This fall, Skylanders SuperChargers will continue the franchise's leadership on mobile by bringing the full AAA game to fans via select iPads, and for the first time ever, the iPhone and iPod touch on October 25 in North America.
The game offers fans a new cloud save feature which allows for portability between multiple Apple devices for a true on-the-go experience. Simply save your progress via cloud save and pick up your progress on separate devices as long as you're logged in under the same Game Center account. Now fans can seamlessly enjoy the same robust gameplay-driven adventure as its console counterpart wherever and whenever they want.
The Skylanders SuperChargers Starter Pack for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch will include everything necessary for fans with those devices to create the full Skylanders SuperChargers gameplay experience out of the box, including a Bluetooth portal, an embedded Bluetooth controller and a built-in stand. Upon download, players will get Instant Spit Fire and Instant Hot Streak for free with the download, while in-app purchases will unlock Instant versions of Dive-Clops, Dive Bomber, Super Shot Stealth Elf and Stealth Stinger.
Dive-Clops in Action!
The full Skylanders SuperChargers game experience, including online co-op and multiplayer racing, is playable on iPad Air, iPad Air 2, iPad mini 2, iPad mini 3, iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPod touch 6. Fans with iPhone 5/5C, iPad 3 and iPad 4 can enjoy the single-player Adventure Mode, local co-op and head-to-head racing in split screen.
Call of Duty has become an annual staple for many gamers. Whether you enjoy playing solo campaign modes, or have all your friends over every Friday night it is without a doubt, one of the biggest titles out there. Even those who don't usually play games, or wouldn't consider themselves fan of a First Person Shooter can pick the game up and really enjoy it. I have several friends that have wound up getting their girlfriends involved in the action...Within a grace learning curve time frame, they often emerge as good, or better than their boyfriend who has been playing several years.
That said, one thing Call of Duty has not done is take on the mobile market...That is until now.
Call of Duty: Strike Team hit the market exclusively for iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch users. It retails for a modest $6.99 and has been receiving great reviews, particularly for those waiting for Ghosts.
The Blast Furnace, Activision's new mobile development studio cranked this one out and designed it specifically to cater to the touch screen capable mobile devices. A key, new feature is the ability to switch, on the fly, between the classic First Person View and a new, tactical top-down Third Person View.
You can see from the screencaps that this is well polished and bodes well for the future.
1st Person View, Heli:
3rd Person View:
3rd Person View:
1st Person View:
I think the key thing here is to remember that Strike Team was designed and intended to be played on mobile devices. If you are a seasoned veteran of the console experience, keep that in mind. The goal here is to offer up "on the go" Call of Duty action that can fill in dead time, make commutes more interesting, or keep break time at work cutting edge.
Here is the Strike Team Trailer:
And fear not Android users! The Blast Furnace should have your version out some time this fall.
You can find more information on the Official Website:
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!
What? Apple 16 GB White iPad mini Where Did You Get It? Target What Did It Cost? $299.99 plus tax ($30 off Sale!)
Unboxing iPad Mini
Video Time Log
Time Log:
Start-3:00 Intro
3:00-11:15 Unboxing and Info
11:15-End Reasons to purchase, perks, my plans, Skylanders iOS etc
I have to say, I am an Android person...I just prefer the how shall we say, less proprietary end of things? I do think Apple is making strides in this direction, but there are just the simple, little things that become complicated for a PC person when dealing with Apple products.
That said, the iPad is a great device, offers up endless fun, social networking, and if you can distract yourself from simply enjoying it long enough...you might be able to get some work done!
By no means do I consider this a replacement for a desktop, laptop, or even netbook, BUT it is portable, slim, and CAN do most of the things you expect from larger computers.
Why Get an iPad Mini?
Stating the Obvious: The Size
Well, for starters, we are talking the mini...This means you want something smaller than the 10" Tablets. I have to say, the mini is a perfect size. I can one hand it with no issues, and my 8 year old Nephew loves it in landscape and it works well for him. It really is the perfect step up from a smart phone (ie my Galaxy SIII). The iPad isn't actually that much bigger, but the few inches makes a big difference to most people. This isn't exactly pocket friendly, but that extra size makes viewing things much easier on the eyes.
Personal Entertainment Device
As mentioned, these things are pretty cool...and they are lots of fun. Games, videos, music...it has it all. If you are like myself and have an older iPod, your current one is lost/stolen, or you simply don't have one...this could be your ticket. The mini costs just slightly more than an iPod Touch, but has a significantly larger screen and much more capability. I was torn between the two, but ultimately the larger screen and easier viewing/multitasking won out. The iPod would be just like carrying around another phone...Personally, I DO NOT listen to music from my phone...just not my style. I prefer to have a separate device. Now, for those seeking portability or something you can easily run with, the iPod has the edge...for anyone else, the edge would remain with the mini. I have no objection using the big screen mini as a newer iPod...in fact, I already am! That said, I still love my old 2nd Gen Nano and it will remain the choice for active events etc.
Messaging and FaceTime
Did you know that any Apple device (the newer ones that is) can send messages and FaceTime other Apple users? You don't have to be tied in to a wireless carrier (Sprint, AT&T, Verizon etc) and it doesn't cost money. All you need is WiFi (home, hotel, hot spot etc).
So, if you want your kids to be able to text you updates from home (yardwork, homework, chores etc), they can use their iPod or iPad to send what is basically a text to your iPhone/iPad etc at work. This is kind of the work around for the common, "I want my kids to be able to text or call me, but I don't want to add a line or commit to anything long term." Putting the condition of "checking in" when you give them an iPod or iPad etc is probably not going to get much feedback complaint wise.
FaceTime is the other big deal...while you might like your kids being able to message/text you...You'll see them at the end of the work day. Kids off at college, grandparents out-of-state, or even just friends who have moved off can all use FaceTime to stay in touch with the ease of a phone call, but the enhancement of video. And again, it is free.
There are work arounds on other platforms and desktops etc, but this is a true 1-Touch and Go solution. Very nice for families that are apart etc.
The Apps: iOS Exclusives
For myself and many others, having an Android based phone gives you most of what Apple has and a lot it doesn't offer. However, there are a few Apps that stay on one side of the fence, or simply perform better on one platform. Obviously in my case, the Skylanders iOS games were a big deal. Are they alone worth justifying the purchase? No. You can get all the current games (Cloud Patrol, Battlegrounds, and Lost Islands) for under $10. For the price of the mini you could buy a console and starter pack, or 3DS and both titles. You get the idea.
That said, there are some, like Skylanders, that just help "justify" the purchase. Your personal tastes will dictate what is out there and beneficial to you.
Personal Reasons
You are an individual and we all have our reasons...For me, picking up the mini offered up the chance to do several things on the E3 trip. First, I can potentially live blog from E3 easier than on my cell phone and without having to lug around a laptop. Second, in the event I max out the SD Cards or Batteries on my Canon camera I can use it to shoot 1080 HD Video of the event. Similarly, the camera isn't great for HQ photos, but it is better than me drawing what I see. Third, and maybe most importantly, I can use FaceTime to talk to my Nephew face-to-face! Granted, this applies to any Apple people I know, but it is sad to leave him back at home when I know he would be living it up at E3. This will allow me to tell him about what I learned AND see his reaction....priceless.
On a more long term note...FaceTime will continue to be big as I have a lot of Apple friends (and I plan to keep on the Android side of the friend equation). Similarly, the compact size and portability will work great for future travels. When having a laptop isn't required, I can save a lot of hassle just taking this along...On the road you can check e-mails and manage all your Social Networking stuff. Lastly, just having a big screened MP3 Player, eReader, and Movie Machine isn't all that bad either.
Another justification for myself is that I have the Android Smart Phone...this iOS tablet opens me up to new experiences AND I get the best of both worlds having both the iPad mini and Galaxy SIII smart phone!
All-in-One
This kind of captures the above...the iPad mini offers up entertainment (music, books, video, games), a web browser, easy social networking, FaceTime and Messages, productivity, and does it al in an easy to manage mini size! I have no complaints about picking the mini up and will likely get a lot of use out of it.
For the price, the iPad mini is a great deal. Whether you want a really big iPod, a sleek way to keep up with emails, Twitter, and Facebook, a chance to FaceTime friends and family, or simply a nice, vivid eReader, the iPad mini does it all...and it does it at a great price and perfect size!
*Note the retail price is $329.99 as of this date. The $299.99 sale seems to pop up fairly often so check your options before paying full price. You might also see a deal to buy the iPad mini and get free iTunes cards...be patient and shop around!
