Beast Wars: Transformers (toyline)

2008-05-19T23:16:10Z

70.129.108.155:

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With sales of the [[Generation 2]] toyline proving unremarkable by 1995, [[Hasbro]] faced a choice: end the Transformers brand for a second time, or completely revamp the concept. They chose the second option, and '''Beast Wars''' was the result.

The new franchise consisted entirely of robots who transformed into beasts: insects, mammals, and more. The traditional factions of Autobot and Decepticon were replaced with heroic [[Maximal|Maximals]] and evil [[Predacon (BW)|Predacons]]. Most radically, the beast modes were intended to represent fully natural and organic animals, as opposed to the "mechanical beasts" represented by the likes of G1's Dinobots and Terrorcons.

[[Image:Bwmegatron_toy.jpg|left|thumb|250px|"I can hear you. You're whistling ''Yankee Doodle Dandee''. Which is the theme song to BARNEY THE DINOSAUR!!!"]]

The Beast Wars toyline brought poseability to full fruition. Whereas G2 marketed a handful of toys as "super poseable", Beast Wars made it standard for virtually every toy. Heavy use of ball joints gave the figures unprecedented degrees of freedom -- often greater than that of a normal, non-transforming action figure. Poseability -- a rarity in the days of G1 -- became commonplace and expected after Beast Wars.

Concealed parts and weapons also became standard during Beast Wars. Again, G2 had introduced a number of toys whose [[kibble]] had a place to store when not in use, but it was Beast Wars that made it a universal feature.

[[Image:Airazorbwtoy1.jpg|right|thumb|100px|"I tawt I taw a .[[Tigatron|puddy tat.]]"]]

Beast Wars also introduced a standardized system of price points to Transformers: $5 Basics, $10 Deluxes, $15 Megas, and $20 Ultras. The price for Basics eventually rose to $7, but the system remained largely unaltered through the end of Beast Machines. Portions of the system continue to be used today (the Basics were "Scouts" during the Cybertron franchise, and the Mega has been replaced with the $20, slightly-larger "Voyager".) A rarely-seen, extra-large Super class was introduced with the Optimal Optimus toy in 1998, which was also the first Transformer toy to feature a true vehicle mode since the end of G2.

The toyline evolved over its three and a half year run. 1996–97 featured purely-organic beasts exclusively. 1998 was dominated by two sublines: [[Fuzor|Fuzors]], whose beast modes combined aspects of two different animals, and [[Transmetal|Transmetals]], which featured metallic-finished chrome and sleekly mechanical beast modes. In 1999, the Transmetal 2s were the primary offering, featuring asymetrical and often bizarrely patchwork fusions of mechanical and organic in both modes.

[[Image:Transmetal_rhinox_toy.jpg|left|thumb|200px|A kid could [[For safety reasons|poke an eye out]] with that horn.]]

Beast Wars largely ended as a toyline when Hasbro elected to revamp the franchise and re-introduce vehicular Transformers, leading to the [[Beast Machines]] toyline. Though a new franchise, Beast Machines continued many aspects of the Beast Wars toyline including a number of major characters, the Maximal faction, and beast forms that combined mechanical and organic aspects. Furthermore, the Beast Wars title would continue to grace sporadic toys such as store exclusives, convention exclusives, and a [[Beast Wars 10th Anniversary|10th anniversary line]] in 2006. And [[Beast Wars Telemocha Series|another 10th anniversary line]] for Japan in 2007.

== 1996 ==

===Maximal===

'''Basic'''
*[[Armordillo]] (armadillo)
*[[Optimus Primal]] (fruit bat)
*[[Rattrap]] (rat)
*[[Razorbeast]] (razorback)

'''Deluxe'''
*[[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]] (cheetah)
*[[Dinobot (BW)|Dinobot]] (''Velociraptor'')
*[[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]] (rhinoceros)
*[[Tigatron]] (white tiger)
*[[Wolfang]] (wolf)

'''Mega'''
*[[Polar Claw]] (polar bear)

'''Ultra'''
*[[Optimus Primal]] (gorilla)

'''McDonald's Happy Meal Toys'''
*[[Panther]] (panther)
*[[Rhino]] (rhinoceros)
*[[Under-3]] (lion head)

===Predacon===

'''Basic'''
*[[Iguanus (BW)|Iguanus]] (frilled lizard)
*[[Insecticon (BW)|Insecticon]] (stag beetle)
*[[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]] (crocodile)
*[[Snapper]] (snapping turtle)
*[[Terrorsaur (BW)|Terrorsaur]] (''Pteranodon'')

'''Deluxe'''
*[[Blackarachnia]] (black widow spider)
*[[Buzz Saw (BW)|Buzz Saw]] (hornet)
*[[Tarantulas]] (tarantula)
*[[Waspinator]] (wasp)

'''Mega'''
*[[Scorponok (BW)|Scorponok]] (scorpion)

'''Ultra'''
*[[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]] (''Tyrannosaurus rex'')

'''McDonald's Happy Meal Toys'''
*[[Beetle]] (beetle)
*[[Manta Ray (BW)|Manta Ray]] (manta ray)

==1997==
===Maximal===

'''Basic'''
*[[Airazor (BW)|Airazor]] (falcon)
*[[Claw Jaw]] (Humboldt squid)
*[[Snarl (BW)|Snarl]] (Tasmanian Devil)
*[[Optimus Primal|Convobat]] (fruit bat)

'''Deluxe'''
*[[Bonecrusher (BW)|Bonecrusher]] (American bison)
*[[Cybershark]] (hammerhead shark)
*[[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] (''Velociraptor'')
*[[K-9]] (German Shepherd)

'''Mega'''
*[[B'Boom]] (mandrill)
*[[Grizzly-1|Barbearian]] (grizzly bear)

'''Ultra Combiner [[Magnaboss (BW)|Magnaboss]]'''
*[[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] (African elephant)
*[[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] (lion)
*[[Silverbolt (G1)|Silverbolt]] (bald eagle)

'''Microverse'''
*[[Orcanoch]] (orca whale/Maximal base)

'''Egg Beasts'''
*[[Eggbird]] (egg/bird)
*[[Eggbot]] (egg)
*[[Eggleo]] (egg/lion)

===Predacon===

'''Basic'''
*[[Drill Bit (BW)|Drill Bit]] (Boll weevil)
*[[Lazorbeak]] (''Pteranodon'')
*[[Powerpinch]] (earwig)
*[[Razorclaw (BW)|Razorclaw]] (fiddler crab)
*[[Spittor]] (poison arrow frog)
*[[Megatron (BW)|Megalligator]] (alligator)

'''Deluxe'''
*[[Jetstorm (BW)|Jetstorm]] (dragonfly)
*[[Manterror]] (praying mantis)
*[[Retrax]] (pill bug)
*[[Shadow Panther]] (black jaguar)

'''Mega'''
*[[Double Punch (BW)|Double Punch]] (scorpion)
*[[Inferno (BW)|Inferno]] (fire ant)
*[[Transquito]] (mosquito)

'''Ultra Combiner [[Tripredacus]]'''
*[[Cicadacon]] (cicada)
*[[Ram Horn (BW)|Ram Horn]] (rhinoceros beetle)
*[[Sea Clamp]] (lobster)

'''Microverse'''
*[[Arachnid]] (spider/Predacon base)

'''Egg Beasts'''
*[[Dark Eggbird]] (egg/bird)
*[[Dark Eggbot]] (egg)
*[[Dark Eggleo]] (egg/lion)

==1998==

===Maximal===

'''Basic'''
*[[Air Hammer]] (hammerhead shark/ hawk [[Fuzor]])
*[[Bantor]] (baboon/ tiger Fuzor)
*[[Noctorro]] (bull/ bat Fuzor)

'''Deluxe'''
*[[Airazor (BW)|Airazor]] ([[Transmetal]] falcon)
*[[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]] (Transmetal cheetah)
*[[Rattrap]] (Transmetal rat)
*[[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]] (Transmetal rhinoceros)
*[[Silverbolt (Fuzor)|Silverbolt]] (wolf/ eagle Fuzor)
*[[Torca]] (orca whale/ elephant Fuzor)

'''Mega'''
*[[Optimus Primal]] (Transmetal gorilla)

'''Ultra'''
*[[Depth Charge]] (Transmetal manta ray)

'''Super'''
*[[Optimus Primal (BW)|Optimal Optimus]] (Transmetal gorilla)

'''McDonald's Happy Meal Toy'''
*[[Dinobot (BW)|Dinobot]] (Transmetal ''Velociraptor'')

===Predacon===

'''Basic'''
*[[Buzzclaw (BW)|Buzzclaw]] (praying mantis/ lizard Fuzor)
*[[Quickstrike (BW)|Quickstrike]] (scorpion/ cobra Fuzor)
*[[Terragator]] (alligator/ terrapin Fuzor)
*[[Vice Grip]] (earwig)

'''Deluxe'''
*[[Injector]] (lionfish/hornet Fuzor)
*[[Sky Shadow (BW)|Sky Shadow]] (iguana/ dragonfly Fuzor)
*[[Tarantulas (BW)|Tarantulas]] (Transmetal tarantula)
*[[Terrorsaur (BW)|Terrorsaur]] (Transmetal Pteranodon)
*[[Waspinator]] (Transmetal wasp)

'''Mega'''
*[[Antagony]] (fire ant)
*[[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]] (Transmetal Tyrannosaurus rex)
*[[Scavenger (BW)|Scavenger]] (Transmetal fire ant)

'''Ultra'''
*[[Rampage (BW)|Rampage]] (Transmetal crab)

'''McDonald's Happy Meal Toys'''
*[[Blackarachnia]] (Transmetal black widow spider)
*[[Scorponok (BW)|Scorponok]] (Transmetal scorpion)

==1999==

===Maximal===

'''Basic'''
*[[Night Glider]] (Transmetal 2 flying squirrel)
*[[Optimus Minor]] ([[Transmetal 2]] spider monkey)
*[[Sonar (BW)|Sonar]] (Transmetal 2 bat)
*[[Stinkbomb]] (Transmetal 2 skunk)

'''Deluxe'''
*[[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]] (cheetah, [[Fox Kids]] redeco)
*[[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]] (Transmetal cheetah, Fox Kids redeco)
*[[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]] (Transmetal 2 cheetah)
*[[Dinobot (BW)|Dinobot]] (''Velociraptor'', Fox Kids redeco)
*[[Jawbreaker]] (Transmetal 2 spotted hyena)
*[[Prowl (BW)|Prowl]] (Transmetal 2 owl)
*[[Ramulus]] (Transmetal 2 ibex)
*[[Rattrap]] (Transmetal rat, Wal-Mart exclusive)
*[[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]] (black rhinoceros, Fox Kids redeco)
*[[Windrazor]] (wolf/eagle Fuzor)

'''Mega'''
*[[Blackarachnia]] (Transmetal 2 black widow spider)
*[[Cybershark]] (Transmetal 2 great white shark)

'''Ultra'''
*[[Tigerhawk]] (Transmetal 2 tiger/ falcon Fuzor)

===Predacon===

'''Basic'''
*[[Scarem]] (Transmetal 2 stag beetle)
*[[Spittor]] (Transmetal 2 poison arrow frog)

'''Deluxe'''
*[[Dinobot II|Dinobot]] (Transmetal 2 ''Velociraptor'')
*[[Iguanus (BW)|Iguanus]] (Transmetal 2 frilled lizard)
*[[Scourge (BW)|Scourge]] (Transmetal 2 locust)
*[[Tarantulas]] (Transmetal tarantula, Fox Kids redeco)
*[[Waspinator]] (hornet, Fox Kids redeco)

'''Mega'''
*[[Sandstorm (BW)|Sandstorm]] (scorpion)

'''Ultra'''
*[[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]] (Transmetal 2 dragon)

==2000==

===Maximals===

'''Deluxe'''
*[[Airazor (BW)|Airazor]] ([[Transmetal]] falcon, Fox kids redeco)
*[[Rattrap]] (Transmetal rat, Fox Kids redeco)
*[[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]] (Transmetal rhinoceros, Fox Kids redeco)

'''Mega'''
*[[Apelinq]] (Transmetal gorilla)

===Predacon===

'''Deluxe'''
*[[Waspinator]] (Transmetal hornet, Fox Kids redeco)

'''Ultra'''
*[[Shokaract]] (Transmetal crab)

===Mutants===

'''Deluxe'''
*[[Icebird]] (polar bear/ snowy owl [[Mutant (BW)|Mutant]])
*[[Poison Bite]] (barracuda/ scorpion Mutant)
*[[Razor Claw (Mutant)|Razor Claw]] (''Velociraptor''/ wolverine Mutant)
*[[Soundwave (BW)|Soundwave]] (alligator/ bat Mutant)

==2001==

===Predacon===
'''Deluxe'''
*[[Ravage (G1)|Tripredacus Agent]] (Transmetal 2 black jaguar, Wal-Mart exclusive)

[[Category:Toys]]
[[Category:Beast Wars| ]]<div id="wikia-credits"><br /><br /><small>From [http://transformers.wikia.com Teletraan I: The Transformers Wiki], a [http://www.wikia.com Wikia] wiki.</small></div>

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Beast Wars: Transformers (toyline)