Dinoforce

The Dinoforce are a Decepticon subgroup from the Victory portion of Generation 1.

Open the door / Get on the floor / Everybody walk the Dinoforce

Hailing from Chaar, the Dinoforce (恐竜戦隊 Kyōryū Sentai) has the combined brainpower of a melon. And not even a particularly bright melon. Looked down upon by the other Decepticons, most notably the Breastforce, they are often relegated to mere grunt work, made to haul stolen energon and other supplies around. Often seen as disposable, they're typically sent in first to do the unglamorous stuff while the higher-ranking Decepticons enact the real plan.

If you need a group to mindlessly break stuff, they're your bots. But their general sloth and simple-mindedness is a massive hindrance in any situation more complex than "smash stuff and steal energy", never mind their penchant for going off-plan even when they're not just outright bungling. In general they are only somewhat efficient in combat against Autobots, mainly beating foes by sheer numbers and relentless firepower, splitting from their semi-autonomous dinosaur shells to double their number. Team leader Goryu tries to keep them in order, but even a more competent commander would have a hard time with this crew.

And yet, despite the bickering and beatings, you'd be hard-pressed to find a more eager, tighter-knit group of soldiers in the Decepticon army. They stick up for each other and their commander through thick and thin, and put their all into every mission. You can't fault their enthusiasm.

The Dinoforce consist of:

• Goryu (leader, Tyrannosaurus rex shell)
• Doryu (Stegosaurus shell)
• Gairyu (Ankylosaurus shell)
• Kakuryu (Triceratops shell)
• Rairyu (Brontosaurus shell)
• Yokuryu (Pteranodon shell)

If things get really hairy, the six robots can combine into the colossal Dinoking, whose monstrous strength is nothing to scoff at.

“	The stupidity of you fools is as limitless as the universe.	”
—Leozack, "Unite!! Multiforce"

Fiction

Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity

Super-God Masterforce cartoon

Clips of the Dinoforce were seen when Shūta Gō and Grand Maximus were talking about the new Supreme Commander Star Saber. Shūta and Grand's Masterforce Super-Secrets!

Victory cartoon

"Let's forget our cowardice yesterday and face the Power Rangers...wait a minute."

Some years ago, the Dinoforce attacked a human freighter as it returned from Mars. The freighter proved no match for the Dinoforce, and they tore the ship to shreds, absconding with the energy onboard before it exploded. The only survivor was an infant named Jan, whose parents had bundled him into an escape pod before their death. Attack! Leozack

While Star Saber and the Rescue Patrol Team were away on Planet Micro, the Dinoforce attempted a fuel raid which was random and uncoordinated even by their standards. The Autobots on Earth were able to stop them, but were confused all the same. Rescue! Guyhawk

After finally acquiring enough energy, Deathsaurus had the Dinoforce take the Thunder Arrow into the heart of the Dark Nebula to reactivate his fortress. Their celebration at their apparent success was cut short when the power cut back out again, but for once their emperor was not enraged, having expected the power to falter and merely wishing to see whether the fortress still worked. Then Yokoryu spotted Galaxy Shuttle passing on the ship's sensors. At Deathsaurus' command, they attacked and paralyzed the Autobot ship, while he fought Star Saber. However, the Dinoforce found their way blocked by the Rescue Patrol Team and Jan pelting them with random debris. A frustrated Goryu ordered them to fall back in favor of sending a really big bomb over to the Autobots. That also failed thanks to Jan, who sent it back to the Decepticon ship, where it careened about madly, though thanks to Kakuryu's forgetting to install the ignition plug, it didn't explode on them. Humiliated, the battered Dinoforce went to retrieve their leader so they could get away. Resurrection!? The Decepticon Fortress

With the Autobot forces depleted after Star Saber and God Ginrai's injuries, the Decepticons took the opportunity to start plundering with wild abandon. The Dinoforce attacked the New Cheyenne Airport fuel depot. Though the Autobots attempted to stop them, the Dinoforce were able to get away with the energy. Ginrai Dies!!

Victory comic

During the final showdown between the Autobots and Decepticons within Deathsaurus's Space Stronghold, the Dinoforce proved to be of little use against Galaxy Shuttle and the Victories. Eventually, however, Deathsaurus admitted defeat and introduced the Autobots to what he was really fighting for: the Decepticon civilians living in the city atop the Stronghold. With peace at last attained between the two factions, the Dinoforce were joyfully reunited with their precious babies. The Grand Victory War

Toys

Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers

• Dinoking (Dinoforce gift set, 1989)
  • ID number: D-328

The Dinoforce toys share the same robot molds as the Hasbro Pretender Monsters, but their shells are modeled after dinosaurs with cyborg armor attachments rather than monsters. Each one transforms into a small monster-robot, plus has a third mode as part of the combiner robot Dinoking.

All six members of Dinoforce were available both in individual boxes, and in a complete six-piece gift set. While there are no differences in the toys themselves, the gift set lacks any bio or Tech Spec cards for the individual components, only having cards for the combined mode.

• More information on Dinoking at TFU.info

Notes

• The Dinoforce shells are notable for developing a green patina on the painted-gold portions, as well as a slimy texture over their whole surface over time. What causes this is unknown, but ick. Even previously unopened samples will develop this nastiness. While some water and a little bit of hand-soap should take care of the slime, there's not much to be done about the green discoloration.
• The Dinoforce is unique among Transformers subgroups in that their Japanese name entirely uses native Japanese words—"Kyōryū Sentai", literally, the "Dinosaur Squadron". Still, Takara provided an apt English translation—"Dinoforce"—spelled out in Latin letters on the toys' pack-in cards.
• Despite being fairly regular characters, the Dinoforce never transform to their monster modes in the entire series.

Foreign names

• English: Dinosaur Regiment (Omni Productions dub)
• Spanish: Batallón de Dinosaurios (Latin America, "Dinosaur Battalion")
• Mandarin: Kǒnglóng Zhànduì (China, 恐龙战队, "Dinosaur Combat Team")