Hasbro Brings Out New Construct-Bots Building Sets

They actually look pretty good.

So from what i've seen this is Hasbro's answer to the Lego: Bionicle and/or Hero Factory kits. It's okay in concept, however the colors and molding look like they could be wretched. I'm getting a slight B.t.R vibe from this. Well B.t.R mixed with those mega blok robots anyway.

im not a big fan of lanky gorilla arms, even less those with gorilla wing arms. i dont care for these but im sure theyll find theyre place. i just hope it doesnt mean the end of transformers as we know them, but highly unlikely

A for effort, Hasbro! I'll probably pick up Ironhide, he's easily my favorite. Screamer isn't too bad either.

Bee is just...why is he a triple changer?? XD But it looks good, despite being random (love the head).

I suspect Megatron is a triple changer too, what with the jet kibble on his arms there. Speaking of jet kibble, what in the Pit is Blitzwing!? He's a mess! And speaking of kibble, Prime's a mess too!

Wheeljack looks like he's seriously ready to deconstruct somebody! (and probably put them back together again, in record time! Like the Jackhammer!)

Soundwave is Cybertron Soundwave all over again, and I have no strong feelings one way or the other.

I'm all for these, here's to hoping they get better as they go! I've got a Hero Factory fellow or two (well, three technically ), I'm I quite like them. But I've always had a soft spot for Bionicle.

VioMeTriX wrote:im not a big fan of lanky gorilla arms, even less those with gorilla wing arms. i dont care for these but im sure theyll find theyre place. i just hope it doesnt mean the end of transformers as we know them, but highly unlikely

It's just a random subline to take advantage of the always good Bionicle/HF idea. And, being Lego-type stuff, you can always get shorter pieces for arms if you like. HF stuff is easy-ish to find on sale if you keep an eagle eye out for it at the end of a series.

So TF X Bionicle. That's pretty cool. I might get some of these, especially if we get some good character selection. I'd be down for a Triple Changer Scorponok. He could be a scorpion and jet again (since that'd probably be the easiest thing you could do with him, not to mention homage his Energon incarnation). I definitely see some potential here. And are these really not a subline of Kre-O? It makes sense that it would be.

so do these actually transform or do you have to pull it apart and slap it back together as a vehicle? If they transform im interested, transformers meets bionicle is a win in my book but if they dont transform ill pass (except for soundwave).

Hmm, if I have one worry, I can't tell if they'll implement "friction adder" joints for some of the larger kits, like the HF line has been doing for, say, the XL heroes. They really help keep things from getting weaker with wear. The Claw Jaw/Splitface combo I put together is on the topheavy side, and while it stands up and poses just fine, the ball joints can slip if I'm not careful.

First time we've seen a Blitzwing since Animated. I hope it's a good omen.

Either way, it's a neat expansion on the Kreo line, but in keeping with my buying habits and the Kreo line, I will not be buying these.

RAcast wrote:Hmm, if I have one worry, I can't tell if they'll implement "friction adder" joints for some of the larger kits, like the HF line has been doing for, say, the XL heroes.

Of topic real quick, what are these "friction adders" you speak of. I don't know because I haven't bought any HF stuf..at all.

SW's SilverHammer wrote:

RAcast wrote:Hmm, if I have one worry, I can't tell if they'll implement "friction adder" joints for some of the larger kits, like the HF line has been doing for, say, the XL heroes.

Of topic real quick, what are these "friction adders" you speak of. I don't know because I haven't bought any HF stuf..at all.

It's simply a link that fits over an existing piece with a ball joint. Basically you can think of it as a piece that adds a bit of height without adding an extra point of movement. But they also have a bit of rubber inside the ball joint cup to add some friction.

yeah no thanks.

RAcast wrote:

SW's SilverHammer wrote:

RAcast wrote:Hmm, if I have one worry, I can't tell if they'll implement "friction adder" joints for some of the larger kits, like the HF line has been doing for, say, the XL heroes.

Of topic real quick, what are these "friction adders" you speak of. I don't know because I haven't bought any HF stuf..at all.

It's simply a link that fits over an existing piece with a ball joint. Basically you can think of it as a piece that adds a bit of height without adding an extra point of movement. But they also have a bit of rubber inside the ball joint cup to add some friction.

ah thanks

Blurrz wrote:And the only Blitzwing we'll get for another decade.

I know right! the last blitzwing we got was animated, and he doesn't even count.

I dare say that bot and spaceship Bumblebee are badass!

My son loves hero factory, so he may like these. Those aforementioned friction joints keep things steady, but pop off easier than Titanium figures.

These look interesting, if they transforn more so

I've never liked the bionical/hero factory stuff, the limb connectors break way to easily. While some of these look nice I believe I'll be passing, cool idea though.

Megatron Wolf wrote:so do these actually transform or do you have to pull it apart and slap it back together as a vehicle? If they transform im interested, transformers meets bionicle is a win in my book but if they dont transform ill pass (except for soundwave).

It looks to me like they transform by folding up and then you move around a few parts like wheels or accessories. So...minimal disassembly required?

njb902 wrote:I've never liked the bionical/hero factory stuff, the limb connectors break way to easily. While some of these look nice I believe I'll be passing, cool idea though.

Geez, what do you do to your poor Bionicles? I played the crap out of mine when I was a kid and I never broke a single part. That stuff is made sturdy.

In response to people constantly stealing our IP, we at Hasbro are proud to introduce our new and improved Classics lineup for 2013 !!!

i have to say that im not thrilled by this line-the concept of having transformers with customizable aspect is one Ive talked about with my pales a bunch -personally i think you could make deluxe size transformers that have parts that could be swapped around or otherwise customized to be a different bot. But these don't look great and their kind of look like their made of plastic noodles.
Also a scout is 10 dollars -seriously hasbro needs to reconfigure their price points its almost as expensive to buy voyagers as it is to buy deluxes. If im paying almost 20 anyway id rather have more voyager figures.

chaosmage42 wrote:i have to say that im not thrilled by this line-the concept of having transformers with customizable aspect is one Ive talked about with my pales a bunch -personally i think you could make deluxe size transformers that have parts that could be swapped around or otherwise customized to be a different bot. But these don't look great and their kind of look like their made of plastic noodles.
Also a scout is 10 dollars -seriously hasbro needs to reconfigure their price points its almost as expensive to buy voyagers as it is to buy deluxes. If im paying almost 20 anyway id rather have more voyager figures.

Just like the Kre-o stuff, give them time. This is their first try with this and it's bound to be flawed. Give it a few waves, I guarantee they'll get better as they play more and discover more tricky ways to make things work.
And those prices are basically in-line with the Lego sets, which are FAR larger than even RTS Windcharger (often hailed as Mr. Oversized Scout). For reference, the Lego sets which I'm guessing would be the same size are $8-9, $12-13, and $20-ish. Obviously you're paying for the engineering those extra couple bucks for the fact that these are engineered to transform, and I think they're pretty cool for it.

As much as I want to buy the hell out of ALL of these, I don't get it. Apart from ball joints, how are these any different from Kre-O?

Rated X wrote:In response to people constantly stealing our IP, we at Hasbro are proud to introduce our new and improved Classics lineup for 2013 !!!

oh god no

Skywarp64 wrote:As much as I want to buy the hell out of ALL of these, I don't get it. Apart from ball joints, how are these any different from Kre-O?

Kre-o is a System-based creation (good old lego blocks), while these are built in the style of Lego action figures, like Bionicle and Hero Factory (all technic pieces and ball joints).

RAcast wrote:

njb902 wrote:I've never liked the bionical/hero factory stuff, the limb connectors break way to easily. While some of these look nice I believe I'll be passing, cool idea though.

Geez, what do you do to your poor Bionicles? I played the crap out of mine when I was a kid and I never broke a single part. That stuff is made sturdy.

I don't know about njb902, but I left mine out on display. All my Bionicle set are no longer buildable because those old socets just break easily, even when left alone for MONTHS! Thank LEGO for giving us near-indestructible parts in HF, AND thank Hasbro for these new Constuct-Bots!!!!

I'm falling in love w/ Hasbro again!

Aside from Soundwave (whose jet mode looks strangely like G1 Thunderwing's shell's alt mode), they all suck consistently.

Coming up with custom Transformers using these kits would have to be the main draw for the line. I see a lot of potential to create a lot of original Transformer designs using parts from two or three sets.

I bet these would be amazing custom fodder.

Bionicle: Transformers Edition?

Still, I'll admit they actually look pretty cool. I'm loving the Megs and Soundwave, same with Optimus. The others are pretty neat too, I like Wheeljack. I may think about these...

Noideaforaname wrote:I bet these would be amazing custom fodder.

That's what I was thinking as well... Megatron has an awesome head sculpt.

Not one for Bionicles. Pass.

Bumblebee... as a Triple Changer? I think they're getting desperate now.

Could Blitzwing finally herald the coming of a Generations Blitzwing?

Mindmaster wrote:Not one for Bionicles. Pass.

Bumblebee... as a Triple Changer? I think they're getting desperate now.

They are.

Could Blitzwing finally herald the coming of a Generations Blitzwing?

Don't hold your breath.

Hm, the triple changers (Megatron, Bumblebee, Blitzwing) don't use all of their parts in all of their modes (e.g., Megatron and Bumblebee do not have wheels in robot mode). That very nearly kills my desire to collect them.

Caelus wrote:Hm, the triple changers (Megatron, Bumblebee, Blitzwing) don't use all of their parts in all of their modes (e.g., Megatron and Bumblebee do not have wheels in robot mode). That very nearly kills my desire to collect them.

Megatron isn't listed as a Triple Changer. He's an Ultra.

Hot on the heels of "Kre-O" - Hasbro's answer to Lego, and "Kre-O Minis" - Hasbro's answer to Lego Minifigures - comes "Construct-Bots" - Hasbro's answer to Lego Bionicle.

Between Bot Shots, the shrunken and hollow "Generations" derived entire from Transformers: Fall of Cybertron, the mediocre simplicity of the upcoming Transformers Prime: Beast Hunters line and now this, quite frankly I have to ask: are Hasbro even still in the business of making transformable robot figures anymore?

JOP wrote:are Hasbro even still in the business of making transformable robot figures anymore?

Um....

JOP wrote:Bot Shots

JOP wrote:Generations

JOP wrote:Transformers Prime: Beast Hunters

Yes. All of those things you listed are transformable robot figures.

That Bot wrote:

JOP wrote:are Hasbro even still in the business of making transformable robot figures anymore?

Um....

JOP wrote:Bot Shots

JOP wrote:Generations

JOP wrote:Transformers Prime: Beast Hunters

Yes. All of those things you listed are transformable robot figures.

Nice sarcasm there. but i agree with JOP and its what ive been saying, unless we as fandom and more importantly money spending shoppers do something about this the trend downward will continue. how do we make a change? stop buying the sub par junk and stick with the better stuff we want. bot shots, the new bionical-ish crap, the smaller deluxes, the over priced voyagers. now i am not saying buy nothing at all... but if we could all gear ourselves towards buying better figures and let the rest sit on shelves, it will send a message. this is how companies work, they have analysts that say wahts selling and whats not and what direction to move in. right now we seem to be eating up the junk yet still complaining about it... time to send a message folks, and its up to each of you to decide what that message is. i am personally only buying mastepieces and alternity figures. i knows these are tailored to collectors and i cant expect hasbro to always cater to these lines, but i am letting them know i wont stand for the other stuff until the QC improves. the little mainline stuff i might buy will only be the best of whatever line i buy.


and That Bot, from the way youve responded to me, and now i see a few others... i guess you are the new local smartass... good job

Not my cup of tea but I must admit, some of those head sculpts are fantastic.

As some have mentioned earlier, these make good kitbash fodder if nothing else. I can see kids loving these, though.

Guess the big boxed sets aren't selling well... if they ever were.

Still, between these and the blind packs and the gestalts, Kre-O has some interesting stuff and a good variety in the product. It's a niche audience who'll buy these, but I'll bet they sell better than the current crop.

Might get OP and Soundwave. Old collector's habits...

Alright, that Blitzwing head looks awesome, and I'm sure it's a cool figure, but why OH WHY don't we have a classics/universe/reveal the shield/generations Blitzwing yet? At least this gives me some hope that we'll be getting one!

EDIT: BLLLUUUUUUUUURRRRRRRRRRGGGGHHHH! *vomits blood*

VioMeTriX wrote:Nice sarcasm there. but i agree with JOP and its what ive been saying, unless we as fandom and more importantly money spending shoppers do something about this the trend downward will continue.

There is no downward trend. This is branching out. There are still two simultaneous lines of pure Transformers for you to choose from. Three if you include the plethora of residual DOTM. If you don't like any of the main lines, go back and fill in some old gaps in your collection from lines you did like while you wait for something new that you like to hit retail. Find another hobby. Do something productive. Don't just sit around and mope because this brand isn't the same as it was however many years ago. Companies change, and not always in the way we like them to. That's just life.

how do we make a change? stop buying the sub par junk and stick with the better stuff we want. bot shots, the new bionical-ish crap, the smaller deluxes, the over priced voyagers.

This is what you should always do anyways. Nobody is forcing you to like these things, or to buy them, or to worship at Hasbro's altar. Buy what you like. Don't buy what you don't like. Don't fret over this side merchandise if it doesn't strike your fancy.

now i am not saying buy nothing at all... but if we could all gear ourselves towards buying better figures and let the rest sit on shelves, it will send a message.

I think you're forgetting two important points:
* adult fans like us only count for a small percentage of sales
* kids are the target audience of this brand as a whole and make up the vast majority of sales
It's been demonstrated that kids love Bot Shots. Small, cheap, gimmicky things are in right now. Beyblade, Bakugan, Monsuno, and now Bot Shots. It's like the 2010s version of Pogs.

I don't know what the consensus is on Kre-O, but it must be doing something right since they keep pumping out new stuff. And since LEGO's Bionicle and Hero Factory lines of what are essentially constructable action figures continue to sell like hotcakes, Hasbro wants a piece of that pie too. If they've done focus testing and concluded that kids will like this stuff, then more power to them I say.

Again, by all means, don't buy things you don't like. Doing otherwise is silly. But try to remember our stake in the business. We adult fans are the vocal minority of this franchise. With the exception of Masterpieces, these toys are not made exclusively for us, they do not have to meet our absolute approval. Hasbro's philosophy is to make toys for kids and if adults like them, too, that's just Prime. Please don't try to give us more power than we have. I'm not saying that to be mean, I'm saying it out of sincere concern, because if you believe we have more power than we do, and things continue as they are, you will just find yourself more frustrated.

this is how companies work, they have analysts that say wahts selling and whats not and what direction to move in. right now we seem to be eating up the junk yet still complaining about it...

Again, kids buy this stuff, not just us. Bot Shots are selling well among kids, Hasbro continues to make them.

time to send a message folks, and its up to each of you to decide what that message is. i am personally only buying mastepieces and alternity figures. i knows these are tailored to collectors and i cant expect hasbro to always cater to these lines, but i am letting them know i wont stand for the other stuff until the QC improves.

Just a little correction, quality is different from quality control. I'm pretty sure you mean quality in this situation, not QC.

and That Bot, from the way youve responded to me, and now i see a few others... i guess you are the new local smartass... good job

It's true, I can be very snarky, but I'm usually well-intentioned and I can also be very eloquent like in this post.


I'd just like to remind everybody: the Transformers brand exists for one purpose and one alone: making money for Hasbro. Everything they do is towards that end. And their target audience is kids. As long as kids like what Hasbro is offering, there's no problem. If adult fans have problems, they may get addressed, but we aren't really that much concern to them. And because we are adult fans of a children's franchise, it's important that we remember that we don't get much say in the direction the franchise goes in, because again, we're outside the target audience and contribute little to the bottom line. Sure, you may think these building sets are ugly and a waste of plastic, but maybe to someone in the target audience they're the coolest thing ever. This doesn't make your opinion invalid, but it's always important to keep it in perspective.

Quick note: I just noticed Prime has a couple energon swords stored on his back.

it is funny that hasbro doesnt realize most adult collectors are parents, and we buy toys for our kids, and my son even realizes the value of not buying crap figures....hasbro doesnt do everything to make money... if so we wouldnt have enough bumblebees on shelves to create a floating island to live on... i know thats far fetched, but damn dont you see that same yellow hell on all of the shelves the last few years or so.

but i know when my child spends my money or even his own, i am making sure as a responsible parent that money is spent wisely on a lasting toy, no matter the brand.

That Bot, your answer rings true, but not absolute, just as my view shouldnt be an absolute either. but there are things we can do. again the majority of transformers kids should have a significant number of transformer collecting parents (dads)... so lets come together as a community, and see what small things we can do as a whole to have an impact on what hasbro does as far as transformers lines, and the quality of figures over all. i am fully aware of trending and gimmicks, but the only gimmick transformers really need is intuitive transformations, good story, and a good product for a fair price...

My friend David is an area rep for hasbro (and my assurance i get the figures i want) also agrees the quality has come down and price has gone up. hes not sure what to do.

Maybe Hasbro's noticing that quality has been lacking. I know some don't agree but I feel a lot of the stuff they're showing off lately seems a bit nicer even if it isn't in line with what I want to collect. DOTM and PRID (*cough* and FOC Bruticus) were low points for Transformers, hopefully it's uphill from here.

Off-topic, but That Bot... I know you're someone, but who? I keep getting confused when people change their usernames. Where's Counterpunch, for that matter?

Yeah, first thing that came to mind was Bionicle/Hero Factory. They look kind of nice but I'll pass, I don't need them. Kreons fill my desire for silly buildable TFs quite nicely. Glad to see a Blitzwing, I hope we get a real one soon.

kirbenvost wrote:Maybe Hasbro's noticing that quality has been lacking. I know some don't agree but I feel a lot of the stuff they're showing off lately seems a bit nicer even if it isn't in line with what I want to collect. DOTM and PRID (*cough* and FOC Bruticus) were low points for Transformers, hopefully it's uphill from here.

Off-topic, but That Bot... I know you're someone, but who? I keep getting confused when people change their usernames. Where's Counterpunch, for that matter?

Yeah, first thing that came to mind was Bionicle/Hero Factory. They look kind of nice but I'll pass, I don't need them. Kreons fill my desire for silly buildable TFs quite nicely. Glad to see a Blitzwing, I hope we get a real one soon.

I agree

They should've made these right from the start. I said it before Slizers/Roboriders/Bionicle concept is great for Transformers!


I do think they transform without reassembling the whole thing. Maybe put of 4 wheels or 2 wings but nothing more than that.

Wow! These make Kre-O look like msterpieces, but I totally see myself buying some sets just to get a specific piece.

That Bot wrote:Yes. All of those things you listed are transformable robot figures.

I will be the first to admit that I should have added the qualifiers 'complex' and 'high quality' to my comment about Hasbro and their production of transformable robot figures (or lack thereof). To be fair, I did not anticipate that someone might interpret the latter half of the sentence in a completely literal fashion, while also choosing to utterly disregard the earlier half of the sentence in which I criticize the Fall of Cybertron figures for their comparatively diminutive size and low material to cost ratio, and the Beast Hunters figures for their ridiculously reductive transformations.

I would like to take the opportunity to thank you for bringing this problem to my attention, and to inform you that going forward, I will attempt to structure my statements so that they are less open to willful misinterpretation by the sarcastically inclined.

JOP i aplaud you for your effort, just remember a good portion of the fandom need kindergarten explanations... they take everything literally and cannot formulate meaning by the entire sentence or statement structure... it helps if you use brakets to explain what every word means, with links to their dictionary definition. may not hurt to spell phonetically too.

*This is not against any particular person... its more for laughs