Skylanders Frito-Lay Fire Bone Hot Dog Giveaway

Overview of the Frito-Lay Fire Bone Hot Dog Giveaway

Well, the video is a bit long, but it covers what I know...

I have not won yet, so I don't quite know the details regarding if you have to pay Shipping & Handling, how long the estimated wait time to receive a prize is etc...If you have won and know these details, please feel free to post up.

While I think the variations of Fire Bone Hot Dog are pretty cool, I am not a big fan of the methods of entry.  I realize they are trying to make things fun (I assume that is the goal anyway), but as someone with common sense who has collected and monitored feedback from you on these promotions the last few years, this leaves a LOT to be desired...especially with three variations of the winning figure that are shipped at random.

You can either find the chips and scan the back of the bag with the "blippar" app from your tablet, or smart phone, or call a toll free number.  Regardless of your method of entry, you have one per day.

Unlike previous contests (Quick Draw Rattle Shake, Halloween Fright Rider) this one features THREE VARIATIONS of Fire Bone Hot Dog.  I keep seeing people say they are white or crystal/glass...maybe I'm color blind, but it sure looks silver to me.  Each figure appears to share the exact same aesthetics minus the flames on the bone.  The three colors are: Red, Green, and Purple.

In my opinion, the Red is really similar to what the standard figure has, so Green and Purple are slightly more desirable.

There are 5,856 Treasure Hunt Fire Bone Hot Dogs available for the contest, which started July 7th, 2014 and runs until September 5th, 2014.  There is no information regarding how the color variations make up that total.  Doing the simple math we would have 1,952 of each...so at least there is a possibility that they are equally allotted.  There is also a limit of 4 wins per household.

As usual, the chips (at least for me) are very hard to find.  I can find plenty of variety packs, just not many of the promotional ones...to Frito's credit, they got the bags out EARLY this year...I found my 2 bags last week at a local grocery store.  Nothing at Target, Walmart, or Toys'R'Us where I oddly enough had to go to find the Halloween Fright Rider bags.

You have Classic and Flavor Mix options, although I think you can rescan the same bag over-and-over, which if true is a nice touch.

I honestly think the best way to run these promotions is to let folks cut out UPCs and send them in..that method has only been tried and true for several decades now.  I know Frito-Lay means well, and I am glad to see any extracurricular activity/promotions for Skylanders, but I can't see this one ending well...and ultimately feel that once again it will result in more negative PR that positive, which is a shame.

One really cool thing they did this year is put Skylanders on the individual bags of chips!
The Flavor Mix Variety Pack has the following:
Cool Ranch featuring Anchors Away Gill Grunt
Chili Cheese featuring Big Bang Trigger Happy
Barbecue featuring Super Gulp Pop Fizz (although it is not his Super Gulp toy form ironically)

The Classic Mix Variety Pack has the following:
Cool Ranch featuring Anchors Away Gill Grunt
Nacho Cheese featuring Lava Barf Eruptor
Classic Lays featuring Mega Ram Spyro
^Don't hold me to these, I have yet to see this in person and could only find one, small image online.^

So, if you pick up the Variety Packs and don't manage to win a Fire Bone Hot Dog, you at least get some cool individually packed Skylander chips!  Sadly, the other 3 flavors in each just have standard packaging.

Now, since I know the drill and how the vast majority react, I will say this...

Quick Draw Rattle Shake is coming to stores any day now...Those who didn't win and then rushed out to buy him on ebay will regret every penny past $14.99 they shelled out (outside of big time variant collectors and Rattle Shake fans).  Quick Draw caused a lot of ruckus because he is an in-game variant.

As best I know, especially with these being referred to as "Treasure Hunts" I can only assume these are not in-game variants, but just your standard re-colors (ie Golds, Silvers, etc).  That is the first bit of good news.

The second bit of good news is that the rules clearly state that the Fire Bone Hot Dog figures are exclusive through 12/31/2014.  If they were one-and-done, I don't think this would be posted.  It leads me to believe, just like with Quick Draw Rattle Shake that we should, eventually see all 3 trickle out to retailers.  Whether this is a massive release, a store exclusive, or tied in with a promotion like the Sidekicks, we do not know.  There is also the chance that he might not come to retail stores.

That said, I assure you...your life will be fine without all 3, or even 1 of these Fire Bone Hot Dogs.  If I do not win and he doesn't become available, I will not pay more than $9.99 for any of the three.  If you are a collector, or big time Hot Dog fan, do what you will, but for most people, I encourage you not to pay scalper prices and feed the trolls.  The money you wind up spending for 1-3 of these will likely get you a very good chunk of Skylanders Trap Team, another video game, or just used for something fun and enjoyable...always keep that in mind.

My advice is to have fun with it...Enter the contest each day, have your friends do it, and hope for the best.  If you don't win, don't worry about it and wait it out.  If he hits retails stores, pick him up then...If not, save your money and buy new Skylanders for Trap Team.  That is my plan anyway...

To play without a bag, use this toll free number: 1-800-978-3765

Name that Skylander: New Frito-Lay Promotion Let's You Name a Skylander and Win Big!

So...if you have been in stores recently you may have noticed yet another Skylanders and Frito-Lay promotion...I actually spotted the bags tonight at my local grocery store...

This promo doesn't entail you trying to win a Skylander, but the prize is much greater...There is artwork for three potential Skylanders.  Fans can submit a name and a story behind the name for evaluation.  Judges from Activision and Frito-Lay will select a finalist for each character.  At this point, fans get back in the mix by voting online for the character name they like best...

The person who came up with the winning name/story will be awarded a $100,000 scholarship  That is a very big deal!

If academics aren't inspiration enough, everyone can take pride in knowing that if their named Skylander wins the character will appear in promotional settings and even in the game.  I would assume as a playable character, but that is not etched in stone based on what I have read thus far...That would be insanely cool though.

So, who can you name?  Check it out:

If you are interested in participating in the contest, head this direction:

http://fritolayskylanders.young-america.com/home

If the contest isn't up your alley, you at least get a look at some potential Skylanders AND you can score some tasty Frito-Lays Multipacks with sweet savings on Skylanders!  Each bag will have discounts, so be on the look out!  

You can find more info and official rules on the website linked above!  Good luck!!

Skylander Hunting Surprise: Purple Metallic Wrecking Ball and QuickDraw Rattle Shake Frito-Lay Bags

Wow...

November is off to a GREAT start!

Skylander Hunting: Purple Metallic Wrecking Ball, Topps Collector Card Album, & Quick Draw Rattle Shake Frito-Lay Promo Bags!

First off, I was making my usual rounds while running errands tonight and wanted to stop by Toys'R'Us for two reasons: First, I wanted to see if Legendary Zoo Lou (11/3 Street Date) was out, and if so, if I could purchase him.  Second, I was hoping to find some of the Frito-Lay promotional Variety Packs for Quick Draw Rattle Shake!

Well, neither of those panned out at Toys'R'Us.

However, I did find one (and then several more) of the Skylanders Giants Legendary Triple Packs that I kno a lot of you are after...It has L-Jet Vac, L-Ignitor, and L-Slam Bam.  The first one I found, had something else unique...sitting on the peg to the left was none other than Purple Metallic Wrecking Ball!

Yep...PURPLE METALLIC WRECKING BALL!  I was shocked to say the least!  This is the first time I've found a "chase" variant since Gold Flameslinger back in the day...

I didn't risk taking a pic in the event someone else spotted him...So I plucked him up and began looking for a 2nd Skylander (BOGO40%).  I nearly went with a 2nd Scorp or Rip Tide, but held off in order to pick up the Topps Collector Card Starter Pack (TRU Exclusive) for $9.99.  This turned out to NOT quality for the BOGO40%, but who knew?!  I didn't, but now you do...Should have gone for that Scorp or Rip Tide...oh well.

This Purple Metallic Wrecking Ball kind of makes up for all of that!  I'm not sure how he "broke" thru the system, but he was right there front-and-center staring at me...Especially since his interior packaging is broken and it casts him at a 45 degree angle.  He was literally about to fall of the peg as well.  Before you ask, YES I did scan everywhere for the other Purple Metallics, lol.

You can check out the Topps Collector Card Starter Pack Opening and Review in the next blog post...

Now, on to the grocery store...Shockingly, my local store had the Quick Draw Rattle Shake Promo bags!  I saw the Classic Mix over in produce (don't ask) and grabbed it.  On the chip aisle they just had a few...I checked and the codes seemed to be the same for roughly 8-10 bags and then change...

I found a Classic Mix with a different code and grabbed it too...if you were unaware, the codes are on the FRONT of the bag, right with the "Use By" date.

I will get a video up outlining that contest here shortly...

Also of note...Target had Wave 2 Skylanders!  I, oddly enough, saw quite a few Fire Kraken, several Grilla Drilla, and 1 Night Shift...No Boom Jet anywhere.

That said, this was a killer night in terms of Skylander hunting!  Next stop is, of course, TRU on Sunday for Legendary Zoo Lou.

Checking Out Frito-Lay's Halloween Fright Rider Promotion

This is a follow up to the post I made back in September about Frito-Lay's Halloween Fright Rider Special Edition Figure: http://www.1ofwiisdom.com/2013/09/frito-lay-spearheads-halloween-with.html

I said it in the video, on Twitter, and even in the video description if anyone reads those...

But a big thanks to Tim, Arlene, and Anthony from Riverside, California!

Checking Out Frito-Lay's Halloween Fright Rider Promo Bags

They had seen my tweets back-and-forth with Frito-Lay inquiring about the whereabouts of the Fright Rider promotional bags and felt for me...They appreciated the videos I've made in the past and heads up I try to give everyone on Skylander deals...

They actually sent me a code to try and win Fright Rider.  I would have been quite content knowing that people appreciated what  I do enough to even think of sending a code, but the fact that it won makes things even better!  Tim got his wife, Arlene hooked on the game after his brother Anthony introduced it to him...It has turned into a nice little hobby/obsession like it has for so many of us.  It is people like this, despite being relatively few and far in between, that make up for all the scalpers and ebay pirates in the world.  You always hear the negative, but rarely the good, when it does happen.  So again, a big thanks to Anthony, Arlene, and Tim for helping me out here!

I literally was at the point of throwing in the towel on this one...I had been looking since day one and never found signs of these bags existing locally.  I got to a point where I checked with a stoker at Target and two managers at my local grocery stores...They reported the same thing I had seen, no signs of them...

My stores have always had plenty of stock here lately, the stock has even been Halloween themed with Frankenstein on the bag...However, this past week those bags were gone and they were back to Classic and Flavor Mix bags with no promo at all.

By whatever freak chance of nature, my Toys'R'Us had just gotten bags in?!  I thought it was weird and the employees shared my shock...They actually couldn't get the bags to ring up with the UPC or an item code and had to manually enter it.  The chips were there with the PowerA SWAP Force gear and I guess it was the Ancient Portal Masters looking down on me...Granted this was a few days AFTER Tim and Arlene sent over a code, BUT it gave me the chance to bring this to light and alert all of you to check your local Toys'R'Us, as odd as that still seems.

The Quick Draw Rattle Shake bags have already been hitting stores across the country, but I've once again yet to see a sign of them in my area.  I will now actually check Toys'R'Us in the event they are specifically getting the special, promotional bags.

The price was $6.99, which is actually what standard fare is around my area, although they routinely go "on sale" for $5.99.  I am quite happy with the purchase and I am still blown away by the generosity of Tim and Arlene for sending in a code just to try and help.

If you are in, or around the Riverside, California area, I suggest you check out their Facebook page to help area Skylander fans.

Frito-Lay Spearheads Halloween with Special Orange and Black Fright Rider

I saw this late Sunday night, but it was too late to blog it...

I have checked for chips (the promo started Sunday, September 22nd, 2013 from what I know), and have not found them just yet.  I believe we have until middle November for this one, but will know more once I find the actual chips.

This will once again be a promotion involving their Classic Mix and Flavor Mix Variety Packs.  Unlike the Sidekicks setup where you buy the chips, enter the code, and pay freight, this one goes back to Flocked Stump Smash.

Before you ask, "No, I do not have Flocked Stump Smash."  Why?  I seriously NEVER found the specially marked bags of chips for him.  If you know me, you know I'd have gone for him and I literally never once, at any store around me, saw the special bags.

I certainly hope that isn't the case this time around as Orange and Black is one of my personal, favorite color combos...I am a big fan of Halloween, and more importantly I'm a fan of Fright Rider and this figure, based on what we see on the bags, looks AWESOME!

You can find more info, and enter the contest, here:
http://www.skylanderspromo.com/fritolayfall/age-validation

Special Fright Rider, Classic Mix:

Special Fright Rider, Flavor Mix:

Barkley Skylanders Giants Sidekick Unboxing

What: Barkley, Life Element, Sidekick to Tree Rex
Where Did You Get It: Frito-Lay Promotion
What Did It Cost: $2.50
Order Date: July 10th, 2013
Arrival Date: August 6th, 2013
Blog Link for More Info on Skylanders Giants Sidekicks: http://www.1ofwiisdom.com/2013/06/skylanders-giants-sidekicks-promo-with.html

Any Monday can turn into a pretty good day when Skylanders are involved...Such was the case today as Barkley and Mini Jini both showed up!

Unboxing Skylanders Giants Sidekick Barkley

Barkley was my second choice for Giants Sidekicks...I had him right behind Eye Small.  After opening Barkley I now consider him the best Sidekick.  His detail, for the scale, is immaculate.  He retains key features seen in Tree Rex and has a great pose to go with his superior detail.  

Here are some pics to showcase just that:

Barkley, Front:

Barkley, Back:

Tree Rex and Barkley, Front:

Tree Rex and Barkley, Back:

Tree Rex, Shroomboom, and Barkley, Size Scale:

Tree Rex, Barkley, and Gnarly, Because It is Cool:

Barkley, Eye Small, Mini Jini, Thumpling:

Tree Rex & Barkley, Eye-Brawl & Eye Small, Mini Jini & Ninjini, Thumpling & Thumpback:

Gill Runt, Terrabite, Barkley, Eye Small, Mini Jini, Thumpling, Trigger Snappy, Whisper Elf:

Good luck landing your favorite Skylanders Giants Sidekick!

Skylanders Giants Unboxing Mini Jini Sidekick

What: Mini Jini, Magic Element, Sidekick to Ninjini
Where Did You Get It: Frito-Lay Promotion
What Did It Cost: $2.50
Order Date: July 15th, 2013
Arrival Date: August 6th, 2013
Blog Link for More Info on Skylanders Giants Sidekicks: http://www.1ofwiisdom.com/2013/06/skylanders-giants-sidekicks-promo-with.html

I suppose getting the rest of the Skylanders Giants Sidekicks on a Monday makes for a pretty good day.  That is just what happened today.  As expected, Mini Jini and Barkley both showed up today!  This completes the set and allows us to take a look at all 4...we just have to unbox them first.

So, without further ado, here is Mini Jini.

Unboxing Mini Jini Skylanders Giants Sidekick

Mini Jini was my last choice for a Sidekick...that was before I knew the one I got would have a blemish on her forehead.  I just felt that the other 3 were orchestrated better...with all of them on site, my opinion remains the same.  She isn't horrible, just not as impressive as the others.

That said, here are some pics:

Mini Jini, Front:

Mini Jini, Back:

Mini Jini and Ninjini, Front:

Mini Jini and Ninjini, Back:

Mini Jini, Pop Fizz, and Ninjini Size Scale:

Scarlet Ninjini, Mini Jini, and Ninjini:

Barkley, Eye Small, Mini Jini, and Thumpling:

Good luck landing your favorite Skylanders Giants Sidekick.

Skylanders Giants Sidekicks Unboxing Eye Small

What?  Eye Small, Undead Element Giant Eye-Brawl's Sidekick

Where Did You Get It?  Frito-Lay's Promotion
How Much Did It Cost?  $2.50
Order Date: July 10th, 2013
Arrival Date: July 31st, 2013

This is the second Skylander Giant Sidekick I unboxed and after opening Thumpling, who was ordered AFTER Eye-Small and Barkley, I was unsure who it would be....Luckily, it turned out to be my first choice for a Giant Sidekick, Eye-Small.

Apparently, according to a source that contacted me after the Thumpling video went up, these two Sidekicks (Thumpling and Eye-Small) shipped around, or on the date of Thursday, July 25th, 2013 while Barkley and Mini-Jini shipped on, or around the date of Tuesday, July 30th, 2013).  Thus, I should be seeing the later two show up very soon...Possibly by the end of this week!  I will unbox them just the same and will then record a complete collection set.

That said, here is the unboxing of Eye-Small (keep in mind, at the time of opening this one, I still didn't know what to expect...the info posted above came in after I had uploaded the unboxing of Thumpling):

Unboxing Eye Small

Here are a few pictures to showcase the detail and size difference:

Eye Small, Front:

Eye Small, Back:

Eye-Brawl and Eye Small:

Size Chart: Giant, Regular Skylander, Sidekick:

Thumpback, Thumpling, Eye Small, and Eye-Brawl:

Thumpling & Eye Small:

Sidekick Reunion:

Unboxing Thumpling Skylanders Giants Sidekick

What? Thumpling, Water Element Sidekick to Thumpback
Where Did You Get It?  Frito-Lay Promotion
What Did It Cost?  $2.50
Order Date:  July 15th, 2013
Arrival Date:  July 31st, 2013
Blog Link for More Info on Skylanders Giants Sidekicks: http://www.1ofwiisdom.com/2013/06/skylanders-giants-sidekicks-promo-with.html

Much to my surprise, the mail today had a special haul...

While I knew what the boxes should have inside based on the return address, I assumed I would be getting Eye-Small and Barkley, the two Skylanders Giants Sidekicks I ordered first (July 10th, 2013).  That was not the case...Inside Box (yes, BOX...I know, big upgrade) #1 was none other than Thumpling!

Here is the video showcasing the unboxing (and promo of the recent Swap Force reveal that went live on Monday!) and comparisons to his larger counterpart, Thumpback:

Here are some stand alone shots so you get a feel for the size difference etc.

Thumpling, Front:

Thumpling, Back:

Thumpback and Thumpling:

Size Chart: Giant, Regular Skylander, Sidekick:

Sidekick Reunion:

Weekly Update: Mid July 2012

Hey Everyone,

It is almost 4 AM...I had planned to be doing this blog post around 11 PM.  I'm very tired...like I have been all day.  That said, I think I am going to push it back till tomorrow (well tonight).

I've got a video uploading, updated the Giants Info earlier, and have added Metal Mario to the Mario Tennis Open QR Code Post...That should help you out a bit.  I do have some cool stuff to post, and pics from a few weeks.  Stay tuned for that and more later tonight!

Alright, so this update is a bit over due...I have been out-of-town quite a bit here lately and time hasn't exactly been on my side.  Nonetheless, there is a lot going on, so let's get it covered.

Nintendo 3DS

Street Passin'

If you read the intro, you know I have been out-of-town quite a bit the last few weeks.  Anyone care to guess how many StreetPass Tags I picked up?  Anyone?  Don't think too hard...

The answer is...ZERO!

I honestly just don't get it.  Around my home town I don't pick up any (aside from friends) and any time I run errands I have the 3DS on in Sleep Mode just in case.  That said, when I go out-of-town for work or vacation and wind up somewhere with 2-10x the population of my immediate area I kind of expect big things...or at least like 5 tags over the trip etc.  But I continually come up empty.  At the hotels I even walk the halls in the morning and carry it to the lobbies hoping to pick up tags, but it works to no avail.

All of those "accomplishments" like 10 StreetPass Tags kind of seem daunting under this scenario...Think how I, and those in similar positions, feel about the "100 StreetPass Tags in one day" thing!?  I honestly feel like I'd have to hit a convention of 3DS Owners, LA, NYC, or Tokoyo to pull this one off.

And that is a great segway for this...

Find Mii II


A few of you will recall how excited I was to finally beat Find Mii.  Keep in mind, this takes a lot longer when you deal with Wandering Heroes who are Level 1 or Level 2 at best.  I can't imagine getting tags from real people and breezing through it in a few attempts.  I basically miss out on the accolades when you need the "Light Blue" to break the shield and "White" to light the room.  I'm tempted to get to those points, drive to GameStop, reset their demo 3DS, and build a Mii with the needed description.

Anyway, I was finally able (thanks largely to my friend's tags always being Level 7) to get through Find Mii for the second time!  This is as many as you have to play to get all the hats.  Granted you can replay it as much as you want, and I think there are accomplishments for this (beat FM 5 times etc), but for the time being all I am concerned with is the hats.

And here is the grand prize after the 2nd time through:

Pretty sweet imo...This basically replicates the Ultimate Ghost!  Here are some other end slides for those interested:

As you know, it is hard to get good shots of the 3DS Screen...There were all taken with my Galaxy S III.

The real treat here is getting to advance to Find Mii 2:

It is quite a bit more complex than Find Mii, but I won't go into it too much.  I will share this hilarious screen shot though:

So yeah, apparently if I was to breed with another Royal Mii this would be the offspring on either side...The Prince on the Left and the Princess on the Right.  I suppose the facial hair makes the Princess unique among her peers, lol.

That is about where I left off...took out a few monsters and picked my first path in FMII...I'm looking forward to seeing how it ends.

Nintendo 3DS News

And, this is kind of why I had planned to do the blog Thursday night (July 19th), but we are now one month away from...

New Super Mario Bros. 2!!  This game looks awesome!  I'm a big fan of the Koopalings having grown up with them and still considering Super Mario World one, if not the, greatest game of all time.  It looks like cons will be king in this one and there seem to be a few new tricks.  I am looking forward to it and plan to pick it up release week if not the release date....which is August 19th, 2012.

That same day the 3DS XL launches.  It will have a screen that is 90% bigger and for folks with larger hands, like myself, it will probably be more comfortable to hold and subsequently play for long periods of time.

I would also bank on a package deal at most retailers that week.

I would really like to have the XL, but can't really justify spending the "coin" just to be more comfortable and I don't want to trade in my now discontinued AquaBlue 3DS.  Plus, with the Wii U and its' incredible line-up of games launching late this year I really can't justify it.

That said, if you have held out on a 3DS this is your time to go for it.  The XL will play great, be easier on the eyes, and just with NSMB2, MK7, and SM3DL you have three great games to get you going.  Plus, there are even more on the horizon...

Mario Tennis Open

And speaking of the 3DS and great games, Mario Tennis Open offers a lot of gameplay options.  The addition of add-on characters via QR Codes is pretty cool and something I'd love to see continue, provided them being FREE.  The big release this week was the long awaited Metal Mario!  I have updated the blog post to include his QR Code.  If you just got the game and are looking for some cool add-ons, look no further:

http://www.1ofwiisdom.blogspot.com/2012/06/mario-tennis-open-special-qr-code-yoshi.html

Skylanders Updates

Alright, this is probably what most of you were waiting for...lots going on here.  I have the fresh batteries in the portal to wrap up all the Heroic Challenges for the full cast...which will be important and useful for GIANTS!

Skylanders Giants

A little more info on the new installment has leaked and I updated the blog post to reflect that:
http://www.1ofwiisdom.blogspot.com/2012/06/skylanders-giants-information.html

I did swing by GameStop this past week and asked about the "pre-order all character" rumor that has been going around.  The manager said that it wasn't happening and if it was, no one had told them.  He did say he heard something about 3 coming with the pre-order...which I don't know if he means the 3 you'd get anyway, or 3 additional etc.

Skylanders Sidekicks

The time window to land Skylander Sidekicks here in the US is July 8th, 2012 - November 2nd, 2012.  I actually found the specially marked mutipack and picked up two of them...You have to send in the order form inside, UPC, and $2 to get one...And your first choice isn't guaranteed...It is a bit of a strange system, but I'm hopeful that the early submitals will get what we want.  Nonetheless, I shot a video of the package, the order form, and all the info you'd hopefully want to know which you can find here:
http://www.1ofwiisdom.blogspot.com/2012/07/skylanders-sidekicks.html

I really don't think the sidekicks will do much more than follow you around, but I will hold out hope they at least pick up items or something.  A hilarious action after defeating enemies or a stage would be a perk...but I really think they'll just kind of be a bonus visual.

If I get one back I will video the unboxing and then gameplay for everyone's records.

I had intended to get the "Classic Multipack" at the grocery store, but accidentally grabbed another "Flavor Mix Multipack" instead...Target didn't have the special Classic Mix...here is what I spotted:

Skylanders Battle Tournament

This is going over pretty well...I skimmed the comments last night while half-asleep and there seems to be a bit of confusion as to how it works...

There was a poll asking "Who is Your Favorite Skylander" a while back.  Warnado was #1 and Boomer was #32.  I used this ranking system for this particular bracket.  So 1 vs 32, 2 vs 31, 3 vs 30, 4 vs 29 etc.  The rest panned out in the fashion where 1 has the easiest path (ranking wise) and 4 has the hardest path (ranking wise)...Just like a basketball playoff etc.

The "Battles" are actually ran by the poll.  You vote for who you think would win...which is usually going to be your favorite, USUALLY.  Let's face it, if someone likes Gill Grunt the best, they will think he is going to win every match and can vote so.  If they aren't as diehard they may think he'll be x, y, and z but has no chance against q, w, and r etc.

I think most people get that....

#1 Warnado is currently getting slaughtered by #16 Slam Bam...which based on that difference, which was huge, it seems people understand we are voting for who you think would win.  Granted, a lot of people that really like Warnado will think he could win etc.

I like Warnado way more than Boomer overall, but I honestly think Boomer would take him down in a battle...

That said, things are going fine and there only seem to be a few confused.

And the other issue of "is the poll who determines who wins, or do you play offline" is, as you should know after the above, all based on the poll.  The reason it isn't based on me running the battles is because there is no single player option...which is why I am doing the "Battle Tournament" via the poll.  It is pretty simple really, but I think if you have any questions you can find the answers here:
http://www.1ofwiisdom.blogspot.com/2012/06/skylanders-battle-tournament.html

That said, in the next 'results' and 'Round 3' videos I will begin each with clarifications to help those uncertain etc.

Skylanders Hunting

As forewarned, despite having the base collection...I still look, mainly for variants.  I have yet to see a Crystal or Glow-in-the-Dark in person.  I am kind of thinking we might see a translucent Whilrwind or something on down the road though, so I will continue to look...Plus I just like to see how things are shaking up.

I have a backlog of pics here, but this is what I found most interesting....

Here is my local Target this week:

I hope you like Hex or Wrecking Ball because that is all they have.  I also want you to look at the size of the display...There are 12 Racks (and the Exclusive Whirlwind sign).

Now look at what I found on the road...This is a Target I went to on a trip:

Talk about a stark comparison!  22 Racks for Singles, 2 for Stylus packs, and 8 for Triple Packs or Adventure Packs!  They had pretty much everything but Wave 5 Singles.

A small store near me had a nice selection, but no Wham-Shell:

As mentioned I have a few more pics, but nothing too crazy.  I do want to post this one though..it is the special sign for TRDS:

And yes, all they had was Wrecking Ball and Boomer, lol.

I still think we  will/should see a Translucent Whirlwind for Target...although I still think Translucent Green would be killer for Stump Smash!

Current Projects

There is quite a bit going on...and I haven't had much time to work on any of it :(

The Mario Kart Wii playthrough hasn't been touched since the start of June...that said, I still recorded a ton of it, just haven't edited past Part 4.  I may work on that this coming week.

I have a quick playthrough going on with that one, but it hasn't been touched since mid-June.

The same goes for my big "mystery game."  I've said it before, but I had major audio issues with this one...And sadly they have continued when I did try to record twice recently...I'll have to see how it pans out.

Once MKW and the partner playthrough wrap-up I may just come clean about this one and see if folks want to see it despite the massive audio/video issues, which I hope don't continue.

Currently Playing

Wii Fit Plus
Mario Kart Wii
Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure
Mystery Game 1
Mystery Game 2
Professor Layton and the Curious Village (DS)
Mario Tennis Open (3DS)
Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (3DS-Fired it up on a recent trip)

Currently Listening

Auto Audio (In the Car): Pearl Jam, Theory of a Deadman
Home Audio (At Home): Seven Mary Three, Taylor Swift

Other Stuff

I'm anxiously awaiting a chance to pre-order the Wii U...I figure it will be insanely popular and hard to come by without doing so...

I would like to pre-order Giants IF there is going to be something special...otherwise I'd just assume pick it up as the games rarely go out of stock.

Any news on pre-ordering figures I will jump on...those, unlike the game, will probably be quite the pain.

I recorded two random unboxings (OREO Cookie Jar because I thought it was cool, and a the Samsung Galaxy S III because I had several people ask for it).  If you go back I actually do this type of stuff from time-to-time, lol...so it isn't anything brand new.  I think I even did a Rayovac Lithium Ion Battery Charger...which is still serving me well!

The Galaxy S III has been an awesome phone!  I got it July 4th and it did an amazing job recording fireworks.  The camera is also great.  Huge screen, incredible resolution, and it has yet to drop a call etc...which I still consider important in a phone.

I really want to get Mario Kart Wii and its "partner" playthrough done asap so I can attempt to record and upload the Mystery Game, which will likely be pretty long...All in time for Giants.  If the Mystery Game doesn't pan out I will be going back a few years for the next playthrough...It is a great game and I have it on the agenda...Most have probably never played it.

Conclusion

Well, I finally got an update post done...feels good, even though it is 4 AM Saturday morning.  You should start to see a few more Mario Kart Wii vids soon...and I have Part 1 of the partner playthrough ready to edit  (like it has been for 6 weeks or so, lol)...I might get it up too...

Hope everyone enjoyed the update.  And don't forget to check out the Skylanders Sidekicks, Skylanders Battle Tournament, Skylanders Giants Info, and Mario Tennis Open QR Code posts!

Have a good weekend!

1ofWiisdom