Thinking back as a kid in the 80's, it seemed that there was a surprise around every corner. For example, a trip to the department store wasn't just a 15 min drive for some socks or shoes, no, in the back of my mind, it was the toy aisle that had something new to offer. I had no idea what I would see, but that didn't matter. My job was to butter up mom before I found what I was looking for. Once there, I tried to contain my excitement as I "raced walked" to the aisle that had something waiting for me.
Many collectors today have lost touch with that younger self. Admittingly, it would be unfair to compare the excitement of our younger years to our lives now, which are infused with adult responsibility. Yes today, so many of us are caught in a web of internet sales, individual preorders, and convention exclusives. The magic of just walking into a store and seeing something that sparks that childlike imagination has passed. Could we ever get a taste of what we remembered?
It was a neat change up for me to find a toy line that has rekindled those warm feelings yet again.
Hasbro's "Titans Return" toy line pays tribute to the classic G1 Transformer toys by recreating recognizable characters we grew up with. The Titans toyline is not new, as a matter a fact it debuted back in 2016, but, it was the release of the Minibots (legends class), that grabbed my attention. Remeber the Minibots? The 1985 Minibots were primarily produced for the financially challenged families, like mine. These pocket-sized heroes gave many kids a chance to explore and collect transformer toys that we typically could not afford. But let's face it; whether you were in that economic class or not, these Minibots were just too neat. I mean, a transformer that could be stored in your pocket was not only convenient but also practical. Take'em to school, hide them from the teacher, oh and mix them in with your Hot Wheels. And like 1985, these new bots are priced right. The 1985 Minibots averaged 3-4 bucks. When adding your typical inflation, that would be about nine bucks today. These modern remakes retail for $9.99 and give more articulation/detail without losing the essence of the original characters.
The appeal of these Minibots is, that although not straight reissues, they are very nostalgic. Most are decorated in the proper paint schemes and sculpted faces that take directly from the original cartoon series. When I saw bumblebee sitting on the pegs of Target, there was no mistaking him. He was the only one, so I grabbed him, could there be more I wondered? When I found out that there were not just one, but seven of these mini classic remakes, I had a new reason to visit the toy aisle.
It looks like Hasbro has tapped the nostalgic button by producing more icons from the past, which is great! This line seems to be relatively easy to locate, and more G1 classic characters are looking to being added to a second line titled, "Power of the Primes."
Power of the Primes brings back some of the most iconic characters from the original G1 lineup. And the ones I'll be on the hunt for, are the Dinobots! Yep, their back in all other 80's paint scheme glory.
So if you have been board scrolling through the online toy stores, do the kid in you a favor, and get to the toy aisle again and grab these nostalgic bots while you can.