We buy toys! Learn more...

1989 Transformers Toys

Back to Top


By 1989, The Transformers toyline was practically bifurcated into two nearly separate lines. The new Micromasters, sold with miniature playsets or in teams of four, formed half of the year's releases, while a new variety of Pretenders comprised the other half. The year showed a small surge in popularity, as the new Micromasters rode the craze of miniature toys spawned by Galoob's Micro Machines. However, the modern-day scarcity of 1989's Pretenders indicates the original sales of that line.

1989 saw a general downsizing. The Pretenders were smaller, the inch-long Micromasters replaced any full-size non-Pretenders, and only a handful of toys were large enough to justify packaging in a box rather than a blister card. The Micromasters filled the lower price points with a wider variety than had been available in years previous, and sold quite well as a result. The added benefit of interaction with the larger playsets, and the interconnectivity between those playsets closely mimicked a play patter that was making Galoob an iconic toymaker of the period.

Japans 1989 lineup, entitled Victory, looked nothing like the Hasbro selection. It included many all-new molds including several new combiner teams. Many of the figures were larger, and most of the Micromasters wouldn't see release by Takara until the following year. This was the year that Hasbro and Takara's Transformers were most divergent.

In Europe, a different scene was unfolding. Hasbro released most of the same toys seen in the US, but for some reason unlicensed versions of the original 1984 and 1985 characters were cropping up in stores with bargain-basement prices. As it turned out, Hasbro's Mexican licensee, Plasticos IGA, had huge amounts of overstock that couldn't be sold anywhere in Central America. In order to get out from under the stock, they exported it wholesale to Europe, where it competed directly with Hasbro's new products. Hasbro had to formulate an answer – IGA's unlicensed (in Europe) sales posed a legitimate threat. As it turns out, there was still a demand for the classic characters of 1984/5.

Despite the initial successes of the Micromasters at capturing the toy craze of the day, Transformers was on its way out in the US. Hasbro would attempt to revitalize the line one more time before it slinked into oblivion.

 

Pretender Monsters (Monstructor)

Birdbrain
Request
Bristleback
Request
Icepick
Request
Monstructor
Request
Scowl
Request
Slog
Request
Wildfly
Request

Brainmasters (Road Caesar)

Blacker
Request
Braver
Request
Laster
Request
Road Caesar
Request

Breastforce (Liokaiser)

Drillhorn
Request
Guyhawk
Request
Hellbat
Request
Jaruga
Request
Killbison
Request
Leozack
Request
Liokaiser
Request

Dinoforce (Dinoking)

Dinoking
Request
Doryu
Request
Gairyu
Request
Goryu
Request
Kakuryu
Request
Rairyu
Request
Yokuryu
Request

Multiforce (Landcross)

Dashtacker
Request
Landcross
Request
Machtackle
Request
Wingwaver
Request

A Real American Hero (ARAH)

Action Figures

Alley Viper
Request
Annihilator
Request
Backblast
Request
Countdown
Request
Deep Six
Request
Downtown
Request
Frag-Viper
Request
Gnawgahyde
Request
H.E.A.T. Viper
Request
Night-Viper
Request
Recoil
Request
Rock and Roll
Request
Scoop
Request
Snake Eyes
Request
Stalker
Request
T.A.R.G.A.T.
Request

Battle Force 2000

Dee-Jay
Request
Pulverizer
Request

Gift Sets

Mudfighter and H.I.S.S. II with Dogfight and Track-Viper
Store Exclusive
Request

Micro-Figures

Micro-Figures Set
Mail-Away Exclusive
Request

Night Force

Charbroil and Repeater
Toys 'R' Us Exclusive
Request
Lightfoot and Shockwave
Toys 'R' Us Exclusive
Request
Muskrat and Spearhead & Max
Toys 'R' Us Exclusive
Request
Night Boomer
Toys 'R' Us Exclusive
Request
Night Ray
Toys 'R' Us Exclusive
Request
Night Scrambler
Toys 'R' Us Exclusive
Request

Python Patrol

Asp
Request
Conquest
Request
Python Copperhead
Request
Python Crimson Guard
Request
Python Officer
Request
Python Tele-Viper
Request
Python Trooper
Request
Python Viper
Request
Stun
Request

Slaughter's Marauders

Armadillo
Request
Barbecue
Request
Equalizer
Request
Footloose
Request
Low-Light
Request
Lynx
Request
Mutt and Junkyard
Request
Sgt. Slaughter
Request
Spirit
Request

Tiger Force

Tiger Fish
Request
Tiger Sting
Request

Vehicle and Driver Sets

Arctic Blast with Windchill
Request
Condor Z-25 with Aero-Viper
Request
Crusader Space Shuttle with Avenger Scout Craft and Payload
Request
Evader with Darklon
Request
H.I.S.S. II with Track-Viper
Request
Mudfighter with Dogfight
Request
Raider with Hot Seat
Request
Razorback with Wild Boar
Request
Thunderclap with Long Range
Request

Vehicles

Devastator
Request
F.A.N.G. II
Request
Hovercraft
Request
Radar Rat
Request
Tri-Blaster
Request

Dino-Riders

1/24 Scale Dinosaurs

Brontosaurus with Serena, Ayce, and Ion
Series 2
Request
Dimetrodon with Shado
Series 2
Request
Edmontonia with Axis
Series 2
Request
Kentrosaurus with Krok
Series 2
Request
Pachycephalosaurus with Tagg
Series 2
Request
Placerias with Skate
Series 2
Request
Protoceratops with Kanon
Series 2
Request
Saurolophus with Lokus
Series 2
Request
Stegosaurus with Tark and Vega
Series 2
Request
Struthiomimus with Nimbus
Series 2
Request

Action Figure 2-Packs

Dedeye and Yungstar
Series 2
Request
Drone and Hondo
Series 2
Request
Kraw and Graff
Series 2
Request
Krulos and Questar
Series 2
Request
Poxx and Neutrino
Series 2
Request
Skwirm and Serena
Series 2
Request
Sludj and Mind-Zei
Series 2
Request
Snarrl and Ursus
Series 2
Request

Commandos

Astra
Request
Bomba
Request
Faze
Request
Glyde
Request
Kameelian
Request
Rok
Request

G1

Legends

Bumblebee
Request
Grimlock
Request
Jazz
Request
Starscream
Request

Micromasters

Air Strike Patrol
Request
Airwave
Request
Battle Patrol
Request
Countdown
Request
Erector
Request
Flattop
Request
Greasepit
Request
Groundshaker
Request
Hot House
Request
Ironworks
Request
Off-Road Patrol
Request
Overload
Request
Race Car Patrol
Request
Rescue Patrol
Request
Roughstuff
Request
Skyhopper
Request
Skystalker
Request
Sports Car Patrol
Request

Pretenders

Bludgeon
Request
Bumblebee
Request
Crossblades
Request
Doubleheader
Request
Grimlock
Request
Jazz
Request
Longtooth
Request
Octopunch
Request
Pincher
Request
Roadblock
Request
Skyhammer
Request
Starscream
Request
Stranglehold
Request
Thunderwing
Request
Vroom
Request

G1 - Transform Jr./Gokin/Block

Transform Jr.

Star Saber
Request

G1 - Victory

Brainmasters

Star Saber
Request

Breastforce

Deathsaurus
Request

Crossformers

Black Shadow
Request
Blue Bacchus
Request

Gift Sets

Hero Set
Request
Victory Saber
Request

Other

Galaxy Shuttle
Request
Victory Leo
Request

He-Man (The New Adventures)

Accessories

Rocketdisk Power Pack
Europe Exclusive
Request
Turbo Tormentor
Europe Exclusive
Request

Basic Figures

Flipshot
Request
Flogg
Request
He-Man
Request
Hydron
Request
Kalamarr (Slush Head)
Request
Kayo
Request
Optikk
Request
Skeletor
Request

Roleplay

Power Sword
Request

Vehicles

Astrosub
Request
Bolajet
Request
Shuttle Pod
Request
Starship Eternia
Request
Terroclaw
Request

Original Toyline

Accessories

Retromutagen Ooze
Request

Basic Figures

Ace Duck
Request
Baxter Stockman
Request
Casey Jones
Request
General Traag
Request
Genghis Frog
Request
Krang
Request
Leatherhead
Request
Metalhead
Request
Rat King
Request
Usagi Yojimbo
Request

Crazy Artillery

Double Barreled Plunger Gun
Request
Flushomatic
Request
Retrocatapult
Request

Playsets

Sewer Playset
Request

Vehicles

Army Tube
Request
Footcruiser
Request
Footski
Request
Party Tube
Request
Turtle Pizza Thrower
Request
Turtlecycle
Request

Wacky Action

Breakfightin' Raphael
Request
Rock N Roll Michaelangelo
Request
Sewer-Swimmin' Donatello
Request
Wacky Walkin' Mouser
Request

StarCom: The US Space Force

Vehicles

Shadow Attack Trike
Europe Exclusive
Request
Shadow Mini-Tank
Europe Exclusive
Request
Shadow Upriser
Europe Exclusive
Request
Six Shooter
Europe Exclusive
Request