Thrilling 30 Rattrap

Robot Mode: Generations Rattrap is based on Beast Wars Rattrap as he appeared in the first season of the Beast Wars TV series. The original toy was a Basic-sized figure, so this Deluxe robot here is a good deal taller and far more detailed. He has the same basic design in that in his beast mode head forms the chest and he’s got two ‘wings’ on his back that form the beast mode’s main body. There are some differences as well, though, such as the fact that only the rat’s forelegs are part of the shell on his back, the hind legs actually become the robot mode legs. You can see the rat paws on the back of his legs.

Articulation and detailing are good and resemblance to the TV character is also nicely done, so no complaints on any of these fronts. In terms of weapons Rattrap carries a big translucent gun that can split into two smaller guns. One of these smaller weapons is actually the cutting torch Rattrap used in the Beast Wars TV series. Another series homage is Rattrap’s left arm, where the forearm can flip open to reveal… well, it was a bomb in the series, but here it actually looks more like binoculars. Anyway, a nice nod to the TV character, very well done. There is really but one downside to the robot mode and that’s the beast mode tail, which just hangs straight down from the back and almost scrapes on the floor when the robot just stands there. Can’t really position it any better than that, sadly.

So bottom line: this is Rattrap, no doubt. As perfect a figure of the great Beast Wars character as we’re ever going to get. Well, an additional hinge for the tail would be the only improvement I could think of.

Beast Mode: As you can probably guess from the name, Rattrap transforms into a rat. The transformation is more or less the same as it was for the basic figure, though a tad more complex, especially when it comes to the legs. The resulting rat looks pretty realistic from most angles, just not from underneath because you can see the robot arms hanging there. Apart from that, though, very nicely done. The fur is nicely detailed, the head looks great, the paws are near-perfect and I even like the tail in this mode. Forelegs are articulated and you can open the rat’s mouth. So bottom line: a very nice beast mode apart from the robot arms hanging underneath the stomach.

Remarks: Rattrap was part of the core cast of the Beast Wars TV show and a pretty unusual character, at least for the time. Despite being one of the heroes he was snarky, he liked to avoid fights whenever he could (less out of fear and more out of common sense), he was critical of his leader and suspicious of his teammates (especially Dinobot). During the run of the series, though, Rattrap became one of the best and most likeable characters of the entire cast and proved himself the kind of guy who always came through when the going got tough.

As for the toy, it is nothing more and nothing less than a well-done update of the Beast Wars toy. He’s not the same kind of remarkable, extraordinary figure that Generations Rhinox is, but that may simply be because – unlike Rhinox – Rattrap already had a couple of pretty decent figures in the original Beast Wars toy line, so the rate of improvement isn’t nearly as steep. Still, a good figure and a must-buy for any Beast Wars fan. Non-BW fans might want to think twice, though.

Rating: B