This weekend was a big one for Transformers fans! At the 2019 NYCC panel, Hasbro designers gave us the first glimpse of the upcoming War for Cybertron: Earthrise figures! For all of you who were wishing we could see more traditional Earth-mode bots, you’re going to be very, very happy. These are some of the best “classic” Transformers figures I’ve seen outside of the Masterpiece line, and it’s got me excited to see what’s next.

10. Cyberverse Macadam

Cyberverse Macadam (Image: Hasbro)

Let’s start things off with a non WfC figure. Cyberverse has slowly become an unexpected source of figures for characters we’ve never seen in plastic (Alpha Trion, Sparkeaters, the Ark). Macadam, the proprietor of the most famous bar on Cybertron, has often been mentioned but never given a figure. The downside is that he’s a build-a-figure split up over two waves of Cyberverse toys. $160 is a pretty steep price to pay, even if Cyberverse toys look to finally be catching up to the other lines in terms of complexity and detail.

9. Micro Master Hot Rod Patrol

Earthrise Hot Rod Patro – lronworks not included (Image: Hasbro)

Consisting of Daddy-O and Trip-Up, these two teeny muscle cars will be perfect for speeding along your newly-created bases (more on that in a bit).

8. Grapple

Earthrise Grapple (Image: Hasbro)

Everyone’s favorite yellow-orange crane is finally back and looking just as chunky as we left him back in G1. I have fond memories of the original toy, and I’m impressed with how well this figure captures the look and feel, while bringing the design to modern standards.

7. Cliffjumper

Earthrise Cliffjumper (Image: Hasbro)

Cliffjumper has gotten shafted over the years (not Camshaft-ed, though, that’s a different character). While the G1 figure had its own unique mold, it transformed exactly the same as the more popular Bumblebee. That association has persisted over the years, with Cliffjumper being included in toy lines not as his own toy but as a red redeco of Bumblebee. That’s changed only recently with Combiner Wars, and this WfC: Earthrise figure looks to be one of the best unique Cliffjumpers yet. He comes with his ridiculously large glass gas cannon and a pair of skis to recreate his appearance in the original series’ episode “Dinobot Island.”

6. Hoist

Earthrise Hoist (Image: Hasbro)

Hoist is the perfect example of “giving the fans what they want.” Not only is he the best recreation of the character we’ve seen in 35 years, but he’s got playability in the form of rear ramps that interact with the new battle bases (hold on, I’m getting to it), and he can form a bridge in bot mode to re-create yet another random G1 scene. It’s almost like the designers are cramming these things in, trying to see how much we’ll notice at this point.

5. Starscream

Earthrise Starscream (Image: Hasbro)

The first tweet I saw about this figure was how it was just a copy of their childhood toy… 2006 Classics Starscream. Which, y’know, ouch. That hits me right in my olds. But the nascent adult is correct – Earthrise Starscream takes the best parts of what was already a fantastic toy (Classics Starscream was repurposed approximately 5,222 times) and improved on it. This new Starscream is bigger, more poseable (his wings actually move out of the way in bot mode), and has a smooth, non-greebly deco that just begs for a round of G1-accurate Reprolabels. If you haven’t preordered one from HasbroPulse yet… you’re kidding yourself. It’s the best main-line Starscream we’ve gotten in years.

4. Wheeljack

Earthrise Wheeljack (Image: Hasbro)

Wheeljack was the co-parent of the Dinobots, the resident Cybertronian inventor/scientist, and one of the most forgotten characters when it comes to modern toy lines. I’m not sure why – his unique race car alt-mode, bold patterns, and distinctive head sculpt all make for a memorable and fun character. Any time we get a new version of him is cause for celebration, and this new Earthrise figure is no exception. Clearly a Lancia Stratos, just like his original G1 toy, this is a must if you’re trying to assemble your Ark crew.

3. Optimus Prime

Earthrise Optimus Prime (Image: Hasbro)

And speaking of assembling the Ark crew, here’s the latest Optimus Prime that you tell everyone that you won’t buy but then preorder anyway. And why wouldn’t you? This heavily retooled Leader-class Optimus not only has that Peterbilt vibe, it has the freakin’ trailer. As impressive as the latest Galaxy Optimus was (and make no mistake, he was the best intergalactic fire truck ever), this is the G1 throwback figure we’ve been waiting for. With a repair bay built into the trailer and an honest-to-Primus Matrix of Leadership in his chest, this is the one Optimus every Transformers fan will want. Here’s hoping Roller makes a reappearance at some point.

2. Ironworks

Earthrise Ironworks (Image: Hasbro)

What’s this? A completely forgotten Micromaster station upstaging the grand patriarch of all Transformers? That’s right. Because just when old-school fans thought the well was dry, Hasbro designers plunged deeper and gave us something we didn’t even know we were missing. Before Transformers took a hiatus in the 90s, Hasbro tried Micromaster bases. They were modular stations that came with a Micromaster character and could be assembled into multiple configurations. The modularity of War for Cybertron’s weaponizers (like Cog and Brunt) lends itself perfectly to the concept. Even better, this reimagining of Ironworks can be combined into a bot that resembles his old Micromaster partner. I’m looking forward to seeing the other three stations pop up over the next year. They’ll all be able to combine, and some figures like Hoist will be able to connect andd create a giant Cybertronian city. Obscure Micromaster playsets are the final stop before Hasbro starts creating transforming versions of Action Masters toys and I, for one, can’t wait to see what’s next.

1. Scorponok

Earthrise Zarak, left (Image: Seibertron.com)

The biggest reveal of the weekend, however, was the one we didn’t see in its entirety. Just like previous partial reveals, the Hasbro team teased the next Titan-class figure at their Thursday panel. As I guessed, it will be the final citybot, Scorponok. We got a gander at his deluxe-sized double Headmaster, Zarak. He doesn’t have an alt-form of his own (other than being Scorponok’s head), so we’ll have to wait to see how the rest of him looks, but if it’s anything like the current Titan, Omega Supreme, fans have a lot to look forward to.