Dark Skylanders in SWAP Force

Late last week we saw a true teaser shot from Skylanders game across all social media:

What we can conclude from the posted image is three basic things:

1.  There is a "dark" secret.

2.  There are 5 pairs of eyes involved.

3.  We will get answers today (I'm blogging this at 4:41 AM lol).

We since saw another teaser about guessing who anchors are secret new group:

Clearly, the image and description allude to Wash Buckler.

If you look closely you'll notice his attire is black and his blue tentacles are now more of a gunmetal grey.  

It makes sense this could be a new contingent of in-game variants.  Whether this ties in with Dark Spyro from SSA, or is more akin to the Legendary Skylanders we don't know.  Will this just be a recolor or will there be a different pose?  Will the moves and powers be standard issue, or will there be different or new upgrades for this dark legion?  At this point we just don't know; it is all speculation.

I'll likely be at work when the reveal breaks, but rest assured I will assemble the information and relay it to you!

You can get the info first hand by following Skylanders Game on Twitter, Circling them on Google +, or simply checking their Facebook Page.

I can make out most of the eyes (and maybe all of them in all honesty), can you?

Stay tuned for the big reveal!

Unboxing Mario & Luigi Dream Team

What: Mario & Luigi Dream Team
Platform: Nintendo 3DS
What Did It Cost: $39.99 plus tax
Where Did You Get It: Toys'R'Us
What Was Stock Like: Plenty

Sunday, August 11th, 2013 was a big day for fans of the Year of Luigi, and Mario RPG fans in general.

Mario & Luigi Dream Team hit shelves today (and the eShop).  This installment follows on the footsteps of Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story (DS), Mario & Luigi Partners in Time (DS), and Mario & Luigi Superstar Saga (GBA).  Much like we saw increased interaction with Bowser, in 2009's "Bowser's Inside Story," this version promises similar treatment with Luigi.

The Year of Luigi celebrates the 30th Anniversary of Luigi's debut and has already included the 3DS hit Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon and will usher in New Super Luigi. U here in two weeks!

The game looks quite enjoyable and follows much along the line of what you see in Bowser's Inside Story.  While this is an RPG, it has a lot more action that your typical, turn-by-turn title.  A staple of the Mario & Luigi RPG series is humor...this one seems no different with the back cover boldly dubbing the game a "hilarious action RPG."

My Nephew is a big fan of these games and I am looking forward to playing it myself.

The best deal we could find was via Toys'R'Us.  While all retailers had the game for $39.99 with no major sales, TRU did have a nice promotion.  When you purchase Dream Team (and yes, it is limited to this title), you can get ANY Video Game Accessory (think stylus, cases, cleaning supplies etc), or Strategy Guide price $19.99 or less, for $0.99.  That my friends is a sweet deal!

Now, before you jump up and grab that pack of $9.99 rainbow stylus pens, think about it...If you max it out, you save more in the long run...

My Nephew latched on to one of the final copies of Pokemon Black 2/White 2 Strategy Guides and after some consideration, I walked out with New Super Mario Bros. U.  My decision was two-fold: it was in good condition (no tattered corners) AND it was the first big Mario title to the Wii U..I'm thinking long term here, lol.  I was tempted by Skyward Sword, ACNL, and MLDT, but ultimately went for the big ticket item...Plus, I knew it would have cool artwork...I was right!  The maps are very nice and I've enjoyed reading up on the new enemies etc.  I often times appreciate strategy guides more for their thorough explanation of the characters than the actual gameplay hints.

Anyway, we both left quite happy and that is without even putting much stock into the hours of enjoyment we'll no doubt get from Mario & Luigi Dream Team.

If you have never played a title in the series, I would suggest you watch some gameplay vids, or study up on the trailers.  These titles are not your conventional platformers most think of with Mario games.  That said, this series is also not your conventional RPG that most bring to mind.  The Mario & Luigi RPG is kind of a "Mario" twist on the RPG...expect a lot more action, some comedy, and a crazy cast of characters to ultimately form a very memorable story line.

The unboxing is by no means great...I seamlessly edited 2 stop points (text and email of high importance), and was (cough, am) very tired.  Between having to start and stop 3 times (can't forget the batteries died!), it rambled on a bit longer than I intended.

That said, you get a decent look at the game case, the game cartridge, and insights on the best deal for launch week!  My apologies for the rambling and lack of detail...there isn't really a lot to showcase here with the limited art work etc.

If you do pick up Mario & Luigi Dream Team, make sure to register it ASAP with Club Nintendo for 50 Coins!  I'll see you back in two weeks for New Super Luigi U!!

Skylanders Giants Purple Metallic Wrecking Ball

This Tuesday turned out to be a pretty good day!

Much to my surprise a mystery box from Activision arrived...

Inside, I found Purple Metallic Wrecking Ball!!

I have to say, he looks great!  This will also hopefully serve to dispel the rumors that the Purple Metallics are "fake" variants.  They are, in fact, 100% legit.  I even got confirmation that the folks at Activision even refer to them as Purple Metallic, just as the fan base does.

As usual, this round of chase variants has taken form among 3 of the current cast of Skylanders.

On the Giant side we have Purple Metallic Eye Brawl.  Joining Wrecking Ball we have S2 Lightning Rod, who looks pretty slick in the Purple Metallic paint scheme.

I have to say, the coloring really does fit Wrecking Ball.  In fact, that is why in the video I said he would be the most likely to be found.  My logic?  He looks so good and at home in the Purple Metallic he might be overlooked by employees and or other Portal Masters.  While Eye Brawl and Lightning Rod look good in the same paint schematic, they do draw your instant attention as being "out of place."  Wrecking Ball, however, wears this variant coloring flawlessly.  You could literally whiten his teeth back up and all but the keenest Skylander Hunter would likely bypass him.

Sadly, I didn't have the heart to open him, BUT I did do my best to really highlight the coloring.  The pictures you have likely seen online from ebay auctions do this coloring no justice in my opinion.  That is why when I opened him I was taken back...The Purple Metallic looks way better in person that what I had seen online.

I do want to mention that the color actually shits and has a bit of a chameleon to it.  The shade you see depends on lighting.  At times he is dead on Purple Metallic, but twist him to one side or the other and you might catch a shimmer of a pink and a glistening dark blue...it really is quite impressive to see.

All that aside, many thanks to the folks at Activision for sending him out!  I can't stress enough that you do have the chance of landing a chase variant.  It all comes down to luck and timing.  While some are plucked by employees, a few will filter through...Wrecking Ball looks so good in this variant scheme he may be one to slip thru the cracks...

These three Purple Metallics kind of caught everyone off guard.  We have a few still looking for S2 Drobot, and some for Ninjini, but aside from the recent release of Gnarly Tree Rex, most have been sitting on their hands biding for news regarding SWAP Force.

Take this as a lesson..it pays to be diligent!  You never know when the next phase of variants could crop up...keep making the rounds and always be alert.  If you find anything let me know!  There are approximately 1,500 of each of these Purple Metallic Skylanders so stay on the hunt!

Skylanders Sidekicks: The Complete Collection

I had debated making this, but it already hit well beyond the "frequent" request among viewers...so, here it is:

Skylanders Sidekicks: The Complete Set of Eight

Barkley, Eye-Small, Gill Runt, Mini Jini, 

Terrabite, Trigger Snappy, Thumpling, and Whisper Elf

There is nothing groundbreaking here, but it is a nice, thorough look at the current Complete Set of Skylanders Sidekicks.  This, of course, entails both the new Skylanders Giants Sidekicks and the Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure Sidekicks.

Just to recap, from Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure we have:

Gill Runt, Sidekick to Gill Grunt

Terrabite, Sidekick to Terrafin

Trigger Snappy, Sidekick to Trigger Happy

Whisper Elf, Sidekick to Stealth Elf

And from Skylanders Giants, we have:

Barkley, Sidekick to Tree Rex

Eye Small, Sidekick to Eye-Brawl

Mini Jini, Sidekick to Ninjini

Thumpling, Sidekick to Thumpback

On an interesting note, despite having 8 Sidekicks, we see two Elements untouched in Air and Fire.  That said, Life and Water both claim two Sidekicks.

As popular as these have been, I would venture to guess we should see them return in Skylanders SWAP Force.  However, for the time being, this stands as the complete set.

If you need more info on how to obtain any of the Sidekicks, be sure to check the blog. You can also find detailed unboxings for each of the eight Sidekicks here on the blog, or my YouTube Channel.

Good luck completing your set!

Skylanders SWAP Force: Pre-Order Tower of Time Adventure Pack and Fiery Forge Battle Pack

If you have someone missed the news, we have an exciting development in the Skylanders SWAP Force world.  A new Adventure Pack and Battle Pack are up for pre-order at most all retailers!  You'll find a few screen shots of each, my thoughts on them, and most importantly, links to a few retailer where you can place your pre-order!

The Adventure Pack is the Tower of Time which I revealed to you long ago when I got the official Skylander Day Flyer at GameStop a few days early (Click here: http://www.1ofwiisdom.com/2013/06/skylanders-day-at-gamestop-saturday.html).

As I had predicted, Pop Thorn was the final name, not Gasteroid as many suspected following a leak.  The tell-tale sign was the poster which featured the box art.  The AP will feature Pop Thorn, a new Skylander hailing from the Air Element.  As I've stated since E3, he looks a lot like a cross between Woobat from Pokemon and Wrecking Ball from Skylanders.

The location piece will be the Tower of Time...which looks killer.  The screen shots below not only look great with Vicarious Visions new graphics, but the piece itself looks highly detailed!

Wrapping up the adventure pack, in true throwback fashion, are two magic items.  We have the Battle Hammer and the Sky Diamond.  I personally hope that the Battle Hammer is akin to the Anvil Rain piece from Empire of Ice and that the Sky Diamond might just rain down diamonds...a cool take on the Treasure Chest from Pirate Seas.

Skylanders Swap Force Tower of Time Adventure Pack

Tower of Time Screen Shot

Swap Force Newlander Pop Thorn

Pop Thorn in Action

The Battle Pack was revealed in a recent leak and looks to be a good one.  The official name will be Fiery Forge.  The arena looks great, and very expansive.  I am curious to see if the upward ramp is accessible...if so, a lot of strategy could come into play here.  This one also looks like there will be no shortage of potential arena hazards!

In addition to the Fiery Forge (which will unlock the Battle Arena AND likely serve as a damage tool in live gameplay), we get two characters, just like we saw in the Skylanders Giants Battle Packs.

This time, we have Life vs Earth.  The brand new Bumble Blast, a Series 1 Life Element Skylander will face off against Series 3 Terrafin, who we can now, officially dub Knockout Terrafin!

This is really my first look at a well lit Terrafin.  At E3, he was in the first display case at the Skylanders SWAP Fore booth, but was hard to see the detail on thanks to the lighting.  Seeing him in the screen shot and packaging he looks great..I am stoked to see Terrafin back and evolved into his Knockout state!

Skylanders Swap Force Fiery Forge Battle Pack

Fiery Forge Battle Arena

Swap Force Newlander Bumble Blast

Series 3 Knockout Terrafin

Knockout Terrafin vs Bumble Blast at the Fiery Forge

The best news about these pre-orders is that we can pre-order them AND we thus know they will be available at lauch!  When speaking to Guha and Karthik at E3, they both confirmed, to the best of their knowledge, we would have 2 Adventure Packs and 2 Battle Packs.  I would bank on us seeing the remaining packs before Christmas...although, one could possibly hold out until the Spring.

It is interesting we have not seen much of Bumble Blast in any gameplay.  I find him to remind me an awful lot of what you would get if Zook and Stump Smash were combined at the ordering of Swarm.  The blaster gun looks eerily similar to Zook's bazooka and his appearance clearly draws from both Stump Smash and Tree Rex.  The honeycomb looking lower jaw draws comparison to Swarm.  It looks like he is able to shoot Bees from the gun and his tongue looks too detailed in the box art to not play a role in something...It will be interesting to see how it pans out!

That said, if you were unaware of these developments, you now know..and if you are like me, you are probably very excited!  As stated, you can pre-order them most anywhere, but here are a few links:

Amazon.com:

-Tower of Time: http://www.amazon.com/Activision-Skylanders-Adventure-Not-Machine-Specific/dp/B00E5M3FTM

-Fiery Forge: http://www.amazon.com/Activision-Skylanders-Battle-Not-Machine-Specific/dp/B00E5M5LFS/ref=pd_bxgy_vg_img_y

GameStop.com:

-Tower of Time: http://www.gamestop.com/toys/skylanders-swap-force-tower-of-time-adventure-pack/111252

-Fiery Forge: http://www.gamestop.com/toys/skylanders-swap-force-fiery-forge-battle-pack/111251

Toys'R'Us:

-Tower of Time: http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=23639986

-Fiery Forge: http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=23639976

Skylanders Giants Unboxing Gnarly Tree Rex

What?  Gnarly Tree Rex, Life Element, Giant
Where Did You Get It?  Walmart
What Did It Cost?  $14.96 plus tax
What Is Included?  Gnarly Tree Rex, Stat Card, Sticker Sheet with Webcode
What Was Stock Like?  This store had around 7 or 8
What Lights Up?  Eyes (Green!) and Photosynthesis Canon (Orange!)
Will He Be Hard to Find?  Currently unknown, but I would get him now based on what we have seen with other in-game variants.

Unboxing Gnarly Tree Rex

Expect the unexpected my friends!  One of the things that haunted many collectors and Skylander fanatics was Gnarly Tree Rex.  He wasn't like a Granite Crusher or Scarlet Ninjni...Well he is, but not in the sense of availability.  Since launch, Gnarly has been available, but with one BIG catch.  Here in the US you had to buy the special Wii Bundle.  You essentially had to shell out around $150 for a console that has a successor on the market to get the special Starter Pack.

A few people did it...More bit the bullet and paid a higher price for Gnarly, but much less than the console bundle.  Some, like myself, refused to do either.

I have a Wii (which I love), a WiiU, and despite really like the color blue, and thinking Gnarly looked great, I couldn't make myself shell out the cash to get him.  I was tempted when I saw the bundle advertised for $99 a few times.  At that price, you really can't go wrong.  That said, it is still a lot of money and I never did it.  I've said many times not to stress about variants, or rare figures...and certainly don't blow your bank chasing one down.  Think how many games, or regular Skylanders you could get for $150?  It just wasn't practical for most.

Well, much to most everyone's surprise, Gnarly Tree Rex showed up in Single Pack Form this past week!  Definitely unexpected by most Portal Masters.  While it is a tough pill to swallow for those that shelled out $40 or so for Gnarly (or got the console bundle and dealt with selling it off), everyone else is quite happy.

I, like most of you, had just relegated it off.  I was fine not having Gnarly Tree Rex.  Despite that status, it still ate away knowing things weren't "100% Complete."  Livable scenario?  Sure.  But those little things are annoying.

Now, for the price of $15 myself and those like me have landed the previously illusive Gnarly Tree Rex!!

With his appearance coming largely unexpected, you can still swoop in and land him early.  And that may be important.  If he winds up like the other Giants we have seen (Granite Crusher, Scarlet Ninjini, heck, even Legendary Bouncer as of late), you will want to act sooner rather than later.  As word gets out, scalpers will no doubt to buy up stock to hock on ebay.

Really, the only folks that would have been looking this time of year are the dedicated variant hunters and those still looking for S2 Drobot, Spyro, or Ninjini etc.

All that aside, this is great news for all of us and something I suggest you take advantage of while you can!

Here are a few pictures:

Gnarly Tree Rex, Lit on the Portal:

Tree Rex, Lit on the Portal:

Gnarly and Tree Rex, Lit on the Portal:

Left-Gnarly (Amber Photosynthesis Canon, Green Eyes)

Right-Tree Rex (Green Photosynthesis Canon, Blue Eyes)

Tree Rex, Lit on the Portal, Lights Out:

Gnarly Tree Rex, Lit on the Portal, Lights Out:

Basic Info

Gnarly Tree Rex
Life Element, Giant

Slogan: "Be Afraid of the Bark!"

Card Stats

Power/Strength: 140/150
Defense/Armor: 130/150
Speed/Agility: 55/150
Luck: 55/150
Totals: 380/600

Conclusion

Gnarly Tree Rex showing up in single pack form is a very, very pleasant surprise.  Not knowing what kind of quantities he is being released in, I would advise you pick him up ASAP if you plan to add him to your collection.  He looks great, is very well detailed, and as a bonus, even lights up differently!  Good luck!

Barkley Skylanders Giants Sidekick Unboxing

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

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

Unboxing Skylanders Giants Sidekick Barkley

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

Here are some pics to showcase just that:

Barkley, Front:

Barkley, Back:

Tree Rex and Barkley, Front:

Tree Rex and Barkley, Back:

Tree Rex, Shroomboom, and Barkley, Size Scale:

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

Barkley, Eye Small, Mini Jini, Thumpling:

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

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

Good luck landing your favorite Skylanders Giants Sidekick!

Skylanders Giants Unboxing Mini Jini Sidekick

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

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

So, without further ado, here is Mini Jini.

Unboxing Mini Jini Skylanders Giants Sidekick

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

That said, here are some pics:

Mini Jini, Front:

Mini Jini, Back:

Mini Jini and Ninjini, Front:

Mini Jini and Ninjini, Back:

Mini Jini, Pop Fizz, and Ninjini Size Scale:

Scarlet Ninjini, Mini Jini, and Ninjini:

Barkley, Eye Small, Mini Jini, and Thumpling:

Good luck landing your favorite Skylanders Giants Sidekick.

Skylanders Giants Sidekicks Unboxing Eye Small

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

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

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

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

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

Unboxing Eye Small

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

Eye Small, Front:

Eye Small, Back:

Eye-Brawl and Eye Small:

Size Chart: Giant, Regular Skylander, Sidekick:

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

Thumpling & Eye Small:

Sidekick Reunion: