Transformers: Universe (2008 toyline)

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Universe was the name of a Transformers toy line by Hasbro that was launched in mid-2008 and ran as a mass retail line until early 2009, but continued throughout the year with various exclusive releases. It was the second Transformers toy line to bear the Universe name; the first one was launched in 2003, with the last new toy of the line being released in early 2008. The main way to distinguish between the two Universe lines accepted among fans is the difference in title logos.

The "main" focus of the second Universe toyline was on the Legends, Deluxe, Voyager and Ultra price points, which consist of new molds for "classic" characters from various previous lines, as well as redecos of existing toys from older lines (such as Cybertron and the 2006 Classics line). In addition, there were numerous store exclusive single and multi-packs, which also consisted of redecos of toys from older lines.

Many of the new-mold toys were meant to feature "realistic" vehicle modes (a niche left otherwise unfilled after the end of the 2007 movie line), although that aspect was later muddled with the introduction of Legends Class toys for characters from the Animated line (which have not-so-realistic vehicle modes) and Beast Wars characters (which have animal forms as their alternate modes, not vehicles). The G1 series also caused trouble, as suitcase-sized microcassetes aren't really that common, and flying spaceships aren't masters of disguise. Unless you're on Cybertron or something.

Just to break the vehicle-mode-based pattern completely, Universe also continued the non-transforming, super-cute Robot Heroes line.

In 2009, the packaging gained a "25 Years" corner logo to commemorate Transformers' 25th anniversary, as the toyline's offerings expanded to include updates of key characters from every franchise.

Many of the toys were redecoed for release in the Japanese Henkei! Henkei! toyline.

Toys

General retail

Legends Class

Wave 1
File:Universelegendsredalert.jpg
Red Alert, a Legends Class toy.
Wave 2
Wave 3
Wave 4
Wave 5

Deluxe Class

Wave 1
File:Universe AcidStorm toy.jpg
Acid Storm, a Deluxe Class toy.
Wave 2
Wave 3
Wave 4
Wave 5
Wave 6

Voyager Class

Wave 1
Heavy Load, a Voyager Class toy.
Wave 2
Wave 3
Wave 4
This wave had minimal retail distribution, and as a result, Vector Prime was a very rare sight at US stores. Inferno shipped again in the subsequent wave. Vector Prime finally showed up in somewhat larger quantities many, many months after his initial retail sighting.
Wave 5

Ultra Class

Wave 1
Onslaught, an Ultra Class toy.
Wave 2
Wave 3
Wave 4

Robot Heroes

Wave 1
Robot Heroes Megatron and Rattrap.
Wave 2
Wave 3
Wave 4
International release
Canceled
Your bargaining posture is highly dubious.
Your bargaining posture is highly dubious.

Proceed on your way to oblivion.
This item has been canceled, with no current plans for release.

More than Meets the Eye 25th Anniversary Pack

Exclusives

Costco

  • Ultra Twin-Pack (Cybertron Series) contains:
    • Optimus Prime (unchanged Cybertron: Galaxy Force Leader Class Optimus Prime)
    • Crumplezone (unchanged Cybertron Voyager Class Crumplezone)

Hasbro Toy Shop

This toy was originally sold at the Hasbro Toy Shop booth at San Diego Comic-Con 2008, and was later offered on the online store's website. It was also available as a non-exclusive mass retail release in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Malaysia.
According to Hasbro, the "Special Editions" were originally intended for the non-Japanese Asian market, but were also made available to Western fans via the Hasbro Toy Shop website as well. They have also been released at general retail in Australia and New Zealand. In early 2010, they were also found at Marshalls and TJ Maxx stores in the USA.
Soundwave was originally sold at the Hasbro Toy Shop booth at San Diego Comic-Con 2009, and was later offered on the online store's website.

Kmart

File:Kmart suppressor toy.jpg
Suppressor, an exclusive Armada Series Mini-Con.
This twelve-pack was also available as a Woolworths exclusive in the United Kingdom - before Woolworths went bankrupt and closed down - and a Zellers AND Toys R' Us exclusive in Canada. The Mini-Cons are also being sold individually on Transformers Universe 25th Anniversary cards at Big Lots stores in the United States. They finally received an Australian release - as a Big W exclusive - in December 2009.

Sam's Club

Target

Voyager class
Legends 5-packs
Both five-packs were also available as Zellers exclusives in Canada, possible Farmers exclusives in New Zealand and as Argos exclusives in the UK.
Ratbat, an exclusive War Within Series Deluxe toy.
Voyager Deluxe Comic 2-packs
Both two-packs were also available as Zellers exclusives in Canada, and as Toys"R"Us exclusives in Australia.
Titanium Series
  • Hot Zone (redeco of Robots in Disguise Optimus Prime)
  • Optimus Prime (redeco of War Within Optimus Prime)
  • Thrust (redeco of War Within Thundercracker)
These three figures were released in 2009, well after Transformers product had ceased being released in the Titanium Series proper. The packaging co-brands them as both Universe and Titanium Series toys.


Toys"R"Us

Ultra Class
Supreme Class
  • Unicron (unchanged Supreme Class Armada Unicron in new packaging) (Armada Series)
Commemorative Edition

Walmart

Ultra Class
Scout Class two-packs
These two-packs contain unchanged versions of the Scout Class toys from the 2007 Movie toyline of the same name, which were available exclusively at Target stores in the USA, and (at least some of them) as mass releases in Europe. The Universe two-pack versions were also found at Walmart-owned Asda stores in the United Kingdom and at Target stores in Australia.

Shared

Market Six
This three-pack has been sighted at Christmas Tree Shop, Family Dollar and Walgreens stores in the United States, in Sainsburys stores in the United Kingdom and in Canadian Tire stores in (where else?) Canada for the 2009 holiday period. Bizarrely enough, it showed up at various Toys"R"Us stores in the USA in late 2010, at higher prices than the Market Six stores were asking for it.


Meijer/Kmart
This set was available in Canada as a Canadian Tire exclusive and in the United Kingdom as a Tesco exclusive.

International releases

The Asian exclusive "Challenge at Cybertron" giftset.
These two five-packs have thus far only been released in The United Kingdom, Australia and Singapore. In North America, they were released in Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen packaging instead, as Target exclusives.
Distributed by Hasbro Malaysia, this set was a shared exclusive at China's Cybertron Con 2010 and at the Animation-Comic-Game Hong Kong festival. Hasbro would later go on to make some pieces available as contest prizes for Auto Assembly 2010 in the U.K.

References

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