Hey Everyone,
First off my apologies on not getting to the blog comments...I've always made it a point to get to them the night of (ie within 24 hours of you posting). I've done that with the exception of this past week.
*I will hit all of them tomorrow night...
I think the last time I recorded anything for uploading (June) I mentioned that I was going to be pretty busy up through mid-October; Prophecy fulfilled.
The good news is the big project I had going on is now wrapped up and I just lack some loose ends to take care of...It is always a big relief to get something like that taken care of...Sadly it has nothing to do with gaming, but since it does take up my free time it did impact how much time I had to game etc.
I am planning to record a video tomorrow (Thursday)...possibly two of them.
One will be a video I promised and can just now make happen and the other will be a channel update and some plans for Giants.
I honestly have not recorded anything (Mario Kart Wii or Mario Party 9) since June. The little I did record was few Skylanders Battles and I think I did a few matches in SSBB. I do plan to upload them...I actually wanted to do it long ago.
I also have my personal Skylander ranks that I recorded months ago, but I can't seem to find the videos?! I started to upload them and then pulled the vids because I didn't want that to sway any of the initial Skylander Battle Tournaments.
I have done Wii Fit most nights as it is routine, but past that and a few stray Skylander Battles or Super Smash Bros. Brawl I haven't gotten to do much with the Wii. I did complete New Super Mario Bros. 2 on the 3DS pretty quickly. Aside from that and the usual Find Mii/Street Pass Tags I haven't done much there either...
As mentioned though, the event I had to prepare for that went down this past weekend has now come and gone and I can sort of begin to relax a bit and catch up...
I'll try to cover more in the video...
That said, I am planning a very nice Giants post that will be exclusively here on the blog so stay tuned for that.
See you tomorrow!
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Thursday, October 11, 2012
Skylanders Giants Hunting: The Last Few Weeks
Ok, so you should realize that there are no Giants out just yet, heck the game isn't even out yet! But, with that aside, things have started to take place revolving around Giants and that has peaked my interest...with good reason too.
I have been too busy to update the blog, or really do much of anything video game related, for several weeks now. A lot has gone on...Just because I'm not getting to update here, upload vids, or what not doesn't mean I'm not interested...oh quite the contrary my friends!
All this time I still look for variants. As slim of a chance as it is to find one, it happens. It has happened to me, and it continues to happen to others. You just never know...and that is what drives me.
The last 3 weeks things have really gotten interesting. More and more Giants items are going up for pre-order, getting butchered (Amazon Flameslinger, cough, TRU breaking the street date on the Dragonfire Cannon Battle Pack etc), and of course...stores getting their displays oriented for the influx of Giants!!
But before we go there, let me start with this observation...granted, I WANTED to post it about 6 weeks ago, but oh well.
Check this out:
Look how noticeable the green is on Stump Smash. It is like a super bright green below his mouth, on top of his stump fists, and then the base is a really dark green. If you've got an "old" Stump Smash this is a huge difference. I really like the early release better. You see this with others (notably Target Exclusive Whirlwind and Walmart Exclusive Drill Sergeant, but that was subtle). This is a BIG DIFFERENCE.
I didn't get pics, but tonight when I thumbed through the Giants display at Target (more on that later) I saw a very dark blue Slam Bam. My Slam Bam (looking at him on the pool table right now) is like an "ice blue." Not sky blue, but a translucent, medium blue. The one in the Empire of Ice APs I saw at Target and TRU tonight were all dark...think along the lines of Blue Bash.
Don't anyone get riled up...these are NOT variants. That said, if you are, or know, an astute Skylander collector, they may be worth picking up. For everyone else, don't bother. And please, if you do not have Stump Smash...just take this one...don't go out and track down a "new in box" Stumpy from last fall for 5x retail. It is not worth it!
First up, we have Triple Trouble:
I dubbed this Double Trouble "Triple Trouble" because it looks like he is ready to "boom-shaka-laka" his way out of the blister pack. I have only seen 4-5 others that were not fully seated and this one really caught my eye so I figured I would share it. This was at a Target on a trip several weeks ago (they had about 5x the stock of my local store)
Wham-Shell, Ignitor, and the Start of the Move:
So, for those of you veteran hunters out there you likely immediately gravitated to Wham-Shell. This is honestly about the 4th time I have seen him in retail...ever. For what it is worth, Zap has also been extremely hard to find in Single Pack form. You will also notice Ignitor. And if you must ask, yes...I did find Camo and Lightning Rod hidden a few pegs back.
But, if you followed the blog, you might notice the stray single packs to the bottom left. Two new hooks appeared this day and I made a point to get them in...Up top they were covered by the usual Wii accessories.
A few weeks later:
What? More blue space? Yeah...empty, waiting blue space that is. Note how everything has tidied up and shifted left. In addition to the cases showing up, we now have Triple Packs all the way left. The original display at this store covered only the "bricked" segment. The "blue pegboard" was always Wii accessories.
Trained eyes will also notice the presence of the Skylanders stylus in the top left as well as what is a very sparse selection of Giants reservation cards (the game, not a figure).
Now, low-and-behold the next week (last week 10/4/12 fyi):
Yep, my store finally got the Giants display! The thing is, I wasn't even aware of it. Apparently Activsion has taken to end-caps, at least at Target. From the video game section, I was exiting and saw an end cap (right past where I was standing). I skimmed it and found nothing. As I was leaving that area of store I turned and diagonal from this "new end cap" was the "Giants endcap." It seriously makes a "Z" if you were to plot it out. Tweak the end caps and we could be dealing with a compass symbol and an accompanying Freemason conspiracy on variants (I will seriously laugh an hour if someone takes that and throws it out on the net...try me).
Anyway, as one might expect I got pretty excited when I saw the Granite Crusher (Target Exclusive) display. I immediately tracked down an employee and he said the had told them nothing on that, but that you could reserve a copy of the game.
When I hit the store up tonight it was the same layout. Usual location (expanded) and two endcaps diagonal from one another.
With that in mind, take a gander at this:
This is TRU last week. Same set-up as usual, but I did want to note the new backpack and fact that the Legendary Triple Pack was back...last triple pack on left side, bottom. I wondered where they would put the Giants stuff, and just assumed it would be next to this set-up and possibly across the store like last year at launch (again let me hearken back to the glory days of October 2011 when the game launched and it wasn't popular yet. Activision sunk some serious cash into all that display space and they literally had not only what you see above (full row), but also a wall on the opposite side with the stone pegboard going up to so high you could spot it from anywhere in the store).
And that brings us to this:
I have been too busy to update the blog, or really do much of anything video game related, for several weeks now. A lot has gone on...Just because I'm not getting to update here, upload vids, or what not doesn't mean I'm not interested...oh quite the contrary my friends!
All this time I still look for variants. As slim of a chance as it is to find one, it happens. It has happened to me, and it continues to happen to others. You just never know...and that is what drives me.
The last 3 weeks things have really gotten interesting. More and more Giants items are going up for pre-order, getting butchered (Amazon Flameslinger, cough, TRU breaking the street date on the Dragonfire Cannon Battle Pack etc), and of course...stores getting their displays oriented for the influx of Giants!!
But before we go there, let me start with this observation...granted, I WANTED to post it about 6 weeks ago, but oh well.
Skylanders Paint Differences from Early Release to Current Production
Check this out:
Look how noticeable the green is on Stump Smash. It is like a super bright green below his mouth, on top of his stump fists, and then the base is a really dark green. If you've got an "old" Stump Smash this is a huge difference. I really like the early release better. You see this with others (notably Target Exclusive Whirlwind and Walmart Exclusive Drill Sergeant, but that was subtle). This is a BIG DIFFERENCE.
I didn't get pics, but tonight when I thumbed through the Giants display at Target (more on that later) I saw a very dark blue Slam Bam. My Slam Bam (looking at him on the pool table right now) is like an "ice blue." Not sky blue, but a translucent, medium blue. The one in the Empire of Ice APs I saw at Target and TRU tonight were all dark...think along the lines of Blue Bash.
Don't anyone get riled up...these are NOT variants. That said, if you are, or know, an astute Skylander collector, they may be worth picking up. For everyone else, don't bother. And please, if you do not have Stump Smash...just take this one...don't go out and track down a "new in box" Stumpy from last fall for 5x retail. It is not worth it!
Skylanders Hunting: Random Finds and Observations
First up, we have Triple Trouble:
I dubbed this Double Trouble "Triple Trouble" because it looks like he is ready to "boom-shaka-laka" his way out of the blister pack. I have only seen 4-5 others that were not fully seated and this one really caught my eye so I figured I would share it. This was at a Target on a trip several weeks ago (they had about 5x the stock of my local store)
Wham-Shell, Ignitor, and the Start of the Move:
So, for those of you veteran hunters out there you likely immediately gravitated to Wham-Shell. This is honestly about the 4th time I have seen him in retail...ever. For what it is worth, Zap has also been extremely hard to find in Single Pack form. You will also notice Ignitor. And if you must ask, yes...I did find Camo and Lightning Rod hidden a few pegs back.
But, if you followed the blog, you might notice the stray single packs to the bottom left. Two new hooks appeared this day and I made a point to get them in...Up top they were covered by the usual Wii accessories.
A few weeks later:
What? More blue space? Yeah...empty, waiting blue space that is. Note how everything has tidied up and shifted left. In addition to the cases showing up, we now have Triple Packs all the way left. The original display at this store covered only the "bricked" segment. The "blue pegboard" was always Wii accessories.
Trained eyes will also notice the presence of the Skylanders stylus in the top left as well as what is a very sparse selection of Giants reservation cards (the game, not a figure).
Skylanders Giants: In-Store Prep and Displays
Now, low-and-behold the next week (last week 10/4/12 fyi):
Yep, my store finally got the Giants display! The thing is, I wasn't even aware of it. Apparently Activsion has taken to end-caps, at least at Target. From the video game section, I was exiting and saw an end cap (right past where I was standing). I skimmed it and found nothing. As I was leaving that area of store I turned and diagonal from this "new end cap" was the "Giants endcap." It seriously makes a "Z" if you were to plot it out. Tweak the end caps and we could be dealing with a compass symbol and an accompanying Freemason conspiracy on variants (I will seriously laugh an hour if someone takes that and throws it out on the net...try me).
Anyway, as one might expect I got pretty excited when I saw the Granite Crusher (Target Exclusive) display. I immediately tracked down an employee and he said the had told them nothing on that, but that you could reserve a copy of the game.
When I hit the store up tonight it was the same layout. Usual location (expanded) and two endcaps diagonal from one another.
With that in mind, take a gander at this:
This is TRU last week. Same set-up as usual, but I did want to note the new backpack and fact that the Legendary Triple Pack was back...last triple pack on left side, bottom. I wondered where they would put the Giants stuff, and just assumed it would be next to this set-up and possibly across the store like last year at launch (again let me hearken back to the glory days of October 2011 when the game launched and it wasn't popular yet. Activision sunk some serious cash into all that display space and they literally had not only what you see above (full row), but also a wall on the opposite side with the stone pegboard going up to so high you could spot it from anywhere in the store).
And that brings us to this:
I wasn't sure what to think when I walked in to TRU tonight and the display I just took pics of last week was GONE. I figured it had been moved and immediately thought of the same corner they had last year (my store it is where the seasonal pools/playground stuff was). On my way there, I saw that above site. There was just two rows of Triples and then all the bare hooks.
You can't really see it from here, but the rest of the stock from last week's photo is now up against the wall you see this isle being perpendicular to...Not the best set-up, and it is honestly a downgrade from just the spot last week, but I suppose I'll get a feel for things soon. I don't know if the Wii U carved out some hallow ground or Activision spec'd out endcap city this year or what, but this isle is much less noticeable than what they just left at my TRU.
All that thrown aside, this is probably what you really care about...What are all those vacant hooks tagged? And what is that stuff on the far left? Fear not...I've got you covered!
And this is me officially stating Legendary Stealth Elf is a TRU Exclusive and out on launch:
And you want me to back my prediction from long ago that Legendary Bouncer would be who you'll most likely get to purchase if you pre-ordered early from TRU?:
So there you have it...a lot can change within a week. Target and Toys'R'Us went from the same ol' thing to something totally new and different. Target will be getting Granite Crusher and TRU will not only have the Legendary Triple Pack on Launch Day, but will also have the Legendary Singles of Stealth Elf and Bouncer!
What's that? What about the stuff on the end of the aisle? Oh, just a little Giants merchandise...
Pro Pack Mini Giants Wiimote and Nunchuck:
Xbox 360 Giants Controller:
Adventure Kit (you tell me, lol):
For what it is worth, the controllers actually don't look bad. The Adventure Kit will probably be a hit with a few kids and the quality might be better than I'm guessing, but that is one of the "reaches" imo. For those interested the flashlight seems to have Fire Element Eruptor and Flameslinger, the camera has Water Element Zap and Slam Bam, and the binoculars have Earth Element Bash and Terrafin.
But wait! That's not all...
Yep...DJ Headphones and Earbuds. The headphones just have the Giants game logo, while the earbuds (I did skim back) are all Wrecking Ball. I guess I could see him rocking out, but just looking at them seems painful as you imagine them going in your ears.
Having had experience with this stuff as a kid, I am guessing the quality is subpar, if not abysmal. I would love to be wrong and if I am these will not only be a hit with kids, but also a great gift that is both enjoyed and practical.
Seeing all this really kind of cemented my stance to just focus on the basics this time around. I'm still debating if I'll get Series 2 Skylanders or stick to what I've got and go for Giants, LightCore, and Legendaries. I'm set on Legendaries just because I got connected with them in SSA. The LightCore I think is a cool new feature that is totally different form the base figures, and the Giants are new and will offer different gameplay.
If I wind up with regular S2 it will be because I either really like the character (Terrafin for example), really like their new pose (Ignitor), or just wind up with so many by trying to save (triple pack > single pack) that I'm not that far from completing the set.
I am still anxious to see how the stock pans out. Did Activision REALLY step-up production this time around to try and cover demand, or did they just say that to try and save face and will short produce to keep "hype." If my LightCore pre-order is correct and they really all come out 10/21 and with 5 Legendaries for sure going to be out launch day I am kind of inclined to believe them...at least with this initial run.
Anyway, we are now 10 Days out from Giants!! I'll keep you posted as I learn more and be on the lookout for a comprehensive Giants post as well as me updating the generic Giants info thread I made eons ago (haha, get it? Eons ago?).
Okay, on that note it is 3:46 AM and I had better get some rest.
Post up if you've found anything cool or gotten inside info from someone!
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Skylanders Giants LightCore Pre-Order at TRU
Well once again I am delivering information straight to those of you that frequent the blog. No leads on Google +, Twitter, YouTube, or Facebook...just right here on my favorite means of sharing information, the blog.
I want to stress that this will be up for only a limited amount of time (not the post, but rather the pre-order links). TRU pulled the Dragonfire Cannon Battle Pack and Single Pack pre-orders very quickly...likely after a set number of orders was taken.
That said, I did actually order these. I want to believe things will be easier to find this time around and won't involve a month of trying to land 1 figure, but at this point it is an unknown. I figured the Light Cores would be pretty cool so I pulled the trigger. Interestingly all of them (4 old and 4 new) show a street date of 10/21...meaning pre-orders should ship Monday 10/22.
It will kind of suck if I waltz into TRU on release day and find all of these figures, but who knows what to expect right now? I sure don't and that is why I went ahead and jumped the gun on these.
Anyway, enough rambling...here is what you really want:
LightCore Drobot:
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=16403206&skuid=14309953
LightCore Eruptor:
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=16403166&skuid=14309945
LightCore Hex:
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=16403086&skuid=14309923
LightCore Prism Break:
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=16403186&skuid=14309949
LightCore Chill:
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=16402976&skuid=14309867
LightCore Jet-Vac:
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=16402966&skuid=14309750
LightCore Pop Fizz:
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=16403226&skuid=14309963
LightCore Shroomboom:
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=16403256&skuid=14309973
I tend to just pre-order things I think will be hard to come by or "special." The LightCore figures are unique and have special powers. If funds get tight I will likely stick to just the LightCore version etc.
This game seemingly gets multiple new variants every day and to be honest, it is a bit overwhelming and hard to keep up with. My strategy may simply be to go for what I like and what is new. The variants of course are something I won't hesitate to pick up if I find one, but as for shelling out literally thousands just to obtain the select figures in overseas starter packs, console bundles etc...I WILL NOT go that far.
On a side note, I am still backlogged and insanely busy. I'm working on some cool new Giants posts and updating the main thread. Things should slow down for me a bit coming up...I'll try to get Giants content out as soon as possible.
Thanks for reading and I hope you land your LightCore Skylanders!
I want to stress that this will be up for only a limited amount of time (not the post, but rather the pre-order links). TRU pulled the Dragonfire Cannon Battle Pack and Single Pack pre-orders very quickly...likely after a set number of orders was taken.
That said, I did actually order these. I want to believe things will be easier to find this time around and won't involve a month of trying to land 1 figure, but at this point it is an unknown. I figured the Light Cores would be pretty cool so I pulled the trigger. Interestingly all of them (4 old and 4 new) show a street date of 10/21...meaning pre-orders should ship Monday 10/22.
It will kind of suck if I waltz into TRU on release day and find all of these figures, but who knows what to expect right now? I sure don't and that is why I went ahead and jumped the gun on these.
Anyway, enough rambling...here is what you really want:
LightCore Drobot:
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=16403206&skuid=14309953
LightCore Eruptor:
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=16403166&skuid=14309945
LightCore Hex:
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=16403086&skuid=14309923
LightCore Prism Break:
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=16403186&skuid=14309949
LightCore Chill:
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=16402976&skuid=14309867
LightCore Jet-Vac:
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=16402966&skuid=14309750
LightCore Pop Fizz:
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=16403226&skuid=14309963
LightCore Shroomboom:
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=16403256&skuid=14309973
I tend to just pre-order things I think will be hard to come by or "special." The LightCore figures are unique and have special powers. If funds get tight I will likely stick to just the LightCore version etc.
This game seemingly gets multiple new variants every day and to be honest, it is a bit overwhelming and hard to keep up with. My strategy may simply be to go for what I like and what is new. The variants of course are something I won't hesitate to pick up if I find one, but as for shelling out literally thousands just to obtain the select figures in overseas starter packs, console bundles etc...I WILL NOT go that far.
On a side note, I am still backlogged and insanely busy. I'm working on some cool new Giants posts and updating the main thread. Things should slow down for me a bit coming up...I'll try to get Giants content out as soon as possible.
Thanks for reading and I hope you land your LightCore Skylanders!
Friday, September 28, 2012
Skylander Giants Dragonfire Cannon Battle Pack at Toys'R'Us
How about a little something for those of you that loyally or somewhat routinely check the blog? I do appreciate it and hope you find information or videos that are helpful, enjoyable, or maybe both!
That said, if you recall GameStop allowed pre-orders of what was believe to be an exclusive Battle Pack earlier in the summer. It was the "Golden Dragonfire Battle Pack"
I jumped on it just to avoid any hassles or drama that comes with not doing so.
Just today, Toys'R'Us sprung a listing for a Dragonfire Battle Pack. Yep, same thing, minus the "golden." The price is the same ($24.99) and at this point in time it is hard to know if the "golden" version will be different in game, or have better magical properties etc.
That said, if you are not a fan of GameStop...don't have a branch nearby, or are simply a collector who must have one of everything...here you go:
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=15854536
There is currently not an image, but I would have to suspect it to feature Chop Chop and Shroomboom (non-Light Core) as well as a non-golden Dragonfire Cannon.
Again, I can not attest to what the exact differences will be (aside from gold and not gold), but if you are in the market for it, now is the time to act!
That said, if you recall GameStop allowed pre-orders of what was believe to be an exclusive Battle Pack earlier in the summer. It was the "Golden Dragonfire Battle Pack"
I jumped on it just to avoid any hassles or drama that comes with not doing so.
Just today, Toys'R'Us sprung a listing for a Dragonfire Battle Pack. Yep, same thing, minus the "golden." The price is the same ($24.99) and at this point in time it is hard to know if the "golden" version will be different in game, or have better magical properties etc.
That said, if you are not a fan of GameStop...don't have a branch nearby, or are simply a collector who must have one of everything...here you go:
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=15854536
There is currently not an image, but I would have to suspect it to feature Chop Chop and Shroomboom (non-Light Core) as well as a non-golden Dragonfire Cannon.
Again, I can not attest to what the exact differences will be (aside from gold and not gold), but if you are in the market for it, now is the time to act!
Blog Poll #35: Cats or Dogs?
Well, a few hours ago I opened up another poll. It asks the age old question of which one you prefer: cats or dogs?
I set it up to run 1 month with voting winding down October 27th, 2012 at 11:59 PM CST.
Spread the word and let's see what happens.
My Nephew really wanted to see this poll come to life and how it might pan out with everyone.
It is a nice departure from gaming into the real world...several votes for having just opened it earlier tonight and not having really done anything to "promote it" just yet.
Nonetheless, as always thanks for voting and be sure to involve all your friends and family...this one should be close and I look forward to seeing the results!
The poll is located on the Right Hand side of the blog just below the Twitter feed.
I set it up to run 1 month with voting winding down October 27th, 2012 at 11:59 PM CST.
Spread the word and let's see what happens.
My Nephew really wanted to see this poll come to life and how it might pan out with everyone.
It is a nice departure from gaming into the real world...several votes for having just opened it earlier tonight and not having really done anything to "promote it" just yet.
Nonetheless, as always thanks for voting and be sure to involve all your friends and family...this one should be close and I look forward to seeing the results!
The poll is located on the Right Hand side of the blog just below the Twitter feed.
Monday, September 24, 2012
Skylanders Giants Legendary Triple Pack: Toys'R'Us Reservation
Well, hopefully you aren't here to see the triple pack...not out yet! (And since I am still getting asked this a lot...Yes, I will be doing the unboxing/review of all things Skylanders).
The Skylanders Giants Legendary Triple Pack will be a Toys'R'Us exclusive and feature Legendary Slam Bam, Legendary Ignitor, and Legendary Jet-Vac. It is listed at $24.99 and you can reserve 2 of them through the TRU Hot Toy List.
That said, this post is going up for a reason...several of you have asked me how I pre-ordered (cough, reserved, cough) the triple pack at Toys'R'Us.
They have started a new deal for Christmas 2012 that is aimed at helping people avoid hassle and hopefully be able to afford the hottest toys for the holiday season...or in most of our cases, just ensure we actually get a triple pack of Legendary Skylanders without having to spend an extra 4 weeks and $150 in gas...
At this point no one really knows if this Triple Pack will come in and be like last year's Legendary Triple Pack where it comes in and is on the shelf through Black Friday and then disappeared for several months (prompting many to buy them at crazy prices online (again DO NOT DO THAT!)), or if it will be like Legendary Trigger Happy and flood the store spilling into the bike section, Babies'R'Us, and out the back to the alley.
That said, as most of you veteran Skylander fans should now know, it is best to act in advance. It provides peace of mind and honestly saves a ton of time and money. For you parents that follow along, I'd suggest you cash in on this set-up to avoid having to resort to the shady waters of ebay.
This Legendary Triple Pack will again be exclusive to Toys'R'Us and if you are a fan of Slam Bam, Ignitor, or Jet-Vac this is a hot ticket item. Honestly, those are 2 of my current favorites and despite most people leaning elsewhere, I think Jet-Vac is on pace to be among my top Skylander Giant figures!
But now that you have read all that, I guess I should provide the link and helpful insights...
Here you go:
http://www.toysrus.com/shop/index.jsp?categoryId=10811023
That link SHOULD take you to the HOT TOY LIST on the TRU website. Print it off and take it to your local store and present it to Guest Services. You must put down 5% to reserve it, but you can also pay in full...take your pic. There isn't really any benefit to shopping around since this is an exclusive and if you want a bargain on this pack you won't be getting it any time soon (try August 2013 perhaps, lol).
I was the first person at my local store not just to pre-order/reserve this Triple Pack, but to actually do anything with the Hot Toy List...I kind of had to explain it to the people...the asst. manager was clueless and so was the manager. They were nice and took the time to figure it out...Apparently they will call me when the merchandise arrives. For what it is worth, they did not take the 2 sheets I took in stapled...they just kept the stuff the register printed out...
Anyway, that is a lot to digest, but hopefully it helps you out and more importantly lands you, your kids, or a friend what is in my mind a pretty cool triple pack! Good luck and I hope this helped you out!
The Skylanders Giants Legendary Triple Pack will be a Toys'R'Us exclusive and feature Legendary Slam Bam, Legendary Ignitor, and Legendary Jet-Vac. It is listed at $24.99 and you can reserve 2 of them through the TRU Hot Toy List.
That said, this post is going up for a reason...several of you have asked me how I pre-ordered (cough, reserved, cough) the triple pack at Toys'R'Us.
They have started a new deal for Christmas 2012 that is aimed at helping people avoid hassle and hopefully be able to afford the hottest toys for the holiday season...or in most of our cases, just ensure we actually get a triple pack of Legendary Skylanders without having to spend an extra 4 weeks and $150 in gas...
At this point no one really knows if this Triple Pack will come in and be like last year's Legendary Triple Pack where it comes in and is on the shelf through Black Friday and then disappeared for several months (prompting many to buy them at crazy prices online (again DO NOT DO THAT!)), or if it will be like Legendary Trigger Happy and flood the store spilling into the bike section, Babies'R'Us, and out the back to the alley.
That said, as most of you veteran Skylander fans should now know, it is best to act in advance. It provides peace of mind and honestly saves a ton of time and money. For you parents that follow along, I'd suggest you cash in on this set-up to avoid having to resort to the shady waters of ebay.
This Legendary Triple Pack will again be exclusive to Toys'R'Us and if you are a fan of Slam Bam, Ignitor, or Jet-Vac this is a hot ticket item. Honestly, those are 2 of my current favorites and despite most people leaning elsewhere, I think Jet-Vac is on pace to be among my top Skylander Giant figures!
But now that you have read all that, I guess I should provide the link and helpful insights...
Here you go:
http://www.toysrus.com/shop/index.jsp?categoryId=10811023
That link SHOULD take you to the HOT TOY LIST on the TRU website. Print it off and take it to your local store and present it to Guest Services. You must put down 5% to reserve it, but you can also pay in full...take your pic. There isn't really any benefit to shopping around since this is an exclusive and if you want a bargain on this pack you won't be getting it any time soon (try August 2013 perhaps, lol).
I was the first person at my local store not just to pre-order/reserve this Triple Pack, but to actually do anything with the Hot Toy List...I kind of had to explain it to the people...the asst. manager was clueless and so was the manager. They were nice and took the time to figure it out...Apparently they will call me when the merchandise arrives. For what it is worth, they did not take the 2 sheets I took in stapled...they just kept the stuff the register printed out...
Anyway, that is a lot to digest, but hopefully it helps you out and more importantly lands you, your kids, or a friend what is in my mind a pretty cool triple pack! Good luck and I hope this helped you out!
Kirby's Dream Collection Special Edition Unboxing and Overview
Kirby is 20 and Nintendo is commemorating the milestone...
Kirby's Dream Collection Special Edition (Wii) was released Sunday, September 16th, 2012 and is a treat for any Kirby enthusiast. Much like Mario's 25th, fans are treated to: special packaging, a game disc with multiple titles, a compilation soundtrack, and a full color booklet highlighting Kirby's 20 fun-filled years.
Here is a an unboxing and overview to really highlight the materials:
If you can't tell my allergies are pretty bad...I actually sound really good compared to the previous 2 weeks...Sorry about that, but I didn't want to keep waiting to do the video...
The Special Edition of Kirby's Dream Collection retails for $39.99 and as I mentioned in the video...I would get a copy sooner rather than later to ensure you don't miss out on this special offering form the big N.
If you don't have some of the included games this bundle is a steal. If you are a hardcore Kirby fanatic it is a must have regardless. And for those casual fans and collectors, this is truly a nice package and will provide quite a bit of fun and look great in any gaming shrine.
The booklet is packed with features and little tidbits of info...the game disc has some extra special bonus content, and as I type this I am rocking out to the sweet sounds of Dream Land.
The game disc includes these classic titles:
-Kirby's Dream Land (GameBoy, 1992-First Ever Kirby Game)
-Kirby's Adventure (NES, 1993)
-Kirby's Dream Land 2 (GameBoy, 1995)
-Kirby Super Star (SNES, 1996)
-Kirby's Dream Land 3 (SNES, 1997)
-Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards (N64, 2000)
While the video uploads I think I will check out an episode of the animated series Kirby: Right Back at Ya!
As with any special edition offering from Nintendo, I suggest you move on it quick and take advantage of the anniversary celebration!
Friday, September 21, 2012
Legendary Skylanders Giants
Here are some screen grabs of the new Legendary Skylanders for Skylanders Giants.
We will see a Toys'R'Us Exclusive Triple Pack featuring: Legendary Ignitor, Legendary Slam Bam, and Legendary Jet-Vac. (I actually just reserved this pack today! Thursday, September 20th, 2012).
Legendary Bouncer seems to be the only Giant coming in Legendary forum and he is believed to be the "TBD Giant" you earn the right to purchase with a TRU Giants pre-order.
I also believe that Chill and Stealth Elf will come along later on, much like we saw with Legendary Trigger Happy. I could be wrong, but it makes sense. I'd expect them to come at the midway point and then after that respectively. As of right now it looks like Toys'R'Us will remain the Legendary headquarters here in the USA, but with Chill and Stealth Elf in the mix there remains the possibility that they "could" go elsewhere....my money would still be on this remaining exclusive to TRU and other retailers getting special variants etc.
Legendary Chill
Legendary Ignitor
Legendary Jet-Vac
Legendary Slam Bam
Legendary Stealth Elf
Legendary Bouncer
Note that I could not find a good picture of Legendary Ignitor, so I just have a place filler.
Skylanders Giants Characters Grouped by Element
Here is a quick rundown "photographically" of the line-up for Giants:
The Giants
Thumpback, Bouncer, Crusher, Ninjini, Hot Head, Eye-Brawl, Tree Rex, Swarm
LightCore
Chill, Drobot, Prism Break, Pop-Fizz, Eruptor, Hex, ShroomBoom, Jet-Vac
Air Element
Swarm, LightCore Jet-Vac, Sonic Boom, Whirlwind, Lightning Rod, Jet-Vac
Earth Element
Crusher, LightCore Prism Break, Terrafin, Bash, Prism Break, Flashwing
Fire Element
Hot Head, LightCore Eruptor, Ignitor, Eruptor, Flameslinger, Hot Dog
Life Element
Tree Rex, LightCore ShroomBoom, Stealth Elf, Zook, Stump Smash, ShroomBoom
Magic Element
Ninjini, LightCore Pop-Fizz, Spyro, Wrecking Ball, Double Trouble, Pop-Fizz
Tech Element
Bouncer, LightCore Drobot, Drill Sergeant, Trigger Happy, Drobot, Sprocket
Undead Element
Eye-Brawl, LightCore Hex, Cynder, Chop Chop, Hex, Fright Rider
Water Element
Thumpback, LightCore Chill, Slam Bam, Zap, Gill Grunt, Chill
Skylanders Giants Collector's Poster
Here is a little something-something for everyone with just 1 month until the release of Skylanders Giants!
Friday, September 14, 2012
Nintendo Wii U Launch Titles
Here is a list of confirmed launch titles for the Nintendo Wii U! There are some great games, both first and third party...something many of us Wii owners have not had to this extent in quite some time.
As you may know my only other modern console is the PS2, which hasn't really had any of the latest-and-greatest in quite some time. I'm excited about the change of pace...I have starred games I would like to pick-up and added "!" by games I plan to pick up asap!
Nintendo : First Party
Game & Wario *
LEGO City: Undercover
New Super Mario Bros. Wii U *!
NINJA GAIDEN 3: Razor’s Edge
Pikmin 3 (Nintendo)
SiNG PARTY
The Wonderful 101*
Wii Fit U *!
Wipeout 3
Other Developers: Third Party
007 Legends (Activision)
Aliens: Colonial Marines (SEGA)
Assassin’s Creed III (Ubisoft) *!
Batman: Arkham City Armoured Edition (Warner Bros.) *
Ben 10 Omniverse (Namco/Bandai)
Cabela’s Dangerous Hunts 2013 (Activision)
Call of Duty: Black Ops II (Activision)
Darksiders 2 (THQ)
Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two (Disney Interactive)
Family Party: 30 Great Games Obstacle Arcade (Namco/Bandai)
Frozenbyte (Electronic Arts)
Game Party Champions (Warner Bros.)
JEOPARDY! (THQ)
Jett Tailfin (Maximum Games)
Just Dance 4 (Ubisoft)
Madden NFL 13 (Electronic Arts) *! (Finally, a solid Madden for Nintendo again!)
Marvel Avengers Battle for Earth (Ubisoft)
Mass Effect 3: Special Edition (Electronic Arts)
Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate (Capcom)
Nano Assault Neo (Shin’en)
NBA 2K13 (2K Sports)
Rabbids Land (Ubisoft) *
Rapala Pro Bass Fishing (Activision)
Rise of the Guardians (Namco/Bandai)
Runner2: Future Legend of Rhythm Alien (Gaijin Games)
Scribblenauts Unlimited (Warner Bros.)
Skylanders Giants (Activision) *!
Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed (SEGA) *
Sports Connection (Ubisoft)
TANK! TANK! TANK! (Namco/Bandai)
TEKKEN TAG TOURNAMENT 2 Wii U Edition (Namco/Bandai)
Toki Tori 2 (Two Tribes) *Actually looks good
TRANSFORMERS PRIME (Activision)
Trine 2: Director’s Cut (Electronic Arts)
Warriors Orochi 3 Hyper (Tecmo Koei)
Wheel of Fortune (THQ)
Your Shape: Fitness Evolved 2013 (Ubisoft)
Zumba Fitness Core (Majesco Entertainment)
As you can see there are some great games slated for the launch and I can't wait to see what all else is in store. There should be even more solid choices between launch and the end of the year. And of course, the future is wide open! I was very selective in this list. There are a handful of other games I'd like to pick up, but the simple fact is money and free time only go so far. I'd love to finally experience some of the games like Mass Effect and Darksiders I've heard so much about, but with limited free time I will probably hold out for some price drops and or time to investigate.
As you may know my only other modern console is the PS2, which hasn't really had any of the latest-and-greatest in quite some time. I'm excited about the change of pace...I have starred games I would like to pick-up and added "!" by games I plan to pick up asap!
Nintendo : First Party
Game & Wario *
LEGO City: Undercover
New Super Mario Bros. Wii U *!
NINJA GAIDEN 3: Razor’s Edge
Pikmin 3 (Nintendo)
SiNG PARTY
The Wonderful 101*
Wii Fit U *!
Wipeout 3
Other Developers: Third Party
007 Legends (Activision)
Aliens: Colonial Marines (SEGA)
Assassin’s Creed III (Ubisoft) *!
Batman: Arkham City Armoured Edition (Warner Bros.) *
Ben 10 Omniverse (Namco/Bandai)
Cabela’s Dangerous Hunts 2013 (Activision)
Call of Duty: Black Ops II (Activision)
Darksiders 2 (THQ)
Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two (Disney Interactive)
Family Party: 30 Great Games Obstacle Arcade (Namco/Bandai)
Frozenbyte (Electronic Arts)
Game Party Champions (Warner Bros.)
JEOPARDY! (THQ)
Jett Tailfin (Maximum Games)
Just Dance 4 (Ubisoft)
Madden NFL 13 (Electronic Arts) *! (Finally, a solid Madden for Nintendo again!)
Marvel Avengers Battle for Earth (Ubisoft)
Mass Effect 3: Special Edition (Electronic Arts)
Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate (Capcom)
Nano Assault Neo (Shin’en)
NBA 2K13 (2K Sports)
Rabbids Land (Ubisoft) *
Rapala Pro Bass Fishing (Activision)
Rise of the Guardians (Namco/Bandai)
Runner2: Future Legend of Rhythm Alien (Gaijin Games)
Scribblenauts Unlimited (Warner Bros.)
Skylanders Giants (Activision) *!
Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed (SEGA) *
Sports Connection (Ubisoft)
TANK! TANK! TANK! (Namco/Bandai)
TEKKEN TAG TOURNAMENT 2 Wii U Edition (Namco/Bandai)
Toki Tori 2 (Two Tribes) *Actually looks good
TRANSFORMERS PRIME (Activision)
Trine 2: Director’s Cut (Electronic Arts)
Warriors Orochi 3 Hyper (Tecmo Koei)
Wheel of Fortune (THQ)
Your Shape: Fitness Evolved 2013 (Ubisoft)
Zumba Fitness Core (Majesco Entertainment)
As you can see there are some great games slated for the launch and I can't wait to see what all else is in store. There should be even more solid choices between launch and the end of the year. And of course, the future is wide open! I was very selective in this list. There are a handful of other games I'd like to pick up, but the simple fact is money and free time only go so far. I'd love to finally experience some of the games like Mass Effect and Darksiders I've heard so much about, but with limited free time I will probably hold out for some price drops and or time to investigate.
Blog Poll #34: Wii U Purchases
Blog Poll #34 is commemorating the launch announcement for the Wii U made on September 13th, 2012.
We learned that the Wii U will launch here in the US on Sunday, November 18th, 2012 and will retail for $299.99 (White-Basic 8 GB) and $349.99 (Black-Deluxe 32 GB with Nintendo Land).
I've made a few options for you to select:
-White 8 GB Basic
-Black 32 GB Deluxe
-Want it for Christmas/Bday
-Waiting for Price Drop
-Don't Plan to Purchase a Wii U
This should cover everyone. No doubt this is going to be a hot gift item, hence why it is coming in right ahead of Black Friday and the holiday shopping season.
For those not young enough, or lucky enough to receive it as a gift you will either be faced with not buying a Wii U, waiting for a price drop (which will likely be quite a wait unless things tank, which I do not foresee), or simply picking how you want it optioned out.
My tentative plan is to pre-order a Deluxe bundle. With Nintendo Land likely to retail for $59.99 it pays for itself and I suppose I might use the stands that come extra, lol...I suppose the big perk, aside from the software bundled, will be the 32 GB of storage.
I've read rumors we'll see more GameCube titles. I'd love to get my hands on Super Mario Sunshine. I have it on GC to play on the Wii and it just always freezes at random points and ruins things. A download would be nice.
Plus, I have to say that Nintendo Land actually looks like it will be pretty enjoyable. And I'm kind of a fan...I don't see the extra $50 as not being "worth it." It seems like it is money well spent for the storage and game. Granted, some will opt to go basic and use external HDs they already have and pick up Nintendo Land afterwards, if they are interested.
Cast your vote and if you feel like you need to explain it...by all means post away!
As of right now only GameStop.com and TRU.com are taking pre-orders here in the US. I hit some stores tonight and they were oblivious to it...gotta love brick-and-mortar retail sometimes.
I'm pretty excited about it and can't wait to enjoy some new Nintendo and high-end third party titles in HD!
This poll will run until Saturday, November 17th, 2012 at 10 PM CST.
We learned that the Wii U will launch here in the US on Sunday, November 18th, 2012 and will retail for $299.99 (White-Basic 8 GB) and $349.99 (Black-Deluxe 32 GB with Nintendo Land).
I've made a few options for you to select:
-White 8 GB Basic
-Black 32 GB Deluxe
-Want it for Christmas/Bday
-Waiting for Price Drop
-Don't Plan to Purchase a Wii U
This should cover everyone. No doubt this is going to be a hot gift item, hence why it is coming in right ahead of Black Friday and the holiday shopping season.
For those not young enough, or lucky enough to receive it as a gift you will either be faced with not buying a Wii U, waiting for a price drop (which will likely be quite a wait unless things tank, which I do not foresee), or simply picking how you want it optioned out.
My tentative plan is to pre-order a Deluxe bundle. With Nintendo Land likely to retail for $59.99 it pays for itself and I suppose I might use the stands that come extra, lol...I suppose the big perk, aside from the software bundled, will be the 32 GB of storage.
I've read rumors we'll see more GameCube titles. I'd love to get my hands on Super Mario Sunshine. I have it on GC to play on the Wii and it just always freezes at random points and ruins things. A download would be nice.
Plus, I have to say that Nintendo Land actually looks like it will be pretty enjoyable. And I'm kind of a fan...I don't see the extra $50 as not being "worth it." It seems like it is money well spent for the storage and game. Granted, some will opt to go basic and use external HDs they already have and pick up Nintendo Land afterwards, if they are interested.
Cast your vote and if you feel like you need to explain it...by all means post away!
As of right now only GameStop.com and TRU.com are taking pre-orders here in the US. I hit some stores tonight and they were oblivious to it...gotta love brick-and-mortar retail sometimes.
I'm pretty excited about it and can't wait to enjoy some new Nintendo and high-end third party titles in HD!
This poll will run until Saturday, November 17th, 2012 at 10 PM CST.
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Blog Polls #31, 32, and 33: Skylanders Giants!
Top o' the mornin' to ya! As I type this the Wii U Nintendo Direct shindig is going on in Japan...I have it on and have no clue what is going on...Anyway, here is something I do understand: Skylanders!
I have decided to open up 3 Skylanders Giants Polls! Each of these polls will run right up until the day before release (10/21/2012 here in the US). There should be plenty of time to vote and even change your vote if say a new trailer is released for a certain character that blows you away.
I will have my generic Giants Info post updated with pics and will then add trailers as they come available. I might even make a video, although I know it will disappoint a lot of people with not having the figures/pictures etc. I get a lot of questions on the character line-up and there is a large group of people that stick to YouTube and don't ever really skim the blog etc.
So all of that should be coming soon, but in the mean time you can cast your vote based on what you already know, what sounds cool, or what you know is going to be the hot ticket.
Blog Poll #31 asks, "What are You Buying for Giants?"
This is pretty straight forward as it is only applicable to the Starter/Portal Packs. Here are your choices:
-Starter Pack: Game, Portal, Tree Rex, Jet-Vac, and Cynder S2
-Portal Owner's Pack: Tree Rex
-Both: You probably have multiple consoles, or are a certified Skylander nut
-Console and 3DS: You must have Punch Pop Fizz essentially
Blog Poll #32 is BIG and inquires, "Which Giant Do You Want the Most?"
-Swarm (Air)
-Crusher (Earth)
-Hot Head (Fire)
-Tree Rex (Life)
-Ninjini (Magic)
-Bouncer (Tech)
-Eye-Brawl (Undead)
-Thumpback (Water)
Similarly, Blog Poll #33 is scaled back, but asks, "Which New Skylander Do You Want the Most?"
-Jet-Vac (Air)
-Flashwing (Earth)
-Hot Dog (Fire)
-Shroomboom (Life)
-Pop Fizz (Magic)
-Sprocket (Tech)
-Fright Rider (Undead)
-Chill (Water)
I have decided to open up 3 Skylanders Giants Polls! Each of these polls will run right up until the day before release (10/21/2012 here in the US). There should be plenty of time to vote and even change your vote if say a new trailer is released for a certain character that blows you away.
I will have my generic Giants Info post updated with pics and will then add trailers as they come available. I might even make a video, although I know it will disappoint a lot of people with not having the figures/pictures etc. I get a lot of questions on the character line-up and there is a large group of people that stick to YouTube and don't ever really skim the blog etc.
So all of that should be coming soon, but in the mean time you can cast your vote based on what you already know, what sounds cool, or what you know is going to be the hot ticket.
Blog Poll #31 asks, "What are You Buying for Giants?"
This is pretty straight forward as it is only applicable to the Starter/Portal Packs. Here are your choices:
-Starter Pack: Game, Portal, Tree Rex, Jet-Vac, and Cynder S2
-Portal Owner's Pack: Tree Rex
-Both: You probably have multiple consoles, or are a certified Skylander nut
-Console and 3DS: You must have Punch Pop Fizz essentially
Blog Poll #32 is BIG and inquires, "Which Giant Do You Want the Most?"
-Swarm (Air)
-Crusher (Earth)
-Hot Head (Fire)
-Tree Rex (Life)
-Ninjini (Magic)
-Bouncer (Tech)
-Eye-Brawl (Undead)
-Thumpback (Water)
Similarly, Blog Poll #33 is scaled back, but asks, "Which New Skylander Do You Want the Most?"
-Jet-Vac (Air)
-Flashwing (Earth)
-Hot Dog (Fire)
-Shroomboom (Life)
-Pop Fizz (Magic)
-Sprocket (Tech)
-Fright Rider (Undead)
-Chill (Water)
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