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Activision 2017 E3 Press Release: Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy, Call of Duty World War 2, and Destiny 2

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ACTIVISION SHOWCASES BLOCKBUSTER LINEUP AT ELECTRONIC ENTERTAINMENT EXPO 2017

Worldwide Reveal of Multiplayer and First Multiplayer Gameplay Premiere for 

Highly-Anticipated Call of Duty: WWII

Destiny 2 Presents All-New, Action-Packed Story and Hands-On with Cooperative and Competitive Multiplayer Activities for a Global Community

Crash Bandicoot® N. Sane Trilogy Remastered in HD for the 

New Generation and Nostalgic Fans

SANTA MONICA, Calif.—June 8, 2017 – Activision is set to kick off this year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) with global debuts from the industry’s leading franchises. Beginning Tuesday, June 13, at the LA Convention Center, attendees will experience the first gameplay premiere of Call of Duty®: WWII multiplayer, the new character-driven story and activities of Destiny 2, and the reimagined and beloved Crash Bandicoot® N. Sane Trilogy.

“Some of the most talked about and highly anticipated entertainment experiences of the year aren’t playing at your local movie theater, inside a stadium or on the airwaves; they are happening at E3, as interactive entertainment takes center stage of pop culture,” said Eric Hirshberg, CEO of Activision. “And we are thrilled to be front and center with two of the most hotly anticipated games of the year, Call of Duty: WWII and Destiny 2, both of which will be playable at E3. We’ve been pouring our hearts and souls into these games and we can’t wait for our fans to get their hands on them!”

Call of Duty: WWII marks a return to the fast action, grounded roots of Call of Duty®.  E3 2017 celebrates the world reveal of the all-new multiplayer.  Developed by Sledgehammer Games, Call of Duty: WWII offers a host of new Multiplayer modes, features and gameplay innovations set in iconic World War II locations in the European theater of war. 

Players will enlist in the conflict by selecting from five iconic World War II Divisions, in a fundamentally new way to invest in your multiplayer career. Join the Airborne Division, the first to the fight, where you move fast and stay quiet; the Mountain Division, where a sharp shooter focus is precise and deadly; the Infantry Division as the tip of the spear; the Armored Division, which brings the heaviest firepower; or the Expeditionary Force who is packing heat with incendiary shells. In addition to the core Multiplayer experience available for hands-on gameplay at E3, players will also play War Mode, developed in partnership with Raven Software, a narrative-based mode pitting Allied versus Axis soldiers in team-driven battles for key strategic objectives. 

Call of Duty: WWII multiplayer also features Headquarters, a franchise first reimagining of the Call of Duty Multiplayer ecosystem, giving the community entirely new ways to connect, compete and engage. 

Call of Duty: WWII pre-orders at participating retailers include access to the Private Beta, available first on PlayStation®4, scheduled for later this year. At E3, players can get their first PS4 Pro hands-on experience with the new Multiplayer at the Activision booth #1001 in the South Hall and in the PlayStation booth #4322 in the West Hall.

Following the epic, global Destiny 2 Gameplay Premiere which took place in May, Activision and Bungie will showcase Destiny 2, providing an array of hands-on experiences for attendees where they can play the all-new story campaign as well as competitive, and cooperative multiplayer gameplay.  In addition, the playable debut of a brand-new Guardian subclass, the Arcstrider Hunter, will be available, whose “super” ability is to summon an Arc-empowered staff to be used for close-quarters melee combat. Attendees are invited to play Destiny 2 on PS4 Pro in the Activision booth #1001 in the South Hall and PlayStation’s booth #4322 in the West Hall, and on PC in NVIDIA’s booth #5230 in the West Hall.

Crash is back, as Activision is rolling out the orange carpet at E3! The iconic marsupial of gaming will make his appearance at E3 where players can play new levels in HD from the remastered Crash Bandicoot® N. Sane Trilogy. More innovations to the franchise will be announced at the show, and players can experience the fun first-hand by visiting the N. Sane Crash Experience in the South Hall lobby for hands-on gameplay, photo opportunities and daily giveaways.

Activision is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Activision Blizzard, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI), Activision’s E3 2017 slate includes:

Call of Duty: WWII – In development by Sledgehammer Games, Call of Duty: WWII takes the franchise back to its roots in a bold cinematic experience that captures the unforgettable heroism of the soldiers who fought together in a war that changed the world forever. Call of Duty: WWII is scheduled for release on November 3 for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC, and is not yet rated by the ESRB. For more information, visit: http://www.callofduty.com, http://www.youtube.com/callofduty or follow @CallofDuty on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. 

Destiny 2 — From Activision and Bungie comes Destiny 2. In the cinematic, story campaign of Destiny 2, the last safe city on Earth has fallen and lay in ruins, occupied by Dominus Ghaul, and his elite army, the Red Legion. Every player creates their own character called a ‘Guardian’, humanity’s chosen protectors. As a Guardian in Destiny 2, players must master new abilities and weapons to reunite the city’s forces, stand together and fight back to reclaim their home. New and existing players will experience gameplay innovations to the world including a dramatic story campaign, new destinations to explore, “Guided Games” bringing players together, and more. Destiny 2 will be available on PlayStation®4 systems with additional, timed exclusive* content, Xbox One (PlayStation®Plus or Xbox Live Gold subscription, respectively, required for significant features), and for the first time-ever, available on PC at retail and as the first third-party game to be offered digitally via Battle.net®, Blizzard Entertainment's online gaming service. Destiny 2 is currently Rating Pending (RP) by the ESRB. For more game information, visit http://www.DestinyTheGame.com and follow the official Destiny social channels on Facebook and @DestinyTheGame on Instagram and Twitter. The community can interact directly with the developers at http://www.Bungie.net, Facebook, @Bungie on Twitter, and http://www.twitch.tv/bungie on Twitch.

Crash Bandicoot® N. Sane Trilogy — Players will spin, jump and wump in visually stunning Fur-K and PS4 Pro HD graphics as they take on the epic platformer challenges and adventures from the three remastered Crash games that started it all: Crash Bandicoot®, Crash Bandicoot® 2: Cortex Strikes Back and Crash Bandicoot®: Warped. In development by Vicarious Visions, Crash Bandicoot® N. Sane Trilogy is launching June 30, 2017 for the suggested retail price of $39.99 and is available now worldwide for pre-order on PS4 and PS4 Pro. For more information about Crash Bandicoot® N. Sane Trilogy, please visit http://www.crashbandicoot.com or follow @CrashBandicoot on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

Skylanders Imaginators Celebrates Crash Bandicoot's 20th Anniversary

Today, September 9th, 2016 is officially 20 Years since the US launch of Crash Bandicoot on the Sony Playstation! To celebrate, Skylanders has put out two videos:

The first video features 20 ways Crash Bandicoot's legacy is honored in Skylanders Imaginators. 

The second video highlights Crash and Aku Aku.

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If you are looking forward to seeing Crash in Skylanders Imaginators, I encourage you to sign up on the Skylander Club Forum and get ready for the blind playthru! Skylander Club Forum: http://www.skylanderclub.com

Crashing the Party at E3: Crash Bandicoot Revealed as Guest Sensei in Skylanders Imaginators during Sony's Conference

Just like last year saw Bowser and Donkey Kong revealed as "Skymiibo" for Skylanders SuperChargers, this year's E3 delivered another ground-breaking reveal...the beloved, Crash Bandicoot is coming to Skylanders Imaginators!

Crashing the Skylanders Imaginators Party at E3: Crash Bandicoot Reveal!

Toy Images, Illustrations, Screenshots, and Gameplay!

Reports claiming he will only be available in PS3/PS4 Starter Packs or only be playable on PlayStations are FALSE.

Crash Bandicoot will be playable on both Xbox One and Xbox 360 as well as the Nintendo Wii U.

And while he will be available at launch exclusively in Special PS3/PS4 Starter Packs, he should be headed for a stand-alone release later on...

Also of note, the Crash Bandicoot Starter Packs will run you $99.99.  Regular ($74.99) Starter Packs will also be available for both PlayStation consoles.

As seen in the video, they have done a fantastic job integrating Crash as a Skylander and he looks right at home.  Just as Bowser and Donkey Kong had faithful movesets, the same applies to Crash Bandicoot.

Crash mega-fans will also be happy to hear that Crash Bandicoot, Crash Bandicoot 2, and Crash Bandicoot: Warped are all slated for release in 2017 as HD remasters for PS4 Owners.  Those who fall into that camp are also likely to remember that this is the 20th Anniversary for Crash Bandicoot, so the timeline ties in quite well.

I have created two-new polls on the Skylander Club Forum:
-Crash Hype
-Crash vs Bowser & Donkey Kong

Anyone can vote in the polls, so please do and let your sentiments be known!

You can also learn more on the Skylander Club Forum:
http://www.skylanderclub.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=53&t=659

Skylanders Battlecast Quick Start Guide & What You Need to Know

So, this just showed up at work this afternoon:

Yup...Skylanders Battlecast is here!  Technically, it was out a day early in the app store, but the cards hit retailers today, Tuesday, May 24th, 2016.  If Battlecast sounds familiar, it should...each Starter Pack for Skylanders SuperChargers included (2) Battlecast Cards, Spitfire and Stealth Elf.

You probably remember the cards now, but might still be wondering just what Battlecast is...hopefully this will help you!

Skylanders Battlecast is a free-to-play mobile game that you can download from Amazon, the Google Play Store, or the App Store for Apple people.  Unlike recent entries that are full games on-par with the consoles, this is different.  That said, it isn't like Battle Grounds, Cloud Patrol, or Lost Islands either.  Skylanders Battlecast is a stand-alone card battling game...yeah, like the super popular entries you watch on Twitch, but with your favorite Skylanders and similarly themed attributes!  Got your attention now?  Good!

Let's keep this simple and run down the basics...you know, the stuff other people overlook that makes you continually rely on me to provide you with the pertinent and thorough details you crave...

Battlecast: The Game

Q: Where Do I Get Skylanders Battlecast?  
A: Amazon (Fire Tablets etc.), Android=Google Play Store, Apple=App Store.

Q: What does Skylanders Battlecast cost?
A: It is free to download and free-to-play, but will offer in-app and external purchases.

Q: Okay, I want the cards...what do the cards cost?
A: While I am unsure of in-app pricing, I can tell you retail pricing...we will cover that soon!

Q: Battlecast is a mobile game...so I can play online with my friend, right?
A: You bet!  Let's take a look at the game modes.

Battlecast: Game Modes

Solo
-Player vs CPU in a Single Player Campaign

Multiplayer
-Casual PvP: Just for fun...play your friends, test decks, hone your skills...no loss in rank points.
-Friends List: Same as above, but ranked play...bring your best deck and A-Game!

Battlecast Cards

So, you are a completionist...a Portal Master supreme...a collector of the rare and exotic...a person with more Skylanders than square footage.  You might be asking yourself, "Well, I've never played a card battling game...might not like it, but the cards are cool and I want to collect them...is there a point?"  Why yes there is!  Similarly, you should give the game a shot too, but let's break down the cards.

There are Four Card Groups

-Character Cards
There are currently 24 Character Cards (Spitfire, Stealth Elf, etc.), that include an assortment of characters from all the games installments.  I have no info on if the game will expand to gradually include more (ie everyone), but I certainly hope so.

Current Roster: 
Air: Stormblade, Jet-Vac, and Whirlwind
Earth: Smash Hit, Crusher, and Flashwing
Fire: Spitfire, Hot Head, and Eruptor
Life: Stealth Elf, Food Fight, and Tree Rex
Magic: Spyro, Pop Fizz, and Ninjini
Tech: Trigger Happy, Jawbreaker, and Countdown
Undead: Hex, Roller Brawl, and Krypt King
Water: Snap Shot, Rip Tide, and Wash Buckler

-Spell Cards
Cast spells, attack enemies, heal, and more.

-Gear Cards
Boost stats or add effects.

-Relic Cards
Can change battle dynamics

Now some of you are thinking, "Cool!" and other are more on the lines of, "Hmm, idk...I really wish there were super rare cards I could try to track down."  Well you are in luck!

Rare, Collectible Cards

You had be expecting this, right?  Well here is what I know so far...

There are Four types of cards

-Common
-Rare
-Epic
-Ultimate

As best I can tell, these are identified by a colored key on the card:
Common=Gray, Rare=Blue, Epic=Purple, and Ultimate=Gold

This likely also corresponds to the Gold and Silver Foil Variants.  I will update as I learn which is which.

Skylanders Battlecast Retail Cards and Pricing

This takes us back to an early question...here is what I can tell you.  The common way to acquire cards will be as follows:

Battle Packs $9.99 
-Two versions are available and each contains 22 cards, including 3 specific character cards
--Battle Pack 1: Spyro, Stormblade, and Snap Shot
--Battle Pack 2: Trigger Happy, Hex, and Smash Hit
---These are can't miss...you literally see a box that has Spyro, or Trigger Happy front and center.  The (3) Skylanders featured are given...the rest of the cards will be random.

Each Battle Pack will include:
-A Deck Box
-22 Cards
-A Trading Shield
-Collection Poster & Beginner's Guide

Battle Pack-Spyro

Battle Pack-Trigger Happy

Once you have made your selection, or OP Battlecastered (is that a word?  It is now!) and acquired both Battle Packs, you can expand your deck by way of Booster Packs.

Booster Packs $4.99-$5.99

Each Booster Pack will contain (8) random cards and a chance to collect the Rare Gold and Silver Foil Variants you will likely seek.  Right now, I only know of (3) different character fronts: Jet-Vac, Eruptor, and Pop Fizz.

Other Options

So, both Battle Packs and Booster Packs aren't enough to satisfy your completionist side?  Here are some other options I have found online:

Ultimate Starter Pack $59.99

The Ultimate Stater Pack is actually a pretty sweet deal if you plan to go all-in on collecting, or get addicted to the gameplay...or both.

Aside from my ultra swanky, hand signed screen-grab, here is a text run down of what you get:
-(2) Battle Packs (Spyro and Trigger Happy)
-(9) Booster Packs
-(1) Sweet Carrying Case

Doing the math you'd have $9.99x2 for the Battle Packs and $4.99 for the Booster Packs.  Simple rounding and quick math dictates these items wound run you $20+$45=$65, so you save around $5 by getting it as a package deal AND you get the sweet carrying case!

Master Box $169.99

So, you sprung for the Ultimate Starter Pack, but you want more...more Booster Packs, more foils, more Spell, Gear, and Relic cards...what is a Portal Master to do?  Well, you could spring for the "Master Box" that consists of 36 Booster Packs!

Simple math of $5x36=$180 so you're saving about $10 right off the bat...and building a ridiculous collection to slaughter your opponents and trade for more!

Initial Impressions

Concept and Packaging

I have to say, I love the packaging!  It is simple, sleek, and enticing.  The prices really aren't that bad either given the fact that the game is free and any add-ons are optional.  I think this hits a nice niche in the Skylanders community that ties in a new game mode that will expose young players and other series veterans to the card based battling games that are quite popular and catchy AND allow those with zero interest in the card game side to collect something else that is easy to display.

Gameplay

Unlike some YouTube personalities, I work a day job totally unrelated to gaming...and this is the busy season.  As such, I have yet to play the game.  I'm seriously typing out this review at 2:15 AM...for me it is more a labor of love than anything.  I will, however, say that I am very excited to give Battlecast a go!  I have never really played the online card battling games and always wanted to see what the buzz was about...this makes that very easy.

Hopes for the Future of Battlecast

I know, it just came out...and I haven't played it...or unboxed anything, but I feel my sentiments will be shared by the hardcore Skylander fans.

PC and Console Presence

First off, and this might be more of a personal desire...I really wish Battlecast was on console and PC, especially PC.  I would love to play it with keyboard and mouse and would not at all mind entering a code, or scanning a card in thru a Portal, or other alternate means.  I get the target audience and the desire to have something mobile, but I'm a bit old school and think that Battlecast on the monitor I'm working from right now would be killer.
Plus, I have no space on my iPad for Battlecast right now...and I will have to update the software.  I will reference this that I am far more of an Android person, but I my tablet is an iPad.  The easiest remedy here would be if Apple wasn't bent on proprietary grounds and would allow for expandable storage.  Case in point, if I had an Android tablet I'd be streaming Battlecast right now.  My phone is maxed out as well, but my reason for not installing there is that I have a new S7 sitting in the box...it has been there like 3 weeks now...as mentioned, work is busy.  The other side of the phone vs tablet is that I have big hands and prefer a tablet, although a smart phone will be ideal for younger hands.

Expanded Roster

Keep in mind, I've yet to open the cards, or play the game, but as I understand it from the Battlecast website there are 24 Skylanders available.  I would really like to see the full roster (past, present, and future games) brought in...even if it is slowly.  An expansion here and there would be awesome and keep the buzz rolling...These updates can also be strategically positioned to help Portal Masters deal with the infamous summer lull between completing last fall's game and waiting for the next main installment.

Frequent Updates

This ties in with the roster expansion, but I feel like a steady stream of updates, even if they are just simple bug fixes, or the like would go a long way towards making the player base feel well taken care of...Small things like throwing in a 4th of July themed battle, or loading message is a nice touch.

Including Cards with Skylanders

This kind of boggled my mind a bit with SuperChagers.  The Starter Packs had Spitfire and Stealth Elf cards...nothing else.  If you bought Smash Hit, no card.  Sky Race Action pack, no card.  And it wasn't just no Battlecast card, but rather no stat card like fans grew accustomed to...

Again, maybe it is more my audience of hardcore players and collectors, but this was a big disappointment...to have a staple, and something people archived in binders and made their own card games to utilize was disheartening.

My hope moving forward is that new Skylanders (ie Single Pack Air Element New Character for Skylanders 6) have cards back...but as Battlecast Cards!  This just makes sense.  Players get their beloved card back with the figure AND have more incentive to download Battlecast and give it a go...You could even put the old fashioned stats on the Battlecast Cards.  It is, in my opinion, a practical choice to further advance Battlecast and satisfy veterans of the series and collectors.

Conclusion

I am VERY excited to open the cards up and play Skylanders Battlecast!  Any videos I do will likely be streamed on Twitch and then exported over to YouTube.  It is my way of getting around having to render out a recording from the iPad...those file sizes are MASSIVE.  Plus, this will let y'all check the game out, see it first hand, provide real time feedback, and to be honest...games like Hearthstone just seem better when they are streamed...I hope Battlecast takes off and becomes a year round staple for the franchise...stay tuned for more coverage!

Update: Unboxing Breakdown

Battle Pack #1 (Spyro)
-Spyro, Snap Shot, and Stormblade (Face up and in-order)
-1 Additional Character Card: Smash Hit
-4 Gear Cards: Ampli-flier, Chromatic Bauble, Magma Core, and Ten Gallon Hat
-1 Relic Card: Noxious Firebrand
-14 Spell Cards: About to Blow, Abra-Kaboom, Beam Barrage, Eon's Might, Growth Spurt, Hoot Shot, Jinxed, Leafy Greens, Melt Down, Rock Roll'd, Snow Blind, Tidal Wave, Trial by Fire
--16 Commons
--4 Rares: Ten Gallon Hat, About to Blow, Melt Down, Tidal Wave
--2 Epics: Growth Spurt, Rock Roll'd
--0 Ultimate
--0 Foils

Booster Pack #1 (Jet-Vac External Art, Eruptor on the Pack)
-4 Character Cards: Food Fight, Jet-Vac, Smash Hit, and Stealth Elf
-1 Relic Card: Ageless Bonsai
-3 Spell Cards: Buurrrp!, Raise Your Hands, Snow Blind
--5 Commons
--2 Rare (Blue): Food Fight and Jet-Vac
--1 Epic (Purple): Relic-Ageless Bonsai
--0 Ultimate
--0 Foils

Battle Pack #2 (Trigger Happy)
Trigger Happy, Hex, and Smash Hit
-0 Additional Character Cards
-2 Gear Cards: Ampli-Flier and Titan's Hilt
-1 Relic Card: Prophetic Pick
-16 Spell Cards: Abra-Kaboom, All You Can Eat, Back to Your Roots, Beam Barrage, Bloom, Boo!, Concussion, Flame Wave, Impending Doom, Jellyfish Squall, Rummage, Slice of Life, Too Hot to Handle, Torchnado, Whirl and Swirl, and Wishful Thinking
--16 Commons
--4 Rare (Blue): Titan's Hilt, Prophetic Pick, All You Can Eat, and Whirl and Swirl
--2 Epic (Purple): Back to Your Roots and Slice of Life
--0 Ultimate
--0 Foils

Booster Pack #2: (Pop Fizz External Art, Eruptor on the Pack)
-1 Character Card: Jawbreaker
-1 Gear Card: Ampli-Flier
-0 Relic Cards
-6 Spell Cards: Chuggernaut, Fireball, Fire Hose, Fuel for the Fire, Rock Solid, and Wishful Thinking
--5 Commons
--2 Rare (Blue): Jawbreaker and Chuggernaut
--1 Epic (Purple): Fire Hose
--0 Ultimate
--0 Foils

Skylanders SuperChargers Online Co-Op, Online Racing, Racing Adventure Packs, and New Screenshots

Skylanders SuperChargers Gamescom Notes

(These are the Notes I compile from Press Releases and Insider Info to Make the Video)

Adventure Mode

Racing Mode

Adventure Mode

-Single Player Adventure Mode

-Local Co-Op Adventure Mode

 -Online Co-Op Adventure Mode

Racing Mode

-Land, Sea, and Sky

-Time Trials

Three Lap Races

Compete for #1 Spot on Leaderboard

Skylanders SuperChargers Racing

Dedicated Racing Combat Game

New Tracks for Wii and 3DS

Nintendo Wii

-Splitscreen Multiplayer

-No Online

Nintendo 3DS

-Local Multiplayer

-Online with up to 4 Players

All SuperChargers Starter Packs come with 6 Dynamic Race Tracks

-2 Land, 2 Sea, and 2 Sky

-Diverse Locations, Hidden Routes, Power-Ups, Boosts, Hazards

-Up to 50 Different and Exciting Gameplay Experiences (what?)

-Voice Chat available with friends for an added layer of excitement

Skylanders SuperChargers Racing Action Packs $34.99

-1 Land, 1 Sea, and 1 Sky

--Includes SuperCharger, Signature Vehicle, and a Villain Trophy

--Villain Trophy Unlocks 2 New Tracks and New Modes

---Super Villain Cup, Boss Pursuit, and Mirror Cup

----12 Boss Villains Total, 4 in Each of the 3 Packs (Land, Sea, and Sky)

-----Defeat the Villain and gain the ability to race as them

-----Store Boss Villains on Trophy to Play at Friend’s House

Skylanders SuperChargers Everything We Know

Skylanders SuperChargers Reveal: Everything We Know

Spitfire and Hot Streak: Leaders of the SuperChargers 

Stormblade and Sky Slicer: Skylanders Adventure Team

Spotlight: Light Element Skylander with Bio

What: Spotlight, Light Element Skylander (Doesn't look like a Trap Master)
Any Other Details: No, Sorry.
SkylanderClub Link: http://www.skylanderclub.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=34&t=264

First Look at Spotlight, Light Element Skylander with Bio

Spotlight Figure

Spotlight Illustration

Spotlight Screenshots

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

Blackout: Skylanders Trap Team Dark Element with Bio

What: Blackout, Dark Element Skylander (Doesn't look like a Trap Master)
Any Other Details: No, sorry.
Skylander Club Link: http://www.skylanderclub.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=34&t=262

First Look at Blackout, Dark Element Skylander with Bio

Blackout Illustration

Blackout Figure

Blackout Screenshots

Skylanders Trap Team Light and Dark Expansion Packs Revealed!

Skylander Club Link for More Info: http://www.skylanderclub.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=34&t=249

So, you know all those Question Mark Gates you can't open in Trap Team?  And all those Question Marks and Blanks on your Starter Pack Poster and Trap Tray?  Well, you will FINALLY be able to fill those in correctly!

Activision has teased the reveal of the expansion packs, which most hardcore fans have known of for quite some time. There are a few glitches in the game that allow players to access those "off limit" areas beyond the ? Gates that exposed the characters and villains to a greater extent.

Anyway, here is the teaser image from today (12/16):

And here is the final packaging to fully reveal the mystery additions:

Sunscraper Spire: Light Element Expansion Pack
-Location Piece: Sunscraper Spire
-Character: Knight Light, Light Element
-Light Trap
Midnight Museum: Dark Element Expansion Pack
-Location Piece: Midnight Museum
-Character: Knight Mare, Dark Element
-Dark Trap


These are significant for several reasons.  First, these are Expansion Packs.  We are gaining much needed playable content to the game.  Second, we can finally open the ? Gates and Trap the villains.  Third, we are getting new, playable characters.  And lastly, we get 2 NEW ELEMENTS!

This adds an element (no pun intended) of suspense for future releases.  We will now have 10 Elements.  Will Light and Dark remain as Expansion Packs?  Will they fade away into Trap Team only status, but with having paved the path for 2 more New Elements in the next installment?  There are a lot of unknowns that these additions bring to the franchise.

For those of you "completionists" out there, these 2 EPs and the Wave 3 arrival of Blaster Mind will allow you to 100% the game if you are so inclined.  Similarly, the packs apparently include stickers for your Starter Pack Poster and Trap Trays!

For everyone else, these add another option to the table and might make players budget their Skylander funds accordingly.

Speaking of that, the very few folks who have acquired these via US based transactions have all gotten them from TRU for $31.99.  Yep, not making that up.  There is always that TRU markup, but I have no way of knowing if it is the usual $1, or something steeper on these EPs.  I was told someone found the Light EP at Walmart and was told they couldn't buy it, but they person claimed it was shelved with the Mirror of Mystery and didn't have a special tag, or price point for comparison.

I have had a few people tell me they found them today (12/16), but they were register locked.  I have also been told that those finding these in store are reporting solid stock on the Light Expansion Packs and minimal quantities on the Dark Expansion Packs.

These will no doubt be hot commodities for Day 1 players, and a big item of desire for those requesting Trap Team this holiday season (keep in mind, a much larger percentage of the actual target audience doesn't even have the game yet).  My advice, as always, is to buy this when you see it, provided you want it.

One person who told me their finding was register locked was told to come back this Sunday (12/21) and pick it up then.  Assuming that is accurate, I imagine those of us on the TRU mailing list will be getting a Hot Toy Alert e-mail later this week.  I have no confirmation on this, but I would not at all be surprised if this didn't coincide with a few Wave 3 arrivals in their store as well.

I will do my best to acquire these ASAP, but I will not pay more than retail for anything, and I advise you to do the same.  I'm not a huge fan of Sunday releases, so we will see how it plays out.

That said, did you know that December 21st, 2014 is the Winter Solstice?  That is the first day of Winter AND the shortest day of the year, at least in terms of daylight hours.  So, that means that the days will progressively begin getting longer right after that.  Does this play in to the Light an Dark concepts, or is it just a calendar coincidence?  It is likely the later, but if I didn't over analyze things like this, who would?

As always, stay tuned for any updates and be sure to frequent the Skylaner Club Forum for all the latest news: http://www.skylanderclub.com

Mario Kart 8 DLC Pack 1 November 13th, 2014

Here is an update to an older post where I outlined the 2 DLC Packs for Mario Kart 8!
http://www.1ofwiisdom.com/2014/08/mario-kart-8-dlc-link-acnl-new-courses.html
^You can take this link to see the tutorial on how to get the DLC^

Why the update?  DLC Pack 1 hits Thursday, November 13th, 2014!

Here is a recap:

New Characters:
-Tanooki Mario
-Cat Peach
-Link

New Karts:
-B-Dasher
-Blue Falcon
-Tanooki Kart
-Master Cycle

2 New Cups featuring 8 New Tracks

Egg Cup
-Yoshi Circuit (GameCube)
Excitebike Arena (New)
Dragon Driftway (New)
Mute City (New)

Triforce Cup
Wario's Goldmine (Wii)
Rainbow Road (SNES)
Ice Ice Outpost (New)
Hyrule Circuit (New)

Skylanders Trap Team Pre-Season Hunting at Target: Outlaw Brawl & Chain, Nitro Krypt King, & More

My usual run down the Skylander aisle in search of variants was a bit disappointing tonight...

I was met with mostly bare shelves and while I was thinking, "There goes another chance" it dawned on me the shelves were likely cleared to stock Trap Team figures here shortly and switch the display out...That assumption was correct!

While most of the info was known, here is what I gathered:

-Target will have standard pricing, none of that +$1.00 stuff
--Core Skylanders: $9.99
--Triple Pack & Adventure Pack: $24.99
--Trap Master; $14.99
--Trap Single Pack: $5.99
--Trap Triple Pack: $14.99
--Mini Double Pack: $13.99

However, there were three cool things I noticed!

My store had DEDICATED PEGS and TAGS for Gearshift, Nitro Krypt King, AND Outlaw Brawl & Chain.

There were two pegs for each and they all had specific tags, and presumably barcodes/SKUs which means employees will have an easier time checking stock for you...and you checking stock online.

It looks like Gearshift should at least be available initially in some quantity...I have been told it is limited and to pre-order.  If you are a gambler, you can probably snag her at launch.

Nitro Krypt King was expected, but several were concerned he was "online only."  I don't know where that rumor came from, but as I've been telling people, that is not the case and this confirms it.  I was also glad to see 2 Pegs for him.  Granite Crusher, Jade Flashwing, and the "Nitros" have been the hardest for me to find and I usually only see them on launch day locally.

The biggest surprise was seeing the stand alone tag for Outlaw Brawl & Chain, who is the Target pre-order bonus villain.  I was a bit disappointed that he wasn't included if you pre-order the Dark Edition, and it now looks like those who go elsewhere for pre-orders or Starter Pack purchases can still snag him, just at a price of $5.99, which is standard for single traps.

You can find all the pictures in the video...I'll try to add them to this post when time allows.

Have you found anything cool at your local stores?  Feel free to share your findings!

Happy Hunting!

KAOS Doom Challenge in Skylanders Trap Team

Skylanders Trap Team

Kaos Doom Challenge Info & Trailer

Can You Believe Those Skylanders Losers Actually Caved In to My Demands?

SANTA MONICA, Calif. - SEPTEMBER 15, 2014 - Attention foolish human fools! Activision Publishing, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision Blizzard, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI), is officially announcing an all new diabolical gameplay mode in honor of me, Emperor Kaos, the most infamously evil villain in all of Skylands!  In my glorious "Kaos Doom Challenge," sniveling Portal Masters like you can feebly battle through increasingly difficult waves of my personal minions using your ridiculous army of Skylanders.

And since you obviously won't stand a chance, I, Kaos, will graciously allow you to build defensive towers and battle my fearsome allies using any of your Skylanders from your entire collection. However, when you bumbling Portal Masters utterly fail to progress past my hoards of evil underlings, the "Mystery Box of Doom" will be opened - which will then incomprehensibly spit out gigantic villains that will completely destroy you! And because I am both benevolent and merciful, I will even let you fools use any of your pitiful Trapped Villains to fight them.

And, should any of you so-called "journalists" need an official quote from me -BEHOLD!  "A recent evil study of a thousand trolls revealed that nine out of ten agree that I am the most powerful and impressive evil doer to have ever conquered Skylands.  Naturally, I had every tenth one banished to my "Kaos Doom Challenge" to test the effectiveness of my 100 waves of ultimate evil doom - and they were never heard from again. So let's just say EVERYONE agrees - I am the most powerful and impressive evil doer ever."  

And for those of you who absolutely cannot wait for your horribly inevitable destruction, the Skylanders Trap Team Starter Pack will be available on a bunch of seemingly random days in October (October 5th in North America, October 10th in Europe and October 2nd in Australia to be precise) on the following exceptionally awesome platforms: Nintendo's Wii™ system and Nintendo's Wii U™ system, a variety of iPad®, Kindle Fire and Android tablets; Xbox One and Xbox 360 games and entertainment systems from Microsoft; PlayStation®4 system; PlayStation®3 system. A different, unique adventure also will be available on the Nintendo 3DS™ hand-held system.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have a world to conquer.  I look forward to crushing your spirits. With loathing and disgust.

Fist Bump Going thru KAOS's Doom Challenge

Skylanders Minis Revealed: Full Roster and Gameplay

Flashback to E3 and I was able to ask directly what the deal was with MiniJini being on the Trap Team logo.  The official response was well rehearsed and something along the lines of, "She just fit the space," or "We like to show off all of our past offerings."  It was very clear that there was much more significance to her presence than the brass was able or willing to let on at the time, and we now know why...

Skylander Minis have officially been unveiled!

Skylanders Minis Character Roster

"Sixteen of the smallest but surprisingly powerful Skylanders are now joining the fight against Skylands’ most nefarious villains.  Diminutive in stature but mighty in battle, Skylanders Minis will deliver a full Skylanders wallop as completely playable characters with upgrades and abilities, just like any other Skylanders, including the ability to trap villains."

If you are thinking, "Wait, you mean Sidekicks, right?" you would be partially right.  These are the same size and shape as your tried-and-true Sidekicks, but they are Minis!  If it helps, think of them as "Mini Skylanders."  If you are trying to process it, think of the Sidekick, but factor in a lot of training.  What sets the "Minis" apart is their ability to use attacks just like their full-sized counterparts!

Here is a quick snyopsis:

"The Skylander Mini’s started off as regular "Sidekicks," assisting the Skylanders on many exciting adventures. And what they lacked in size they more than made up for in courage. Ultimately determined to become full-fledged heroes, they trained at the Skylands Academy - honing their powers and skills until they were ready. Now, they stand side by side with their full grown counterparts, ready to defend Skylands against Kaos and his evil minions."

Pretty cool, huh?  So for all of us that speculated they must be significant enough to have a role in the game, we were correct.  In the gameplay clip below you can see just how they mirror their full size friends:

Skylanders Minis Gameplay
Mini Jini, Spry, Drobit, Trigger Snappy, and Hijinx

Skylanders Trap Team E3 Exclusive Life Trap with Riot Shield Shredder

As you should know, this year at E3 the giveaway was not a special character, but rather a special trap containing a villain.  Riot Shield Shredder will be in an game variant of Shield Shredder who will be standard and trappable in the game.  So in terms of you seeing Riot Shield Shredder, we will all have to wait for the release on October 5th.  That said, there was plenty to talk about here including the Trap Designs (Sculpts), number of traps, and most important and solid at this point in time: the packaging!

I had a 0% success rate asking about if the trap given out was reflective of the final packaging we can expect to see on retailers shelves this fall.  Finally, at dinner,  I had confirmation that this was in fact the final design for the packaging.  Given no one else would commit, it is hard to know if that is a definitive yes, or not.  I will say this, the packaging is super nice, well designed, sleek, and catches your eye.  I spent a lot of time covering all the clues that would lead me to believe this was in fact the final packaging, regardless of what people will or will not reveal.

But with that said, if this is not the final packaging I would think it is super close.  Any significant changes might be a downgrade in my opinion.  I truly believe, based on what I see, that this is the final packaging and I did have one "Yes" from the evening dinner.

Sadly, we can't see Riot Shield Shredder or play as him for a few months, but the insights gained from the packaging are of great interest to myself and many of you hardcore fans.  As soon as Trap Team is released I will get some gameplay of Riot Shield Shredder.

Skylanders Trap Team Demo and Q&A with Jin, Senior Producer

Well, my strategy for E3 was simple this year...use the limited time to get in as much info and gameplay on Trap Team as possible.  wdrumz, CrystalBlazier, pdiddysportscards, and myself quickly realized we had no chance of getting thru the Trap Team lines at the official Skylanders booth before we'd go up for the screening...

Thus, I went with backup plan and pdiddysportscards (Paul) was smart, or dumb enough to think it sounded like a good idea too...Luckily, the plan worked out flawlessly and we not only got some early hands-on with the game, we wound up with a Senior Producer for the game that really knew his stuff!

As such, not only was I able to capture some gameplay via Paul's work on the Wii U, but we got some early answers and a reality check into how much was going to remain withheld.  Jin did an awesome job with the demo and the rather intense Q&A given he probably didn't have dedicated Portal Masters like us too often.  Had I have known what all was off limits I wouldn't have hit him up with so many questions, lol...He is literally the first person we had the chance to talk to...

Skylanders Trap Team Q&A with Jin, Senior Producer

Skylanders Trap Team Gameplay, Questions, and More with Jin, Senior Producer 

and Paul, pdiddysportcards, on the Controls

Here is a text summary of the Q&A Session with Jin:

Q&A with Jin: When you don't hear me asking a question, the voice you hear is Paul (pdiddysportscards)

Pricing (Yes, Pricing)

-Traps $5.99

-Skylanders $9.99

-Trap Masters $14.99

-3DS Starter Pack $64.99 (everything online is $74.99, he may know something we don't, or it may have been an honest mistake...I could not get verification on 3DS stuff from anyone...it is basically 100% off limits at this point)

-Console Starter Pack $74.99

--Portal, Game, 2 Figures, and 2 Traps in Console Starter Pack

--Traptanium Portal, Snapshot, Food Fight,  Life Trap, Water Trap

Favorite SP Character: Snap Shot vs Foodfight

-Gameplay: Snapshot

-Aesthetics: Foodfight

 Favorite Trapped Villain

-Painyatta

Portal

-Wired

-Volume Control

Chopper has heat sinking missiles and has been a fan favorite

Portal Backward Compatibility

-Better for PR (got confirmation it will work)

Traps Forward Compatibility

-Can’t Talk About, but every year they want to bring innovation every year

--They want giant leaps, not small steps…biggest innovation and best games

Villains from Trap Team potential to Return in Future Games as Standard Figures

-Anything is possible

-Not ready to talk about next year’s game

--As a fan and toy geek, he would love to see the villains in collections

Receptions and Impressions

-Everyone has been enjoyed it, folks love Chopper

-Everyone impressed with trappable villains

Repose Giants or Swap Force

-Can’t speak on reposes, but there will be some

Activision PR

-Always in touch with fan base, searching internet: videos, forums, and blogs

--Want to make as many happy as possible

Trap Master Count

-Can’t talk about it

-40 Total Villains

--Wants to give us more, but can’t just yet

-Repeat on the Pricing

-Outlaw Brawl and Chain $11.99

--Suggest we talk to PR about it

Text Notes for Gameplay with Jin (Paul was playing, I was filming)

Gameplay with Jin and Paul (pdiddysportscards)

-Portal: Wired with Volume Control

-Traps: 1 Villain per Trap, only need 1 Trap per Element, switch villains in the hub

--Villains on Timer, recharges when depleted

--Timer won’t refill by way of XP, Food, or similar means

--Timer should be the same for all the villains

--40 Playable Villains

--Do Villains take damage and loose time? Can they die?

---Ask PR

-Jump Attacks for everyone: Trap Masters, Newlanders, Reposes, and Original Cast

Trapmasters

-More powerful vs Skylands Most Wanted

-Have access to special areas via Traptanium Crystals

-Heights of Trap Master vs Giants: Giants slightly taller

-Wii U Gamepad: Stats or Gameplay, Off Screen?  User Selectable?

--Better for PR, will for sure utilize tilt controls

-TFB vs Beenox: Can’t talk about differences yet

-Sewer Level

--Better for PR

-Trap Designs: Can’t talk about them yet

-3DS Starter Pack Contents

--Can’t talk about it yet

Skylanders Trap Team at E3 Exclusive Interview with Executive Producer Scott Krager

Hey Everyone,

Here is an exclusive interview I got with the Executive Producer behind the Skylanders series, Scott Krager!  He was kind enough to let me take up about 10 minutes of his time and I tried to highlight a few key points, pick up on his favorite new characters, and gain insights from his perspective.

I totally apologize for the bobbing camera...I'm not a vlogger and apparently I don't make for a great tripod...Sometimes we clip a little hair, or the chin, but the audio still came thru great and that is what really matters.  I tried to stand beside the camera to get closer to him to ensure we could hear his voice...that to me is an okay trade off, lol.  If I am fortunate enough to attend next year, I think the tripod will be coming.

That said, I was able to get confirmation from him on pricing for the line up (Single Traps, Core Skylanders, and Trap Masters) and he confirmed what I learned earlier from Jin.

Scott was also kind enough to give a shout out to my Nephew (thewalkthruking) and offer up his take on his 2 favorite Sklyanders, Slam Bam and Freeze Blade!

Here is a text-based accompaniment to the interview:

E3 Scott Krager

-Senior Producer

At this point I knew what was off limits and just opted for info that could be released.  Trust me,  I asked everyone, including him, right before this interview…and then kept asking thru the evening.

His favorite Trappable Villain: Painyatta

His favorite Trapmaster: Wallop (who btw is the HEAVIEST I have ever held)

His favorite Core: Chopper (with gyro-dino-exo suit)

Price Points

-Starter Pack: $74.99

-Individual Traps: $5.99

-Core: $9.99

-Trap Masters: $14.99

--Battle edge with Skylands Most Wanted AND interaction with Traptanium Clusters

---They were referred to multiple times here and in other conversations as “guest stars”

-Tried it again, but NO INFO on Battle Packs or Adventure Packs

 -I went for info on an 8 Pack of Traps: they are considering everything

--For me an 8 Pack is highly desirable, especially since it should knock the price down some

-What does the crowd at E3 mean to you?

--He has been here since Spyro’s Adventure, and says it is one of the highlights of his 20+ year career in the industry.  He values the professional success, but enjoys seeing his kids interact with the game at his personal, family level.

-Castaways

--I knew we would get nothing info wise, but I did get confirmation that even our forgotten guys like Voodood, Ghost Roaster, Dino-Rang, and Sunburn would get jump attacks, even if they stay molded in their debut forms…I’ll take the small victory for those of you who have their favorites invested in the old cast.

-Trapped Villains

--1 Per Trap (this is absolutely how it works, not 4 per trap as so many reported early on)

--Each villain has their own theme song to add personality

-My Nephew (had to get him a shout out and Scott’s insights on his favorite)

--Slam Bam, Scott loved his concept and unique design

--Freeze Blade, Vicarious Visions came up with him and he likes the leeway the Water Element affords in ice and is very well rounded

-Trap Team October 5^th

--Will we see a gradual release of info approaching launch?

---He thinks so

I had a ton of tough questions, but I sadly knew they would be met with the same guarded reply and that honestly would have made for a bad interview.  Thus, I tried to focus on the positives, get his personal favorites and take on the series development as the Executive Producer.  I couldn't pass up the chance to get my Nephew’s questions regarding his favorite Skylanders covered with a personal recap, so I opted for that as well, lol.  So, if you also like Slam Bam and Freeze Blade, you got some nice bonus content.

The assumed approach of a gradual release of info is likely correct.  I think they wanted to keep the focus on what is "New" and "Innovative" at E3, and then likely reveal some more, gradually over time.