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SFC has arguably the most extensive remolding/retooling for RiD. His entire missle launcher assembly (and missles) were changed, as well as some interesting copyright stuff. Also, the sound chip was redone into English.
   And so it begins...Prime has dull rather than shiny plastic, and gratuitous Autobot symbols on either side. His blues are also darker. Prime's plastic tolerances generally work in favor of the toy, but his leg/wheel panels can't completely fold over in robot mode (at least not on mine).
  Super Fire Convoy has a Takara/TPC copyright, and the rest of the bottom of the sound box is occupied with detailing. Optimus Prime has a shared Takara/Hasbro copyright, and where SFC has detailing, he has an FCC disclaimer.
 There are some differences here, but I think this is mold wear rather than actual remolding. Optimus Prime's gun has a big divot in the center detail stripe, whereas SFC's is a smooth oval. Prime's is also duller, darker grey plastic. Prime's missles are on the left in these pics.
   The missles and launchers are where things changed the most. SFC's Bowling Pins Of Death are remolded and slightly recolored to accomodate a new missle launcher in Optimus Prime. Further complicating the picture is the number imprinted in each missle (which are printed shaft side down on Prime and head side down on SFC), and the fact that you get multiple numbers with the same toy. My SFC (vehicle mode box) came with two 1s and two 3s. My Prime came with one 1, two 2s and one 3. Anyone else have any others?
   Presumably for safety reasons, Prime has a completely different missle launcher setup than SFC. SFC's missle launchers can only fire all at once (and have bottom buttons) when deployed by the ladder button, but Prime's missles can only be fired individually (and they all have top launcher tabs). The ladder button merely deploys the launchers, not the missles with them. Personally I like Prime's implementation better (it's scarier to see aimed weaponry appear out of nowhere than just be shot at, but I digress.) :) but there is something cool about the barrage. Also notice the completely different barrel openings to accomodate the different missles.
  God Magnus vs. Ultra Magnus. Ultra Magnus' colors go darker and less shiny, plus he gets gratuitous Autobot symbols on his legs. This is good and bad-the new plastic creates tighter joints in the arms and head, but his gun just doesn't want to stay in the shoulder holes or fit on one of the vehicle mode pegs.
  Ultra Magnus has a very similar copyright change to Prime on the jetpack/soundpack section-on the American version the detailing is replaced by an FCC disclaimer. The copyrights are on the underside of the white cab portion-Takara/TPC for God Magnus and Takara and Hasbro for Ultra Magnus.
 This is where the only real remolding took place (other than the disclaimer bit). Ultra Magnus has diagonal fins instead of rectangles (don't ask me why, I don't know). Both missles work with either launcher though.
 The big combined modes, which don't look all that different. Super God Fire Convoy holds his gun better though, and seems to be slightly more stable. |