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MAIN
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Reviews Transformers
Ultimate Bumblebee
Transformers
Ultimate Bumblebee
 Hasbro.
Recommended for ages five and up, 14 inches tall, approximate
retail price $89.99
Ultimate Bumblebee
stands a lofty 14 inches tall. It is probably the tallest transformer
toy I've seen and really very detailed. As is the point of the
"Transformer" it transforms from car to robot with full
animatronics, equipped with a plasma cannon.
Ultimate Bumblebee's car form is a polished 2008 Camaro, with
bright yellow finish and black racing stripes. The headlights
are blue and very intense, while the backlights sparkle in red.
The car seems to roll on carpet and hard surfaces without difficulty.
The front doors can open, but unfortunately, there is no interior
design. Opening the front doors requires a bit of force and the
absence of seats, and a steering wheel, makes the effort futile.
If you were so inclined you could set it on a shelf and display
it like a regular collector's car. However, with all the bells
and whistles that this toy has I think you might have a hard time
not playing with it.
Ultimate Bumblebee makes different sounds in car and robot mode.
In vehicle mode it screeches and makes accelerating noises according
to how you move it, it does not move on its own in car mode. When
in robot mode it says different phrases, like "Let's roll
out!" and "Take that, Decepticon!" It also makes
battle sounds, shooting of the plasma gun and crushing movements.
Bumblebee plays and jams to Devo's 1980's pop song, "Whip
It." It says 17 phrases in all.
Ultimate Bumblebee can be adjusted into any pose. He features
an advanced animatronics design, which means he can move himself
when in robot mode. His arms and wings move up and down, and his
head moves from side to side. It seems to have full sound detection
capabilities. It responds to noises, like clapping, by turning
and making sounds.
It has lots of moving pieces and initially it takes a bit of patience
to put this thing together. Any kid who gets this will need a
tolerant adult's assistance with the task. Disassembling the robot,
can take several minutes the first time, but gets easier with
repetition. Some pieces required an application of gentle force
to assemble. There are pins on each shoulder that detect if you
have put the arm in place correctly, if one of the pins is stuck
it will not work properly. With practice and time you can transform
Ultimate Bumblebee rather painlessly between his robot and his
vehicle mode.
Ultimate Bumblebee is perfect for older kids, toy collectors,
and for adults with their inner child waiting to come out and
play. If you are looking to buy this for your younger kids you
should really consider their age and personality. I wouldn't recommend
Ultimate Bumblebee for kids who are easily frustrated with assembly
and small pieces or that want to have fun immediately. This toy
is pretty intricate and it is not indestructible so if your child
likes rough-and-tumble toy play, you might want to reconsider
this particular transformer. There are many other simple flip-and-go
transformer toys that can take rough play.
Transformers began
as a Hasbro toy line back in 1983, featuring toy vehicles that
could transform into robots. Although today's Transformer has
evolved from the transformer of yore, back in the day there were
no bells and whistles. Today, they have their own movie franchise,
with Ultimate Bumblebee starring in the Transformers
Movie released in 2007.
More about
Transformers Toys around the Web:
Transformer
Toy Photo Galleries
The
Transformers Archives
Siebertron.com
 About
the Author: Mary Rose is a Mommy, a writer and an early childhood
educator who believes in learning through play and the value of
good toys.
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