Beast Wars: Transformers (toyline): Difference between revisions
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''Beast Wars'' took the popular features of a handful of ''Generation 2'' toys and made them standards across the entire line. Heavy use of [[ball joint]]s gave the figures unprecedented degrees of [[articulation]], often greater than that of the "normal" non-transforming action figures of the time. Robot-mode weapons were either part of the toy's alternate mode, or at least stored inside them rather than needing to be set aside (and more easily lost). Both of these features would become standards for basically every ''Transformers'' line to follow. | ''Beast Wars'' took the popular features of a handful of ''Generation 2'' toys and made them standards across the entire line. Heavy use of [[ball joint]]s gave the figures unprecedented degrees of [[articulation]], often greater than that of the "normal" non-transforming action figures of the time. Robot-mode weapons were either part of the toy's alternate mode, or at least stored inside them rather than needing to be set aside (and more easily lost). Both of these features would become standards for basically every ''Transformers'' line to follow. | ||
Another now-standard line-wide move was the introduction of standardized [[Size class|system of price points]]. ''Beast Wars'' began with $5 "Basics", $10 "Deluxes", $15 "Megas", and $20 "Ultras". Though prices would fluctuate over the years due to inflation or rising production costs, the basic outline of the system continues to be used today. | Another now-standard line-wide move was the introduction of standardized [[Size class|system of price points]], dictated by a toy's size, not its [[gimmick]]s. ''Beast Wars'' began with $5 "Basics", $10 "Deluxes", $15 "Megas", and $20 "Ultras", each size class getting physically larger, and packing more and more play features into the toy. (Ultra-class [[Optimus Primal/toys#Beast Wars|Optimus Primal]] is friggin' ''loaded'' with stuff.) Though prices would fluctuate over the years due to inflation or rising production costs, the basic outline of the system continues to be used today. | ||
''Beast Wars'' largely ended as a toyline when Hasbro elected to revamp the franchise and re-introduce vehicular Transformers, leading to the [[Beast Machines: Transformers (toyline)|''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 [[Exclusive|store exclusives, convention exclusives]], a [[Transformers: Beast Wars 10th Anniversary|10th anniversary line]] in 2006, and [[Transformers: Beast Wars Telemocha Series|another 10th anniversary line]] for Japan in 2007. | ''Beast Wars'' largely ended as a toyline when Hasbro elected to revamp the franchise and re-introduce vehicular Transformers, leading to the [[Beast Machines: Transformers (toyline)|''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 [[Exclusive|store exclusives, convention exclusives]], a [[Transformers: Beast Wars 10th Anniversary|10th anniversary line]] in 2006, and [[Transformers: Beast Wars Telemocha Series|another 10th anniversary line]] for Japan in 2007. | ||
Revision as of 22:29, 29 November 2016
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Easily the most radical move ever made by Hasbro in Transformers history, Beast Wars: Transformers abandoned over a decade's worth of familiar trappings, to drastically re-work the franchise in order to save it from a second (and likely final) cancellation. Now the robots in disguise turned into organic animals. The classic factions were even replaced with the new Maximals and Predacons.
The initial reaction from the early online fandom was less than welcoming. The reaction from the far larger kid market, however, was strong sales the likes Transformers hadn't seen in a long time. Backed by a CGI-animated cartoon, Beast Wars basically saved Transformers, and has become a beloved piece of the line's history.
Overview
With sales of the Generation 2 toyline proving unremarkable, Hasbro faced a choice: end the Transformers brand for a second time, or drastically revamp the concept. They chose the second option, handing the reigns over to their newly-acquired Kenner division.
While beast-mode Transformers had been around since day one, those were robotic beasts. Beast Wars characters took on the appearance of fully-organic creatures, which also affected their robot-mode looks: while there were "metal" parts, the designs were much more rounded and organic in shape if not texture. Faces tended towards the bestial or just straight-up inhuman, even moreso with the first year toys's secondary "Mutant Heads".
The old factions were replaced with Maximals and Predacons, with new faction symbols, though Hasbro/Kenner weren't prepared to completely abandon everything classic: the new factions were led by new iterations of Optimus and Megatron, though their appearances were heavily altered. "Transformers" was still part of the toyline's title, but it was shrunk down and placed below the huge, jagged "Beast Wars" logo. The packaging too was distinctly organic, with a massive reptilian eye under the bubble, surrounded by red scaly skin. The initial waves even used a craggy, rock-like plastic bubble, though that was quickly replaced by a more normal rounded bubble.
While these aesthetic changes were initially shocking to fans used to the classic series, the line had many features that got fans to warm up to it in short order.
Beast Wars took the popular features of a handful of Generation 2 toys and made them standards across the entire line. Heavy use of ball joints gave the figures unprecedented degrees of articulation, often greater than that of the "normal" non-transforming action figures of the time. Robot-mode weapons were either part of the toy's alternate mode, or at least stored inside them rather than needing to be set aside (and more easily lost). Both of these features would become standards for basically every Transformers line to follow.
Another now-standard line-wide move was the introduction of standardized system of price points, dictated by a toy's size, not its gimmicks. Beast Wars began with $5 "Basics", $10 "Deluxes", $15 "Megas", and $20 "Ultras", each size class getting physically larger, and packing more and more play features into the toy. (Ultra-class Optimus Primal is friggin' loaded with stuff.) Though prices would fluctuate over the years due to inflation or rising production costs, the basic outline of the system continues to be used today.
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, a 10th anniversary line in 2006, and another 10th anniversary line for Japan in 2007.
Hasbro Beast Wars toyline
1996
Basic Beasts
| Comic 2-pack | Wave 1 | Wave 2 |
Deluxe Beasts
| Wave 1 | Wave 2 | Wave 3 |  |
Mega Beasts
Ultra Beasts
Exclusives
| McDonald's |  |
1997
Basic Beasts
| Wave 1 | Wave 2 | Wave 3 | Wave 4 |  |
Deluxe Beasts
| Wave 1 | Wave 2 | Wave 3 | Wave 4 |  |
Mega Beasts
| Wave 1 | Wave 2 | Wave 3 |  |
Ultra Teams
| Magnaboss | Tripredacus |
Exclusives
| BotCon 1997 |
1998
Basic Fuzors
| Wave 1 | Wave 2 | Wave 3 |  |
Deluxe Fuzors
| Wave 1 | Wave 2 | Wave 3 |  |
Deluxe Transmetals
| Wave 1 | Wave 2 | Wave 3 |
Mega Transmetals
| Wave 1 | Wave 2
|
Ultra Transmetals
- Depth Charge (Transmetal manta ray)
- Rampage (Transmetal crab)
Super Transmetals
- Optimal Optimus (Transmetal gorilla)
VHS packs Regular
European exclusives
- Claw Jaw ("Transmetal" Humboldt squid, redeco of Claw Jaw)
- Spittor ("Transmetal" poison arrow frog, redeco of Spittor)
Exclusives BJ's Wholesale Club
- Dinobot (Velociraptor) and Tigatron (white tiger)
- Rhinox (rhinoceros) and Blackarachnia (black widow spider)
- Wolfang (wolf) and Buzz Saw (wasp)
McDonald's Happy Meal
- Blackarachnia (Transmetal black widow spider)
- Dinobot (Transmetal Velociraptor)
- Scorponok (Transmetal scorpion)
1999
This year was dominated by the Transmetal 2s, where the "beast bits" and "bot bits" ended up in a mangled, monstrous, asymmetrical amalgamation of torn skin and jutting metal blades.
Basic Transmetals 2
| Wave 1 | Wave 2 | Wave 3 |  |
Deluxe Transmetals 2
| Wave 1 | Wave 2 | Wave 3 |  |
Mega Transmetals 2
| Wave 1 | Wave 2 |
Ultra Transmetals 2
| Wave 1 | Wave 2 |
Fox Kids Deluxe Classics Celebrating the move to the Fox Kids programming block, a series of special redecos were made available to get classic show characters back on shelves... albeit in some pretty un-show-like coloration. Initial Hasbro solicitations gave the toys "power up"-style descriptors, but these did not make it to their final packaging.
| Wave 1 | Wave 2 |  |
Exclusives
| Walmart | BotCon 1999 |
2000
Deluxe Beasts
2000's Deluxe assortment featured a mixture of Fox Kids-branded redecoes, with large "NEW!" call-outs, and Mutants, which sported a unique Mutant Beast Wars logo.
Wave 1
Wave 2
- Poison Bite (barracuda/scorpion Mutant)
- Razor Claw (Velociraptor/wolverine Mutant)
Wave 3
- Airazor (Transmetal falcon, Fox Kids redeco)
- Icebird (polar bear/snowy owl Mutant)
Wave 4
- Soundwave (alligator/bat Mutant)
- Waspinator (Transmetal hornet, Fox Kids redeco)
Exclusives BotCon 2000
- Shokaract (Transmetal crab, redeco of Rampage)
2001
Exclusives Walmart
- Tripredacus Agent (Transmetal 2 black jaguar, redeco of Transmetal 2 Cheetor)
- Tigatron (Transmetal white tiger, redeco of Beast Wars Metals Jaguar)
Takara Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers toyline
- 1997 — Beast Wars
- 1998 — Beast Wars II
- 1999 — Beast Wars Neo
- 1999–2000 — Beast Wars Metals
Post-Beast Wars releases
Innovations and lasting effects
- Beast Wars made ball joints, first used on a wider scale by the Generation 2 Cyberjets, a regular feature of Transformers toys.
- Beast Wars was also the first toy line to commonly integrate the robots' weapons and accessories into the alternate mode, thus avoiding extraneous kibble (in the original meaning of the term) and/or obvious attached weapons and accessories.
- As noted above, Beast Wars finally established standardized size classes/price points and multiple assorted waves of the same price point per year.
- Furthermore, Beast Wars made redecos and retools of toys from previous waves a lot more prevalent than had been the case in previous lines.
- Lastly, Beast Wars packaging introduced the use of twist ties, to the anger of a lot of fans.
Notes
- The 2008 Universe toyline includes toys marked as "Beast Wars series".
Foreign names
- French: Ani Mutants (France), Guerre Bêtes (Canada)
- Italian: Biocombat
- Spanish: Guerra Bestias (America)
