General Information
Release Date: July 2024
Price Point: $19.99 (depending on retailer)
Retailer: General Release (Target, Walmart etc.)
Accessories: Battle Base, Energon Power Sword
Official images and text in italics were sent to BWTF via a Hasbro Press Release:
Experience the epic origins of legendary TRANSFORMERS robots with these Robot Battlers action figures! Inspired by the iconic characters from the TRANSFORMERS ONE movie, these 4.5-inch figures convert from robot to alt mode in a few steps, with simple conversion perfect for TRANSFORMERS fans ages 6 and up. Place the action figures on the Battle Bases and slide the finger slots for cool action moves. Knock a figure off the base to win the battle! The figures have articulated heads, arms, and legs for awesome action poses. Includes a Battle Base and an Energon Power Sword that attaches in robot mode. Wave 1 of the TRANSFORMERS ONE ROBOT BATTLERS assortment includes the following products, with more characters coming in Fall 2024 (each sold separately):
- TRANSFORMERS ONE ROBOT BATTLERS SENTINEL PRIME converts from robot to Cybertronian jet mode in 3 steps.
- TRANSFORMERS ONE ROBOT BATTLERS BUMBLEBEE (B-127) converts from robot to Cybertronian sports car mode in 3 steps.
- TRANSFORMERS ONE ROBOT BATTLERS ELITA-1 converts from robot to Cybertronian motorcycle mode in 3 steps.
Background:
Transformers: One is an animated theatrical film due to be released on September 20, 2024. The film features a core group of characters having an adventure before the beginning of the Great War during Cybertron's Golden Age. One character who is in the film but not part of the "core four" is Sentinel Prime. The character (seems to) appear briefly in the trailer below being held captured by a Quintesson but no doubt we'll see more of him as more is revealed from the film.
Of course, any theatrical movie launch is going to involve a toy line. Like other movie lines before it, there are figures aimed at a younger audience. Among the first toys released for Transformers: One are the "Robot Battlers". Taking a bit of a spiritual cue from the Rock'em Sock'em Robots of years past, these figures have very simple transformations with a play pattern that relies on them attaching to bases that spin them. The objective is knock your opponent's figure off of its base. You can see them in action in the Hasbro promotional video below:
Packaging:
The "Robot Battler" assortment features a box style previously seen in the EarthSpark line with the Warrior Class (you can see an example here). The box is cardboard and wraps around the figure with a section in back and a lower section in front. The figure itself is tied to the cardboard using rubber bands. The "Battle Base" and "Energon Power Sword" accessories are also attached by rubber bands off to the side. Behind the figure is a render of Sentinel Prime from the film and behind him is a Cybertronian city. Off to the side is the "Robot Battlers" logo and the vertical Transformers logo. The back shows the figure in both modes calling out a 3 step transformation. It also shows the Base being manipulated.
Accessories:
Sentinel Prime includes two accessories:
- Energon Power Sword: While this accessory is called a "sword" it looks more like a blast of energy form a weapon. The end is a 5mm peg. Unlike the one included with Elita-1, this accessory actually has a hilt above the handle, making it look a bit more like a sword. The sword is made of gold plastic with metallic blue paint.
- Battle Base: The Battle Base is a platform with two pegs on it. One side has two holes for fingers. One is stationary and the other can move out to the side. As you move it, the platform spins. This causes the figure to spin around and its arms to flail around. It actually works pretty well and I can see kids having a lot of fun with it.
Robot Mode:
While the Transformers: One trailer does show a bot that appears to be Sentinel Prime, we don't get a particularly good look at him. This figure is probably our best first look at the character (but I am hoping he gets a Deluxe Class figure in Studio Series at some point). To be honest, most of Sentinel's body design looks like a rather generic Transformers body design. The body looks almost like a humanoid wearing armor but there are some nice angled and sleek designs such as the chest. The horizontal armor on his shoulders and chest also seem to be visual references to his jet alt-mode. Perhaps the most distinctive part of the design of this figure is the head, which features a central crest, a mouth plate and panels on the sides along with round "headphone" like "ears". Sound familiar? It should because it's basically a riff on the classic Optimus Prime design! This was fun to see, especially since that is not how he looks in the trailer so I wonder if this is a "battle helmet". We'll see when the film is released!
Sitting on Sentinel's back are the wings and top of the vehicle mode. This gives away that he transforms into a jet. That said, these bits don't seem to appear in the trailer (but it's possible he may not transform yet in that scene so we'll see).
This figure is made of blue, grey and orange plastic, with blue and grey making up the robot body and orange used for the jet wings/back pack. Paint colors include silver and gunmetal grey. These are used on parts like his chest and arm.
There is no real articulation on this figure. The arms can move out to the sides but that is so they can thrash about when you spin him on his base. This is not a deficiency of this figure, the Robot Battlers are simply designed this way to emphasize their "battle" play pattern.
Transformation to Vehicle Mode:
- Detach the sword and set it aside for now.
- Swing the robot chest up.
- Swing the robot arms down.
- Lift the legs forward slightly then swing them back.
Vehicle Mode:
Sentinel Prime has appeared in various Transformers continuities but most of the time his alt mode is a ground vehicle. One of the exceptions is Generations Sentinel Prime, who transformed into a space shuttle-like vehicle. This Sentinel Prime however transforms into a Cybertronian jet fighter. This vehicle is sleek with a flat front end and sweeping, angled wings and vertical stabilizers. The cockpit has blasters mounted on either side and each wing has dual blasters on it. We know from the trailer that Transformers: One takes place before the Great War, but it appears Sentinel Prime is more than ready for combat!
This mode mostly shows off the orange plastic that forms the cockpit, nosecone and wings. However, a large amount of metallic blue is painted in the middle section, which really looks gorgeous. The blasters and part of the nosecone are painted gunmetal grey. The cockpit windows are left unpainted so they are orange. The metallic blue is really beautiful and I'm surprised by just how much paint there is in this mode.
Final Thoughts:
The Robot Battlers are a good reminder that not all Transformers figures are going to be highly articulated, super detailed figures whose key play pattern is transformation. Figures consisting of a different kind of action feature definitely target younger audiences and for them this figure is cool and encourages playing with friends. That said, $20 USD feels a bit pricey for what this figure does. I would have expected this to be more in the $12-15.99 USD price point but that is my biggest issue. From an aesthetic and play value standpoint this has potential to be really fun for younger fans. If these thoughts sound familiar it's because this is exactly how I felt about Robot Battlers Elita-1.
Pros:
- Cool sculpt (though I prefer the look of the vehicle mode).
- Beautiful paint colors.
- Simple transformation and play pattern is perfect for younger fans.
- A nice nod to the "Rock'em Sock'em Robots".
Cons:
- A rather high price point for what you get. Wait for a sale if you can.
