Places 25 to 21

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#25

Reveal the Shield Special Ops Jazz (2010) – Winning with Style!
Voting Percentage: 20%
Average Ranking: 15.4

Despite being pretty much the epitome of cool among Transformers, Jazz didn’t have it easy after G2 bombed. He was part of G2's initial line-up in 1993, but apart from the occasional reissue of the G1 toy we didn’t see a new, dedicated Jazz figure until the Movie came around. And we had to wait another three years until we finally got an updated version of G1 Jazz in the form of Reveal the Shield Special Ops Jazz.

While a lot of people complained about his relatively plain look (easily fixed via Reprolabels), he was still a great update for the classic character and even included a gimmick that Jazz had used, I believe, all of 1 time in the G1 cartoon, his loudspeakers. The figure proved so popular that it ended up being used for repaints numerous times, including Wheelie, Treadshot, and Stepper. So bottom line: Jazz is one cool cat that fully deserves a place in the Top 30.

Honorable Mention: The United version of Jazz is basically the same figure, but with quite a few differences in terms of painted details. United Jazz got some votes of his own and came in at number 61. Pooling the votes for the two versions would have put him at number 15 instead. Oh, and the mold was also used for the Million Publishing exclusive Stepper, who managed to reach number 221.

Comments from our voters:

With Reprolabels only! - Fredi
The fans had been waiting for a Classics-type Jazz for ages, and this guy didn't disappoint. I love how the design integrates elements of the Pretender and Movie Jazzes - Warcry
Great update of Jazz, especially the in-built extra to homage a certain G1 episode. - HunterPS
Very good G1 adaption - Black Zarak

#24

Generations Wheeljack (2010) – Mad Science!
Voting Percentage: 16%
Average Ranking: 11.38

In recent years it has become almost the norm for the designers of Hasbro and Takara-Tomy to develop figures that are meant to be used at least twice for different characters, thanks to different head sculpts and minor changes to the figure itself. The best example of how to do this the right way is Generations Wheeljack, whose mold started out as Reveal the Shield Turbo Tracks (who came in at number 119). The two figures are basically the same, but look so different that you don’t really notice unless you inspect them real close.

Even leaving that ingenious double use of the mold aside, Wheeljack is a great update for one of G1’s most beloved characters. The Autobots’ mad scientist comes with his customary shoulder missile / gun and two wrenches. Yep, wrenches. He can use them to build Dinobots or beat annoying Decepticons to scrap, take your pick. I’ve always had a soft spot for Wheeljack and this Deluxe-class toy really does him justice.

Comments from our voters:

I’m a huge CHUG fan and this figure is top of the line in my book. - Tim Werner
Another great update, dazzling colors, wtf wrenches - Anguirus
Pretools are the greatest thing that's happened to Transformers in the last few years. Redesign a G1 hot shot like Tracks for the 21st century as a complex action figure. Then rerelease him as another Autobot who had a very different look... but he's still a perfect update! Now that's genius. - Hotmissile

#23

Generations Unicron Amazon Exclusive (2011) – Eat this, Primus!
Voting Percentage: 18%
Average Rank: 13.11

In 1986 we were introduced to the ultimate Transformers bad guy, the planet-sized transforming devourer of worlds Unicron. It took 17 years until we got a toy version of him in the Armada line-up, and another 8 years until we got this version of him here whom all of you voted into the top 30. There have been quite a few versions of Unicron by now, most of them using this mold here, and it split the vote but good for this god robot. But at least he can chuckle evilly and look down upon his counterpart Primus, whose Cybertron toy only managed to come in at number 89.

Unicron is a toddler-sized robot with multiple gimmicks, such as a big cannon underneath his chest plate, missile launchers in his shins, and a light-up hand as well. He comes with a Minicon that transforms into a weaponized moon. This particular version of Unicron was available exclusively at Amazon.com and Toys R’Us and sports a paint job very reminiscent of Unicron’s original appearance in the 1986 movie. Whichever version of him you prefer, though, Unicron was clearly a toy created not (or at least not exclusively) for the fans of the then-current Armada toyline, but also to please the older fans. Thanks for that.

Honorable Mention: Armada Unicron and Energon Unicron, who took spots number 35 and 196 respectively. If you lot could have made up your mind and all voted for one version of the big guy, he’d have ended up at number 7.

Comments from our voters:

Big, imposing and every bit as threatening as Unicron should be. - Warcry
That’s how Unicron ought to look. A great repaint. - Black Zarak
He deserves a spot on this list just for existing. - Exatron (on Energon Unicron)

#22

Beast Wars Optimus Primal (Ultra, 1996) – Now that's just Prime!
Voting Percentage: 22%
Average Rank: 16.09

1996 was a hard year for Transformers. G2 had pretty much failed and Hasbro had basically washed their hands of the whole thing, giving the Transformers name to newly acquired subsidy Kenner to do something with it. And do something they did, completely reinventing the line for the Jurassic Park generation and calling it Beast Wars. It could have been a tremendous failure. Instead it was a massive success that probably saved the whole franchise from extinction. Only one Beast Wars figure made it into our Top 30 (the second-best rated, Transmetal Megatron, only came in at 54), but it’s the one that really epitomizes what Beast Wars was all about.

Ultra-Class Optimus Primal IS Optimus Primal as we saw him on TV. The likeness is near-perfect, the figure’s articulation is excellent, and the sheer amount of included gimmicks and weapons is just staggering. Primal has two swords, two shoulder-mounted missile launchers, another missile launcher in one arm and a morning star weapon in the other. Plus a chest-pounding / sword-twirling gimmick and an interchangeable “mutant head”. And it’s all fully contained in this one figure here with no left-over parts in beast mode. Even by today’s standard that is a whole lot of stuff for a single figure. Back in 1996 it was sheer awesomeness, making this one of the single most fun figures ever, whose inclusion in the top 30 is fully deserved.

Honorable Mention: Some people would rather have the Beast Wars Reborn Convoy, the 10th anniversary version of this figure. He came in at number 212.

Comments from our voters:

A big, massive, articulate, accurate, and heavily armed figure. What can you possibly want more?- Tim Werner
One of the most playable toys they ever made - Anguirus
This is the figure that sold me on Beast Wars. - Black Zarak
He can fire missiles out of his butt, has a skull on string and still has both his hands. What more do you want? Oh, and he also completely reinvented Transformers, and saved it along the way. - Hotmissile

#21

Cybertron Optimus Prime (Leader, 2005) – Cyberkey Power!
Voting Percentage: 16%
Average Rank: 10.13

Another figure that didn’t get as many votes as others, but was consistently high-ranked, including no less than 3 number 1 rankings, so he manages to get into the top 30 as our first representative of the Unicron trilogy toylines. Cybertron was the third and final line of the Unicron trilogy. In a series of toy lines that heavily featured gimmicks, combinations, and electronics, Cybertron Leader-class Optimus Prime contains all three in a very fun package. A good figure on its own, he can combine with his own trailer for maximum firepower, can link up with Leo Breaker to gain a truly humongous right (or left) arm with claws, and he can also combine with Wing Saber for a winged and sword-wielding variant.

Even without the combination fun, though, Prime has still more to offer. A Cyberkey activates his big guns with lights and sounds, he has a transforming head with removable mouth plate, and his chest opens up to show a Matrix of Leadership inside him. Also, he becomes a flying fire truck. In short: lots and lots of play value.

Comments from our voters:

Combiner fun and play value without limit. - Fredi
This toy is so epic looking and his gimmicks are so good it deserves at least a mention here - Rafael
My personal favorite non-G1 Optimus Prime. Accurate, articulate, big, and gimmicks up to his ears. - Tim Werner
Prime has a ton of fun play options and looks pretty damn cool. - Daith
Simple transformation, lots of love for detail (i.e. the Matrix), a Super Mode that still looks like Optimus. - HunterPS