Transformers Video Games: A Brief History

20 Comments

Posted July 1, 2011 - By Stephen Johnson

Transformers Dark of the Moon

A lot of people call themselves “Transformers fans” because they’ve seen all of Michael Bay’s films and maybe have a couple of action figures on their desk. Maybe they’ve even watched an episode of the 80s TV series to “go deep,” but the truth is, you can’t call yourself a true fan of the robots-in-disquise until you’ve sought out and beat every Transformers video game ever released, including DreamMix TV World Fighters, a Japan-only fighting game that features guest appearances by Optimus Prime and Megatron. (I have not done this because I have friends and a social life.)

The release of Transformers video games goes all the way back to 1985 when The Transformers, a platformer/shooter, was release for the Commodore 64. Check it out in action.

That looks like "fun," huh? The following year, Transformers: The Battle to Save the Earth, was released. It was an action-RPG for the primitive Commodore system. It is noteable for being the first Transformers game published by Activision, current publisher of movie tie-in Transformers games.

Also released in 1986 was the Japanese Transformers game Fight! Super Robot Life Form Transformers: Mystery of Convoy which, I think you will agree, has the best title of any game ever released. It was also the first console Transformers game, appearing on the SuperFamicon.

1987 saw the Famicon release of Transformers: The Headmasters too.

At this point in Transformers history, there was a terrible video game drought. It would be more than ten years until the release of another game in the Transformers Universe, and it was based on Beast Wars (a Transformer spin-off). The first of these were Japan-only. The Beast Wars, A PlayStation One game was released in 1997, and was followed by Keto Transformers Beast Wars: Beast Senshi Saikyo Ketteisen two years later.

United States citizens had to wait until 2000 to play a Beast Wars game. Transformers: Beast Wars Transmetals is a fighting game of no great reputation released on the PlayStation and N64. The Nintendo 64 version was a Blockbuster Video exclusive and was initially only available for rental. Check it out.

In 2004, a game called simply Transformers was released on the PlayStation 2. It was based on the Transformers: Armada animated series. It’s a third-person action game. See?

At this point in time, the Michael Bay movies came out, and, for good or ill, the era of the modern Transformer game begins.

Transformers: The Game came out in 2007 for the PS2, X360, PS3, PSP, PC and Wii, and there were also two separate DS games, Transformers: Autobots and Transformers: Decepticons.

Transformers: The Game »

2009 saw the release of a Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen tie-in game on the Microsoft Windows, Nintendo DS, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, Wii, Xbox 360.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Trailer »

As well as Transformers Revenge of the Fallen: Autobots and Transformers Revenge of the Fallen: Decepticons for the Nintendo DS.

Probably the best Transformers game, Transformers: War for Cybertron, was released in 2010. I'm sure you played it, but if not, here's a video:

The First 15 Minutes Of Transformers: War for Cybertron »

All of this brings us up to the present, specifically, the release of Transformers: Dark of the Moon last week. This slightly disappointing game (to match up with the disappointing film) is out on current systems.

Transformers: Dark of the Moon Launch Trailer »

I'm sure the newest Transformers movie will make over 87 bajillion dollars, ensuring a bright future of amazing giant fighting robot games to keep us entertained until the cruel grasp of death finally pulls us into our dark graves. Let's just hope the video games can match up with that overdone CGI and bring some of that excitement into our living rooms.

Tags: Features, PC Gaming, PlayStation 3, Videogames, Xbox 360

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Legion3208

missing the one on pc

Posted: July 4, 2011 10:13 PM
shotnthedark

of the you*

Posted: July 4, 2011 2:14 AM
shotnthedark

....@masterkiller64...yuo havent seen the any transformers b4 armada.....then you probably shouldnt get an opinion imo

Posted: July 4, 2011 2:13 AM
ShatteredRuins

ummm dark of the moon was pretty freaking awsome im js. and if you need the film to explain who every character is and their names, then you obviously are a true tf fan. bc if you were, then that wouldnt be a prob now would it?

Posted: July 4, 2011 12:42 AM
BoydofZINJ

...if i wanted to see a oy = boy. War for Cybertron = no humans. Good game. All the games center armound being a bot or a con. Why? At the very least, the video game people understand that is why you want to play a TRANSFORMERS game. If there was a fighting game where sam would fight his dad... no one would even consider playing that.... seriously.

Posted: July 3, 2011 8:44 AM
BoydofZINJ

Dark Moon is Disappointing. Why? If I wanted to see a oy try to hook up with a supermodel I would watch Glee or One Tree Hill or something. Not a TRANSFORMERS flick. Let us face it, we watch Transformers for them robots that transform into vehicles. What was Shockwave like? Was he logical? was he loyal? Who were the three black Decepticon vans that cased the autobots on the highway called? What was the personality of the autobot that was red? Arcee around? Where did she go? Is she a female autobot or just an autobot called arcee?

We need character development. The problem is, we get development of characters that dont matter. The ONE TREE HILL and GLEE characters. Why not develop the Autobot and Decepticon characters? Was Starscream a backstabbing power hungry character - or very loyal to Megatron?

I can live with the first Michael bay movie. However, it ends there. The first movie had some character development and had a nice angle.... not too many cons and not too many bots. We understood each one - more or less. After than we got too many ONE TREE HILL and GLEE type characters. The bots and cons took a backseat to them?

If you are going to make a movie called TRANSFORMERS, then you would expect the main character development process would be the.... i dunno... the TRANSFORMERS. If the movie was called Humans and Transformers, then yes... I would expect humans would get more characters and development than the transformers.

Develop characters and a good story and remember what the public really wants... TRANSFORMERS. If we had a movie (like the classic first cartoon movie) where the Transformers were the stars and the humans were small insignificant characters then we would all (probably) enjoy it much better and we would have arguments over which bot or con was the best!

Posted: July 3, 2011 8:42 AM
2ply

There is also another one worth noting, Transformers G1: Awakening.

It's more of a turn based command&conquer with FF styled battle scenes though, but still looks fun.

Sucks that it is only available on the mobile/apple platforms, because there just is not enough classic tranformers out there anymore.

Posted: July 3, 2011 4:19 AM
CGROVES1690

Dark of the Moon was "Disappointing"? Did we see the same film? Or did you even watch it?

Posted: July 2, 2011 10:12 PM
webfox100

You are missing 2.

Posted: July 2, 2011 9:38 PM
SqurlMstr

I belive, as a game reviewer, the staff of G4 can write whatever they feel about whatever video games they may be looking at. If you disagree with them, that is fine. However, if you're going to be an ignorant prick and trash talk these people who are doing this for YOUR entertainment and reading pleasure, then you should find another place to comment.

With all of that past me, Nice recap on the Transformers games even though you missed a few. It was nice to relive them for a few short moments. Definitly some good and reallly bad ones in there. :)

Posted: July 2, 2011 3:46 PM
BlassKain17

BlassKain17's comment is abusive and has been removed.

Posted: July 2, 2011 11:41 AM
H2OGoliath

Within the next decade, all Transformers video games, including WFC and the MMOs, will probably be based on the Transformers: Prime show.

Posted: July 2, 2011 2:38 AM
ZacWilliam

In addition to the Playstation/PC BW game that the article totally missed, there was also a Gameboy Beast Wars 2 fighter released for one of the the Gameboys in Japan.

Better research needed.

Also WFC2 is in the works. And there's two TF mmo's in the works , one for Aisia and one for the US

And that's not counting the phone-browser or other mini-games official released in recent years.

Posted: July 1, 2011 5:37 PM
Symicide

God dammit G4... i DON'T WANT A FIESTA (V)!_!(V)

Posted: July 1, 2011 4:39 PM
Not_Matlock

I have the 2004 PS2 game. It has got to be one of the toughest game I have ever played. Every time I tried to go back to even the earliest levels after beating them they were filled with tough enemies that constantly kicked my ass.

Posted: July 1, 2011 4:33 PM
KingGainerXan

You missed one! on 10/30/2003 Winky Soft/Takara released the Japanese-only PS2 game 'Transformers'. It was all G1, and was a lot of fun. The only reason it never got released over here was Armada.

Here's the opening-
http://www.youtube.com/watch ?v=zQUnHAjOezY&playnext=1& amp;list=PLBC1F456649890787

Posted: July 1, 2011 3:23 PM
crocodilius

there was a Beast Wars game on PC in the mid 90s i had.
it was so damn good.
it's embarrasing they can't make something that good again.
but the saddest part is...i can't even find a torrent to download the friggin thing...
i mean, i could download Fury3 but not Beast Wars ;(

Posted: July 1, 2011 3:18 PM
Viva_Humanity

Transmetals wasn't the first American Beast Wars game: http://www.gamespot.com/pc/act ion/beastwarstransformers/inde x.html

1997 saw the release of "Beast Wars" on the Playstation and PC. It was a third person shooter adventure game. I played it back in the day. It was awesome... at the time.

Posted: July 1, 2011 3:00 PM
MasterKiller64

G4, I'm tired of your openly ignorant hating on the Michael Bay movies. They are all really good movies and the themes displayed in the last movie were excellent for the setting.

Posted: July 1, 2011 2:49 PM
iGuy

Interesting, i considered myself a true fan because I havn't supported Michael Bay's crap. But I have the whole series box set at home and now I feel like watching it again.

Posted: July 1, 2011 2:32 PM