Sky Lynx
Review by Berserk
Sky Lynx is an Autobot lieutenant who has some serious ego problems. While he likes to brag about himself, he is a brave warrior.
The toy itself is from Takara Tomy’s Encore series, released in 2008, while the original was released in 1986.
Let us start with the box. It is quite large, as you can see the comparison with the AA size battery from the photo. The design resembles the old box, but with Encore logo on the upper left side.
Inside, the toy is packed in vehicle mode along with a card, stickers, and instruction sheet. All of which is held in place by a plastic tray and praise the Lord, no twist ties! Although I do not have the 1986 version, I am sure the old version used a Styrofoam tray to keep everything in place.
Sky Lynx is all plastic, and the quality feels very good, holding up to the transformation process over and over again. Sky Lynx actually is two separate transformers. The space shuttle can turn into a dino-bird and the shuttle transport can turn into a lynx. Each can be played with separately.
First the bird, which may look kind of like a duck for some people. Its alternate mode is a space shuttle. To transform to bird mode, simply pull the tail from the cargo compartment, raise the front end to reveal the neck and head, and flip the feet and pull the wings. The mouth can be opened to reveal some seriously menacing teeth. The tail and neck are articulated. The hatch on the cargo compartment can also be opened.
The second part is the carrier that can turn into a “lynx” (and I don’t know why “Lynx” has two tails). Transforming it is super easy. Just pop out the head and legs and pull its tails out. The lynx is a bit weird for my taste with its vehicle mode being a bit bland, but the real joy starts when…
The two combine. The vehicle mode is a space shuttle with carrier, and the two connect via three pegs that hold the two together quite well, allowing them to stay connected even over the roughest of space bumps. While in vehicle mode, it measures 22 cm long with the height of 17 cm.
Transformation into Sky Lynx is similar with the previous transformation, except you do not pull out the legs of the bird or the head and tails of the lynx. Sky Lynx is more a Dinosaur to me than bird, and in Sky Lynx mode, it measures 27 cm long (it has very long tail) and height of 22 cm. It’s quite big, but to have more fun…
Put 2 AA battery in and Sky Lynx has the ability to roll in vehicle mode, or walk in robot mode. In vehicle mode, it has a front steering wheel so you can direct where it goes. The walking action is also very fun to watch. Just line-up some minicons and watch Sky Lynx stomp the life from them.
In the end, it is one of best transformers I have ever had, and is a good fit for people who like playability as well as a toy’s design (remember, it was released in 1986). For the price, it is a great bargain. Affordable and highly playable.
Comments
7 comments postedThe transition between orbiter and carrier platform was so abrupt that I could never accept Sky Lynx, even though separately they were pretty awesome toys.
However, I didn't know he was motorized-!
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CollectionDX Staff
I got Sky Lynx as a kid at Christmas the year that Transformers: The Movie came out and I always was very fond of it, until Sky Lynx's foot broke. A friend of mine said his dad could fix it and when I gave it to him to get his dad to make repairs, I never ever got it back. That always pissed me off.
This was the first time Japan ever got Sky Lynx, because like Jetfire and the Deluxe Insecticons, it was manufactured by one of Takara's rival toy companies. Tomy bought this company at some point, and when Tomy and Takara merged a few years ago, it gave Takara access to Sky Lynx and Omega Supreme.
I got the Encore reissue a couple of years ago and judging Sky Lynx as an adult, I've gotta say, this is one truly weird toy.
I also got Encore Omega Supreme and it's fun to make Omega and Sky Lynx race.
What about Shockwave that was originally produced by Toyco as Galactic Man? Didn't Takara bought that company out before it got fused with Tomy? They must've or Binaltech Shockwave would've never been produced.
No, they could always make new toys that were not reissues of the original toy. There was Action Master Shockwave in the late '80s. That has nothing to do with Binaltech Shockwave.
Hmmm...I think I see what you're getting at here. If TakaraTomy hadn't bought out Toyco, then I guess this might explain why Shockwave didn't get an 'encore' yet or a 'MP' treatment for that matter.
I never understood this toy as a kid. Anything in the transformers line that doesn't transform into a robot is still confusing to me. I like the way the lynx looks, the elegant simplicity and it would be great just to have other toys ride around on him in either mode. I had no idea it was motorized, that's awesome. He'd make a good companion piece to Trypticon. And $20!
I thought Skylynx was very weird... buat as an adult, the 20$ tag change my mind..