Beast Machines: Transformers (toyline)
Beast Machines followed the success of Beast Wars, and was a bold and risky move. The Maximal faction was carried over, as they faced off against Megatron's army of Vehicons. Both factions had radical new design elements: unorthodox designs, translucent plastic, and even chrome. The Maximals were a smooth blend of the organic and robotic (unlike the reversed feel of the Transmetals, or the almost painful fusion of Transmetal 2s). The Vehicons themselves had very Cybertronian vehicle modes and very unorthodox robot modes (by Transformers standards).
Success was limited. Due to the way Beast Machines was received, the planned sequel line, Transtech, was cancelled early in development.
It should be noted that while Takara stamps are present on every Beast Machines toy, Japan did not receive anything relating to the line until 2005.
2000
Maximal
Deployers
- Dillo (armadillo)
- Dillo (armadillo) repaint
- Mol (mole)
- Mol (mole) repaint
- Rav (raven)
- Chro (raven) repaint
Beast Riders
Basic
- Buzzsaw (hornet)
- Geckobot (flying lizard)
- Longhorn (bull)
- Nightviper (cobra)
- Quickstrike (wolf)
- Silverbolt (condor)
Deluxe
- Blackarachnia (black widow spider)
- Optimus Primal (gorilla)
- Skydive (Quetzalcoatlus)
- Snarl (lion)
Mega
- Cheetor (cheetah)
Ultra
- Nightscream (Vampire bat)
Super
- Primal Prime (Transmetal gorilla)
Supreme
- Supreme Cheetor (cheetah)
McDonald's Happy Meal Toys
- Blackarachnia (black widow spider)
- Cheetor (cheetah)
- Nightscream (bat)
- Optimus Primal (gorilla)
- Rattrap (rat)
Vehicon
Basic
Beast Riders
Deluxe
- Blastcharge (six-wheeled tank)
- Jetstorm (jet)
- Sonic Attack Jet
- Thrust (motorcycle)
Mega
Ultra
- Jetstorm (jet)
McDonald's Happy Meal Toys
Dinobots
Deluxe
- Airraptor (Archaeopteryx)
- Dinotron (Pachycephalosaurus)
- Striker (Stegosaurus)
- Triceradon (Triceratops)
Ultra
2001
Maximal
Basic
- Battle Unicorn (unicorn)
- Hammerstrike (hammerhead shark)
Deluxe
- Beast Changer (Noble wolf/Savage dragon)
- Night Slash Cheetor (cheetah)
Mega
- Blast Punch Optimus Primal (gorilla)
- Rattrap (rat)
Vehicon
Basic
- Motorcycle Drone
- Spy Streak (recon jet)
- Tank Drone
Deluxe
- Strika (6-wheeler)
Dinobots
Deluxe
- Rapticon (Velociraptor)
- Terranotron (Pteranodon)
2002
These toys were released under Robots in Desguise, but were designed for Beast Machines
Maximal
Supreme
- Air Attack Optimus Primal (gorilla)
Predacon
Deluxe
- Megatron Megabolt (all terrain mobile battle tank)
- Bruticus (Cerberus)
2005 (Beast Wars Returns)
Cybertrons
- Black Widow - Redeco of Beast Machines Blackarachnia
- Cheetas - Beast Machines Mega Cheetor
- Convoy - Blast Punch Optimus Primal
- Nightscream - Beast Machines Nightscream
- Noble Savage - Redeco of Beast Machines Beast Changer
- Rattor - Beast Machines Rattrap
- Silverbolt - Redeco of Beast Machines Silverbolt
Destrons
- Megahead Megatron - Redeco of Robots in Disguise Megatron Megabolt
- Megatron - Beast Machines dragon Megatron
- Vehicon Jetstorm - Redeco of Beast Machines Ultra Jetstorm
- Vehicon Obsidian - Redeco of Beast Machines Obsidian
- Vehicon Stryka - Redeco ofBeast Machines Strika
- Vehicon Tankor - Redeco of Beast Machines Tank Drone
- Vehicon Thrust - Redeco of Beast Machines Motorcycle Drone
Trivia
- The Deployers and Beast Riders were developed by Hasbro Direct, Hasbro's department normally devoted to store exclusives and other retailer-oriented projects, hence their rather dubious compatibility with the rest of the Beast Machines line.
- On Takara's end of the design process, some design and engineering work was subcontracted out to the designer Junichi Akutsu, alias BEE-CRAFT.
