Review – Robotron Loadtron (1984)

Buddy L clearly wanted to capture as many dollars from the transforming robot craze as possible back in 1984. In addition to their Bug Bots toyline (Dragon Drone review here) the company also released the Robotron series in an attempt to increase their chances of a Buddy L transforming robot toy going home for the kids.

The packaging, shown above, looks wonderful. I love seeing these old painted blister cards, but unfortunately Buddy L used the same painted artwork for the entire Robotron series so we don’t get the chance to see each individual character painted up nicely. The back of the card immediately tells us how simple these are to transform: the transformation process for four different robots is shown on the back. And yes, you can figure out how to transform these without even seeing the instructions.

Robotron on TV!

Earlier this year I posted a 1984 news segment about transforming robot toys, and in that segment we get a quick peek at a display of Robotron toys in a store. I’m thinking that this Loadtron toy must have been either very common or very unpopular with the kids back in the eighties; the above screenshot from the news segment shows two of these toys hanging in the store waiting to be bought for Christmas.

Dumptruck Mode

With a pull-back motor this little truck is ready for kids to race it across the floor. The motor’s a little weak — is that because it’s over three decades old, or were these motors weak from Day One? — but it’s more of a motor than Hasbro’s Transformers mini-cars had in 1984. Actually, the toy itself is a decent quality and at the same level as Hasbro’s toy cars of the same basic price point. Hasbro, though, had the marketing engine of a comic book and cartoon pushing the Transformers while all Buddy L had for Robotron was parents and grandparents who were confused by all of the robot toys in stores. The kid wanted a transformer toy and this is it, right?

Robot Mode

Pull out the head, pull down the legs, flip out the arms, stand the toy . . . stand the toy. Stand, toy!!! Hmmmm. Looks like that pull-back motor makes the Loadtron cheap transforming robot toy a little heavy on the backside. This poor guy falls way more often than I like, but at least once you get him standing he’ll stay upright for . . . excuse me. I have to stand my toy up again.

Anyway, if we overlook the standing issue the Loadtron toy is fairly fun in robot mode. The only real articulation comes down to shoulder swivels, but articulation was not what transforming robot toys were about back in the eighties. All this guy had to do to be fun was to change from one thing into another and it does that very easily. Successful toy!

Closing Thoughts

I’ve no certain idea how many different designs Buddy L released in their Robotron toyline. According to this Counter-X entry there should be ten toys in the line — five physical designs, two versions of each design — but I’ve found many times now that these cheap transforming robot toys of the eighties can surprise us with unknown styles that appear seemingly from nowhere so I doubt I’ll ever be satisfied that I have all of the details on the line.

The Robotron Loadtron is actually pretty decent and looks good. There are stickers (including a sticker sheet that I’ve no clue what to do with; the stickers shown on the toy were applied before opening the blister and the sheet is even more stickers), multiple plastic colors, and even paint apps on the face to make the toy as colorful and fun as possible.

I can safely say you should buy one or two of these if you collect old transforming robot toys. The design’s a perfect representation of robots of that era and these can be found at quite reasonable prices.

Just be sure to let me know if you find an unidentified Robotron toy.