Topless Robot Provides Me With a Shopping List

Back in February, Topless Robot posted their The 10 Worst Transformers Rip-Offs in which they used my Hookorr photo (see my Hookorr review). Well, I figure that if the site’s going to list the Marchon Roadbots — and I love them so much — then maybe the post should be treated more as a shopping list than a “things to avoid” list.

Let’s look at what we’re dealing with.

10. GoBots. — Okay, I’m not sure if I would call the GoBots an actual rip-off — and the review even says “I know that Transformers and GoBots debuted at about the same time and neither one can truly be said to have ripped off the other.” — but I have to agree that they’re not very good toys. Still, if I find a good deal on one of them I could see myself picking up a GoBots toy.

9. Robo Force — What does the site have against my childhood? My review of Robo Force’s Hun-Dred toy can be found here. I wouldn’t have added these to a Transformers Rip-Off list, though, because they’re just robot toys and don’t transform.

8. Convertors — Dammit. These guys do hate my childhood. My Convertors Maladroid review posted last week, and I’m sitting on another MOC Convertors toy who is waiting for his turn on the site.

7. Zybots — I don’t have these guys, but I want them. And not just because of this list. When I was poking around the web a few months ago, after I finally tracked down the Marchon Roadbots, I stumbled across a Zybots description and immediately remembered having them. I must have them again.

6. Starriors — Well, after my estate sale find last weekend (you didn’t miss the post, did you?) I now have some of the mini-comics. I need one or two of the toys, though, because they look cool. Again, though, they’re not transforming robots so they shouldn’t have been on this list.

5. Marchon Roadbots — I’ve already got all three of these in the yellow and red design. I could collect a set of the blue and gray versions, but only if I find them very cheap. My set’s at the office sitting near my computer. They look good there.

4. Robo Tron — Now these I don’t own and don’t remember ever owning. I remember playing with some of them as a kid, though, so that makes them fair game to track down. If only I could. Well, that’s why I said the Topless Robot post was a shopping list. I’m sure that if I’m patient I’ll find these at a good price.

3. Mysterians — Another set I never owned. Still, onto the list they go. After all, they’re from Marchon so they must be as awesome as the Roadbots.

2. Rocks & Bugs & Things — I don’t remember the exact year, but I do remember buying one of these at a garage sale. And since Topless Robot describes these as “It’s a truly disturbing toyline that spent about five seconds on the shelves.” . . . well, that alone makes me want one of them. If I remember right, these were kinda cool.

1. Rock Lords — Cheaters. These are actually GoBots. The post admits that, but I feel it’s wrong to separate these out from GoBots. Wait a minute. Between non-transforming robots and this cheat we were actually only provided with seven different types of rip-offs, not ten. The list is a rip-off! Damn.

Now where am I gonna find me some Zybots?