Super-Mega-Mini-Con-Rampage!!
...essentially, there are so many Mini-Con redecos, that (like the minibots section on the Autobot page) it made sense to combine them all into one section. Enjoy. :-) Note that this covers whole teams, interesting individual mold-changes on a particular team, as well as comparisons of Mini-Cons that, originally part of a team, now come partnered with other toys (See: Armada Beasts).
| Swindle vs Mirage | Race and Destruction Teams | Air and Land Teams |
| Street Action and Adventure Teams | Street Speed Team |
| Emergency and Sea Teams | Air Military Team | MIA Mini-Cons |
Swindle vs Mirage
OK, it's pathetic, but expected...the first variant out of the gate is a Mini-Con one (expect many more of them). Specifically, Swindle (Starscream's partner) versus Mirage. There was so much changed between the two, that it can barely be called a variation. *Every* dimension, size, color, and tolerance are different between the two. Heck, they barely transform the same. But...a variant is a variant is a variant. So here. :-)
Swindle vs Mirage (Robot) Vehicle Mode
...I think I've made my point. :-) But in-case I haven't, Swindle is recolored into Zapmaster when Starscream is recolored into Thundercracker. Mirage is recolored when his whole Skyboom Shield team gets upgraded (more on that below).
Air Defense Team
The Star Sabre. ;-) Recolored from good...well, to bad, I guess you could say. :-) Same thing happened with the Land Military Team...I guess this new version must be the artic camo-version. :-) Hehe.
Good vs Bad Air Defense | LM vs Recolored LM
(Note: The Star Sabre figures were remolded and recolored into the Energon Sabre Team for the Energon series.)
(See Also: List one, Micron Legends limited recolors.)
Race Team and Destruction Team
In the words of Lewis: "Armada Variants! I have found variations on all three members of the Race Team and Destruction Team:"
Mirage - Face Light Red or Dark Red
Dirt Boss - Light Yellow or Dark Yellow
Downshift - Light Blue or Dark Blue
Dualor - Light Blue / Yellow or Dark Blue / Yellow (Extends to the paint on the treads.)
Drill Bit - Light Yellow / Less Paint or Dark Yellow / More Paint on Drill
Buzzsaw - Dark Yellow / Green or Light Yellow / Green
In addition to the changes mentioned above, these two teams were recolored and re-released/renamed toward the end of the series. What I find interesting about the recolor Skyboom, in particular, is the slight remolding that took place between the versions. You will notice the tab has been slimmed down, and that the head is now notched. Very slight adjustments:
Race Old vs Assault New | Destruction Old vs New | Downshift Tabs | Mirage Heads
Street Action Team
A recent-change; the original team's mold ran for quite some time. In wave 5 or thereabouts, you will notice the new version (especially when you try to combine them to form Perceptor). They flipped around the connector on the back of the moped's legs, and added a second plastic runner to the skateboard. This, apparently, was supposed to be some kind of improvement over the original. I notice no real difference between the two in terms of play value. Oh well. :-)
Moped | Skateboard
(Note: The Street Action team saw a third version; recolored and repackaged with Sunstorm (himself a recolored Thrust) in the Energon series.)
Perceptor vs Himself
Street Speed and Adventure Teams
The short version is that these team members were recolored, renamed, and individually assigned as partners to remolded Armada beasts figures:
Airrazor and Predacon Mini-Cons vs Street Speed Team
Cheetor and Rhinox Mini-Cons vs Adventure Team
Emergency and Sea Teams
Barely past the initial-release, they got...a recolored release. ;-) Interesting to note on the Emergency team is that Prowl is now colored like a vintage Smokescreen (even down to the #38 on the hood) while Firebot is the same color as Protectabot Leader Hotspot. The emergency team saw a further recolor; members were scattered amongst 3 different sets of universe toys (and mixed with members of the Air Military Team):
The Teams | Emergency and Recolors | Sea and Recolors
Universe Incarnations | Who They Came With
Air Military Team
Originally in a 3-pk in Armada, the Air Military team was recolored not once, but *twice* in the Universe line (yeesh). The first time, they were included in Universe with Ramjet (a repaint of Skywarp's molding). It's a slight recolor; unless you have two sets to compare side by side, you might miss it! Thunderwing and Gunbarrel's plastic colors got darker (though the paintapps stayed the same). Terradive's color was changed the most, from blue and grey to purple and yellow. The second time around saw a much more radical recolor; in addition, members of the team were scattered between other Universe sets, and mixed in with Emergency Team members. Sigh.
Air Military Team, Armada vs Universe 1 | Air Military, Universe 2
Who They Came With In Universe
MIA Mini-Cons
These particular recolors (of the adventure team and space team) were pictured already in their final packaged form, yet they never saw mass-release. What happened to them?
Missing in Action
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Sideways
What an interesting change: initial-release had the grey Mini-Con with orange kneecaps. Subsequent-releases had purple kneecaps:
Good vs Bad Kneecaps
The first version (orange) has Crosswise revealing the Autobot symbol and Rook revealing the Decepticon symbol. The second version (purple) has this reversed.
(Note: This figure was recolored into Rapid Run for the Energon series.)
Optimus Prime
Both Supercon and Battlepants versions are discussed here. (See Also: Package Variants)
Battle Pants Prime: This fellow comes in two versions (identifiable by the pack-change, interestingly enough): version one has, among other things, tabstops that keep the combined mode from raising his arms at the shoulder (they only bend at the elbow). The revised version has arms that will swivel an additional 90 degrees at the shoulder joint (the original long tabs were removed, and replaced with short tabs that support the head without getting in the way...see pic). It is also said that the trailer unit holds together more tightly, and that the arm-mounted smokestacks stay in a bit tighter.
In addition to the changes outlined in the original mold, there is a later recolor of Prime, fan-named 'final-battle' Prime (he's actually called Powerlinx Prime). In addition to his garish color-scheme, the Mini-Con partner gets remolded, and chromed (now called Corona Sparkplug).
Primepants, V1 vs V2 | Armada Prime (Boxed) | Armada Prime (Original vs Recolor) | Mini-Cons
And if that weren't enough, BattlePants Prime gets yet *another* release, this time as a Kmart-exclusive giftset (packed with Jetfire, the Adventure Team, Longarm-from Red Alert- and of course Commetor and Sparkplug). This time, Prime sports gold instead of red or black on his main cab. Although the package says they are the powerlinx versions of the toys, they are in-fact the regular versions of all of them. Heck, there's even an argument on what this giftset is called...in the K-Mart computers, it is referred to as the Battle for the Matrix Giftset. Kinda obnoxious, eh? I do take note of the fact that the Jetfire in this set, for allintents and purposes, is identical to the regular-release of the toy.
JetPrime Giftset | With Other Boxed Versions
Prime Cabs, Versions 1 and 4 | Jetfire Differences
So, to wrap up:
Type 1: Battlepants Prime, crappy non-moving shoulders.
Type 2: Battlepants Prime, better-articulated shoulders.
Type 3: Battlepants Prime, Powerlinx version w/Corona Sparkplug.
Type 4: Battlepants Convoy, JetPrime Giftset Gold Version Cab.
(Note: Battlepants Prime has a further release as a Costco Exclusive in the Energon line.)
Supercon Prime: A smaller-cab version than what was available with the boxed Battlepants version. Nicely done toy in terms of articulation. He also comes in several versions (and a bazillion different packages): silver lights, yellow lights, yellow lights with hood-symbol, and Black (Nemesis Prime). Note also that the original Over-Run came in two versions; light vs dark blue paint (between the first and last versions), while he was recolored and renamed Run Over for Nemesis Prime:
Supercon Prime, Versions 1 and 2 | Version 3 | Nemesis Prime (Black) | Over Run Wings
So, to wrap-up:
Version 1: Supercon Prime, silver lights.
Version 2: Supercon Prime, yellow lights.
Version 3: Supercon Prime, yellow lights and hood-symbol.
Version 4: Nemesis Prime, decepticon hood-symbol.
(Note: The Supercon Prime mold has a further release in the Universe line, as Ultra Magnus in the battle in a box sets.)
Starscream / Thundercracker / Skywarp
Whoooweee! Not since the original jets back in 1984 have I been as excited about the flyers. The initial-release of starscream had some buggered launcher-releases; you didn't need the Mini-Con to pop his null-cannons forward (later versions had this fixed).
Thundercracker is recolored Starscream. In addition to coming with the better launchers, the hand-holes do not seem to 'crack-out' when you place the wing-sword in them. There are also two versions of Thundercracker's face: the smirk (carryover from Starscream) and the later non-smirk. There is some argument as to whether this was a deliberate mold-change, or an accident. Time will tell. :-)
Skywarp is recolored and remolded compared to either version. (Note the rear tailfins, as well as the ponytail on the head. He also gets a different facesculpt, and a new Mini-Con.)
Star, Thunder, and Sky (Both Modes) | Thundercracker Smirk vs No-Smirk
(Note: The Skywarp mold was recolored, and re-released in the Universe line as Ramjet and packaged with a recolor Air Military Team.)
(Note: The Starscream jet mold gets a further release (along with Red Alert) in the Energon line as a Sam's Club exclusive 2pk set.)
Megatron / Galvatron
This is becoming some sort of tradition. :-) Megatron becomes Galvatron. A recolor (and a renamed Mini-Con) complement this set.
Boxed | Loose | Clench vs Leader-1
Ruination
Yet ANOTHER release of the Combaticon mold. This time, it's urban-camo. Highlights include the redone paintjob, the rounded nosecone on Movor (Blastoff) and the poor-molding on the helicopter. It's interesting to note that, while released during the Armada series, the units do not come with powerlink pegs (considering all the other changes they made, you'd think they would add them). More...
Urban-Camo Ruination
(Note: There is a previous RID version of Ruination.)
(Note: There is a previous G1/G2 version of Ruination, called Bruticus.)
(Note: There is a later version of Ruination released during the Universe series.)
Scourge / Bludgeon
Recolored Combat Heroes. :-) It's odd, but hey, who am I to complain? Scourge is a recolored Prime (Sureshot) while Bludgeon is a recolored Megatron (Archforce):
G2 Heroes vs Armada Destructicons
Landfill
The yellow Landfill Giftset, specifically. Like the redone Ruination, the units in this set do not come with powerlink pegs (the box has a rid label, too, but as it was released during Armada, it stays here. :-) Sorry, Defensis.
(Note: There is a previous RiD version of Landfill.)
(See Also: Particle's Review of Landfill vs Buildking.)
Landfill (RiD, Carded) | Landfill (Armada, Boxed) | Landfill vs Landfill (Loose)
(Note: There is a further release of this mold in the Universe line, recolored as Devastator.)
Armada Beasts
More of the recycled extreme series. :-) The original beasts Dinobot and Terrorsaur have been brought back and recolored, as have several toys from the Beast Machines line (which themselves were recycles of the Japanese BW Neo line). Grimlock/Swoop (Terranotron), Triceradon/Slapper, and Sludge/Snarl are the names of the dinos in each two-pk. It is interesting to note that, in-addition to color, the molds themselves saw a change...or more accurately, later-retooled molds were used, instead of original ones. For example, Grimlock uses the Beast Wars Grimlock mold, *not* the Dinobot one. Another change on Grimlock is the introduction of a smaller, more-flexible sword on this incarnation. Apparently another safety concern? Sigh.
Beast Wars vs Armada Pterydactal | Beast Wars vs Armada Velociraptor
Beast Wars vs Armada ** | Beast Wars vs Armada Triceratops
Beast Wars vs Armada ** | Beast Wars vs Armada Stegasaurus
Other beasts recycled into the Armada line include some figures from the Transmetal line of Beast Wars. Rhinox, Terrasaur and Airrazor are first out of the gate. Later-releases include Cheetor, and Predacon (Transmetal Megatron). In addition to being recolored, the figures have been remolded to include Mini-con pegs on various parts of their bodies (Airrazor and Terrasaur carry them on their wings, Rhinox on his hind legs, Cheetor on his back, Predacon on his shoulders). Recolored and renamed members from various Mini-Con teams are packed with these beasts. One inexplicable item: Airrazor is listed as an autobot, but has a large Decepticon symbol molded into her back. Hmmm...
It's interesting to note the mold-change on Cheetor's rocket-boosters, allowing the attachment of his Mini-Con partner. (Pic)
Terrasaurs | Rhinox vs Rhinox | Rhinox (Mini-Con Pegs) | Predacon vs Megatron
Cheetor | Airrazor | Airrazor and Predacon Mini-Cons vs Street Speed Team
Cheetor and Rhinox Mini-Cons vs Adventure Team | Airrazor Decepticon Symbol
(See also: Beast Wars)
(See also: Universe Beasts)
PowerLinx!
Even within Armada, recolors exist (as has been proven by the several Mini-Con recolors). Bigger figures went through a recolor process as well, including Hotshot (colored and remolded to resemble Hot Rod/Rodimus Major), Cyclonus (recolored to resemble Springer), Thrust (they should have gone with the red one), Jetfire (resembling nobody...and changed the soundchip too, apparently), BattlePants Prime (covered in the previous sections above), and Red Alert. When a person gets tired of creating seperate sections for individual figures, he creates one section to house several. :-)
Hotshot Vehicle | Hotshot Head | Hotshot Mini-Con
Jetfire vs Jetfire | Thrust | Cyclonus | Red Alert
It is interesting to note that the Hotshot redeco sports two types of symbol on his vehicle spoiler: solid red, and white-outline. (Pic) It is of further interest that Red Alert actually has a mold-change in the Powerlinx line; the gridwork, found on the hood of the original and recolor versions, was smoothed out in late-run versions of this mold.
PL Red Alert, 2 Mold Versions
Also note that Thrust was recolored again in The Universe line, called Sunstorm, and packed with a recolor Street Action Team. (Pic)
(See Also: The Armada Prime section for Powerlinx Prime.)
Sideswipe
Here's an odd-one. Apparently, they didn't like the way Sideswipe's legs came together, so they remolded him; adding a notch to the peg, and a whole new (screwed-in) plug assembly.
Sideswipe, 2 Versions
(Note: This mold was recolored and rereleased as Oil Slick in a 2pk for Universe, and as Treadshot in a concurrtent Universe 2pk release.)
Unicron
Yes, the one we've been waiting for fer 'bout 17 years...he has a variant, too. :-) Two of them, actually. Initially, this unit came with solid shoulders, and pegless wings. The later-version has slotted-shoulders, and pegged wings (this allows the wings to 'snap' into place on his shoulders, for a supposed better fit). And of-course, we have transitional variants as far as packaging goes. :-) No, not the packaging itself...but how the various parts were packaged:
Type 1: Pegless wings, solid shoulders.
Type 2: Pegless wings, one shoulder slotted. (Pic)
Type 3: Pegless wings, slotted shoulders.
Type 4: Pegged-wings, slotted shoulders.
Shoulder Variant | Wing Variant
(Note: There is a later-release of Unicron in the Energon series. The real kicker? Version 4 of the standard Unicron is version 1 in the Energon pkg. Why?!)
(See Slso: The short history of Unicron.)
Jhiaxus and Megabolt
A character name known from the G2 comic series, Jhiaxus is a thrice-already recolored Jetstorm mold from Beast Machines. Megabolt is a KB-exclusive toy...that was recolored from Megatron Megabolt, a KB-exclusive toy. Hmmm...
4 Jets and Counting | Megabolt
...and the worst-part is, we're not done with him yet. Universe sees the *fifth* release of him (as Universe Skywarp, below).
Dreadwind and Smokejumper
Released during Armada (exclusive to Target) and seen by some as a harbinger of the Universe style of tfs recycling, Dreadwind and Smokejumper are recucled from the G2 Dreadwing and Smokescreen mold. In addition to the color-change, there was slight tweaking to the mold; the missles now have a groove on one side, to match the new notch on the launcher hole.
In Package | G2 vs Armada (Big Plane) | Little Plane | Missles | Launchers
(Note: This mold was released previously as G2 Dreadwing, in Japan and Korea as Starscream and BB, and then saw a release after this one as Robotmasters Gigant Bomb and Smokesniper. More...
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