3D Battle-Card Game
The Transformers: 3D Battle Card Game is a "constructible card game" from Wizards of the Coast (who are, of course, owned by Hasbro). The game involves punching out pieces from little plastic trading cards and assembling them as either a Transformer or its vehicle mode and then battling another player with a similar punch out figure. Release Date: June 2, 2007
Game play
Game play is largely based on Rock Paper Scissors. Players choose one of 3 colored attacks secretly, then both players reveal their choices at the same time. If the opposing player's color matches the target color of the attack, damage is recorded and any special effects occur. Special effects include extra damage, transformation, and changing distance from an opponent. If both players pull the same colors twice, the player with a lower health scores a "critical" attack, which does extra damage and sometimes includes a powerful special effect.
Cards
WoC included 26 Characters in the premier set featuring characters from the upcoming live-action film, with additional characters being drawn from other Transformers series past, somewhat redesigned to match the 2007 movies' aesthetic.
Each pack retails for $3.99 and includes everything needed to play: two punch-out Transformers figures (each made up of two "trading cards" worth of pieces), a character stat card for each of those figures, a token card (for determining attacks and keeping track of hit points), and a rules pamphlet. Packaging for each 'player's pack' is modeled after the 2007 movie's aesthetic, and includes a cover picture of either Bumblebee, Barricade, Optimus Prime, or Megatron.
As usual with WotC's card games, individual cards are marked with a 'rarity', which determines how likely a card can appear in any particular two pack. Cards can be 'common' (marked by a circle on the card), 'uncommon' (marked by a diamond), or 'rare' (marked by a star).
Autobots
- #1 - Bumblebee - yellow 'muscle car' model - 20 points - Rare
- #2 - Cliffjumper - red 'muscle car' model - 31 points - Common
- #3 - Evac - yellow 'helicopter' - 29 points - Uncommon
- #4 - Ironhide - black 'pickup' model - 41 points - Rare
- #5 - Jazz - gray 'sports car' model - 37 points - Rare
- #6 - Jetfire - white and red 'jet' model - 38 points - Uncommon
- #7 - Longarm - blue 'construction truck' model - 35 points - Common
- #8 - Mirage - blue and white 'muscle car' model - 26 points - Common
- #9 - Optimus Prime - blue and red 'semi' model - 54 points - Rare
- #10 - Protoform Bumblebee - yellow 'fireball' model - 27 points - Uncommon
- #11 - Ratchet - yellow 'truck' model - 28 points - Rare
- #12 - Smokscreen - blue 'sports card' model - 29 points - Uncommon
- #13 - Swerve - rusty 'muscle car' model - 23 points - Common
Decepticons
- #14 - Barricade - black and white police 'muscle car' model - 33 points - Rare
- #15 - Blackout - steel blue 'helicopter' model - 37 points - Uncommon
- #16 - Bonecrusher - tan 'construction truck' model - 34 points - Uncommon
- #17 - Brawl - green 'tank' model - 41 points - Rare
- #18 - Dreadwing - steel gray 'jet' model - 24 points - Common
- #19 - Dropkick - light green 'pickup' model - 30 points - Common
- #20 - Megatron - gray 'cybertron jet' model - 53 points - Rare
- #21 - Payload - steel blue 'truck' model - 25 points - Common
- #22 - Protoform Starscream - yellow 'fireball' model - 24 points - Uncommon
- #23 - Scorponok - rusty 'scorpion' model - 29 points - Rare
- #24 - Starscream - steel green 'jet' model - 43 points - Rare
- #25 - Thundercracker - blue 'jet' model - 24 points - Common
- #26 - Wreckage- light green 'tank' model - 35 points - Uncommon
Energon Wars expansion
The first expansion to this game arrived in stores in October 2007. The set brings in characters based on those found in Generation 1, Beast Wars and Unicron Trilogy figures. According to the game's official site, Optimus Primal and Megatron are the faction leaders for the set. The set also relies heavily on redecos of the designs used in the original set, with the new set adding the 'Sports Coupe', 'T-Rex', and 'Beast' designs to the mix. The 'Beast' model can be constructed to resemble a cat or an ape, but uses the same parts regardless.
Other than by just checking over the card list, "Energon Wars" cards can be determined by the use of a more 'G1 styled' faction symbol on the the cards. The original set uses faction symbols based on the 2007 movie's promotional art. Unlike other WotC card games, "Energon Wars" does not otherwise have a unique symbol which designates its cards as part of an expansion.
Autobots
- #1 - Blurr (Armada) - light blue 'sports car' model - 28 points - Uncommon
- #2 - Cheetor (Transmetal 2 form) - yellow 'cat' model - 31 points - Common
- #3 - "Classic" Bumblebee - yellow 'sports coupe' model - 22 points - Rare
- #4 - Grimlock - gray 'T-Rex' model - 48 points - Rare
- #5 - Hot Rod - red and flame-trimmed 'sports car' model - 28 points - Uncommon
- #6 - Inferno - fire engine red 'construction truck' model - 36 points - Rare
- #7 - Optimus Primal - black 'ape' model - 52 points - Rare
- #8 - Prowl - White police 'muscle car' model - 25 points - Uncommon
- #9 - Side Swipe - Blue 'sports coupe' model - 24 points - Uncommon
- #10 - Skids - teal 'pickup' model - 26 points - Common
- #11 - Trailbreaker - rusty 'truck' model - 26 points - Common
- #12 - Warpath - red 'tank' model - 35 points - Common
- #13 - Whirl - sky blue 'helicopter' model - 30 points - Rare
Decepticons
- #14 - Blackjack - black and purple 'sports coupe' model - 24 points - Common
- #15 - Blitzwing (who strongly resembles Quake) - red and blue 'tank' model - 30 points - Uncommon
- #16 - "Classic" Bonecrusher - green 'construction truck' model - 38 points - Rare
- #17 - Cruellock - red 'T-Rex' model - 32 points - Common
- #18 - "Classic" Starscream - white 'jet' model - 42 points - Rare
- #19 - "Predacon" Megatron - purple 'T-Rex' model - 52 points - Rare
- #20 - Quickstrike - yellow 'scorpion' model - 33 points - Rare
- #21 - Ramjet - red and white 'jet' model - 24 points - Common
- #22 - Rampage - red 'cat' model - 32 points - Common
- #23 - Ravage - black 'cat' model - 23 points - Uncommon
- #24 - Sky Lynx (apparently a new character) - red 'cybertron jet' model - 30 points - Rare
- #25 - Skywarp - black 'jet' model - 25 points - Uncommon
- #26 - Vortex (who strongly resembles Energon Stormcloud) - yellow 'helicopter' model - 27 points - Uncommon
The art style for the Energon Wars expansion continues the trend found in the first series - characters either are redesigned to fit the movie "aesthetic" or are copied directly from their toy likeness; in particular, Ramjet is clearly based on his "Classics" figure, while Trailbreaker more closely resembles a recolored Dropkick.
The packaging artwork is heavily based on the 2006 to 2007 "Robots in Disguise" or "Classics" line. Covers of the packages include Inferno, Classic Starscream, Optimus Primal, and Predacon Megatron.
Two new battle mechanics "Stun" and "Grapple" were also introduced. Both of these rules make a character more vulnerable to damage until he either transforms (for stun) or changes range (for grapple).
Trivia
- In many cases, even allowing for punch-card construction, the robot and vehicle designs differ significantly from all past versions of the characters. For example, Cliffjumper bears the head of Alternators Swerve.
External links
