Gobot

Tonka was bought out by Hasbro in 1991, and either in spite for or in homage to their old competition, Hasbro has used the name "GoBots" several times in their Transformers line.


G2

Generation Two Autobot Gobots.In 1993, an Autobot car whose name was Gobots was released as part of the Transformers Generation Two Line.

Function: Rear Guard

Motto: "If we don't finish the job and flatten them – we might as well not be in the fight at all."

Bio: He's a vital cog in the vast Autobots battle machine and can endure the most extreme conditions while fighting without fear. Behind the lines, he ties up all the loose ends by mopping up enemies. With his devastating water power, he's a tough vehicle and ready for any endurance challenge. And as a robot, he is equally as deadly.

In 1995 a line of Transformers called Go-Bots (small, Matchbox sized car Transformers which had racing axles) were released (subsequent uses of these molds were renamed Spychangers).

Japanese

Takara released a sixpack of minibot Transformers which were recolored into Gobots characters. The storyline behind the set is that the Gobot's dimension is being threatened by a new evil and the key to the universes' survival is being sought by the Gobots in the Transformer's dimension. They are undercover and disguised as both Autobots and Decepticons. The set included both Guardians and Renegades and was comprised of the characters Pathfinder, Small Foot, Road Ranger, Bad Boy, Bug Bite, and Treads (although due to copyright concerns, none of the characters were formally named on the packaging). This set was an E-hobby exclusive and was available in Japan in 2004.

The initial GoBots toys were re-releases from the Japanese Machine Robo series, sold on blister cards. Other toys from the Machine Robo DX line were also released as ‘Super GoBots’. Tonka also created a number of original toys for the line, such as the Command Center, Thruster attack ship and the robot dinosaur, Zod. The initial GoBots were released in 1984. The good robots were initially designated "Friendly" and "Enemy" and were only later dubbed "Guardian" and "Renegade" after the TV series had been on a season.

As the line continued, Tonka added new toys, including the Power Suits and the Secret Raiders. A spin*off line, the Rock Lords was launched in 1986, but it was a failure. The GoBots line was discontinued in 1987, with the Dread Launchers being the last toys released in the line.

Gobots were sold in Australia under the name Mighty Machine Men, and in the UK as Robo Machines (reflecting the original Japanese name) in 1984. There was even a Robo Machines comic strip in the UK's long-running Eagle comic, pre-dating any of the actual GoBots storylines since the TV series wasn't shown in the UK until later. Both the Australian and British toylines were subsequently renamed GoBots once the cartoon series was finally imported from the U.S.