These wooden transforming robots are the stuff our dreams are made of.
Skating a dangerously thin line of possible trademark infringement, these “Transforfun” robots by WooBots came to be by virtue of a highly successful KickStarter campaign. The lumber for the figures is laser cut, and then assembled by hand with what we can imagine is the usual elastic joints for other old-timey toys like this.
The endearing little bios for each are the icing on the cake for such a cool low-tech toy. The 18-wheeler toy, for instance, is aptly named “Truck,” and is described as the guy that “always knows where he’s headed and is the one to lead the crew into battle. He becomes a sturdy truck in just a few seconds.” A fine bare-bones description of definitely-not-Optimus-Prime if we ever heard one. We just know there’s a team of Hasbro lawyers kicking themselves for not being able to do much about this legal grey area.
The company behind the WooBots, Bamloff, is definitely onto something in wanting to bring wooden toys to a generation so used to their mass-produced and often shoddily-made plastic counterparts. The overwhelming detail on most franchise figures might dictate to kids (and adults alike) what they should think about their toys, instead of letting their imaginations run wild.
You can order a single figure for about $19 or the whole set of five for $99. And for free, enjoy one more GIF for good measure!
What do you think of the WooBots? Does anyone want to send them to me for X-mas? Let us know in the comments below!
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