G1 Sixshot

Robot Mode: As a robot Sixshot stands taller than most other Transformers of the time, almost on a par with giants like Powermaster Optimus Prime. Not only that, though, he also manages to look quite cool. His posability leaves something to be desired, having only six points of articulation, but he makes up for it with sheer meanness. In the cartoon his wings are folded fully back and upright as in the pictures, but you can also spread them out from his back, giving him a cool manga-warrior like look.

Alternate Mode: Sixshot is a real treat when it comes to his transformations, offering five alternate modes and some of those even offer further variations. For example his first mode, the wolf, can either be a 'normal' wolf, or you can fold out the wings and create a winged eolf. Not much posability, but that's all right.

Sixshot's gun mode is one of the weaker ones, but still manages to look pretty much like what it's supposed to be (it even has a pullable trigger) and is large enough to be quite a caliber in a kid's hands.

As a jeep Sixshot looks very decent, the only drawback in this mode being the wings. It seems the designer didn't quite know where to put them in this mode, so they seem out of place folded down on the sides like they are. Apart from that, though, a good mode.

The artillery tank doesn't look like any vehicle you'll find on Earth, but it doesn't really have to. It looks powerful and dangerous, which is the whole point.

Finally, the jetmode looks pretty decent as well, though it holds very little resemblance to an actual Earth aircraft, its aerodynamics not terribly good. Still, a decent jet mode to round out his many transformation modes.

Missing Parts: Sixshot's twin handguns are missing. For the pictures I replaced them with those of Dreadwind.

Remarks: Sixshot was the first Transformer to offer six different modes of transformation (seven if you count the winged wolf and 'normal' wolf as different modes). He only appeared in the US cartoon once (in the episode Rebirth, part 1), but gave a pretty impressive showing by taking out all five Aerialbots in a matter of seconds. He also played a role in the Japanese Headmaster cartoon (he killed Ultra Magnus, apparently), but I only ever saw the first two episodes of that one.

Whatever his role in the cartoon, though, Sixshot is the ultimate transforming toy simply because you can spend a lot of time just trying out the various modes and looking for even further variations (apparently there are people who figured out up to nine, but that might just be a rumour). As such he gets special points for play value.

Bottom line: A great Transformer.

Rating: A-