A Concise Review of Combiner Wars Protectobot Groove In 500 Words Or Less

Pricepoint/Vintage: Legend, 2015.

Modes: Robot, Motorbike, Combiner Breastplate.

Transformation Style: CW legend, chest minion.

Play Patterns: Robot and vehicle, “sixth member” combiner, 5mm weaponry.

Points of Interest: Round 335353 of the Hasbro Vs Takara argument, where this character is available in Japan as a new mould deluxe, and this actual toy got shifted elsewhere.

The Good

Groove's robot mode is nicely articulated for the size, with ten points, and inherits some elements from his G1 toy without being a block. His bike mode differs more strongly, but has an Akira-meets-CHiPS vibe which I like, and rolls well enough. The chestplate form meanwhile is a fairly dramatic improvement over Blackjack's in that it does not resemble a car randomly attached with blu-tak. Not only is it secure, it looks like a distinct mode for the toy. While lacking a weapon, he does have 5mm hands, and a 5mm port on his left leg to accept borrowed weapons.

The Bad
Groove suffers from some odd proportions, and ends up being some 60% leg. Paint applications see black done over white plastic, resulting in flaws I intend to correct. The instructions tell you to attach him the wrong way up in combined mode, missing an hexagonal port. His hands are a potential point for breakage, while the bike mode relies on friction in the joints, both of which are probably going to be issues down the line.

The Mediocre
Groove's chestplate mode is something of a zero sum if getting an 80's style protectobot team is important to you. On the one hand, you get all of the original five, the scale makes some sense, and Groove adds welcome bulk. On the other, he does obscure a lot of G1 style detailing. There's also a mysterious 5mm peg on his right leg, its purpose unknown at time of writing, but it might be for a “gun mode” in relation to a voyager mould.

The Alternatives

Groove famously has a Takara exclusive deluxe version, while this toy will be retooled into Wreck-Gar. However, if you what want is a real nice bikeformer, go strait for Animated Prowl in some form. That toy and its iterations are the gold standard for such things.

The Verdict

Groove is in a bit of a weird position. Compared to the Powerglide and Blackjack toys that preceded this, he's a more refined product, having a stronger fictional connection, a combination that works well, and no issue with tolerances. He is however unremarkable in comparison to those toys, as while they had their lows, the highs more than made up for it. Groove doesn't quite have that, and is dramatically over-shadowed by the Japanese deluxe, although that is unreleased at time of writing. If you want him, he's nice. But he's not compulsory.