Kinder Surprise TFPrime figurines in Australia

[griffin]

These were released in Germany in February (http://www.otca.com.au/boards/showthread.php?t=17918) (and maybe other European countries), and I emailed the Australian office through their website at that time to see if they would come here... but never got a reply.

A couple weeks ago, people here started finding the 3-pack boxes at BigW and Woolies for $5, and single ones at ToysRUs for $2.

This is what to look for in BigW stores, often near the registers...
http://www.toycollectors.com.au/blog/c179.jpg
.
http://www.toycollectors.com.au/2014bigw16.jpg

Ours appear to be the same as the ones in Germany, and look like this...
(if you don't know how many I had to buy to get a full set of eight to do this news posting, don't ask. :o )

http://www.toycollectors.com.au/blog/c191.jpg


Autobots - Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, Ratchet, Bulkhead, Arcee.
Decepticons - Megatron, Starscream, Soundwave.

http://www.toycollectors.com.au/blog/c190.jpg

Each egg contains 5 or 6 pieces (some have single legs, others have the pair of legs as one piece)... with the gear piece being the centre part of the figurine for all the other parts to plug into.

http://www.toycollectors.com.au/blog/c192.jpg

(the arms on Bulkhead are on the wrong sides, so are backwards)

http://www.toycollectors.com.au/blog/c193.jpg

They are 4.5cm (1.75 inch) for Bulkhead up to 7cm (2.5 inch) for Bumblebee.
They have limited articulation/poseability, and are very unstable. The ball joints allow for a bit of movement of the arms and legs (of just the ones that had two separate leg parts - the middle four in the last photo - Megatron, Optimus, Bumblebee, Ratchet), however, most of the ball joints pop out really easily when moved.

Nice little gimmick things, and only worth buying if you like Kinder Surprise eggs, or are a dedicated collector of TFPrime or a specific character.
.

[MayzaPrime]

Bought these for my kids... Got Optimus, Ratchet, Starscream & Arcee... Only Ratchet is left complete... These last about 5 seconds (with kids) before losing parts.

[BigTransformerTrev]

They can also be found at service stations - that's where I found some at $2.50 a pop

[DELTAprime]

I didn't realise these things were news worthy. I would have mentioned it when we got them in at work two weeks ago if I'd realised.

[griffin]

I didn't realise these things were news worthy. I would have mentioned it when we got them in at work two weeks ago if I'd realised.

All things Transformers in Australia are newsworthy. ;)

[griffin]

This I did not know... Kinder Surprise are illegal in America (http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/illegal-kinder-eggs-get-u-s-men-border-detention-1.1213291) due to Child-safety laws (small choke-able parts in the capsules).
They specifically look for them, seizing about 60,000 in the year 2011 from mail and at the borders.

Lucky these aren't worth selling to Americans, as they'd be seized if caught.
Then again, if you just sent the toys without the capsules and chocolate, there's no way they'd know it was a Kinder Surprise toy.

[5FDP]

Bought some of these (3 pack) for my kids the other week. They're pretty cool I guess. I was expecting something more when I saw the cog but soon realised it was just to attach the arms / legs.

[Zippo]

Found in New Zealand - specifically a cardboard stand of single eggs advertising the Transformers Prime toys inside. But who knows if the single eggs would actually contain the TF toys or one of the many many other Kinder Surprise items

[Bidoofdude]

They don't look bad. Not too shabby for Kinder Surprise figures but I really feel no want for them.

[griffin]

Woolworths and BigW have the Kinder 3-packs on sale for $4 (from $5) this week.

That means a 3-pack gives you a free egg, when going by the single egg price ($2).