Power Of The Primes Rippersnapper

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Skyquake87
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Power Of The Primes Rippersnapper

Post by Skyquake87 »

Name: Rippersnapper
Allegiance: Deceoticon
Sub Group: Terrorcons
Function: Terrorist

“Autobots are an error I intend to correct.”

Bio: Any organic creature whose evolutionary status ranks higher than a slime mold, particularly Autobots, sends him into a ferocious frenzy. Hates the smell of carbon-based life forms. In creature mode, claws and teeth can slice through almost any substance. Has twin ground-to-air voice guided missile launchers. In robot mode, has cyclone gun. Combines with fellow Terrorcons to form Abominus.

Rippersnapper and Hun-Gurr are probably my least favourite of the Terrorcons and it boils down to their colours. Grey is and always has been the least exciting colour for a Transformer, even if it is complimented by some blue or hot pink. It's realistic, sure – well insofar as bipedal sharks and two headed dragons go – but just a bit boring to look at. That said, if Rippersnapper was done up in some other bright colour, I don't think he'd work so well. Unless it was a light metallic blue or something.

Robot Mode: Rippersnapper was first out the gate to represent for the Terrorcons. He was also up against the dazzling colours of Dreadwind in the first wave of Power Of The Prime Deluxes and had competition from the two Dinobots, Slag (not Slug) and Swoop. Jazz doesn't count, because everyone agreed that design and mould was a bit rubbish. At least until it got done in black for Stepper. Against this back drop of mostly grey 'bots from the first wave, Rippersnapper is just kind of there. He was the first figure from the line I went for, because I heart Terrorcons but he's a bit bog standard robot man, truth be told. He's nicely detailed and sculpted, but just not terribly exciting. The blues are nice and crisp, and I like the lighter blue used on the fist blades he has. The yellow face is also nice and bright, giving the detail in his face chance to stand out, as well as some nice red spectacles. Honestly, I don't know what to make of Generations these days – I'm glad Hasbro have done characters I like from the late 1980s, but I'm just not as excited as I thought I would be now they're actually here. I've touched on this for the reviews for the other Terrorcons. Maybe it's the inevitability of it all.

Alternate Mode: Whatever I think about the colours, Rippersnapper's alt mode has always been great fun and adorable. It's a shark with arms and legs and two large guns. It's completely daft, which is why I love it. He's not got much in the way of articulation to allow the thing to do much more than look cool, but sometimes that's enough.

Marks Out Of Ten For The Following:

Transformation Design: Original design updated and applied to a Combiner Wars skeleton. It does the job, but feels very tired by this stage. 6/10

Durability: Sturdy plastics, just that strange fourth-generation mould reuse looseness a lot of these style of figures have. I don't feel I'm going to break anything and the worst I've got to worry about is loosing the weapons or the small panel from the middle of the Prime armour. 8/10

Articulation: Movement at the head, shoulders, biceps, elbows, wrists, knees, hips and thighs. He's an ankle tilt away from being top tier in the articulation stakes. 7/10

Fun: I've had a lot of fun giving Rippersnapper lots of adventures climbing sofa mountain and taking on the might of the cushions. Whilst lacking in much of the way of a wow factor, other than the preposterous alt mode, I have played with him far more than any of the other Terrorcons. Probably because it felt like an age before I could get the others. Because it was. 8/10

Price/Value: £15.99 doesn't feel like a great price for Deluxes, honestly. The Titans Return figures justified it thanks to being playset style figures with tighter designs. These 94th retreads of the Combiner Wars play pattern just feel disappointingly expensive now. 6/10

Overall: Rippersnapper falls straight into 'great that it exists' territory. I've wanted new versions of the Terrorcons for so long, as they're up there in my list of absolute favourites, but now they're here I'm a bit non-plussed. I think if these had come out during the buzz of Combiner Wars, I'd have absolutely loved these, but as it is, Rippersnapper just feels a bit late and just sums up the kind of afterthought vibe of the Power Of The Primes line. 7/10
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POTP Rippersnapper 01 (480x640).jpg
POTP Rippersnapper 01 (480x640).jpg (171.93 KiB) Viewed 36775 times
POTP Rippersnapper 02 (480x640).jpg
POTP Rippersnapper 02 (480x640).jpg (160.83 KiB) Viewed 36775 times
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