Tyrannocon Rex (Transformers: Collaborative by Hasbro)

Review by GiganotosaurusFan, edited by Suspsy

We take a different path today, not down a path of dinosaurs, but a dinosaur/robot. On September 17, 1984, lightning struck as one of the most popular children’s cartoon shows of all time debuted: The Transformers. 12 years later, a different path was taken with Beast Wars, where the Autobots became Maximals, and the Decepticons became Predacons. And for me, the main star of that show was in fact not Optimus Primal, but Megatron, who transformed into a hulking purple Tyrannosaurus rex. It was rightful to show the giant dinosaur as the ruling force, not some ape, and this popularity was bolstered by the fact that Jurassic Park had come out just three years earlier! Megatron and Optimus were also a homage to the original King Kong and The Valley of Gwangi.

Flash forward to 2021 when Hasbro released a Jurassic Park/Transformers set as part of their Collaborative line. It is based on the iconic scene where the T. rex breaks out of its paddock and wreaks havoc. But here the dinosaur is a retool of the Megatron toy from Transformers: Kingdom named Tyrannocon Rex and the tour vehicle is an Autobot named JP93. Here I’ll be reviewing the former. It’s a misshapen thing with pliable plastic and barely even worth looking at. I’m being facetious.

We will not be considering accuracy here because this toy is based on a pop culture version of T. rex, namely Rexy herself. Being a Leader-class toy, Tyrannocon Rex is superbly detailed in dinosaur mode, with fine scales covering the entirety of all her body. The skin also is slightly soft to the touch, not dissimilar to rubber. It imitates the “Real Feel” feature shown on the Mattel Jurassic World toys while also not being too pliable. The back boasts some larger scales, probably to imitate some back armour.

Looks-wise, it might have some wonky proportions, such as clown feet and a midget tail, but that is accurate to BW Megatron, and having a larger tail would mean having a disproportionately larger claw weapon in robot mode. The tail can be made to look longer by moving the feet and knees a little to the front, while the big feet are not nearly as noticeable as on some Mattel figures, and do aid in stability.The head is wonderfully sculpted, with the details being absolutely fantastic, especially the ‘angry eyebrows’ that give it a fierce expression.

Inside the mouth, there is a visible sculpted tongue with a little gloss on it. Look up and you’ll see a black ceiling for the top part of the mouth. Tyrannocon Rex can maneuver her head from side to side, as well as up and down. She can also move her arms, her knees, her ankles, and her tail; she actually has more articulation than the vastly more expensive Masterpiece figure. In robot mode, her head bears a strong resemblance to G1 Soundwave, but otherwise she has the same body as Megatron. 

The paint job for the most part is very clean. Subtle dark brown stripes overlay a lighter shade, which slowly fades into a sand-coloured underbelly. The claws are a dark grey, the teeth are a clean white, and the gums are a deep purple. The eyes are yellow with black pupils dotted into them and have dark patches surrounding them.

The toy does pretty well with seams, but they are still visible, so the Masterpiece figure has it bested in that regard. It is fairly accurate to the JP movie, with the colouration being spot on. The head seems a little off, but this is understandable given that it is a retooled Megatron. It measures around 31 centimeters long, 6 centimeters wide at the hips, and 9 centimeters tall. 

Tyrannocon Rex is a true gem to own. I like her more than most of my models. If you like Beast Wars, this is for you; if you like dinosaurs from pop culture, this is for you; if you like aesthetically pleasing models, this is for you; if you like dinosaurs, and especially Mr. T, well, you get the picture. However, do consider that it has a high price tag, but I have no regrets for spending every last penny. Hasbro sure has come a long way. 5/5