Robot Heroes (toyline)
| The name or term "Robot Heroes" refers to more than one character or idea. For a list of other meanings, see Robot Heroes (disambiguation). |
The Robot Heroes line is the Transformers entry into Hasbro's series of adorable, little-kid-friendly lines of characters from popular franchises. It was preceded by Star Wars (in various incarnations, finally now under the name Galactic Heroes) and Marvel (under the banner Superhero Squad) lines, and has been continued by Indiana Jones (Adventure Heroes), Toy Story (Toy Box Heroes) and a G.I. Joe line (Combat Heroes) that was launched with a San Diego Comic Convention 2008 exclusive. It's basically a multi-property brand, except for the fact that it has no uniform name or logo.
Each Robot Heroes figure is approximately two inches tall and constructed of soft, pliable PVC plastic. The characters are sculpted in a super deformed style, with exaggerated limbs and smiling expressions (well, for those characters with mouths). Articulation is limited to neck and shoulder swivels (for characters with conventional humanoid bodies, at least). It is notable that the Transformers Robot Heroes figures are more dynamically posed than most such figures from other franchises.
IDW Publishing once announced plans to launch a tie-in comic based around the toyline, but only ended up releasing a single hardcover children's book.
Transformers (2007 film) line
Mass retail two-packs
Wave 1 (G1 characters)
Wave 2 (G1 characters)
Wave 3 (G1 characters)
- Jazz & Thundercracker
- Optimus Prime (with Matrix) & Unicron
Wave 4 (movie characters)
Wave 5 (movie characters)
- Armor Bumblebee (with All Spark) & Starscream
- Ironhide & Bonecrusher
- Protoform Jazz &a Decepticon Brawl
- Optimus Prime (with sword) & Scorponok
Wave 6 (movie characters)
Exclusives
Best Buy exclusives
- "Battle Damaged" Optimus Prime & Cliffjumper (Movie characters)
Wal-Mart exclusives
- Decepticon Sneak Attack five-pack (G1 characters), containing:
- "Hologram" Mirage
- Cliffjumper
- "Supermetal Finish" Optimus Prime
- "Supermetal Finish" Megatron
- Skywarp
- The Final Battle five-pack (Movie characters), containing:
- Metallic finish version of Megatron
- AllSpark Power version of Optimus Prime
- AllSpark Power version of Autobot Ratchet
- Battle damaged version of Autobot Jazz (who also sports metallic finish)
- Battle damaged version of Blackout
Universe (2008)
Mass retail two-packs
Wave 1
- Rattrap & Megatron (Beast Wars Series)
- Cheetor & Blackarachnia (Beast Wars Series)
- Sunstreaker & Galvatron (Generation 1 Series)
- Hound & Blitzwing (Generation 1 Series)
Wave 2
- Arcee & Decepticon Rumble (Generation 1 Series)
- Rhinox & Waspinator (Beast Wars Series)
- Optimus Primal & Predacon Tarantulas (Beast Wars Series)
Wave 3
- Autobot Blaster & Thrust (Generation 1 Series)
- Ironhide & Kickback (Generation 1 Series)
- Silverbolt & (Transmetal) Megatron (Beast Wars Series)
Wave 4
International release (Singapore/Australia, Germany/UK)
Canceled
- Optimus Prime & Megatron (Robots in Disguise Series)
- Prowl & Laserbeak (Generation 1 Series)
- Victory Saber & Dessaras (Generation 1 Series)
- Optimus Primal & Jetstorm (Beast Machines Series)
Robot Heroes Board Game
Mass retail two-packs
Wave 1
- Bumblebee & Long Haul
- Optimus Prime & Blackout
- Mudflap & Rampage
- Autobot Springer & Starscream
- Sideswipe & Sideways
- Autobot Skids & Megatron
Wave 2
Wave 3
Mass retail "Battle Scenes" multi-packs
Wave 1
- "Battle for the Allspark", contains:
- Bumblebee (alternate mode)
- Optimus Prime (alternate mode)
- Starscream (alternate mode)
- Sam Witwicky
- Decepticon Brawl
- Megatron
- Autobot Ratchet
- "Battle of the Fallen", contains:
- Ironhide (alternate mode)
- Jetpower Optimus Prime
- Megatron (alternate mode)
- The Fallen
Wave 2
- "Desert Devastation", contains:
- Skids (alternate mode)
- Mudflap (alternate mode)
- William Lennox
- Devastator
- "Shanghai Shootout", contains:
- Optimus Prime
- Skids and Mudflap (combined alternate mode)
- Sideswipe (alternate mode)
- Sideways (alternate mode)
- Demolishor
Blind-packs
Numerous early Robot Heroes were re-issued in new, "blindpacked" packaging in international regions such as Malaysia (appearing in 7-11s there in December 2008) and the United Kingdom (appearing in Tesco stores in June 2009). They were never released in North America, however. The figures sold in single-packs, as opposed to the traditional double-pack, and are sealed within an opaque baggie, rather than a blister card. Each figure comes with a short bio card, and a catalogue advertising the available figures. They are deliciously cheap, retailing at either £1.00 or £1.99 (where the standard two-packs have customarily retailed at £5.99, rising to £6.99 for Revenge of the Fallen).
The blindpacked range includes all 24 figures from the original four waves of the Robot Heroes line, comprising a mixture of Generation 1 and movie characters. Somewhat surprisingly, the line also includes the figures from Wal-Mart's "Decepticon Sneak Attack" box-set, with the exception of "Supermetal Finish" Megatron, and even more inexplicably, the movie Cliffjumper and "Battle Damaged" Optimus Prime figures previously available only as DVD exclusives at Best Buy.
Bizarrely (yet rather awesomely), the Rodimus figure is sold under the character's original name of "Hot Rod".
