Transformers are one of the most enduring brands. Just when their appeal seems to have dried up they transform into something different and they are popular once again. Optimus Prime is one of the most sought after toys this Christmas just as he was back in 1984. I love all Transformers toys but some are better than others. Here's a run down of my top five.

Leader Class Optimus Prime
The leader Optimus Prime from Revenge of the Fallen is the best Optimus Prime toy ever made. Even the latest Ultimate Optimus Prime from Dark of the Moon doesn't match it. Leader Optimus looks nearly exactly the same as the movie version. The toy is nice and heavy in truck mode too which is always a plus. It is a major pain to transform the toy from the truck to the robot but once mastered it feels well earned. Optimus also has blades which pop out from his arms just like in the forest scene in Revenge of the Fallen.

Generation 1 Jazz
This could be any of the G1 cars as they are all very similar. The G1 Jazz gets my vote because it's a white racing Porsche. What I love about the classic Autobots is that they are made of metal and really small. The transformation on Jazz is simple compared to todays bots but looks a lot like the cartoon counterpart. As with all of the classic Generation one Transformers the packaging is simply beautiful and it's great that Hasbro reissued these classic toys.

Generation 1 Megatron
Megatron from the G1 cartoon is one of the most evil dudes around. That evil is personified by the toy which transforms from a robot into a handgun. The G1 Megatron toy makes an excellent toy gun. So good in fact that the toy has not been reissued due to custom laws not allowing gun toys to be imported and exported. When in robot form he doesn't look exactly the same as the cartoon character but it's goof enough.

G1 Metroplex
Sometimes you just need a huge robot. What I love about Metroplex is that he's blocky and the things he transforms into aren't really identifiable things. He changes into a city and a battle station both of which can look like anything toy seller tells us. In robot form though he looks fantastic.

Leader class Starscream
The old toys are great but there are some new movie toys which are mind blowingly cool. Starscream is one of them. He looks perfect in robot and jet mode and like all the other leader class toys he's huge. He's a toy I haven't yet added to my collection but he's one the list.