Micro-Changer

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This article is about the Kreons with alternate modes. For the pre-Transformers toyline, see Micro Change.
Micro-Changers are a subgroup from the brick-based world of Kre-O.

It was only a matter of time before Kreons became so advanced that they were able to transform like their larger counterparts. Transforming Kreons are known as Micro-Changers. Some of them have even gained the ability to join together into Combiners.

Fiction

Kre-O cartoon

A story in the Autobot City News reported that scientists were baffled by the appearance of Micro-Changers. A number of them assisted Megatron in stealing energon Quest for Energon, Part 1 so he could make a grilled cheese sandwich. Quest for Energon, Part 2

Toys

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.

Usually.

Preview Series
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. Also, five of the figures had clear-purple weapons; later waves would move (mostly) to opaque pistols.


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.
In 2016 this series was re-released through "dollar store" chains like Family Dollar and Dollar General, as well as drug stores like Walgreens. These releases use the heavily-retooled 2015-style Kreon bodies, have altered and additional tampographs, and replace the stand-block with a 3x4 "KRE-O" logo plate. Sadly, the identification numbers for individual Kreons were omitted from the packaging, so good luck.


Series 2
  • Release date: May 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. In addition, the decos got more elaborate, adding tampographs to the legs and sometimes even vehicle-mode pieces.
In 2016 this series was re-released through "dollar store" chains like Family Dollar and Dollar General, as well as drug stores like Walgreens. These releases use the heavily-retooled 2015-style Kreon bodies, have altered tampographs, and replace the stand-block with a 3x4 "KRE-O" logo plate. Sadly, the identification numbers for individual Kreons were omitted from the packaging, so good luck.


Series 3
This series had...more fanwank, we guess? The tampos again grow more elaborate.
In 2016 this series was re-released through "dollar store" chains like Family Dollar and Dollar General, as well as drug stores like Walgreens. These releases use the heavily-retooled 2015-style Kreon bodies, have altered tampographs, and replace the stand-block with a 3x4 "KRE-O" logo plate. Sadly, the identification numbers for individual Kreons were omitted from the packaging, so good luck.


Series 4
Sooo much fanwank. The last wave of Micro-Changers available at "normal" retail, though largely being distributed via the Walgreens drug store chain in the US. This is the only batch (so far) to have a significant variant, as Cyclonus can come in either bag-back lavender or a much darker purple, depending on the batch. This is also the first wave to use "harness" pieces in colors other than the standard light gray.
Unlike prior waves in which every figure came with individual instructions, these all come with the same large fold-out instruction for all of the models in the series, making the "feel parts through the bags" method very difficult (but you have the code numbers here, so why are you even doing that, huh?). Unfortunately, later re-releases of this wave have no individual codes, so if anyone is looking to find a particular Kreon from this wave, be prepared to get plenty of doubles. These also showed up at the same stores as the new-body re-released of the prior series, but are the same old-style bodies from before.


Age of Extinction Collection 1
  • Release date: ??? 2014
In-tune with the ToysЯUs-exclusive Age of Extinction Kre-O products, this wave features a number of classic characters plus two movie-inspired Dinobot original characters. The assortment also began to appear in Five Below stores around midsummer 2015.


Age of Extinction Collection 2
The second wave of the Age of Extinction-tied Micro-Changers, with a couple of unconventional builds, and two more new Dinobot characters. Unlike the preceding waves, this round of Micro-Changers sadly don't have any codes on their bags.
This wave was originally slated for a ToysЯUs release in the US, but was canceled, coming out only in Canada and some Asian markets. Eventually in mid-late 2015, cases of this assortment started appearing in Dollar Tree stores in the US, at $1 a bag. Naturally, they didn't last long.

Combiners

Four Kreons per pack combine into one larger robot. Extra detailing is provided by customer-applied stickers. Each set also comes with a single red stand-block. Just in case. As most of the original teams these sets are based on have five to six members, the "lost" members are (usually) put into the blind-bagged series.

Wave 1
Unfortunately, all of these sets except Superion make use of the flak jacket for attaching backpacks. Boo.
  • Set number: A2225
  • Set number: A2224
  • Set number: A2227
  • Set number: A2226
Wave 2
Thankfully, this wave was developed with the new tiny "backpack" piece, so chest tampos are readily visible!
  • Set number: A4473
  • Set number: A4474
  • Set number: A4475
Wave 3
  • Set number: A7307
  • Set number: A7308
Wave 4
This wave consists entirely of new-character beast-bots, rather than re-creating classic combiner teams.
Combiner Robot Mega Pack
  • Set number: B6425
Released in 2016(!), this three-pack was sold in budget chains in the US like Dollar General and Family Dollar, at $12. Considering the individual kits originally cost $10 USD, that's a steal. The Kreons inside are mostly the same, a handful of the Kreons have minor differences (indicated by an * in the listing below), and a few different names due to changing Trademark situations.

Beast Force Figure packs

These small boxed sets include a buildable non-transforming Predacon beast and an Autobot Micro-Changer figure.
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