Review – Robotic Radio (1984)

1984 was a year for transforming robot toys. Transformers and GoBots were selling like mad, and several smaller companies were capitalizing on the popularity of transforming robots by releasing dozens — maybe even hundreds — of different designs. That’s where this Robotic Radio from Tai Fong comes into the picture. Surprisingly, though, Robotic Radio is a fabulous work of transforming robot art and the quality is every bit as good as Hasbro’s Transformers toys that were released in 1984.

Great Robot Artwork!

Above and below are photos of the Robotic Radio packaging and that airbrushed robot artwork is as amazing as anything Hasbro used during the eighties (if you don’t have a copy of Transformers Legacy: The Art of Transformers Packaging* then you’ve been missing out). The artwork isn’t an exact match for the toy, but that’s pretty common of toy packaging in the eighties and the differences between the art and actual toy are minimal and forgivable.

Radio Mode

Robotic Radio is working AM radio, and as required I popped two AA batteries into the toy and gave it a try. Works! Man, I don’t think I’ve turned on an AM channel in years now. There isn’t much of anything I want to listen to as I scroll through the AM dial. Listening to that poor sound quality certainly reminds me of older days, though, and I think what impresses me most is that the radio kicked in automatically and worked perfectly. Not bad from a toy from 32 years ago.

Transforming the Head

The overall transformation design is quick and easy, but the head transformation is so unusual that I have to point it out. The below photo shows the head in mid-transformation as the radio handle is split in two and each half rotates into position to create the face of the robot. And yes, you can see the two robot halfs if you look at the back of the radio when the toy is in radio mode.

Robot Mode

Once transformed, Robotic Radio stands 8-inches tall and is as limited in its articulation as many early Transformers toys. As is often the case with first generation cheap transforming robot toys, Robotic Radio has articulation points that exist solely for the transformation design, but I still feel that’s completely expected and accepted since these toys formed the groundwork on which all other transforming robot toys have been built. The packaging artwork shows the elbows bending forward, but in actuality the elbows bend inward. Good thing those swivel shoulders or there or this guy would never swing his weapon forward.

Robotic Radio Around the Web

One of the first things that I like to do when I run across a cheap transforming robot toy is search the web for information on the toy. Fortunately, this 1984 robot from Tai Fong is already well represented online; I found three different websites with info:

• theoldrobots.com shows us twelve photos of the robot from various angles, packaging shots (including variants), and offers up a brief description of the toy.
  
• angrycanadiandecepticon.blogspot.com/ has pictures of Robotic Radio next to Transformers Blaster and packaging shots of the toy in different colors and equipped with a sword. The Radio Robot with sword looks especially awesome. Want!
  
• toyarchive.com describes the toy as inspired by Soundwave. Maybe, but it’s hard to say that for certain since this toy was released in 1984 and Soundwave was released in the US in 1984. The transformation design feels kinda similar to Soundwave, but then it also feels similar to Blaster so any guess as to inspiration is as good as any other.

There were some assorted other forum posts and such online, but the three sites listed above were the best resources I could uncover so check those if you want to know more about the Robotic Radio toy.

Closing Thoughts

What amazes me most about this Robotic Radio cheap transforming robot toy is that it actually doesn’t feel cheap at all. The plastic is of a quality equivalent to Hasbro’s 1984 Transformers toys, the robot feels great in hand, and everything about the design is of a quality equal to the official Transformers toys of the time. That split head is odd, but all the toy is missing to fit in perfectly with Transformers is a tech spec card. I could easily see this being a toy Hasbro could have licensed and used back in 1984, and if the Robotic Radio had been presented as part of the official Transformers line I don’t think it would have felt out of place at all.

An awesome find, and a toy I can happily recommend to anyone who collects transforming robot toys from the eighties.