
Gaston! A bucket for monsieur
Water-squirting is a gimmick that involves designing a toy so that it can shoot water out of an aperture (usually hidden in a gun or in the beast mode mouth). Most commonly, filling the gun requires submerging a soft bladder in water, then squeezing and releasing it so it draws in the water until it is full. Squeezing the bladder again expels the water in a stream or spray. This simulates a laser beam better than a projectile weapon would.
This gimmick was first used in the Generation 1 Aquaspeeders and Stormtroopers and was carried on in many of the succeeding toylines. Due to the gimmick's use of water, it is sometimes combined with color changing, which can be water activated.
Contents[][hide] |
Fiction[]
Generation 2 toy bios[]
Both Autobots and Decepticons have integrated water weapon systems into their Color Changer, Aquaspeeder, and Stormtrooper subgroups. These groups can use their water weapons equally effectively in vehicle and robot modes. These systems are known by various names, such as: Aqua power, water power, water defense power system, water weapon, and water fire power. It is unknown if these different names represent subtle differences in the application of water weapon system technology.
Toys[]
The Transformers[]
- Autobots
Aquaspeeders (1993)
- Decepticons
Stormtroopers (1993)
Generation 2[]
- Inferno (Autobot Hero, 1993)
Color Changers (1993)
- Autobots
- Decepticons
Color Changers
Beast Wars[]
- Maximals
- Cheetor and all of his redecos (Deluxe, 1996)
- Torca (Deluxe, 1998)
- Tonbot (Deluxe, 1998)
- Colada (Deluxe, 1999)
- Predacons
- Megatron (Ultra, 1996)
- Jetstorm (Deluxe, 1997)
- Quickstrike (Basic, 1998)
Animated[]
- Autobots
- Optimus Prime and all his redecos/retools (Voyager, 2008)
Notes[]
- While the gimmick itself is a fairly common addition that has appeared throughout many toy lines, most adult collectors do not employ it due to the risk of the water causing any metal pieces on the toys (such as pins, screws and bolts) to rust. There is also the possibility that a bit of water-squirting in the wrong direction will destroy another figure's electronics.
- The soft-plastic bladders typically used for the water-squirting the gimmick do not hold up well to aging, regardless of wether or not it has ever been used. After enough degredation via age, the bladder can (and most likely will) eventually break off its mounting, rendering it unusable.