Combiner Wars Megatron Review

So there's a Leader Class Megatron out there and he's apparently a big deal.  Yes, he's large, being a Leader Class figure, but after viewing numerous pictures of him online, I was unconvinced that he'd be any good.  He just looked stiff.  Then again, Hasbro stock photography isn't known for being that great.  I've actually run into a few copies of this figure and passed him up multiple times, but I decided to take a chance on a $45 dollar figure just to see if I was wrong.

Out of the box, Megatron has a lot of mass; he feels much heavier than Leader Class Jetfire.  The sculpt is heavily reminiscent of the classic G1 look.  I do have a bit of an issue with the arm mounted cannon as it really limits the movement of Megatron's right arm.  Luckily, it can pivot a bit, allowing the arm to bend at the elbow.  Still, it's a bit of a letdown.  The tank treads on the back actually look better than anticipated. 

Megatron's cannon comes with a missile that launches a fairly good distance.  Range of motion was definitely a concern going in since every single stock photo made Megs look super stiff, but it isn't as bad as I thought.  He twists at the waist and his legs had have decent articulation.  I can't pull off a Maz-styled running pose with Megs, but he does what I need him to do - look menacing.

For some reason, Megatron comes with a rifle.  Megatron has a huge honking cannon on his arm, so he naturally needs a rifle too.  This will be the only time he sports it.  There are also decals to give him more of a G1 look and optional Autobot insignias if one felt the need to adhere to what's going on with the IDW books.  I've opted out of the decals entirely.

Since this isn't 1984 anymore, the days of a mass release Megatron transforming into a gun are long gone.  Tanks is the mode du jour these days.  I really, really like the tank mode.  To be honest, it's highly evocative of the No Limit Records tank logo from the 1990's, what with the silver finish.

The barrel is almost comically long in tank mode, but it still looks decent.  The turret itself is able to rotate a full 360 degree. The treads on the tank are rubber.  There are posts littered around this mode that I'm guessing are for the Armada Megatron redeco to use for Minicons.  I passed on the Armada version because, uh, that series just isn't for me.

The rifle that Megatron comes with breaks in two and can mount on the turret for added firepower.  It's a good look.

Finally, here's a shot of Legends Class Bombshell riding Megatron.  Until next time!