GoBots
| The name or term "GoBots" refers to more than one character or idea. For a list of other meanings, see GoBots (disambiguation). |
The original GoBots were the main competition for Hasbro's Transformers in the 1980s. Notably, their launch actually preceded that of the Transformers own, although they ultimately proved not to have the same level of lasting popularity.
Toyline
GoBots toys were mostly small, similar in size to Transformers' Mini Vehicles, although they were generally more complex than similarly-sized Transformers. After the line's initial success, a series of larger Super GoBots toys was also released, featuring both new characters and larger versions of some pre-existing toys. Tonka also released a number of supporting toys such as spaceships, bases, the monster "Zod", and later a set of combining "Power Suits" which GoBots figures could be placed into.
In 1991, Hasbro bought Tonka and its subsidiaries (including Kenner), and at that time acquired all of Tonka's intellectual property, including jurisdiction over GoBots-related names and trademarks. The GoBots toys themselves, however, are still owned by Bandai, who had merely licensed the toys to Tonka during GoBots' lifetime.
Impact on Transformers
Following Hasbro's acquisition of Tonka and Kenner, the GoBots universe has largely remained idle - with some notable exceptions.
The first modern GoBots-specific reference - beyond use the brand name itself - came in the form of Armada Leader-1, the Mini-Con under the control of Megatron, who shares his name with the leader of the heroic Guardian GoBots.
At one point, the Mini-Con Dead End was going to be called "Gobotron", in reference to the home planet of the GoBots. However, the idea was ultimately discarded.
Unexpectedly, the most direct usage of the GoBots characters in Transformers has come not from Hasbro, but Takara. As part of their e-Hobby line of collector toys, six redecoed Mini Vehicles were released as the "Dimensional Exploration/Experimentation Team G1 GoBots". The included Bio and Tech Spec card alludes to concepts and technology from Tonka GoBots fiction, with the toys themselves representing various GoBot characters. However, the individual character names were dropped just prior to release, making their official status somewhat blurry.
