Cybertron Crumplezone

Series: Cybertron
Allegiance: Decepticon
Categories: Voyager
Year: 2005

Trusting but dumb, Crumplezone is often drawn into serving as the muscle to back up the paranoid plotting of his partner Ransack. Huge, powerful and superfast, Crumplezone is sometimes surprised by sudden turns. Not that it matters - he's the biggest guy on the Speed Planet, and crashing straight ahead through whatever gets in his way is his specialty. Twin-turbine ramjets can propel him at nearly the speed of sound, and selective thrust reversal allows him to fire hypersonic, high-explosive slugs nearly 12 miles.

Robot Mode: Crumplezone is a very ape-like robot, huge arms and broad chest coupled with short, stubby legs. It fits his character, though, the dump brute, so that's okay. His posability is good, though his very top-heavy build occassionally gives him balancing issues. I'm not too hot about the wings hanging off his forearms, they are a bit of a hindrance, but that's pretty much his only flaw. He carries no hand weapon, something I often bemoan about modern-day Transformers, but can flip out his bazookas from his back onto his shoulders, giving him all the firepower he needs. Bottom line, a good TV likeness and an interesting robot.

Alternate Mode: Crumplezone transforms into a vehicle that reminds me of those supersonic ground racers they sometimes show trying to break the land speed record in some desert or other. Massive but sleek, its almost the opposite of his robot mode, conveying a sense of speed and power. Just like in robot mode you can flip over the bazookas, turning turbine engines into offensive weapons. All in all a good, if somewhat strange-looking vehicle mode.

Remarks: Crumplezone, one half of Speedia's trickster duo (along with Ransack) made for a fun TV character and his toy reflects that. His cyber key activates his bazookas along with some decent sound effects (though I must say I never do pay much attention to sound effects) and, unlike some other Cybertron toys, you can leave in the key without it coming in the way. Crumplezone is a good toy through and through, so if you're not bothered by his somewhat strange proportions in robot mode you should get him for your Cybertron collection.

Rating: B