History YMMV / ChallengeOfTheGoBots

** The toyline has gone through an even further reevaluation. For its original run, it was seen as the poverty version of ''Transformers'' favored by the least cool kids: the toys were smaller, cheaper, were linked to a lamer cartoon, and had dumb names. It didn't help that the cartoon, unlike ''Transformers'', had pretty toy-accurate character designs, which made it all the more obvious to kids that a lot of the toys had decidedly goofy looks. Retrospectives, meanwhile, tend to recognize that the ''Machine Robo'' molds had some pedigree of their own, and often note that, pound for pound, being smaller than equivalent Transformers was really the only downside to Gobots. They had more varied vehicle modes, less partforming, were more detailed and complex than Transformers in their size class, and some even seemingly outclassed their Transformer counterparts--for instance, Puzzler was a fully self-contained combiner, something ''Transformers'' didn't manage until the late 90s. Though calling them outright superior will still often get people yelling at you, calling them decent is far more acceptable than it once was.

* EvilIsSexy: Sort of. The only female [=GoBot=] with a distinctly feminine shape is Crasher, a Renegade.

** The toyline has gone through an even further reevaluation. For its original run, it was seen as the poverty version of ''Transformers'' favored by the lame kids: the toys were smaller, cheaper, were linked to a lamer cartoon, and had dumb names. It didn't help that the cartoon, unlike ''Transformers'', had pretty toy-accurate character designs, which made it all the more obvious to kids that a lot of the toys had decidedly goofy looks. Retrospectives, meanwhile, tend to recognize that the ''Machine Robo'' molds had some pedigree of their own, and often note that, pound for pound, being smaller than equivalent Transformers was really the only downside to Gobots. They had more varied vehicle modes, less partforming, were more detailed and complex than Transformers in their size class, and some even seemingly outclassed their Transformer counterparts--for instance, Puzzler was a fully self-contained combiner, something ''Transformers'' didn't manage until the late 90s. Though calling them outright superior will still often get people yelling at you, calling them decent is far more acceptable than it once was.

** The toyline has gone through an even further reevaluation. For its original run, it was seen as the poverty version of ''Transformers'' favored by the lame kids: the toys were smaller, cheaper, were linked to a lamer cartoon, and had dumb names. It didn't help that the cartoon, unlike ''Transformers'', had pretty toy-accurate character designs, which made it all the more obvious to kids that a lot of the toys had decidedly goofy designs. Retrospectives, meanwhile, tend to recognize that the ''Machine Robo'' molds had some pedigree of their own, and often note that, pound for pound, being smaller than equivalent Transformers was really the only downside to Gobots. They had more varied vehicle modes, less partforming, were more detailed and complex than Transformers in their size class, and some even seemingly outclassed their Transformer counterparts--for instance, Puzzler was a fully self-contained combiner, something ''Transformers'' didn't manage until the late 90s. Though calling them outright superior will still often get people yelling at you, calling them decent is far more acceptable than it once was.

** The toyline has gone through an even further reevaluation. For its original run, it was seen as the poverty version of ''Transformers'' favored by the lame kids: the toys were smaller, cheaper, were linked to a lamer cartoon, and had dumb names. Retrospectives, meanwhile, tend to recognize that the ''Machine Robo'' molds had some pedigree of their own, and often note that, pound for pound, being smaller than equivalent Transformers was really the only downside to Gobots. They had more varied vehicle modes, less partforming, were more detailed and complex than Transformers in their size class, and some even seemingly outclassed their Transformer counterparts--for instance, Puzzler was a fully self-contained combiner, something ''Transformers'' didn't manage until the late 90s. Though calling them outright superior will still often get people yelling at you, calling them decent is far more acceptable than it once was.

** The toyline has gone through an even further reevaluation. For its original run, it was seen as the PoorMansSubstitute for ''Transformers'': the toys were smaller, cheaper, were linked to a lamer cartoon, and had dumb names. Retrospectives, meanwhile, tend to recognize that the ''Machine Robo'' molds had some pedigree of their own, and often note that, pound for pound, being smaller than equivalent Transformers was really the only downside to Gobots: they had more varied vehicle modes, less partforming, and were more detailed and complex than Transformers in their size class. Some even seemingly outclassed their Transformer counterparts--for instance, Puzzler was a fully self-contained combiner, something ''Transformers'' didn't manage until the late 90s.

* VindicatedByHistory: In the late 80’s to early 2000’s, people largely saw ''Gobots'' as just a failed ''Transformers'' rip-off. Nowadays, in large part thanks to it [[CanonWelding being folded into]] ''Transformers'', many have given the series a second look and re-evaluated their opinions, regarding it as [[SoOkayItsAverage a decent show that did the best it could at the time]].

* AlternateCharacterInterpretation: Fans have jokingly [[http://www.cybertron.ca/boards/showthread.php?t=39694 interpreted]] the Renegades as heroics rebels fighting against an evil authoritarian regime due to some rather odd illustrations in the Command Center playset.

** The entire concept of the Rocklords (transforming aliens based on real life minerals like granite or quartz) feels almost eerily similar to ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse'', just done in a ''much'' [[SoBadItsGood sillier]] way.

** The Rocklords in general tend to get a ton of mockery. The whole idea of robots that turn into rocks is just so stupid-sounding to most people that they never really had a chance.
* SoBadItsGood: Rocklords. Think ''Franchise/{{Transformers}}'', but instead becoming something cool like a car, a dinosaur, a plane, or a tank, they became rocks! You could choose between granite, quartz or shale amongst others! The movie really highlights the central issue here - there’s scenes where they transform and roll out... and proceed to slowly clump away down the road like bricks turning under their own power.

** On technical levels, the Transformers cartoon did beat the [=GoBots=] first, while in actual American toylines, [=GoBots=] came first. However, each being based on earlier foreign toylines complicate things even further. In a way, Transformer parts came first, but the first fully formed toy that would be sold as a [=GoBot=] came before the first fully formed to that would be sold as a Transformer. You may see any example brought up in "who came first" debates involving the two franchises.

** On technical levels, the Transformers cartoon did beat the Gobots first, while in actual American toylines, Gobots came first. However, each being based on earlier foreign toylines complicate things even further. In a way, Transformer parts came first, but the first fully formed toy that would be sold as a GoBot came before the first fully formed to that would be sold as a Transformer. You may see any example brought up in "who came first" debates involving the two franchises.

** On technical levels, the Transformers cartoon did beat the Gobots first. While in actual American toylines, Gobots came first. However each being based on earlier foreign toylines complicate it even further. In a way Transformer parts came first, but the first fully formed toy that would be sold as a gobot came before the first fully formed to that would be sold as a tranformer. You may see any example brought up in "who came first" debates involving the two franchises.

* NonStandardCharacterDesign: When the [[HumanPopsicle Last Engineer and Master Renegade]] are introduced in the second [[FiveEpisodePilot five-part miniseries,]] they look much more like conventional, muscular comic book adventure characters than the relatively toony design of the human characters from the first season.

* AccidentalInnuendo: In the episode "Genius and Son", Cy-Kill threatens to, in his own words, let Crasher have her way with Braxis. To have one's way with someone happens to be a euphemism for rape.

* EnsembleDarkhorse: The Renegades in general [[EvilIsCool tend to be better remembered than the Guardians]]. Crasher and Cop-Tur are particularly well-liked; the former for being a fun and interesting DarkActionGirl, the latter for being a lovable IneffectualSympatheticVillain.

* EarWorm: The theme song. It’s lyrics consist entirely of “THE GOBOTS” being shouted repeatedly, yet it somehow manages to be ''incredibly'' catchy.

** The end of "The Third Column" ends with Zero stating that the Guardians and Renegades haven't seen the last of him, implying that he'll return to cause more trouble. His only other appearance was in a flashback in "Et Tu, Cy-Kill?", and even then he only appeared for less than a minute.

* Narm: The hands in the cartoon were a little too [[ShowAccuracyToyAccuracy toy accurate]] to take seriously.

* MostAnnoyingSound: ''Scooter’s voice''. One really wonders what Creator/FrankWelker was thinking when he thought it up.