Lego Built a Transformers Optimus Prime That Actually Transforms — How Much Is It?

Lego has teamed up with Hasbro to create a new set that will be absolutely tempting to children of the 1980s: meet Lego Optimus Prime.

Gizmodo mentioned that in the 1980s, the Transformers cartoon was nothing more than an animated ad for toys. Optimus Prime, on the other hand, became an icon almost instantly, not just for trucks, but for an entire generation of children. That generation has grown up and is definitely eager to spend $170 on one of the best toy mashups of all time.

Optimus Prime Lego

According to The Verge, Optimus Prime is now available as a Lego set, and not just as a statue. The Danish brickmaker has produced a 1,508-piece Optimus Prime G1 action figure that can truly transform, with 19 points of articulation.

Optimus stands 13.5 inches tall and folds into a semi truck that is 27 inches long. It includes the parts and instructions for building his ion blaster, translucent orange Energon axe, jetpack, Energon Cube, and "the Autobot Matrix of Leadership," which can be kept in the chest chamber.

Gizmodo reported that in robot mode, Optimus Prime had orange accents on his waist, but in truck mode, they became a gray bumper, as seen in the original '80s animated series. When Optimus is transformed, a pair of 2x6 tiles with different stickers-one with orange graphics and the other with gray graphics-can be swapped out.

Andrew Liszewski of Gizmodo thinks the level of detail Lego placed into Optimus' trusty ion blaster is just as impressive as the rest of the model. Because Optimus' movable fingers aren't strong enough to hold it, Lego brilliantly designed it to attach to either arm through a pair of exposed studs, with the blaster's grip exactly aligning with his fingers that can close over it.

Even smart robots require a constant supply of energy. It was Energon Cubes, not Duracells, that were used as everything from food to currency by the Transformers. One of Optimus Prime's is made up of transparent and opaque pieces.

The Verge noted that years ago, Hasbro attempted to make some Transformers with its own knockoff Lego. Apparently, it didn't go as planned, so it's encouraging to see the companies collaborate this time.

$170 Optimus Prime Lego vs $750 Self-transforming Optimus Prime

Yes, you'll have to transform the Optimus Prime Lego yourself - it's not a walking, talking robot like the $750 self-transforming Optimus Prime we reported last year. However, this does not mean that the Lego version, which will be available on June 1 for $169.99, is without advantages.

As you could tell, the Lego version is a lot cheaper and does not require energy to stand.

Last year, Hasbro and Robosen Robotics collaborated to create an Optimus Prime robot that can transform from a car to a robot on its own. The said 19-inch Optimus Prime self-transforming robot can transform thanks to its true robotic engineering, which includes 27 servo motors, 5,000 components, and 60 connected microchips-all of which are utilized to pull off the automatic transforming mechanism.