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It’s the time of the year when everyone is scrambling, trying to figure out last-minute gifts. If you have a Transformers fan on your list, Hasbro has made sure there’s a wide variety of figures to choose from for fans young and old.

Hasbro recently sent me two big mailers, one celebrating Transformers’ 35th anniversary with exclusives from every current toy line, and another showcasing BotBots Series 3 (and teasing next year’s Season 4). Let’s dive in and take a closer look.

BotBots Bakery Bytes

BotBots Bakery Bytes

Color-changing only adds to the fun (Image: Anthony Karcz)

These Bakery Bytes sets on Amazon are fun repaints of characters introduced in Series 1. The difference is that they have color-change decos! Heat activated, once you hold your finger on the BotBot, stains and drips will be revealed. It reminds me a bit of the color-changing faction logos that used to be on everything from Transformers to Battle Beasts back in the ‘80s, and I love it. You can pick up a mystery five pack on Amazon for $9.99.

Transformers: Cyberverse

If you’re looking for something from the current Transformers: Cyberverse show, then your next stop should be Target for the exclusive Slipstream and Cheetor figures.

Transformers Slipstream

Still the best thing to ever come out of Transformers: Animated (Image: Anthony Karcz)

Slipstream (introduced way back in Transformers: Animated) is a cool purple and teal redeco and light retool of Starscream. Her deco is one of my absolute faves, reminding me of late ‘80s, early ‘90s Transformers. She’s 20% off this week at Target.

Transfomers Cyberverse Cheetor

But cats hate water! (Image: Anthony Karcz)

Cheetor is part of the absolutely fantastic Spark Armor line. Here, the kitty-bot is paired up with the battleship drone, Sea Fury, that splits and becomes his armor. There’s really no thematic thread here (like Optimus Prime and his Ark armor), but that doesn’t make it any less fun. They had me at “spring loaded anchor weapon.” He’s also on sale right now.

35th Anniversary Cel-Shaded Optimus Prime and Megatron

Transformers 35th Prime and Megatron

With colors that pop so much, you’ll transported back to afternoons after school (Image: Anthony Karcz)

The main event for any G1 fan in the 35th anniversary box is undoubtedly these cel-shaded Megatron and Optimus Prime figures.

Prime vs Megatron

Targetmasters not included (Image: Anthony Karcz)

They’re straight redecos of the original War for Cybertron: Siege figures, but the bright colors and faux reflections really capture the feel of the original characters from the 1984 cartoon.

Megatrons

35th Anniversary Megatron (front) vs. regular release Megatron (back) (Image: Anthony Karcz)

The new decos make the design of the Siege figures shine as well, making clear details and panels that their darker, muddied decos obscured. You can pick them up (along with other actual G1 figures, if your local store is lucky enough to have them) at a nearby Walmart.

BotBots Series 3

BotBots Box

The best gifts come in giant packages (Image: Anthony Karcz)

The other box from Hasbro contained a massive amount of Series 3 BotBots!

BotBots Promo Box

That box in the back is chock-full of mystery singles! (Image: Anthony Karcz)

In addition to the repaints we’ve come to expect in each new series, there are also four new tribes. The Goo Goo Groupies are all baby-themed items.

BotBots Series 3 Bottom

(Image: Anthony Karcz)

Season Greeters are Halloween and Christmas items. Playroom Posse is made up of toys and games. And finally, the Fresh Squeezes is made up of a few cup-based BotBots and new fruit-themed characters.

BotBots Series 3 Top

(Image: Anthony Karcz)

While all the new decos are fun, it’s really the new molds in the Season Greeters that take the spotlight here.

BotBots Seasons Greeters

Adorable enough that they get to be out with the decorations (Image: Anthony Karcz)

Halloween Knight the jack-o-lantern, Meltzdown the snowman, and Wizengreen the Christmas tree are intensely fun (and will be much sought after). But check out the entire Series 3 set and see if there’s something you want to hunt down!

They’re out now in 8-packs, 5-packs, and mystery singles.

BotBots Series 4

Also included in the box was a teaser for BotBots Series 4 coming next year! The big surprise in Series 4 will be the inclusion of incredibly rare, all-gold (not real gold) BotBots in the Winner’s Circle tribe.

BotBots Series 4 Top

(Image: Anthony Karcz)

In addition, we’ll see new bots as part of the Magic Tricksters, Movie Moguls, and Science Alliance – Dr. Flaskenstein is going to be a must-have.

BotBots Series 4 Bottom

(Image: Anthony Karcz)

There are also some great redeco tribes coming in 2020. Los Deliciosos is my favorite of these. But then again, who can risk a BotBot called Lunchador? Take a peek at the full Series 4 checklist and let me know what’s your favorite!

Anthony Karcz
Anthony Karcz is a pop culture, sci-fi, and fantasy junkie, with an affinity for 80s cartoons. When he isn't dispensing (mostly sound) technological advice on the Forbes.com Technology blog, Anthony can be found on BookRiot.com, SyFy.com, and GeekDad.com.

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