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Series: Prime Beast Hunters
Allegiance: Autobot
Categories: Commander
Year: 2013
When Optimus Prime needs something built, and built well, he turns to Huffer. The Autobot construction engineer doesn't speak much, and when he does it's usually to complain that something can't be done. Then he goes ahead and does it anyway. His fortifications are more than strong enough to hold off even the most devastating Predacon blitz. The other Autobots don't enjoy his bad attitude, but they are more than happy to take cover in the structures he creates. He isn't a powerful fighter, but he is incredibly strong. He can lift almost as much as Optimus Prime himself. He's also equipped with a mobile lab in his arms that allows him to test and analyze any material for use in one of his structures.
Robot Mode: This toy pays homage to G1 Huffer, naturally, so an orange paintjob with blue highlights is a given. Apart from that and the head design the resemblance to the G1 original isn’t that great, but it’s recognizably the same character. Homage aside Prime Huffer is a pretty nicely articulated figure and despite his small size he manages to look pretty strong and powerful. The two shoulder guns are a nice touch, too, as I am a sucker for shoulder-mounted weaponry. The paint details are pretty nice as well, so no complaints on that front, either.
Just two things that bother me a bit. One are the forearms, where quite a bit of kibble from the vehicle mode just hangs around. It doesn’t hinder his movements or anything, but I don’t like how those panels almost wrap around the entire forearm. And the other thing: the weapon. It’s not bad, but the overly long missile kind of ruins it. The gun looks much better without the missile, truth be told, and Huffer can use the missile as a club instead.
So bottom line: a nice robot mode. Not perfect, not a spot-on homage, but nicely done.
Alternate Mode: Seeing as this mold was originally used for Trailcutter (and Ironhide before that), the robot transforms into a pick-up truck instead of an actual truck like G1 Huffer did. Leaving that aside, though, this Beast-Hunter-ized vehicle (lots of spikes and guns added to the vehicle shell) looks pretty spiffy in orange and silver, so the fact that it’s another vehicle type than it was back in the days of G1 isn’t a problem. The disguise factor is pretty good, no visible robot bits, and you can mount Huffer’s big cannon on the hood or on the sides. Not much else I can say here, a good vehicle mode.
Remarks: The inevitable fate of a Transformers toy is to be used for a repaint at least once, usually numerous times. In this case repainting Trailcutter (who is himself an extensive retool of the Prime Cyberverse Commander Ironhide figure) gives us what is only the fourth ever Huffer figure (not counting reissues of the G1 original). There was the original G1 toy, the Botcon 2007 exclusive, and the 2010 Power Core Combiner. Which makes Huffer (together with Trailbreaker/-cutter) the least-represented member of the original Ark crew. Just like Prime Trailcutter Huffer isn’t actually part of the Prime TV series and I don’t think he appeared in any of the comics, either.
That said, this is a nice toy. I abstained from the Trailcutter variant, but the figure makes for a nice Huffer. He’s certainly far from a must-have and I hope to see a proper Generations-style Huffer sooner rather than later, but in terms of the Prime Beast Hunters line, he’s a good catch.
Rating: B-
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