Triple Changer

The Triple Changers are Transformers that are mostly from the Generation 1 continuity family.

Here, Blitzwing displays his fourth mode: the big flying thingamajig.

In their quest for ever-greater machines of war, the Decepticons developed warriors with two distinct alternate forms. These Triple Changers can travel by land and air with equal ease, and in the heat of battle they can rapidly change form to confuse and outflank the enemy. To counter this threat, the Autobots also developed their own group of Triple Changers.

The Triple Changers are:

• Decepticons:
  • Astrotrain
  • Blitzwing
  • Octane

• Autobots:
  • Broadside
  • Sandstorm
  • Springer

In Transformers fiction, the term "Triple Changer" refers almost exclusively to these two subgroups. However, on toy packaging, the term has been applied to a number of other characters from various continuities. Further muddying the waters, many characters with three distinct modes have never been labeled as Triple Changers in toys or fiction, even in cases where it would really make sense to do so.

Japanese name (Autobots): Triplebot

Japanese name (Decepticons): Tripletron

Hungarian name: Triplaváltozók

Fiction

This detailed, scientific cut-away view reveals that underneath all that armor, Blitzwing is... made of mechanical stuff.

Dreamwave Comics

As a Triple Changer, the subject can change between modes three times as fast as a normal Transformer.

Toys

Generation 1

In a line cut from The Transformers: The Movie, Blitzwing says that as a Triple Changer, he's worth any two of his comrades. But it turns out that he retailed for a bit less than the Seekers.

• Decepticon Triple Changers (1985)
  • Astrotrain
  • Blitzwing

• Autobot Triple Changers (1986)
  • Broadside
  • Sandstorm
  • Springer

• Decepticon Triple Changers (1986)
  • Octane

The original Triple Changers were released in the second year of Generation 1, and were sufficiently popular to inspire 4 more in 1986.

Classics

• Astrotrain (2006)

Universe (2008)

• Tankor

Octane with a new name.

This list includes only toys that actually have three modes. Several of the Triple Changer characters have had later releases in other toy molds, most notably Sandstorm and Springer, but these forms lacked the third mode required to qualify as Triple Changers.

Subsequent toys labeled as "Triple Changers"

Generation 2

• Dreadwing (1994)

The bomber/tank/robot describes himself as "triple-changing Dreadwing" in a television commercial. Another commercial has the announcer saying "Dreadwing is a Triple Changer."

Beast Wars

• Depth Charge (1998)

Although the box says "3 mode conversion" the commercial announcer says he "triple changes".

• Rampage (1998)

Although the box says "3 mode conversion" the commercial announcer says he "triple changes".

Armada

• Laserbeak (2002)

Energon

• Scorponok (2004)
• Shockblast (2004)

Cybertron

• Megatron (2005)
• Anti-Blaze (2006)
• Checkpoint (2006)
• Scythe (2006)
• Cryo Scourge (2006)
• Galvatron (2006)

Animated

• Blitzwing (2008)

Revenge of the Fallen

• Mixmaster (2009)
• Soundwave (2009)

Unreleased

• Dropshot

A helicopter/plane Triple Changer[1]

Retroactively labeled as Triple Changers

• Marvel UK's Doomsday for Nebulos indentifies Scorponok as a Triple Changer.

• Dreamwave's More Than Meets the Eye profile book series identifies Apeface and Snapdragon as Triple Changers.

• Dreamwave's More Than Meets The Eye: Armada book labels Over-Run as a Triple Changer, also stating that other Mini-Cons with a third mode are Triple Changers.

• IDW's Beast Wars Sourcebook labels Bigmos and B'Boom as Triple Changers, but not the characters who share their molds.