The toy and packaging variant thread

Discussion in 'Transformers Toy Discussion' started by Nevermore, Jun 8, 2019.

  1. Nevermore

    Nevermore It's self-perpetuating a parahumanoidarianised!

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    I thought it would be cool to have a dedicated catch-all thread to discuss and inquire about all sorts of variants. Regardless of whether it's a color difference, a running change in the deco, or a difference in the packaging layout and design, or even different packaging for different markets with additional/unknown foreign languages, alternate names and titles, or any weird graphics.

    I'll start with Armada Hot Shot. There was a change in the packaging design I wasn't aware of.

    I have no idea which one came first, so I'll label them with letters rather than numbers.

    Version A comes courtesy of Transformerland.com (second link) and this eBay auction.
    Armada Hot Shot A1a.jpg Armada Hot Shot A2a.JPG Armada Hot Shot A2b.JPG Armada Hot Shot A3a.jpg Armada Hot Shot A4a.JPG Armada Hot Shot A4b.JPG

    Version B comes courtesy of Transformerland.com, BWTF and this eBay auction.
    Armada Hot Shot B1a.JPG Armada Hot Shot B1b.JPG Armada Hot Shot B2a.jpg Armada Hot Shot B3a.jpg Armada Hot Shot B3c.jpg Armada Hot Shot B4a.JPG Armada Hot Shot B4b.JPG

    As you can see, there are many differences regarding the order of the English and French versions of several texts, numerous color highlights, the large toy's name being isolated while the Mini-Con is identified in three languages versus the entire product's name being presented in three languages, the "Transformers.com" button being lowercase versus uppercase, the placement of warning labels, safety warnings and the product code/assortment number, and more.

    And just before anyone brings up the idea that one version might be a "foreign release" or somesuch: At the time of Armada, the United States, Canada and Latin America supposedly all got the same trilingual packaging. The only other different "international" packaging was the European version... which featured six languages. Here is that version, courtesy of this eBay auction:
    Armada Hot Shot EU1a.jpg Armada Hot Shot EU1b.jpg


    Does anyone else own any variants, or is curious about any potential variants? Feel free to share, ask, and discuss!
     
    Last edited: Jun 8, 2019
  2. Nevermore

    Nevermore It's self-perpetuating a parahumanoidarianised!

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    Also, some old photos of Beast Hunters Deluxe Windrazor I took several years ago. Already a European/Asian only release due to Hasbro canceling the line in the US, there was a rare color variant! Between all the ones I found at local retail, I counted four different date stamps for the "yellow" version but only one date stamp for the "gray" version.
    WindrazorYellowGrayKaufhof_01.jpg WindrazorVariantComparison1.jpg WindrazorVariantComparison2.jpg WindrazorVariantComparison3.jpg WindrazorYellowGray_01.jpg WindrazorYellowGray_02.jpg WindrazorYellowGray_03.jpg WindrazorYellowGray_04.jpg WindrazorYellowTwinstrike_01.jpg WindrazorYellowTwinstrike_02.jpg WindrazorYellowTwinstrike_03.jpg WindrazorGrayTwinstrike_01.jpg WindrazorGrayTwinstrike_02.jpg WindrazorGrayTwinstrike_03.jpg WindrazorYellowDeluxeLegion_01.jpg WindrazorYellowDeluxeLegion_02.jpg WindrazorGrayDeluxeLegion_01.jpg WindrazorGrayDeluxeLegion_02.jpg WindrazorYellowGrayTwinstrikeDeluxeLegion_01.jpg WindrazorYellowGrayTwinstrikeDeluxeLegion_02.jpg WindrazorYellowGrayTwinstrikeDeluxeLegion_03.jpg
     
    Last edited: Jun 8, 2019
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  3. RKillian

    RKillian http://www.rktoyandhobby.com

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    I always wondered why Scooter had two different illustrations. Many 1983/1984 GoBot cards were reprinted with a free 3D sticker burst in 1985/1986. That wasn't enough to warrant new art though. Every single other GoBot that had new art had to be recolored to get it. Except Scooter. Was it because they originally drew, and photographed, his hands upside down?

    bots-gobots-tonka-vintage-scooter-27_1_5f3e6aff6b4f7c40930fc9125c7950ff.jpg 2df442de0ac518b6d64dc0d024f97a7d.jpg vintage-gobots-scooter-moc-hologram_1_e545a68c127c7bc059d6b02fa70b702a.jpg
     
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  4. Soundwavelover2004

    Soundwavelover2004 Well-Known Member

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    @Maz i know you have variants
     
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  5. analogue

    analogue 01110111 01100101 01100010 TFW2005 Supporter

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    Beat me to it...
     
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  6. Oniconvoy

    Oniconvoy The other black repaint

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    It was fun caring about stuff like this back in the day. When you had twenty new toy releases a year, things like variants were a great way to pad your interest in the hobby.

    These days, with hundreds of releases a year (official and 3P), I can’t imagine caring the same way that we once did.
     
  7. Maz

    Maz Square One TFW2005 Supporter

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    I only have G1 these days. Anything specific someone is looking for?

    All the best
    Maz
     
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  8. Nevermore

    Nevermore It's self-perpetuating a parahumanoidarianised!

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    I also own three versions of Beast Hunters Cyberverse Legion Soundwave. The original (European) Hasbro release with the same flat black paint for the face, the helmet and the area below the head (making it look like one giant head), the Japanese EZ Collection release with slightly lighter blue plastic and black paint only for the face itself, and the running change (European) Hasbro release with glossy black paint for the face that offers a slightly better contrast against the flat black paint used for the helmet and the area below the head.
     
  9. fschuler

    fschuler Post Count Inflated With Hot Air TFW2005 Supporter

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    How about something that is of particular interest to you!
     
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  10. Maz

    Maz Square One TFW2005 Supporter

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    Ah I see so it's just a discussion and sharing thread, not necessarily a quest to comprehensively cover any particular era or type of Transformer variant?

    All the best
    Maz
     
    Last edited: Jun 23, 2019
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  11. fschuler

    fschuler Post Count Inflated With Hot Air TFW2005 Supporter

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    I think we can make it anything we want...within the realm of TF toy and packaging variants, anyway. Maybe pick your favorite G1 toy and post all of the known toy and packaging variants available.
     
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  12. Nevermore

    Nevermore It's self-perpetuating a parahumanoidarianised!

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    Robots in Disguise (2015 toyline) Legion Clas Night Ops Bumblebee.

    One version features package art depicting Bumblebee in his original colors, the other one has the package art changed to reflect the toy's actual colors.
    RID_Legion_Night_Ops_Bumblebee-variant.jpg
    Photos courtesy of various auctions (one, two, three, four, some TFW2005 news stores (one, two), and Maz.

    None of these are to be confused with the European version (which only depicted the wrong colors as far as I'm aware), the rebranded "Mini-Con Weaponizers" re-release or the European version of the "Mini-Con Weaponizers" re-release.

    Also, let's not forget about this oddity: Thrilling 30 Legends Bumblebee with two different packaging layouts.
    Generations Legends Bumblebee with Blazemaster Packaging Variant - Transformers News - TFW2005
    cez2ip7bq8bxhti09_1371336046.jpg

    And there is a third variant too!

    Here is an updated overview:
    Thrilling 30 Bumblebee Blazermaster packaging variants.jpg

    This rabbit hole goes deeeeep. :) 

    (The "Canadian" release has a question mark because although the front of the packaging has an "Age Edad 5+" recommendation, which is typically indicative of Canadian/Latin American releases, the back of the packaging from that eBay auction has an English-only bio.)
     
    Last edited: Jun 9, 2019
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  13. iacon45

    iacon45 Missing: One Custom Title

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    The one packaging variant that comes to mind was Cybertron Defense Red Alert where some packages said just that while others just said "Red Alert". The one I had was the just "Red Alert" version but I remember a couple of friends of mine wanted that version because they collected packaging variants and all they could find was the "Cybertron Defense Red Alert" version. I ended up selling mine a while back but I wasn't sure if there was any big difference in value or not.
     
  14. Nevermore

    Nevermore It's self-perpetuating a parahumanoidarianised!

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    If I recall correctly, the "Red Alert" only version came first.

    Cybertron Red Alert variants.jpg
     
    Last edited: Jun 9, 2019
  15. engledogg

    engledogg Well-Known Member

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    This might be one a lot of people already know about, but there were multiple versions of packaging that could be found with the Ultra and Super Class Beast Wars Transmetal figures.

    The first release of Ultra Class Depth Charge (and Rampage) was packaged in a thinner box than later releases and features a sunburst pattern on the front of the box where it states, "3 Mode Conversion".

    Depth Charge photo courtesy of eBay, Rampage photo courtesy of shmax.com:
    depthchargesunburst.jpg 11132.jpg

    The later releases of Depth Charge (and Rampage) were packaged in a thicker box than were the initial releases and features an arrow pattern on the front of the box where it states, "3 Mode Conversion".

    Depth Charge and Rampage photo courtsty of BigBadToyStore.com:
    314.jpg 320.jpg

    Also, according to Fred's Workshop:
    Super Class Optimal Optimus also received the same early release starburst (photo courtesy of worthpoint.com), later release arrow (photo courtesy of BigBadToyStore.com) treatment.
    111.jpg 319.jpg

    MIKE
    engledogg
     
  16. engledogg

    engledogg Well-Known Member

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    2013 Prime Beast Hunters Ultimate Class Beast Hunter Optimus Prime was available in two different types of packaging in the U.S..

    The first release came in a shorter, narrow box that had the weapons located in a more prominent fashion, as seen here (photo courtesy of shmax.com).
    10967.jpg

    The second release came in a taller, wider box that concealed the weapons a bit more than the first release, making the product seem a bit more...I guess empty is the word. It can be seen here (photo courtesy of shmax.com).
    50376.jpg

    As far as international releases goes, this guy was also released in Canada/Latin America (photo courtesy of eBay.ca) and Europe (photos courtesy of Amazon.com and eBay.co.uk).

    Canada:
    s-l1600 (5).jpg
    The Canadian/Latin America release uses the first-release packaging type (shorter, narrow box). Can anyone confirm that the second type was ever released in Canada/Latin America?

    Europe:
    71ibJoywLYL._SL1000_.jpg s-l1600 (4).jpg

    It appears that the European packaging matches the second type that was released in the U.S. (taller, wider box). Similar to the question posed before, can anyone confirm that the first type (shorter, narrow box) was ever released in Europe?

    MIKE
    engledogg
     
    Last edited: Jun 23, 2019
  17. Nevermore

    Nevermore It's self-perpetuating a parahumanoidarianised!

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    Which version is this?
    TRUDuisburg2013-10-05_2.jpg
     
  18. engledogg

    engledogg Well-Known Member

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    Hmm...if I had to guess, I would say type 2. The lack of the shield being prominently displayed makes me wanna go with type 2, but then again, maybe the angle of the shot is obscuring it.

    MIKE
    engledogg

    Here's a "if you blinked, you might have missed it" type of variant from Robots in Disguise (2015).

    Deployer Blizzard Strike Drift came in two variants (horrible photos courtesy of me):

    Unpainted Crest vs Painted Crest
    P_20190624_174614.jpg vs P_20190624_181106_HDR.jpg

    Here are some close-ups of Drift's noggins, unpainted vs painted
    P_20190624_175216.jpg vs P_20190624_175543.jpg

    I should mention that I have researched both variants and have discovered both to exist in significant numbers, suggesting that neither are the result of a manufacturing error.

    I have reason to believe that the unpainted version was likely released first in that version was used for Hasbro's stock photography of the toy:
    59805.jpg

    The painted version was evidently released sometime later.

    MIKE
    engledogg
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jul 7, 2019
  19. Nevermore

    Nevermore It's self-perpetuating a parahumanoidarianised!

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    There's currently a "variant" of Siege Blackjack (basically, a factory error of Swindler in Blackjack's colors) being reported in News & Rumors.
    Seige WFC Blackjack variant found

    I'd like to point out that as far as I'm concerned, factory errors usually don't qualify as "variants" unless they're mass-produced. A singular, isolated error is an error, no different than a toy with two left hands or an unpainted face.


    I think the main exception would be when the error affected an entire production run and Hasbro then later commissioned a running change to amend the problem. Example: Generations (2010) Dirge, whose initial production run lacked the white section in the center of the crest of his Decepticon faction insignias, which was later fixed for a running change.
    Dirge variant.jpg

    Meanwhile, all these odd errors of Alternators and Binaltech Prowl aren't "variants".
    BTAltProwlMisassemblies.jpg
     
    Last edited: Jun 29, 2019
  20. Nevermore

    Nevermore It's self-perpetuating a parahumanoidarianised!

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    Here's a rather controversial variant:
    JazzMAGA.jpg JazznoMAGA.jpg

    I own both versions. The latter one is currently on display, while the first one has been moved to my junk/spare parts box.