Remember the Flying Fairies craze a few years back? (Wait, that was 8 years ago!?!). Boys got their own version too (as dragons).
It just so happens that the toys are coming back in a major way by Character Options, a toy manufacturer for the European region. Currently released for DC superheroes as Flying Heroes, the company has acquired a license from Hasbro to deliver a Transformers version of these flying toys.
While not much is known about it yet, the only given description is how the toy works:
“Flying Heroes gives kids the power to make their favorite heroes fly. To launch their favorite characters, kids simply pull back the rip cord handle from the base of the launcher to see the wings extend to take flight. The harder they pull the cord, the faster the heroes spin and the higher they fly. This kid-powered toy requires no batteries and is the perfect collectible for ages four and over.”
We expect characters such as Evergreen Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, Megatron, and Starscream to appear on this line.
Obnimaz
These probably won’t be sold in the US. The DC and Marvel ones are sold at Smyth’s in the UK
cloudballoon
What do you mean the pilot episode? EVERY bots fly in the intro (right at th end, just before the logo comes up)!
And I mean, with Hasbro adding a 5mm port to the back of bots since WFC, everyone can just steal Origins Bee's backpack boosters to fly. Play Pattern people!
Alph
I miss the days when gimmicks figures were unique characters built around the gimmick.
imfallenangel
I can't say that I've seen many of any similar flying toys since then… 23 years ago is yesterday to me… so.
And Hasbro has reused older designs before with only some minor changes, and these do look very similar to the Sky Dancers in design, the first time I see such being reused.
If anything, I'm quite curious and I'd rather see how they corrected the dangerous flaws with the design instead of assuming anything.
f-primusunicron
That was 23 yars ago, and flying toys kept being made after a lot of revisions why would hasbro go back to the FAULTY design after 2 decades?
Warpshard
Holy shit, how fast are those guns spinning these things? I assumed it was kinda like those little wind up fan guns, they fly a bit and then putter out.
DesertDog
The perfect collectible for your neighbour’s eavestrough more like. I still want one, especially if there’s a Jetfire or Thundercracker.
imfallenangel
I would hope (and would believe) that they resolved the danger issues that got the Flying Fairies (Sky Dancers) canceled and recalled or something like that. They really look very similar in design.
CPSC, Galoob Toys Inc. Announce Recall of Sky Dancers® Flying Dolls
Sample text: Galoob® has received 170 reports of the dolls striking children and adults resulting in 150 reports of injuries. They include eye injuries, including scratched corneas and incidents of temporary blindness, broken teeth, a mild concussion, a broken rib, and facial lacerations that required stitches.
"More than poke your eyes!"
LegoLover58
We need that video but with Starscream instead
CodeXCDM
I mean they could fly in the pilot episode… Heh.
Kidding aside, it would be cool if they made Seekers that would transform when deployed. Hasbro is usually picky about allowing licensed products to transform though…
Warpshard
Oh they 100% will. These tie-in items very rarely, if ever, take into consideration how fitting a certain character would be on whatever piece of merchandise they're slapping Transformers imagery onto. It's always Optimus, Bee, Megatron, Starscream, and maaaaybe Arcee & Soundwave.
Sixshot the six changer
Sorry to tell you but the sad truth is that they may do just that, alongside a million starscream repaints.
Burneygames
One of my favorites lol
DerVernichter
Oh man, this reminds me of Dragon Flyz! Good times…
Tresob
Back in the 80s, these would have been some sub-faction called Cyclobots and Vorticons and featured all new characters. Maybe the spinner features would have been on Pretender shells.
Sleeplash
My only knowledge of these toys is that one video of one flying towards the fireplace
Warpshard
Can't wait to see my favorite Autobot heroes, Optimus Prime and Bumblebee, flying in the air like they're so well known for doing.
Braddock
I always assumed these finished as they like took someone's eye out or something.
Vector Oracle
So we might be looking at the TF equivalent of Dragon Flyz and Sky Dancers. Huh. That’s a thing, I guess.
IgnikaMarcus
Character Options?
The same company that made the transforming Fireman Sam and Postman Pat?