I’m not entirely well-versed on the whole ins and outs of the Transformers universe. As far as I know, there has never been a giant shape-shifting robot clad in a wooden body. Maybe it’s time to add one, though, because these WooBots show just how good-looking they can be.
That’s right, it’s a set of robots that transform into various types of vehicles, each one ditching the molded plastic of modern times for the heirloom appeal of good, old-fashioned wood. They shape-shift similar to the Transformers, too, with various components twisting, folding and rotating, making for a toy that’s as fascinating to play with as it is gorgeous to look at.
The WooBots consist of five models, each one transforming into a car, a bus, a truck, an aircraft carrier, and a jet fighter, respectively. In robot mode, the toy stands between 5.9 to 7 inches tall, around the same size as most action figures, so you can put them side by side with your other toys without looking out of place. Depending on the model, each one is made up of 15 to 20 wooden laser-cut blocks that are assembled by hand to ensure proper movement during shape-shifting.
Even better, they come with plenty of details both as robots and as vehicles – a far cry from the simpler designs you’ll see with most wooden toys nowadays. And since they’re untreated pieces of wood, you can probably have a lot of fun customizing them with paint, decals, or any other art supply of your choosing.
A Kickstarter campaign is currently running for WooBots. Pledges to reserve a unit starts at CAD $25.