Wow. Since I was so darn busy these past few weeks (and still am), I missed the second email from Clint over at MVD and almost missed the third until a friend reminded me to check and see what movies Arrow Films was getting out on DVD here in the U.S. of A. over the next few months. Well, here you go, then – six more films ABSOLUTELY not for the kiddies coming to Blu-Ray or DVD. Three in April, three more in May. yes I can count – you’ll see if you keep reading… Continue reading →
If ever a game needed to be played, it’s this one. Robot Roller-Derby Disco Dodgeball was created by one guy and although it’s been in Steam’s Early Access program for a while, the quality of the game was astounding. Yes, it’s got that silly and catchy title working that hammer on your head, but once you actually see and then PLAY the game, it becomes hard to stop. Whether in solo play or online with friends or soon to be enemies, Disco Dodgeball is a total hoot. It’s only one of a handful of games I’ve played this month (hey, it’s been a BUSY February what with Toy Fair and a few other events), but it’s one that’s been stuck in my head since. Must be the disco tunes or something. And the visuals. And the gameplay.
Anyway, go get this NOW on Steam (it’s 20% off for a week!), then ring up a few friends and tell them to get it as well. That’s not quite a review, but it IS a recommendation.
While digital games are great, the fact remains that not everyone who wants to play them can do so and more games need both physical as well as digital releases. Grip Games is getting right up in everyone’s alley with Terrible Posture Games’ Tower of Guns. The fast paced arcade-like first person shooter that made a digital splash last year on Steam, now headed to PC, PS3 and PS4 as a retail release. Xbox One owners get a digital only release, as Microsoft seems to believe everything is hunky-dory with the download-only releases and discs are a bad idea for an indie game that’s so short. Or something like that.
Anyway, while I jump up and down happily about this news, you can read a bit of the press release:
Always a fresh experience: Random enemies, random power-ups, random bosses, tons of unlockable items and weapons…even random-level compositing! You never know what to expect when you sit down in front of Tower of Guns. Crazy powerups: You’ve played first person shooters where you can double jump, but have you played any game where you can centuple-jump? In Tower of Guns, with the right items, you can! Gun-modifying madness: A gun and its qualities aren’t tied together in Tower of Guns. Do you like rocket launchers? You’ll like them more if you’re lucky enough to stumble upon a “Shotgun” modifier. A rocket-launching shotgun is very satisfying. Single sitting full experience: For all of those who have too many games (or too little time) this is a game you can pick up and play again and again, without remembering where you were or what you were up to. If you’re gonna win, you’re gonna be able to do it over your lunch break.
That’s a big if though, it won’t be easy…
While there’s no exact release date, the deal between GRIP Digital s.r.o. (digital version) and SOEDSCO (retail version) means more people will be playing and enjoying this one and having a blast. Once a release date zips into the inbox, expect an update.
‘Twas Shakespeare who wrote “Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown,” (Henry IV, Part 2 Act 3, scene 1, line 31), but I’m betting Factory Entertainment is laying odds that more stability will be found from Game of Thrones fans with bulging wallets. In addition to its line of licensed plush Dire Wolves, Dragons, throw pillows and other collectibles from the show, that great looking replica Royal Crown of the Houses Baratheon and Lannister above is in search of a few good homes.
Limited to 1500 pieces, Joffrey’s crown is cast from metal (unlike the one on the show, which was made from lightweight material that looked like metal but wasn’t), weighs about 13 ounces and comes with a sturdy 3-pound pedestal. Nope, I wasn’t even about to attempt to put that crown on my big head at Toy Fair, folks. Not because I didn’t want to, mind you. It’s just that I’ve seen the show and read some of the books and know wearing that crown is a really bad idea. Of course, I suggested to the guys at Factory to run some sort of photo contest among the lucky future owners of this collectible to see who was the most hard-core GoT fan out there. But we agreed that unless there was some sort of disclaimer that said something along the lines of “Please don’t ACTUALLY bump off the person in the photo!”, there could be trouble. You know how some fans get – always striving for accuracy in their recreations.
Anyway, that crown goes on sale this spring. Keep an eye peeled for it… or someone may peel that eye for you.
Oops. I should be asleep, but I wasn’t and while working on a draft, hit “Publish” instead of “Save Draft” annnnnnnnd… oh well. You all got a preview of a longer article a wee bit too early. Feh. Well, at least you know I’m not slacking off, right? The stupid slow connection up here won’t let me properly edit the post, so you get a new short post to say yeah, yeah, I know that other post isn’t complete. Just hit the pause button between your eyeballs and come back to it in a day or two. It’s going to be a nice little piece once it’s complete…
Okay, I’m going to go to sleep now. I need to get up in about five hours or and roll out into the city for the last day of Toy Fair…
Back in the mid-80’s and up to about 1994 or so, I was OBSESSED with Gasahpon and Shogukan figures thanks to a few shops in Chinatown that stocked them and the prices being so inexpensive. I partially blame Cracker Jacks for exposing me to fun toys in a box of candy when I was a kid, then over time getting rid of those toys in favor of lousy paper goodies far less expensive to produce. I guess I was unconsciously looking for a substitute one fine summer day when, while waiting at a checkout line at a large Asian market I saw that colorful anime art on those small boxes and picked up four or five of them at under a dollar each.
Soon thereafter, a friend told me about a shop in the area that had what seemed like hundreds of figures for sale from too many manga and anime and I was introduced to higher end, higher quality figures from Bandai and Banpresto. The combination of low to reasonably acceptable price points and the variety of different types of figures lured me in deeper and soon, I was snapping up anywhere between five to ten Shogukan figures a week or every other week. Continue reading →
So, Mezco Toyz has this rather massive Bugs Bunny figure coming this year:
and I couldn’t be happier. Not because I have the room for a two-foot tall cartoon rabbit in the collection (I don’t). Its because they got the license to the RIGHT Bugs from the era he was his funniest. it also (probably) means well see the more insane (yer perfect) versions of Daffy Duck, Elmer Fudd, and Porky Pig with the possibility of more on the way. Excellent. On the other hand, I could just be jumping the gun here with my guessing who else the company has licensed. I don’t think so, as those guys BELONG together. I’ll bet you all a baby carrot, too. Okay, I just want a boxed set of smaller figures because that big wabbit that’s going to go on sale later this year wont fit anywhere in my place.
Thank you, Imperial Toy! One, for having one of the more surprisingly cool licensed items at the show (a huge Star Wars bubble machine shaped like R2-D2 that does exactly what it’s supposed to do and makes everyone in the vicinity stop what they’re doing and walk over to check it out). Its also surprisingly affordable. I’ll post pics of R2 tomorrow, as I shot photos with another camera and (duh!) can’t seem to find the USB cable (duh!)
Oh, and two, for giving me the nice silver-colored bubble lightsaber just for stopping by their booth to check out R2. Apparently, its one of only a thousand made for the show. Nice. Id love to have a blue one as well, but I don’t mind waiting for the normal white sabers to hit retail and add one of those to the collection.
Expect to see a LOT of Jurassic World merchandise coming for the upcoming film. Yes, Universal ran the same old trailer fans have already seen, but there’s a nice amount of new toys on the way that were unseen until the event earlier today. Dinosaurs everywhere would be a problem in real life for sure. But it looks like the licensing agreements on this film will bring kids (and adults) into those walking future fossil fuel sources will get plenty of folks into the stores before and after they hit the theaters.
As for those Minions, well, my bad poetry databank has been reactivated, so expect to read some ear curling stuff about that toy line shortly. That long trailer was pretty funny and it looks as if the third go-round with the little yellow guys may be the best yet. As for the merchandise, some items are returning from Despicable Me 2, but in updated form, there are new items that will make the kids (and parents) crack up, and yes, expect your disposable income to become a lot more disposable once the film hits.
More on both toy lines shortly. I’ve a lot of ground to cover over the next few weeks and two more days at the show in this stupidly lousy cold weather we’ve been socked with. It’s worth it, though…
Well, then. Toy Fair is pretty brilliant this year, although I barely made it through the first day’s zipping back and forth. Pictures to come from some of the booths I visited earlier today, but not until tomorrow at the earliest. Par for the course, some of the smaller booths had the more interesting new items, but you’ll have to hold out to see what they are. Let’s just say that if you have kids ages 4-10 who have always give you trouble around bedtime, there’s the most awesome solution that’s guaranteed to get them wanting to hit the hay every night. And it doesn’t involve any trickery or pharmaceuticals, either.
Also, R2-D2 makes a phenomenal bubble machine, courtesy of Imperial Toys. Seriously. You’ll see. Zombies are still “in” this year and in some mighty creative ways thanks to McFarlane Toys, Factory Entertainment and others. Collectible fans will see way too many things to fill their shelves from Funko, Entertainment Earth, Mezco Toyz, The Coop, and too many more to list here.
Anyway, I’m wiped out and need to sleep, as I have to pop up early in the morning to go see some dinosaurs and very funny little yellow guys before hitting the show floor again. Good night!
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