No prizes for guessing Transformers’ gimmick. They were, the ads reminded us, robots “in disguise” – i.e. figures which could transform; into a car, truck, aeroplane, or (at the less sane end of the spectrum) cassette tape. Stupidly collectable, these die-cast anthropomorphs had an in-built “double the value” argument for kids eager to pressure a parent into parting with their hard-earned. It’s a model VW Beetle! And it’s a robot reconnaissance soldier! It is not a rip-off.