Another year has come and with it, a new line of Transformers figures. The War for Cybertron continues, this time on Earth with the sub-line of Earthrise. Having shed their more unique vehicle forms for Earth-based alt-modes, it’s like 1984 again as the Transformers wage their war on Earth once more.

But are the figures any good?

We focus today on the smallest of the Deluxe line, the feisty Cliffjumper. Retailing for the standard $19.99 MSRP, Cliffjumper at first seems like a bum deal. The figure is dramatically smaller than the others in this first wave of Earthrise figures, almost as small as the diminutive Legends class figures from a few years ago. Luckily, Cliffjumper more than makes up for his lack of height with a few extra accessories and some really great presentation of the character.

The first thing most will notice is the massive cannon CJ comes with. This is based on the incredibly weird rifle that Cliffjumper pulled out of nowhere in the pilot of the original show. The rifle is compatible with the explosion effects the line is currently making use of, and can also split into two pistols and a black pack of some sort. The bipod on the front also pops off to become skids for the front wheels in vehicle mode, making for a ton of variety from what could have been a chunk of plastic.

Cliffjumper also keeps with the current trend of looking as close to an animated incarnation as possible and carries it off well. Not based on a pre-existing Bumblebee figure, CJ transforms into a generic 80s sports car that mostly resembles his original Porsche 924 Turbo alt-mode, with several key details altered. His bot mode also features a fantastic amount of movement range, even including a figure stand hole in his back and great balance with his massive feet. The head is also near-perfect with both the character and line aesthetic, looking like Cliffjumper leaped out of the small screen into an action figure.

The figure isn’t perfect and has a few small flaws. The gun is black plastic painted silver and can rub off quite easily if you’re not careful. This is especially true of the plug on the gun that makes it a rifle. The figure’s transformation also demands that the trunk of the vehicle pop off and be mounted onto the back of the figure. It looks ok, and Hasbro makes up for it by turning it into a shield if you so desire, but it makes the figure look hunched or bulky. Further, the skis don’t have anywhere to hide or mount when not in use, aside from the full rifle mode, so they could be easily lost.

At what could be considered too expensive a price for some collectors, Cliffjumper could be a hard sell. However, it is a fantastic rendition of a classic character, and well worth picking up for anyone looking for a solid addition to their collection.

Grade: B+