Leader-1, Turbo, and Scooter investigate, and find it to be occupied by a pair of transforming robotic rocks with protosaur essences - Solitaire and her valet Nuggit.

Meanwhile, Cy-Kill attempts to get information out of Solitaire, and despite her best efforts manages to link up with Magmar and strike an alliance, turning the battle against Boulder.

The good Rock Lords flee, and after their defeat at the hands of the Renegades are initially very skeptical about the Guardians' intentions when they land on Quartex.

The Renegades and Magmar soon attack in Thruster, and Leader-1 and Turbo engage in aerial combat, but receive damage that impairs their ability to fly or convert to vehicle mode.

Cannibalizing the fighter for all its parts, Scooter is able to construct energy projectile weapons for Boulder and his troops, and fully repairs Leader-1 and Turbo.

Stephen Holden of The New York Times remarked that "true to Saturday-morning cartoon tradition, GoBots is a jerky, semi coherent series of chases, laser-gun battles and explosions, with an allegorical plot about how no one can handle too much power"; he noted that "the good guys have squeaky cartoon voices and the bad guys deep, insinuating drawls.

"[5] Animation critic Charles Solomon of the Los Angeles Times wrote about the film: The GoBots are a popular group of robot toys by Tonka that can be transformed: When their limbs are bent or twisted correctly, the figures turn into something else--airplane, car, scooter or tank, etc.

They’re already the subject of a syndicated television series; “GoBots: Battle of the Rock Lords” represents their first appearance in a theatrical film.

Jeff Segal's script sounds like something written in Screen Writing 1A by a student who barely passed--the dialogue is crammed with cliches and unintended laughs.

As the voices of various characters, Telly Savalas, Margot Kidder, Roddy McDowall and Michael Nouri overact shamelessly, proving that it’s possible to mug even when you’re not on camera.

Eight-year-old boys who collect toy GoBots and watch the television show may enjoy “Rock Lords,” but anyone who hasn’t made that kind of investment in the characters quickly will lose interest in this leaden exercise in ennui.

[6]Colin Greenland reviewed GoBots: Battle of the Rock Lords for White Dwarf #85, and stated, "That gormless Hanna-Barbera style of drawing has a certain primitivist charm, I suppose.