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.


Collection 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 the Dollar General chain (later appearing at Walgreens as well). This new run uses the heavily-retooled 2015-style Kreon body, alters and adds tampographs to every figure, changes add-on pieces on a couple figures, and replaces the logo block with a 3x4 "KRE-O" logo plate. Sadly, the identification numbers for individual Kreons were omitted from the packaging, so hope you're good at feeling parts through the bag.


Collection 2
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 2015, this series was still in circulation, mostly through discount chains and drug stores, but with a few changes. The 2x4 logo brick has been replaced with a 3x4 logo plate, the Kreons have the 2014 arm retooling (with the sharper cuffs), and may include slightly-off-color non-Kreon parts, possibly due to a change in factories. Sadly, the individual identification numbers on the bags were done away with.
In 2016, this series was also re-released with 2015-style bodies and some altered parts/colors/tampographs.


Collection 3
This series had...more fanwank, we guess? The tampos again grow more elaborate.
In 2017, this series was re-released (first found at Walgreens stores) with the 2015-style bodies and some altered parts/colors/tampographs.


Collection 4
The last wave of Micro-Changers available at "normal" retail, though largely distributed through drug stores in the US. This is the only series with a significant variant in its initial run: Cyclonus comes in either lavender or dark purple. Where prior (and later) waves have individual instructions for each toy, this one has a single large fold-out instruction poster for every toy, making the "feel parts through the bags" method more difficult.
Unfortunately, later re-releases of this wave, which also showed up at Family Dollar, Walgreens, and Dollar General stores, have no individual-identifier codes. The ID-less versions all use the 2014 retooled arms.


Age of Extinction Collection 1
  • Release date: ??? 2014
In-tune with the Toys"R"Us-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
  • Release date: August 2014
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... a change made to all blind-bagged toys from all companies, as apparently there's some gambling law this butts up against. No, we're not sure how that works either but that was what Hasbro told us so well.
This wave was originally slated for a Toys"R"Us release in the US, but was canceled, coming out only in Canada, Australia 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 part of a "red box" series of Kre-O re-releases sold through Dollar General in the US. This set (and others its size, including some Dungeons and Dragons sets) sold for a whopping $12. Considering the individual kits originally cost $10 USD, that's a steal. The Kreons inside are mostly the same as the originals, using the 2014 arm retooling, though a handful of the Kreons have minor color 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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