Combiner Wars Sunstreaker

Robot Mode: Sunstreaker is a retool of the Stunticon Breakdown, but with a new head and the familiar yellow and black colors we remember from G1 Sunstreaker. Of course the design is somewhat different, as he has neither the car hood as feet, nor the car roof for a chest, but with the Sunstreaker-styled head and the colors he is recognizable for who he is.

The figure itself is pretty good, if a bit simplified and somewhat built around the combiner gimmick in the form of that big peg in the center of his chest. Still, Sunstreaker can pose nicely, comes with a big gun / sword thing and is actually the first Combiner Wars figure I know who nicely incorporates the big combiner hand / foot / gun thing in robot mode. He can apply it to his back, mimicking Sunstreaker’s trademark roof-mounted engine thing. Nicely done.

Overall Combiner Wars Sunstreaker is a good robot that is recognizable as the character he is meant to portray. Not revolutionary in any way, but good.

Alternate Mode: Sunstreaker transforms into a yellow sportscar that doesn’t really look like a Lamborghini, but sufficiently sporty, I guess. The Hand-Foot-Gun from the combiner goes on top as his trademark top-mounted engine and his blade gun can be mounted on the side if you want. Overall the car looks good, though it could use a few more painted details and such. Bottom line, an okay car mode. Nothing more, nothing less.

Combiner Mode: Sunstreaker can form either an arm or a leg of Optimus Maximus (or any other Combiner Wars Combiner for that matter). I’ll do a separate review of Optimus Maximus once I’m through with the individual team members.

Remarks: Sunstreaker actually played a pretty big role in the early IDW comics, being part of the Autobots‘ Earth team before being kidnapped by the Machination and turned into the first Headmaster against his will. Sadly that potentially interesting storyline was aborted by the hack-job Shane McCarthy did on All Hail Megatron and instead Sunstreaker became, first, a traitor, second, a casualty of trying to make good his betrayel, third, a crippled bot in a wheelchair with an Insecticon for a pet, and finally a part of the Optimus Maximus combiner in Combiner Wars. Yeah, he’s been through some twists and turns.

As a toy Sunstreaker is good. Viewed as a stand-alone figure he’s not as good as Universe Sunstreaker, mind you, being smaller and more simplified, but he does have the advantage of being able to combine with others into the fabulous Optimus Maximus. So the bottom line is: stand-alone Sunstreaker? Go for the Universe version. But a Combiner team made up from some classic Autobots? Then you need this guy.

Rating: B