Kre-O

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Kre-O Transformers
Car me now!

Kre-O is Hasbro's second foray into the world of brick-based construction toy sets, several years after the ignoble effort that was Built to Rule.

Unveiled at Toy Fair 2011, Transformers was the first Hasbro brand to be released as Kre-O construction brick kits. The kits (generally) center around a Transformers character that can be taken apart and reassembled into a vehicle. Mini-figures called Kreons are also included in the larger kits, and these mini-figures are a mix of Transformers characters and human drivers. Prices range from $7.99 to $59.99, plus individually-bagged Kreon figures at $2.99.

The line launched in the US on June 6th, 2011. Since then, Kre-O has expanded considerably, with sets based on G.I. Joe, Battleship, Star Trek, and Dungeons & Dragons, as well as the wholly-original Cityville Invasion micro-build series.

In 2013, TakaraTomy brought the line to Japan, primarily the second-year Transformers sets.

It's not that thing that begins with an L! But it sure works with that thing that begins with an L. L employees are asked to please not view this webpage.


Building sets

2011

  • Optimus Prime
    • Set number: 31143


2012 (Quest for Energon)

"Quest for Energon" sets all include part of an Ultimate Dark Energon Weapon.

  • Destruction Site Devastator (36914) (560 pieces) w/ Devastator, Ironhide, human "Foreman" and three human "Construction Worker" Kreons
A "9 in 1" set that includes Scrapper, Drill Bit, Scavenger and Hightower, each of whom can be rebuilt from construction vehicles into robots, or combined into the super robot Devastator. Devastator takes cues from both his Generation 1 and Revenge of the Fallen incarnations. The set also contains a buildable "construction site" play environment.
This set includes a Decepticon motorcycle that can be rebuilt as a robot drone and a (very) small buildable "Autobot roadblock" play environment.
  • Rotor Rage (36959) (217 pieces) w/ Vortex, human "Commando" and human "ATV Driver" Kreons
This set features Vortex, who can be built as a robot or a helicopter, as well as a small red all-terrain vehicle.
  • Street Showdown (38771) (273 pieces) w/ Wheeljack, Knock Out, and two human "Driver" Kreons
Wheeljack and Knock Out can each be built as a car or a robot.
This set includes an Autobot all-terrain vehicle that can be rebuilt as a robot drone and a (very) small buildable "Decepticon checkpoint" play environment.
  • Battle for Energon (98812) (379 pieces) w/ Optimus Prime, Megatron, human "Security Guard" and human "Bank Robber" Kreons
Optimus Prime and Megatron battle around a buildable "bank" play environment in this set. Optimus can be rebuilt as his conventional longnose semi cab mode, whereas Megatron can now be rebuilt as a Cybertronic battle tank. The Optimus and Megatron Kreons included in this set are more Prime-styled than their previous figures.
  • Stealth Bumblebee (98814) (257 pieces) w/ Bumblebee, human "Driver", and two human "Security Guard" Kreons
Stealth Bumblebee features a small robot-to-muscle car Bumblebee in his black-with-yellow "Stealth" coloration, as well as a buildable "military checkpoint" play environment and a bright green Decepticon motorcycle. The Bumblebee Kreon in this set is much more Prime-styled than the previous one. The set also for some reason includes a bulldog (Bonecrusher?).

2013 (Beast Hunters)

The third part of the Kre-O line is Beast Hunters, tying in with the third season of Transformers: Prime, which is also subtitled "Beast Hunters".

Larger Sets
At New York Comic Con 2012, Bumblebee was listed as coming with a human named "Clutch" and a dragon named "Skystalker".
Beast Force Figure packs

Micro-Changers

The Micro-Changers sub-line adds a new element to Kreon figures; extra parts allow each figure to "transform" into a vehicle or beast.

Blind-bagged figures

This portion of the line features individual blind-packaged Kreons. Thankfully however, code numbers printed on each bag allow you to know which figure is inside... or at least avoid buying two of the same by accident.

Preview Series

  • Release date: ??? 2012
This series differs a little from the later waves, and not just because of the smaller (all-badguy) cast. In an unusual backwards move, the tampographs on these figures' chests use only a single color, typically black.


Series 1

For the first full series, the multi-colored tampographs made a glorious comeback. Also, a new display-stand brick was added to every figure, a black 2x4 piece with the "Kre-O" logo in white on one edge.


Series 2

  • Release date: ??? 2013
This series replaced the flak jackets used to attach stuff to prior Micro Changers' torsos in prior waves (which most fans hated since it obscured the chest tampographs) with a new simple one-peg "backpack" piece. And there was much rejoicing.

Series 3

File:KreO-Toy MicroChangersS3bag.jpg
This series had...more fanwank, we guess?


Series 4

  • Release date: ??? 2013
Sooo much fanwank.
Or you could pick... WHAT'S IN THE BOX.
Or you could pick... WHAT'S IN THE BOX.

This item is currently scheduled for release, but is not yet available at mass retail.

Micro-Changers Combiners

Four Kreons per pack combine into one larger robot. Each set also comes with a single red stand-block, and extra limb pieces. Just in case.

Wave 1
Wave 2

Store exclusives

CostCo exclusives

  • Megatron with Sideswipe (30668/31771) - a twin-pack of the regular release sets above with no changes.
  • Starscream with Prowl (30667/30690) - a twin-pack of the regular release sets above with no changes.

Toys"R"Us exclusives

  • Autobot Assault Devastator (A1266) (781 pieces) w/ Devastator, Ironhide, human "Foreman", three human "Construction Workers", and "Gunner" Kreons
Autobot Assault Devastator is a Toys R Us store exclusive 2-pack set which includes the Kre-O Destruction Site Devastator set as well as an exclusive Ironhide set only available in this 2-pack, which also comes with a small brick house, and a new "Gunner" Kreon. The Devastator Kreon in this set has been switched to a Generation 2 yellow deco.

Argos exclusives

  • Transformers Tub of Bricks (A4583)
A plastic tub with unaltered versions of Basic Optimus, Basic Bumblebee, and Jazz, Sideswipe and Bluestreak Kreons, and slightly altered instruction booklets.

Promotional releases

  • Matrix Optimus Prime Kreon
Promotional item given at BotCon 2011, and as a special mail-in promotion through the Kre-O website. Redeco of Optimus Prime Kreon showing the Matrix of Leadership.
  • Clear Energon Bumblebee Kreon
An exclusive New York Comic Con 2012 handout, this redeco of the Bumblebee Kreon is done entirely in translucent blue plastic, and comes in its own special little window box with an outer sleeve.
  • Constructicon Devastator Kreon
A Devastator Kreon sporting an orange Generation 2 deco and including a translucent purple pistol based on Generation 1 Megatron's alternate mode. Packaged in an individual window box and handed out with Kre-O purchases at Toys"R"Us stores, as well as BotCon 2013.

Media

Videos

Main article: Kre-O Transformers (cartoon)

A series of videos have been released on Hasbro's Kre-O website and on YouTube, featuring the wacky antics of the Kre-O Transformers and their Kreons.

Games

Main article: Online games#Kre-O

Books

Online comics

Main article: Kre-O Transformers (comic)

Short tongue-in-cheek gag strips drawn and written by Hayato Sakamoto for TakaraTomy's Kre-O site.

Notes

  • Kre-O bricks are manufactured by Korean toy company Oxford[1].
  • Kreon Hound was shown loose at Botcon 2011 with no indication on how he'll be released.
  • Small images of a Transformers Kre-O set featuring a big mechanical scorpion and another set featuring a buildable Soundwave were shown at Toy Fair 2012 during the slide presentation, as part of the demonstration of the "build a big energon weapon from parts of the different sets" concept. Neither were present in the showroom or mentioned in the press materials. This same slide was shown during a presentation at BotCon 2012, again with no explicit mention of the mechanical scorpion or Soundwave.
  • While the Kre-O bricks and such are compatible with L bricks, take care with mixing Kreon and Minifigure parts, particularly helmets. Full-coverage Kreon helmets like Optimus Prime's and Soundwave's are a bit tight, and getting a L Minifigure head out of them is exceedingly difficult. They'll pop off the neck before the helmet relinquishes the head. Open-face helmets like Starscream's, where you can get a "grip" on the head with the pad of your finger, should be fine.
  • The L company has since released sets that are explicitly marketed as being able to assemble as robots and various vehicles and aircraft, very similar to the Transformers Kre-O concept.

References

  1. ↑ Transformers Kre-O - Thoughts? on TFW2005
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