Generations Selects Super Megatron

 

Prelude: Remember that Galvatron figure from Titans Return? The one pretty much everyone said had potential, but was really messed up due to a terribly-implemented Headmaster gimmick and a superfluous jet mode? Well, Generations Selects took that figure, retooled it quite a bit, and released it as Super Megatron. Can this figure finally validate the potential of the mold? Let’s say go!

Robot Mode: Let us start by saying that the amount of retooling done on this figure is pretty extensive. The legs and arms are still recognizable as being more or less the same as the Galvatron figure, but most of the torso has been redone and the head is not a Headmaster, either. Also, the colors have changed, so we have Megatron’s customary grey and black with red accents. The figure retains the pretty good articulation of the original, including ankle tilts, but sadly it also retains the original’s open forearms and lack of wrist movement.

Now in the Battlestars Manga (see below), Super Megatron underwent an upgrade at one point to transform him from Super Megatron into Ultra Megatron (and later on into a tentacled head, but that is another story), and the toy reflects that. In it’s “normal” mode, it’s your basic Megatron, really. Face in bucket helmet, large gun on his arm (though not the standard black tube), and with most of the kibble relegated to the back.

Transforming this robot into its Ultra configuration involves several steps, so feel free to create as many intermediate modes as you wish. The big arm gun flips open into a huge missile launcher. Flat missile launchers flip forward onto his shoulders and extend a pair of wings each to the side. Long wings emerge from the back, either to stick straight up or extend outwards to the sides. The chest plate flips around to show a more detailed one. A triple-barreled gun attaches to the shoulder. And finally, the face flips around inside the helmet, showing a new, black battle mask. Side note: the “headband” can switch around independently of the face, so all in all you have four different versions of how this Megatron’s face can look.

Overall this robot offers a whole lot of play value through the many different configurations you can put him in. Personally I prefer leaving the wings tucked in and the gun in gun mode, while I like the battle mask face and the more detailed chest plate, but again: your choice. Super Megatron can be the robot you want him to be. So bottom line: a very fun robot mode, no complaints from me.

Alternate Mode: Much like Galvatron, Super Megatron is a triple changer as well (or quad-changer, really, if you count his two robot modes), who can transform into both a tank and a jet. Now let me state that both modes are superior to the alternate modes of Titans Return Galvatron, but that is a rather low bar to clear. Let’s start with the tank mode, which is recognizable as a tank only due to the tracks on the front and the gun turret in the center, where the gun can rotate and be raised up. It passes as some kid of science fiction tank thing but would never pass for a realistic tank. Also, while there are tracks at the front, the back skids on the forearms of the robot mode, where there isn’t even a small wheel or something.

The jet mode is a bit better-looking, recognizable as a flying vehicle with a long nose (the big gun), proper wings, and not looking nearly as puzzled-together as the tank. No landing gear, sadly, but apart from that it works pretty well and kind of reminds me of Animated Megatron in his pre-Earth mode. So bottom line: the jet mode is easily the better of the two alternate modes, but neither of them are really that great.

Remarks: In the Japanese G1 continuity, Galvatron met his demise during the Headmaster TV series. A few years later he was resurrected by the newest Destron Emperor of Destruction, Dark Nova, as Super Megatron during Battlestars: Return of Convoy (available only in Manga form) in order to face the resurrected Convoy aka Optimus Prime aka Star Convoy. Unlike Star Convoy, Super Megatron never received a toy on the shelves until Generations Selects.

As a toy Super Megatron is pretty cool for playing with, especially the robot mode with its many, many variations. The alternate modes are a bit less fun, to be honest, but canonically Megatron has never put much effort into realistic alternate modes, so that’s somewhat in character for him. So bottom line: if you like cool Megatron robots and don’t care too much about the alternate modes, this is a toy for you.

Rating: B+