Fortress Maximus is once again the largest Transformer ever (if you measure him from head to toe) in his new Titans Return incarnation! He’s the Headmaster Autobot Leader, and in the Titans Return continuity he’s one of the Titans, giant city robots that are rare and powerful. I prefer to go with the Headmaster Autobot Leader title though. He transforms into a city and a battle station/starship (depending on what you’re reading), although I pick starship. I mean come on! It fits his Titans Return story better, what with the exploration aspect of the Titans.
In Part 1 I’ll showcase Fortress Maximus without stickers, to showthat if you’re not inclined to do so, you can actually start playing with the Transformer right out of the box.
Fortress Maximus retails for SGD $299.90 in stores, and is out everywhere. I dropped my box and dinged it a bit, so I’ve taken some replacement photos outside (in case you’re wondering why). Thanks Hasbro for sending over Fortress Maximus!
Packaging
Fortress Maximus has some pretty evocative art on his box, which shows the sheer size and mass of the Autobot. There are other, tinier Transformers flying all over the place, which serve to illustrate the scale of this behemoth. If you squint you can even make out the characters who are battling atop Fortress Maximus.
The back of the box shows off Fortress Maximus’ three modes. with his city mode most prominently featured. It reminds you that batteries are needed to power his lights and sound, although they’re not included. Then you have Scourge and Hardhead duking it out over the city. I can’t figure out how to connect the Leader class toys in base mode to Fortress Maximus properly yet but I will get there. It’s got two shots of the starship mode, presumably so that it shows the length and girth of that mode.
Overall it’s an exciting box that tells you exactly why you should buy Fortress Maximus. I mean, a city, starship, and giant robot? The only thing that could trump this is a dinosaur, and we all know Trypticon is coming soon.
Contents
Don’t worry if your Fortress Maximus only has one arm – he comes like that right out of the box. So yes, the box is actually smaller than the final size of Fortress Maximus. I personally wish that stickers would come pre-applied (and they do on the STGCC version!) though they’re not as extensive as the Metroplex deco. You get instructions and a card for Fortress Maximus, but no other weapons.
Remember to check Cerebros/Fortress for the Titan Master! His leg cannons can also be removed and placed elsewhere, like his arms, though that means his legs will look a bit bare after that.
Starship mode
I love it. Although the transformation isn’t as elaborate as it was with Metroplex, it still evokes so much of that G1 feel, what with road ramps that allow vehicles to drive off into outer space and those giant red cannons at the back. If you play Transformers: Earth Wars then you can pretend that Fortress Maximus is a super high level base, since you’ve got four red mortars firing away behind. Perhaps I’ll arrange my base in a Fortress Maximus configuration next.
Even without stickers, you can make out what the various parts of the starship are. And for me, my favourite part is that removable compartment on his left leg, which functioned as the escape pod that Daniel got stuck in when he was stranded with Sixshot in the last few episodes of Headmasters. Uncle Sixshot, anyone?
In Part 2, I’ll check out his city mode and his robot mode, plus a peek at an unstickered Cerebros/Fortress. So watch out for it next!
Check out my other Fortress Maximus posts here!
SDCC/STGCC Fortress Maximus is discernibly different in starship and city modes (Part 1 of 2)
SDCC/STGCC Fortress Maximus in robot mode revealed! (Part 2 of 2)
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