Lego’s first buildable Decepticon Transformer is a talking Soundwave

Soundwave is Lego's first transforming Decepticon set. | Image: Lego

Following buildable versions of Optimus Prime and Bumblebee, Lego's latest collaboration with Hasbro is also its first Decepticon. The 1,505-piece Soundwave, which is three pieces smaller than Lego's 1,508-piece Optimus Prime, stands just shy of 13 inches tall and is Lego's first Transformers set to include a sound brick - but you may have to continue making transforming sound effects yourself.

At $189.99, Soundwave will also be Lego's most expensive Transformers set to date when it goes on sale starting on August 1st for Lego Insiders (the company's free loyalty program) and August 4th for everyone else. Optimus Prime is currently $179.99, while the much smaller Bumblebee is $89.99.

As with Optimus, Lego's Soundwave converts from robot mode to cassette player mode without requiring any disassembly. It's also fully posable in bot mode thanks to articulated joints and includes accessories like a rocket pod and laser blaster that transform into batteries - similar to what was included with Hasbro's original Soundwave figure in the '80s.

There are two features that set this Lego model apart from its other Transformers sets. The first is the inclusion of an electronic sound brick that activates specially recorded voice and sound effects." In the '80s cartoon, Soundwave's distinct monotone synthesized voice, performed by Frank Welker, helped make the character a fan favorite. The sound brick includes snippets of the cartoon's music and the character speaking. It's not Welker, but it's still fun that Lego has gone the extra mile to re-create this character's most memorable feature.

The other thing that makes this set unique is that it actually includes three Transformers. In addition to Soundwave, you get buildable versions of Ravage and Laserbeak that transform intocassette tapes that can fit inside Soundwave's chest compartment. Lego also includes a display plaque showing the Decepticon's power statistics alongside a tiny model of Soundwave in cassette player mode.