KRE-O Transformers Year 2 (2012) Review

Rotor Rage set

    For the second year of KRE-O Transformers, a subtitle was given to most of the line-- namely, "The Quest for Energon". The premise behind the gimmick was that each of the main sets had a couple of "dark energon" pieces (transparent purple KRE-O bits). By themselves, these Dark Energon pieces were just extra pieces-- however, by purchasing all of the main sets in the series, you could use the instructions at Kre-O.com to build an "Ultimate Energon Weapon" with all the parts. It's a pretty good sales gimmick, but honestly-- having purchased all of the sets, the way you put the pieces together to form the gun is a bit too random. The "official" configuration of the weapon, while cool enough (it has a spinning barrel), isn't anything that REQUIRES most of the lesser Dark Energon pieces. You could easily create a smaller gun with some of the Dark Energon pieces-- or a differently-shaped gun with the same pieces. Of course, that's part of the whole premise of KRE-O building sets, but I wish it didn't seem so much like the official Dark Energon gun was little more than an "official fan mode" for the pieces.
    The sets themselves focused a bit less on the KRE-O Transformers builds themselves, with few having "only" 1 Transformer build in them anymore. Most of the sets were "versus" sets featuring 2 KRE-O builds of different allegiances facing off against each other, often with some fairly bare-bones "scenery" pieces, ranging from something as simple as a couple of roadblock pieces in the "Street Showdown" set to something as relatively complex as a security checkpoint in the "Stealth Bumblebee" set. Although having actual set pieces besides the Transformers allowed the included Kreon figures to have someplace to "stand around" besides the aforementioned KRE-O Transformer build's shoulders and feet, this-- and the "versus" nature of the sets-- meant less pieces were available for the KRE-O TF builds themselves. Part of the inherent limitations of this were mitigated by the introduction of KRE-O pieces that had two different rubber ball joints on one piece, allowing for articulated limbs that were smaller. However, the Transformer builds themselves were considerably skinnier than the Year 1 builds as a result, and in my opinion rarely outshined said Year 1 sets because of this.
    As for the Kreon figures themselves, as part of the "Quest for Energon" gimmick, the Transformers Kreons that come in the core sets have transparent blue or transparent purple torsos (depending upon their alliance), which can be used in place of their more "traditional" torsos. Given the lack of any paint detailing on the transparent bits, I think it's a nice little extra, but I tend to stick with the traditional, detailed, torsos. Due to the main line being based on the Transformers: Prime television now-- instead of the focus being on Dark of the Moon-- the designs of the Kreons (and some of the larger builds as well, such as the new Optimus Prime and Wheeljack, as well as Knockout) tend to hearken a bit more to their Prime designs as opposed to their movie versions. There's still a fair amount of G1-inspired Kreons and builds in there, though, such as Vortex and his Kreon.
    The year also introduced the first Kreon-focused sets, where the everything was scaled to the scale of the Kreons instead of having larger Transformer builds in the set. Both of them were cheap-- $12 each-- but they helped carve a new focus into the line and look pretty nice, if you can ignore nonsensical stuff like Cliffjumper having to ride an ATV and stuff like that.
    Listed below are the various KRE-O sets in the "Quest for Energon" line (prices are in U.S. dollars):
    -Battle for Energon set (contains Optimus Prime truck/robot build & Megatron tank/robot build, as well as a bank vault set and Optimus Prime, Megatron, security guard, and tank driver Kreons) ($40)
    -Cycle Chase set w/ motorcycle & roadblock set as well as a Barricade & 3 Autotrooper Kreons ($12)
    -Decepticon Ambush set w/ ATV & roadblock as well as a Cliffjumper & 3 Vehicon Kreons ($12)
    -Destruction Site Devastator (contains super robot Devastator build OR 4 robots [Drill Bit, Scavenger, Hightower, & Scrapper] OR 4 construction vehicles [drill machine, bulldozer, wrecking crane, & front-end loader, respectively] as well as a construction site set and Ironhide, Devastator, foreman, & 3 construction worker Kreons) ($80) NOTE: Exclusive to Toys "R" Us, for $100 this set was entitled "Autobot Assault Devastator" also contained a robot/truck Ironhide build, an outhouse addition to the set, and a gunner Kreon. The Devastator Kreon was also G2-colored.
    -Rotor Rage set (contains Vortex helicopter/robot build as well as an ATV and Vortex, ATV driver, and commander Kreons) ($25)
    -Stealth Bumblebee robot/sportscar build w/ security checkpoint stand set as well as a Bumblebee, dog, motorcycler, and 2 guard Kreons ($30)
    -Street Showdown set (contains Knock Out & Wheeljack sportscar/robot builds, as well as a roadblock set and Knock Out, Wheeljack, and 2 Driver Kreons) ($30)

Decepticon Ambush set w/ all Preview Wave Kreons

    In addition to the "Quest for Energon" sets, in Fall of 2012 a "preview" wave of Kreon "Microchangers" was released. Each figure could "transform" from vehicle to robot by swapping some accessories and parts, despite being a small Kreon. The vehicle and beast modes tended to be passable at best, horrible at worst. However, I consider the alt mode builds an extra considering they're only $3 a pop, so this doesn't bother me that much-- I display them all in their robot modes anyways. All of them in this wave were bad guys, which is a nice change from the usual Autobot-dominated releases. Due to the accessories required for both modes though, this means that there's extra pieces that the Kreon Microchanger needs to carry in both modes, and this requires a "flat jacket" accessory around the neck. Unfortunately, not only does a flak jacket look weird on a Transformer, it obscures the detailing on the chest underneath-- I really wish they would've made new plastic parts for these Microchangers to help out in this respect. Some of the re-used helmets are also a bit off-the-wall for the Microchangers. While some reuses-- like Sentinel Prime's helmet for Galvatron, or the Autotroopers' helmets for Crankstart-- work perfectly, there's some others that just don't fit the character's design at all, such as the Mirage helmet on Spinister or the Jazz helmet on Waspinator. On a more minor note, these Preview Microchangers don't come with their own "display brick" base, so you pretty much have to stick them on whatever available space you have left on the sets. As far as what Microchangers were in the "preview wave", there were six, and unfortunately they were blindbagged. However, by looking at a code imprinted on the back of the little packet each one comes in, you can avoid getting doubles. The last digit on the six-digit code tells you what Kreon is inside the little packet. The codes are:

    Crankstart – 0
    Scorponok – 1
    Waspinator – 2
    Spinister – 7
    Galvatron – 8
    Sunstorm – 9

Destruction Site Devastator set

    The second year of KRE-O Transformers brought some changes-- namely the smaller Transformer builds, as well as a slightly increased focus on Kreons, with some of the latter even "transforming" themselves. Although there are a few gems, such as the "Rotor Rage" set and the "Battle for Energon" set-- and the "Destruction Site Devastator" set is really unique, allowing you to build either Devastator or four different component bots/vehicles (though it's hard to support the heavy gestalt build on its own ball joints)-- overall I think the look of the designs has taken a bit of a step down because of the skinnier look of the builds. In addition, although they're cool for their little robot modes, the Kreon Microchangers have pretty poor alt modes. I think the Year 1 KRE-O sets, as a whole, surpass the "Quest for Energon" sets.

Overall Rating:6/10 Above Average
 

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