G1 Tracks

Prelude: Many thanks to BlackZarak, who loaned me his Tracks for this review.

Robot Mode: Tracks here is very much a robot of his time. Meaning he?s a gorgeous looking figure with tons of details and a great visual, but nearly immobile. He can move his arms sideways at the shoulders and move his elbows, that?s it. The emphasis of the early G1 figures was the alternate mode, so that isn?t surprising. It?s not a big deal, either, though. He can stand, he can point his weapon, what more do you need?

Speaking of weapons, Tracks has quite a few of them. He has a black rifle that clips into his fist (no fist-hole for this guy), as well as a double missile launcher that clips onto his back, firing spring-loaded missiles.

The resemblance to the cartoon character is quite good here, with the exemption of the face. While cartoon Tracks also had a red face in a white helmet, he had a humanoid face complete with nose and mouth. Toy Tracks only has a mouth plate (though a nose is at least hinted at). Still, there is little doubt as to who he?s supposed to be. All in all, a great-looking robot with but the standard limitations of a Transformer from that time.

Alternate Mode: Tracks transforms into a blue Corvette Stingray with flames on the hood. Like pretty much every car Transformer from the first two years of G1 this vehicle looks just excellent, pretty much like a miniature of the original. It?s got rubber tires, details aplenty, and an opening cockpit which leaves room for a Diaclone-style driver figure.

Unlike most other car Transformers from that time, Tracks has a gimmick in car mode. He can unfold wings from underneath, essentially giving himself the flight mode he was seen to have in the cartoon. In order for the wings to come out he needs to unfold the robot arms, too, but with the fists hidden, you don?t really recognise them as arms. Additionally you put his double missile launcher on the back of the car (you can do that without the wings, too, of course) and the result is a flying car that actually looks like it might be able to leave the ground. Nicely done. So all in all a great car mode, no complaints.

Remarks: Tracks was among the many Autobots who appeared from nowhere in the second season of the original cartoon and even got his own spotlight episode where he met up with a hip young 80s boy called Raoul and foiled Megatron?s plans of turning stolen cars into Decepticon warriors. Yeah, not the best episode of G1, but one that?s very prominent in my memory for some reason. I always liked Tracks, though I never saw the whole ?he might just be gay? thing that seems to be a general assumption among fans.

As a toy Tracks is, by today?s standpoint, somewhat limited, of course, but as someone on TFW2005.com so rightly said, that just meant that us kids of the 80s had to use that little something called Imagination when playing with him. Look up the word, kids of today, you can find it on Wikipedia. And for some tips on how to use it, watch a few episodes of ?Muppet Babies?, that should bring you up to speed.

Bottom line: Yet another great vintage TF toy. Recommended to everyone who isn?t a G1-hater.

Rating: A-