Review – Convertors Mini Bot, Sports

“Cruises highways on the look out for Invaders.”
— from the front of the card

Are you guys ready for another cheap transforming robot toy from 1984? So far we’ve looked at two releases in the Convertors line — Maladroid Volcan and Neptune — both of which weren’t actually great toys but they were fun and cheap. Well, Mini Bot Sports isn’t any better than the other two Convertors we’ve looked at this year, but he’s certainly fun. And, like the others, nice and cheap.

Diecast Metal and Plastic

In stores at the same time as the Autobot mini-cars, I’m gonna have to come out and say that despite his status as a “copycat” toy, this Sports transforming robot is actually more durable and better-manufactured than the Transformers mini-cars. With diecast metal feet and hood, and a combination of red, gray, black, and chrome plastic parts, Sports is heftier and feels like it’s going to hold up to rougher play than any of the Autobot mini-cars in my collection.

This review of Sports at Counter-X really trashes Sports, saying:

“A lot of the harsh things you can say about Sports apply to other figures – the colour scheme is unarresting, but so’s Baron’s; the face lacks personality, but then so does that of Wagon; the alt mode is rather flat and uninteresting, but the same charge could be levelled at Voyager… However, the various mediocre possibilities just sort of come together on Sports.”

Yeah, this isn’t the most exciting transforming robot toy you’re gonna find, but it’s not nearly as bad as the reviewer makes it sound. The robot’s face is dull and uninspired, but I’ve gotta say that the toy’s durability and weight makes up for a lot of the toy’s rough lines and simple paint job.

Transform!

With the most basic transformation seen on any transformable robot toy (and used across several different lines), Sports has the extremely simple “fold legs up and pop arms in” transformation steps that was used on Convertors Neptune (review here) and even Windcharger (I wrote about Windcharger last year). It’s not an exciting transformation process, but it’s easy and works.

Am I Alone in Liking These?

I can’t be the only person with a love for cheap transforming robot toys. Is there anyone out there who purposefully tracks down these toys? Anyone who looked at Topless Robot’s “The 10 Worst Transformers Rip-Offs” article and saw it as a shopping list? I sure feel alone whenever I start talking about these knockoffs (and even more when showing someone one of the robots in my collection).

Closing Thoughts

I grabbed Sports for $5 on ebay and got to have fun opening him and transforming him for the first time. There’s something about opening old toys that makes me happy — maybe it’s the idea that I’m finally releasing the toy from its prison — and even today there’s an innocent charm around these cheap transforming robot toys that excites my imagination.

I know a lot of people look down on the cheap robot toys of the eighties, and especially the Transformers knock-offs and bootlegs, but I think they’re great buys and excellent additions to any collection of robot toys.

I can’t recommend searching for any of the Convertors toys, but I think you guys would have fun looking over the Convertors page at Counter-X.

Philip Reed is ready for more transforming robot toys from 1984 and 1985. Bring on the cheap knockoffs!