Transformers Retro G1 Deluxe Walmart/Hasbro Pulse Exclusive
Item No.: No. G1382 Manufacturer:Hasbro Includes:Blaster Action Feature:Converts from hovercraft to robot Retail:$24.99-$29.99 Availability: September 2025 Other: Third Seaspray from this mold
If it's still available, note the price on Seaspray varies a lot. Hasbro Pulse charged $24.99 and later $27.99. Walmart's web site was/is $24.99 but store tags say $29.99. The important thing to remember is that this oversized G1 carded figure is good enough that I would begrudgingly say all of those prices are decent. He's not a character we get very often, plus he's one of the few Transformers I had as a kid. I love the original, I like the new one. It's a little more complicated (and required some surgery) and generally delivers on a toy that feels like a complicated version of an incredibly simple kid's toy.
That old toy had basically one leg and minimal articulation, but you could convert it in about four seconds. This new one has tilting wrists, rocker ankles, and incredible elbow bends plus a jointed head. It's going to take you a minute or three. It also has an honest-to-goodness blaster accessory, rather than being able to take his belly fat and pretend it's a beam weapon.
He's a pretty sturdy robot, on par with modern releases like Speedia Cosmos, Legacy United G1 Optimus Prime, and their ilk. He also towers over the recent Bumblebee and Bumper toys, is more or less expected in our current scale-obsessed production era. Hasbro keeps the major milestones intact, with the head stuck to the fans and the feet becoming the front of the boat. Things contort and fold in new ways, though, but you're still getting something that's very true to the original toy complete with lack of Autobot chest symbol.
"But wait," you say, "doesn't the card art have a silver face plate and Autobot symbol?" Yes. The toy replaces the rubsign on the feet with an Autobot symbol, which is a sensible modern upgrade. As far as I know no version of the toy or cartoon ever features a silver face plate, and this new toy closely replicates the sticker deco of 1985 with sculpted and expertly painted faux foil decals along his chest. These elements are on articulated love handles which move during transformation, and mine were assembled oddly. I had to pop one off and flip over the yellow joint piece to get things aligned properly.
I was really impressed with how the articulation worked, particularly since the original toy lacked movement aside from the arms. This one has exceptionally deep cuts on his elbows, and a new-to-me pivoting wrist joint. It doesn't rotate, but you can wiggle them up and down a bit. Depending on how you count, you might find the 2025 figure to have 22 joints, as opposed to 2 on the original. That's an upgrade.
As you pose the figure you'll notice some detail enhancements. For example, the original toy had circular patellas - take a look at the knees. The new toy replicated those and added a line through them, plus added G1-ish vents to the shins. Some sleeve cuffs were added to the arms, and some panel lines were added to the fan assembly. His head turns, and is annoyingly painted yellow rather than molded in color like the rest of the yellow on the toy. I don't love it. The pistol was also painted silver over the white plastic. It looks great, I don't know how it will hold up over time nor do I know if it was done to keep down costs. (Probably.) What's more, the figure has a hexagonal stand port on his back as well as a 5mm socket for even more blaster storage. I assume Takara-Tomy could do a fancy MPG Masterpiece version, but why? This delivers what I want at a reasonable price.
Transformation isn't difficult, but it's involved. I thought I was following the instructions but maybe I wasn't thanks to unique features like the rotating torso cabin piece, or the many flip-out hover bits to bulk up the bottom of the vehicle. Heck, for all I know I've got it wrong. It's impressive in how many little parts move to get things right, but I wouldn't call it complicated and I broke zero nails doing it. That happens sometimes. I was particularly delighted to see how the boat bottom "inflated" during the conversion process.
Due to the many folding, tucking, and rotating bits, there's not exactly a solid vehicle mode. The original 1985 toy felt like it started with the hovercraft and pulled a decent, simple robot out of it. This toy is riffing on that, ditching the wheels and solid base in favor of a hollow undercarriage to fit the various leg elements. While not huge, the 30% or so hollow 4 3/4-inch vehicle is satisfying. It's got a nice build that feels like a deluxe toy. It's more than a mini vehicle in a big box, it's a pretty decent vehicle with a fairly decently sized robot. They also crammed in some 5mm ports on the sides so you can add on gear, with a peg on the side of the yellow fan section for blaster storage. Personally I'd have found a spot for the blaster under the hollow section, but that's me.
Given that the last Seaspray is about a decade old, it makes sense that this one reflects today's trends. The Power of the Primes model was bigger than 1985 but fairly cheap, with a lot of articulation for its size and a build that was worth the asking price. It wasn't afraid to add a blaster acessory, or change the fans, or alter how it looks a bit. The 2025 toy follows the modern style guide - that is, it's as close to the cartoon/original toy as possible without much original. There's no "Alanna" tats, and there's no new functionality like a place for a little robot to drive it. This guy could probably fit next to your Studio Series 86 figures, especially if you removed some of the color. (Don't do that.) It really does feel like a modern interpretation of the toy I grew up with, for good and for ill. The only design choices I didn't care for are on the back of the vehicle. The head and a panel just sort of hang off limply, they seem out of place and I would rather they have found a way to tuck them in or just have it transform like the original toy.
If for some reason you're new to this hobby, I'd recommend getting Seaspray and the other G1 carded Minicars - and their friends in other packages - as a focus. The collection is nicely varied and you get a lot of colors plus unusual vehicles like this one.
I heard about this guy through the grapevine early and was excited to see how he turned out. Like Cosmos, getting a new mold as an exclusive is exciting - and they didn't take many shortcuts here. If you see Seaspray, I'd recommend it. At the rate we're going you might get a new version in 9 years, or a redeco in 3-4 years, but that big 1980s cardback with big art and bright colors is hard to ignore. I'd like to see Hasbro package more toys like this. I already pre-ordered Wheelie and Outback, and I hope they consider making a few more like this. Unless Hasbro made a ton of them for Walmart, odds are we'll be hoping for another rerun next year.
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