The Science and Madness Behind Transformers Power Core Combiners

Saturday, September 18th, 2010 7:10PM CDT

Categories: Toy News, Reviews, Site Articles, Voices
Posted by: Blurrz Views: 231,986

Topic Options: View Discussion · Sign in or Join to reply

It's been a long day. You're sipping a cold beverage at BotCon 2011 in Pasadena, California. It's one of your favorite times of the year. Not only are you in Transformers heaven, but you've made your trip to the dealer room and unleashed your wallet to buy your holy grail. Now you're hanging with all your buddies from Seibertron.com. You make sure everyone's listening, when you ask the question 'What do you think of the Power Core Combiners? I love those guys!" Everyone around you halts what they're doing. Half of your friends start to scream, while the other half shake their heads in shame. Peter Cullen is even facepalming. The bartender kicks you out for causing the mess, and then... Woah. Let's hold on for a minute here. I'm here to make sure than none of this happens at BotCon 2011, to the person who asked the question, to the friends of that person. and especially Peter Cullen.

The line itself has caused a lot of anguish among Transformers fans the past few months. I've watched forum topics pass by and by. I've tried my best to get a grasp of the situation, and understand the opinions of my fellow collectors. Ultimately I land at the question - How has it come to this? We're in the 21st century, and we've got an entire toyline that's seemingly worse than Armada Side Swipe.

While I originally planned to do a review of the first wave of Power Core Combiners for Seibertron.com, that's something that no collector needs. An essay formed from my single opinion is nothing compared to you going around Seibertron.com, looking at photos of the figures or asking the general community of their opinion on a figure. It's really simple, toys are attractive to people because of their aesthetics. No one should be detered from buying a toy that they like from photos, because of one person's opinion. Especially not from a guy with hairy hands, playing around with a Transformers figure for 10:00 on Youtube with a low quality camera.

So what am I here to do? I'm here to convey the idea of Power Core Combiners. To let you know that it's more than just the toy, but also a movement. If you're not liking the sentence you just read, you probably might not want to read the rest of this article. You likely know me well already - I'm a crazed collector of Transformers: Armada, a Blurr fan, and I'm not exactly one to go along with popular trends. But no, this is not blind love for Power Core Combiners, it's a bit more like tough love. Whether you're laying the smackdown on these toys, or you love them to death, they're still just toys. And that brings us to the start of my discussion.

Toy. Toys. [toi]. Looking it up in the dictionary, obviously you'll find a definition. A bunch of English nonsense, but there's a key phrase - "for children or others to play with". I'm sure you've heard of this all before, but for those who haven't, Hasbro's target audiences are within the definition. The children, and others, which are us Transformers fans. While I wish that us Transformers fans were pushing Transformers in the direction we wanted to, it's just not there. Even if Jon Doe dishes out one grand on Transformers every month, a kid and their ever affectionate parents outnumber us. We humans just can't stop making babies. Then there's Live Action. The 2007 Transformers Movie did not only include explosions from Michael Bay, no, it exploded the Transformers into the stratosphere, and it's a fair guess to assume that alot of kids jumped on the bandwagon.

To the movie toyline in particular. Leading up to the years before it, Transformers was always a singular toy line. Everyone had to go through the disco colors of Generation 2, the clashy colors of Universe, and the cool to me, but probably not very cool to you, Transformers Armada. Now in recent years we've had collective lines sharing the Transformers name under Hasbro's brand. In 2008, there were Movie toys, Universe/Classics 2.0 and Transformers Animated. Respectively we designated the figures under the different sections of the Transformers fanbase, for the movie fans, for the faithful Generation One fans, and for the kids. But there's a big problem here. In no way should Transformers Animated should have been designated towards the children population. Yes, it was a morning cartoon, but the toys were intricate puzzles. They require a force and memory, things that some young children have yet to develop sufficiently. To top it all off, Transformers Animated probably had the worst quality control in the history of Transformers. Loose hands, sloppy paint application, basically the works. Not only is that a huge turn off for us Transformers collectors, but when a kid doesn't like, or can't even play with the Transformers toy, that opens a huge can of warms. The parent's likely going to deem Transformers for being too difficult for their son or daughter. And while the majority of some Animated figures were completely shoddy, it still was successful because of it being part of a cartoon! Fans had to complete the 'cast' or get the toy of their favorite characters. Even to this day, people are demanding figures for Animated characters that have yet to receive one!

Fast forward to 2010. It's the same as 2008 - Hunt for the Decepticons for movie fans, Generations for the G1 fans, and Power Core Combiners for the kids. I ultimately feel that Hasbro deemed that the Animated toyline was a failure, and in order for a 'kid toyline' to be successful, Power Core Combiners had to simplified. There's alot of playability, the line is really aimed for children...

..And just like Transformers: Animated and everything before it, the line has it's own cartoon! Hasbro's got the business down pact, a kid watches Huffer and his best buddy Caliburst blast down Smolder and Chopster. Then after the show's over, the young boy kindly asks his mother to take him to the toy store. Both figures are purchased so he can re-enact their battles all over the carpet floor. Wait.. something's not right there. Ah yes, I got it wrong. The kid buys a comic book, and sees Bombshock with the Combaticons, shooting down Skyburst and the Aerialbots.. Wait that's not right either.

Utterly Dumbfounded. It's been 3 months and I still can't get over the fact that Power Core Combiners has no connecting media. Not only is having no related cartoon for a major toy line breaking the trend, but having a toyline by itself is just silly to me. A single appearance in in Cyber Missions doesn't count either. Even reading Transformers Ongoing #11 got me interested in buying Generations Red Alert, Movie Firetrap (Brawn) and 2010 Takara Predaking. But for the PCCs - No toyline, no comics, no nothing. There's nothing to save this line if it's ratings fall. Compound this entire situation with the fact that the year 2010 yields no Transformers movie and no Transformers cartoon till Quarter 4 - I just see it's more likely for a child to be interested in Star Wars, Ben 10, or Iron Man. Even if a kid is a Transformers fan, I personally believe that the Movie line and Generations are alot more appealing than PCCs.

The last nine paragraphs have led to my conclusion of this situation - Transformers Power Core Combiners have purely been marketed out for children. Personally I believe that Hasbro is using this to test out if a kid-only toy line can suffice. I just don't see that this project is going to work well. An entire toyline made out of Activators wouldn't work either. Yes, maybe Power Core Combiners could work, but not at this time. Maybe in December, when it's Christmas time and toys are bought up more than fast food. Maybe next year, when Transformers 3 comes out and the Transformers buzz is back. But in the Summer of 2010, competing externally against Star Wars, Iron Man, GIJoe, and internally against Generations and Hunt For the Decepticons - PCC's at the bottom of the league, and they traded away their first round draft pick. I just don't see that there's any hope for this line.

Power Core Combiners have been engineered for younger fans, I just don't see how 21st Transformers Technology can make PCC 5-Packs look like antiques compared to their superior Generation One brothers. Is that wrong? Certainly not, I'm sure younger fans and children will enjoy these toys due to their low cost and for the reasons stated above. But to us, to the older fans, to the experienced, Seriously Hasbro? I can't even consider myself as old, but this line is a complete turn off to me - an Armada collector. These Mini-cons are a shadow compared to Targetmasters, Headmasters, and Armada Mini-cons. My fellow Seibertron.com staff member Counterpunch, a man who collects almost everything, is flabbergasted at this line.

I can put words as to why this line was created, to how we got to this point, but I've got nothing in the English dictionary to describe these toys. So, Mamma Mia! I did say that with this article, I would make sure that no one would talk bad about Power Core Combiners at BotCon 2011. I'm sorry if I came off with the intention of making your opinion of these guys to be positive. No, just let your anger and hate out now.

~Blurrz
Seibertron.com News Crew

Credit(s): Blurrz

News Search

Got Transformers News? Let us know here!

Most Recent Transformers News

Void Rivals #21, Spawn Universe, Batman, Feral #14, Facsimiles and more at the Seibertron Store

Posted 11 hours ago

Re: The Science and Madness Behind Transformers Power Core Combiners (1126166)
Posted by adamassc on September 18th, 2010 @ 7:34pm CDT

I agree with you, but I still love this line. I can't pass on a Scout-class figure, especially these guys. Plus being able to collect an entire line for at most $20 is nice. BUT,

QC fail
fiction fail
distribution fail
gimmick fail

Re: The Science and Madness Behind Transformers Power Core Combiners (1126168)
Posted by chrisc4 on September 18th, 2010 @ 7:37pm CDT

i really love this line. sure it isnt perfect but what line is? they are meant for kids, they are simplified combiners for kids. we are all collectors (and occasionally we play with) of transformers. i think this line really brings out the kid in me. i'm 18. i have been buying transformers since i was little. and i've gotta say this line makes feel like a kid again. besides my generation is messed up and transformers makes me feel better than my wasted generation.

Re: The Science and Madness Behind Transformers Power Core Combiners (1126169)
Posted by CybertronHotShot on September 18th, 2010 @ 7:43pm CDT

Nice post. It make me thinks about the real purpose of the PCC line. :-?

Re: The Science and Madness Behind Transformers Power Core Combiners (1126170)
Posted by Sabrblade on September 18th, 2010 @ 7:44pm CDT

Blurrz wrote:
Utterly Dumbfounded. It's been 3 months and I still can't get over the fact that Power Core Combiners has no connecting media.

I hate to say it, but it's Machine Wars all over again with the PCCs. :roll:

Re: The Science and Madness Behind Transformers Power Core Combiners (1126171)
Posted by Megazarak on September 18th, 2010 @ 7:45pm CDT

Well, I like them. Of course, I would have liked them a whole lot more if the commander was a Deluxe class figure with Scout class parts that actually have 3 forms each (robot, alt, and combiner), but that would have costed a whole lot more than what people are paying for the current PCCs, and as such, may not have been the best idea. I personally love the idea of combiners, and though I'm a little saddened at the simplicity of these guys, I still like them. The commander figures look pretty decent for scouts, and the mini-cons are by no means bad, so I really don't see them as a bad thing at all. Maybe down the line they'll make one giant PCC with the aformentioned Deluxe as the commander (or even leader of the commanders) and it'll be great, but until then I'm happy with these guys.

Re: The Science and Madness Behind Transformers Power Core Combiners (1126172)
Posted by Captziltoid on September 18th, 2010 @ 7:47pm CDT

armamda...sideswipe...

oh the memorys. i really think its bcuz the arms and legs dont transform. i have the aerialbots and the combaticons. combined the combaticons are really cool but the aerialbots are poop in plastic form. i really want the dinobots one just bcuz its a cool idea, but like everyone else i hate that stupid left arm. at least one of the connections is always just a giant piece of metal coming out of the arm or leg socket. and then most of them have the same piece. like the helicoptor form the aerialbots. if im not forgetting, at least 2 other packs have the same chopper. its like the movie devastator, 100 bucks for some vehicles and the ez version was waaaaay better. the power core series was a good idea but done badly. the worst part is that ill prolly still be gettin the dang dinobots combiners. haha im such a sucker for good ideas.

Re: The Science and Madness Behind Transformers Power Core Combiners (1126175)
Posted by Stixx on September 18th, 2010 @ 7:57pm CDT

Bravo Blurrz! That was beautifully written! Come on, that is something you could write for college and turn it in. Wow, Send that to Hasblow!I 100% Agree with you. This made my night. Thank you!

Stixx

Re: The Science and Madness Behind Transformers Power Core Combiners (1126180)
Posted by Traxus Prime on September 18th, 2010 @ 8:04pm CDT

I bought the Combaticon 5 pack just to see.......and i hate it. I kinda like the 2 packs though; well Huffer, Smolder, and Sledge anyway. but i agree with the points in this article.

Re: The Science and Madness Behind Transformers Power Core Combiners (1126182)
Posted by noodles2go on September 18th, 2010 @ 8:09pm CDT

I don't know what's more sad... The fact that a lot of what you said is right and the PCC line is filled with flaws, or that of all the current tf toys this year, these are my favorite. Seriously, despite their issues, these are some damn fun toys. They are making me appreciate the armada line (which I hated) and now regret I never bought any Energon toys. the 2-packs are easily the best thing in this line, and while the 5 packs have their issues, they compliment the 2-packs and open doors for endless amounts of combinations. What's more is how inexpensive this line is, you really get a good deal. Sure things could be better, but then I'd expect prices that'd turn me down otherwise. Surprisingly I like the look of a lot of the human alliance toys (despite my hate for bayverse astethics), but I refuse to shell out $30+ for them. $10 gets you 2 awesome toys, $20 gets you 5 decent ones. I hope that this line sees more than just repaints after wave 4, as I will continue to throw my money at these and welcome them with open arms.

Re: The Science and Madness Behind Transformers Power Core Combiners (1126186)
Posted by FanimusMaximus on September 18th, 2010 @ 8:12pm CDT

And yet you dont post the PCC galleries, EXPLAIN ME THAT SEIBERTRON.COM.

Re: The Science and Madness Behind Transformers Power Core Combiners (1126191)
Posted by Mindmaster on September 18th, 2010 @ 8:16pm CDT

That was -sniff- beeeeaaaaauuuuttttiiiiffffuuuuulllll...... :APPLAUSE:

Awesome essay on PCC's. I'm 15, and I kinda like the PCC's. Well, the more G1-orientated figures are more of my taste, i.e Bombshock, Menas- I mean Crankcase, Skyburst, etc. The Constructicons are to come around Christmas, right? If so, I'd better go ahead and nab Sledge, as I find him a more attractive-looking team leader than the original. :lol:

Re: The Science and Madness Behind Transformers Power Core Combiners (1126197)
Posted by Quaternion on September 18th, 2010 @ 8:33pm CDT

Armada Sideswipe is actually kind of endearing, in a kind of 'worst Transformer ever' kind of way.

Of course, I don't have any PCCs

This article made me go and dig up my Armada Sideswipe, who I had stashed with my pile of crappy TF knockoffs from Big Lots. (Ha! found Armada Blurr there too!)

Re: The Science and Madness Behind Transformers Power Core Combiners (1126198)
Posted by Noideaforaname on September 18th, 2010 @ 8:34pm CDT

I'm not too sure what this topic is about. Are we stunned that toys were actually designed with kids in mind?

PCCs don't really need advertising, especially with the Movies, WfC, and the upcoming Prime cartoon throwing the Transformers brand into the public's view. Plenty no-show/toy only characters sell well, and the PCCs have an interesting interactive gimmick that spans the whole line.

Re: The Science and Madness Behind Transformers Power Core Combiners (1126199)
Posted by Sky-Quake on September 18th, 2010 @ 8:35pm CDT

I have Smolder and Puffer and I love them so much but they need more fiction for these guys hell even animorphs had fiction albeit one that was completely irrelevant to transformers but fiction none the less

Re: The Science and Madness Behind Transformers Power Core Combiners (1126201)
Posted by Swiftpaw on September 18th, 2010 @ 8:43pm CDT

Personally, other than the Destructicons that look like they rolled out of a Mad Max movie, I find the drones to be rather crappy. And even them I can't really count because they're not really transformers, just freaky looking cars.

The minicons and actual figures, however, have been nice. I just wish they didn't have those glaring blue connectors, and I'd be able to forget they're some sort of weird combiner wannabe. Some people like them, some people don't. It's as simple as that, as it is with anything else.

Either way though, good writeup on a take on how the business side of this odd trek may be.

Re: The Science and Madness Behind Transformers Power Core Combiners (1126204)
Posted by Blurrz on September 18th, 2010 @ 8:47pm CDT

Thanks for the love everyone. Hopefully aiming to get a weekly editorial going on Seibertron.com

FanimusMaximus wrote:And yet you dont post the PCC galleries, EXPLAIN ME THAT SEIBERTRON.COM.

Generations and Movie figure are at our highest priority at the moment. We'll be getting Power Core Combiners up in the next few weeks, but it's not exactly a favorite of Seibertron.

Noideaforaname wrote:I'm not too sure what this topic is about. Are we stunned that toys were actually designed with kids in mind?

PCCs don't really need advertising, especially with the Movies, WfC, and the upcoming Prime cartoon throwing the Transformers brand into the public's view. Plenty no-show/toy only characters sell well, and the PCCs have an interesting interactive gimmick that spans the whole line.

As much as I'd love to agree with you about Power Core Combiners being known to everyone, I just don't see it. I know the PCC Fanboys and girls seem to be out in full force in this thread, but the bottomline is that this line is not selling well. It's the shelfwarmer, and there's a majority of Seibertronians and Transformers who absolutely despise this line.

The topic of my editorial.. I guess it's basically saying that Hasbro has designed Power Core Combiners to fail. I guess I'm also trying to get the point across that people should form their own opinions on toys. And of course.. trying to throw in a little fire into the pit and get some discussion going!

Re: The Science and Madness Behind Transformers Power Core Combiners (1126205)
Posted by Envisaged0ne on September 18th, 2010 @ 8:51pm CDT

You have some interesting points of views. But I, overall, disagree on a few issues you listed. 1st, you stated that the animated line was geared more for children and the quality control was aweful. There certainly can be no argument that it was aimed towards children. Esp since it had a silly Saturday cartoon attached to it. But many adults were drawn to the line as well. I'd dare say that more adults were serious about collecting them than children. And I include myself in that statement. And I do believe that the original animated toy line, specifically wave 1, had some quality control issues. Esp loose joints. But as the toy line matured, the problems seemed to go away. Not just in the toys I bought, but reading/ watching reviews, I noticed problems with the toys not really being mentioned anymore. Of course every once in a while, you're going to pick up a toy that's got some issues, but overall, it seemed to disappear relatively quickly.

Second, I'm not sure I agree with your assumption that the PCC's are geared towards children because of the cheap price. $20.00 is pretty steep. Esp when there are a lot of deluxe, scout and legend class figures that are more affordible for a child. Granted, for a combiner toy $20.00 is a very cheap price. But children are more likely to see a $20.00 price tag for a transformer and want to move on to something cheaper. I personally think that Hasbro is trying something new and seeing how well it does. I don't think they want to put a lot of money behind it just yet, thus they are cheap and don't have anything major like a comic or cartoon backing it. Just simply want to see how well something different will sell and attract a broad audience of collectors. I actually think the idea is pretty kewl and I bought the aerial bots and combaticons. But I don't think they were great and have a long way to go before people will like what they see and feel it's worth the purchase.

Now, will Hasbro just assume that since they aren't popular and aren't selling well, that they were a dismal failure? Probably. And we'll see the toy lines existence fade out quickly. But I'd love to see Hasbro put more attention and money into them and release a more finely tuned product that would attract a lot more Transformer fans.

Re: The Science and Madness Behind Transformers Power Core Combiners (1126209)
Posted by adamassc on September 18th, 2010 @ 8:54pm CDT

I don't think they were designed to fail.

I think they were executed to fail. The designs are promising, the idea on paper is solid- affordable combiners with intechangable, selftransforming limbs. It's the fabrication where the problems start. The limbs don't work well most of the time, and look little like arms. The Universal interlink joints don't need to be light blue on everybody.

Doubleclutch.

Re: The Science and Madness Behind Transformers Power Core Combiners (1126211)
Posted by Autobot Strider on September 18th, 2010 @ 9:00pm CDT

Great article Blurrz! While I loves me some Scout Class figures, I can't really get into these PCCs. However, that picture on the article's page of Armada Deluxe Prime holding that axe has me very tempted to pick one up for him....

Re: The Science and Madness Behind Transformers Power Core Combiners (1126212)
Posted by Megatron Wolf on September 18th, 2010 @ 9:01pm CDT

Great article and i agree with you 100% on all things but toys needing some kind of stand alone medium like a show or comic to work. Im kinda on the fence when it comes to the PCC line. I like the way the figures look, i love that they tried to bring back target masters, and they're built pretty damn well but the combination gimmick is a fail and my main gripe. They dont sell the drones separately and i dont like the idea of non-transforming drones one bit. They need a robot mode. And if your going to buy the pack that has a leader and the drones your probably not going to use those drones on one of the 2 pack figures. My 2nd reason for not being a huge fan is some of the modes for the mini-cons are so half assed its hard to figure out what hasbro was trying to accomplish in the first place. Take Searchlight for instance, his mini-con doesnt look right in any of his modes. All it looks like is a robot that was forced to be a transformer and mistransformed. In my opinion its just another case of hasbro getting an idea and throwing it out there before doing any kind of research or thinking it fully through. As for the toys not having a show or comic they really dont need one. When kids (well any one for that matter) find something they like they normaly stick with it. If they like Transformers and it says "Transformers" on it they'll probably want it. And i also think that the PCC are actually part of the generations line anyway. They have the same box style just dont share the name. This wouldnt be the first time there was as subline fo figures with no kind of series besides the toys themselves. Yeah having a relatible medium does help but its not needed for a successful and rooted series like Transformers especially now with all the media its had in the past few years. If hasbro were to take the PCC leader molds take off the blue bits, make the mini-cons better, andvofficialy throw em in the generations line i think the PCC would be better off than were they are now. Oh on a side note, you should really post those reviews and pics of the PCC figures. It might help some people out when it comes to the line.

Re: The Science and Madness Behind Transformers Power Core Combiners (1126217)
Posted by Solrac333 on September 18th, 2010 @ 9:09pm CDT

There was science? 8-}

Re: The Science and Madness Behind Transformers Power Core Combiners (1126219)
Posted by Liftgate on September 18th, 2010 @ 9:13pm CDT

Just wanted to say that I'm a fan of Armada too. The toys and video game anyway, not the show. :p Somehow I love the Starscream mold, it's very G1-ish. Hoist is awesome too, and just happens to be the first transformer I bought in many years, since G2 actually.

Power Cores just look wonky and none of 'em jump out as something I'd want on my shelf. Maybe it's the colors, the designs, I dunno. Steelshot/Beacon is the only one I'm getting, it's got a nice color combo that seems to suit him.

Re: The Science and Madness Behind Transformers Power Core Combiners (1126222)
Posted by UltraPrimal on September 18th, 2010 @ 9:20pm CDT

What? People don't like PCC?! I think it's a great line! Sure the only ones I have are Smolder and the Combaticons, but I still think they're awesome. And there's still a lot of potential for the future. Imagine if they evolve the line beyond nobody characters with little drones. Imagine redoing Energon Optimus Prime with Powercore technology. How about doing an Omega Supreme where the tank is the commander figure with the rocket splitting in half to form the arms with a battleship and crane/train for legs. Try an Ultra Magnus with a trailer that splits in 4 piece to form his armor/limbs. Or use that same idea for a Star Saber with the commander being Saber and the part that the Saber jet plugs into being the 4 drone/limb pieces. The possibilities are endless if they deviate from the standard "gestalt" gimmick they have now.

Re: The Science and Madness Behind Transformers Power Core Combiners (1126225)
Posted by grimdragon2001 on September 18th, 2010 @ 9:34pm CDT

nice work blurzz. i gotta agree with all the points here on this one. but even with that, PCC does have a couple gems in my view. those would be huffer and smolder. huffer could have easily sold as a generations scout. i guess a more g1 accurate head sculpt would have helped but he really does fit nicely with my neo g1 display. smolder is a nicely built figure but the real star of his set would be chopster, whs size, coloring and low price make him the most easily accessable energy axe for any deluxe or voyager optimus prime to whield (which reminds me, nice shot of armada optimus with chopster as the article's pic).

now if hasbro wants to turn the PCC line around, i think they would be best served by going back to the energon combiners and expanding on what was started with them. those three combiners had flaws (most addressed by Fansproject), but their base designs still have great potential. i would love to see energon type versions of menesor, defensor, computron, abominus and predaking, as well as new combiner groups

Re: The Science and Madness Behind Transformers Power Core Combiners (1126227)
Posted by Samurai Bludgeon on September 18th, 2010 @ 9:44pm CDT

UltraPrimal wrote: ... Omega Supreme where the tank is the commander figure with the rocket splitting in half to form the arms with a battleship and crane/train for legs. Try an Ultra Magnus with a trailer that splits in 4 piece to form his armor/limbs...

Good god that's a brilliant idea UltraPrimal.

To comment on the article i can agree with teh marketing issues that the line may be doomed, I however enjoy the new style and plan on completing the entire line (minus repaints).

Animated was one of my favorite lines of all time, great design aesthetic, beautiful transformation, identical representation of the characters, and they just looked great in either mode. I for one really wish they had done a Sledge and Snarl in animated....hear me FP gods!

Re: The Science and Madness Behind Transformers Power Core Combiners (1126231)
Posted by Sabrblade on September 18th, 2010 @ 9:53pm CDT

UltraPrimal wrote:How about doing an Omega Supreme where the tank is the commander figure with the rocket splitting in half to form the arms with a battleship and crane/train for legs.

Were you the guy who suggested this to Hasbro at BotCon this year?

Re: The Science and Madness Behind Transformers Power Core Combiners (1126236)
Posted by DISCHARGE on September 18th, 2010 @ 10:20pm CDT

" These Mini-cons are a shadow compared to Targetmasters, Headmasters, and Armada Mini-cons."

I completely don't agree with you on that point. How you can't see them as on par or better I just don't understand. The commanders are miles ahead of most Armadas paired with mini-con(I like the translucent on them as it gives a glowing effect) and the mini-cons are weapons again(and have an armor mode as well). That was a big draw to me when I started picking up Armada. The new mini-cons have loads of play value and plenty of recolor possibilities, I'll take as many colors of Chopster as I can get, I just don't want to spend a fortune on them.

I agree that PCC are geared for kids, but collectors as well. Almost every line has it's BOOers, devouts and those indiffrent. Hasbro seemingly has a toyline outside of TT marketing, as I have not seen or heard of TT pakaging,assumingly beacause they would be selling one more Transformers toyline when they seem swamped with the title. Hasbro is offering certain markets a line they don't have to import (at the moment). They are also offering options. You are encouraged to combine with other PCC.
Oh yeah, they can link with mini-cons, giving your old mini-cons shiny new partners.

While it may seem lazy for Hasbro to release these PCC with little marketing, no show, no sign of any real backstory, it's really smart of them. They have free riegn to do whatever they want and aren't confined to anything but a premise of combining. Kind of nice for people tired of buying repainted movie toys or people without the money to spend ludicrous cash on G1 or other previous combiners, having to chase down each one. They are selling each combiner as the set. Sure they may have borrowed from one of the most looked down upon Transformers toyline <Beast Machines> when they picked the idea of lazy transforming drones, but that's where it comes in being geared for kids. Bam you just plug in and your commander is doubled in size,ready for the battle ahead. [I really think they could have given a real deal by offering a mini-con with the 'Boxsets',I would have paid the extra 5 bucks if that's what it took.] Oddly enough the Beast Machines Deployers fit in well with them having so much clear colored plastic and become:weapons.

When Animated came out there was a kiddiefied feeling given to them when actually they are complex, clean lined, well articulated and fun. PCC honestly may not be all of those things. Hopefully they are at least, and most importantly, fun. That's where the kids aspect pops up again. Part of Transformers as a collectable is the fact there is so many figures who in part have so many parts and pieces to get lost, broken etc... So while you may have your original G1 or Beast War or Energon toy that you love beacause it was yours and you managed to keep all the pieces for this whole time, that is how some collector 20 years from now may be looking at their PCC.

Even with no movie from the summer to spur sales Aunt Jane still remembers buying Bobby a Transformer last Christmas, and that where the packaging comes in. The box art so closely resembles the ROTF, that that's what she's gonna grab. The packaging alone will help sell these toys. I almost thought for a while when these were first shown that they were a concept they were floating around for new characters in the movie. It would be a lot easier to make some wacky looking vehicles combine than have to design dozens more robot modes for a movie.

Why provide a filler line? I still can't really figure it out. It possibly has to do with contracts being filled, I dunno. Maybe a bet was lost. I figure it costs plenty of dough to pay the guys who actually engineer the designs to make them transform as well as all the other aspects involved in production. I hope there was a real plan behind these as it will feel like a big waste of time and money, a lot of money, if there is no substance behind the PCC. The only thing I can think of is they are a strange timeline that will let Botcon have a field day with.

That is pretty much how I have percieved this madness. Thanks Blurrz, your read was thought provoking and fun. I think that without threads like this our ideas on would just burn in the backs of our minds and drive us crazy and MAD as Hasbro.

Re: The Science and Madness Behind Transformers Power Core Combiners (1126241)
Posted by Ballistic90 on September 18th, 2010 @ 10:31pm CDT

Power Core Combiners are figures that I wish I had as a kid. They have a lot of play value, they have a nice amount of steps for transforming without being complicated, and they look better than a lot of Generation 1 figures I used to play with. The minicon is exactly what I would have loved to have as a kid.

As a collector... not so much. They lack detail, QC and some sense of style. As a kid, Chopster would have been awesome. As an adult... I feel like he could have more work to make him into a nice looking axe.

Re: The Science and Madness Behind Transformers Power Core Combiners (1126242)
Posted by UltraPrimal on September 18th, 2010 @ 10:49pm CDT

Sabrblade wrote:
UltraPrimal wrote:How about doing an Omega Supreme where the tank is the commander figure with the rocket splitting in half to form the arms with a battleship and crane/train for legs.
Were you the guy who suggested this to Hasbro at BotCon this year?

No, unfortunately I was not. But that was what sparked my ideas for thinking about Powercore Conbiners outside the proverbial box that is the standard "4 individual drones to gestalt limbs" format. Hopefully Hasbro is thinking the same thing.

Oh, just thought of another one in the same vein as Ultra Magnus and Star Saber. You know how they're doing the Masterpiece Hot Rod to Rodimus Prime. They could do the same in Powercore. Have Hot Rod as the Commander and give him a trailer to combine with to turn him into Rodimus Prime.

Re: The Science and Madness Behind Transformers Power Core Combiners (1126248)
Posted by Flashwave on September 18th, 2010 @ 11:57pm CDT

Well. I haven't picked any PCCs up, I was gonna wait and nab the value packs at christmas, but nothing's trickled out as far as who's going with whom aside from whirly and the Jets, so I may hold off on them yet.

I can't support QC issues, but beyond that, I see nothing wrong with the lines. And if it weren't for the existing canon of the line, I've already got an idea for a backstory. I may yet do it for grins, along the concept of "with Unicron minimized after the CYB black hole released, the minicons lost power. Some of them then asought to create their own power, because in their eyes, being weapons of war gives them a reason to be fought over, not fought on top of.

I can livew with Baby Blue, it's no worse to me than the Energon plugs. And I like the idea coming of Minicons that cvan plug into Minicons. I like those kinds of teamups, like Armada Grindor as a booster to a jet-mini, or the sub folded at a quadroped with the CYB jet guy on top-Sky Lynx style. The drones with the plugs offer all kinds of possibilities, as does the arm assembly with the chopper.

Re: The Science and Madness Behind Transformers Power Core Combiners (1126250)
Posted by vulgar_wraith on September 19th, 2010 @ 12:15am CDT

I'm sure I'll get one or two of these to form my own opinion ,but with all the crap reviews I'll wait till there on sale or clearence.I like Huffer but $10 seems kinda of high for a figure I kinda like.Same for the combiners $20 is to much for a piss poor toy but if it was clearenced for $10 I might try it out for the hell of it.The bigger my collection grows the more picky I have become with what I buy,but I have a curiousity to try something new even if others say its bad.

Re: The Science and Madness Behind Transformers Power Core Combiners (1126255)
Posted by Onslaught22 on September 19th, 2010 @ 12:59am CDT

My 3 year-old son loves transformers and to that point loves combiners most of all. One of his favorite things to do is have me combine his legends movie devastator and then take it all apart again. He then puts them all in robot mode, then back to alt-mode, and then has me combine them all again. He has a great old time.

I, personally do not like the PCC line, but it is perfect for him, as it is easy for him to manipulate, he can make a big figure from a bunch of smaller ones and there is a leader of the group, which is important in his structured little transformers world. He also loves how the figures "activate" when he attaches the limbs. H eis super excited for the Dinobot PCC set ( and if they could do a generations version I would have a mangasm, lol)

Blurrz has it absolutley right. I think this line was completely designed with a younger fan base in mind, but the unfortunate lack of promotion will kill it. Until then, my little guy will get his enjoyment out of it, and that in itself is good enough for me.

Re: The Science and Madness Behind Transformers Power Core Combiners (1126257)
Posted by leokearon on September 19th, 2010 @ 1:04am CDT

Great article and alot of what you say makes sense. I just wish Hasbro would fix the Quality issues.

Re: The Science and Madness Behind Transformers Power Core Combiners (1126260)
Posted by ephbot on September 19th, 2010 @ 1:22am CDT

Personally I think there's a confluence of factors that would explain why Power Core Combiners haven't done as well as other lines.

Part of it has to do with the fact that there's no tie-in media, to be sure, but I don't think that's the whole story. After all, the original Classics line didn't have any tie-in media, and it seemed to be successful enough, and it spawned (roughly) two successive lines afterward, Universe/Classics 2.0, and Generations (that's right, I said it, I'm counting it!). And keep in mind it debuted before the movie came out, so it's hard to say the original Classics line had the bonus of everybody (and their mothers too!) knowing who Optimus Prime and Bumblebee are.

But it does come into play when you consider that we've come to the point where separate Transformers lines are competing with each other. I thought Blurrz was going in that direction when he brought up the fact that there are three concurrent lines going on at the same time; for starters I don't think that's ever happened in the franchise before. But I think Sabrblade hit the nail on the head when he makes the connection to Machine Wars--another time when there was competition between two lines in the franchise, but only one of them has the media tie-in.

The reason why media tie-in isn't the only factor this time around is that Generations arguably also does have a substantial tie-in. I suppose you can argue that Generations has the War for Cybertron video game, but I doubt the effect is that significant (for starters, I would think it worked the other way around--if you were to buy a $40 Transformers video game for your kid, you probably already know about the toys). What does matter is that this time around--what separates PCC from MW--Transformers is in the public consciousness, and everybody (and their mother!) knows Optimus Prime and Bumblebee. Or maybe what's more important, those mothers only know about Optimus and Bumblebee, and out of all three lines, PCC doesn't have either. I believe this extra bit of information compounds PCC's difficulty of competing without a media-in. If it weren't for this, PCC might have been on a more level footing with Generations.

Yet that doesn't explain why many collectors hate the line. Now some say the line is too toyetic, that "purely marketed for children," as Blurrz suggests in his article. However, I think that's a failure of logic--we'd be mixing cause-and-effect. I think a reductionist view of this sort of subconsciousness reasoning is this: kids like the line and adults like the line, so it must have been designed with adults in mind; kids like the line, adults hate the line, so it must have been designed solely for kids. Now that's probably oversimplifying it, but I think all lines, with the exception of Masterpiece, were designed primarily for the 8-12 age group--maybe leaning more towards the 12 yrs than the 8 yrs, but nevertheless--and older "kids" like the ones on this site liking it are just a happy coincidence. I would argue this even includes the heavily engineered toys; just think back to how heavily engineered some of the toys in RID were. Although the Japanese toy market is slightly older than the US one, I doubt the designers were actively thinking about adult collectors back then, yet look at how complex some of those figures are even with today's standards.

But at the same time, I do think complexity has something to do with it. Not that simplicity is always a bad thing--most people (as do I) loved the Animated line and most of those figures had relatively simple engineering, but they were done so elegantly--but I believe the simplicity of PCC that was intended to boost playability actually reduced it. This may just be my opinion, but none of the Commander bots look that great on their own. For one thing, I just don't think they're hefty enough to be Combiners. But the other drawback to the line is that the other components, the Mini-cons and the Drones, are just ... accessories.

The Mini-cons literally turn into accessories, and the Drones function as accessories. So basically what we have is, one accessory to a bot in the single packs, and four to one in the 5 packs. While that concept (ACCESSORIES!) works great with something like G.I. Joe, I just don't see it working so well with Transformers. In the past even the accessories (Head-, Target-masters, Roller, etc.) were characters in their own right--and that increases playability. But when you have characterless drones, all you're doing is rehashing the "characterless robot" concept that Transformers was trying to get away from in the first place. So while playability was supposed to go up in theory, neglecting a core piece of the franchise--that is, giving the robots some character--brings it down.

Price points and other smaller factors probably have a hand overall sales figures, but I think this sums up the problems with PCC. What we end up with is a toy-line that has:
1) No media tie-in
2) No Optimus or Bumblebee (i.e. any recognizable character to the moms)
3) Low playability that's the result of mismatching a play concept (ACCESSORIES!) to the franchise
With these three factors in play before the figures even hit shelves, I think it's safe to say this line was doomed from the start.

Re: The Science and Madness Behind Transformers Power Core Combiners (1126261)
Posted by Editor on September 19th, 2010 @ 1:35am CDT

As far as the line goes, I can't really say... Only the first 3 2-packs and the 2 5-packs have been seen in these parts and only Smolder was interesting enough for me to buy, and before I saw Searchlight I already saw the better repaint that will be available later.

I couldn't care less, who the line is or isn't designed for. I couldn't care less if there is media "commercials" to drive sales.

All I care about is if the figure is something I want in my collection. Smolder I wanted to get, and have had zero issues with, which is more than I can say for the vast majority of TF releases in the last couple years with the exception of Animated.

In fact, the majority of income that Hasbro should be leaching from me for TF's has instead gone to Takara or been spent on GIJoe products (and for the record they have released a ton of stuff for joe in the last couple years and most have not had media back-up beyond ROC and Resolute)

The point is "Who cares!" Do you like them? Then buy them. Don't like them? Leave them alone. Somebody likes a product you don't? Good for them. You like something others don't? Easier chance to find them at retail.

Like em or not, PCC's are now part of the TF mythos, at least on the shelves of people who bought them, and in 10 years, we'll have some of the people hating on them now, having a change of opinion and wishing they had bought some, and people who bought them wondering why they did. It happens all the time, there is nothing different here than with any other TF sub-line.

Re: The Science and Madness Behind Transformers Power Core Combiners (1126262)
Posted by Envisaged0ne on September 19th, 2010 @ 1:46am CDT

Editor wrote:The point is "Who cares!" Do you like them? Then buy them. Don't like them? Leave them alone. Somebody likes a product you don't? Good for them. You like something others don't? Easier chance to find them at retail.

Well said! I couldn't have said it better or agree more.

Re: The Science and Madness Behind Transformers Power Core Combiners (1126273)
Posted by Autobot032 on September 19th, 2010 @ 3:24am CDT

Blurrz wrote:The line itself has caused a lot of anguish among Transformers fans the past few months. I've watched forum topics pass by and by. I've tried my best to get a grasp of the situation, and understand the opinions of my fellow collectors. Ultimately I land at the question - How has it come to this? We're in the 21st century, and we've got an entire toyline that's seemingly worse than Armada Side Swipe.

How has it come to this? Oh, we'll get to that. And I take offense at swipe at Armada Side Swipe. He might not be the world's best, but he's a fun figure. One of my favored Armada figures. And yes, PCC is worse than he is. PCC sucks like a nuclear powered Hoover and Dyson bastard offspring, from Hell.

Blurrz wrote:While I originally planned to do a review of the first wave of Power Core Combiners for Seibertron.com, that's something that no collector needs. An essay formed from my single opinion is nothing compared to you going around Seibertron.com, looking at photos of the figures or asking the general community of their opinion on a figure. It's really simple, toys are attractive to people because of their aesthetics. No one should be detered from buying a toy that they like from photos, because of one person's opinion. Especially not from a guy with hairy hands, playing around with a Transformers figure for 10:00 on Youtube with a low quality camera.

No, one person shouldn't be able to sway you. But it's not just one person with a negative review. It's numerous, and that number will grow as time goes on. So, yes, we should hear those voices, we should hear both sides of the argument.

Blurrz wrote:So what am I here to do? I'm here to convey the idea of Power Core Combiners. To let you know that it's more than just the toy, but also a movement. If you're not liking the sentence you just read, you probably might not want to read the rest of this article. You likely know me well already - I'm a crazed collector of Transformers: Armada, a Blurr fan, and I'm not exactly one to go along with popular trends. But no, this is not blind love for Power Core Combiners, it's a bit more like tough love. Whether you're laying the smackdown on these toys, or you love them to death, they're still just toys. And that brings us to the start of my discussion.

Good luck. This took balls, man. Brass, solid through and through. Weighing around a ton.

Blurrz wrote:Toy. Toys. [toi]. Looking it up in the dictionary, obviously you'll find a definition. A bunch of English nonsense, but there's a key phrase - "for children or others to play with". I'm sure you've heard of this all before, but for those who haven't, Hasbro's target audiences are within the definition. The children, and others, which are us Transformers fans. While I wish that us Transformers fans were pushing Transformers in the direction we wanted to, it's just not there. Even if Jon Doe dishes out one grand on Transformers every month, a kid and their ever affectionate parents outnumber us. We humans just can't stop making babies. Then there's Live Action. The 2007 Transformers Movie did not only include explosions from Michael Bay, no, it exploded the Transformers into the stratosphere, and it's a fair guess to assume that alot of kids jumped on the bandwagon.

Kids are the target audience. Problem is, kids are smarter than we ever give them credit for. Hasbro apparently hasn't received the memo. Kids don't want STUPID toys that basically insult their intelligence. They want toys that entertain and function with style.

Problem is, kids aren't buying these. At all. The ones I do see buying these? Us. That's right. Adult collectors and fans. Kids don't even give these a second glance. I have a perfect example of this situation from something I saw during a trip to Wal-Mart around Midnight.

A boy, his sister, and their mother were in the toy department (why they were there so late, I dunno. I guess the kids are allowed to pull all nighters on the weekends or something. *shrugs*) and his mom pointed out the PCC 5-Packs and explained that the 2-Packs interacted with the 5ers. She said it looked neat and it was affordable.

The son immediately grabbed HFTD Ironhide, and Activators Megatron. The mother said "Honey, those don't do as much as the others do. Why not buy those?" He said, and I quote: "They're stuuuuupid, moooooooom. They're not cool! They're for babies, and I won't play with them!" The mother and I were both flabbergasted by this. She looked at me, and I nodded, and said "He's right." As soon as she said he could have Ironhide and Megatron, he lit up like a Christmas tree.

So, if they're not a hit with the target audience, and we're the only ones buying these, yet we didn't ask for them....why do they exist? We'll get to that.

Blurrz wrote:To the movie toyline in particular. Leading up to the years before it, Transformers was always a singular toy line. Everyone had to go through the disco colors of Generation 2, the clashy colors of Universe, and the cool to me, but probably not very cool to you, Transformers Armada. Now in recent years we've had collective lines sharing the Transformers name under Hasbro's brand. In 2008, there were Movie toys, Universe/Classics 2.0 and Transformers Animated. Respectively we designated the figures under the different sections of the Transformers fanbase, for the movie fans, for the faithful Generation One fans, and for the kids. But there's a big problem here. In no way should Transformers Animated should have been designated towards the children population. Yes, it was a morning cartoon, but the toys were intricate puzzles. They require a force and memory, things that some young children have yet to develop sufficiently. To top it all off, Transformers Animated probably had the worst quality control in the history of Transformers. Loose hands, sloppy paint application, basically the works. Not only is that a huge turn off for us Transformers collectors, but when a kid doesn't like, or can't even play with the Transformers toy, that opens a huge can of warms. The parent's likely going to deem Transformers for being too difficult for their son or daughter. And while the majority of some Animated figures were completely shoddy, it still was successful because of it being part of a cartoon! Fans had to complete the 'cast' or get the toy of their favorite characters. Even to this day, people are demanding figures for Animated characters that have yet to receive one!

I understand where you're coming from, I do, but a tie-in media source isn't necessary. Again, we'll get to that in just a few.

Blurrz wrote:Fast forward to 2010. It's the same as 2008 - Hunt for the Decepticons for movie fans, Generations for the G1 fans, and Power Core Combiners for the kids. I ultimately feel that Hasbro deemed that the Animated toyline was a failure, and in order for a 'kid toyline' to be successful, Power Core Combiners had to simplified. There's alot of playability, the line is really aimed for children...

..And just like Transformers: Animated and everything before it, the line has it's own cartoon! Hasbro's got the business down pact, a kid watches Huffer and his best buddy Caliburst blast down Smolder and Chopster. Then after the show's over, the young boy kindly asks his mother to take him to the toy store. Both figures are purchased so he can re-enact their battles all over the carpet floor. Wait.. something's not right there. Ah yes, I got it wrong. The kid buys a comic book, and sees Bombshock with the Combaticons, shooting down Skyburst and the Aerialbots.. Wait that's not right either.

Hah. Just be glad this isn't right.

Blurrz wrote:Utterly Dumbfounded. It's been 3 months and I still can't get over the fact that Power Core Combiners has no connecting media. Not only is having no related cartoon for a major toy line breaking the trend, but having a toyline by itself is just silly to me. A single appearance in in Cyber Missions doesn't count either. Even reading Transformers Ongoing #11 got me interested in buying Generations Red Alert, Movie Firetrap (Brawn) and 2010 Takara Predaking. But for the PCCs - No toyline, no comics, no nothing. There's nothing to save this line if it's ratings fall. Compound this entire situation with the fact that the year 2010 yields no Transformers movie and no Transformers cartoon till Quarter 4 - I just see it's more likely for a child to be interested in Star Wars, Ben 10, or Iron Man. Even if a kid is a Transformers fan, I personally believe that the Movie line and Generations are alot more appealing than PCCs.

Oh, HFTD and Generations sell better than PCC. Not only with collectors and fans, but kids. Some PCC moves, but for the most part, about 90% of the first orders Wal-Mart stocked...are still there. Yes, even dust is starting to form on the packaging.

Even if this subline crashes and burns, it's not that big of a deal to Hasbro, obviously.

Why? Keep reading.

Blurrz wrote:The last nine paragraphs have led to my conclusion of this situation - Transformers Power Core Combiners have purely been marketed out for children. Personally I believe that Hasbro is using this to test out if a kid-only toy line can suffice. I just don't see that this project is going to work well. An entire toyline made out of Activators wouldn't work either. Yes, maybe Power Core Combiners could work, but not at this time. Maybe in December, when it's Christmas time and toys are bought up more than fast food. Maybe next year, when Transformers 3 comes out and the Transformers buzz is back. But in the Summer of 2010, competing externally against Star Wars, Iron Man, GIJoe, and internally against Generations and Hunt For the Decepticons - PCC's at the bottom of the league, and they traded away their first round draft pick. I just don't see that there's any hope for this line.

No. It's not as simple as that. Hasbro knows that a kid-only line won't work. Kids are too fickle, too impatient, and grow up too fast for a kid-only line to work. Hell, even some adults can't keep their mind on track for some of these.

PCC is not going to work. As is? No. We have too much proof of that. It's a doomed line.

And marketing to kids is a bad idea. Parents and other adults have opinions that are just as important, even if they say it's not worth the breath we wasted, but they do listen.

Hasbro's not going that route.

Let's carry on, shall we?

Blurrz wrote:Power Core Combiners have been engineered for younger fans, I just don't see how 21st century Transformers Technology can make PCC 5-Packs look like antiques compared to their superior Generation One brothers. Is that wrong? Certainly not, I'm sure younger fans and children will enjoy these toys due to their low cost and for the reasons stated above. But to us, to the older fans, to the experienced, Seriously Hasbro? I can't even consider myself as old, but this line is a complete turn off to me - an Armada collector. These Mini-cons are a shadow compared to Targetmasters, Headmasters, and Armada Mini-cons. My fellow Seibertron.com staff member Counterpunch, a man who collects almost everything, is flabbergasted at this line.

And Counterpunch should be flabbergasted at this line. We all should. We should look at it with the best Whiskey Tango Foxtrot look we can muster, capture it in pictures and mail them to Hasbro with a note that says "PCC, this is my response:"

Kids can and do want more complexity than what PCC has to offer. If they wanted simplicity to an absolutely idiotic level, they'd go with Gravity Bots and still have more entertainment.

Blurrz wrote:I can put words as to why this line was created, to how we got to this point, but I've got nothing in the English dictionary to describe these toys. So, Mamma Mia! I did say that with this article, I would make sure that no one would talk bad about Power Core Combiners at BotCon 2011. I'm sorry if I came off with the intention of making your opinion of these guys to be positive. No, just let your anger and hate out now.

~Blurrz
Seibertron.com News Crew

Okay, now? Now, we can get to the nitty gritty.

It's a filler line.

Simple as that.

If it crashes and burns, Hasbro shrugs it off, chalks it up to a learning experience and moves on. But wait! There's a silver lining in the clouds. They've come up with a new combining technology that could be incorporated into future TF toys. The combination aspect? It works. I have no complaint about the fact that they do combine. I think the color coded connector points are a nice touch. (Though the color choice is awful.)

Hasbro's not using this as a kids-only tester. They're using it to fill shelves and pegs until TF3 hits theaters. Hasbro just so happened to come across a new combination design, that if integrated correctly, could revitalize their ideas waiting in the wings, and lead to new innovations that we will come to embrace.

But, first and foremost, it's a filler line, and when crashes and burns (and it will), they'll just brush it off and recoup their losses in the insane excess sales of the TF3 toyline. It's the last movie, they're gonna wanna go out with a bang, they're gonna want the toys to wow us, they're gonna want them to make money.

Because of this, PCC won't matter worth much past the combination scheme they came up with. They'll be able to implement that aspect into a future figure or line, and we'll embrace it and all will be forgiven. We've done it before, we'll do it again.

I see no need for PCC. I bought one, tried it out, wasn't satisfied, and asked for a refund. It sucked. I see what they were trying to accomplish, and it could (could) lead to something great, but as of right now...they're not even in the same zipcode as "Meh", and have a looooooong way to go to get to great.

Kids should be insulted by how incredibly dumb these are.
Collectors/Fans should be angry with the current offerings SUCKING to the point that PCC on a whim seems like a good idea at the time, only for us to find out we've been had.

I can't wait for them to be gone, and I hope they don't make a return. They deserve to be locked away in a vault. Blech.

Sabrblade wrote:
Blurrz wrote:
Utterly Dumbfounded. It's been 3 months and I still can't get over the fact that Power Core Combiners has no connecting media.
I hate to say it, but it's Machine Wars all over again with the PCCs.

Ah, but there's one very important difference. Machine Wars was a K-B Toys exclusive. Everyone and their brother's stuck with these sacks of suck. You can't escape them. Not only could you walk out of K-B and be done with it, K-B's closed and MW can no longer punish you by being in your presence.

You.
Cannot.
Friggin'.
Escape.
PCC.

Re: The Science and Madness Behind Transformers Power Core Combiners (1126280)
Posted by Catalyst Prime on September 19th, 2010 @ 4:00am CDT

I've found the PCC's a love-hate thing for me.

I like the concept of a single character/being controlling a host of drones that he can use independently or combine with to power him/herself up. I like the characters and the homages to old favorites, however slight the homage is,(Huffer for example)

But I hate several of the choices hasbro has made for the line.
The clear plastic, brightly colored Minicons/Targetmasters. And the apparent inability to match them correctly(mostly a g1 problem there I guess) Huffer with Caliburst? Whats a Decepticon Targetmaster doing with a Autobot?

I like the versatility of the line, but dislike the fact that many of the drones mechanisms are faulty and several (of mine anyways) won't link up properly.
Example: The yellow heli from the Skyburst pack won't attach to Huffer or Searchlight, unless I put him on the opposite shoulder.
Bombshocks Leg Drones pop off with the slightest breeze.

The absence of media hasn't bothered me so much as the absence of explanation for the line's existence. They are obviously meant for children, but why bother homage G1 characters to kids that don't know who they are? Why change/alter names of old G1 Combiners but essentially make them the same characters? Is Skyburst or Bombshock really suppose to be Silverbolt and Onslaught? Or are they suppose to be new characters? The Bios don't give enough info to know for sure. If you could even call them Bios...

Anyways I can't think of much more to say on the subject, and I got a show on pause that I need to watch so I'm going back to that now.

Re: The Science and Madness Behind Transformers Power Core Combiners (1126288)
Posted by ArmadaPrime on September 19th, 2010 @ 5:25am CDT

I can't remember wrote:What? People don't like PCC?! I think it's a great line! Sure the only ones I have are Smolder and the Combaticons, but I still think they're awesome. And there's still a lot of potential for the future. Imagine if they evolve the line beyond nobody characters with little drones. Imagine redoing Energon Optimus Prime with Powercore technology. How about doing an Omega Supreme where the tank is the commander figure with the rocket splitting in half to form the arms with a battleship and crane/train for legs. Try an Ultra Magnus with a trailer that splits in 4 piece to form his armor/limbs. Or use that same idea for a Star Saber with the commander being Saber and the part that the Saber jet plugs into being the 4 drone/limb pieces. The possibilities are endless if they deviate from the standard "gestalt" gimmick they have now.

I completley agree with you.
Go work for Hasbro.
No, Takara, they'd be more likely to accept anyone with good ideas.
On that subject, have takara made any pcc's yet?
Do they plan to?

Re: The Science and Madness Behind Transformers Power Core Combiners (1126290)
Posted by griftimus prime on September 19th, 2010 @ 5:31am CDT

see through transformers are fail!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
see through anything related to transformers is fail!!!!!!!!!!
micromaster transformers are fail!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
the new combiners are ugly as sin. and fail!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Re: The Science and Madness Behind Transformers Power Core Combiners (1126291)
Posted by G1 Smoketreader on September 19th, 2010 @ 5:44am CDT

I would love for a weekly article.I say do it.I'll be a reader for sure.

You state that your opinion can't rate next to the overall amount of info thoughout seibertron, but what you did with your opinion of where your opinion stands speaks volumes about how much we should consider your message.

PCC's have their place in any kids' random toy collection.If they won't be teaming up with deluxe TFs they'll find a way to work alongside the Gormiti or Bakugan or Ninja Turdles or whoever: That's the beauty of childhood- we invent our own games, tho we mimic in time as well. In terms of scout sized toys,the detail is astounding: they are what I would have wanted as a kiddy.Next to the combiners of yesteryear they are absolutely amazing.

The drones, tho, I hate;Attractive as SOME are, I consider their inclusion, intentional or not,to be a marketing trap for little old ladies who believe they are buying,as I've said word for word elsewhere, "5 economic Transformers when they're actually buying 1 Transformer and 4 Matchbox cars".This might be my lone opinion, but in nations like Greece where there are over 500 celebrations in a 365 day calendar,and TFs sell,that's a lot of accidental purchasing that will lead to disappointment and usually a move to rectify by purchasing something else.I don't see why the PCCs should be allowed to "un-healthen" the vitality of the HftD and Generations lines at a price-point when the Universe and Animated lines are already 5 euro cheaper,unless there's a strategy involved to keep the others selling.

(I'm also against the 'Human Superiority Priority' message in ownership themed toy lines such as YuGiOh, Digi/PokeMon,Bakugan,and now, the PCC drones who are 'in servitude' to any of their bosses no matter the faction,as opposed to the old school 'Freedom as a Sentients right' viewpoint, so I must state in fairness that my whole post is more or less laced with Bias).

As for Science:I guess making all four drones turn into bots would kill off the legends line overnight,and in my book, Animated was just a tool,installed to keep the TF presence around in the gap from RotF to TF3.But again, I've said this elsewhere and am repeating myself.Everybody knows the Transformations are sweet, tho.

The two packs are quite nice offerings,but still open to tinkering, and the Minicons are the best manifestation of Minicon that there ever has been so far,tho I feel the Minicon 'group'identity should go through a more thorough and final fleshing out process.I'd rather they transformed into something other than no-reason-to-be miniature vehicles on a universal level.In this I consider the Minicon line overall to APPEAR to be taking the second steps (first was animals) in the direction I would personally consider best for it:If a subline can fit into any other line and survive our criticism,and that of a child and its' parents, it's contributing to every other line.
If our intellect has to step in to convince our imagination that it's found a credible medium to gel two differences,well...even a kid will work out it takes two to tango.

I think the level of artwork in the sculpts of the bosses has already made them classics material.The rest of the line, I suspect, will grow and mature with the eras to come, sometimes upwards and sometimes downwards...

Re: The Science and Madness Behind Transformers Power Core Combiners (1126293)
Posted by Zeds on September 19th, 2010 @ 6:26am CDT

PCC = Massive Fail. Looked at them in store, laughed and put them back on the shelf and then bought MP Grimlock. In that order.

Re: The Science and Madness Behind Transformers Power Core Combiners (1126297)
Posted by Equus Maximus on September 19th, 2010 @ 6:51am CDT

I'm A G1'r, I'll Probably Catch Some Flak For This, But, I Want To Add My Two Cents Worth.

I Like The PCC Line, They Harken Back To An Era When I Could Transform My Warriors For Battle Without Having To Pull Out The Instructions Every Freakin' Time, Just To Make Sure That I Didn't Twist The Parts The Wrong Way, Snapping The Toy In Half (Yes, That Has Happened To Me).

I Have Enjoyed How Much More Realistic The Figures Have Become, But I Have Figures I'll Open, Transform Once To See How They Look, Then I'll Never Touch Them Again, Because I Don't Want To Go Through Fifty Steps (Usually Badly Illustrated) Each And Every Time To Play With Them (The RiD And Movie Figures Are Particularly Bad About This).

I Would Buy An Entire Line Devoted To Slightly Simplified Transformers, But For Now I'll Just Be Happy With The PCC's That We Are Being Treated To.

Quick Comment On The Drones For The PCC Line: I'm Fairly Neutral On This Part Of The Discussion Because Before I Ever Collected Transformers, I Collected Shogun Warriors, Godaiken Warriors, Plus, Some Voltron Robots. These All Had Various Vehicles/Creatures That Formed Parts Of A Greater Whole, So It Just Takes Me Back To When I Was Crazy About Those Too.

Thank For Your Time.

Re: The Science and Madness Behind Transformers Power Core Combiners (1126298)
Posted by GuyIncognito on September 19th, 2010 @ 6:53am CDT

Well, I love the PCC line. Most of my TFs just sit on the shelf and once in a while I transform them. But I find myself frequently picking up the PCCs and connecting and disconnecting them, making new combinations. I've got every set released so far.

Re: The Science and Madness Behind Transformers Power Core Combiners (1126307)
Posted by Black Bumblebee on September 19th, 2010 @ 7:32am CDT

I totally think that it was a rushed filler line. Why?

Think about. What DO we have coming out in less than a month that "should" have toys ready to go? Transformers: Prime.

Duh. Generally, you want to make $$$ off of the cartoon that's on the air. Children watch cartoon, go to Walmart with their folks to buy milk and Tylenol, and while there see plastic version of what they just saw on TV.

But, you'll notice that there are not yet any toys. There are not even HINTS of a toyline yet. What gives?

I'm thinking that in the push to get the cartoon done by a certain date (10/10/10), there were designs that were originally thought of as being "okay," but later in development, a massive overhaul was done to the 'bots, possibly due to negative feedback from a focus group or something.

In having to overhaul the character looks at such a late stage, the toy designs had to be scrapped, and Hasbro gave a "hmm... what DO we have on the drawing board that we can get in the stores, that will be cheap, and impulse buy-ish?"

Tada.

Re: The Science and Madness Behind Transformers Power Core Combiners (1126310)
Posted by Roboto750 on September 19th, 2010 @ 7:53am CDT

I haven't picked up any PCCs yet. I keep looking at them in the store, but they just don't thrill me that much. I might get the Dinobots set comic out soon if it looks good in person.

I just don't understand why Hasbro (or Takara for that matter) cannot make a decent combiner set since G1. Yes, this includes those poor combiners released during the Unicron saga, and even RID (with the exception of Ruination, but he really doesn't count). The "Scramble City" style combiners (Superion, Defensor, Bruiticus, etc) were the best in my opinion. Simple, but they were easy to transform/combine and they looked great! I know it's old tech, but I wish Hasbro would give us combiners that are easy to transform/combine and actually had hands/feet that look like hands/feet and not just some wirey appendage.

Re: The Science and Madness Behind Transformers Power Core Combiners (1126313)
Posted by Rated X on September 19th, 2010 @ 8:07am CDT

Well personally I think they suck. I only bought the homage to Huffer and the Combaticon set for $9.99 (half price at TRU) I actually think the figures that come with a targetmaster have nice detail, but the detail on the figures that comes with clone sets really suck. Why, I really dont know. My 2 biggest problems with Power Core Combiners are the ugly hands that the drones turn into when combined and the stupid blue connectors attached to every figure. Why must they be neon blue on every figure ??? It is such an eyesore, especially on the red or yellow figures. Why cant the connectors be the same color as the figure ??? Now back to the deformed hands. Why couldnt Hasbro do a better job on the hands ??? I mean they REALLY SUCK !!! If it wasnt for these 2 issues, the line would be ok. The "combining" for figures that do not come with drones is also a useless feature. I have yet to see how my Huffer looks with Combaticon drone limbs because I know it's gonna look buttf**k ugly. I may buy the Dinobot set but leave the drones as reptiles because the robot mode really sucked. It looks like an Aztec high Preist. I kind of want to buy the Decepticon fire rescue vechicle, but I think the idea of a targetmaster that transforms into an axe rather than a gun is really stupid. Maybe I buy on clearance, you know there will be sales before Christmas. So all in all, I would say that Power Core Combiners really SUCK...case closed.

And thats the bottom line cause Rated X said so...LOL

Re: The Science and Madness Behind Transformers Power Core Combiners (1126319)
Posted by Julie85 on September 19th, 2010 @ 8:25am CDT

I got Huffer, Searchlight, and Backwind, and I have to say I'm somewhat disappointed with them. Caliburst's head broke off the first time I transformed him. Skyburst's drones don't auto-transform as well as they're supposed to, and he is difficult to stand up.

Re: The Science and Madness Behind Transformers Power Core Combiners (1126324)
Posted by Tyrenol on September 19th, 2010 @ 8:44am CDT

If you wanna talk about "Sideswipe," let's talk about RotF's Deluxe Sideswipe and it's refusal to stand. And that was before the "GUNS" Sideswipe came out.

Yes, the PCC toys were a bit of a "choppy" idea. Scout figures? With Targetmaster-esque weapons? Shouldn't we have deluxe-class instead? And those mini-vehicles that form the arms and legs of the super-robot. Not exactly up to the challenge, up-in-here.

But it's still a cool idea; one that's in need of more polish.

Also; Hasbro has done WORSE.

RotL Voyager Demolisher? No rolling wheels? "Wheelbot?"
RotL Sideswipe
No RotL Hightower or Overload
The badly-written RotL movie which wasn't Hasbro's fault.
Too many movie-version Bumblebees
The goofy Animated series...
...on down.

Re: The Science and Madness Behind Transformers Power Core Combiners (1126325)
Posted by Cheetron on September 19th, 2010 @ 8:49am CDT

I will admit, I liked this line. At least at first. I got the 3 wave 1 .... scouts? In one shipment and the 2 combine-a-messes in the second. I think I would have completely given up on this line if I'd opened the commanders first. But I didn't and I came to love the little individual guys. They are better than some of the sloppy jointed repaints on the market.

Click here to view additional comments about this topic ...