on the chest. Put it all together and that's a pretty good amount of colors there-- the back section of the vehicle mode has a bit too much unbroken black, but otherwise his color scheme's great.
    There are several mold changes made to "Clash" Bumblebee, to more accurately reflect how he looks in his Season 1 finale upgraded form (it's certainly still not 100%, though, particularly on the arms which are left unchanged). The parts that ARE changed-- to start-- are the lower leg pieces, which have details that more closely fit Bumblebee's robot legs and NOT the front of his car mode. This of course means that they look better in robot mode, but in vehicle mode they make for a poor front hood since you've got those big knee details right there. The robot chest has also been completely changed, with a less "stripey" and more "armored-up" look, with faux headlights on the bottom of the chest, blue "straps" on the sides of the chest, and a more "badge"-like detail on the center of the chest with angular abs. The head has also been remolded, with the "armor mask" down over his face like on the show, as well as ornamental armor on the sides of his head that almost look like side anteanne, but there's a bit of a gap between them and the head so they're definitely armor, instead. (Unfortunately, the toy still has the issue of the head looking slightly downwards.) Finally, 'Bee comes with a safety orange-colored Decepticon Hunter/sword weapon, which can be held in either of his fists and stored on the sides of the car mode, near the front.
    "Clash" 3-step Bumblebee is just a great toy, especially when you take into account the limitations of the gimmick. He's got some great new mold detailing that helps make him look "armored up", he's got a weapon which this mold definitely needed, he's got a great color scheme with the usual "reverse colors" along with a lot of nice light blue and some extra colors on the chest... and it's just a pretty good mold. The only thing I really don't like about the toy compared to the other versions of this mold are the remolded lower legs, which make the knees really obvious in vehicle mode. If you only get one version of this mold, make this the one.
 

Review by Beastbot

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