Go-Bots Wendy's Exclusive
Item No.: n/a Manufacturer:Tonka and/or Wendy's Includes:2 rotor accessories Action Feature:Changes from robot to helicopter Retail:unknown Availability: 1985 Other: One of six toy food premiums
While not quite a sacred object in my collection, Go-BotsBreez kit was one I remembered being something of a hassle-- Wendy's weren't too common nearby growing up, so there was a bit if a trial to actually obtaining one of their kid's meal Go-Bots toys. They came carded (just like real toys!) and are made entirely out of plastic. There's no vac-metal pieces, or die-cast parts, it's just a fun little figure that at the time felt a bit cheaper than similarly sized Transformers and Go-Bots releases.
Like with most Go-Bots, the transformation process is simple. Extend the legs, slide out the arms, flip out a foot, and you're done. He had rotors which popped off his back and onto his wrists, which actually made for pretty decent weaponry. The plastic is reasonably thick and, as you can see, it holds up nicely to spending two and a half decades in a toy box being hauled from state to state. They also work pretty well in both molds which, for a non-transforming weapon, is pretty amazing stuff.
Like most transforming toys today, vehicle modes should carry low expectations. Hovering near 3-inches high in robot mode, there's not a lot of room for gimmicks and accessories, neither of which are things Go-Bots were known for. Go-Bots were the cheap things your parents bought because the cartoons and marketing spent on Transformers had no power over anyone older than about 14. The helicopter is what you see here. The blades peg into place and don't spin, and there are no meaningful gimmicks or rotating parts. For a fast food premium, it's fantastic and serves as a stern reminder that you can make cool kiddie meal toys. Galoob gave Pizza Hut Star Wars MicroMachines playsets. McDonalds had sacks of LEGO bricks. There is no excuse for giving kids packs of Bionicle cards when, just a few years earlier, you got a 7-piece figure made of real LEGO parts. It's just pathetic.
With its brown form, greenish blades, and orange "goggles" and highlights, Breez probably won't impress too many fans today. Compared to a Cyberverse Transformers toy it looks and feels chunky, but I'll tell you one thing: the Wendy's Go-Bots will hold up to more abuse. Ain't nobody losing an arm because of a sloppy ball jointed shoulder, I tell you what. I don't expect anyone who wasn't a toy fan in the 1980s will want this or enjoy it, but I gotta say it still holds up. I like it today as much as I did back then, it looks good, it's pretty fun, and as something that comes in a sack with a burger and fries I certainly have no complaints.
Hardly rare but certainly uncommon, you can get one of these for a few bucks on eBay. Carded samples are pretty cheap too, especially relative to similarly sized toys at retail today.
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