Blog Poll #25 Results: Your Favorite Adventure Pack

Blog Poll #25 was two-fold.  It asked "Which Adventure Pack is Your Favorite?" and "Which Adventure Pack Character is Your Favorite?"

I opened the poll on April 2nd and it closed late this past week.  We had almost 900 total votes and I believe that qualifies for a great sampling.  Let's take a closer look at each poll:

Which Adventure Pack is Your Favorite?

Poll Results

We had 441 total votes, meaning an ultra competitive race would have been knotted up at 110 with that 1 single vote determining the winner.  That said, it was a bit more one-sided than that.

Dragon's Peak took home 250 votes, or 56% of the total count.  That is an impressive victory.  I can not ignore the trend that what is "new" or "hard to find" tends to get more hype, and thus more votes.  The reason I let this blog go so long was to try and allow for that trend to be overcome.  I can't say for sure if it was, or if folks simply like Dragon's Peak that much better

Second Place would go to Empire of Ice with 84 Votes (19%) and roughly 30 more votes than our Third and Fourth Place APs.  If you factor in the logic of it being the "second newest" you could possibly explain things.  It might also simply be Haldor, the catapult wall battle, or simply the unique fact it was the only "winter" or "ice" level in the game.

Third Place went to Darklight Crypt with 55 votes (12%).  DLC and Pirate Seas were both out at the beginning.  I have noticed that many people have commented that their parents wouldn't allow them to get DLC, primarly because of Ghost Roaster.  That said, it still performed well given its age.

Fourth Place went to Pirate Seas with 52 Votes (11%), see how just a few votes make the difference between 3rd and 4th?  Pirate Seas has, of course, been out since the game's debut.  The level has the unique, prolonged ship battle where you blast away with canons, but I have to wonder if the card games didn't help doom this ship.

Personally, here is how I feel about the APs.

Darklight Crypt: Probably the most intense level with a nice balance of humor, exploration, and an actual boss fight.  Plus you get pies strung out thru Skylands to help you out.

Dragon's Peak: Too much hype in my opinion.  Some elements, like Ramses and Flavius in the story line were okay, but there wasn't much of a challenge, the flying controls were iffy at best, and the biggest demerit is the boss fight, or lack thereof.  I still get burned out seeing Vathek stroll down to decimate us, only to have it end prematurely.

Empire of Ice: The Ice was a nice addition.  However, I feel like there were not as many enemies as I'd have like to see.  The wall battle wasn't bad, but having an army of Cyclops spinners etc at the crumbling foot of the wall would have been a nice addition.

Pirate Seas: I like the lay of the level and Jess LeGrand was pretty cool.  I would have loved to see a showdown with a few Captain K-9s and the likes after the final card game, or maybe even before battling Dreadbeard.  The card game was a nice touch, but a bit over done in my opinion.  It really takes away from the level...if there were may 2-3 rounds, then sure, but as it was, I felt it hindered things more than improved them.

Thus, my personal rankings:

1. Darklight Crypt (Long, Nice Enemies, Good Hidden Areas, Boss Battle, and PIE!!!)
2. Empire of Ice (Totally Unique Level, Wall Battle, Haldor Humor, a little short)
3. Pirate Seas (Nice Layout, Great, Unique Enemies, Ship Battle, Jess LeGrand, cards are repetitive)
4. Dragon's Peak (Ramses vs Vathek=Good Plot, Lack of Challenge, flying=annoying, no boss battle)

Which Adventure Pack Character is Your Favorite?

Poll Results

Interestingly, we had 11 more votes for AP Character than AP Level.  Things were also a bit more competitive.

Sunburn claimed 202 Votes (44%).  I again can not present that without stating that Dragon's Peak and Suburn stand as the newest and most likely for folks not to have, which seems to influence voting.  I do realize he has a lot of fans, but I suppose some of that total is likely attributable to hype, or anticipation.

Slam Bam chilled 108 Votes (23%) to take 2nd Place.  He has been out just a while longer than Dragon's Peak and Suburn, but many folks are just now tracking him down...this could also go along with the hype voting, but likely not the same extent.  He is a unique Skylander and the only one to use ice.

Terrafin dug up 94 Votes (20%) and claimed 3rd Place.  He has a unique ability and I am confident that those who voted for him are genuine fans given that Pirate Seas has been out since the game's debut.

Ghost Roaster scared up 48 Votes (10%) to take last place in the poll.  I must again mention, I know many parents are not allowing their kids to get Ghost Roaster.  Do you then want him more and vote, or just stick with what you can have and pick your favorite...that lies a potential issue.

The only discrepancy between Your Favorite AP and Your Favorite AP Character is the fact Terrafin displaced Ghost Roaster, where Pirate Seas fell short of Darklight Crypt.

Personally, here is how I feel about them:

All of these Skylanders are great and bring unique elements to the game.

Ghost Roaster was my first Level 10 and the first to get treated to mass upgrades.  He could come in and decimate a screen full of enemies.  His primary attack leaves a bit to be desired, but Metal Head more than makes up for it.

Terrafin is one of my true favorites. No other Skylander can burrow below the ground, and his belly flop does massive damage.  Great in close combat, able to evade enemies, it is a great combo.

Slam Bam is just cool...literally.  Not the fastest guy around, but the close quarters combos do massive damage and his Ice Prison is one of the better secondary attacks.  Toss in googles and a snowboard and you are set.

Sunburn is flaming hot.  I may not be on the same page as most people. The teleportation is what I was most excited about and it is unique, but doesn't set him apart from the others in my books.  Plus, the fact he can not fly is still a bit of a bummer in my book.

Thus, my personal rankings (which could change once fully upgraded etc):

1. Terrafin (Unique, Melee Brawler, Burrows, Dorsal Fin Does Damage)
2. Slam Bam (Unique, Melee Brawler, Moves on Water, Ice Prisons are Nice)
3. Ghost Roaster (Skull Master, Regains Health)
4. Sunburn (Teleportation, can't fly)

Blog Poll #24 Results: Fire Element Upgrade Paths

Blog Poll #24 asked, "Which Upgrade Path Do You Prefer for Fire Element Skylanders?"  We had a ton of feedback on this one with a sum total of 639 Votes!  Many thanks to everyone who chimed in and cast their vote.  Also, it was unique in the fact that we had 3 Skylanders who were very close compared to most of these polls.  Let's take a look at the results:

What I liked best about this poll was the vote count.  Flameslinger and Eruptor,who have been available the longest and are thus the most likely to be owned, had the most votes.  Granted, Ignitor has been available since Day 1 in the 3DS Starter Pack, but a lot of folks didn't have him until recently, or are still looking for that illusive single pack.

Flameslinger netted the most votes and we saw a narrow 11% margin of victory for Marksman.  In all honesty, Flameslinger is one of the few Skylanders who has two upgrade paths that are both very solid.  In the end, more folks seem to select the option to upgrade his primary attack.  This is probably because it is quicker to deploy and offers more "instant" benefits than Pyromancer.  That said, Flameslinger can be devastating going down that path and either will serve you well.

Eruptor, who is slightly less popular than Flameslinger, netted an impressive 164 votes.  He also joins the ranks as one of the very few Skylanders who you have selected as having a better secondary upgrade path with a 15% margin of victory. I think the reason for this is twofold.  First, Eruptor's early upgrades make his primary attack, the lava balls, do a crud ton of damage as is.  The complaint about his secondary attack would have to be it is slow.  Well, Phase 1 of Magmantor takes care of that with "Quick Eruption."  Follow that up with more damage, and then the extra, small volcanoes and you have a totally unique upgrade path that compliments the already lethal base upgrades.

Fittingly, Ignitor came in 3rd with 154 votes...a likely reflection of his 3DS status and of course the fact he has just started to become attainable for retail prices in single pack form.  He follows the status quo with 63% of voters agreeing that his Blademaster path is the one to pick.  I think this is attributable to the fact having a flaming sword is pretty freaking awesome on its' own merits, but having the chance to upgrade that is probably a bit too tempting to resist...That said, I believe his secondary upgrade path, "Soul of the Flame" could be just as good, but isn't as flashy (see also, long, burning sword).  Again, I don't think you can regret either path here, and he might be worth getting a second figure of just to have both.

Sunburn, who is scorching the "Favorite Adventure Pack Character Poll" came in with 153 votes...a fitting spot given the fact not everyone has gotten to land Dragon's Peak.  His results were much more one sided with a whopping 7 in 10 voters selecting his "Blaze Dragon" path.  I will be honest here, Blaze Dragon just seems to be far better than Flame Lord.  With the base upgrades you get the "after fire" effects seen post teleportation.  Flame Lord just basically expands on that.  Oh, and the fact that you have INFINITE Flamebreath as your first upgrade on Blaze Dragon kind of says a lot too...That is limitless, never ending, etc.  Imagine just getting to hold the A-Button down with other Skylanders primary attacks and never having to wait for a reload etc.  Pretty hot...and most everyone agrees.

I was very pleased with the voting on this one not only for the great sampling, but also because it reflected the likely vote totals based on how long the Sklyanders have been out and their attainability.  That said, the Fire Element Upgrade Paths are very close as we have three characters with compelling cases for both...one that wound up "secondary" and the other two that are honestly great paths either way you go.

Thanks again to everyone for voting.  I'll get some new polls up soon...likely based on the "most popular" by element categories etc.  I may even deploy a Tournament Poll soon...more on that later.

Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure Unboxing Dragon's Peak

Here is the unboxing of Dragon's Peak complete with an overview of what is included and a few insights on some Wave 4 information:

As always, I try to include as much information as possible in the video for one simple reason: the more info that is included, the fewer questions that have to be asked...that saves time for everyone.

If you want a quick unboxing, without commentary, I'm sure you can find it.  I go into a lot of detail to really show what you get for the money and there are many people that prefer that method.

The video covers:

-Where I Got It: Toys'R'Us Online
-What it Cost: $24.99+Freight+Tax
-Exclusive Window: 30 Days at Toys'R'Us
-What is Included: Sunburn, Dragon's Peak, Sparx the Dragon Fly, Winged Boots, Web Codes, Cards, and Stickers
-The Story on Sunburn
-Sunburn's Card Stats
-Sunburn's In-Game Stats
-The Other Adventure Packs
-The Other Fire Element Skylanders

And since inevitably questions about other recent Wave 4 Releases (Ignitor Single Pack, Lightning Rod and Zook Single/Triple, and Blue Bash) are bound to come up, I touched briefly on those topics towards the end of the video.

Again, my logic is to cover as much as possible without spoiling anything that might happen "in game."

I must also stress that you please refrain from paying ridiculous prices to scalpers.  If they wind up having to sell for retail or $5 over, they really aren't making enough to justify the effort...that means good things for Skylander fans at retail stores.

Dragon's Peak debuted, or should have debuted, Sunday, March 25th, 2012 at Toys'R'Us in the United States.  They kind of botched that and some folks bought them early on the 3/21 event, while others had them 3/21 only to find they wouldn't ring up.  It was truly a debacle.

What really amazes me, and makes finding Dragon's Peak a royal pain, is that despite their exclusive "30 day window" my TRU (and many other TRUs) have only had that initial shipment.  That is really failing to take advantage of the cornered market you know?

I and many others missed out locally, but were able to order it online through their website (which has been sold out roughly since the same time the stores went dry).  The Dragon's Peak APs on Amazon and ebay are extremely over priced and I would encourage you to wait for TRU to get more in, or simply give it a little more time till all retailers have it and save $5.  I enjoy the game as much as anyone, but I refuse to pay over retail for anything like this.

Ignoring the botched launch and inability to stock an item during an exclusive window, this is a big deal for Skylander fans.

Dragon's Peak is the LAST CHAPTER in the game and since all the other APs are out, you can now complete a few collections to work on the Accolades (Story Scrolls, Hats, Legendary Treasures, and Soul Gems).  I'm very excited about that aspect of it.

I have also heard that this level is pretty challenging, so that should be fun.

Sunburn has a huge fan base right now and  I am personally looking forward to checking out his teleportation ability.

Again, the only downside to Dragon's Peak is finding it for a fair price.  I had hoped that TRU would have a solid stock of these to really take advantage of their exclusive sales window...clearly that isn't happening at the moment.  I would expect at least one more shipment before the 30 days expire, but who knows the way things have gone lately.

If you can look past the hassle, there is a lot to look forward to about Dragon's Peak (Chapter 26).

I will introduce Sunburn and record his Heroic Challenge as soon as possible.  That will of course be followed by the blind playthrough of Chapter 26: Dragon's Peak!

Blog Poll #25: Which Skylanders Adventure Pack and AP Character is Your Favorite?

Blog Poll #25 technically consists of 2 Polls.  It is also really hard to title without being extremely redundant.  That said, what I came up with was the best at the time, lol.

This one should be very interesting and to give everything a fair shot (ie Dragon's Peak and Empire of Ice still being pretty hard to come by), I have left it open for over a month.  This should give us some very solid vote totals to analyze.

We first want to look at, "Which Adventure Pack is Your Favorite?"


-Darklight Crypt
-Dragon's Peak
-Empire of Ice
-Pirate Seas

Yeah, this is going to be tough to pick...

We will then counter that with, "Which Adventure Pack Character is Your Favorite?"

-Ghost Roaster
-Slam Bam
-Sunburn
-Terrafin

Even tougher is it not?

That is also reason for leaving it open.  I have also noticed that a lot of the time the "new" or "hot" item tends to dominate.  For example if I was doing "Who is Your Favorite Life Element Skylander?" right now, folks would be more inclined to Zook it up instead of considering an old favorite, or giving consideration to a future release.

By letting the poll run this long I really just hope that more of you can get the Adventure Pack(s) you are missing and will give it an honest vote.  By having it divided between chapter and character, someone that loves Slam Bam, but didn't like Empire of Ice can vote for each unbiased.

I am really looking forward to monitoring this poll and hope that you will spread the word and tell your friends so we can have a really high vote count.  I think this could be one of the tightest polls we wind up running for Skylanders.

Spread the word and vote now...

Weekly Skylanders Update: Ground Hog Day Edition

Well not much too exciting our out of the norm from tonight's trip to town...

Toys'R'Us had NOTHING and the guy I spoke to said they still haven't gotten a shipment in...I still hold firm to my belief that their next batch (which I thought would be this week) will have a slew of Wave 3 Characters.

Target had Drobot...an employee confirmed stock is gone right after opening.

The Walmart with the best stock had Prism Break and Drobot...including a few stashed and some open packages where someone had obviously just stolen the figure...

GameStop had the SonicBoom triple pack (I was shocked...guess the pirates aren't getting good return on it or something?).

Oh, and a fellow Portal Master and manager at a GameStop told me Best Buy had Dragon's Peak.

WHAT?  Yeah...that was my thoughts.  This wasn't supposed to come out and certainly not without fan fare. I seriously doubt we were the first to get the shipment (like I said, we tend to lag 7-10 days behind everyone else).  One of his contacts texted him this morning...and he swooped in to get a set (see people working toghether, but neither him, his friend who reported the finding, or the others he sent bought more than 2).

They story goes they had 2 boxes...

When I got there they had Drobot.  And believe me I asked...I can't remember if I bothered to say how much I dislike Best Buy, but if not let me do so now, "I really dislike Best Buy."  Granted, I'd phrase it differently, but I try to keep things PG for the most part.  The person I asked tonight was pretty nice and willing to help...sadly he was the only one who seemed to think "going and looking" was a good idea for the night...the employee over him and the manager preferred to sing along to the overhead music and make sure they earned  their checks.

But yeah, you heard it hear...Dragon's Peak at best buy!  I hope it hits better retailers soon or comes up online as I have not been able to complete with the unemployed, early AM pirates of Skylands.

I skim the forums all the time and have not heard anyone else mention the AP being out...this guy is credible and has no reason to lie...he also said he had never gotten it in and they have still only had 1 Cynder to his knowledge.

So yeah, another mundane update...with a wicked little twist.

You better believe I'll keep this in mind as I try to land Double Trouble and Cynder...