renderForm rf-003 DJ RockBlast Universe Blaster Upgrade Kit - Preview Look!

[Richter]

I got an early look at renderForms latest upgrade kit, and thought I'd share a few pictures and opinions. This is a nice head/weapon kit from renderForm, the designer behind many of the 3rd party items we seen over the years. He has been commissioned to do a lot of stuff we've all heard of, and has started doing his own garage-type upgrade kits as well; I reviewed his Universe SkyJack/Fall head/weapon kit previously.

The kit consists of two new head shells with your choice of two visors and three faces:
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b111/drane100/IMG_0036.jpg

These can be mixed and matched to create a head to your liking, whether it be comic style, cartoon style or a mix of both:
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b111/drane100/IMG_0039.jpg

The kit also comes with a very nice G1 style gun for blaster (as well as a few other accessories I've been asked to keep a cap on for now... shhhh!)
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b111/drane100/kit-obscured.jpg

With the head and weapon applied, the kit gives the toy some much needed personality:
Before / After
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b111/drane100/IMG_0006.jpg http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b111/drane100/IMG_0015.jpg

The plastic matches very well, and the Universe-esque head matches nicely to the design of the toy. Here are a few more 'headshots':

Angular Universe-style head/face/visor
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b111/drane100/IMG_0017.jpg

Unfortunately my camera washed out a lot of the detail on the yellow face
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b111/drane100/IMG_0023.jpg

Of course there are still some unannounced gifts included in the kit, but we'll have to wait for the full review to see these!
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b111/drane100/IMG_0029.jpg

In conclusion, it's a very nice set. The plastic is great quality, the colour matches well, and the detailing is sharp and precise. If I were to complain about anything, there was a bit of mold flash at the seams that I had to sand down on the neck ball-joint to get it to fit, as well as some around the weapons. The fit at the neck was nice and friction-y, and the small face and visor pieces fit into the head securely.

This kit does what any good upgrade kit should do: it makes a somewhat undesirable toy a lot better. It succeeds here by evolving the Universe Blaster figure from a bad Soundwave repaint into an actual Blaster figure that can stand on its own; the head(s) add a ton of personality, and the G1 style gun just screams Blaster. Whatever you want your blaster to look like, you have your choice of heads as well. I can safely recommend this kit, as blasters are cheap and abundant, and it makes the toy way, way better.

[Darth Wave]

I second Richter's comments/ review on this up grade kit. I too picked up mine over the weekend and was really happy w/ the kit.

[FreedomGundam]

Nice upgrade kit. I do like the fact that all sorts of options are given. Do the different parts just snap together, or is there a screw required?

And so the extra pieces look to be like a second gun, and some sort of adaptor for his back so that the transformable stock guns can be used as back/shoulder cannons?

Also, get your Blaster's neck properly transformed! I've seen A LOT of people having mistransformed the Galaxy Force Soundwave mold... See the illustration that I made a while back below; the long-neck being the incorrect transformation:
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e18/tidalwav/Miscellaneous/gfsoundwave.png

[Richter]

Either way looks fine to me

[Buhawi]

the way I rationalize head "upgrades" is if hasbro did this in the first place would I love the mould itself. no. the mould is ugly. not worthy enough to be even displayed. Would I buy the mould just for the head. especially if the mould has these heads, freakin' yes. would I buy the head to "upgrade" the mould. no. its still a stupid repaint with a better head and accessories.

25$-35$ bucks, i'd buy that. anything higher, no.

things would look very nice on classics

- chest replacement and back canon for megatron
- gun replacements for the seekers
- head replacement for red alert
- guns for cliffjumper and bumblebee
- gun for mirage

the first one I believe would be the best upgrade. i'd buy that in a heartbeat. maybe your friend can look into making these.

[Richter]

Considering this figure can be had for $10, you can get a serviceable classics blaster pretty cheap with this upgrade kit

[Buhawi]

30$+10$ = not too shabby. you're right but its still a fugly mould.

[SMOG]

I do like this mold as a take on Soundwave, but it really doesn't work as Blaster IMHO. Just because they were both cassette players in G1, doesn't mean that an alien stealth jet is appropriate for Blaster.

However, this head looks like it would work for any number of possible Blaster kitbashes... the variability of the head design, and the inclusion of the G1 blaster with a standard peg, makes this thing pretty worthwhile. :)

zmog