Buying Guide for Transformers Studio Series 86 & Game Edition (GE) Toys
Last Updated on October 17, 2025 by xmiaonline.com
Since the launch of the Studio Series, fans have debated the definition of its “Studio” title. Transformers has existed since 1984, and its film adaptations extend far beyond the live-action movies starting in 2007—surely the iconic The Transformers: The Movie (1986) (G1 The Movie) counts as a “studio film,” too?
This question was finally answered in early 2020. By then, the Studio Series had been on sale for two years, with serial numbers reaching #49. That same early spring, the “SS86” sub-line was launched to feature G1 characters from the 1986 movie. SS86 provided G1 enthusiasts with the ultimate answer for classic-proportioned animated characters, and also became a new home for 1986 movie characters that had previously appeared sporadically in lines like Earthrise and Kingdom. This product line continues to this day. Unlike the main Studio Series—whose serial numbers most fans know by heart—SS86’s numbers are relatively lesser-known, ranging from SS86-01 to SS86-31. This guide will first offer purchasing recommendations for these numbered items. New toys without serial numbers (to be released after 2025, following the main line’s numbering cancellation) will be covered in future updated guides.
If SS86 represented the first attempt to expand the “Studio” title through its numbering concept, then the 2023-launched Game Edition (dubbed SSGE) took the “Studio” name to a whole new level—after all, if film studios qualify as “studios,” why not game studios? Thus, character designs from classic Transformers video games like War for Cybertron (WFC) and Transformers: Devastation joined the SS family. Works like Fall of Cybertron (FOC) have not been included yet, but there is clearly hope for their future addition. SSGE also uses independent serial numbers; before numbering was cancelled, there were 11 SSGE items, all of which will be covered in this guide.
Before diving into the details, a note on scoring: to minimize comprehension effort, this guide will not score toys across separate categories. Instead, it provides an overall score based on comprehensive evaluation. The scoring scale ranges from ★ (2 points, minimum) to ★★★★★ (10 points, maximum), with ☆ representing a 1-point increment. While scores carry slight subjectivity, they follow the same standards as the main Studio Series, aiming to truly reflect the relative quality of all SS toys.
SS86 Series
SS86-01 Jazz – Deluxe Class (D-Class)
Recommendation Rating: ★★ (4/10)
The SS86 line kicks off with the popular character Jazz. Prior to this, the last G1 Jazz figure was the combinable limb version from the Power of the Primes line. This SS86 Jazz features solid, conventional design and molding, but its flaws are notable: hollow gaps on the inner forearms, an overly wide chest caused by transforming authentic parts, and an overly simplified paint job to avoid copyright issues. Its vehicle mode—a Porsche Martini—is unlicensed, with inaccurate details, though it still captures the essence of the car’s streamlined shape.
On its own, the toy is by no means “failed.” However, it faces an awkward dilemma: for robot-mode accuracy, the Legacy Evolution Cybertronian Jazz is far more on-point; for consistency with the 1986 animated style, there’s the blue-window animated-color 5-pack version; for better paint and authentic vehicle details, there’s the DCS version. In short, it has no advantages compared to alternatives. Only recommend if it’s drastically discounted.
SS86-02 Kup – Deluxe Class (D-Class)
Recommendation Rating: ★★★★ (8/10)
Serial number 02 goes to the veteran Kup—a character making his debut in the 1986 movie. Compared to G1 characters from the first two seasons, Kup has more distinct personality traits and feels more vivid.
The toy’s style is influenced by the contemporaneous Earthrise line, differing slightly from the mature, pure animated aesthetic of later SS86 items. This is especially evident in the window panel textures, which are identical to Earthrise’s small vehicles (hence its later animated-color repaint in the BB sub-line). The mold features smooth, simple transformation, excellent articulation, and even recreates the movie’s limb-detachment feature—quite a fun detail. Its only real flaw is the head sculpt, which looks overly aged and lacks a “cool” factor.
This is a highly recommended mold. Building on the already solid Titans Return Kup, it improves in key areas—well-deserving of praise.
SS86-03 Blurr – Deluxe Class (D-Class)
Recommendation Rating: ★★☆ (5/10)
After sharing molds with Drift (Classic 3.0) and Brainstorm (Titans Return), Blurr—an 1986 movie character—finally gets his own unique mold.
The front-facing robot mode has few issues, but the lower-body articulation is frustrating: knee movement is limited, and the hip joints have loose play, making pose adjustment difficult. The biggest problem is the sleeve parts, which are entirely mounted on the back of the forearms. While this position aligns with the animated design, the toy could have used fake parts or further folding to improve the look—it feels like a lazy design choice.
Previous Blurr figures were far from screen-accurate, so this is the only option for completing the SS86 5-bot team. Even so, it still doesn’t earn a passing score.
SS86-04 Hot Rod – Voyager Class (V-Class)
Recommendation Rating: ★★★★★ (10/10)
The first perfect 10 in the SS86 line. Despite being a Voyager Class figure with the height of a Deluxe Class toy, SS86 Hot Rod has never faced criticism for its size.
The figure itself is exceptionally well-designed: it has far more parts than a typical Deluxe Class, with top-tier articulation and logical transformation. Unlike Blurr (who needs a separate repair gun accessory), Hot Rod’s repair gun transforms from the figure itself; his sunglasses even flip out from the head sculpt. These small mechanisms showcase clever design thinking.
Early users reported part breakage, mostly due to improper handling—following the transformation steps correctly eliminates this risk. That said, the material does have room for improvement, and low fault tolerance remains a minor flaw.
Beyond the excellent figure itself, Hot Rod comes with dual guns, a hand saw, the Matrix, and three transparent effect parts. This level of accessory richness is rare even across the entire Classics line. The only minor shortcoming is slightly limited shoulder articulation, but this is a reasonable compromise and doesn’t affect the score.
SS86-05 Scourge – Voyager Class (V-Class)
Recommendation Rating: ★★★ (6/10)
Scourge—a popular character reformed by Unicron in the 1986 movie—has had many molds over the years. This SS86 version finally gets a G1-accurate reset, and the mold later became a “workhorse” (used for characters like Batty Baron and Alpha Trion).
Its main flaws are poor articulation and unstable standing ability, though its sculpt is quite attractive. The backpack is large but not unsightly. Like many figures of its era, it includes effect parts: from late 2018 to 2021, Hasbro released a batch of universal-connector effect parts across various lines for fans to collect and mix; after that, new effect part designs became rare (mostly repaints), but the compatible connectors have persisted to this day.
SS86-06 Grimlock & Wheelie – Leader Class (L-Class)
Recommendation Rating: ★★★★ (8/10)
Grimlock is the “repaint king” of the SS86 line—by the time of writing, six color variants have been released: original, mirror, G2 (blue), G2 prototype (yellow), G1 comic, and Godzilla crossover.
The mold is largely a simplified version of Masterpiece MP-08, and Grimlock’s structure leaves little room for innovation. Thick, blocky transformation is a shared trait of all SS86 Dinobots, but the play experience remains excellent. Its flaws include joint articulation that easily reveals “gaps,” a choice to omit front teeth in dinosaur mode, and slightly disappointing solid-color plastic for the neck (especially since the chest uses nice tinted transparent parts).
On the accessory front, including only a gun (and no sword—the sword is with SS86 Swoop) is a letdown. It does come with a weakly articulated Wheelie accessory, which can ride on Grimlock’s shoulder (robot mode) or back (dinosaur mode) and doesn’t conflict with the Core Class Wheelie. This is a nice touch, and an 8/10 score is well-deserved.
SS86-07 Slag & Daniel – Leader Class (L-Class)
Recommendation Rating: ★★★ (6/10)
Among the SS86 Dinobots, Slag—the team’s second-in-command—is the weakest link. For such a large figure, the plastic feels too soft; transformation is clunky and prone to part popping; panel alignment is uncomfortable to adjust; and the robot mode looks rather stiff overall.
That said, when it was released, its sequential numbering gave fans hope that the SS86 line would complete all five Dinobots quickly. The toy’s quality simply can’t match Grimlock’s. The included Daniel accessory interacts with Slag the same way it does with Grimlock: in addition to riding the dinosaur mode, Daniel can sit on the robot’s shoulder.
It’s a must-buy for completing the Dinobot team, but it’s weaker than the other four—not a bad toy, just not as strong.
SS86-08 Sharkticon – Deluxe Class (D-Class)
Recommendation Rating: ★★★★ (8/10)
An excellent “small-scale gem”—the only Quintesson-aligned character in the numbered SS86 items.
Due to its short, stocky robot mode, the value of its articulation is limited (though not bad). Conversely, the shark mode’s articulation is a pleasant surprise—nearly all “menacing” poses are achievable. This is a great toy to buy three of for scene-building.
Fans likely had low expectations for a Sharkticon figure, and it’s hard to imagine a better Sharkticon in the Classics line. This one hits the mark.
SS86-09 Wreck-Gar – Voyager Class (V-Class)
Recommendation Rating: ★★★★☆ (9/10)
An extremely solid toy. The only flaw I can find is slight loose play in the lower-body joints. The wheels can be mounted in multiple positions on the figure; the plastic is thick and sturdy. The long spikes on its body are made of soft plastic—they may bend if pressed for a long time, but a hair dryer can fix this.
The vehicle mode can interact with Deluxe Class Transformers, and the scale is especially perfect for SS86 Hot Rod to ride. As a side note, Hasbro has rarely made a bad Junkion figure, and this one benefits from the character’s significant role in the 1986 movie. A 9/10 score is more than reasonable.
SS86-10 Sweep – Voyager Class (V-Class)
Recommendation Rating: ★★☆ (5/10)
The Sweep is a repaint of Scourge, with a slightly lighter blue—hard to tell apart at a glance. It’s also the only pure repaint in the SS86 line.
My advice: either buy two or three Sweeps to team up with Scourge, or just buy Scourge and skip the Sweep. Otherwise, with this mold’s other repaints (from sets), you’ll end up with an overabundance of the same design at home.
SS86-11 Perceptor – Deluxe Class (D-Class)
Recommendation Rating: ★★ (4/10)
“Doctor” Perceptor can’t seem to “fix” his own flaws—never buy this individually released version. Instead, get the set version sold with Rhinox and Bat-Mite: it adds a back panel to cover the hollow gap. If you want a Perceptor figure, the set version is the way to go.
Even without the improved set version, the SS86 Perceptor mold has inherent design flaws—its axle limits are inexplicable. Worse, previous Perceptor figures were already quite good, so it’s disappointing that this SS86 version (standing on the shoulders of its predecessors) has so many obvious issues.
SS86-12 Coronation Starscream – Leader Class (L-Class)
Recommendation Rating: ★★★ (6/10)
The only “unworthy” toy in the SS86 line. It reuses the Earthrise Starscream mold, with only the addition of movable open palms. The problem is that the Earthrise Starscream mold itself is poor: it uses the transformation structure of the Classic 2.0 Deluxe Class Starscream—a design over a decade old—with no waist rotation or wrist joints.
For the SS86 line, it also has excessive panel lines, making it feel completely out of place. The only saving grace is the full set of coronation accessories: throne, crown, shoulder armor, and cape. Most accessories even store on the back of the throne. But if that’s what you want, why not buy the DCS version instead?
This toy’s “original sin” isn’t that it’s bad—it’s that it took up an SS86 slot, delaying the release of a new, high-quality Classics Starscream (and even Seekers in general). It deserves criticism, but the coronation scene does look impressive enough to bump it to a passing score.
SSBB86-13 Cliffjumper – Deluxe Class (D-Class)
Recommendation Rating: ★★ (4/10)
Most fans may not know that the BB sub-line’s Cliffjumper is actually SS86-13. Around the same time, the BB line also “invaded” the main SS line’s serial numbers, causing considerable confusion.
This is an animated-color repaint of the Earthrise Cliffjumper, available only in the BB line’s yellow packaging. Due to low stock and the Earthrise Cliffjumper’s already high price, this repaint quickly became overpriced on the secondary market. Its transformation structure is identical to the Netflix Bumblebee mold. It’s unclear if Hasbro will reissue it directly or release an 1986-style Bumblebee repaint in the future—we’ll have to wait and see.
In short, this is not recommended unless you’re a collector. It’s too expensive for regular fans.
SS86-14 Junkheap – Voyager Class (V-Class)
Recommendation Rating: ★★★☆ (7/10)
A Junkion figure nearly identical to Wreck-Gar, it mostly aligns with the movie’s design. The main mold changes are in the head sculpt, chest armor, and forearm parts—with the new forearm parts causing slight interference during transformation, making it the clunkiest of the three SS86 Junkions.
This is primarily for fans looking to complete their Junkion collection. If that’s not your goal, owning just Wreck-Gar is more than enough.
SS86-15 Sludge – Leader Class (L-Class)
Recommendation Rating: ★★★☆ (7/10)
Sludge has the most complex transformation among the five Dinobots, but after all the steps, the end result doesn’t feel particularly impressive. First-time users may get stuck if transforming without instructions.
The joint tightness is poorly adjusted—quality control issues can lead to loose parts, requiring DIY acrylic fixes. Like Slag, the robot mode looks stiff, but the dinosaur mode is decent, with surprisingly satisfying articulation at the base of the neck.
It’s another must-buy for completing the Dinobots, and fans’ standards for it are generally “not bad”—which it meets. It’s definitely better than Slag, at least. I’ll rank the Dinobots by quality in the Swoop entry.
SS86-16 Arcee – Deluxe Class (D-Class)
Recommendation Rating: ★★★ (6/10)
This one is hard to evaluate. The mold’s roots trace back to the 2014 IDW Arcee designed by Hiroshi Kobayashi, which captured female proportions well—its only flaw was a large backpack.
Later, due to political correctness and other factors, female characters in lines like Power of the Primes and Siege were made overly muscular, an overcorrection that was shocking. It wasn’t until Earthrise that Hasbro reused the IDW Arcee structure—though the backpack issue remained unsolved (even the Masterpiece version couldn’t fix this, so it’s understandable). Earthrise addressed this by allowing the backpack to detach as a vehicle.
For the SS86 Arcee, Hasbro should have just kept that detachable backpack design. Instead, they made no innovations, merely tinkering with a decade-old mold—it feels like a lazy effort. The leg proportions are also weakened, with overly thin “chopstick legs”—it’s unclear what they were trying to hide.
If you don’t own any Arcee figure, this SS86 version is my top recommendation: it’s more G1-accurate than the Earthrise version and has better paint than the IDW/LG versions. That said, the lack of structural improvement is disappointing.
SS86-17 Ironhide – Voyager Class (V-Class)
Recommendation Rating: ★★★★☆ (9/10)
Prior to this, Ironhide figures in the Siege and Earthrise lines achieved transformation by removing the entire roof—aligning with the original Diaclone battle platform design of the G1 toy. Fans had low expectations for a “perfect” Classics Ironhide, as the previous versions were already acceptable.
Against this backdrop, SS86 Ironhide delivered a pleasant surprise: through clever folding, it achieves accurate dual-mode transformation in a classic scale without disassembly. Its flaws are minor: the red plastic feels slightly cheap, panel alignment isn’t perfect, and color variation in the painted transparent parts is hard to avoid.
Overall, it’s excellent—and as fans know, a good Ironhide mold usually means a good Ratchet mold (they share molds often). A 9/10 recommendation is well-earned.
SS86-18 (This number was originally assigned to the cancelled SS86 Hound. For formatting convenience, SSBB86-24 Ironhide—with which it shares a number overlap—has been moved here; in reality, SS86-18 remains an unused number) Ironhide (Deceased Version) – Voyager Class (V-Class)
Recommendation Rating: ★★★★ (8/10)
Simply brutal—absolutely brutal. Fans understand that the SS86 line’s core mission is to release as many 1986 movie characters as possible for scene recreation. But the Autobots who died early in the movie’s opening ship hijacking scene? Getting a “deceased version” with battle-damaged parts, a screaming head sculpt, and explosion effect parts? This dark humor is way ahead of its time.
That said, this figure was sold in a BB set alongside SS86-20 Prowl (Deceased Version), offering fans a relatively affordable way to own the mold. The figure also has improved tightness, and the opaque windows better match the animated style. If you can accept the childhood-trauma-inducing battle-damaged design, it’s still highly recommended.
SS86-19 Snarl – Leader Class (L-Class)
Recommendation Rating: ★★★★★ (10/10)
In my opinion, this is the best of the SS86 Dinobots. The transformation design is excellent, articulation is top-tier, and the robot mode finally breaks free from the stiffness that plagues Slag and Sludge (caused by their large size). The metallic paint on its body looks beautiful.
Its flaws are minor: the dinosaur mode’s rear section prioritizes G1 accuracy too much, resulting in an unnatural look (the tail folds at an odd angle); and the Autobot symbol on the dinosaur’s forehead (a two-piece assembly) is slightly misaligned, preventing perfect centering.
Overall, the quality is exceptional—the folding and storage of the lower legs are brilliant. This is exactly what fans hope for in a G1 character toy: clever transformations that result in seamless, accurate modes.
SS86-20 Prowl (Deceased Version) – Deluxe Class (D-Class)
Recommendation Rating: ★★★ (6/10)
Sold alongside the deceased Ironhide, this Prowl is a must-buy for fans looking to complete the “18 Autobots” collection. Prowl was previously released in a limited set with Ironhide in the Earthrise line, and this SS86 version follows that pattern—with a key improvement:
Compared to the overpriced Earthrise version (which was also prone to transparent part breakage), the SS86 Prowl is of higher quality. It replaces the fragile transparent plastic knee joints with solid-color plastic, making it cheaper and more durable—a clear win.
That said, the Prowl mold itself is unremarkable (the transformation structure is lackluster), and most fans probably don’t want their “18 Autobots” collection to include a character in a “deceased” pose. It’s better to wait for a regular SS86 Prowl release.
SS86-21 Ultra Magnus – Commander Class (C-Class)
Recommendation Rating: ★★★★☆ (9/10)
The first Commander Class toy in the SS series, it made fans dream of a Commander Class in the main SS line. Unfortunately, this never happened before numbering was cancelled—hinting that the SS86 line’s specifications were actually higher than the live-action movie line.
Unlike the Siege Ultra Magnus (which uses a separate “armor-on” transformation), the SS86 Ultra Magnus features integrated transformation—a bold, impressive design. The robot mode’s most criticized flaw is its overly wide shoulders—no way around it, they are too broad. Beyond that and slightly loose shoulder swing joints, this Ultra Magnus has nothing but strengths.
The head sculpt is full of character; the chest’s Matrix compartment pops open when unlocked—a rare small mechanism in modern toys. The limbs have detachable parts to recreate Ultra Magnus’ death scene in the movie (the SS86 line really can’t escape the “deceased” theme).
The transformation builds on and optimizes the Combiner Wars Ultra Magnus structure, with fun flipping steps and excellent integration. The vehicle mode also scales perfectly with the later-released SS86 Optimus Prime. This is a solid Commander Class figure—don’t let negative reviews make you miss out on it.
SS86-22 Brawn – Deluxe Class (D-Class)
Recommendation Rating: ★★★★★ (10/10)
A perfect small-scale figure. SS86 Brawn, along with the later Legacy United Gears, are must-own molds for anyone collecting classic-scale Transformers. Hasbro didn’t cut corners despite Brawn’s high popularity as one of the “18 Autobots”—they put maximum effort into this design.
The folding storage of the lower legs and the rotation of the head/chest are strokes of genius for a figure of this size. The only minor flaw is the low-end tire attachment method—adding riveted wheels would have made it perfect. This is the ultimate Deluxe Class Brawn—no further explanation needed.
SS86-23 Ratchet – Voyager Class (V-Class)
Recommendation Rating: ★★★★ (8/10)
It’s essentially a white repaint of Ironhide, with a new head sculpt and roof emergency lights added. A standalone Ratchet in a mass-retail line is extremely rare—on par with a mass-retail Skywarp. For that reason alone, this figure is not to be missed.
While fixing the panel alignment issues of the Ironhide mold, this Ratchet also uses higher-quality white plastic—likely resistant to noticeable yellowing for at least a decade.
Its only downside: due to the character’s rarity, the solid mold, and fans’ past frustrations with limited-edition Ratchets, the price rose quickly after an initial low period. It’s now not easy to find at a reasonable price.
SS86-24 Scrapheap – Voyager Class (V-Class)
Recommendation Rating: ★★★☆ (7/10)
Originally unavailable via official distributors in some regions, it later became very affordable due to U.S. imports. The mold itself is good—if Wreck-Gar ever becomes overpriced, Scrapheap is a better choice than Junkheap for owning a single Junkion figure. Its quality is comparable to the other two SS86 Junkions, so no need for further details.
SS86-25 Blaster & Rewind- Voyager Class (V-Class) (Target Exclusive)
Recommendation Rating: ★★★☆ (7/10)
This is a direct repaint of the Kingdom Blaster, with only minor changes: the head sculpt is painted white, and the transparent chest window is replaced with solid plastic. The Rewind figure’s transparent blue parts are also changed to solid plastic.
The Kingdom Blaster mold itself is excellent, but it suffers from a common issue: the nylon parts are prone to green oxidation. This problem affects toys released between 2018 and 2022 (spanning the Siege to Legacy lines) but improved significantly in the Legacy Evolution line. The SS86 Blaster offers a non-oxidizing option with more animated-accurate paint.
However, stock was limited, so the price rose quickly after an initial low period.
SS86-26 Swoop – Leader Class (L-Class)
Recommendation Rating: ★★★★☆ (9/10)
With Swoop’s release, the G1 Dinobots were finally complete in the SS86 line. After the G1 era, Power of the Primes was the first official line to include all five Dinobots, but it compromised individual accuracy and presence to accommodate the “Volcanicus” combiner mode. Thus, the SS86 line is the most convincing official Dinobot set.
Swoop’s main flaws: the transformation is overly simple for a Leader Class figure (less complex than most Deluxe Class toys, with little sense of design); and the dinosaur mode reveals plastic cutouts (cost-saving gaps) around the weapons.
That said, the overall play experience is solid—no loose parts or inaccurate tolerances. It’s only second to Snarl in terms of enjoyment.
For reference, my Dinobot quality ranking from highest to lowest is: Snarl > Swoop > Grimlock > Sludge > Slag. Opinions may vary, but there’s no doubt that all five are above the series average—and well-deserving of their precious Leader Class slots.
SS86-27 Brawn (Deceased Version) – Voyager Class (V-Class)
Recommendation Rating: ★★★ (6/10)
Of course, the Autobots ambushed in the movie’s opening had to be “complete”—so the second deceased set (featuring Brawn and Ratchet) arrived as expected. I already gave the regular Brawn a high score, so there’s no need to elaborate on this version’s quality.
Recommend for fans looking to recreate the deceased scene; otherwise, the regular version is more suitable for display. That said, both figures in this set use excellent molds—if the original versions ever become overpriced and this set remains affordable, it’s well worth buying to experience the molds (far better than the Prowl mold, at least).
SS86-28 Ratchet (Deceased Version) – Voyager Class (V-Class)
Recommendation Rating: ★★★ (6/10)
The last of the four “deceased” Autobots, sold in a limited BB set with Brawn. The chest’s broken details are identical to the deceased Ironhide’s—who says no two leaves are exactly alike? Even the broken window glass looks the same.
SS86-29 Bumblebee – Deluxe Class (D-Class)
Recommendation Rating: ★★★★ (8/10)
Most fans expected Hasbro to repaint the Netflix Bumblebee mold for SS86 (since SS86 Cliffjumper was a repaint of the Earthrise Cliffjumper). Instead, SS86 Bumblebee got a brand-new mold—showing impressive dedication.
This figure abandons the Beetle vehicle mode to match the more cartoonish style of the 1986 movie. The robot mode’s head-to-body ratio is also more G1-accurate, giving it a cute, compact look.
Its flaw: the vehicle mode’s panel alignment is extremely difficult—likely due to imprecise mold manufacturing. Even so, this is a highly recommended Bumblebee figure, especially for fans who don’t own a yellow Beetle-style Bumblebee—the SS86 version is the best choice.
SS86-30 Springer – Leader Class (L-Class)
Recommendation Rating: ★★★★ (8/10)
A relatively successful retooled figure. The Siege Springer’s triple-changer structure was already solid, and the SS86 Springer overhauls the upper-body design: adjusted chest details, shoulder armor that folds to a more accurate angle, and added small thoughtful mechanisms like flip-out arm cannons.
Regrettably, the Siege Springer’s weaker lower body is fully carried over to the SS86 version. Perhaps because the figure itself is essentially Voyager Class-sized, and the retooling cost was low, Hasbro allocated extra Leader Class budget to the accessories.
SS86 Springer comes with a large sword, the rockets used to destroy Devastator in the movie, and even a Wreckers hammer. This is quite humorous—while Springer leads the Wreckers in many continuities, he has no connection to the team in the 1986 movie. The only link is that the G1 comic Springer has a similar design. That small hammer reveals the “extravagance” of a surplus budget.
SS86-31 Optimus Prime – Commander Class (C-Class)
Recommendation Rating: ★★★★★ (10/10)
You can nitpick this Optimus Prime for various minor flaws, but its recommendation rating is still a perfect 10. It has a large stock, and the material is solid.
The first batch had quality control issues (mainly window defects and reversed heel parts), and the second batch still had reversed waist parts. But compared to this figure’s strengths, these issues can’t stop fans from buying it.
The body is relatively stocky, and the head sculpt is made flatter to match. The articulation range isn’t particularly outstanding, but the smooth butterfly shoulder joints allow it to pull off most poses. The material feels smooth and pleasant to handle; the transformation design balances inheritance and innovation—especially the simple, efficient, and elegant rear-wheel hiding solution.
The backpack size is acceptable, and it comes with a large gun, energon axe, shooting effect parts, and vehicle-mode flying effect parts—all designed to recreate classic movie scenes with meticulous attention to detail. Every accessory even has a storage spot, so you won’t lose parts.
If you collect G1 Transformers, there’s no reason to miss this figure. Even with the pressure of the cleverly transforming Siege Optimus Prime and the well-proportioned Earthrise Optimus Prime, this SS86 version still stands as the ultimate Classics Optimus Prime.
SS86-31 Galvatron – Leader Class (L-Class)
Recommendation Rating: ★★★★ (8/10)
You shouldn’t overuse a good mold, but Hasbro did just that. The Kingdom Galvatron is a highly acclaimed Leader Class figure among fans; the Legacy line’s repaint (removing battle damage) made it even more affordable; and the Generations Selects line gave it G1 toy colors and Unicron-scanned colors. Even the best mold can lead to aesthetic fatigue.
To make matters worse, the SS86 Galvatron—along with Legacy Evolution Sky Lynx and Overload—lost its official 3C distribution, keeping its price high and leading many fans to skip this mere repaint.
That said, I’ll be fair: the SS86 color scheme is stunning. Few fans who’ve seen it in person can resist it. If you don’t already own this mold, the SS86 Galvatron is a one-stop solution for a high-quality Galvatron.
The SS86 line’s numbered items end here. If you’re observant, you’ll notice both Optimus Prime and Galvatron share the number SS86-31—not a mistake by the author, but an error discovered by Hasbro after release. Hasbro’s Evan confirmed this was a mistake in an Instagram Q&A. This just proves that SS86’s serial numbers were so overlooked that even errors went unnoticed—canceling the numbering was probably for the best.
If you’ve read the buying guide for the main SS line, you’ll notice many molds there got low scores. In contrast, low-scoring items are rare in the SS86 line. It’s safe to conclude: the average quality of the SS86 line is higher than the main SS line.
Like the main line, the SS86 series also has Core Class figures. These have no serial numbers but were released around the same time, so they’ll be briefly covered here. Mixing and matching sizes is part of the fun of classic-scale collecting, after all.
SS86 Core Class Wheelie
Recommendation Rating: ★★★★ (8/10)
While SS86 Grimlock already includes a non-transformable small Wheelie, this major character certainly deserves its own transformable mold. The transformation is smooth and simple; the small slingshot accessory is cute—even without a rubber band, it can still be posed to look like it’s being pulled. This is more than enough. It’s the most recommended G1-style Wheelie figure.
SS86 Core Class Spike
Recommendation Rating: ★★ (4/10)
A human protagonist from the 1986 movie, with a blurry face sculpt. This is essentially a transformable version of the non-transformable Spike included with SS86 Slag. Its articulation is poor, and the transformation is unintuitive—it’s purely a “filler” toy for group photos. It’s hard to imagine anyone liking this figure.
SS86 Core Class Rumble
Recommendation Rating: ★★★ (6/10)
An accessory-upgraded version of the Siege Rumble, adding hammers for its hands and a small gun on its back. The SS86 line hasn’t released Soundwave yet, but the Cassette Troopers are here first—naturally, they’re designed to interact with Soundwave figures from lines like Legacy (the scale is universal).
Unfortunately, due to paint application issues, the cassette mode has poor compatibility with Soundwave’s chest compartment—the lid often won’t close properly. A slight letdown, but still decent.
SS86 Core Class Frenzy
Recommendation Rating: ★★★ (6/10)
Identical to Rumble in specifications—only the color scheme differs. No further details needed.
SS86 Core Class Ratchet
Recommendation Rating: ★★★☆ (7/10)
The Core Class Ratchet was clearly meant to be paired with a future Core Class Ironhide repaint. Unfortunately, the Core Class tier was discontinued before Ironhide could be released—quite a shame.
The Core Class Ratchet has no major design flaws and pairs well with other Core Class G1 characters. It’s a must-have for small-scale collectors.
SS86 Core Class Steeljaw
Recommendation Rating: ★★★☆ (7/10)
Its only downside is that the small wing accessories require plugging in and out. That said, this Blaster’s companion has decent accessory variety and excellent interaction with Blaster figures. For a character like this, any official release is basically the “ultimate version”—buy it if the price is right. Of course, don’t buy it if you don’t own a Blaster.
SSGE (Game Edition) Series
SSGE+01 Bumblebee – Deluxe Class (D-Class) (War for Cybertron/WFC)
Recommendation Rating: ★★☆ (5/10)
The SSGE line made most fans hesitant from the start, thanks to the poor quality of its first few releases. WFC figures have been released before, and they were all good—so why is this reset so underwhelming?
Admittedly, the articulation and transformation structure are from a decade ago, making them outdated by today’s standards. But if you’re going to reset a line, you should aim for molds that set the bar for the next decade. Instead, the WFC character resets in SSGE feel perfunctory and overly mediocre.
The chest and abdomen sculpt of this Bumblebee is laughable—it’s no more screen-accurate than the old WFC figure. The only saving grace is the abundant accessories.
All WFC characters in the SSGE line share a creative feature: the entire right arm can be removed and replaced with a weapon. The problem is, if the line is so unappealing that fans don’t want to collect it, what’s the point of a “universal feature”?
SSGE+02 Barricade – Deluxe Class (D-Class) (War for Cybertron/WFC)
Recommendation Rating: ★★ (4/10)
Barricade has a significant role in WFC, so fans had high expectations for this figure—especially since it’s the first WFC Barricade toy ever. Its black/gray/purple/silver color scheme is indeed beautiful.
However, the design is overly mediocre. The robot mode feels clunky in hand, with a “cheap” vibe and heavy “shell-like” proportions.
SSGE+03 Optimus Prime – Voyager Class (V-Class) (War for Cybertron/WFC)
Recommendation Rating: ★★★☆ (7/10)
Ignoring the vehicle mode’s exposed hands at the rear, this Optimus Prime is acceptable for the SSGE line.
The old WFC Optimus Prime is regarded by many fans as the “greatest Deluxe Class ever”—a tough act to follow. But this SSGE version is a Voyager Class figure, so they’re not in direct competition. The size alone adds value.
While it has severe plastic cutouts, its overall stocky proportions and the added Matrix feature give it advantages in both looks and playability. The large axe is also a nice touch—rare for a regular Voyager Class figure.
If you don’t care about the WFC origin, the retooled “Broken Friendship” set version (featuring Orion Pax) is even more recommended. That version fixes the vehicle mode’s exposed hands, adds height, and retools details—standing as the ultimate IDW Optimus Prime (Orion Pax) figure.
SSGE+04 Megatron – Voyager Class (V-Class) (War for Cybertron/WFC)
Recommendation Rating: ★★ (4/10)
The main culprit behind the SSGE line’s ruined reputation. The old WFC Megatron was only Deluxe Class-sized, but it was incredibly cool and fun to play with. A decade later, this Voyager Class reset is a disaster: knees barely bend, the hand cannon feature is lazy, and the vehicle mode is unrecognizable.
If you want to experience the mold, buy the 40th Anniversary G1 Comic Set featuring Lord Zarak & Flamewar. The Flamewar figure (a repaint of this mold) has stunning paint—at least that’s a saving grace. There’s nothing more to say about this Megatron—bury it and wait for the WFC Ratchet to save the line.
SSGE+05 Cliffjumper – Deluxe Class (D-Class) (War for Cybertron/WFC)
Recommendation Rating: ★☆ (3/10)
The line’s reputation was already in tatters, and Hasbro still rushed to fill slots with repaints. There’s not much else to say.
SSGE+06 Starscream – Voyager Class (V-Class) (War for Cybertron/WFC)
Recommendation Rating: ★★★ (6/10)
Most fans wrote off this figure as soon as they saw its design—thanks to the SSGE line’s terrible start. The robot mode’s visual focus is a large, insect abdomen-like belly, and fans were already used to the old WFC Deluxe Class Seekers, making it hard to accept this “ugly” design.
That said, I gave it a slightly higher score (just passing) because it’s actually fun to play with. The transformation is clever, and the articulation is solid. I’d classify it as a “ugly but good toy” rather than a bad one.
SSGE+07 Bumblebee – Deluxe Class (D-Class) (Transformers: Devastation/RE)
Recommendation Rating: ★★★★☆ (9/10)
Is this a joke? A mold from a cancelled game (packaged in two sets) is being used to fill an SSGE slot. But will I complain? No—because even if you rank all Bumblebee molds in history, this one would still be in the top 5. I see it as a chance for fans who couldn’t afford the set version to own this excellent mold individually (though most fans probably wanted the Transformers: Devastation Optimus Prime to be sold separately instead).
The traditionally small Bumblebee reaches the maximum height of a Deluxe Class figure here. Its transformation logic is unlike any other Bumblebee, making it fun to transform. The robot mode looks heroic and cool; the vehicle mode’s rear exhaust ports are gorgeous. No matter how disappointed you’ve been with previous Bumblebee figures, this one is highly recommended.
SSGE+08 Ratchet – Voyager Class (V-Class) (War for Cybertron/WFC)
Recommendation Rating: ★★★★☆ (9/10)
Finally—the savior of the SSGE line, the “star” of the series has arrived. This “apocalyptic medic” (warrior-style design) is making its toy debut.
Its only major flaw is slightly limited upper-body articulation, with overly long forearms. Even so, the overall articulation is excellent—Hasbro even added extra joints beyond what’s necessary. The large axe and interchangeable arm cannon accessory offer great interactivity—both cool and fun to play with.
The transformation has a moderate learning curve, and the satisfaction of achieving perfect panel alignment is rewarding. Weapon storage is a bit abstract, but it’s better than nothing. This is an excellent mold worthy of a 9/10 score. The later Ironhide repaint (with minor retools) is also a great toy. Even if you skip the entire SSGE line, you should still buy this Ratchet to experience its quality.
SSGE+09 Generic Soldier – Deluxe Class (D-Class) (War for Cybertron/WFC)
Recommendation Rating: ★☆ (3/10)
A retooled repaint of the SSGE Barricade, marketed as a WFC generic soldier. I originally planned to buy multiple to build a scene, but it was so bad I gave up. The mold is already weak, and the character is unnamed—don’t buy it.
SSGE+10 Sideswipe – Deluxe Class (D-Class) (War for Cybertron/WFC)
Recommendation Rating: ★ (2/10)
Ratchet gave the SSGE line a glimmer of hope, but Sideswipe snuffed it out. Don’t talk to me about “screen-accurate details” or “play features”—just compare it to the old WFC Sideswipe, and it’s clear which is better. The transformation isn’t bad, but there are plenty of toys with good transformations.
Sideswipe has always been a “handsome” character in every line—what is this? It’s the lowest-scoring figure here—even buying it on sale feels like a waste of space.
SSGE+11 Skywarp – Voyager Class (V-Class) (War for Cybertron/WFC)
Recommendation Rating: ★★★☆ (7/10)
Here’s a simple rule: any mass-retail Skywarp deserves a second look. And this one is actually good. If you want to experience the mold, it’s far more attractive than the original red Starscream—its purple paint job looks premium in person.
The joint resistance and transformation feel are smooth; it’s a relatively recommended toy, earning a 7/10 score.
And that’s all for the numbered items of the SS series’ two sub-lines—SS86 and GE. I hope you found this guide helpful.
Going forward, with serial numbers cancelled, I plan to stop separating the SS line from the Titans Return line. Future buying guides will be updated every six months, covering all new official Classics line toys in the order of their release waves. If you have any suggestions, feel free to leave a comment. Next up, I’ll focus on writing unboxing reviews for new toys.
See you in the next buying guide!
To help you better use this guide for toy purchases, I can organize a comparison table of key SS86 & SSGE toys—including each toy’s core advantages, flaws, and suitable crowd (e.g., collectors, casual players)—so you can quickly screen options based on your needs. Would you like this table?
