Kre-O - Transformers Wiki
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Car me now!
Kre-O is Hasbro's second foray into the world of brick-based construction toy sets, several years after the ignoble effort that was Built to Rule!
Unveiled at Toy Fair 2011, Transformers was the first Hasbro brand to be released as Kre-O construction brick kits. The kits (generally) center around a Transformers character that can be taken apart and reassembled into a vehicle. Mini-figures called Kreons are also included in the larger kits, and these mini-figures are a mix of Transformers characters and human drivers (mostly nameless generics). Prices range from $7.99 to $59.99, plus individually-bagged Kreon figures at $2.99.
The line launched in the US on June 6th, 2011. Since then, Kre-O has expanded into a multi-property brand, with sets based on other Hasbro franchises including G.I. Joe, Battleship, and Dungeons & Dragons, as well as the licensed properties Star Trek and Cityville Invasion.
In 2013, TakaraTomy brought the line to Japan, primarily the second-year Transformers sets.
Currently, the line is in a sort-of limbo in most of Hasbro's markets. The 2015 series mostly shipped only to Canada and Asian markets, with US releases relegated to closeout stores, and several items not being released at all. As of 2016, most "new" Kre-O product in the US was made up of mostly re-released and repackaged kits sold through discount chains like Dollar General, and some all-new kits based on the DreamWorks Trolls movie. In China, the line continues under the Armor Hero Captor brand, a live-action tokusatsu TV series similar to the Kamen Rider series.
It's not LEGO! But it sure works with LEGO. LEGO employees are asked to please not view this webpage.
Contents
Building sets
2011
The first series saw widespread brick-and-mortar distribution in the US. The main focus of the sets were large robot/vehicle builds with a lot of parts. Really a lot. Limbs were many times thick masses of panel-parts laid over each other, and many sets had extremely limited posability, with simple swivel elbows & knees. The large builds mashed up aspects of designs from the live-action film series and Generation 1, with the accompanying Kreons (most sets included at least one; the same character as the large build) sticking to a strictly G1-inspired aesthetic. Most of the helmet designs used for Kreons in later years originated here, being uniquely tooled for each character (or shared between those who have traditionally shared molds). Regrettably, the Kreons came with a fair number of tolerance issues.
Optimus Prime, the biggest of the first-year sets (naturally).
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2012 (Quest for Energon)
The second-year Kre-O Transformers sets mark a definite change in style. Dubbed "Quest for Energon", each set contains several "energon" pieces; at least one clear-plastic Kreon torso (blue for Autobots, purple for Decepticons), and several clear-purple "Dark Energon" parts to assemble a giant "ultimate Dark Energon weapon". The robot/vehicle builds in this year's sets are generally smaller, simpler, and less reliant on the "massive stack of flat plates" construction style common in the first year, relying a lot more on large ball-and-socket-jointed bricks to build limbs and bodies around.
There was a heavier focus on the Kreons overall, with mini-playsets, mini-vehicles and a pair of army builder sets. In contrast to the strong G1 focus of the first year, robot Kreons were more often based on their Aligned continuity family incarnations, with Knock Out receiving a new helmet piece all of his own. New helmets were also produced for Ironhide and Wheeljack; collectively, the parts created in the first two years would be reused for the vast majority of Kreons produced down the line. Human Kreons had new arm-pieces with rounded-off shoulders, rather than the blocky shoulders of all first-year Kreons, and came with their own headgear.
In the US, this series saw a step down in terms of distribution, setting the tone for years to come. Walmart stopped carrying Kre-O after its first year (with one tiny exception), and only Toys"R"Us appeared to carry the entire second-year assortment; the "Rotor Rage" and "Destruction Site Devastator" sets in particular didn't seem to show up at certain retailers.
Most of these sets were also made available in Japan as part of the initial Kre-O roll-out by TakaraTomy.
- Battle for Energon
- Kreons: Optimus Prime, Megatron, Security Officer, Tank Driver
- Cycle Chase
- Kreons: Barricade, three Autobot Troopers
- Decepticon Ambush
- Kreons: Cliffjumper, three Vehicons
- Destruction Site Devastator
- Kreons: Devastator, Ironhide, Foreman, three Construction Workers
- Rotor Rage
- Kreons: Vortex, Commando, ATV Driver
- Stealth Bumblebee
- Kreons: Bumblebee, two Security Guards, Bulldog, Biker
- Street Showdown
2013 (Beast Hunters)
Bringing the series in-line with the then-current Beast Hunters branding of Prime, the focus of this years' sets were buildable beasts. Every kit came with one, though one set had a huge buildable beast with an alternate robot build. None of the other beasts have official robot builds, but hey, try making your own! Interestingly, the human Kreons were based on specific Transformers human characters from prior series rather than the prior two years' nameless generics... much to the bafflement of the fandom, who wanted them to be doing that from the get-go.
This series was even more limited in its US distribution, seemingly available only at Toys"R"Us and Meijer, though some sets eventually filtered out into discount stores.
- Autobot Command Center
- Battle Net Bumblebee
- Beast Blade Optimus Prime
- Kreons: Optimus Prime, Energon Kicker
- Dragon Assault
- Kreons: Trailcutter
- Mech Venom Strike
- Kreons: Windcharger
- Ripclaw Strike
- Kreons: Ripclaw, Col. Daniel Witwicky
2014 (Age of Extinction)
Tying in with that big new movie in 2014, the 2014 Kre-O line-up features dinosaurs aplenty. Many sets also feature "Dino Force Technology", which are pieces that include magnets in them so claws and dino-maws can snatch up Kreons wearing ferrous-metal backpacks or helmets. Each set also comes with a red 2x4 Kre-O brick.
Notably, this line also marks the complete abandonment of the 'rebuild to transform' play pattern, in favor of the playset approach more typical of construction brick toys. As part of this change, human Kreons now use the small body style that debuted in the Kre-O CityVille Invasion line, to indicate a scale difference between them and the normal-sized Transformer Kreons.
By this point, Kre-O in its entirety became officially a Toys"R"Us exclusive toyline.
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2015 (Robots In Disguise/Generation 1)
2015's Kre-O product was largely split between sets based on the new Robots in Disguise series, and Kreon-focused Generation 1-based product. Unfortunately, this is also the year that Kre-O all but vanished from US store shelves, relegated to Canada and Hasbro Asia markets. Even Toys"R"Us dropped the line, and it wasn't until the latter half of the year when various sets began to filter into the US through discount chains like TJ Maxx and Marshalls, though some older sets got a second life through "dollar" stores (see below).
This was accompanied by a change in Kreon construction, including new hands designed with a raised "upper" part so they can act as pegs (aka "just like LEGO Minifigures"), and a new inner post in the torso that slides into the waistpiece's now-hollow spine-post, allowing for a sturdier grip, needed for the much larger Kreon builds of most of the Generation-1-based sets. The 2x4 logo blocks were also dropped, replaced by a 3x4 flat plate with an unpainted Kre-O logo, but included only in the blindbagged toys.
- Robots in Disguise
- This series is based heavily on "vehicle" play, with non-transforming rigs loosely based on their pilots' alternate modes, though each one does have some sort of "action feature".
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- Battle Changers
- After four years, the line finally releases buildable Transformers figures that transform "traditionally" rather than needing to be taken apart and rebuilt. How successful they are at this... varies. The figures are mostly based on their "Generation 1" forms, with some concessions to more modern media.
| Collection 1 | Collection 2 | Versus Pack Collection 1
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Kreon Triple Changer (canceled) |
- Kreon Warriors
- Replacing Micro-Changers (see below) as the Kre-O line's blind-bagged assortment, Kreon Warriors features popular characters reimagined as historical warriors. Unlike their predecessors, the Kreon Warriors do not have vehicle modes. Their G1-y-ness is variable, with some versions owing a bit more to their Prime or live-action film series iterations in the facial feature department.
- This series has no identifying markings on their bags to tell buyers exactly what's inside. On top of that, these never saw release in the US, coming out in Canada and various Asian markets.
| Collection 1 | Collection 2 | Collection 3 (Canceled) | Collection 4 (Canceled) |
Pirate Starscream |
- Kreon Mini-Con Combiners
- One of the more bizarre items in the line, these sets come with one standard Kreon and four Cityville mini Kreons of the same character, each one a different incarnation from various franchises. With some extra parts, the mini-Kreons become limbs to make a larger combiner-bot.
- Unfortunately, like the Battle Changer Triple Changers, these items apparently never saw release anywhere. Pity.
Proceed on your way to oblivion.
This item has been canceled, with no current plans for release.
2015~2017 ("Budget store" releases)
Starting in mid-2015, numerous Kre-O Transformers sets were repackaged (sometimes combining multiple smaller sets) in a new red-box style, sold only at Dollar General stores in the US, for considerably lower than the original sets went for. Curiously, the packaging and instructions omit any reference to the large robot builds... yet the extra parts for the robot builds are still in the box, and the "robot only" parts are still in the parts checklist in the back. Why they did this is a mystery. These sets continued to come out in following years, and were joined by choice repackagings of Cityville Invasion, Dungeons & Dragons, and eventually G.I. Joe sets, shipped all together (but we won't list those because of The Reason).
Wave 1 (2015)
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Wave 2 (2016)
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Wave 3 (2016) | ||||||
| Wave 4 (2017) |
Meanwhile, five Brick Box sets saw wider release at Dollar General, Family Dollar, Big Lots and Ollies stores. These $5 cubes come with two bags of bricks and at least one Kreon. The first two sets released are simple repackagings of prior smaller kits. While these releases come with all of the Kreons and parts of the original releases, there are no instructions, apparently an attempt to pass the set off as a "build what you want" deal. Three more sets were released later, only with a single all-new 2015-style Kreon and two bags of parts per box. The larger bags of parts all come from previous older sets. The second bag in each is a seemingly random collection of parts in the same color palette as the other bag. And no instructions. Weird!
Wave 1 (2015)
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Wave 2 (2016)
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Wave 3 (2016)
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Lugnut, 2015-style.
In addition to all this, Collections 1 through 3 of the blind-bagged Micro-Changers were re-released, at first primarily through Dollar General, but by 2017 expanding into Walgreens as well. These are new versions of the toys, re-made with 2015-style Kreon bodies, altered tampographs, some plastic color changes, a handful of parts changes... and no individual-identifying codes on the bags, so hope you're good at the "feel through the bag" method. (See below for links to the individual Micro-Changers in those assortments.) Bizarrely, in addition to keeping the flak jackets for the collection 1 re-release, the pack previews show the new tampographs *on* the flack jackets, a change that apparently did not make it through to production.
Micro-Changers
Introduced in 2012, the Micro-Changers sub-line adds a new element to Kreon figures; extra parts allow each figure to "transform" into a vehicle or beast (or whatever).
For more extensive information on this series, see Micro-Changer.
Blind-bagged figures
This portion of the line features individual blind-packaged Kreons. During the initial run, code numbers printed on each bag allowed you to know which figure is inside... or at least avoid buying two of the same by accident. For all Collections, only the last two numbers are important for identification, so those are the only ones we're showing. The final assortment and the re-releases of prior sets lack ID numbers, so good luck feeling out parts through the bag!
Collections 1 through 3 have been re-made with the 2015-style Kreon bodies and re-released through Dollar General and Walgreens stores in the US.
Preview Series
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Collection 1
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Collection 2 | Collection 3
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Preview Series
Collection 3
Age of Extinction Collection 1 | ||||
Collection 4
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Age of Extinction Collection 1 | Age of Extinction Collection 2 |
Micro-Changers Combiners
Four Kreons per pack combine into one larger robot. Each set also comes with a single red stand-block, and extra limb pieces. Just in case. As most of the original teams these sets are based on have five or six members, the "lost" members saw release through the blind-bagged series. The last assortment is a group of completely made-up combiners: Grimstone, Lazerbolt, Volcanicon, and Obsidian.
| Wave 1 | Wave 2 | Wave 3 | Wave 4 |
Custom Kreons
First released at the back-end of 2013, the individually-carded Custom Kreons include a number of extra body parts and accessories, many chromed or translucent. They also come with a customizable "rack" to store their unused parts. Returning characters typically have altered and more extensive tampographs across most of their opaque parts.
For more extensive information on this series, see Custom Kreon.
| Collection 1 | Collection 2 | Age of Extinction Collection 1 | Age of Extinction Collection 2 |
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| Age of Extinction Collection 3 | Robots in Disguise Collection 1 | Robots in Disguise Collection 1 (2017) |
Store exclusives
CostCo exclusives
- Megatron with Sideswipe (30668/31771) - a twin-pack of the regular release sets above with no changes.
- Starscream with Prowl (30667/30690) - a twin-pack of the regular release sets above with no changes.
Toys"R"Us exclusives
- Autobot Assault Devastator
- Set number: A1266
- Kreons: Devastator, Ironhide, Foreman, three Construction Workers, Gunner
- An expanded version of the "Destruction Site Devastator" set, adding a large Ironhide robot/truck build, a "Gunner" Kreon, and a port-a-potty (yes really). The Devastator Kreon is also in Generation 2 style yellow-and-purple rather than the original bright-green-and-purple.
- Transformers: Age of Extinction Blu-ray / DVD
- Kreons: Optimus Prime, Galvatron
- Special packaging to include 2 exclusive Kreons with different print from other regular release of the same characters. These Kreons are available with either Blu-Ray Combo or DVD only set.
Family Mart (Taiwan)
Released in 2012 in Taiwan in conjunction with a toy fair. The USB hub is almost 4 times larger than normal Kreons, while the other 5 figures are almost 2 times larger.
- 8" (20 cm) Optimus Prime USB Hub
- Oversized Kreon Optimus Prime with 4 USB 1.1 ports
- Stylus Pen - approximately 3" (7 cm) with detachable head that can be used as a stylus
- Optimus Prime & Starscream
- LED Lights - approximately 3" (7 cm) with light up chest
- Bumblebee, Sideswipe & Megatron
Universal Studios
- Kreon 4-pack
- Set number: A9370
- Kreons: Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, Megatron, Evac
- Only available at Universal Studios gift shops, this set features four unique Kreons based on the in-park "costumes" and ride-exclusive character Evac.
- Kreon 4-pack
- Set number: B6094
- Kreons: Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, Megatron, Evac
- In 2015, this set was re-made with the new-mold Kreon bodies, sold under a different item number.
- Kreon 4-pack
- Set number: E5029
- Kreons: Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, Megatron, N.E.S.T. Sentry
- In 2020, this set was re-made again, this time replacing Evac with a different figure representing a NEST Sentry.
Convention & Club Exclusives
- Machine Wars (Botcon 2013 Kreon Souvenir Figure Set, 2013)
- The Machine Wars five-pack was exclusive to BotCon 2013, limited to 1500 pieces. They have generally more parts than the Kreons packed in with larger Kre-O sets, but do not have alternate vehicle builds like Micro Changers.
- Kreon Micro-Changers 6-figure set (Botcon 2014 Kreon Souvenir Figure set, 2014)
- A BotCon 2014 six-figure set commemorating 20 years of BotCon exclusives with Kreons of past exclusives. This time they're also Micro-Changers, with generally more parts and paint than most retail Micro-Changers.
- Kreon Class of 1984 (San Diego Comic Con 2014)
- Released in July 2014 at San Diego Comic-Con, this set contains 30 exclusive Kreons and accessories from G1 series.
- Kreon Class of '85 (San Diego Comic Con 2015)
- Released in 2015 at San Diego Comic-Con, this set contains 30 exclusive Kreons and accessories from G1 series.
- Carzap (TFSS Deluxe, 2015)
- Part of the third year of the Transformers Figure Subscription Service, the Block Town-inspired Carzap comes with a G.B. Blackrock Kreon and a Kre-O gas pump that turn into an anti-aircraft blaster station.
- Kreon Souvenir Figure Set (Botcon 2015 Kreon Souvenir Figure set, 2015)
- Kreons: Autobot Spike, Dr. Arkeville, Nightbird, Robot Master, Sentinel Prime, Headmaster
- A BotCon 2015 six-figure set with a rough theme of "human antagonists", be they actual humans or human-built machines.
Promotional releases
- Matrix Optimus Prime Kreon
- Promotional item given at BotCon 2011, as a special mail-in promotion through the Kre-O website and a give away with the UK Doctor Who Adventures comic. Redeco of Optimus Prime Kreon showing the Matrix of Leadership.
- Energon Bumblebee Kreon
- An exclusive New York Comic Con 2012 handout, this redeco of the Bumblebee Kreon is done entirely in translucent blue plastic, and comes in its own special little window box with an outer sleeve.
- Constructicon Devastator Kreon
- A Devastator Kreon sporting an orange Generation 2 deco and including a translucent purple pistol based on Generation 1 Megatron's alternate mode. Packaged in an individual window box and handed out with Kre-O purchases at Toys"R"Us stores, as well as BotCon 2013.
- Orion Pax Kreon
- Based on Orion Pax's appearance from "War Dawn", this was available with the Transformers: Kre-O Character Encyclopedia.
- Dinobot Ride Polybag
- Polybag of a mini buildable Grimlock and a Cityville-sized mini Optimus Prime Kreon. Given out at Toys"R"Us during build-a-figure event. Also available in selected Asian countries as a gift with purchase at stores.
- Elite Optimus Prime polybag
- Another polybag with buildable Optimus Prime with larger hands and legs on a Kreon sized torso. This figure was given out at Toys"R"Us Canada during build-a-figure event while Asian countries saw a very limited retail release.
- "Winter" Optimus Prime Kreon
- Optimus Prime in winter clothing and orange skis were handed out during Toy Fair 2015.
- "Soccer" Bumblebee Kreon
- Bumblebee in a soccer player getup. This polybag item was canceled, and its original release plans unknown.
Proceed on your way to oblivion.
This item has been canceled, with no current plans for release.
- "Summer" Drift Kreon
- Drift decked out in a gaudy Hawaiian shirt and shorts. This polybag item was canceled, and its original release plans unknown.
Proceed on your way to oblivion.
This item has been canceled, with no current plans for release.
Media
Videos
A series of videos have been released on Hasbro's Kre-O website and on YouTube, featuring the wacky antics of the Kre-O Transformers and their Kreons.
Games
Multiple online games have been released to promote the Kre-O Transformers line. Hasbro also held a Kre-O promotional event in the video game Roblox in late 2014.
Books
- Awesome Autobots Activity Book—actually mainly a Prime book, but it has four Kre-O bonus pages and is co-branded on the cover, as well as coming with a free Matrix Optimus Prime Kreon.
- Transformers: Kre-O Character Encyclopedia
Online comics
Short tongue-in-cheek gag strips drawn and written by Hayato Sakamoto and Makoto Wakabayashi for TakaraTomy's Kre-O site.
Notes
- Kre-O bricks were manufactured by Korean toy company Oxford,[1] who had been making not-LEGO sets for a while, up through 2014. However, it is very much a lot of new part design work, especially the far more involved construction of the Kreons; Oxford's pre-Kre-O mini-figures were basically straight-up LEGO Minifigure construction. The 2015 Kre-O product seems to have been produced by Hasbro proper, which would explain a lot of the changes to the product for that year, including the almost completely altered Kreons.
- Kreon Hound was among the upcoming items revealed at BotCon 2011, but the Kreon shown was ultimately never released. (Bagged samples of the original have since made their way to the secondary market.) Hound would not properly appear in Kreon form until midway through 2014 as a Custom Kreon with different deco. Amusingly, the original Hound helmet has become one of the most ubiquitous among the Kreons thanks to its very generic styling.
- Small images of a Kre-O Transformers set featuring a big mechanical scorpion and another set featuring a buildable Soundwave were shown at Toy Fair 2012 during the slide presentation, as part of the demonstration of the "build a big energon weapon from parts of the different sets" concept. Neither were present in the showroom or mentioned in the press materials. This same slide was shown during a presentation at BotCon 2012, again with no explicit mention of the mechanical scorpion or Soundwave.
- While the Kre-O bricks and such are compatible with LEGO bricks, take care with mixing Kreon and Minifigure parts, particularly helmets. Full-coverage Kreon helmets like Optimus Prime's and Soundwave's are a bit tight, and getting a LEGO Minifigure head out of them is exceedingly difficult. They'll pop off the neck before the helmet relinquishes the head. Open-face helmets like Starscream's, where you can get a "grip" on the head with the pad of your finger, should be fine. Just be a bit careful you don't scrape face-paint off.
- The LEGO company has since released sets that are explicitly marketed as being able to assemble as robots and various vehicles and aircraft, very similar to the Transformers Kre-O concept. In 2022, long after Kre-O was discontinued, LEGO announced a collaboration with Hasbro, 10302 Optimus Prime.
- Several Kre-O bricks are reuses of Hasbro's long defunct Built to Rule! interlocking brick system. Most Kre-O bricks, that is parts not designed specifically for Kreons, with detailed moulded surfaces (especially where the LEGO counterpart has a smooth surface) are Built to Rule! parts.