Pre TF SHOULD have bins

One of the best things about discovering the Transformers toy line from the past is all the variants and cool robots that should have become TF’s.  Some snuck in under the radar, some were released in foreign TF lines…and some were even hinted at in the TV series and comic books.

I compiled a few of the pre trans historic toys from the Takara book, and some catalogs to show off some of what I consider the most interesting Should Have Been Transformers.

Microman or Microchange and Diaclone, the parent toy lines to our Transformers, gave us most of those toys, which qualify.  Some of the few others are additions to other sub toy lines, which were also incorporated. 

First, I want to show you the top left hand corner of the picture below.  The robot’s name is MicroRider, and its reported to be very rare.  As you can see, there were at least 2 different variations of a powerful looking robot, which transforms into a motorcycle.  This guy had a driver, full sized microman (easily removed for a possible TF version) and has a rocket pack, which can transform into a sidecar, as well as the famous ROCKET PUNCH!  I have a model kit, which had to be put together with screws, so it’s more like a toy, and I have to say this item kicks the living slag out of WreckGar.  I will have to go back and look at the G1 series motorcycle chase, could swear that a bike similar to this was in that. 

Going across the top, we come across the notorious other Triple changer DC 2.  I called him Switch Blade, and hopefully that name stuck.  His awkward Jet mode is his downfall, but his copter mode and decent looking robot mode (face is cool, and its better looking than Blitzwing) make up for it.  Also he comes with a gun, sword, and 2 missile launchers…The character I envisioned was a Ninja like fighter, able to sneak in behind enemy lines in chopper whisper mode, chop up the targets, and rocket out in Jet mode!  Main physical problem with the toy however is his legs/helicopter body is made of 2 solid die cast pieces, which do not spin around and lock into place to make his legs.  The rotor blades on more worn toys do not stay in the V configuration on his chest.  Somehow I managed to get 2 swords for mine, and envisioned the character to use his rotors as his swords. 

The center robot with the red wing on his chest, I believe he is called Dia-Invader.  There is a battle scene in one of the TF history flash backs during a gladiator show who he resembles a lot.  Has ancient Cybertonian written all over him.  Rocket punch, scout ships, a docking fighter craft, missiles in his FEET!!!  Decepticon here!

Magnum, the 44 Magnum, the most powerful handgun on Cybertron?  Could have been.  Some try to say he’s Treadshot, I say no way, MAGNUM.  He’s taller than the original Megatron toy, in some ways a better-looking robot, and has, yes you guessed it ROCKET PUNCH! 

The Kronoform watch robot line…big time lost opportunity here for Transformers creators to cash in.  I envisioned a line like Japan’s Master Force which focused in on kids, with those bracelets and kids in the show with their head master suits.  These could have carried over some of the original Microman ideas, having a bunch of kids, fighting aliens with their new robot watch friends.  Ok maybe that’s not going to work in the states, but Spike could have had one, just to keep an eye on him.  At any rate, a lot of the toys in this line were really good.  Highly recommend AutoCeptor, the triple changer car/robot/watch. 

Back to the left, the 2 lock bots.  Dialman and Deadbolt (or what ever his real name is).  Key to Vector Sigma?  Here’s the locks that bolt the door!  Ancient body guards, ready to lock in place and hang there collecting dust for eternity.  Dial Man is an actual working combination lock, the other uses his GUN as his key, a magnet at the end is supposed to unlock the bar…many over the years have lost their charge and no longer work…oops.  It is about 20 years old…

Jumping back to the right we have the ball robots.  Laser Beak looking condor, Ravage’s older lion brother and Rumbles cousin.  Could have been heralds of Unicron, or moon-enites on Cybertron.  Heck maybe even bots from the planet that guy Karanix came from.  They did have their own show and toy line, as well as the microman line, but still could have done something with them in mainstream G1 TF’s, and not just the crappy side shows Beast Wars Japan series.  I think a clear yellow ball robot would make a decent Unicron, or blue to make a mini primus.  Like this guy better than the thing that came with the Armada Unicron.

Then, the most notorious TF of all time.  “I came on a CARD there for I am!�  BUMPER aka BUMBLE JUMPER.  Hard to believe that he, along with other mini bots existed in Microchange in different colors, harder still how many variants there are in foreign lines.  We as fan’s fought so hard to get this mistaken TF officially recognized that he finally made an appearance in the late DW TF series.  I say re-release him in the key chain remake line, with the Brazil art and just give us our Bumper!

Back to the bottom left, one of the first fembots that never was.  The 5th Deluxe insecticon, the lady bug robot.  Ok, sounds lame, but somebody should have made this lady as Bumblebee’s girl friend or something. 

Next the tapes…not these exactly, the blue versions of ravage and beak, and the red version of rumble.  They did re-release rav and beak, but there could have been examples of these guys in G1.  The other rumble, the third tape brother…the official 3rd…have not hear of a fan name that stuck, Squelch was one.  Soundwave and those cassettes were some of my favorite Transformers of all time.  Any chance that this 3rd guy could be in the series, I would have been ecstatic! 

ScopeMan?  The binocular robo.  Probable Cannon Fodder.  Did have some high points with the Kaleidoscope vision, and working magnification.  Would have out ranked the Insecticons and ruled over the Jumpstarters for sure.  But he never saw the light of a Cybertonian Day. 

Browning…one that made it, and yet lost something.  The little hand gun for a kid, which turned into a robot no bigger than the actual toy.  Cutsie little guy…but it’s a GUN.  Would have been a good back up gun for say Magnum.  The sidekick that got beat up a lot by the bigger gun in town. 

Cassette Vehicles.  Remember AutoScout?  Well this Motorcycle transforming tape might have inspired it a bit.  As you can see, it originally was made to allow Microman drivers to ride.  Later these were remade in clear plastic and had smaller mango microman drivers.  I always envisioned them to have Rumble riding off shooting at Autobots, vehicle to vehicle robot.  And they don’t fit too badly either. 

Finally, we take a look at another lesser-known pre TF line.  From the series that gave us Road Buster, and Whirl, we have this weird tank guy.  Could it have been one of the last ancient army robots, still functioning after all these years, and not allowing any upgrades.  Or could this have been the Earth Militaries first attempt at their own Transforming robot creation?  It’ll never happen, cept maybe in Fan fiction.  Its not the best toy, I have some small knockoff’s as well as a die cast non transforming version, but it’s one that could have been.

There are many more great toys from Pre TF lines that may have made it, but these ones I have selected had the most potential.  Fortunately for me, I have examples of all these (cept the lady) and consider them some of the most prized of my collection. 

Awesome.

The Chrome Gold Ball Condor/Lion ROCKS.

The Kronoform Watch ROCKS.

The Browing ROCKS.

I saw the DC2 the other day on ebay, I think it was a KO, it was a brown tan color I think. Can't remember.

The Lion Ball guy. Wasn't he release later on in the late 90's as some kind of Promo? And the Lady Bug is just cute.

Yea, the beast balls were released in one of the Japan BW toy series, in clear colors. 

I have the lion ball in my collection in clear yellow from that line...its a bloody key chain!!!  Rather un-dignified. 

But then the other 2 I have a knockoffs (had an original Ball Robot but someone swiped it). 

Yes, I know how you feel about the keychains. I have the same feeling everytime I look at them, but I still want them.

That watch is so cool. So many 12 year olds would of been kicking that. If done today, he could look so much cooler with a glow light screen, diecast, who knows. But man, what a waste.

Awesome info though.

I think i had one of those watches!

It wasnt an official Transformer of course - but KOs or something did exist.