Secret Agent Robots

Waaaay back in the 80's my brother and I each got an "Alphabot" toy in the lead-up to Christmas.  They were letters that could transform into robots.  My parents couldn't find either a Z for me or an A for my brother Alexander, so they got us an N (which I guess looks like a sideways Z) and a B (which is the next closest letter to A).  I never really knew what the purpose of them was, but I loved them.  Eventually those original two were either lost or sold at a garage sale (against my will), but I never forgot about them.  While doing some research on them last year, I discovered that line had been rereleased in Italy!  This time the figures came out in blind-bagged packaging and actually had more than one series.  The first series was Alphabots Force 2, followed by Alphabots: Mission in the Dark and Alphabots: Mission Galaxy.  Alphabots: Mission in the Dark had glow-in-the-dark elements, while Mission Galaxy had transparent parts.  I found these right at the end of Alphabots Force 2, so I was only able to get the letter "I" from that line, but I did complete the sets of Mission in the Dark and Mission Galaxy.

Implantor (Alphabots Force 2), Illuminor (Mission in the Dark), and Infinitor (Mission Galaxy)

In each series, the characters were repainted (some more than others) and renamed, so each robot from each series is a unique character.  Mission Galaxy went the extra mile and grouped the Alphabots into different teams based on their specialties.  Since I took pictures of the Mission Galaxy series after I changed to my new photo set-up, they look the best and I'll start with them.  I'll probably go back and retake the pictures of Mission in the Dark and my vintage figures and cover them later on.  So I'll be working backwards!

I'll going into the different teams first before getting into the pics of all the figures.  I translated these from the booklet that comes with each figure and I don't speak Italian, so the translation could be pretty rough.  But it gives you the gist of what each group does.

MASTERMINDS - Are the strategists with a capacity for analysis and the collection of secret information. Some rotate their heads, keeping situations under control to assist the other Alphabots with valuable instructions, while others are Alphabots doctors that repair the others damaged in action!

SENTINELS - Equipped with power-ups of view and have an amplified capacity for far sight.  Note how some of them have binoculars and viewers incorporated into their designs!

MESSENGERS AND VOYAGERS - Some move at great speed, others can slide on surfaces paper thin and can be inserted anywhere. To clear the road, those equipped with laser eyes can create a slit and reach the places less accessible.

FIRST LINE - Indispensable in the more extreme missions, these are the shields that open the road and protect the other Alphabots! They are resilient and often equipped with large fists to reduce/eliminate any obstacle.

BREAKERS AND LAUNCHERS - Are the most massive and rugged, and can remove obstacles even larger than themselves! They have mighty arms and hands/grippers which they can use for grasping and shearing.

INTERVENTION AND SUPPORT - Are robots/computers that store data and information to provide to the others during missions.  They are assistants to the doctors and bomb technicians and able to defuse bombs at a great distance!

ALPHABOTS NUMBERS - Are essential for forming passwords or keys in a code! Mixing quickly between them and returning them to their place in sequence can create secret keys that are accessible only to other Alphabots!  Sometimes the Alphabots Numbers have fun by improvising a lottery or bingo for the enjoyment of all.  The Alphabots Numbers are essential for secret dates and times, and also for remembering when it's your birthday.

ALEPH ALEX

Masterminds

BIG BANG

Masterminds

CYBORG

Breakers and Launchers

DANGER BOT

Intervention and Support

ECLIPSER

First Line

FAHRENHEIT

Intervention and Support

GALILEO LEO

Intervention and Support

HACK ER

Breakers and Launchers

INFINITOR

Masterminds

JUST-IN

Messengers and Voyagers

KINETIC

Sentinels

LIGHT SPEEDZ

Messengers and Voyagers

METEOR ZX

Sentinels

NEUTRONEX

Intervention and Support

ORION

Breakers and Launchers

PLUTO

Masterminds

QUARKZ

Masterminds

RING SATURN

Breakers and Launchers

SUPERNOVA

Messengers and Voyagers

TOM TOMZ

Messengers and Voyagers

UNIVERXE

Sentinels

VOYAGE R

First Line

WEGO

Messengers and Voyagers

X-PLORER

Intervention and Support

YACOMET

First Line

ZINGY S.

Breakers and Launchers

NO-ONE

Alphabots Numbers

UNIT-X

Alphabots Numbers

PRIME PRIME

Alphabots Numbers

TRINITY

Alphabots Numbers

EUCLID

Alphabots Numbers

PENTA-GONE

Alphabots Numbers

2X3

Alphabots Numbers

SEVEN HEAVEN

Alphabots Numbers

OTTO GAUSS

Alphabots Numbers

3X3

Alphabots Numbers

One thing I love about this line is that you can use these robots as anything.  They can fit into any world you make up, and you can give them special meanings by spelling out certain words (like a squad of robots that spell your name).  The main username I use on various online forums is "Neutron Hacker", so I can't help but pair Neutronex and Hack Er together (it's just too perfect!).  You don't even have to have them transform into letters.  Just knowing that you have a little unit that reminds you of a certain name, word, or date can make them feel special.  They're also incredibly easy to transform, so you can quickly switch them back and forth as much as you want!  Occasionally I came across some loose joints, but for the most part they're nice and tight.  The loose joints could usually be fixed by tightening the screws with a small screwdriver, but there are some that I can't do anything about.  I tried three or four Penta-Gones trying to find a good one, but they all have a loose, floppy center piece.  I really can't complain about this line, though.  The idea of having pretty much universally useable robot figures that are uniquely significant to whoever is using them is a wonderful thing for me.

Oh, and by the way, "Galileo Leo" is one of the most fun things to say.  Ever.  Just repeat it over and over.  It's great!