Armada Sideways (Random Review)

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[@powerrangerkid16]

i feel like this figure is a double homage 1) headmasters 2) doubledealer

[@mackenziegray8762]

and punch/counterpunch

[@powerrangerkid16]

@@mackenziegray8762 forgot about him

[@mackenziegray8762]

@@powerrangerkid16 you commented this 6 years ago what in the world

[@powerrangerkid16]

@@mackenziegray8762 lol

[@moonwhooper]

​@@powerrangerkid16committed. I respect that.

[@DarkdustDragon]

Pretty sure the horns were to allude to his relation to Unicron. Sideways was probably one of the best parts of Armada, between his unique character and the excellent voice work by Paul Dobson and Mark Acheson.

[@MrJermeyp]

A double headmaster with three heads and both faction symbols was a BIG deal for that era of figures

[@DatBastardOni]

This guy needs a reboot. Really badly.

[@darkstar5081]

Dat Bastard Oni what if they made a re-release of him in different colours

[@creepergaming2920]

@@darkstar5081 They kinda did

[@matthewdennler2953]

Hopefully a legacy release

[@creepergaming2920]

hopefully They will

[@johnconstantine1376]

Got mine a week ago and love recreating tv show scenes. So in love with armada. Transformers are awesome.

[@dol_mel7487]

We all know that one certain somebody is very happy that TJ finally did a figure for this guy...

[@chuckdawg1999]

I wonder if the club ever considered redoing this figure as a set of Junkions? Would look kinda cool

[@larrychilders6599]

I know a guy who customized a Potp Wreck Gar as Sideways and used the combiner port with the autobot and decepticon decals on opposite ends

[@maxtube444]

@@larrychilders6599 that’s actually genius ngl

[@larrychilders6599]

@@maxtube444 their name is Luffimus

[@OptimusPhillip]

I don't mind motorcycle Transformers having kickstands, because it's just realistic.

[@runescape228]

A "Random Review" suggestion: an extensive retool, one which shows how a certain figure can feel like completely different toy from who it was remolded from, e.g. Generations Sandstorm.

[@periclod1877]

Runestone's Reviews runestone do you watch TJ?

[@Cryptid_cowboy]

Runestone's Reviews the robot is horny

[@Phantom9252]

When I was a kid Sideways was the coolest Transformer of them all, he was always playing both sides, always scheming, and the reveal that he worked for Unicron, the big, bad, planet eating robot from the old movie blew my little child mind. I wish when Generations did the Thrilling 30, that they had some incarnation of Sideways in that.

[@DatBastardOni]

So lemme get this straight. Armada Starscream is good enough to get the IDW treatment, but not this guy? Come on, updated Armada toys. Make it happen.

[@dustinarmstrong1168]

Give RID2001 a chance too, HasTak. I would pay good money for an updated Megatron/Gigatron.

[@SigmAnalog]

Sideways was a really interesting character with a really striking design and a fascinating gimmick (to say nothing of the sinister characterization)...and it was all let down by his toy being a total brick. I really wish they'd give this guy the Classics/Generations treatment like they gave Hotshot (yes, I know, nobody speak his name lest we bring down the wrath of the Plastic Addict) or Rhinox. Given his status as a multiverse-spanning figure, it'd certainly make sense. Then again, given some of the cost-cutting measures Hasbro's taken to lately, maybe I should be careful what I wish for...maybe.

[@rainer250]

I had this toy as a kid. It's an interesting design and the incarnation most people who grew in the 90s to early 2000s including myself. I never had the first version where Crosswise is the Autobot head while Rook is the Decepticon head.

[@marc7258]

the reindeer antlers reminded me of Thunderhoof

[@brotherofAnubus]

This was, and still is, my favorite transformer. Nothing since this Sideways has stuck with me as solidly.

[@rigelc.hoffman2496]

With the Legacy toyline going, I really can't think of a better character to receive a figure than this guy. Specially with all those hints that every Sideways ever featured is the same Unicron agent hopping across worlds like his master. I wonder how Hastak would handle putting elements from all his iterations in one figure

[@jonsonss]

My prayers have been answered! Ive wanted you to review this toy for about 4 years now. Thanks :3

[@michaelnewman1447]

I remember having this as a kid and I loved this toy I'm gonna have to look for one now

[@TheRealDustinNunn]

Sideways is my number one favorite transformer of all time in the Armada toyline. Fun facts: On the back of Armada Sideways, Rook and Crosswise's Hasbro toy packaging, there were prototype versions of Armada Sideways, Rook and Crosswise where Rook had purple highlights on his chest, Crosswise had red stripes on his shins and the combined robot mode's robot head's face was painted, Rook's face was painted and Crosswise's face was painted. In their head modes, Rook had purple eyes in his head mode and Crosswise had red eyes in his head mode. When they were in their head modes, inserting Crosswise into Sideways' robot mode turned Sideways into an Autobot and inserting Rook turned Sideways into a Decepticon, meaning that Crosswise was the Autobot Mini-Con and Rook was the Decepticon Mini-Con. Sideways' Armada toy mold was its own mold with it's own color scheme and an Armada Sideways version 2.0 mold was released to look more like his anime model. And in Rook and Crosswise's combined robot mode, Rook and Crosswise's combined robot mode never had a name.

[@Sideways117]

i would love to see a 3rd party sideways figure i would buy it i love this guy

[@arlanbrooks23]

One of my favorite figures from the Armada line I loved sideways character and his figure such a beautiful toy

[@TheTFfan75]

Has-Tak needs to modernize this one for Titans Return! Maybe at the end of the line?

[@chanceewingironplos2845]

finally i was trying to think of someone who could challange rid2 thunderhoof in a ramming contest

[@sleeplessknight99]

I remember this toy but never knew about this triple agent gimmick or back story. I think his back story is kinda cool. He'd be a great adversary/arch nemesis for Punch/Counterpunch.

[@TailsProwerOfficial]

so hope they make a generations of him like megatron and starscream

[@krimsonklaww611]

I feel like I say this a lot about lesser known transformers, but he would be great if he was remade for Legacy. Already a good figure, just held back by the engineering limits of the time.

[@Straswa]

Yay thanks for an Armada review. Great vid.

[@piecheese1214]

The handlebars on his helmet make him look like one of the Knights Who Say Ni.

[@Rotoscoptic]

Coming back to this review after seeing the new sideways video, love ya TJ

[@StrikerFX47]

One of the rare times I really like the gimmick the figure has.

[@vandermarkt]

Maybe the decepticon head was made to look good, and the autobot head was made to look evil to create confusion, or deception

[@HiperPivociarz]

Mike van der Markt Sideways: He's such a great liar, he confuses even himself!

[@nemesisbloodryche22]

if you spread Rook's arms out far enough, you can get the Con faction with the head

[@IronManShow]

i have sideways he has just been missing the past ten+ years of my life

[@tacticianM]

I loved that toy growing up lost in a fire years ago never was able to get another

[@CharonsNightmare]

Sideways looks like he's rocking tha moustache, can't be unseen XD

[@DragonxFlutter]

I ACTUALLY HAVE THIS AAAAAAAAHHHHHH! =D CHILDHOOOOOD!

[@Blarghasaur]

Eh, the articulation on this guy's Cybertron toy MORE than makes up for the brickish nature of his Armada version.

[@darkstar5081]

You can call him rider or mirror, I'll call him Rook standing on crosswise' shoulders.

[@SamuraiEchidna]

I actually had this figure! Armada was one of my favorite toy lines. I hate that they made the exhaust missiles out of clear plastic instead or gray. Also... Correct me if I am wrong, but raising the arms that peg into the head, wouldn't that give the minicon some head rotation? It's been years since I owned this figure.

[@TJOmega]

SamuraiEchidna No, the peg in on Sideways' default head has a tab on it that would prevent rotation.

[@ryanbardoner2488]

I want this toy.

[@Eyckzim]

Yes! One of my favorite childhood toys, despite it's utter ridiculous-ness. Can't believe you finally reviewed this guy. Thanks TJ!

[@RobinSwede]

Remember headmasters? Pepridge farm remembers.

[@duskbringer4583]

Sideways. One of my favorite characters of Armada - though he was more fun in Cybertron. :P

[@johnnymason2460]

I have Armada Sideways. I got him because of the symbol switching ability. I was surprised how he was used in the TV show.

[@frederickgrandison3609]

The second release have changed both insignias

[@animemanXLK]

I love the robot bike rider guy.

[@larrychilders6599]

When I bought him I didn't know it had a faction gimmick , I mostly had the arms of the minicon arms resting on the head so Sideways could have a head swivel

[@allenusison3124]

I could imagine Bikeways here (Armada Sideways, but this is my simplification) starting out in this form when he was in Planet X without Mini-Cons. Becoming Unicron's agent gives him his two partners, and stayed loyal to Unicron even after his death created the Grand Black Hole. Canon welding at its finest.

[@StevenDolce]

I would love to see Takara Tomy make Masterpiece Armada/Micron Legend toys in the future. I heard Takara Tomy is going to release a Masterpiece Optimus Primal/Gorilla Convoy sometime in 2016 to commemorate the 20th Anniversary of the Beast Wars franchise.

[@Headcrabman9999]

the medieval knight helmet you mentioned is known as a "great helm"

[@78shaweyes]

I want this toy now. It's that awesome

[@leahmariemojica-david6201]

Although the animation screwed up on the faction alliances between rook and crosswise, I actually like to think of them as a reference to Kamen Rider Black tokusatsu show; wherein the darker guy (rook) was Kamen rider Black the hero of the show, while the lighter guy (crosswise) would be a reference to Shadowmoon, his nemesis and the main antagonist of the tokusatsu show. Their combined form was called "rider" and I liked to reference it to kamen rider because aside from the fact that he was designed to ride sideways' bike mode, if you look at the combined robot hips 4:41, the minicon port actually looks like a rider belt !

[@jakedc1997]

So why the heck hasn't IDW used Sideways yet? His whole ninja, spy, and triple agent thing would fit really well into the IDW verse. Plus if they ever decided to use Unicron they would all ready have a Herald in place.oh yeah and why do we not have a generations version of Sidways?

[@dol_mel7487]

IDW doesn't really need any spies really currently

[@splatterking1171]

I honestly like the head colors they animated with, I think I matches best, especially since he was gonna appear more as a decepticon than an autobot

[@RKStrikerJK5]

I... like him. He' interesting, and I like the gimmick.

[@gim95697]

Made me sick when he was killed right off the bat in ROTF. when he was named, I thought we would get an interesting story involving his traitor persona

[@eamonndeane587]

My Favourite Role from the Ever Awesome Paul Dobson.

[@MiXVoy]

With either Rook or Crosswise attached, he looks like Baphomet, and the Mini-Cons legs become his "horns".

[@strikerevimus]

With Titan Wars coming, you never know. Fun fact, I own two Sideways because of the animation error. I own the original intent version, and I own the show accurate version. One of the very few times I will actually pick up a toy with such little variation on it's previous iteration. Also, wouldn't have been hard to give him knees, just cut out a groove in the back of the lower legs where the hinge ends up, and there ya go. Wouldn't even be visible in vehicle mode due to it being on the underside. Really no idea why they went with what they did. Also, round out the shoulder joints so it'd be easier to pose. Even back then, it was easy enough to hide a little extension that would give him proper elbow articulation. Really, it was simple enough to do methinks, I guess the cost of the gimmick really would be the only explanation for why it was done this way. But with modern engineering, they could do him again. Titan Wars would be perfect to reintroduce this guy, with a gutted version of the gimmick to make it more like Universe Dinobot's faction symbol switching. More work for the people playing with it, but it's much more low cost that way. Not to mention, it would allow people to have a toy accurate version, as well as a show accurate version int he same toy. Not many figures can do that, and this guy has the perfect potential to please both kinds of fans with a new figure release. Except for the neutral head, due to the fact it appeared in toy colors for the never used more than once stock transformation sequence (Wasted budget I tell ya...), and the fact it later appeared in the Cross Wise colors for that one little scene where he was communicating with Unicron. Oh well, we know it was an animation error, but I know someone will want that as a variant, sheesh... But yeah, lot of potential, I just hope that because I mentioned it, Hasbro and Takara don't become afraid to use the idea lest they think I'm a vindictive person and I'd sue for not being compensated when all I want to do is give them a free suggestion to make a much improved version in the future. Time will tell.

[@Katarn84]

Seeing this years later, and with my manga collection quite improved, I'd say that the neutral face looks a lot like a Stand from JoJo.

[@Mushroom_Man]

When I saw the thumbnail, I thought it was an insecticon

[@RialVestro]

I got the first wave of this figure so Rook activates the Decepticon insignia and Crosswise activates the Autobot insignia. I did not get the animation accurate re-release. Also the wrists fold up because you had him mistransformed in vehicle mode. That's a transformation joint.

[@shadthelad9033]

They could have just as easily made this guy doubledealer and it would’ve worked

[@MICROmor]

hi TJ, I remember mine being more wasp- like in the deco, probably the european one was different? or maybe mine was a repaint, can't remember. also the minicons were advertised as some kind of spider or bugs alt mode

[@TJOmega]

MICROmor Don't recall any spider or bug modes ever being advertised for these guys, but you're thinking of Energon Rapid Run, an early wave filler in the Energon line.

[@MICROmor]

gotcha, thanks for the tip

[@ianwall5981]

+TJOmega my first reaction it's a deer on robot mode

[@Transmech534]

this guy did get a yellow repaint in the energon line, same mould just different color

[@Rhinoplaysmc]

In your opinion do you think this guy is deserving of a titans return remake cause they do seem to be doing more armada remakes(hotshot starscream megatron and the minicon assault team were homages to that era )

[@therealpirateblue]

It just occurred to me that there has been at least one Deluxe motorcycle every year since 2007, while, to my knowledge, this is the only such mold before that point. Well, unless we count Energon High Wire, but he was more like a Mini-Con upscaled to a Basic and packed with another figure to meet the Deluxe pricepoint.

[@ScottaHemi440]

the black one literally has 3 faces : < I liked this guy in show. and he's still my favorite of that series! i should find mine and put him on my shelf of cool junk with the blue subaru guy

[@FPrimusUnicron]

there is a mod for the legs and i think another one for the arms, just cutting and you get elbow and knee articulation, and i love the character, and the design, the gimmick and the vehicle mode, only thing is.....i dont know why i havent bought it yet xD, oh and just sand a bit the corners of the shoulders so he gets more range

[@FPrimusUnicron]

FPrimusUnicron i found the thread in seibertron.com forums www.seibertron.com/energonpub/minor-improvement-to-armada-sideways-t30287s0.php ok mybe the elbow is not that simpple but it looks like oune could just use the bicep rotation jiont and just... mod it? maybe?

[@Gripen1974]

when i plug down the black do i get the decepticon symbol and the grey activate the autobot.

[@grahf4215]

I cut some plastic off of the backs of the legs and then shaved down the inside of the shins and now mine can bend at the knees. Just be aware that the plastics used to make this guy are seriously strong and take a lot of work to shave down and even to cut without good tools. The knees work along the lines of RID Steeljaw's elbows just with much larger pieces made of much sturdier materials. Not that I have a problem with Steeljaw's elbows or anything but there are a lot of people who do apparently. I really like how it turned out as it made a pretty good figure even better. It's just a shame that not much can be done about the elbows. The shoulders can just be rounded so that it doesn't have only three positions but the elbows are seemingly unfixable without molding new pieces.

[@bennettmarksbary4700]

looks like a inspection

[@scifiman92]

Quick question, is there any way to store the minicons when they are not being used in robot mode or are they just left to the side ? Just curious, great review by the way!

[@torunsmok5890]

Both arms have a missile launcher triggered by the minicons so that'd be an option

[@cynd3r339]

15:01 what the heck did he say? Whatever it was it made me laugh lol

[@ComboBreakerMLP]

Armada perceptor team please?

[@redlord4321]

i always woundered in the show why no one called out how mini cons formed his head

[@megamanpwn3dmario]

turns out, the show screwed up the symbols! the original toy had the black head be the decepticon one, and the lavender one the autobot. so hasbro's second run of this guy had the show-accurate symbols, rather than the one's you'd think would be correct.

[@Toon_Lucario]

I hope we get a Sideways in Legacy

[@Gustavo7ischer]

give the spoiler, then the alert... NICE

[@pyroman3451]

Continuing the theme of transforming bikes, is there any chance that you'll follow up with Animated Prowl?

[@riicky83]

You missed out the fact that both his minicons can ride him in vehicle mode, while the two are seperate you can have one sat in the seat you removed rider/mirror from and sit the other one on the back which forms Sideways feet as their is another peghole for the minicons to clip into. When you did the missle firing joke i was expecting you to say something like Unicron will come and destroy the place it was fired to or something of that line.

[@OptimusCrimal]

Is it me.. or does his head screeeeaammm... Ni!!! lets see who gets that reference

[@arielfoxx]

why can't you switch the arms on the headmasters

[@StSubZero]

Could one hypothetically switch the arms by popping the ball joints (?) on the shoulders for the two minicons if so desired and thus swap the factions?

[@1cioda]

StSubZero no. Cause the heads are also placed different from the arms. So things wouldn't line up properly. Unless I am remembering things incorrectly

[@ActualLee42]

But wasn't Beast Machines Thrust a deluxe size motorcycle?

[@ethanrogers2932]

Don't worry the pegs on the feet loosen over time

[@jtanse]

Part 2: Cybertron Sideways maybe?

[@sixwingproductions]

mabey the horns have to do with him actualy being unicron in a smaller body

[@sixwingproductions]

i think you have a mismanuactureing like my generations springer my sidways is all the same collor

[@twilight_phantom2969]

No that means you have a manufacturing error.

[@OkamiOfDarkness]

Suggestion for a random review; a combiner, or would that be too much?

[@tracytron7162]

I can't stop laughing at Crosswise, he looks so stupid 😂 EDIT: Omg Rook looks ridiculous too, not as hilarious as Crosswise though lmao

[@dagobertorodriguez8277]

I know this is very late, but in this review, the black head makes sideways an autobot. But with baltmatrix' review, the gray head make him an autobot. Can someone clear this up please?

[@TJOmega]

There was a running change to fix a mistake, the original run of the toy had the faction symbols swapped, which wasn't accurate to the show.

[@dagobertorodriguez8277]

@@TJOmega thanks!

[@300kyuubi]

*sighs* time to go buy him

[@Idunnoyouguessit]

Would you consider doing some of the minicon teams? Maybe one of the worse ones you could do a Plastic Addict on.

[@wolkaiserdrake9946]

Idunnoyouguessit I dont think a minicon deserves that, its like comparing a micromaster to a legendz, its not really going to work

[@KristofferEk]

funny how all the articulation went into his minicons instead of him self.

[@AAB-zs5xo]

I honestly kind of just want rook and crosswise

[@darkstar5081]

Does that mean rook and crosswise are headmasters

[@wolkaiserdrake9946]

I just need those 2 heads, but it looks like with a bit of a mod you could EASILY give this guy some articulation

[@andrewshaffer1833]

Thinking back, this toy would've made a great Punch/Counterpunch. WHY HAS NO ONE THOUGHT OF DOING THAT YET!?

[@johnnyprime0446]

what if you ripped off the arms and swapped them would they say the correct faction they were meant to

[@darkstar5081]

Johnnyprime04 that actually wouldn't work because rooks arms are on ball joints and crosswise' arms are on hinges so, unless you do internal modification, it wouldn't work

[@averykasch4077]

Hay TJ have you seen/ heard about kamen rider ghost and if so what do you thing of it ant the gimmick

[@DanMaluchnik]

If I ever have kids I want to buy the Armada toy line for them