Review: Transformers Generations Scoop

I don't know anything about the character of Transformer Scoop. I didn't have the original toy, I've never even seen it. As far as I can recall, I've never read a comic featuring Scoop either.

So why did I buy him at Auto Assembly? Well, I liked the look of him, I liked the price, and, most importantly, he came with two little Target Masters. Bless the tiny robots!

Target Masters are, essentially, mini robots that turn into the weapons of larger Transformers. Most characters in the range get one, however, like biscuits for small children, Scoop necessitates one for each hand. Articulation is extremely limited, as you'd expect from a tiny robot, but it suffices. The two little guns can be combined into a larger one, though it looks a bit on the odd side.

Scoop is an extensively articulated robot in a beautifully array of bright yellow and orange plastic. Consulting the 'net, he appears to be a near-perfect update of the original G1 toy, with the only really noticeable change being that his bucket is now orange and not yellow. In an improvement on the original, where Scoop could only hold his guns on his arms, new-Scoop can now hold them properly in his hands (as well as on his arms!).

Transformation is simply and intuitive, the kind of transformation I like best. Taking 3 weeks to transform may result in 'better' robot/vehicle modes but it reduces the playability and, most importantly, makes it a right pain to take photos for reviews.

By far the best thing about digger-mode, and probably the toy as a whole, is that Scoop's head appears in the cabin through the 'glass'. I find this endlessly amusing. The scoop has a full range of motion, meaning that you properly play with Scoop as a digger.

Scoop is a successful homage but improvement on the original figure, while at the same time being of a complexity that doesn't require a PhD in Transforming from the University of Cybertron. The result is a toy that will appeal as much to children as to fans of old.