Metroplex

Metroplex transforms from a large robot to a multi-leveled "city" mainly for use with the smaller Generation 1 toys. This mode includes a service bay with launching mechanism, a helipad, and "parking" for four vehicles in whatever his legs fold out to be. He also has a third mobile battle station mode; a more compact wheeled form that incorporates his many weapons. Additionally, his weapons are all moulded with universal-sized pegs that allow them to attached in several different configurations and locations (for example, in the otherwise-pointless holes in his kneecaps in city mode). Metroplex came with Six-Gun, Slammer, and Scamper; the first two formed various parts of Metroplex's alternate modes. Metroplex's kneecaps also connect in various places in slots on his legs, both in mobile mode, and in city mode on the opposite side (near the knee joint). Metroplex was apparently designed as part of the aborted Diaclone line, Jizai Gattai ("Free Combination"), given the high degree of interactivity he has with other toys confirmed as part of it—namely, the Aerialbots, Stunticons, Protectobots and Combaticons. Each of the smaller "limb" robots from these four groups (and those that came after using their basic design, like the Technobots, Terrorcons and Seacons) can plug into ports in Metroplex's shoulders and knees in robot mode, while the base modes of the four leaders—Silverbolt, Hot Spot, Motormaster, and Onslaught—can connect to him in city mode. While the former feature was included in the Hasbro instructions, the latter was omitted (For the curious, Onslaught and Silverbolt use the slots on his knees, Hot Spot and Motormaster use the protruding slots on the sides of his legs). The peg-size of Metroplex's weapons also allows them to be wielded by the leaders (minus Silverbolt) and super-robots these teams create. This interactivity was played up greatly for his Japanese release, where he was part of the Scramble City sub-line. As a third-year piece, Metroplex was one of several items to undergo "materials changing". Initial versions of Metroplex used rubber tires, and the fronts of his upper legs were fully-chromed silver. After a time, though, the tires were replaced with single-piece hard-plastic tires, and his legs changed to white plastic with a silver factory-applied sticker at the top. However, the plastic tire version also possessed a waist reinforced with two screw points instead of one, in an effort to prevent Metroplex literally snapping in half as so many of the original versions did due to a weak spot on the waist. Metroplex suffers from a large number of weak and breakable points. Apart from the aforementioned waist, the launcher inside his chest, the peg on his back, his extendable shoulder antenna, Scamper's shoulder hinges and Scamper's arm pegs are all very fragile and break or fail in various ways. This mold was also redecoed to make Metrotitan, with some retooling for ramps compatible with the various Micromaster/Micro Transformer bases.