Space Case (1995)

When discussing toys as part of Generation 2, most fans agree that any toys that released in the US with the redesigned Autobot and Decepticon faction logos qualify for inclusion, even though Hasbro had quietly dropped the Generation 2 language on the packaging for the last year of such toys before deciding to revamp the entire concept for Beast Wars. Thus, the Cyberjets are not only considered part of "G2," but indeed are held up as some of the best toys in the entire line.

Celebrating the 25th anniversary of Beast Wars with Rhinox

I'm giving a lot of attention to Generation 2 this year (hosting a G2-themed podcast and all...), but the fact is, while Generation 2 brought the Transformers toy line back from the dead, it really didn't save the franchise for the long haul. In fact, sales of Generation 2 toys were disappointing. To ensure the survival of Transformers for the next couple decades (and more?), the franchise had to undergo a major revision. This was the Beast Wars franchise, which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year (this post is timed to approximate the anniversary of the premiere of the Beast Wars cartoon, which was on April 22nd, 1996, but of course some of the toys came out before that date...).