Beast Machines Snarl

Series: Beast Machines
Allegiance: Maximal
Categories: Deluxe
Function: Strategist
Year: 2000

They won't even see it coming!
As a strategic genius Snarl is a critical component of the Maximal command. Has the uncanny ability to sense his opponent's weaknesses and exploit them to Maximal advantage. Considers Vehicons a substandard challenge to his abilities - desires a match of tactics and cunning against Megatron where the victor wins the war over Cybertron. Has an ambush style of attack that rarely leaves his enemies the option of survival.

Robot Mode: Seeing as Snarl's robot mode is basically just the lion standing upright, he features most of the same sleek techno-organic look as his beast mode and looks pretty decent overall. The head is a pretty nice feature, framed by the lion's mane as it is, even though it is a bit difficult to get it to stay that way. There is a small pin at the top of the head which needs to go into the mane, that takes some doing. Still, a nice look.

Snarl doesn have some small problems in robot mode, though. His right arm features a spring-loaded attack action activated by the cog in his shoulder. Unfortunately that means his arm always snaps back into a straight line, you can't get the elbow to stay bent. Makes posing for the camera a bit difficult. His other arm features a gimmick as well, it can extend... slightly. Not really sure what the purpose is here, seeing as the arm extends by maybe a centimeter, not more. So gimmick-wise Snarl really doesn't blow me away at all, he'd have been a better figure without those. All in all, though, still a very nice looking robot mode, very posable, and great detailing.

Alternate Mode: The beast mode features Snarl in the shape of a techno-organic lion and he looks absolutely stunning here. Sleek lines, technological details, great colours, a very posable beast shape, everything fits together well. If there is one tiny weakness in this mode, then it's the fact that the forepaws still look a bit like hands, seeing as you can't tuck away the thumb very well. It's minor detail, though, and doesn't take anything away from an otherwise superb beast mode. One of the best cat-modes I've ever seen.

Remarks: Like just about every Transformers series I can think of Beast Machines also featured a number of figures that weren't part of the TV series (whatever their profiles might say) and Snarl is one of them. He did make a short appearance (in the form of a Universe repaint, though) in the Transformers Universe comic book, though, where he was instrumental in helping Optimus Primal rescue kidnapped Transformers from Unicron's clutches. That's his only appearance outside the toy shelves, though.

The figure itself was probably at least partially the inspiration for Galaxy Force Ligerjack / Cybertron Leobreaker, as they have a lot of similarities. Snarl is a pretty nifty figure, especially in beast mode. There are some limitations to the robot mode I could have done without, which takes him down a peg or two, but apart from that he's well worth getting. Recommended to fans of Beast-Transformers.

Rating: B-