Are Bakugan the new Transformers?

[Frans_Tormer]

Originally Posted by Sun Swipe Prime

Every generation will have certain games/toys/tv shows that they lock on to and which will create fond childhood memories for them that they carry with them for the rest of their lives. For some it's Transformers, others Gi Joe, Pokemon, Power Rangers, etc. Some toys, like transformers, stay around because they have a broad appeal that spans generations, while others fade. I think Transformers is the new Transformers and here's why.

I grew up with G1 and for me it carries great memories that I carry with me today to the point I'm still collecting. In the summer, just after the TF2 came out, I was in a hobby store that sold transformers. A kid, like 12yrs-old comes, walking in, sees ROTF megatron on the shelf, starts whispering "mine-mine-mine," grabs said Megatron goes up to the counter and asks them to hold the figure for him while he gets his mom. The kid proceeds to run out of the store yelling, "MOM!-MOM-MOM!" I mean it was so loud the whole mall could hear. As I'm walking out of the store the kid's still yelling for his mom and eventually, I see him dragging his mom to the store to get ROTF Megatron. It's at that moment that I realized that for kids today, this is their G1. The toys to day will be the toys that they remember when they grow up, regardless of complexity. Like those today that are seeking out G1 Megatron, some of the kids today will be seeking out ROTF megatron in the future, trying to get a taste of that childhood back. If you think about it some kids today maybe thinking about how can anyone play with G1 bricks when you've got the sexy posiblity of today. Just my two-cents on the matter.

Well said. Living and working in Central/Eastern Europe for the last decade I have to admit at being very surprised at the level of local enthusiasm for the movie and toys (TF's are HUGE in HU,CZ,PL, SK). I hope my kids have the same great memories of TF's that I do from the summer of '84. But for love of all things holy can we cut down on the number of Prime's and Bumblebee's and get a Rodimus on the shelves that doesn't disappear in a week and end up getting scalped for $100 on ebay?

[Ultra_Magnus]

No, it's just another fad!

[Protoman]

Bakugan is already on the way out, it peaked last year. Bakugan was the new Beyblade which was the new Yugioh, which was the new Digimon, which was the new Pokemon....... you get the picture.

Also the ball design is limited to what they can do with something that autotransforms.

[Aernaroth]

Originally Posted by Protoman

Bakugan is already on the way out, it peaked last year. Bakugan was the new Beyblade which was the new Yugioh, which was the new Digimon, which was the new Pokemon....... you get the picture.

Also the ball design is limited to what they can do with something that autotransforms.

They've moved beyond balls to cubes, pyarmids, tetrahedrons and various prisms. They've also moved into combiners, telescoping parts, and other gimmicks, so there's some new life in the formula, but I know what you mean about there being only so much mileage in the same idea.

[prime13]

I consider it a high quality KO. The damn things even COMBINE now.

[kreutz013]

Someday, Transformers will be real and become our GREATEST technological advancement!!

[Foxw]

Okay, I guess I have a bit of a unique perspective here.

Why, mostly because one of my oldest, dearest friends since childhood works there, hell if you call Spinmaster to talk about bakugan, you'll more then likely get him on the phone.

IS Bakugan a threat to TF, Not a chance in charr. IS it learning from one of the longest consistant toy lines in history, yup, my buddy is prolly to blame there.

We Both had TF's as kids, he had some, I had other ones, it was all great fun, and we both have a special love for the franchise (get yer mind out of the gutter).

But since SM rolled out bakugan as thier first foray into collectable gaming, they have tried every new line to bring something new to the table, while keeping it in line with what's out there so not to unbalance things game wise.

And my buddies childhood love of TF's has likely influinced that. He still recalls how much fun he had with this bot or that bot and is using that to make suggestions on new product, hell that's where the combiner sets came from, his memories of how cool combiners were. as were the rub signs

DO I see it lasting long, sadly no, only cuz the RL game has way to many issues, it's vary skewed and as a game, unbalancing equals death. Least in long term game design.

But in a way, yeah, they are sorta like the TF's of todays kids lives.. they are very cool and getting more complex as they go along, but they never will be the next TF.

TF came out at JUST the right time and for northamericans Did something totally brand new. SO far Bakugan is just rehashing and combining stuff that's been done before.

Notice: Fox goes not has not and likely never will Work for spin masters, hasbro or any toy company. Poor fox. I've just been on the fan side for 30+ years, and been lucky enough to have known a few really great people.

Edit: Oh and SUN Swipe Prime: *applaud* that was prolly one of the best most well written posts I Have EVER read. This from a guy who started with BBS's. That says something.

[Shepp]

Originally Posted by jacobot

No, but, Bakugan go to school with my kids... like the old schoolyard marble game
TFs stay home... unless you count the keychains

Bakugan will be banned from schools eventually, as have been Marbles, Pogs, Baseball Cards, Magic the Gathering, Pokemon Cards, Duel Masters, etc. and anything else of inflated value that kids can swindle other kids out of at recess through "playing for keeps."

I fail to see how Hasbro didn't wake up and start a CCG for the Mini-cons when they came out in Armada.

Transformers have had detailed tech specs in the past, why not use that for some sort of dueling game between Mini-cons or Mini-con teams?

All they would need to do is use some rule system already set up with one of the WOTC card games and make the stats on the tech spec actually mean something instead of just inflating everything to 8's and 9's.

The same could be done with the PCC line and their Mini-con partners.

Or go full out and give each figure their own card and then sell booster packs (or include on free with voyagers and up) containing action cards like attack, defend, heal, etc. like any other CCG.


edit:

This would be as huge a cash cow from Hasbro as Magic the Gathering has been. With blind packed booster packs, collectors will be buying up lots of packs to complete the set. Especially if the art on the cards is face-meltingly awesome. And on top of that kids would be buying booster packs to actually play the game.

/edit

[Aernaroth]

I, for one, would love to see some of the engineering design used in bakugan show up in the new minicons coming out in tf.

[Shepp]

Originally Posted by Aernaroth

I, for one, would love to see some of the engineering design used in bakugan show up in the new minicons coming out in tf.

I second that motion.