Squeezeplay (G1)

Squeezeplay is aDecepticonHeadmasterfrom theGeneration 1continuity family.

Rar! I'm all scary and the like!

Squeezeplay(akaCrashbash) doesn't draw much of a line between sabotage and devastation. He considers himself an unstoppable engine of destruction, and will charge into any situation without regards to safety. He's not an idiot—he's merely harnessed the tactical advantages of brute force and intimidation. As Squeezeplay figures it, he is strong enough, tough enough, and fierce enough to plow through most battlefield fortifications and opponents without much damage, so...why not simply do that?

HisNebulanpartner,Lokos,was a smuggler and air pirate on his home planet before joining the Decepticons. His relationship with Squeezeplay is two-fold. On the one hand, Lokos was always a creative and crafty criminal, and so he tries to get Squeezeplay to use his head more in combat. On the other hand, though, he recognizes the sheer brutal effectiveness of his partner's methods, and so more often than not is comfortable just to let Squeezeplay have his fun.

Why mess with what works?

Fiction

Marvel Comics continuity

MarvelThe Transformerscomics

That's not the way to get ahead in life.

Squeezeplay worked with his partnersHorri-BullandFangryin manipulating a group of human bounty hunters called theRoadjammersinto capturing the Autobots for them. Unfortunately, the Roadjammers discovered that their human partners were actually robots in disguise. Though they did use thejammersthey were provided to capture three Autobots, the Roadjammers used a frequency splitter to jam three more Transformers—namely, Squeezeplay and his companions Fangry and Horri-Bull. The Decepticons' plans were scrapped when the Roadjammers used their jammer to control all six jammed Autobots and Decepticons to attackMr. ZandScorponok.Overwhelmed, the Decepticons' anti-jammer was required to free them all, allowing Squeezeplay and the others to escape.Ca$h and Car-nage!

Dynamosets his phasers to "butter."

When the Decepticons under Scorponok andRatbatcame to blows with one another, Squeezeplay led the charge against their foes along withRippersnapper,Sinnertwinand Horri-Bull.Cold War!Some time later, he was with Scorponok's army when they were transferred toCybertronbyPrimusin anticipation forUnicron's imminent arrival. Squeezeplay helped beat back severalUnicron cultistsbefore the dark god himself turned up in Cybertron's orbit.The Void!Upon seeing the planet-sized enemy, Squeezeplay fled in fear.On the Edge of Extinction!

After Unicron's and Scorponok's death, Squeezeplay came underBludgeon's leadership and stood in a meeting for the joint Autobot-Decepticon government.Exodus!The coalition soon gave away and Squeezeplay joined Bludgeon in his invasion ofKlo.The Last Autobot?When the newly rebornOptimus Primearrived on Klo with theLast Autobot,Squeezeplay was one of many Decepticons who tried and failed to disable him. When the Autobots reorganized with theNeo-Knightsfor a counter-offensive, Squeezeplay was blasted with considerable power by the humansRaptureandDynamo.End of the Road!

Marvel UK future timelines

In1995,Squeezeplay and his fellow Headmasters joinedShockwavein attacking the Autobots at afeminism rally.He and Fangry double-teamedJazz,and then all the Decepticons joined up against Optimus Prime. However, Squeezeplay was then shot in the back by the new Autobot warrior,Arcee.Prime's Rib!

Transformers Comic-Magazin

The characteristics of Squeezeplay and the other Headmaster Decepticons were reviewed byOptimus PrimeandBumblebeein a simulation watched byGoldbug.Memories of Bumblebee

Regeneration One

Twenty-one years after the battle ofKlo,Squeezeplay remained a member ofBludgeon's forces aboard theWarworld.He interrupted his commander's genocide of the inhabitants ofTorkulonto deliver an important superstring-slingshot fromSoundwave.Loose Ends, Part 3

Ladybird Books continuity

The story's called "Decepticons Underground" because the Autobots bury them alive. No joke.

Squeezeplay, Fangry, and Horri-Bull operated a secret underground base on Nebulos within the "Nebulos Triangle."They maintained this secrecy by shorting out electronics and causing whoever wandered into the area to disappear... at least until Optimus Prime decided that these phenomena were probably caused by a secret Decepticon base.

Anyway, the Autobots stormed in, andQuickmixpouredNebulite-enriched concrete all over the fleeing Decepticons, leaving Squeezeplay and the others trapped in a living tomb.Decepticons Underground

Universecomic

You've given me a snake head,Dan.

Hailing fromPrimax 113.23 Gamma,Ask Vector Prime, 2015/09/20Squeezeplay was one of the many dimension-displaced Cybertronians released from theCauldrondue to the actions ofSilverboltandTrailbreaker.Escapebut he somehow switched places with theRansackofPrimax 1108.12 Kappawhen they returned to their home universes. Squeezeplay quickly adapted to the battles of his new universe.Ask Vector Prime, 2015/09/20

DreamwaveGeneration Onecontinuity

During theDark Ages,when the Decepticons and Autobots splintered into several smaller factions, Squeezeplay fell in withRatbat'sUltracons.War Within: The Dark AgesFollowingMegatron's return to Cybertron, the Decepticons were once more united under a single rule, and the Autobots were conquered. At this time, Squeezeplay was put to work as a guard inInternment Camp Pi,where he overlooked the Autobot workforce as they were forced to dig to Cybertron's core.The Age of Wrath Pt.2

2005 IDW continuity

First appearance:Drift#1

Squeezeplay served underTurmoilduringDeadlock's failed attempt at a mutiny. He was present when Deadlock escaped and fled from Turmoil's troops.Drift #1

After the Chaos War, Squeezeplay was one of the Decepticons who started rioting on the streets of Cybertron in celebration ofMegatron's return.City on Fire

Following theNecrotitanevent, the Autobot cityMetroplexbecame the core of the New Iacon city-structure. Squeezeplay and many Decepticons moved out of the city into a ghetto on the outskirts. WhenPrime-lovingCamiensbegan preaching on the streets, Squeezeplay objected whenAcid Stormtook a look at their literature.The Transgressors

Decepticon rallies soon started being held again in the ghettos, thanks toGalvatron.AphelionSqueezeplay was recruited byNeedlenoseandBrawlinto a raid on the Space Bridge nexus, taking advantage of another Bridge node on the Autobot shuttleArk-7.The Decepticons overrode the shuttle's node, transporting as a boarding party to claim the Autobot's ship.LagrangeAfter securing the vessel, Squeezeplay and the others rode it down to Earth, joining Galvatron atShanghai,China.Perihelion

Squeezeplay later defected from Galvatron and joinedSoundwave's opposing Decepticon faction, which in turn allied with the Autobots to stop Galvatron.It's Beginning To And Back AgainHe eventually took up residence onSanctuary Station.Primeless, Part 2He was later present on Cybertron to hearStarscreamspeak.Unforgivable

Beast Wars: Uprising

Squeezeplay was an immobilized Builder overseeingTarnandFortress Maximus.He had become addicted to animal death sports in his twilight years, spending most of his remaining power monitoring various broadcasts for his pleasure. When theResistancemounted an assault onFortress Maximus,Squeezeplay was largely ineffectual in coordinating the Micromaster defense of the city, and was killed in an explosion.Head Games

Titans Returnmarketing material

Crashbashwas an ancientTitan Masterrobot, traveling the early universe as support crew for the greatTitans.As a gift to the civilizations they met along the way his unique spark had the power to grant powerful berserker rages to others. Ok... Anyway, upon reemerging in modern times he joined up with the Decepticons.

Crashbash, hisrobo-chickenthing, and Scourge trackedHyperfiretoVelocitron,and attempted to kidnap Blurr's Titan Master on the final lap of the planet's biggest race. They didn't get far before having to fightSentinel Prime,Hardhead, andOptimus Prime.Titans Return: The Power of the Titan Masters

My Little Pony/Transformers

Squeezeplay was one of the many Transformers brainwashed byKing Sombraand sent to excavate the ancient TitanScorponok.When the Autobots attacked,Trailbreakertackled him; after Sombra's spell was later broken, Squeezeplay and all the other afflicted Cybertronians returned to normal.Finale

Commercial appearances

OH YEAH!

Fangry,Horri-Bull,and Squeezeplay burst through a wall, and the three engaged the new Headmaster Autobots.Galvatronnoted that their new Headmasters would give the Decepticons "more brainpower than ever."Small Headmasters Commercial

Toys

The Transformers

Craaab people... Craaab people... Taste like crab... Talk like people...

• Squeezeplay(Headmaster,1988)

• Accessories:"Lokos" Headmaster, tail/mace,"overrider rifle"

Released in the fifth year of theThe Transformerstoyline (fourth year in the European line), Squeezeplay transforms from a robot into a bipedal crab monster. His tail detaches into a handheld mace. Like the other Small Headmasters, there is a compartment in which Squeezeplay can store a small Headmaster Nebulan while in crab monster mode.

In robot mode, like all Headmaster toys, Squeezeplay has a panel on his chest which houses a spring-loaded mini-Tech-Spec-meter which gives readouts for Speed, Strength, and Intelligence. The tumbler is activated when a Headmaster unit is plugged into his neck socket. As a smaller Headmaster, Squeezeplay's power meter is on a single tumbler—so any head plugged into Squeezeplay will result in the same stats. His small size also robbed him of the door that usually hides the tech spec meters on larger Headmasters.

He comes with his Nebulan Headmaster partnerLokos.

Squeezeplay's box shows a picture of his gun protruding from the back of his crab mode. However, the actual toy lacks any compatible or secure attachment points for it.

This mold was released in Japan without changes asSuper-God MasterforceCancer.

• More information on Squeezeplay at TFU.info

Titans Return

Sentinel Prime says you're arobo-chicken,so you're a robo-chicken, recruit!

• Crashbash(Titan Master,2016)

• Accessories:Gun/Dragon/Dinosaur
• Known designers:John Warden(Hasbro),Emiliano Santalucia(concept artist)

Part of the first wave of Titan Master figures in theTitans Returnsubline, Crashbash (renamed for trademark reasons) can interact with other figures from the line. As a robot he can ride on Legends Class figures in their alt modes, and can be plugged on every Deluxe, Voyager, or Leader figure. He comes with his vehicle partner, that can transform into a dragon (which can be ridden by Crashbash in bot mode), a dinosaur (which is completed by Crashbash forming its lower jaw and arms) or a gun that can be used by larger figures...although it looks like a dinosaur lying down and shooting with its butt and feet, but you can remove the Titan Master in gun mode anyway.

The instructions had a slight error: The wing/stomach parts were shown closed in steps 6-8, even they told you to open them in step 5. Although stock renders had the dinosaur head's eyes being painted blue, the final product painted them lime.

As with most Titan Master vehicle accessories, care must be taken with the gun mode's handle: the handle fits tightly in many 5mm-compatible closed hands, and combined with the handle's lack of metal pin running through the joint, removing it by force causes the handle to pop out of the joint. This is incredibly common when inserting the gun mode into the base modes of leader class toys like Blaster and Soundwave, whose holes are too small for Crashbash's post. Get some pliers ready.

Crashbash was originally designed byEmiliano Santaluciaas a new character, and sported an original head mode design. The mold wasredecoedintoOverboardand retooled intoClobber.Takara released the head asCanceralong withShockwave,while its partner was redecoed asButlaandServant,SkullandWipe's partners. The partner also served as the model for the non-toyBeast Wars: Uprisingincarnation of theDiagnostic Drone.

• More information onTitans ReturnCrashbash at TFU.info

Legacy

For his neutral special, Squeezeplay wields aGUN.

• Prime Universe Cliffjumper VS Beast Wars Universe Tarantulas, G1 Universe Squeezeplay, Cyberverse Universe Tarn(Multi-pack,2024)

• Accessories:Tail/mace, "Browning" pistol
• Known designers:Mark Maher(Hasbro),Shogo Hasui(TakaraTomy)^[1]

Legacy"G1 Universe Squeezeplay" is a heavyretoolingofTitans ReturnMindwipe,turning into a crustacean-esque monster. He includes "G1 Universe Lokos"as hisTitans Return-style Headmaster who can sit inside Squeezeplay's tummy-based pilot compartment, just like the original 1988 toy. Also like his original toy, his tail becomes a mace in robot mode, but hisoverrider riflehas been replaced with a non-transformableBrowningin pistol mode (not identified as Browning on the packaging, but explicitly called that in Hasbro livestreams). The rotating struts that held Mindwipe's robot mode wings now have a pair of rotating blasters modeled after the original toy's legs, but with barrels added to the bottom of the "feet." They can be positioned to point forward in monster mode.

Lokos contains off-white plastics with a slightly blue-tinged face, mimicking details thatCancerhas in theSuper-God Masterforcecartoon... but Browning is in silver like his toy, rather than the bronze of his cartoon model.

The softer tan plastic used for the strut that attaches the monster head to the chest, as well as the upper part of Lokos's legs, is extra flexible and ends up popping off easily as a result, especially during transformation. His stock photography is very slightly mistransformed, as the crustacean head is not pegged in properly and is pointed at a high angle as a result. When transformed properly, the gap between the shoulders and head isn't quite as pronounced and appears closer to the original design.

He was only available as part of aTarget-exclusivefour-pack, packed in withBeast Wars Tarantulas,Prime Universe Cliffjumper,andCyberverse Universe Tarn.

• Designer commentary onLegacySqueezeplay from Mark Maher on Instagram

Notes

• Squeezeplay was depicted as one of the Transformers fleeing the Cauldron in theUniversecomic (see above) because he is a favorite of convention organizerGlen Hallit.

Foreign names

• Japanese:Squeezeplay(スクイーズプレイSukuīzupurei)
• Hungarian:Szorítókar( "Squeezearm" ),Facsargó( "Squeezer" )
• Italian:Morsa( "Grip" )