Toybox REVIEW: Transformers Studio Series 86 Ultra Magnus

Release Date: September 2023

RRP: $89.99/£91.99

Even with several of the Transformers: The Movie cast receiving figures towards the tail end of the War for Cybertron trilogy in the Kingdom line, that didn’t mean they were off the table for Studio Series 86. Where there were improvements to be made in the name of screen-accuracy they have for the most part been taken, and there’s no better example of this than Ultra Magnus. Leader class figures are great, but why not go bigger? Studio Series 86 Ultra Magnus gives the Autobot City Commander a much needed boost by bringing him up to Commander class status, as well as the largest single figure in the range thus far.

Toybox REVIEW: Transformers Age of the Primes Vortex

Release Date: April 2025

RRP: $24.99/£24.99

The time of Transformers Legacy is over, and thus begins the Age of the Primes! 2025 marks the beginning of an all-new Generations line celebrating the mythical Thirteen Primes, but that doesn't mean Hasbro aren't including other popular faces from across the Transformers multiverse in for good measure. Two new G1-styled combiner teams have been confirmed for the range, and whilst its first year is more preoccupied with the Aerialbots and Superion we also have a sneak peek of what's in store for year two with Age of the Primes Vortex! Following on from Menasor in the Legacy line and Devastator in Studio Series 86, the Combaticons and Bruticus will be the third Decepticon combiner to join this modern iteration of toys.

Toybox REVIEW: Transformers Studio Series 86 Bonecrusher

Release Date: March 2025

RRP: $24.99/£24.99

Although it’s taken a good few years into its existence for Hasbro to bring Devastator to the Studio Series 86 line, at the very least now that they are coming they’re doing it at rapid pace. So much so that we can expect to see all six Constructicons released before the year is out, with the second of the group coming in the form of Studio Series 86 Bonecrusher. Forming the left arm of Devastator in combined mode, Bonecrusher is the first of two (alongside Scavenger) Deluxe Class releases, with the legs (Scrapper and Mixmaster) as Voyagers whilst torso parts Hook and Long Haul are a Commander class two-pack.

Toybox REVIEW: Transformers Studio Series 86 Scrapper

Release Date: March 2025

RRP: $34.99/£34.99

While we’re now quite far out from the 35th anniversary of Transformers: The Movie it originally arrived to celebrate (so much so that we’re rapidly approaching its 40th anniversary), the Studio Series 86 line is still going strong! By this point most of the new characters that appeared in the film have been neatly covered off, but there’s still scope when it comes to the veteran Generation One characters. 2025 is poised to be a pretty big year for the line as it delves into its first combiner, the only one to appear in the film itself – Devastator! With the six Constructicons set to be released across five sets at varying price points, Studio Series 86 Scrapper neatly kicks things off with their de facto leader.

Toybox REVIEW: Transformers Studio Series 86 Galvatron

Release Date: January 2025

RRP: $54.99/£55.99

Even though the Studio Series 86 line is running out of core Transformers: The Movie characters to feature, there are still some characters that have not appeared in the line itself despite having a recent toy. One such example is Galvatron, who despite being synonymous with the movie has been overlooked by the line until now due to his War For Cybertron: Kingdom toy coming out around the time the line was starting. However Studio Series 86 Galvatron has finally arrived, and while it might not be a brand new figure (ala Ultra Magnus), it does however fill a void that Transformers fans have noted in Galvatron toys for decades.

Toybox REVIEW: Transformers Studio Series 86 Springer

Release Date: May 2024

RRP: $54.99/£55.99

So far the Studio Series 86 line has provided us with four great years of Transformers: The Movie figures, but with most of the cast now covered it's definitely beginning to wind down a bit as the franchise moves on to other things. While there's still plenty to look forward to in 2025-26 (the Constructicons especially), pretty much all of the key characters are present and accounted for. For example the release of Studio Series 86 Springer finally saw the main group of Autobots rounded off entirely within the line itself, even though some of the characters had previously appeared in the War for Cybertron trilogy lines. Springer is a retooled version of the War for Cybertron: Siege figure previously released in 2019, somewhat controversially upgraded from a voyager class figure into a retooled leader class release in the same manner as Coronation Starscream. 

Top 5: Toys I'm Looking Forward to in 2025

Before I look back on another great year of toy releases by rounding off 2024 with my top ten favourite toy releases, as now feels like tradition here is a quick rundown of some of the things I'm looking forward to adding to my collection in 2025. With the Power Rangers Lightning Collection effectively ending and me stepping back a bit from lines like the Star Wars Black Series my preorder list isn't quite as long as it once was, but at the same there's always favourites from the likes of Transformers and S.H. Figuarts to get me excited. Given that only one of the figures from last year's list has ended up in this year's favourites who knows if they'll live up to the hype, but for now here's what's getting me excited for 2025!

Toybox REVIEW: Transformers Studio Series 86 Exo-Suit Spike Witwicky

Release Date: January 2022

RRP: $11.99/£13.99

While there are plenty of (living, dead and background) characters in Transformers: The Movie to keep the Studio Series 86 line occupied for quite a while, it's nice to know that it didn't take long for Hasbro to turn their attention toward the few non-robotic cast members as well. Studio Series 86 Exo-Suit Spike Witwicky joins the line's core class offerings of smaller figures, representing the now adult Spike in the transforming armour he wore in the movie and subsequent episodes of the Generation One cartoon. In the movie, Spike assists Bumblebee with the Autobot defences on Moonbase Two - stationed there until it was devoured by the chaos bringer Unicron.

Toybox REVIEW: Transformers Legacy HasLab Victory Saber

Release Date: December 2022

RRP: $179.99/£179.99

The problem with toy collecting based on media franchises is that sometimes there’ll be something fans desperately want which just won’t realistically sell well at retail, whether its due to size or engineering costs. To that end, Hasbro introduced HasLab - a crowdfunding platform where they can make some of these things a reality…with the right number of backers of course. As far as the Transformers franchise is concerned Hasbro kicked off with an obvious one in 2021 - an enormous War for Cybertron Unicron figure that dwarfed any previous efforts of the character. But for their second campaign the following year, Hasbro turned to the world of Japanese-exclusive Generation One to bring fans Legacy Victory Saber. Based on the 1989 series Transformers: Victory, the set features Autobot Supreme Commander Star Saber and Victory Leo (alongside a whole host of extras), and originally needed 11,000 backers to be put into production. Strap yourselves in and “Let’s Say Go!”, because this review is a LONG one.

Toybox REVIEW: Transformers Studio Series 86 Dinobot Swoop

Release Date: July 2024

RRP: £54.99/£55.99

When the Transformers Studio Series 86 line began back in 2021 one of the first things it promised fans was new renditions of the Dinobots at Leader class scale – kicking things off with Grimlock as one of the very first figures in the range. Now three years and four fantastic Dinobots later, Hasbro are finally completing the team with the release of Studio Series 86 Dinobot Swoop. Though far more prominent in Transformers: The Movie than poor old Snarl, Swoop is a rather fitting choice for the final one to come to the line – with both he and Snarl being the second wave of Dinobots to be created in the series.

Toybox REVIEW: Transformers Collaborative 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles x Transformers' Party Wallop

Release Date: July 2024

RRP: $49.99/£49.99

Featuring everything from the likes of Ghostbusters, Back to the Future and Jurassic Park to the Universal Monsters and Stranger Things, the Transformers Collaborative line has made quite the name for itself over the past few years. But amongst all the possibilities for where Hasbro could go next with the line, as much as it was probably on people's wish lists Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles probably didn't seem like the most likely candidate. However with both the Robots in Disguise and the Heroes in a Half Shell both currently celebrating their 40th anniversaries, the timing really couldn't be better for Transformers Collaborative 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles x Transformers' Party Wallop. This latest collaboration gives fans a Transformers take on the Turtles' iconic Party Wagon, with a few extra surprises thrown in as well.

Toybox REVIEW: Transformers Missing Link C-01 Convoy

 

Release Date: February 2024

RRP: 15800 yen

2024 marks the 40th anniversary of the Transformers franchise, and a milestone like that certainly isn't going to uncelebrated. And part of that celebration is naturally looking back to where it all began with the original 1984 Optimus Prime toy. While there have been countless renditions and reissues of the Autobot leader over the years, none of them have been quite like what TakaraTomy have delivered here. Transformers Missing Link C-01 Convoy is an all-new rendition of the original Optimus ("Convoy" in Japan) toy, not only improving the deco and engineering but also giving it the one thing it lacks when stacked against modern toys - proper articulation. This properly poseable version really is a toy for the ages, exciting fans with a concept that's been dreamt of for decades. In addition to the C-01 toy deco edition, a slightly cheaper (9800 yen) C-02 Anime Edition was also released which more closely resembles Optimus' look from the original Generation One cartoon.

Toybox REVIEW: Transformers Studio Series 86 Dinobot Snarl

Release Date: June 2023

RRP: $54.99/£55.99

Transformers: The Movie offered some of the greatest mysteries to the Transformers fandom. Which of the damaged Decepticons specifically turned into Scourge and Cyclonus? Whatever happened to Cyclonus' Armada? And perhaps the greatest of all - just where the hell was Snarl during the events of the film? Despite being seen alongside his fellow Dinobots for a handful of scenes, he's bizarrely absent for almost the entirety of the runtime despite the Dinobots being main characters in the story. While that mystery may never truly be solved, at the very least Hasbro haven't forgotten about him - with Studio Series 86 Dint Snarl being the next Leader Class release in the popular range of new toys based on the film.

Toybox REVIEW: Transformers Legacy Evolution Armada Universe Megatron

Release Date: June 2023

RRP: $54.99/£55.99

The Transformers Legacy line made quite the impact when it was revealed it would be featuring characters from across the franchise's 37-year history, and that doesn't look to be changing any time soon as the range moves into its second year with the Legacy Evolution line. After dipping its toes into Transformers: Armada with Starscream and Hot Shot, Hasbro are now moving onto to the big guns as both the Autobot and Decepticon leaders make their appearance. Transformers Legacy Evolution Armada Universe Megatron is an all-new mould and the first show-accurate remake the character has ever officially had, though he did receive a remoulded figure in 2015 as part of the Combiner Wars line.

Toybox REVIEW: Transformers Legacy Armada Universe Starscream

Release Date: October 2022

RRP: $34.99/£32.99

After several years of War for Cybertron trilogy toys that were for the most part modern updates of the classic Generation One toys, the subsequent Legacy line is a breath of fresh air for fans of the wider Transformers universe. While this line continues to cover all those familiar G1 faces, it's also branched out into other areas of the franchise – including other cartoons and comic instalments. Among those is of course 2002's Transformers: Armada, and it didn't take long to get one of its most popular characters with Transformers Legacy Armada Universe Starscream. Unlike most versions of the treacherous Decepticon, this Starscream was fiercely loyal to Megatron only to have that loyalty rebuffed at every turn. After seeing how well Optimus Prime treated his team in comparison, Starscream briefly switched sides before returning to the Decepticon fold and eventually sacrificing his life so that Optimus and Megatron would join forces against Unicron.

Toybox REVIEW: Transformers Legacy Velocitron Speedia 500 Collection Robots in Disguise 2000 Universe Scourge

Release Date: August 2022

RRP: $55.99/£54.99

Transformers fans have developed the skills to immediately work out what figures are going to be retooled/repainted into what, so when it was announced that the Legacy line was going to be covering the various eras of the franchise AND that a new Generation 2 Laser Optimus Prime would be amongst the first selection of figures…it really didn't take long to work out what else would be coming eventually. As one of the most popular exports from the 2000 Robots in Disguise series (known as Car Robots over in Japan), Scourge is EXACTLY what most people from a Laser Prime mould. Fans didn't have to wait too long either, with Transformers Legacy Velocitron Speedia 500 Collection Robots in Disguise 2000 Universe Scourge arriving before the year was out. The Velocitron Speedia 500 Collection is a subset of Walmart-exclusive figures (also available via Hasbro Pulse), focusing on characters taking part in a race on the planet Velocitron from Transformers: Cybertron.

Toybox REVIEW: Transformers Studio Series 86 Dinobot Sludge

Release Date: July 2022

RRP: $54.99/£55.99

So far the Transformers Studio Series 86 line has delivered hit after hit, but undoubtedly one of the most exciting aspects of it has been the opportunity to get a full set of official Dinobots that match up to their size and stature on the cartoon itself. Since Hasbro only release so many leader class figures a year it's a bit of a slow process, but at least fans were able to round off 2022 with the original trio of these fan favourite Autobots. Studio Series 86 Dinobot Sludge is the fourth leader class figure from the Transformers: The Movie 35th anniversary range, following on from Grimlock, Slug (Slag) and Coronation Starscream.

Toybox REVIEW: Transformers Studio Series 86 Decepticon Rumble (Blue)

Release Date: November 2022

RRP: $11.99/£13.99

Everyone loves a big Transformers toy, but every now and again you've got to give the little guys some love as well. Thankfully this is exactly what the Studio Series 86 line has been doing lately, adding the Core Class to their range of screen-accurate figures from 1986's Transformers: The Movie. After getting off the ground with Wheelie and Spike in his exo suit, now Hasbro are giving the bad guys some love with Studio Series 86 Decepticon Rumble (Blue). A core character in the Generation One cartoon since its pilot, the wise-talking Rumble is one of Soundwave's trusted cassette minions.

Toybox REVIEW: Transformers War for Cybertron: Kingdom Blaster & Eject

Release Date: January 2022

RRP: $29.99/£24.99

Transformers has moved out of the War for Cybertron trilogy and now entered the Legacy era, but one of the last releases as part of the Kingdom line is a particularly interesting one as it straddles them both. Transformers War for Cybertron: Kingdom Blaster & Eject were announced as a very late entry to the final part of the WFC trilogy, but by the time they were released in Kingdom packaging it had already leaked that they would be part of the initial range of Legacy figures as well. Unlike fellow carryover Galvatron (who lacked the battle damage paintwork in Legacy) there are no differences between the two versions, so collectors can simply choose from which version is more readily available (or perhaps more importantly, cheaper).

Top 5: Toys I'm Looking Forward to in 2023

There's been a lot of fantastic toy releases this year (and as usual I'll be counting down my personal top ten at the end of the month), but as 2022 draws to a close many collectors will start looking forward to all the things they've got preordered for the coming year. So for my final top five feature of 2022 I'm looking forward to the five toys I'm looking forward to most next year. All the entries below have a confirmed release date so we're certain they're coming in 2023, and I'm pleased to say I've secured preorders on them all as well. Will any of them make the top ten toys of 2023 list? Only time will tell…