Transformers: Age of the Primes toyline discussion ll Update: 2026 Product revealed - Combaticons, Beast Wars and more Primes

[Platypus Prime]

That's actually a good point though...I wonder if the reason they DIDN'T go for 'cheap repaint multipack' was because of Dinoking, and the possible Monstructor coming up later. Core Dinobots in G2 colors would maybe not be mistaken for Dinoking, but Monstructor's bright color clashes, depending on the amount of so-far-assumed remolding, could easily have struck someone not toy-lore-versed as 'the same thing'.

My fantasy-world solution: Pack the core bots into non-melty Monster Shells so the similarity doesn't show right away.

 

[wonko the sane?]

Alright, so I finally opened alpha trion. Looks great in robot mode, looks awesome in vehicle mode, very unique set of accessories (no real weapon, but then... the pen IS mightier than the sword.).

My take away? He fits perfectly on the back of titans return alpha trion. Almost like he was supposed to ride himself into battle.

 

[Undead Scottsman]

Although I would like actually small characters (Micromasters, cassette-bots, etc) in Legends size, I won't miss the line in general. I didn't see the point in buying the same characters again as smaller and less articulated toys.

1. Not everyone (especially kids) has the money to get more than a couple of deluxe, voyager or leader scale figures.
2. You can get a bunch of 'em for less money if you want to make a big display without breaking the bank.
3. Space considerations; smaller figures means they take up less room.

 

[CoffeeHorse]

Consider Earthrise Leader Optimus Prime's trailer, and Core Optimus Prime's trailer. The Core set is smaller and cheaper but you can't say it's worse.

 

[Shadewing]

Personally I wonder if core didnt get cancelled to stop self competition between main line and Cyberworld.

 

[unluckiness]

I think the hodgepodge nature of the line contributed to its cancellation. In the same line, you have small versions of classic characters, characters who are supposed to be small, small versions of more obscure characters without bigger toys and weaponizers that don’t weaponize. Having several waves in a row flooded by largely same-y looking gray Dinobots didn’t help.

 

[Haywire]

Core class is kind of a double-edged sword; I, personally, would prefer my collection to be primarily smaller Core-scale figures (and between the eras of DotM and RiD15 this was largely the case), but that makes things i like such as cassette bots and Targetmaster buddies nearly impossible.
Also, Hasbro seems a lot less willing to invest a lot of retooling in smaller figures like they do in the larger ones.
And, not everyone wants smaller or less-complex figures.
Lastly, most of us have likely spent years collecting figures in the deluxe-based scale, which would make changing scales difficult and expensive.

 

[unluckiness]

I liked how the DOTM and Prime series handled Cyberverse by taking advantage of the reduced size to be able to make playsets and vehicles that would never fly at the standard Deluxe and up scale. It really set the scale apart from Legends, which until then was just low-budget versions of better toys.

 

[Shadewing]

Personally I saw Core-Class versions of big guys as perfect for displays with titans and combiners and such to make them seem much bigger.

With Core class I can replicate something like this:

I can't do that with a deluxe or voyager sized figure. One scale is never gonna work for TF toys, and while there will never be a perfect scale, Core versions of regular characters give me extra display options.

 

[CoffeeHorse]

The first big mistake was deciding not to make the Ark a playset. I don't know if it was ever going to be one or if that was ever a thought in the minds of the Core designers, but the timing made Core look like a relic of an abandoned plan. The missed opportunity just seemed so obvious, and Core otherwise didn't do anything to complement the rest of Kingdom or stand out in its own right. DOTM Cyberverse had playsets and trailers on day 1. Core on day 1 was just there, looking like an afterthought.

 

[lastmaximal]

I liked how the DOTM and Prime series handled Cyberverse by taking advantage of the reduced size to be able to make playsets and vehicles that would never fly at the standard Deluxe and up scale. It really set the scale apart from Legends, which until then was just low-budget versions of better toys.

This, for me.

Core was cool on a few levels; one, it allowed for this, where we'd get little versions that could hang with the Titans (it seemed tailor made for Kingdom, where there was an Ark they could be displayed with). Two, it offered a venue for characters who had to be that size in the rough scale that they do.

The problem was multifold, and tied to each of those. First, you need a big line and not one price point to cover a satisfying amount of cast members. As it was, we got a handful of molds and their redecos. Then branched out of G1, giving us random one-offs that had no one from their casts to hang out with. Original Cyberverse committed, and more or less completed admittedly smaller and tighter casts. (To be fair, most of those were Legion class, so not really analogous to Core class?)

Second, they keep redoing the small characters and scaling up anyway, just like they do with everyone else, so the other source for the line gets cannibalized. At one point it was neat that they got a second shot at Wheelie and made a full transforming figure out of him at that "right" price point. But even that figure was doomed to redundancy because of course they'd make a Deluxe out of Wheelie just like all the other minibots.