Nightstrike's Reviews: Main-line Fossilizers

While many people can find a reason to argue about the current line, Kingdom has proven to be quite a hit. The previous trilogy lines focused largely on G1 characters who were "under-appreciated," but Kingdom made a return to the pan-generational roots of Generations with a focus on Beast Wars and new characters. Legacy, the next line, will follow a similar route, with new versions of characters from a wide variety of series, including Armada and Prime. Characters such as Tarantulus, Menasor, and Armada Starscream will all be receiving dedicated updates, and there's a few surprises I'm not quite ready to spoil yet! I can tell you, though, that several UK characters will potentially receive representation in this upcoming series.

Enough about what's coming, though! Kingdom not only ushered in beautiful Beast Wars sculpts, with actual molded fur and scales, but it introduced the latest spin on the Weaponizer gimmick. Thus far, here are the main gimmicks of Kingdom, and the other two chapters in this trilogy:

• Battle Damage - "Premium" paint on figures made to look like weathering and scratching; Mostly consistent on just the first part of the trilogy, Siege. Generally, people disliked it.

• Battlemasters - A blanket name for figures released in Siege and Earthrise, it covers Targetmasters, Actionmaster homages, and a few silly references such as Rung and Slitherfang; Simplified from Takara's Targetmaster designs.

• Micromasters - Only for the first and second parts (Siege/Earthrise), these tiny little pals were sold in 2-packs; Controversial, because they had QC issues, but Hasbro opted to do that to test the waters, then determined from people avoiding them (due to the deliberate issues) that they would be to costly to make as part of the main line, and they opted to reintroduce Legends-scale figures instead. Ouch. (Quite liked these little guys...)

• C.O.M.B.A.T. System- the initial weapon system that included Weaponizers, the weapons were modular, and some figures could break up into accessories for others. Cog, Brunt, and Sixgun were the first three molds for this fun gimmick. One other member, Slammer, is slated for the final wave of Kingdom.

• A.I.R. Lock System - A base-building system introduced in Earthrise, it scrapped the previous connections introduced in Titans Return; It also included the Modulators and one more Weaponizer (Ironworks, Airwave, Fasttrack)

• F.O.S.S.I.L. Technology - "Advanced" tech that allows characters to convert into Fossils (Mostly dinos) and break into accessories for other figures; Though they aren't specifically labelled as such, Dracodon and Vertebreak retain the aesthetics of their larger comrades, so it's logical to assume they too are Fossilizers, albeit non-armor ones.

While C.O.M.B.A.T. addressed Titan partners, and A.I.R. Lock referenced Zone between main figures and exclusives (Further built upon with Black Zarak who is slated for release), Fossilizers introduced almost entirely new characters, with the exception of Selects Exclusive Transmutate, based off minor details from the original Beast Wars toyline. Parts were homaged, including Paleotrex's robot mode head becoming Optimus Primal's mace, and other combinations bearing resemblance to early accessories. However, among the fun with parts, there is a secret gimmick, that was only brought up in a stream: The Fossilizers can combine!

While the official unnamed combination used only Paleotrex, Ractonite, and Wingfinger, The way these are designed means anyone could figure out a more stable combination, or even one that makes use of Vertebreak and Dracodon. That being said, because I cannot accept an unnamed combiner, I've dubbed her Guillotine. For now, I'm using something close to the official combination, albeit with a few of my own modifications.

Now, let's get down to business!

Vertebreak

Thoughts

The first of the lot I had received, Vertebreak is a cute little figure. I suppose her alternate mode is supposed to be petrified, hence the dark gradient, but either way, it makes for a cool appearance, further complimented by the slender features in both modes. Unlike her larger comrades, she in unable to break into components, but the 5mm port that her

Robot Mode

Her robot mode is quite impressive despite the stature, and looks distinctly unique, even when compared to her moldmate, Dracodon. While the two tones are a little tricky to tell apart, in good lighting, it's much easier, and the gradient itself creates a cool effect. Her tail detaches for robot mode to become a sort of blade, or can slot into her back. My copy's left thumb snapped, but it's not overly noticeable.

Beast Mode

Her beast mode, like Dracodon, is that of a Dracorex, a raptor-like dinosaur with an armored skull. Not much to say about it, though it is fairly expressive as is. The only downside is that the mouth can't open and close due to the paint.

Paleotrex

Thoughts

The first of the deluxe releases, Paleotrex is frankly terrifying. My copy suffers a bit from tolerance issues, but is still quite intimidating. She primarily uses a tan with brown gradient, creating much more of a contrast than Vertebreak did. Additionally, she was the first leaked Fossilizer.

Robot Mode

Fairly typical proportions, with a few exceptions . . . Paleotrex's tail detaches to become a sword, or can mount on her shoulder. Her claws are jointed, and frankly rather scary. As part of her head's weapon mode, the top can flip down to emulate Optimus Primal's mace, acting as one hell of a mask. Her actual face seems to evoke Nightbird.

Beast Mode

Ridiculously good articulation marks this figure. Whatever goofy pose you want to do, it's probably possible. The only nitpick I have is how stiff the tail is, but it's not overly an issue. For displaying, your best bet is a slightly angled stance.

Ractonite

Thoughts

By far the chunkiest of the three, she makes use of a weathered off-white with grey parts. Of the three, she feels the most solid, and I've found quite a few interesting configurations for her.

Robot Mode

Like the other two deluxes, Ractonite has a flip-down "mask," in this case, a visor of sorts. I suspect, in fiction, she'd have a sort of 360 degree view with that thing. She also lacks conventional hands, but one can easily rectify that . . . with weapons! Her tail tip becomes a drill, while the crest can pop off, and a horn can be removed, to use as an axe.

Beast Mode

Okay, this one surprised me. I wasn't sure when I had seen the renders, but now in hand, I think it might be deliberate. Ractonite turns into a Styracosaurus . . . with eyes. Bright, red, eyes. It's a little creepy.

Dracodon

Thoughts

Dracodon is a straight-up repaint of Vertebreak in neon green, with gold, and slightly brighter green. She and Wingfinger are both Maximals, hence the more vibrant color schemes. Not much else to say about this, though.

Wingfinger

Thoughts

The final Fossilizer for Kingdom, she uses a yellow-ish bone-like color scheme, with off-white as the primary tone. Both modes are slender, and it's worth noting that the combiner head is included.

Robot Mode

A slender beast, her flip-down "mask" could be seen as a sort of sonar sensor of some sort. She is the only deluxe Maximal Fossilizer that received a retail release. Her twin blades store on the backs of her arms, and double as wingtips in beast mode. Her beast mode head can also be used as a sort of blunt weapon as well.

Beast Mode

Surprisingly versatile, she can do both flight and perching poses quite well. Frankly, the figure feels almost like a bird in that sense.

And now . . . Guillotine!

Official Combination

The official combo is fairly gangly and awkwardly proportioned, but can be seen here. Much to my own chagrin, it leaves out several parts from each member. Nonetheless, it's a cool demo of what can be done, and can be found here: TFWiki - Fossilizer Combiner.

Unofficial Combination

I'll let the photos speak for themselves, first.

In the end, this behemoth stands nearly a foot tall, and the structure of the feet make it a lot more stable. I opted to go for a more skeletal appearance, elongating the proportions a little. Mine had some minor issues with looseness, but I was able to secure the thighs with Ractonite's front legs.

Overall, this set is a must, and despite minor issues some have reported, I highly recommend getting it, even if you dislike Beast Wars.

If you're curious, I opted not to get the exclusives, because I don't want to deal with the hassle. However, if you're interested, their names are Skelivore, Tricranius, and Transmutate.

Final Rating: 9.9/10 (!)