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Transformers Toys Recommandations for the 2023 Holliday Season

Something was really off last year with distribution with there being very little Transformers stock to recommend. But since then, distribution has picked up, and with this being a movie year, retailers are more in synch than usual with dedicated space on shelves for Transformers. So this segment is BACK! I will give a few recommendations for parents or significant others who are curious as to what could be a good present for various age groups, all for Transformers toys that are available at the moment, either online or in store.

For Young Kids (ages 4 and up)

There are 2 excellent sets of Transformers toys on shelves right now. Both are for the Rise of the Beasts movie and feature a leader character along with a smaller animal transformer which turns into a weapon. There is Optimus Primal with a tiger and Optimus Prime with a wolf. Personally, between the two, I recommend the Optimus Primal as he is both easier and more interesting to transform. You get from gorilla to robot very quickly and he has a good amount of articulation for kids to have fun with. But if your child prefers Optimus Prime, then he’s there too. These are called Beast Weaponizers and if you want to give a ‘bigger’ present, well you can always add in more of the beast partners that turn into weapons since those are also sold individually.



Optimus Primal https://www.walmart.com/ip/Transformers ... om=/search

Optimus Prime https://www.walmart.com/ip/Transformers ... om=/search

For gradeschoolers (aged 6 and up)

The Earthspark toyline is a mixed bag. Surprisingly, it’s their more affordable toys that I find give the best value. There is a Warrior Class Jawbreaker, Warrior Class Optimus Prime and Warrior Class Thrash that all do a great job at providing a good Transformers experience of changing between two modes that look very good. They also all have decent weapon gimmicks that don’t get in the way, Thrash’ is especially brilliant as his weapon has 4 modes, two for his robot mode and two for his vehicle mode. There is a lot of playability and style packed into these toys and it’s really fun that they happen to also be more affordable than the deluxe class toys (up to 2/3 cheaper).
If your kid wants an Optimus toy, then get the Optimus. https://www.amazon.com/Transformers-Ear ... 123&sr=8-2
If your kid likes dinosaurs, then get Jawbreaker. https://www.amazon.com/Transformers-TRA ... 119&sr=8-2
If your kid doesn’t have a preference, then get Thrash as he’s the best of the bunch. https://www.amazon.com/Transformers-TRA ... 119&sr=8-1
If you want to provide a more expensive present, then get all 3.





For collectors (age 8 and way up)

Truth be told, there have been some stellar Transformers toys this year, and I would say the voyager class of the Studio Series and Legacy line have the best toys out there. However, from what I have seen, older fans have been reticent to get them for a variety of reasons. Some, like Ratchet, are expensive for the size of the figure. Bludgeon is inaccurate to how the character is often pictured, Tarn, Metalhawk and Leo Prime are not as well-known due to being from either comics or shows that were never broadcasted in the US. And that’s why I recommend them, since all the toys I will mention below are toys a Transformers fan would not mind owning and would have fun experiencing, even if they would mind paying for them. I personally find all of them to be excellent and would be ecstatic to be gifted any. Obviously keep the receipt or provide a gift receipt just in case the person you are buying for already owns it. And kids who fit this age range and love Transformers will enjoy these. So to go over the ones in this same price range I recommend:

- Legacy Voyager Leo Prime https://www.amazon.com/Transformers-Leg ... 114&sr=8-2
- Legacy Voyager Tarn https://www.entertainmentearth.com/prod ... rn/hsf7205
- Legacy Voyager Metalhawk https://www.amazon.com/Transformers-Leg ... 111&sr=8-1
- Legacy Voyager Bludgeon https://www.amazon.com/Transformers-TRA ... 109&sr=8-1
- Studio Series Voyager Rhinox https://www.entertainmentearth.com/prod ... ox/hsf7245
- Studio Series Voyager Ratchet https://www.amazon.com/Transformers-TRA ... 108&sr=8-2



I you want to give a larger and pricier Transformers toy as a gift for the age range, then the Commander Armada Optimus Prime is a no brainer. Him being from a tv series post 2000 means some older fans may not be as familiar with this version of Optimus and might not have him yet, making this a great gift opportunity.

Commander Armada Prime: https://www.entertainmentearth.com/prod ... me/hsf6160

Here is a video version of this article

This list is great. One thing I would add is I would urge US collectors and shoppers to check their closeout stores like Ollie's and Ross as some of these figures have been popping up there and I think there's a chance that others, like the later wave Rise of the Beast toys, will join them later.

chuckdawg1999 wrote:This list is great. One thing I would add is I would urge US collectors and shoppers to check their closeout stores like Ollie's and Ross as some of these figures have been popping up there and I think there's a chance that others, like the later wave Rise of the Beast toys, will join them later.

I 1000% agree. Especially if you can find the Headmaster Figures, Ark, etc. Those figures would be super fun for a kid, and they are wayyy cheaper than what stores like Walmart, Target, etc have in.

These look nice. Personally I can't think of what I would use them for. But they are relatively cheap too:





Autobot And Decepticon Stand (Set Of 2)

Robotoybase - $14.90

Good guide.
Sadly, this year, the only kid I have around to give toys too is my Godson, and he likes Minecraft, not Transformers. So well, a big Minecraft dude it will be.

I try to explain the coolness of Transformers to him, but it just doesn't seem to take.