Skylanders SWAP Force Unboxing LightCore Countdown

What? LightCore Countdown, Tech Element, SWAP Force Newlander
Where Did You Get It? Toys'R'Us
What Did It Cost? $13.99 plus tax
What Was Stock Like? Probably 5 in the store
What is Included? LC Countdown, Stat Card, and Sticker Sheet

Unboxing LightCore Countdown

LightCore Countdown
Tech Element, SF Newlander

Slogan: "I'm the Bomb!"

Card Stats
Power: 150/200
Armor: 105/200
Agility: 60/200
Luck: 45/200
Totals: 360/800

Skylanders SWAP Force Unboxing Spy Rise

What? Spy Rise, Tech Element, SWAP Force Skylander, Climbing Ability

Where Did You Get It? Toys'R'Us

What Did It Cost? $16.99 plus tax

What Was Stock Like? I'd say 6 or so were in the store

What is Included? Spy Rise, Stat Card, and Sticker Sheet

Unboxing Spy Rise

Spy Rise

Tech Element, SWAP Force, Climbing

Slogan: "It's Classified!"

Card Stats

Power: 120/200

Armor: 120/200

Agility: 120/200

Luck: 130/200

Totals: 490/800

Tech Element Swappers

Climbing SWAP Force

Wave 3 Group Shot

Best Buy Unveils Special Silver Heavy Duty Sprocket

What?  Special Heavy Duty Sprocket
Where?  Best Buy
How Much?  $9.99 plus tax
Quantities?  Unknown at this Point

Tanks a lot Best Buy...

Just as everyone is trying to wrap up locating, ordering, or miraculously obtaining the last of SWAP Force Wave 3, we have a bomb shell dropped...Or I suppose, more of a tank and mines dropped.  Why, you ask?  Best Buy has unveiled a pre-order for a special Heavy Duty Sprocket.  She is up for the standard retail price of $9.99.  Have a look for yourself:

Click Here for the Link to BestBuy.com

It is believed that she will be a store exclusive, but that has not been 100% confirmed.  I would imagine that to be the case, think of her just like you would a Jade Flashwing or GITD Sonic Boom.  Similarly, since she is not in the 3DS Character List, I would venture to guess she will simply appear as her regular self in-game, but with the "Special" designation...just like any chase variant.

The base looks to be a bright silver, while the tack is either a greened bronze, or off-silver...We should know soon...As in this Sunday!

Best Buy will have these available in store on Sunday, January 12th, 2014...That said, you can ensure you get your Special Sprocket by Pre-Ordering her online.  There you can select store pickup, or simply have her shipped (and free at that with orders of $25 or more).

I opted to go that route and will see when I get her...

I do not frequent Best Buy, but if they do not already have some, or all of Wave 3 out on the shelves, I would imagine they have some, or all of Wave 3 ready to put out Sunday.

As always, my advice remains to pre-order and lock in the figure.  This literally just fell out of the sky and there is little known in regard to whether there will be a limited number of these figures, or enough to fill a small castle.  

As soon as she arrives, I will do a product showcase.  

As much as I don't enjoy frequenting Best Buy, I have dealt with them a few times recently (online anyway) and haven't had many issues.  This is, however, perhaps the best handling of a figure I have seen in quite some time.  I fully expect there will be plenty to go around Sunday, BUT just in case the ebay pirates set sail for your local Best Buy, they have offset this long worn fear by offering you the chance to pre-order.  Pay now and sail away with a safe day, or gamble on the release day.  There wasn't exactly a huge heads-up, but given the recent Target issues and trouble folks are having landing the rest of Wave 3, this is pretty much top-of-the-line in terms of satisfying the fan base.  Once more, if you have an interest in picking up this quick silver Golding, I would suggest you pre-order now!

Skylanders SWAP Force Unboxing Rubble Rouser

What? Rubble Rouser, Earth Element, SWAP Force Skylander
Where Did You Get It? Target
What Did It Cost? $14.99 plus tax
What Was Stock Like? 2 in the back, in a locked case
What is Included? Rubble Rouser, Stat Card, and Sticker Sheet

Unboxing Rubble Rouser

Rubble Rouser
Earth Element, SF Skylander, Dig

Slogan: "Brace for Impact!"

Card Stats
Power: 170/200
Armor: 200/200
Agility: 65/200
Luck: 55/200
Totals: 490/800

After entering Target and beelining to the Skylanders section, I wasn't shocked to see empty pegs and the lowest SWAP Force stock I've seen to date at the store.  I went in Sunday (the day of the ad 12/29) and then twice during the week...Each time there were no Swappers, and decreasing stock.  I asked employees each time I was in (as I always do when trying to find something new) and the response was and remained that there had been no new shipments since before Christmas and that they had nothing in the back...everything available was on the floor.

Well, the store was desolate (my favorite setting for shopping) and as I was leaving I saw an employee in electronics.  She was super nice and upon scanning a tag offered to check the back even though it said there weren't any.  She came out a few minutes later with an arm full of 4 Skylanders: Hoot Loop, Stink Bomb, and 2 Rubble Rousers.  I was kind of surprised there were no Spy Rise figures, but it is hard to argue with getting 2 of the 3.  I checked out with Stink Bomb and Rubble Rouser (although I now realize that the sale didn't ring up).  What I learned, and what may help you, is that my store had these in the back in a locked case.  This isn't like the case for games and high end electronics, this is literally in the back where you'd never have access to look.  When I got up front I figured it was odd I had a bag with stuff in it and told the story to the checker.  She said they had been having a lot of theft and it was a precaution.  I don't know if this is just a local solution, or something nationwide etc, but it is a new revolution to me...

There were no notes to ask for any characters you don't see and if not for the overly diligent and helpful employee I would have once again walked out with nothing, while the figures apparently sat trapped in a locked case.  The funny thing is a Target Exclusive Nitro Magna Charge and Free Ranger Double Pack were on the pegs...as well as a few Giants and some stray Sprockets and 1-2 Scorp figures.

I have to wonder if all of the W3 Swappers were in this case when I went in Sunday, and the other two days prior?!  I know most stores had these well in advance of the 12/29 ad because folks were buying them last Thursday and Friday.  It could just be a case of employees legitimately not knowing the characters were locked up, or just simply not caring to check as I assume this case also houses things like iPod, iPads, and extra stock on cameras etc.

That said, you now know the story behind how I got Stink Bomb and Rubble Rouser and for those of you still willing to deal with Target (I've had a ton of people tell me they were blowing them off due to not having stock etc), you might ask an employee to check the locked cases in the back.  Will it work?  It comes in at 50/50 odds, so I'd say go for it...

I have to say, if the figures were really there when I went in last Sunday it is pretty ridiculous and I likely could have landed Spy Rise as well.  This could also be great timing and maybe they showed up earlier today and made their way to the case.  Once more though, no signs to ask an associate, check with management, etc...just empty pegs.  My advice is give it a shot and if you still get the runaround, check back when you can or just hold out for a broader release.

All of that aside, I am stoked to finally have one of the Earth Element Swappers!  I'm kind of leaning towards Doom Stone based solely on character art, but I think Rubble Rouser is well done, has a good back story, and should be a nice asset to the game.  Plus, his card stats are really high.

Good luck landing Rubble Rouser!

Grilla Drilla and Rubble Rouser...Can You Dig It?!

Skylanders SWAP Force Unboxing Stink Bomb

What? Stink Bomb, Life Element, SWAP Force Skylander
Where Did You Get It? Special Delivery and Target
What Did It Cost? $14.99 plus tax
What Was Stock Like? No Stock, In the Back, In a Locked Case
What is Included? Stink Bomb, Stat Card, and Sticker Sheet

Unboxing Stink Bomb

Stink Bomb
Life Element, SWAP Force, Sneak

Slogan: "Clear the Air!"

Card Stats
Power: 140/200
Armor: 85/200
Agility: 150/200
Luck: 15/200
Totals: 390/800

Thanks to a special delivery, Stink Bomb arrived!  I was ecstatic as I had pretty much decided the chances of getting lucky at Target were slim-to-none.  That said, I still tried and it paid off big time!  A super nice employee checked the back and found 1 Stink Bomb and 2 Rubble Rousers in a locked case, in the back.  I took the Stink Bomb and 1 Rubble Rouser...someone else can have the other.  Surprisingly she came out with Hoot Loop and not Spy Rise, who has been reported to be the easiest to come by...That said, I'm not complaining..2 of the 3 have been obtained!

Stink Bomb looks really cool...I am a big fan of the LIFE Element logo on the backside of his vest.  He looks to have a bit of Stealth Elf in him with the martial arts background and Sneak ability...Plus, it looks like he has the chance to be very quick.  Daphney from Twitter has already expressed interest in getting a 2nd Stink Bomb because his paths are so good.

If you are still trying Target you might try for the "locked case" route...it is worth a shot.  The girl at the front said people had been stealing the Skylanders so who knows, it could have been a local "fix" or perhaps something from a top down directive.

I'm not sure how long of a window Target has for the timed exclusive, but it shouldn't be more than a few weeks and I am hopeful that they get stock to justify their timed window, or that we see a nice stock appear at other retailers when the window expires.

I can't stress enough not to rush out and pay 2-4x retail for these guys.  Give it a few weeks and they will likely be common place.  There are more SF Portal Masters out there now after Christmas, but keep in mind not everyone is informed and acts immediately.  If you are diligent and stay in-the-know, you will usually come out on top.  All I can say is good luck!  I am very excited to get this guy on the Portal and see how he performs.  At E3 I saw a clip with Stink Bomb and Night Shift...it looked like they made a very nice pairing (this was backroom stuff btw, no filming).

I will try to get the introduction video up BEFORE the backlog...perhaps this weekend.

Skylanders SWAP Force Quick Draw Rattle Shake

What?  Quick Draw Rattle Shake, Undead Element, SWAP Force, Bounce, Alt-Deco
Where Did You Get It?  Frito-Lay Promotion
What Did It Cost?  Variety Pack with Code and a lot of Time

Checking Out Quick Draw Rattle Shake

Well, for the 2nd day of 2014 it turned out to be a pretty good one.  Factoring into that was the arrival of Quick Draw Rattle Shake.  I was fortunate/lucky enough to win two of them and they both arrived safe-and-sound.

This promotion was very poorly run.  That is sad for the simple fact this isn't their first rode and they seemed to be making strides toward truly perfecting the setup.  That said, let's try to be positive and look at the pros.  The biggest one was just having the chips readily available...that has been a BIG ISSUE for myself and many of you...not being able to even find the specially marked bags (this is why I do not have Flocked Stump Smash...I never once saw a promo bag).  That said, having tons of the bags available is a bit of a downer when the codes to win are on the outside and seemed to stretch at least 10+ bags.  The first few days of the promo people had error messages that the code had been used etc.  Frito-Lay did address this quickly, but people were irate.  I got royally screwed in that I actually won on Day 1 or 2 of the promo and it never let me submit my info.  All that aside, I did actually win two and since they arrived (well packed in a fitting box) I can't complain too much.  I will end on the note that I hope they take what they have learned and go back to the Giants Sidekicks setup, or even Halloween Fright Rider...I'd also take something better.

Now, before we go into the details...Quick Draw Rattle Shake is an actual in-game variant.  That means he registers in the collection and appears in the game just as he looks in the packaging (think along the lines of a Legendary or Dark Skylander).  This has angered a lot of fans and led to the majority of the backlash.  If this was just a chase variant I don't think the uproar would have been quite of the magnitude it was.

All of that aside, Quick Draw Rattle Shake looks really good in person!  He is basically a superbly well done GITD with blue diamonds and blue accents.  I tried to showcase the GITD aspect in the video and it didn't turn out too great, but if you have the chance check one out with the lights out...it looks very good!

This character is important for completionists and collectors alike.  My fear, and the biggest reason I despised the exposed game code, is that scalpers had instant access without so much as being forced to buy a $6 bag of chips.  Several reported seeing people rummaging thru the inventory and taking pics with their phone to enter the codes.  You were capped to 4 per house, but given the "in game variant" status of this figure I am afraid in-the-know scalpers will have cashed in and unleash these figures to a fan base desperate to attain a figure needed for the collection.

There is a chance we could see Quick Draw released late on like the Sidekicks and Gnary Tree Rex, but that is far from guaranteed and simply speculation at this point.

Personally, I would rather send in (x) UPCs from the chips and payment than jump thru the contest hoops etc.  I mentioned this in the videos, but if you say land some Wave 3 figures, you might have a window you could trade with fellow Portal Masters for their extra Quick Draws...this is mutually beneficial and starves the scalpers.

Still discounting the downside of the promotion...Quick Draw is a very well done alternate of Rattle Shake.  He looks great, the name is fitting, and he will look great in any collection.

If I do wind up opening one of the QDRS I will update this post.

Minecraft Pocket Edition Survival Mode: Ultimate Quest Series

Hey Everyone,

This is something that has been a very popular request.  My Nephew and I have decided to make it happen.  As of New Year's Day we have started a brand new Minecraft Pocket Edition Series called, Ultimate Quest.  Ultimate Quest will be set up in a Season/Episode format.  We will upload as time allows.  It is played without any mods or hacks, and from the ground up.  If you have any suggestions for what you would like to see, let us know!  We hope you enjoy the series!

You can get updates here on this post and via Twitter.
You can also check out my Nephew's blog: http://www.thewalkthruking.blogspot.com

Ultimate Quest Season 1, Episode 1:

New Year, New House, New Series

Ultimate Quest Season 1, Episode 2:
Creepers Declare War


Ultimate Quest Season 1, Episode 3
The War Continues


Ultimate Quest Season 1, Episode 4
Iron!!

Skylanders 2014 Wall Calendar

What?  Skylanders 2014 Wall Calendar
Where Did You Get It?  My Sister
What Did It Cost?  MSRP $14.99

Skylanders 2014 Wall Calendar: Quick Look

Really not much to see here, BUT I did want to make the video and this post to let you know this calendar does in fact exist and you can pick it up now.  As always, some of the character selections for the specific month are less than well thought out, but it is still a nice calendar, and I suppose that previous part could be deemed "subjective," but I digress.

I've enjoyed my previous Skylander calendars and they have held up just fine to the rigors of being tacked to a wall for 365 days.

The featured characters are as follows:
Month: Series #, Character, Game Abbreviation

January: Tree Rex, SG
February: Wash Buckler, SF
March: S2 Trigger Happy, SG
April: S3 Ninja Stealth Elf, SF
May: Jet-Vac, SG
June: Magna Charge, SF
July: Pop Fizz, SG
August: Crusher, SG
September: Blast Zone, SF
October: S2 Hex, SG
November: S2 Whirlwind, SG
December: S2 Spyro, SG
4 2013 Bonus Months: Hot Dog, SG

For 5 AM, here is a run down on what I would have done:
January: S2 Blizzard Chill
February: Smolderdash or Roller Brawl, possibly Flashwing
March: Tree Rex or Zoo Lou
April: S2 Super Gulp Pop Fizz
May: Magna Charge or Wash Buckler
June: Star Strike
July: S2 Turbo Jet-Vac
August: Smolderdash, Fryno, or Blast Zone
September: Boom Jet
October: Night Shift
November: Doom Stone
December: Jolly Bumble Blast

Again, that is just me rattling things off at 5 AM while very tired...I would personally prefer tandem pics, but I kept my list to follow the single character per month etc.

What would your ideal Skylanders calendar look like?

Best Moments of 2013: What Were Your Favorites?

It is hard to believe that yet another year has flown by and we are on the doorstep of 2014. That said, what were some of your favorite moments of 2013?  This could be gaming related, family, career, personal, stemming from another hobby etc., accomplishments, just anything you enjoyed or are proud of completing.

Feel free to post them up in the comments section below!

For me it would have to be going to E3 and that entire experience (getting to meet with folks from Activision, PowerA, Vicarious Visions, other YouTubers...having early access to all the content that I had just had to watch from online in previous years and then being able to report it back to you, straight from the source), being able to see the Nintendo setup first hand, getting StreetPass tags from all over the place, and just being able to mine and search for insights on Skylanders SWAP Force from the people that know it best.

Tying in with that was seeing the Pacific Ocean (first time seeing any ocean mind you!) and I'm also pretty sure as I was trying to figure out how to get back to the bus that would run back to the hotel I saw Jenna Marbles, but I can't 100% confirm that.

On the gaming front it would likely be continuing to share Skylander content with everyone, seeing the Wii U come back this holiday season to spite the naysayers, landing Street Pass Tags with the expanded Nintendo Zone coverage, playing extensive amounts of Minecraft with my Nephew, and diving in to both Animal Crossing New Leaf and the Xbox One.

Personally, I won a pretty big, nation-wide contest relating to another of my hobbies which was a really cool experience.

I also had a few other neat trips, was fortunate enough to attend another Cowboys game (which they won fyi), and then of course a few other accomplishments and good times.

But enough about me...What were some of your best moments of 2013?  I hope you all enjoyed this current year and are ready to start the New Year and make the most of it as well!

New Year Channel Update

Check the description for a rundown on the Channel Update.

Here are the high points:

SWAP Force Wave 3
-Still trying to land W3 Swappers from Target, probably going to get them elsewhere
-I will keep you posted on W3's LCs, BP, and AP

Recording Upgrades
-I am now able to record in full 1080p HD
--The new capture card and TV have made this possible
---Look for a big boost to recording quality starting with Chapter 6 of the SWAP Force Blind Playthrough and sometime around SWAP Force Intro #26 or so
-I have thru Chapter 5 recorded and around 45 Introductions
--I will be editing, uploading, and making those videos LIVE before recording anything else

Xbox One
-I will be playing SWAP Force on XB1 behind the Wii U's blind playthrough
--This will let me level up and get cash for all the characters to prep for Nightmare Mode
---Currently the plan is to record Nightmare Mode from the XB1

Animal Crossing New Leaf
-I will get the video with my Dream Address up soon
--From there I will have a blog post where you can leave your address to share with others, this will hopefully help earn some badges etc.

Odds-and-Ends
-I have a few more quick videos to get cranked out, several are already on YouTube, just waiting for a blog post to be made "Public"
-My Nephew and I have several new recording series in the works...
--As soon as I get caught up on the current batch of SF recordings I will get some things going there
-I will be continuing Castaways vs Newlanders and running other polls

Conclusion
-That is about it...Again, thanks for watching and I hope you had a great 2013 and have an even better 2014!  Don't forget to comment with some of your best moments of 2013!!

Skylanders SWAP Force Unboxing the Xbox One Starter Pack

What?  Skylanders SWAP Force Starter Pack for Xbox One
Where Did You Get It?  Special Delivery
What Does It Cost?  $74.99 lus tax, currently on sale for $59.99!!
What Was Stock Like?  Well stocked everywhere
What is Included?  Xbox One Game Disc, Wired Portal of Power, Collector's Poster, Wash Buckler, Blast Zone, and Ninja Stealth Elf all with Stat Cards and Sticker Sheets

Unboxing Xbox One Skylanders SWAP Force Starter Pack

This isn't quite as detail oriented for me, particularly regarding the characters...That said, if you want details, check out the Wii U Starter Pack unboxing.

So, you are probably asking, why pick up another Starter Pack?  I picked up a XB1 to play a few titles that skip Nintendo and some that are Microsoft exclusives that my Nephew and I will enjoy.  Obviously, this SP will allow me to play the game on a different console.  Why do that?  Simple...

First, I will play the XB1 version behind the Wii U's blind playthrough.  I will be doing this to level up and get cash for the characters not featured as prominently in the blind playtrhough (think alt-deco, S2, and S3 characters) as my emphasis in the blind playthrough will be SWAP Force Skylanders and Newlanders.

Second, when I complete most everything on the Wii U, I will come in and record Nightmare Mode on the XB1 which will let you compare and contrast the game, graphics, and more across two systems.

Again, I can't stress that Skylanders SWAP Force is the best game going in the kid friendly, family fun genre for the XB1.  Some might even argue, at this point, that SWAP Force is the best game currently available for the XB1.

I am looking forward to playing the game and getting the bonus of utilizing the characters not featured as prominently in the blind playthrough.  This means I can continue to use Scorp, Riptdie, and Countdown in the blind playthrough, but come upgrade time Knockout Terrafin, Anchors Away Gill Grunt, and Big Bang Trigger Happy will be levelled up, have cash for upgrades, and be more ready to take on Nightmare mode with their Newlander counterparts.

I have never owned an Xbox and SWAP Force is my first XB1 game, actually arriving BEFORE the actual console :D

Don't forget, you can currently catch all STARTER PACKS on sale at retailers like Toys'R'Us and GameStop, anywhere from $15-$20 off...It is a great chance to land that second Blast Zone and Wash Buckler if you missed out on the Dark Edition Starter Pack.

Skylanders SWAP Force Unboxing Series 3 Hyper Beam Prism Break

What? Hyper Beam Prism Break, Earth Element, Series 3 Skylander
Where Did You Get It? Toys'R'Us
What Did It Cost? $10.99 plus tax, BOGO40%
What Was Stock Like? Extremely Limited Stock
What is Included? Hyper Beam Prism Break, Stat Card, and Sticker Sheet

Unboxing Hyper Beam Prism Break

Hyper Beam Prism Break
Earth Element, Series 3 Skylander

Slogan: "The Beam is Supreme!"

Card Stats
Power: 140/200
Armor: 120/200
Agility: 25/200
Luck: 25/200
Totals: 310/800

Skylanders SWAP Force Unboxing Series 3 Horn Blast Whirlwind

What? Horn Blast Whirlwind, Air Element, Series 3 Skylander
Where Did You Get It? Toys'R'Us
What Did It Cost? $10.99 plus tax, BOGO40%
What Was Stock Like? Very Limited
What is Included? Horn Blast Whirlwind, Stat Card, and Sticker Sheet

Unboxing Horn Blast Whirlwind

Horn Blast Whirlwind
Air Element, Series 3 Skylander

Slogan: "Twists of Fury!"

Card Stats
Power: 75/200
Armor: 40/200
Agility: 65/200
Luck: 150200
Totals: 330/800

Skylanders SWAP Force Unboxing Phantom Cynder

What? Phantom Cynder, Undead Element, Series 3
Where Did You Get It? Toys'R'Us
What Did It Cost? $10.99 plus tax, BOGO40%
What Was Stock Like? Moderate Stock
What is Included? Phantom Cynder, Stat Card, and Sticker Sheet

Unboxing Phantom Cynder

Phantom Cynder
Undead Element, Series 3 Skylander

Slogan: "Volts and Lightning!"

Card Stats
Power: 80/200
Armor: 85/200
Agility: 110/200
Luck: 55/200
Totals: 330/800