It seems whenever there are new Transformer toy release, it’s always the same five characters.
- Optimus Prime
- Megatron
- Bumblebee
- Starscream
- Grimlock
Over and over and over. I do get a little tired of seeing the same characters, especially since these aren’t any of my top favs. Classics? Yes. Iconic? Definitely.
What made getting Transformers fun as a kid was the WIDE RANGE of characters available. If you had an Optimus Prime, you most likely did not want to get ANOTHER Optimus. There were too many other characters out there to get.
Number of different characters introduced every year
Looking back at the number of characters that were introduced in the 1980s and early 1990s:
| Year | Number of new characters released |
|---|---|
| 1984 | 28 |
| 1985 | 46 |
| 1986 | 65 |
| 1987 | 74 |
| 1988 | 88 |
| 1989 | 54 |
| 1990 | 89 |
| 1991 | 16 |
| 1992 | 12 |
In Transformers’ heyday, there were between 40 to 90 new characters released every year. (I pulled the names list from the incredible Transformers Names List from unicron.com; and did some counting.)
Number of Transformers toys for each character, all-time
Here’s how many toys are made of each character (again, thanks to Transformers Names list). I limited the list to characters with at least 20 toys.
You can see the top five have over 100 toys. Then the list severely drops after that. I’m a bit surprised seeing Soundwave with under 100 toys. He seems like he’s always one of the guys included in a new release.
Today, it’s all about branding. Repeat, repeat, repeat. Really drill that brand into the consumer’s head. To really push the brand, it’s the individual Transformers that get branded over and over. Because it’s a lot easier to push the brand of a character into many shapes and forms. So we get Optimus the Squishmallow. Optimus the keychain. And so on.
And for kicks, here’s the list in text form.
| Character | Number of toys |
|---|---|
| Optimus Prime | 379 |
| Bumblebee | 361 |
| Megatron | 195 |
| Starscream | 129 |
| Grimlock | 107 |
| Sideswipe | 80 |
| Soundwave | 76 |
| Ratchet | 73 |
| Ironhide | 65 |
| Jazz | 52 |
| Prowl | 51 |
| Barricade | 47 |
| Shockwave | 46 |
| Arcee | 39 |
| Drift | 37 |
| Cheetor | 36 |
| Thundercracker | 35 |
| Wheeljack | 35 |
| Devastator | 35 |
| Ultra Magnus | 35 |
| Cliffjumper | 34 |
| Mirage | 34 |
| Jetfire | 33 |
| Galvatron | 32 |
| Hound | 30 |
| Optimus Primal | 30 |
| Brawl | 29 |
| Hot Rod | 29 |
| Ravage | 26 |
| Skywarp | 25 |
| Skids | 25 |
| Dead End | 25 |
| Strongarm | 24 |
| Lockdown | 23 |
| Ramjet | 22 |
| Smokescreen | 22 |
| Snarl | 22 |
| Scorponok | 22 |
| Scourge | 21 |
| Bonecrusher | 20 |
| Strafe | 20 |
| Blackout | 20 |
For fun, here’s all the names by year:
1984
Bluestreak, Brawn, Bumblebee, Buzzsaw, Cliffjumper, Frenzy, Gears, Hound, Huffer, Ironhide, Jazz, Laserbeak, Megatron, Mirage, Optimus Prime, Prowl, Ratchet, Ravage, Rumble, Sideswipe, Skywarp, Soundwave, Starscream, Sunstreaker, Thundercracker, Trailbreaker, Wheeljack, Windcharger
1985
Astrotrain, Barrage, Beachcomber, Blaster, Blitzwing, Bombshell, Bonecrusher, Chop Shop, Cosmos, Devastator, Dirge, Grapple, Grimlock, Hoist, Hook, Inferno, Jetfire, Kickback, Long Haul, Mixmaster, Omega Supreme, Perceptor, Powerglide, Ramjet, Ransack, Red Alert, Roadbuster, Scavenger, Scrapper, Seaspray, Shockwave, Shrapnel, Skids, Slag, Sludge, Smokescreen, Snarl, Swoop, Thrust, Topspin, Tracks, Twin Twist, Venom, Volks, Warpath, Whirl
1986
Air Raid, Blades, Blast Off, Blurr, Brawl, Breakdown, Broadside, Bruticus, Cyclonus, Dead End, Defensor, Divebomb, Drag Strip, Eject, Fireflight, First Aid, Full-Tilt, Galvatron, Gnaw, Groove, Headstrong, Hot Rod, Hot Spot, Hubcap, Kup, Menasor, Metroplex, Motormaster, Octane, Onshaught, Onslaught, Outback, Pipes, Ramhorn, Rampage, Ratbat, Razorclaw, Reflector, Rewind, Rodimus Prime, Runabout, Runamuck, Sandstorm, Scamper, Scourge, Silberbolt, Silverbolt, Six-Gun, Sky Lynx, Skydive, Slingshot, Springer, Steeljaw, Streetwise, Superion, Swerve, Swindle, Tailgate, Tantrum, Trypticon, Ultra Magnus, Vortex, Wheelie, Wildrider, Wreck-Gar
1987
Abominus, Afterburner, Aimless, Apeface, Arcana, Battletrap, Blot, Blowpipe, Brainstorm, Caliburst, Cerebros, Chase, Chromedome, Cloudraker, Cog, Computron, Crosshairs, Cutthroat, Doublecross, Duros, Fastlane, Firebolt, Flywheels, Fortress Maximus, Fracas, Freeway, Gasket, Goldbug, Gort, Grax, Grommet, Grotusque, Hardhead, Haywire, Highbrow, Hun-Gurrr, Krunk, Lightspeed, Lord Zarak, Mindwipe, Misfire, Monzo, Nightstick, Nosecone, Overkill, Peacemaker, Pinpointer, Pointblank, Pounce, Punch-Counterpunch, Recoil, Repugnus, Rippersnapper, Rollbar, Scattershot, Scorponok, Searchlight, Sinnertwin, Sixshot, Skullcruncher, Slugfest, Slugslinger, Snapdragon, Spasma, Spike Witwicky, Spoilsport, Strafe, Stylor, Sureshot, Triggerhappy, Vorath, Weirdwolf, Wideload, Wingspan
1988
Backstreet, Beastbox, Bomb-burst, Boomer, Brisko, Bugly, Carnivac, Catilla, Chainclaw, Cindersaur, Cloudburst, Crankcase, Darkwing, Dogfight, Doubledealer, Dreadwind, Fangry, Finback, Fizzle, Flamefeather, Flintlock, Getaway, Grand Slam, Groundbreaker, Gunrunner, Guzzle, Hairsplitter, Heater, Hi-Test, HiQ, Holepunch, Horri-bull, Hosehead, Hotwire, Iguanus, Joyride, Knok, Kreb, Landfill, Landmine, Lokos, Lube, Lug, Muzzle, Nautilator, Needlenose, Nightbeat, Overbite, Override, Piranacon, Quake, Quickmix, Quickswitch, Quig, Raindance, Rev, Ricochet, Roadgrabber, Ruckus, Scoop, Seawing, Silencer, Singe, Siren, Sizzle, Skalor, Skar, Skullgrin, Sky High, Slamdance, Slapdash, Snaptrap, Snarler, Sparkstalker, Spinister, Splashdown, Squawkbox, Squawktalk, Squeezeplay, Submarauder, Sunbeam, Tentakil, Throttle, Tiptop, Tracer, Waverider, Windsweeper, Zigzag
1989
Airwave, Big Shot, Birdbrain, Blackjack, Bludgeon, Bristleback, Countdown, Crossblades, Detour, Doubleheader, Erector, Fixit, Flak, Flattop, Free Wheeler, Greasepit, Groundshaker, Highjump, Hot House, Hyperdrive, Icepick, Ironworks, Longtooth, Monstructor, Mudslinger, Nightflight, Octopunch, Overload, Pincher, Powertrain, Red Hot, Road Hugger, Roadblock, Roadhammer, Roughstuff, Scowl, Seawatch, Sidetrack, Skyhammer, Skyhopper, Skystalker, Slog, Stakeout, Storm Cloud, Stranglehold, Sunrunner, Swindler, Tailspin, Tailwind, Thunderwing, Tote, Vroom, Whisper, Wildfly
1990
Attack Cruiser, Axer, Banzai-Tron, Barricade, Big Daddy, Big Hauler, Blackout, Blast Master, Blaze Master, Bombshock, Catgut, Cement-Head, Crumble, Direct-Hit, Dropshot, Eagle Eye, Excavator, Fireshot, Fistfight, Flight Pack, Full-Barrel, Gatoraider, Glitch, Greaser, Grit, Ground Hog, Groundpounder, Growl, Gusher, Gutcruncher, Half-Track, Hammer, Heave, Heavy Tread, Heli-Pack, Hubs, Hydraulic, Hydro-Pack, Jackpot, Kick-Off, Knockout, Krok, Lionizer, Mainframe, Meltdown, Missile Master, Moonrock, Motorhead, Neutro, Neutro-Fusion Tank, Oiler, Over-Run, Overflow, Phaser, Pipeline, Power Punch, Power Run, Push-Button, Rad, Razor-Sharp, Retro, Roadburner, Roller Force, Rollout, Scorpulator, Sights, Skyfall, Sledge, Slide, Slow Poke, Spaceshot, Sprocket, Stonecruncher, Stratotronic Jet, Strikedown, Surge, Takedown, Terror-Tread, Top-Heavy, Treadshot, Tred Bolt, Trip-Up, Turbo Board, Turbo Racer, Turbo-Pack, Tyrannitron, Vanquish, Wheel Blaze, Wingthing
1991
Basher, Charger, Circuit, Double Punch, Fire Beast, Needler, Omega Spreem, Powerflash, Road Rocket, Rumbler, Screech, Slicer, Take-Off, Turbo Master, Vanguard, Windmill
1992
Boss, Falcon, Flash, Hurricane, Rescue Force, Rotorstorm, Scorch, Skyquake, Snare, Stalker, Talon, Thunderclash
My favorites
Hey, you scrolled down here. Ok, um. Let’s say something. Astrotrain and Jazz are my favorite Transformers. Jazz does appear in the top ten. But I’m rather surprised that only nine Astrotrain toys have been made. At least according to the list from unicron.com.