Light Element Expansion Pack Sunscraper Spire with Knight Light and His Bio!

What: Light Element Expansion Pack
What is Included:
-Sunscraper Spire: Location Piece/Magic Item
-Trap: Light Hawk Trap
-Trap Master: Knight Light (Male), Light Element
MSRP: $29.99
Known Street Dates: 12/21/14 at TRU, 12/26/14 at EBGames
Skylander Club Link: http://www.skylanderclub.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=34&t=263

First Look

Skylanders Trap Team Light Element Expansion Pack

This video takes a look at the brand new Light Element Expansion Pack.  We cover the contents and go over the background story for Knight Light.

Here are a few images and screenshots for your enjoyment of this most excellent occassion:

Light Element Expansion Pack

Knight Light, Light Element Trap Master

Zoo Lou Upgrade Paths and Damage Numbers

Zoo Lou Base Upgrades

Legendary Zoo Lou Base Upgrades

Zoo Lou Attack Damage Numbers

Zoo Lou The Bucking Boar Upgrade Path

Zoo Lou The Wild Wolf Upgrade Path

Zoo Lou is a very unique character.  He never physically attacks enemies himself, but rather relies on summoned animal friends to do the dirty work.  You have Birds, Boars, and Wolves in the arsenal.  The Birds are the primary attack, the Wolf is the secondary attack, and the Boar is the tertiary attack.  The Base Upgrades address Birds and add the Boar along with one supporting upgrade.  The Wolf is left completely out of the loop in the Base Upgrades.

Naturally, many would think, "Okay, the Wolf was left out, I should take Wild Wolf to balance things out."  The Strategy Guide even boldly states, "The Wild Wolf Path edges it out (Bucking Boar Path) because Bird Call upgrades also help out against groups and you get extra food as a bonus."  I have seen the strategy guide state the obvious and offer insights, but I can't recall seeing it blatantly tell you which path is better

And now that I have seen it...I disagree.

Wild Wolf is an okay path...in fact, it is probably a great path for those having trouble in challenges or tough portions of story mode.  Alpha Wolf increases the attack damage and health of the wolf and Hunger of the Wolf gets him to attack a little quicker.  That said, Hunter and Gatherer is the big payoff as this is where the Wolf will dig up food when your health is low.

I didn't get to check the health of the wolf, or have food dug up for me, but I feel I know enough.  I can't argue that getting food at low health is of great value, but what about needing damage support instead of the food?  My biggest disappointment is that there was never a 2nd Wolf.  Now take a 2nd Wolf into the mix and you have one aiding in on immediate protection and the other digging up food and we have something going.

That said, I still would have to recommend Wild Wolf for beginners and players who need a character with good health attributes to get them through tough parts of the game, whatever those may be...Hunter and Gatherer will definitely be worth while for those endeavors.

The Bucking Boar turned out to be a big surprise.  I'll say that just as not getting a second wolf disappointed me, the fact that the boar never got faster was also a disappointment.  What wasn't a disappointment was going from 18 to 58 Armor.  That +40 is a big deal to me and can be appreciated just as much by pretty much any Portal Master who realizes that increased armor on that scale can very well keep you from winding up at low health and needing food.  Hog Wild really didn't do much for me, but Rough Rider did.  This sounded lame and I was fully anticipating a few pebbles flying up and dealing some meager damage number like 5-8, or 10-15.  The 30-45 is great!  Plus, factor in that you are doing damage on the boar from the front via Raging Boar and then have the rocks out the back and you have a great ranged attack from what was once slow and very limited in range.

However, the biggest asset in my opinion is the fact that you get Rough Rider's rocks and Thicker Pigskin's Armor in conjunction with the simple observation that you can summon both the Wolf and Birds (even the Soul Gem Birds of Prey) WHILE riding on the boar!  That is a big advantage in my opinion and definitely shifted the tables in favor of Bucking Boar.

Again, for rookies and players needing a Skylander capable of regenerative health, take Wild Wolf.  Similarly, if you just really like the Wolf attacks, take Wild Wolf.  For those on the fence, and the small few that might honestly prefer the Boar, go ahead and take The Bucking Boar Upgrade Path...I know you will not be disappointed!

E3 2013: Power A's Skylander Displays: Box Art, Accessories, Storage Innovations, Controllers, Mobile Device Covers, and More!

My first stop at E3 2013 was the Power A Booth.  I was pretty excited because, as you know, I am a fan of the products.  I still get people asking me where I got my 3DS case and it still looks brand new...it is incredible quality.  Similarly, Power A got on the Skylanders wagon early in the game cranking out some great products to provide custom storage solutions and enhanced gaming with carefully crafted accessories.

This year, they have really upped the ante.  They had some of the most innovative storage/display products I have seen.  It is almost as if someone imagined this concept and then instead of the bean counters saying, "No!" it actually went into production.

For those of you who aren't just content with the cases (upgrades there as well!), they now have flush mount islands that turn your wall into Skylands.  If you were to use some of the wall stickers, or paint a custom mural it would be over the top.  The islands connect with bridges and comfortably hold Giants and Swap Force characters as well as your regular SSA cast.  They are very cool.

If you are more interested in say putting your display on a desk or table of some sorts you can have the full on 3D treatment!  The island display is ridiculously awesome as is Flynn's Ship.  These are products and displays many of us have dreamed of, but never really thought we would see outside of attempting to have one fabricated at our own expense.

Power A has these new storage and display innovations along with some other cool new products.  They have recently gotten into the mobile side of things and have smart phone, iPod, and tablet covers and sleeves ready to go...I saw a few "insiders" sporting the Hot Dog cover at the show...Amazing what a keen eye will show you!

On top of the new product line and innovations the cases and controllers are just as good as ever.

What caught me off guard was their box display.  This is akin to what you might see in your local Game Stop, Toys'R'Us, Target or Walmart.  It featured artwork for Ninja Stealth Elf, Blast Zone, and what should be S3 Chop Chop and S2 Hot Dog.  Inside they had product boxes to highlight the potential display layout.  However, what was a total surprise was getting to see the box art for some of the new Swap Force characters!  It was a very big surprise and was just a taste of what was to come...

It was difficult to get great pictures or video due to the volume of people, lighting, and noise, but I think you will get the gist of things...Power A and Skylanders make a great team with killer products for us, the end users!

I have a separate video to highlight their back section which features even more great products for all platforms and from brands like Nintendo, Mario, Pokemon, Call of Duty, and more!

Skylanders Swap Foce E3 Questions: A Compilation of Repeated Requests

If you've followed along on the blog, YouTube, Google +, Facebook, and other outlets I have posted on, there have been a lot of questions submitted..the vast majority overlap, or are the same thing just worded different, so here is a more concise list, sorted for ease of viewing.

Skylanders Swap Force

Characters

Who Are the 16 Swap Force Skylanders?

Who Are the 16 New Skylanders (Series 3)?
-Are they all going to be "adjective" landers (ie "Ninja" and "Volcanic").

Who Are the 16 Returning Skylanders?
-What are their new powers based upon?

Who are the 8 LightCore Skylanders?
-Will they have WowPows or anything past the "FlashBomb" Effect in Giants?

Will there be in-game variants again?
-If so what lines does it apply to (S3, Returning, LC, SF, etc)?

What is the fate of the 8 SSA Castaways?
-Do sales figures dictate who survives and is reposed?

Will there be SF Sidekicks?  If so, when and of what characters.

Starter Pack Specifics

What are the names of the Starter Pack Characters?

Will Starter Pack Characters be released for solo purchase at launch, or sometime after?

Will there be any special Starter Packs?  (Ie GITD, etc).

Will any in-game variants be tied in with the purchase of a new console?

Will the new Portal of Power be backwards compatible with Giants and SSA?

Adventure Packs and Battle Packs

Will there be Adventure Packs and/or Battle Packs?
-If so, how many of each?
-Also, if there are APs and BPs how will they be packed (same as usual, 1 Location, 1 Character, etc).

GamePlay Questions

How Many Chapters are in the game?

How does the length of SF compare to Giants and SSA?

Will the new SF Skylanders (all lines) have more individual personalities?  If so, how will they showcase it?  Voice acting, cut scenes, special interactions with others etc.

Will the Beenox version for the Wii be the same as the Vicarious Visions version?

Will the 3DS version continue with a different story line?

Will the same villains continue to reappear?

With the new jumping ability, will there be "upward" flight?

Will there be online play in Swap Force?
-If so, how?
-If not, will there in future releases.

Will there be a Solo Battle Mode?

How will the Heroics work this time...do old characters unlock anything new?

What, if any benefits, will there be to having Giants play in Swap Force?

Is Flynn a staple?

Where will the hub for Swap Force be located?

Will fan favorites and established elements be back?
-Auric's Shop, Hats, Legendary Treasure, Story Scrolls, Treasure Chests, Battle Arenas, Sky Stones

What Happens if You Put Only Half of a Swap Force character on the portal?

435 AM...I'm beat...didn't sleep much last night...Going to hit the hay.

I hope we can get answers to some of these questions...and yes, I will have the archived post up as well!

Review of TRU Exclusive Topps Skylanders Giants Collector Card Starter Kit

Opening and Review of Skylanders Giants Topps Collector Card Starter Kit

What?  Topps Skylanders Giants Collector Card Starter Kit, TRU Exclusive

Where Did You Get It? Toys'R'Us

What Did It Cost?  $9.99 plus tax

What is Included?  Collector Album, 2 Packs of Cards, and a Bonus Pack

What Was Stock Like?  My local store did not have these out last week...the spot they resided was Pokemon stuff last week.  That said, the peg was full, I'd say maybe 8-10 of them and I'd imagine more were in the back.

Break it Down Some More:  I have to say, this is a pretty sweet set-up.  If you are going to go for a complete set, I would suggest you pick this up (and the other TRU Exclusive that will have Bouncer or L-Bouncer in the "Bonus Pack").

If you are just going to go about things casually, this is still a good deal because you get some great cards and a nice album to display them in...

Personally, what I like best is simply the checklist.  I was dreading having to go online and hope someone had strung a complete set together and conveyed all the info accurately...Now I don't have to worry about it.  I'm at a loss for why the binder would't house the complete set, but I suppose you need both Starter Kits so I guess the 2nd Album will take care of that.

Essentially, here is what you really get:
-Album with front and rear covers that include the checklist.
--The Album looks to be 14 Sheets with 4 Cards Per Sheet

-2 Single Packs (6 Cards Per Pack)

-Bonus Pack
--This one includes your 4 Legendary Skylanders and 3 Glow-in-the-Dark Cards
---And since you are reading this, here is what was in my pack: (L-Jet-Vac, L-Ignitor, L-Spyro, and L-Stealth Elf plus GITD Spyro, GITD Stump Smash, and GITD Trigger Happy).

Conclusion

All-in-all, this is a nice set-up for both the hard-core completionist and the casual collector.  This would be a great gift (along with a few packs) for your kids, or any Skylander fan as it will either get them started on their collection, or provide a nice set-up for trading for their favorites and having a place to display them.

I'm still not sure if I'll go all out on this one or not, but I do think I'll pick up the other Collector Card Starter Kit and maybe a few more packs...The cards are nice and it is solid gear for any true Skylander fan.

Stay tuned as I'll try to get the checklist up in some form or fashion.

Album

Front Inside Cover: Checklist 1/2

Back Inside Cover: Checklist 2/2

Skylanders Giants Heroic Challenge List

*Please note that this is a work in progress.  Obviously I do not have all the Skylanders yet, so I do not know what the remaining HCs are in regards to whether they match the S1 character's previous HC, if they are the same and the stat bonus has changed (Double Trouble for example going from Speed to Critical Hit), and I have yet to buy challenges from Auric..  I will update here as I get new characters AND to organize the challenges by power-up etc.

If you COPY this list, please at least link it back to the blog.


Skylanders Giants Heroic Challenges

In-Game Order

Prism Break

Lair of the Giant Spiders

Clear the mine of 6 giant spiders.

+5 Critical Hit

Lightning Rod

Fight, Teleport, Fight!

Fight and teleport your way to the Tribal Mask.

+3 Armor

Hex

The Three Teleporters

Find the correct path to the Golden Spork

+3 Armor

Bash

Mining for Charms

Find Magical ore buried within the rocks

+5 Elemental Power

Ignitor

Mining is the Key

Break rocks to find the keys to find the treasure.

+4 Speed

Stump Smash

Mission Achomplished

Pick a path and take out the chompies.

+3 Armor

Sonic Boom

Time’s A-Wastin’

Take out enemies for extra time needed to exit.

+5 Critical Hit

Drobot

Save the Purple Chompies!

Hit green Chompies, not purple!  WARNING: This is tough!

+4 Speed

Terrafin

Spawner Cave

Take out 100 Chompies by finding the best spawners.

+5 Critical Hit

Lock Key

Arachnid Antechamber

Defeat 8 giant spiders in this dungeon.

+4 Speed

Trigger Happy

Hobson’s Choice

Fight and teleport your way to find the antique vanity.

+5 Critical Hit

Eruptor

Isle of the Automatons

Destroy Automatons and other enemies to score 75 points.

+5 Elemental Power

Double Trouble

You Break It, You Buy It!

Hit Trolls, not paintings!  WARNING: This is tough!

+5 Critical Hit

Stealth Elf

Minefield Mishap

Make it through the minefield.  WARNING: This is tough!

+4 Speed

Whirlwind

Lobs O’Fun

Earn a tasty treat by taking out Cyclopses.

+5 Elemental Power

Flameslinger

Bombs to the Walls

Use bombs to find 25 magic charms.

+5 Elemental Power

Gill Grunt

Jailbreak!

Rescue 6 Mabu from the Cyclops Islands.

+3 Armor

Drill Sergeant
Environmentally Unfriendly
Bust 7 of the Troll's Pipes
+5 Elemental Power

Slam Bam

Chemical Cleanup

Score points by destroying barrels of the right color

+5 Elemental Power

Zap

Break the Cats

Destroy the cat statues.  WARNING: This is tough!

+3 Armor

1ofWiisdom
Copy that Post
You just copied an entire blog post and didn't catch this.
+1 Google 

Flashwing

Flame Pirates on Ice

Defeat the Flamethrower Pirates.

+5 Elemental Power

Sprocket

Skylands Salute

Raise all the flags.

+3 Armor

Tree Rex

S.A.B.R.I.N.A.

Save the Gecko Chorus and their King.

+4 Speed

Pop Fizz

The Sky is Falling

Destory the Troll’s large cannon.

+5 Critical Hit

Jet-Vac

Nort’s Winter Classic

Make your way around this icy course.

+3 Armor

Eye-Brawl

Break the Fakes!

Put the Trolls out of Business by destroying their fakes.

+4 Speed

Shroomboom

Baking with Batterson

Bring fruit to Batterson for a sweet reward.

+3 Armor

Bouncer

Blobber’s Folly

Help Blobbers escape the dungeon.

+5 Elemental Power

Fright Rider

Delivery Day

Deliver gifts to familiar characters.

+4 Speed

Crusher

Give a Hoot

Return lost owls to their nests.

+4 Speed

Cynder

Zombie Dance Party

Find all the Zombie heads.

+5 Critical Hit

Zook

Shepherd’s Pie

Bring sheep back to their pens.

+4 Speed

Hot Head

Watermelon’s Eleven

Dodge bombs to collect 100 watermelons.

+5 Elemental Power

Hot Dog

A Real Goat Getter

Go get the Hermit’s goats!

+3 Armor

Chill

The Great Pancake Slalom

Race against time through an icy slalom.

+4 Speed

Swarm

Shoot First, Shoot Later

Fire cannons at flying barrels.

+5 Critical Hit

Thumpback

The King’s Breech

Defend King Capybara’s Castle against an Arkeyan Army!

+3 Armor

Skylanders Giants Unboxing Legendary Bouncer

Unboxing Legendary Bouncer (Toys'R'Us Exclusive)

What Is It? Legendary Bouncer, or L-Bouncer for short.

Where Did You Get It? Toys'R'Us in store.

How Did You Get It? In person, in store.

What Did It Cost?  $14.99 plus tax.

Did It Cost Extra?  Nope, same price as any other Giant.

What Is Included? L-Bouncer, Stat Card, Sticker, Web Code

What Was The Stock Like?  Plentiful.  TRU had a ton of both L-Bouncer and the L-Triple Pack.

Will This Be Rare?  I wouldn't say rare, but not near as common place...primarily due to being a TRU Exclusive and the fact that will drive demand.  Right now I would just look at this as the Legendary stuff we saw from SSA.

Conclusion

Legendary Bouncer is a Toys'R'Us Exclusive and gives folks the option to bypass regular Bouncer for his Legendary form.  The price is the same, so it comes down to preference.  For everyone else, L-Bouncer will be slightly upgraded from the get-go and will be needed to fully complete your base collection.

Skylanders Giants Unboxing Granite Crusher

Skylanders Giants: Unboxing Granite Crusher (Target Exclusive)

What Is It? Granite Crusher (Target Exclusive)

Where Did You Get It?  Target-Exclusive to Target in the US

How Did You Get It?  In store.  Currently no online ordering options outside of ebay sellers.

What Did It Cost?  $14.99 plus tax

Does It Cost Extra?  No, despite being an exclusive and more rare, this costs the same as a regular Crusher from any other retailer.

What Is Included?  Granite Crusher, Stat Card, Sticker, and Web Code.

What Was the Stock Like?  I got the last one.  It looked like there were several pegs for Granite Crusher though.  That said, it seemed to be the hot seller on Day 1.  My reports across the net either indicate that stores didn't have him, had a ton of them (ie I would have walked in and seen 20 still out), or had a small number, but not a lot of buyers.

For what it is worth, I had an appointment and ran by Target on Day 2 and there were no Granite Crushers and everything was very picked over.

Will This Be Rare?  I wouldn't put this on line with a Gold or Silver from last time around, or even the new variants.  That said, the Target exclusive Whirlwind ran out around Christmas and then she was everywhere. I don't really see Granite Crusher going to all retailers just as I don't see the Golden Dragonfire Cannon or GITD Starer Pack migrating.  That said, will this stay in production, be cut of after a set date, or simply produced to a certain quantity is beyond me.

Out of all the Giants, I liked Crusher the most aesthetically (Eye Brawl is right up there).  The Granite Crusher look is very cool and it was on my short list of things to try and pick-up.

Conclusion

Right now, I don't think you'll have too much trouble trying to get a Granite Crusher.  If your store didn't have them, they likely will be getting them in soon.  If not, try another Target.  If you want it, I would advise picking him up BEFORE Black Friday just to be safe.  For those not wanting everything, adding Granite Crusher over Crusher is a nice fit, gives you something a little extra, and is all done for the same price.