Kre-O

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Kre-O Transformers
Car me now!

Kre-O is Hasbro's second foray into the world of brick-based construction toy sets, several years after the ignoble effort that was Built to Rule.

Unveiled at Toy Fair 2011, Transformers was the first Hasbro brand to be released as Kre-O construction brick kits. The kits (generally) center around a Transformers character that can be taken apart and reassembled into a vehicle. Mini-figures called Kreons are also included in the larger kits, and these mini-figures are a mix of Transformers characters and human drivers. Prices range from $7.99 to $59.99, plus individually-bagged Kreon figures at $2.99.

The line launched in the US on June 6th, 2011. Since then, Kre-O has expanded considerably, with sets based on G.I. Joe, Battleship, Star Trek, and Dungeons & Dragons, as well as the wholly-original Cityville Invasion micro-build series.

In 2013, TakaraTomy brought the line to Japan, primarily the second-year Transformers sets.

It's not that thing that begins with an L! But it sure works with that thing that begins with an L. L employees are asked to please not view this webpage.


Building sets

2011

  • Optimus Prime
    • Set number: 31143


2012 (Quest for Energon)

The second-year Kre-O Transformers sets mark a definite change in style. Dubbed "Quest for Energon", each set contains several "energon" pieces; at least one clear-plastic Kreon torso (blue for Autobots, purple for Decepticons), and several clear-purple "Dark Energon" parts to assemble a giant "ultimate Dark Energon weapon". There was a heavier focus on the Kreons, with mini-playsets, mini-vehicles and a pair of army builder sets. The robot Kreons are more often based on their Aligned continuity family incarnations than Generation 1. The robot/vehicle builds in this year's sets are generally smaller, simpler, and less reliant on the "massive stack of flat plates" construction style common in the first year.

This series also suffered a distribution issue in the US. Walmart stopped carrying Kre-O after its first year (with one tiny exception), and only ToysЯUs appeared to carry the entire second-year assortment.

Includes Optimus Prime and Megatron robot/vehicle builds and a mini "bank" playset.
A "9 in 1" set that includes Scrapper, Drill Bit, Scavenger and Hightower, who can be built into robots, vehicles, or combined to form Devastator. Includes a construction site mini-playset.
Includes a large Vortex robot/helicopter build.
Includes a large Bumblebee robot/car build and a security checkpoint playset.
Includes large Wheeljack and Knock Out robot/car builds.

2013 (Beast Hunters)

Bringing the series in-line with the then-current Beast Hunters branding of Prime, this series was even more limited in its US distribution, seemingly available only at ToysЯUs without being explicitly a ToysЯUs exclusive.

Larger Sets
A multi-part playset. Includes a buildable Optimus Prime mini-truck and Predacon beast.
Includes Bumblebee/jeep build and buildable Predacon beast Stormrazor
Includes a large Optimus robot/truck build and a buildable Predacon beast Lazerback.
Includes a large Ripclaw robot/dragon build.
Beast Force Figure packs
  • Dragon Assault
Includes buildable Predacon beast Grimwing.
  • Mech Venom Strike
Includes buildable Predacon beast Corhada.

Micro-Changers

The Micro-Changers sub-line adds a new element to Kreon figures; extra parts allow each figure to "transform" into a vehicle or beast.

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.

Preview Series

  • Release date: ??? 2012
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.
This is also the only Kre-O Transformers product to be sold (briefly) at Walmart since the initial year of product.


Series 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.


Series 2

  • Release date: ??? 2013
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.

Series 3

File:KreO-Toy MicroChangersS3bag.jpg
This series had...more fanwank, we guess?


Series 4

  • Release date: ??? 2013
Sooo much fanwank.
Or you could pick... WHAT'S IN THE BOX.
Or you could pick... WHAT'S IN THE BOX.

This item is currently scheduled for release, but is not yet available at mass retail.

Micro-Changers Combiners

Four Kreons per pack combine into one larger robot. Each set also comes with a single red stand-block, and extra limb pieces. Just in case.

Wave 1
Wave 2

Store exclusives

CostCo exclusives

  • Megatron with Sideswipe (30668/31771) - a twin-pack of the regular release sets above with no changes.
  • Starscream with Prowl (30667/30690) - a twin-pack of the regular release sets above with no changes.

Toys"R"Us exclusives

  • Autobot Assault Devastator (A1266) (781 pieces) w/ Devastator, Ironhide, human "Foreman", three human "Construction Workers", and "Gunner" Kreons
Autobot Assault Devastator is a Toys R Us store exclusive 2-pack set which includes the Kre-O Destruction Site Devastator set as well as an exclusive Ironhide set only available in this 2-pack, which also comes with a small brick house, and a new "Gunner" Kreon. The Devastator Kreon in this set has been switched to a Generation 2 yellow deco.

Argos exclusives

  • Transformers Tub of Bricks (A4583)
A plastic tub with unaltered versions of Basic Optimus, Basic Bumblebee, and Jazz, Sideswipe and Bluestreak Kreons, and slightly altered instruction booklets.

Promotional releases

  • Matrix Optimus Prime Kreon
Promotional item given at BotCon 2011, and as a special mail-in promotion through the Kre-O website. Redeco of Optimus Prime Kreon showing the Matrix of Leadership.
  • Clear Energon Bumblebee Kreon
An exclusive New York Comic Con 2012 handout, this redeco of the Bumblebee Kreon is done entirely in translucent blue plastic, and comes in its own special little window box with an outer sleeve.
  • Constructicon Devastator Kreon
A Devastator Kreon sporting an orange Generation 2 deco and including a translucent purple pistol based on Generation 1 Megatron's alternate mode. Packaged in an individual window box and handed out with Kre-O purchases at Toys"R"Us stores, as well as BotCon 2013.

Media

Videos

Main article: Kre-O Transformers (cartoon)

A series of videos have been released on Hasbro's Kre-O website and on YouTube, featuring the wacky antics of the Kre-O Transformers and their Kreons.

Games

Main article: Online games#Kre-O

Books

Online comics

Main article: Kre-O Transformers (comic)

Short tongue-in-cheek gag strips drawn and written by Hayato Sakamoto for TakaraTomy's Kre-O site.

Notes

  • Kre-O bricks are manufactured by Korean toy company Oxford[1].
  • Kreon Hound was shown loose at Botcon 2011 with no indication on how he'll be released.
  • Small images of a Transformers Kre-O set featuring a big mechanical scorpion and another set featuring a buildable Soundwave were shown at Toy Fair 2012 during the slide presentation, as part of the demonstration of the "build a big energon weapon from parts of the different sets" concept. Neither were present in the showroom or mentioned in the press materials. This same slide was shown during a presentation at BotCon 2012, again with no explicit mention of the mechanical scorpion or Soundwave.
  • While the Kre-O bricks and such are compatible with L bricks, take care with mixing Kreon and Minifigure parts, particularly helmets. Full-coverage Kreon helmets like Optimus Prime's and Soundwave's are a bit tight, and getting a L Minifigure head out of them is exceedingly difficult. They'll pop off the neck before the helmet relinquishes the head. Open-face helmets like Starscream's, where you can get a "grip" on the head with the pad of your finger, should be fine.
  • The L company has since released sets that are explicitly marketed as being able to assemble as robots and various vehicles and aircraft, very similar to the Transformers Kre-O concept.

References

  1. ↑ Transformers Kre-O - Thoughts? on TFW2005
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