Kre-O

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Kre-O Transformers
Car me now!

Kre-O is DEFINITELY not a LEGO® ripoff, and 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 (mostly nameless generics). 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 into a multi-property brand, with sets based on other Hasbro franchises including G.I. Joe, Battleship, and Dungeons & Dragons, as well as the licensed properties Star Trek and Cityville Invasion.

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

The first series saw widespread brick-and-mortar distribution in the US. The main focus of the sets were large robot/vehicle builds with a lot of parts. Really a lot. Limbs were many times thick masses of panel-parts laid over each other, and many sets had extremely limited posability, with simple swivel elbows & knees. Robot builds took many elements from the then-current Dark of the Moon series, though the heads were mostly designed around the characters' Generation 1 incarnations.

The robot Kreons? VERY G1-inspired.

  • Optimus Prime
    • Set number: 31143

2012 (Quest for Energon)

The second-year Kre-O Transformers sets mark a definite change in style. Dubbed "Quest for Energon", each set contains several "energon" pieces; at least one clear-plastic Kreon torso (blue for Autobots, purple for Decepticons), and several clear-purple "Dark Energon" parts to assemble a giant "ultimate Dark Energon weapon". The robot/vehicle builds in this year's sets are generally smaller, simpler, and less reliant on the "massive stack of flat plates" construction style common in the first year, relying a lot more on large ball-and-socket-jointed bricks to build limbs and bodies around.

There was a heavier focus on the Kreons overall, with mini-playsets, mini-vehicles and a pair of army builder sets. The robot Kreons are more often based on their Aligned continuity family incarnations than Generation 1. Human Kreons had new arm-pieces with rounded-off shoulders, rather than the blocky shoulders of all first-year Kreons.

This series also suffered a distribution issue in the US. Walmart stopped carrying Kre-O after its first year (with one tiny exception), and only ToysЯUs appeared to carry the entire second-year assortment; the "Rotor Rage" and "Destruction Site Devastator" sets in particular didn't seem to show up at certain retailers.

Most of these sets were also made available in Japan as part of the initial Kre-O roll-out by TakaraTomy.

Includes Optimus Prime and Megatron robot/vehicle builds and a mini "bank" playset.
A "9 in 1" set that includes Scrapper, Drill Bit, Scavenger and Hightower, who can be built into robots, vehicles, or combined to form Devastator. Includes a construction site mini-playset.
Includes a large Vortex robot/helicopter build.
Includes a large Bumblebee robot/car build and a security checkpoint playset.
Includes large Wheeljack and Knock Out robot/car builds.

2013 (Beast Hunters)

Bringing the series in-line with the then-current Beast Hunters branding of Prime, this series was even more limited in its US distribution, seemingly available only at ToysЯUs and Meijer.

This time around, the human Kreons were based on specific Transformers human characters from prior series rather than the prior two years' nameless generics... much to the bafflement of the fandom, who wanted them to be doing that from the get-go.

Larger Sets
A multi-part playset; command tower, repair bay, prison. Includes a buildable vehicle Optimus Prime and beast Rippersnapper.
Includes Bumblebee/jeep build and buildable Predacon beast Stormrazor
Includes a large Optimus robot/truck build and a buildable Predacon beast Lazerback.
Includes a large Ripclaw robot/dragon build.
Beast Force Figure packs

To date, these are the only larger build packs to include Micro-Changer Kreons.

  • Dragon Assault
Includes buildable Predacon beast Grimwing.
  • Mech Venom Strike
Includes buildable Predacon beast Corhada.

2014 (Age of Extinction)

Tying in with that big new movie in 2014, the 2014 Kre-O line-up features dinosaurs aplenty. Many sets also feature "Dino Force Technology", which are pieces that include magnets in them so claws and dino-maws can snatch up Kreons wearing ferrous-metal backpacks or helmets. Each set also comes with a red 2x4 Kre-O brick.

Notably, this line also marks the complete abandonment of the 'rebuild to transform' play pattern, in favor of the playset approach more typical of construction brick toys. As part of this change, human Kreons now use the small body style that debuted in the Kre-O CityVille Invasion line, to indicate a scale difference between them and the normal-sized Transformer Kreons.

By this point, Kre-O in its entirety became a ToysЯUs exclusive toyline.

Includes a large Grimlock T-rex build.
Includes buildable Dinobot beast Strafe.
  • Dinobot Charge
    • Set number: A6949
    • Kreons: Drift, Vehicon
Includes buildable Dinobot triceratops.
Includes buildable Dinobot raptor and Galvatron super-robot.
Includes buildable Dinobot beast Grimlock.
Includes buildable Dinobot raptor.
Includes buildable Dinobot beast.
  • Scorn Street Chase
Includes buildable Dinobot beast Scorn.
  • Silver Knight Autobots
    • Set number: A8602
    • Kreons: Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, Crosshairs, Drift, Hound
  • Decepticon Replicator
'Decepticon Replicator' was available at a 'Transformers Exhibition' event in Kaohsiung, Taiwan from July 11 to July 20.
  • Elite Optimus Prime (Promotional Polybag)
    • Set number: A8745
Includes Optimus Prime super-robot.
'Silver Knight Autobots' and 'Elite Optimus Prime' were available at a 'Transformers Exhibition' event in Taipei, Taiwan from June 27 to July 6.
  • Dinobot Ride (Promotional Polybag)
    • Set number: A8603
    • Kreons: Optimus Prime.
Includes mini buildable Dinobot beast Grimlock.
'Dinobot Ride' was released as a free giveaway at June 28 ToysЯUs building events in the US.

2015 (Robots In Disguise/Generation 1)

2015's Kro-O product was largely split between sets based on the new Robots in Disguise series, and Kreon-focused Generation 1-based product like the Battle Changers and Kreon Warriors (both of which are discussed further down). Unfortunately, this is also the year that Kre-O all but vanished from US store shelves. Even ToysЯUs dropped the line, and it wasn't until the latter half of the year when various sets began to filter into the US through discount chain TJ Maxx. Family Dollar also got several repackaged Kre-O sets from the first tow years, sold at a discount (and with the box photos downplaying/omitting the robot-mode builds for the vehicles), as well as some small "box of bricks" sets.

This was accompanied by a change in Kreon construction, including new hands designed with a raised "upper" part so they can act as pegs (aka "just like mini-figures from that L-company"), and a new inner post in the torso that slides into the waistpiece's now-hollow spine-post, allowing for a sturdier grip, needed for the much larger Kreon builds of most of the Generation-1-based sets. The 2x4 logo blocks were also dropped, replaced by a 3x4 flat plate with an unpainted Kre-O logo, but included only in the blindbagged toys.


Includes a red and blue long nose truck cab without trailer and a purple hovercraft.
Includes a futuristic yellow vehicle with black stripes
Includes a purple mechanical beast
Includes a futuristic blue vehicle
Includes a futuristic red vehicle

Micro-Changers

Introduced in 2012, the Micro-Changers sub-line adds a new element to Kreon figures; extra parts allow each figure to "transform" into a vehicle or beast (or whatever).

Thankfully, the Micro-Changer series did not suffer the limited-distribution fate of the Beast Hunters sets; after a rocky start, by 2013 the series was stocked regularly not just by ToysЯUs, but Target as well, plus many large drug store chains began carrying the individually-bagged figures.

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
  • Assortment No.: A2034
  • Release date: August 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.
This is also the only Kre-O Transformers product to be sold (briefly) at Walmart since the initial year.


Collection 1
  • Assortment No.: A2200
  • Hasbro release date: November 2012
  • TakaraTomy release date: November 2013
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.
Also changed is how the bag numbers work, with a 7-digit code. Only the final two numbers in the codes are indicators of what Kreon is in the bag, the first five are likely manufacturing plant codes or something and have no bearing on the contents, and can vary from case to case. For simplicity's sake, we've *****'d out the first five digits from here on out.


Collection 2
  • Assortment No.: A2200
  • 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. On top of that, at this stage the "vehicle" builds become a little more complex, using more parts to make them look more like tiny vehicles than just robots laying face-down with a thing or two on their backs.


Collection 3
File:KreO-Toy MicroChangersS3bag.jpg
  • Assortment No.: A2200
  • Release date: August 2013
This series had...more fanwank, we guess? No particular innovations this time around.


Collection 4
  • Assortment No.: A2200
  • Release date: March 2014
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 Micro-Changers 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, just like AOE Collection 2, recent sightings of Series 4 have had no individual codes, so if anyone is looking to find a particular Kreon from this wave, be prepared to get plenty of doubles.


Age of Extinction Collection 1
  • Assortment No.: A6947
  • Release date: May 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.
This series goes back to having individual instructions for each figure.


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. For the first time, the blind-bags are truly blind, with no identifying numbers printed on the packaging. And thanks to the thick poster/catalog they come with and the small mini-bag the parts are in, it can be hard to "feel out" which Kreon is inside.
Speaking of "blind", these figures mainly appeared in Canada and overseas, but eventually started to pop up in places like Dollar Tree in the US.

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. As most of the original teams these sets are based on have five or six members, the "lost" members are (usually) put into the blind-bagged series.

Wave 1


Wave 2


Wave 3
Sadly, this wave suffered from a similar fate as some of the latter sets, with a limited retail release- only popping up in discount chains months after the intended release date.


Wave 4
Ready for something new? This wave, available only at ToysЯUs as part of the Age of Extinction-branded product, consists entirely of new-character beast-bots, rather than re-creating classic combiner teams.

Kreon Ultimate Collection

These sets, each containing five different Kreons, were released early in 2013. The Kreon figures had all been released earlier in larger Kre-o sets, and they only come with their own weapons. One of the five figures was marked on the packaging as the "mystery figure."

Collection 1
  • Set number: A4641
Collection 2
  • Set number: A4642

Custom Kreons

First released at the back-end of 2013, these individually-carded Kreons include a huge number of extra body parts and accessories, many chromed (thus resulting in some extremely tight fits) or translucent (which, when combined with the chromed parts, may end up with stress fractures). Their "normal" body parts have a metal-flake sheen (usually). They also come with a customizable "rack" to store their unused parts, though the helmets just kind of sit on the torso's neck-pegs, not secure at all. Returning characters typically have altered and more extensive tampographs across most of their opaque parts.

The "Autobot Command Center" set includes a Custom Kreon rack/part setup as well.

This series was intentionally produced in smaller numbers than the other series.

Collection 1

All of the Kreons in this assortment come with a red weapons rack.

ToysЯUs was the only US retailer to order them, though they were made available off of Hasbro Toy Shop as well.


Collection 2

Though revealed online and at Toy Fair 2014, this series ultimately never saw release outside of Chinese-market distribution. These kits have blue parts racks.

  • Release date: ??? 2014


Age of Extinction Collection 1

This assortment, using the new unified packaging style introduced in mid-2014, is entirely movie-based, showcasing characters from Age of Extinction. Unlike prior waves, the opaque plastics here are non-sparkly. Awww. On top of that, the parts count has been drastically reduced, each kit only having about 30 pieces as opposed to the 40-ish of the prior two waves.

They all come with dark green racks.

  • Release date: May 2014


Age of Extinction Collection 2

Another movie-based round. The sparkly plastics make a return, but the part count remains in the low 30s. These kits come with brown racks.

  • Release date: September 2014


Age of Extinction Collection 3

A wave featuring the Age of Extinction Dinobots, making heavy use of the new parts created for Kre-O Dungeons & Dragons, what with the "knight" theme. These kits come with gray racks.

These figures saw very limited release, mostly in Hasbro Asia regions.

  • Release date: November 2014


Robots in Disguise Collection 1

This assortment showcases characters from the Robots in Disguise animated series.

The part count takes another hit, now in the mid-20s, with simpler weapons and no backpacks. No more chromed parts either, everything is in "normal" plastics. The racks are now in the characters' base colors, and built on a new baseplate piece. This wave does add a 1x1 cylinder to attach to the unused torsos' neck-pegs to keep the unused helmets in place, so there's that. On the other hand: The waist joint and neck posts had screw-holes added, while smaller posts are added inside the torso, and the arms and leg's ball-and-socket joints are now slightly smaller.

  • Release date: January 2015


Kreon Warriors

Replacing Micro-Changers as the Kre-O line's blind-bagged assortment, Kreon Warriors features popular characters reimagined as historical warriors. Unlike their predecessors, the Kreon Warriors do not have vehicle modes. Kre-O 2x4 bricks are also replaced by a flat base.

Series 1
  • Release date: January 2015
Series 2
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.

Battle Changers

Battle Changers are a new line in the buildable figures who can transform without being taken apart. There are new assortments with triple changes and also "VS" packs which includes an Autobot and a Decepticon battle changer.

Collection 1

This series is available in selected Asian countries since December 2014.


Collection 2

This series were shown in Toy Fair 2015. They were first sighted in Hong Kong towards the end of March 2015.

  • Release date: March 2015


Kreon Triple Changer

This series have been shown in Toy Fair 2015. Only two additional figures were previewed but all 3 modes were available. The packaging is similar to other battle changers but does not have a collection number.

  • Release date: Not yet released
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.

Versus Pack Collection 1

This assortment comes in 2-figure "VS" pack. Only 2 pairs have been announced and available for sale in selected Asian countries. Optimus Prime is identical to the previously released version but this pack comes with a trailer.


Kreon Mini-con Combiners

Another new line previewed at Toy Fair 2015, these sets comes with one standard Kreon and 4 Cityville-sized mini Kreons of the same character that can combine into a larger robot. Only two characters previewed were Bumblebee and Optimus Prime, naturally.

Collection 1
  • Release date: Not yet released
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.

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

An expanded version of the "Destruction Site Devastator" set, adding a large Ironhide robot/truck build, a "Gunner" Kreon, and a port-a-potty (yes really). The Devastator Kreon is also in Generation 2 style yellow-and-purple rather than the original bright-green-and-purple.
Special packaging to include 2 exclusive Kreons with different print from other regular release of the same characters. These Kreons are available with either Blu-Ray Combo or DVD only set.

Argos exclusives

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

Family Mart (Taiwan)

Released in 2012 in Taiwan in conjunction with a toy fair. The USB hub is almost 4 times larger than normal Kreons which the other 5 figures are almost 2 times larger.

  • 8" (20cm) Optimus Prime USB Hub
    • Oversized Kreon Optimus Prime with 4 USB 1.1 ports
  • Stylus Pen - approximately 3" (7cm) with detachable head that can be used as a stylus
    • Optimus Prime & Starscream
  • LED Lights - approximately 3" (7cm) with light up chest
    • Bumbleebee, Sideswipe & Megatron

Universal Studios

  • Kreon 4-pack
    • Set number: A9370
    • Kreons: Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, Megatron, Evac

Only available in all Universal Studios. Only Evac is an exclusive figure.

Convention Exclusives

The Machine Wars five-pack was exclusive to BotCon 2013, limited to 1500 pieces. They have generally more parts than the Kreons packed in with larger Kre-O sets, but do not have alternate vehicle builds like Micro Changers.


A BotCon 2014 six-figure set commemorating 20 years of BotCon exclusives with Kreons of past exclusives. This time they're also Micro-Changers, with generally more parts and paint than most retail Micro-Changers.


  • San Diego Comic Con 2014 Kreon Class of 1984 (B0090)
    • Released in July 2014 at San Diego Comic-Con, this set contains 30 exclusive Kreons and accessories from G1 series.
  • San Diego Comic Con 2015 Kreon Class of 1985



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Promotional releases

  • Matrix Optimus Prime Kreon
Promotional item given at BotCon 2011, as a special mail-in promotion through the Kre-O website and a give away with the UK Doctor Who Adventures comic. 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.
  • Orion Pax Kreon
Based on Orion Pax's appearance from "War Dawn", this was available with the Transformers: Kre-O Character Encyclopedia.
  • Dinobot Ride Polybag
Polybag of a mini buildable Grimlock and Citiville-sized mini Kreon Optimus Prime. Given out at Toys R Us during build-a-figure event. Also available in selected Asian countries as a gift with purchase at stores.
  • Elite Optimus Prime Polybag
Another polybag with buildable Optimus Prime with larger hands and legs on a Kreon sized torso. This figure was given our at Toys R Us Canada during build-a-figure event while Asian countries saw very limited released.
  • "Winter" Optimus Prime Kreon
Optimus Prime in winter clothing and orange skis were handed out during Toy Fair 2015.


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 game#Kre-O

Books

Online comics

Main article: Kre-O Transformers (comic)

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

Notes

  • Kre-O bricks are manufactured by Korean toy company Oxford[1], who have been making not-L sets for a while. However, it is very much a lot of new part design work, especially the far more involved construction of the Kreons; Oxford's pre-Kre-O mini-figures were basically straight-up L Minifigure construction.
  • Kreon Hound was among the upcoming items revealed at BotCon 2011... and was only announced to be released in late 2013, and wasn't released until midway through 2014. Amusingly, his helmet has become one of the most ubiquitous among the Kreons thanks to its very generic styling.
  • Small images of a Kre-O Transformers 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. Just be a bit careful you don't scrape face-paint off.
  • 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.
  • Several Kre-O bricks are reuses of Hasbro's long defunct Built to Rule interlocking brick system. Most Kre-O bricks, that is parts not designed specifically for Kreons, with detailed moulded surfaces (especially where the L counterpart has a smooth surface) are Built to Rule parts.

References

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