Transformers Legacy United Quake review

The Legacy United line reaches its end with the last newish mold to discuss. While there have been some heavy retools like Quake like Fractured Friendships Optimus Prime or Rukus from the Doom & Destruction Amazon collection, they're more or less similar to the figures they're retooled from. Quake at least has plenty of differences to make him feel like a new toy, similar to turning chopper Dropkick into AOE Drift in the Studio Series line. That being said, while that felt like a genuine glow-up since Dropkick was shit, I doubt there would be any major improvements for Quake, especially if we're going from a sort of unique Pretender Shell design to a more generic robot mode.

Here we have Quake in his vehicle mode. This feels like a poorly thought out design if you consider the proportions and how each part is layered from the treads to the turret. The bottom part looks mostly fine apart from the missing armor plates are the front. The parts that will later become the arms and front of the robot flow poorly if they're trying to be a turret. Things get worse with the blue also adding some unintended color-breakup, with the gray turret feeling like a tiny bun on a sandwich by comparison. I know tank modes can be tiresome to do if you're stuck with late-G1 characters that aren't significant like Bludgeon or Spinister, but at least put some effort in this altmode! It's almost as bad as Titanium Megatron, though IDK which of the two is worse.

The turret can rotate ever so slightly before the part holding the barrel untabs itself from the turret. At least the barrel can hinge up and down, but this may as well have the same functionality as Titanium Megatron's turret.

The Double Targetmasters can peg on the top, but they'll end up making the alt mode worse than it already is.

For a vehicle mode size comparison, here he is with Needlenose from last year. While I felt that toy was a rather plain plane, even for Deluxe standards, at least there is a nice-looking part of the altmode that can be appreciated without looking at the undercarriage. His own Double Targetmaster partners also don't clash too much with the look of the altmode, which just makes the ones on Quake all the more egregious. 

And here he is with the sculpt he is retooled from, representing the G2 Cybertronian from last year's Buzzworthy Troopbuilder pack and Skullgrin from regular Legacy. Interesting how they churn out this mold at the end of the end of the year in their respective line. Though the prior two uses of the mold look rather mediocre, they at least try to look more sci-fi in appearance than whatever aesthetic Quake is trying to be. Is it Earthly or Cybertronian? The old toy turned into a real-world tank, so is this one trying to do the same?

The transformation is mostly the same as on Skullgrin, though now with tank tread pylons that are more likely to pop off the hinges than they ever had. The upper body transforms the same way. The robot mode does look like a refined version of his G1 toy, but so are many figures in the line. At least there are things to like about the design, such as the tank tread legs, the blue almost looking like a bulletproof vest, and the dark color scheme. I also like that his colors are in-between the standard palette of Needlenose and the fashion-like late-G1/early-G2 color schemes. That being said, he could almost pass off for a Targetmaster with how little of him looks like a Transformer.

Head sculpt is detailed and looks great, though it could also pass off as one of the recycled designs seen in the late-80s. Articulation consists of a ball-joint at the head, shoulder rotation, outward arm movement, bicep rotation, elbow bends, waist rotation, universal hip joints, thigh rotation, hinges knees, and ankle pivots. 

For a robot mode size comparison, here he is next to Needlenose once again. I could show Spinister but he'll make both of them look like crap because he rules.

The funny thing about Quake is the fact that the turret comes off, and it is not attached while in-package. This is the result of being a retool of Skullgrin.

And of course, here is each character's Double Targetmaster partners, with Quake's Heater and Tiptop on the left while the others belong to Needlenose. Once again, they're static and only have barrels on hinges for gun mode. One issue for Tiptop is that he is lathered in purple paint rather than actually be molded in that color; this means his barrel detaches whenever you try to hinge it in either place. The paint covering the area where the barrel connects also scrapes off rather easily. Where was QC on that day??

And here he is with Skullgrin and the G2 Cybertronian once again. He is taller than both of them, and I do appreciate that he is heavily retooled to the point where he looks and functions like a new mold. We have gone a long way from reuse potential back then. That doesn't excuse the way the figure turned out with parts popping off more than on its mold mates or terrible tank mode. With the likelihood of seeing Generations figures at discount near your local Ross or Ollie's, you can get him for cheap and feel less ripped off than you would paying him for full. Out of the Double Targetmaster we got since Siege, Spinister remains the best while Needlenose is average, and Quake is as poor as a fake.

Final ranking: ⭐⭐ and a half out of ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐