Thrilling 30

Generations franchise Thrilling 30 » « Gens (2010) « TF (2010) Toyline Campaign

Thrilling 30 is the overall title given to Hasbro's promotional campaign in celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Transformers brand in 2014. Beginning in mid-2013, the campaign aims to celebrate the history of the brand, with a large number of collector-oriented homage toys released under the banner.

Toyline

In mid-2013, the Generations toyline was refreshed to sport the Thrilling 30 logo and returned to a focus on "Classics-style" reimaginings of past characters. Although initially focusing on physical translations of IDW Publishing comic designs, the line would quickly expand to star toys based on other franchises such as Beast Wars and Armada. It saw the release of the unprecedented Titan Class Metroplex figure, and Jetfire, the very first "Classics-style" Leader Class toy.

Collectible Figurines

Released by Goldie Marketing in 2014, the Thrilling 30 Collectible Figurines are very small, super deformed figurines based on characters from three different continuities: Generation 1, Transformers: Prime and the live-action film series. Their release was divided into two series and were available both in individual blind-packages and corresponding continuity-themed 5-packs. In both cases, each figure comes with a base containing its faction insignia, a collector's card that doubles as a puzzle piece, and a checklist (although some markets are known to lack the collector's card and the checklist from the individual releases). They were not released under the Generations brand.

G1 Series 1 Optimus Prime Megatron Ratchet Starscream Soundwave		Prime Series 1 Optimus Prime Megatron Ratchet Starscream Bulkhead		Movie Series 1 Optimus Prime Megatron Ratchet Starscream Sentinel Prime		Prime Bulkhead
G1 Series 2 Bumblebee Shockwave Ultra Magnus Grimlock Rodimus		Prime Series 2 Bumblebee Shockwave Wheeljack Soundwave Insecticon		Movie Series 2 Bumblebee Shockwave Ironhide Soundwave Barricade

Each 5-pack is divided exactly as listed above. A 3-pack of all three versions of Optimus Prime was also available.

30 special toys

Not so thrilling in Europe.

In addition to the mass-retail Generations toys, a second line of anniversary toys was released in the form of a "checklist" of 30 toys that were in some way "special" – mostly by being exclusive to a convention or certain retailers, but with a few exceptions such as the first Generations Leader Class toy and the first "Fan-Built Bot". This count of figures was drawn from a variety of toylines and franchises, including Beast Hunters, Platinum Edition, Masterpiece, Construct-Bots, Generations, Age of Extinction, and Transformers (2014).

Several figures and sets have two entries on this list for different versions available through different venues, which means anyone who genuinely wanted to own all 30 items essentially had to buy the same product twice.

To say the figures were released out of order is an understatement; ultimately, "18 of 30" was released last, preceded by "16 of 30" and "17 of 30". Furthermore, two of the Masterpiece figures on the list are numbered in reverse sequence versus the Masterpiece line's own numbering system.

European releases of any of these toys in multilingual packaging simply sport large faction insignias on the packaging without the numbers.

• 01 – San Diego Comic-Con 2013 / Hasbro Toy Shop exclusive Metroplex
• 02 – San Diego Comic-Con 2013 / Hasbro Toy Shop exclusive Beast Hunters Shockwave’s Lab
• 03 – Platinum Edition Ultra Magnus
• 04 – Platinum Edition Grimlock vs. Bruticus
• 05 – Animation-Comic-Game Hong Kong 2013 exclusive Metroplex
• 06 – Cybertron Con 2013 exclusive Beast Hunters Shockwave’s Lab
• 07 – Cybertron Con 2013 exclusive Prime: Beast Hunters Beast Hunter Optimus Prime (Ultimate Class)
• 08 – Masterpiece Acid Storm
• 09 – Masterpiece Soundwave
• 10 – Platinum Edition Predaking

Compensating for the missing number 14.

• 11 – Construct-Bots Beast Hunters: Predacons Rising Predaking
• 12 – Year of the Horse Platinum Edition Optimus Prime
• 13 – Year of the Horse Platinum Edition Supreme Starscream
• 14 – Age of Extinction First Edition Optimus Prime (Amazon exclusive in the US) / Age of Extinction Bumblebee vs. Decepticon Stinger with Strafe (Walmart exclusive in the US)
• 15 – Masterpiece Sunstorm
• 16 – Transformers (2014) Protectobots Evac Squad two-pack
• 17 – Transformers (2014) Protectobots Emergency Response three-pack
• 18 – Age of Extinction Voyager Class Slog "Generation 1" redeco (Amazon exclusive)
• 19 – San Diego Comic-Con 2014 / Hasbro Toy Shop exclusive Knights of Unicron set
• 20 – Age of Extinction Platinum Edition Breakout Battle
• 21 – Generations Leader Class Jetfire
• 22 – Age of Extinction Bumblebee Evolution 2-Pack (Toys"R"Us exclusive)
• 23 – Age of Extinction Optimus Prime Evolution 2-Pack (Toys"R"Us exclusive)
• 24 – Age of Extinction Grimlock Evolution 2-Pack (Toys"R"Us exclusive)
• 25 – Age of Extinction Slug Evolution 2-Pack (Toys"R"Us exclusive)
• 26 – Age of Extinction Strafe Evolution 2-Pack (Toys"R"Us exclusive)
• 27 – Masterpiece Prowl
• 28 – Age of Extinction Smash & Change Silver Knight Optimus Prime / Platinum Edition Silver Knight Optimus Prime (Target exclusives in the US)
• 29 – Age of Extinction Silver Knight Optimus Prime & Grimlock (Target exclusive in the US)
• 30 – Generations Deluxe Class Windblade ("Fan-Built Bot")

Age of Extinction First Edition Optimus Prime was identified as "14 of 30" in Hasbro's official press release for the figure, even though the packaging does not not sport any such markings. A later retrospective posted by Hasbro on Facebook instead identified the Walmart exclusive Bumblebee/Stinger/Strafe three-pack as "14 of 30", even though the packaging does not not sport any such markings either. Furthermore, two separate Silver Knight Optimus Prime toys were labeled as "28 of 30" on their packaging. Hasbro's Facebook retrospective only listed the Platinum Edition version. The Facebook retrospective also states the name of "07 of 30" as "First Edition Beast Hunters Optimus Prime", even though the term "First Edition" doesn't appear anywhere on the toy's packaging.

Fan Built Bot

As part of this 30th anniversary celebration, Hasbro held several polls for the fandom to create a Transformer! The first set of polls was from April 18th to May 5th and the second set from May 10th to May 17th. At San Diego Comic-Con 2013 the valiant, red & black, sword-wielding, female, Autobot telepath who hails from Kaon, Windblade, was unveiled in art form. At Toy Fair 2014 her toy was unveiled, and she was subsequently released as #30 of 30.

Notes

Year of the Munky.

• The Thrilling 30 concept was homaged by Fun Publications for the 20th anniversary of Beast Wars as the "Chilling 20".
• That same year, a similar logo, also meant to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Beast Wars, was used by Hasbro themselves on the packaging of the Platinum Edition Year of the Monkey Optimus Primal figure.
• Unfortunately for the international customers, anyone who intends to buy a second hand/loose Collectible Figurines beware, since all of the figurines sold in some stores are counterfeited. The only way to identify this is by looking underneath the display stand, with one of text being written as "Transfightrers" instead of the official brand name.

See also

• TakaraTomy's 30th anniversary campaign