Review – Transformers: Fall of Cybertron Soundwave


Just like War for Cybertron in 2010, the Transformers: Fall of Cybertron video game and tie-in products (Amazon.com search*) is the Transformers event of the year. And just like in 2010, Hasbro has brought a new Cybertronian Soundwave toy to shelves . . . but I’m going to say that the War for Cybertron Soundwave (review here) is the better of the two toys.

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Vehicle Mode

As with War for Cybertron, Soundwave’s vehicle mode is a Cybertronian van of some sort. The packaging describes it as a “communications truck” which is as good as anything for a description. Above you can see the two different Cybertronian Soundwave toys together in vehicle mode; the new Fall of Cybertron Soundwave is the larger of the two toys.

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Click to expand the image in a new window.

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Click to expand the image in a new window.


What I found interesting when transforming Soundwave between modes is that this larger toy has about the same level of transformation complexity as the War for Cybertron Soundwave (review here). The transformation processes are not identical, but the designs are close to each other and it’s possible that the new toy is actually easier to transform than the older, smaller toy.

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Robot Mode

Standing almost 8-inches tall, the Fall of Cybertron Soundwave is the tallest version of Soundwave in my collection. And while it’s a new sculpt of the character design the robot mode looks just as incredible as the War for Cybertron Soundwave (review here) toy from 2010. There are a few differences between the looks — the translucent purple wheels and new chest design are the biggest differences in appearance — but it’s clear that the two toys come from the same basic character design.

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When it comes to articulation, Fall of Cybertron Soundwave has roughly the same points (and type!) of articulation than the War for Cybertron Soundwave. Running through the toy we find:

  • Arms – Hinged shoulders with swivel points, swivels just above the elbow, hinged elbows, a hinge and swivel at the wrists (though the hinge is mostly for the transformation), and a hinge just above the elbow swivel (again, transformation-related joint). This is basically an exact copy of the War for Cybertron Soundwave’s arm joints.
  • Legs – Swivel-hinge hips, swivel thighs, hinged knees, and a hinged ankle. I miss the ball ankles that the War for Cybertron Soundwave has since those really help posing the toy in more dynamic positions. Again, almost the exact same articulation as the smaller Soundwave . . . but the little guy wins because he has the better ankles.
  • Head and Torso – The exact same articulation as the War for Cybertron Soundwave (review here): a swivel neck. The torso has zero joints; a swivel waist would have been a nice touch.

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Laserbeak

The one place where Hasbro failed to excite me with the War for Cybertron Soundwave (review here) has been semi-solved with this new Fall of Cybertron Soundwave toy: Soundwave now has cassettes and even comes with Laserbeak! (And there are already five other mini-cons out there for Soundwave to carry around.) Described as “Data Discs” this time around, below you can see Laserbeak in both his disc mode and his robot mode.

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Click to expand the image in a new window.

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But as cool as the idea of data discs is, it just doesn’t work as well in reality as I had hoped. You see, Soundwave’s chest opens to carry a disc and once you manage to shove the disc in — these are really freaking tight!!! — it all looks well and good. Hit the eject button on Soundwave’s shoulder and then SLAM! the launcher piece on Soundwave’s back and the disc flies out and auto-transforms. All fantastic, except that you have to apply a lot more force to get the disc in and out than I like. I think Hasbro should have made the fit just a little looser than it is.

But Soundwave has his cassettes again, and that’s a significant improvement over the 2010 Cybertronian Soundwave toy.

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Missing Weapon

When you buy your own Fall of Cybertron Soundwave (and you will if you’re a Soundwave fan) don’t worry when you can’t find the blaster that’s shown on the box and in the instructions: Hasbro didn’t include the weapon in any boxes! No doubt a way to save some money, the missing weapon — combined with the hinged ankle and too-tight-fitting data discs — is a lot of what makes me think of this as a lesser version of Soundwave when compared to the War for Cybertron Soundwave (review here). And that’s unfair, because we really get a lot more for the money from this larger toy.

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Closing Thoughts

One final photo of the toy (above) is my way of showing you another minor articulation difference between the two Cybertronian Soundwave toys (as well as size difference). If you look at the larger Soundwave’s left shoulder you’ll see that it hangs lower than the right one (click the image to enlarge it); that extra hinged piece is part of the transformation process and while it does expand Soundwave’s arm movement a little I actually find it inferior to the earlier design since the new one’s arm has a tendency to not snap right into place easily and the arms can sag a little at the shoulders.

Overall the Fall of Cybertron Soundwave is very nice. Plastic is great, paint looks good, transformation won’t make you want to cry, and it’s a great and updated look for the classic character design. But it’s the little things that make me rank the War for Cybertron Soundwave (review here) higher than this one. I just wish that smaller toy had some cassettes.


Philip Reed has the data disc packs and will have to open and review those soon; maybe they aren’t quite so tight in Soundwave’s chest.


22 thoughts on “Review – Transformers: Fall of Cybertron Soundwave

  1. I was already going to pass on this Soundwave because of the giant uni-boob resulting from storing/launching discs, but this review just cements my decision. Though I may grab the mold as Blaster if we get him…

  2. @Dave Juicebox – It’s really not as bad as I make it sound. And it turns out that if you’re not afraid to really slam your Soundwave around a few dozen times the eject/auto-transform feature works a bit smoother as the toy loosens up. I still hate applying that much force to the toy.

  3. Saw the disc 2-packs at TRU last night, came VERY close to buying Frenzy/Ratbat pack. Very cool to see “mini-cassette” 2-packs on the shelves again, haven’t sen that since I got Rewind/Steeljaw back in 1986. Not sure if I’ll get this Sondwave, but the discs I might just cause they’re neat.

  4. Nice, just found soundwave and the data discs at TRU. They’re running a BOGO 40% off sale right now, which made it a pretty nice deal.

  5. Personally, I think the Voyager version is superior. The ankles may be hinged, but it’s not the end of the world in poseeability, and I’m glad the roof of the alt-mode don’t form the soles – I have a Takara WfC Soundwave and the chromed paint on the roof suffers as a result of being scraped on the surface the figure stands on. The larger size also has a greater amount of detailing – more molded lines, and the glowing areas on his arms and body now get the triangular detailing where the WfC version is just a slap of pink. Because the alt-mode is wider, it now has a burlier and extra-armoured feel to it, which I really like. Still, I do agree the ejection chamber’s a little tight, I was thinking of sanding it down a little.

  6. Great review Phillip, but I couldn’t disagree more. I cannot state how much I love this Soundwave. I love that he’s HUGE. Screw scale, Hasbro’s never worried much about it anyway. I do agree that the disc eject gimmick doesn’t work like I would have hoped, but then again I’m not going to be utilizing it much. I also love Laserbeak. I thought he was going to look goofy like on the box art, but I think they did a great job considering he transforms into a “Fat CD”.

    I guess I’m just Happy to see a Soundwave I recognize with guys that pop out of his chest (though Shapeways has several minions for WFC Soundwave).

  7. I just got this Soundwave today, and previously had both data disc packs. All five do not fit properly going in or coming out of Soundwave’s chest. This is very sad engineering on Hasbro’s part. It looks like the main culprit are some tabs near the opening that look like they should correspond to slots on the data discs to make them keyed to fit in one way. There are no corresponding slots on the data discs, you have to turn, wiggle, twist, and try not to break either toy trying to get them in or out. It was an awesome idea and a failed execution due to the poor fit.

  8. I’m not crazy about the Soundwave figure itself, but I’m totally digging the Data Discs (probably because I really miss all of my cassettes from when I was younger). In the article, you mention that there are 5 discs available (aside from Laserbeak). I’ve seen and purchased the Ratbat/Frenzy & Ravage/Rumble sets. Who is the other disc? I’m not nitpicking. I just want to make sure I get them all!

  9. I believe the fifth Decepticon data disc he’s referring to is Buzzsaw, who comes with Fall of Cybertron Soundblaster. And yes, there are Autobots on the way: Rewind, Eject, Sunder (red condor), and Ramhorn. Oh, and Steeljaw, who comes with Blaster.

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