Hightower

Color Scheme:

80% red, with some gray parts and some black parts, and a few black and gray accents here and there. I'm not sure what the logic behind a red mobile crane is, but it's ok with me. At least it's not some wacky and eye jarring combination of clashing colors like we saw in late Beast Wars toys. ;-)

Robot Mode:

Much like Heavy Load because of a very similar transformation: stocky build with large upper arms and lower legs, and thin forearms and thighs; the same floppy feet as Heavy Load, but he doesn't have that cool smirk. Overall I like the robot mode because of how robot-like it really is. This is how you would expect the robot mode of a large construction vehicle to look.

Vehicle Mode:

A mobile crane, and a big one at that, much like Heavy Load is a big dump truck. These guys are definitely "brothers." The crane has a (closed) hook at the end and can raise up and almost all the way over, limited only by the cab section itself. The cab can rotate 360 degrees which adds quite a range of movement for good playability. The cab comes off a bit easy on mine, though.

Transformation:

Simple, just like Heavy Load. Extend the legs, fold out the arms, and the head comes over from behind the cab section. Not difficult at all, even for younger collectors.

Gimmicks:

The crane comes off and can be used as a weapon. What's more, there's a gun barrel that comes out of the crane arm to turn the crane arm into a full-fledged blaster. He also has a small sidearm (his "magnum") that can be hidden in his cab.

Pros/Cons:

Good robot mode, and decent vehicle mode, plus a simple transformation puts him in the class of "no regrets" purchases.