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Originally known as: Transformers Armada: Prelude to Energon

Publisher: Atari
Developer: Melbourne House
Released: 7th May, 2004 (Europe), 11th May, 2004 (North America)
Platform: Sony PlayStation 2
No. of Players: 1
ESRB Rating: T for Fantasy Violence
Pegi Rating: 7+

The success of Transformers Armada meant Hasbro was able to sell merchandise ideas to other companies based on the series and luckily, one of them was with Atari for a Transformers video game.

The game was first announced in July 2003 at E3, the world’s largest games expo. Initially entitled ‘Transformers Armada: Prelude To Energon’, the game was due to come out at around the end of the Armada and beginning of Energon, the sequel to Armada, in early 2004.

The game was developed by Atari’s own in-house team, Melbourne House, based in Australia. With very little time, the game was created for the Sony PlayStation 2 console only and was designed to be a single player only game.

On 2nd September 2005, Transformers Director’s Cut was released exclusively in the UK. It was completely the same as the original game but included a “making of” documentary on a bonus disc.

View the game’s official website from Atari here

Interview with Andrew Carter, Vice President of Development at Melbourne House
We managed to beg a little time with Andrew Carter and the Melbourne House team developing Transformers Armada: Prelude to Energon for the PS2. Naturally we quizzed them on Transformers, and it turns out they know a thing or two, being fans themselves. (More).

Versions
Transformers – Europe – 7th May 2004
Transformers – North America – 11th May 2004
Transformers Director’s Cut – UK – 2nd September 2005

Press Releases
ATARI TO BRING TRANSFORMERS ARMADA: PRELUDE TO ENERGON TO PLAYSTATION©2 – 17th July 2003

Atari & Universal Motown Records Group Announce Joint Marketing Relationship – 12th April 2004

Released in 1985 by Ladybird books these were a series of short stories that were sold as individual books, and in sets with accompanying tapes. The first set of three books included Autobots’ Lightning Strike, Megatron’s Fight for Power and Autobots Fight Back.

Written by John Grant
Illustrated by Mike Collins and Mark Farmer

Released in 1985 by Ladybird books these were a series of short stories that were sold as individual books, and in sets with accompanying tapes. The first set of three books included Autobots’ Lightning Strike, Megatron’s Fight for Power and Autobots Fight Back.

Written by John Grant
Illustrated by Mike Collins and Mark Farmer

Released in 1985 by Ladybird books these were a series of short stories that were sold as individual books, and in sets with accompanying tapes. The first set of three books included Autobots’ Lightning Strike, Megatron’s Fight for Power and Autobots Fight Back.

Written by John Grant
Illustrated by Mike Collins and Mark Farmer

INFO PAGE | REVIEW

Version: Hardcover
First Printing: May 2004 (republished in May 2007)
Country: USA/UK
Published by: Dorling Kindersley Publishing
Produced by:
Author: Simon Furman
Number of pages: 144
ISBN-10: 0756603145
ISBN-13: 978-0756603144
Price:

The book will look in detail at the Transformers, with spreads following each character’s story arc, and cutaway artworks of important robots. The text will explain the robots’ origins, abilities, weapons, and exactly how each Transformer “transforms” from robot to vehicle mode.

Special feature spreads will cover all aspects of the Transformers world – the origins of the Transformers, with specially commissioned maps and detailed city plans of their home planet of Cybertron, the giant space ark in which the Transformers travelled to Earth, major wars in Transformers history, and much more.

Notes
The book was republished in May 2007 in coincide with the Transformers movie. The page count was increased to 152 pages.

INFO PAGE | REVIEW

Release Date: 20th September 2000
Distributor: Pony Canyon
Country: Japan
Region: 2 NTSC
Number of Discs: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Audio: Japanese Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo
Subtitles: None
Catalogue Number: PCBX-50111

Volume 1, with the first 4 episodes.

Episodes
01. Battle Protocol
02. An Explosive Situation
03. Bullet Train to the Rescue
04. Spychangers to the Rescue

Extra Features
None

Images

INFO PAGE | REVIEW

Release Date: 20th September 2000
Distributor: Pony Canyon
Country: Japan
Region: 2 NTSC
Number of Discs: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Audio: Japanese Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo
Subtitles: None
Catalogue Number: PCBX-50112

Volume 2, with the next 4 episodes.

Episodes
05. The Hunt for Black Pyramid
06. The Secret of the Ruins
07. Sideburn’s Obsession
08. Secret Weapon: D-5

Extra Features
None

Images