Huge PSN Flash Sale: Your Wallet Gets “Magically” Lighter Thanks To TOO Many Deals

Posted on March 18, 2016 by geelw

Ay Carumba! If you have a PSN account, a PS3, PS4, Vita and/or PSP and some money to burn or you just like some excellent deals on a handful of titles, get ready for so many deals that you’d think you were dreaming. This newest PSN Flash Sale has games for all the aforementioned consoles plus movies if you have the time to watch those once you blow your paycheck on a ton of discount game downloads. Anyway, check out the list on the PSN site or go ogle the post on the PlayStation Blog if you just want to read that long list and see what you’re missing out on.

Toy Fair 2016 Pre-Show Thoughts: Juggling Is Harder This Year, I’d Wager

Posted on February 12, 2016 by geelw

I have a box of turtles and dinosaurs here plus some other stuff on the way and that makes me giddy. Yep, NY Toy Fair is here and is going to be fun, but I’m also thinking of stuff outside the box that makes me think things aren’t all rosy and pastel framed goggles. The economy is weird at the moment and anecdotally I know people who just aren’t spending as much money as they used to for a few reasons. Some parents with less disposable income are choosing to give smaller, less expensive gifts or will go for one or two pricier gift meant to last a while (usually something tech-like). Others are going for more educational gifts with an eyeball towards their wee ones doing something else with their futures than becoming future sports or music stars (which is a good thing in my book).

Toy companies catering to collectors with primarily or only high dollar items are probably feeling the pinch even more but need to keep pushing out their premium product because competition for certain big licenses is huge and NOT being there with that hot new collectible means losing money to the other guy or gal who got their goods on the floor. Of course, collectors with space and funds only are about getting that new item first and fast, so that market is more than safe as long as their passion (and shelf space) hold out. Of course, superheroes are hot stuff and will be for a while. But between the retro trend that keeps bringing back older collectibles and the newer licensed goods that command attention of young and old collectors alike, something’s going to give eventually… Continue reading →

PSN Flash Sale: Make Your Snow Day More Useful Yet Less Productive

Posted on January 24, 2016 by geelw

PS Flash Sale (Large)

Trapped indoors thanks to all this snow, are we? Well, Eeee-hee-hee! or something like that. I’m actually trapped indoors thanks to a freelance job that needs to be done before pumpkin hour (midnight), so I’ve no to time to play anything (*whine!*). While I wait for another part of the job to float through the ether this way, I figure I may as well post something quick and painless.

Anyway, If you have a PlayStation Network account, you’re not going to be lonely at all. Well, if you’re alone, you’ll still be lonely, but you won’t lack for entertainment options thanks to this latest PSN Flash Sale.

Tons of games and movies (wait, does digital content actually weigh something?), but the list is so long that I’ll only list the PS4, PS3, Vita and PSP games below the jump. If you’re smart you’ll just boogie on over to that link above and burn a small hole in your wallet before the sale is over Monday.
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Marvel Comics Fans: Uncle Milton (Stark?) Needs Your Aid

Posted on January 13, 2016 by geelw

If you’re a Marvel Comics fan, your Uncle Milton needs your assistance with a new project, stat! “Who’s your Uncle, now?” NO, not that Uncle Milton. The other one who’s still around that makes all those cool science-themed gadgets and gizmos that sometimes pop up as usefully educational gifts from time to time. That’s who! Anyway, Uncle Milton is going to be introducing the Marvel Avengers Tesseract 20Q game this coming fall and they want Marvel fans from anywhere on the planet to go HERE and help out with the artificial intelligence by playing a few games that will help the 20Q become a smarter product. Your heroic efforts will not go unrewarded, as smarter toys and games is something that makes for endless reply value.

Now, you KNOW you can trust your Uncle Milton, right? Sure, the Tesseract 20Q may seem as if it’s somewhat *sinister*, but that’s actually part of its appeal. Hey, if it does happen to have cosmic powers after all, the worst thing that could happen is you beat it once and get a free trip to Asgard. Well, provided that Tesseract hasn’t been *borrowed* (again!) and is in the hands of some nefarious would-be world eating alien presence. Which would most likely mean you may want the Avengers HQ phone number in your speed dial. Just in case.

Anyway, go test out that 20Q and make sure to follow Uncle Milton at the links below:

Uncle Milton Social Media Channels:

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/unclemilton

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/unclemiltontoys

YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/UncleMilton1

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/unclemilton

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/unclemilton

-GW

Tall Tales: No Plug, Just Infinite Play

Posted on January 7, 2016 by geelw

While New York Toy Fair 2016 isn’t rolling around until mid-February, for months leading up to the event my inbox has been packed to the gills with new product info I’m still sifting through. One of the press releases that caught my eye (ow.) was for an upcoming family game from SCS Direct called Tall Tales: The Game of Infinite Storytelling, which as you can see from that photo above, is packed with possibilities for yep, infinite fun (and not just for the kiddies). Hey, I do love my many videogames to death. But a good board game, party game or something social (not “social”) where anyone can join in and PLAY (gaming’s decline into a paid spectator “sport” baffles me considerably) makes for a more robust experience.

Anyway, playing the game is dirt simple, according to the press release:

Playing Tall Tales is simple- players choose a story card for their setting, draw random story elements from the bag and twist their best tale… just like the world used to do before the technology revolution. Some of the 24 story card settings include: a quirky game show, a colorful ocean, a fun theme park and a crazy circus. The story bag contains a wide range of 3-D pieces, including: a treasure chest, a baby, a unicorn and a rocketship.

Now, I don’t know about YOU, but I thought up a few ideas based on those settings and pieces in the time it took to read that paragraph. Then again, I’m a bit nuts, so I can make an epic novella from the ingredients on a cereal box (it sure beats eating what’s inside, that’s for sure). The game’s release date will be revealed at the show in February and I just may need to check it out on the show floor because it sure looks like a winner. Keep an eye (and an egg) peeled for some sort of update. Your family game nights may never be the same again.

-GW

Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG Secrets of Eternity Super Edition: It’s in the Cards!

Posted on February 21, 2015 by geelw

The next time you see some kids or teens sitting around playing with Yu-Gi-Oh! cards, you should probably tip your cap in their direction or something nice like that. As the #1 trading card game in the world (25 billion cards sold!), it’s also a means to get those kids into math, tactical thinking and becoming more social with each other through play.

For the uninitiated, You-Gi-Oh! is “a game of strategy, where players create individual Decks of cards collected from Structure Decks and Booster Packs. Two players engage in a Duel while using cards that represent powerful monsters, magical Spells and surprising Traps. Duelists with well-constructed Decks, dominating monsters, solid strategy and good fortune are the victors…”. But that’s just scratching the surface. Watching matches play out is a surprisingly compelling affair that can be likened to a competitive chess tournament with complicated rules only fully grasped by seasoned players. Continue reading →

National Toy Hall of Fame Inductees: Three Times the Fun!

Posted on November 6, 2014 by geelw

Image courtesy of The Strong, Rochester, New York.

Before you even ask, yes, there is a National Toy Hall of Fame. It’s part of the National Museum of Play up in Rochester, NY and I’d say it’s a bucket list trip for anyone with even the slightest interest in any sort of toy or game from their childhood. Today the Museum inducted a trio of all-time classics into the Toy Hall of Fame and some of you are already grinning at that photo above. This year’s inductees made me laugh out loud because as soon as I heard the news this morning, I was hoping to heck that someone at the Museum would have made a cool diorama with a few squads of Army Men on some alien or other landscape (maybe Washington D.C.?) fighting off an “invasion” by a giant Rubik’s Cube with Bubbles floating in the shot to give it the look of some low-budget sci-fi flick.

Courtesy of The Strong®, Rochester, New York

Hey, Mario Bava would have done it up right, I bet. That said, the Museum’s presentation was certainly creative and entertaining. Dancers from the Rochester City Ballet appeared in life-size Army Men outfits, there was a gigantic Rubik’s Cube mosaic (made up of 200 pounds of Rubik’s Cubes), and the Bubble Man himself, Doug Rougeux doing his amazing thing at the event. Okay, all that was MORE creative than my crummy diorama idea maybe two people would have gotten the joke about. What can I say other that I like obscure references only a handful of people would understand…

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Three Things Learned At The Sweet Suite…

Posted on July 18, 2014 by geelw

1. Red velvet cupcakes are fantastic (Yeah, I’ve never had ANYTHING red velvet before, so shoot me. Or not.) – Thanks Activision! Skylanders Trap Team is fantastic too. You parents with kids and gamers already hooked in? have your money ready to fly out of that wallet this October.

2. Lemonhead Martinis? They actually DO exist (well, as of yesterday) and need to become a summer “thing”. Like NOW. Thanks Ferrara Pan! Oh, and someone really smart at that company needs to post that recipe ASAP along with a kid-friendly lemonade version (because we adults shouldn’t have ALL the fun with Lemonheads, right?). And I don’t usually like martinis! I only had ONE, by the way, ladies and gents – I’m not a total booze-hound (although here comes another alcohol-related note):

3. Wine by the glass in a retail form that won’t bust your wallet wide open? Yeah, that also exists (in at least 39 states, 33 where this can be shipped to). These made me laugh way too much when I saw them (and that was long before I had that Lemonhead Martini). And yeah, someone tell this guy he should probably learn to appreciate a good Merlot. Thank you, ZIPZ! Yes, I’m in one of those 33 states, so I’m happier now that anytime I want a few glasses of quality wine, I don’t have to buy an entire bottle. Wait, am I supposed to be writing ALL about toys and other fun stuff I saw last evening here? Don’t worry, that’s all coming in another post!

AryaBall: Almost There – Just One More Push (Throw, Toss, Fling, Swing, Kick) Away!

Posted on March 26, 2014 by geelw

If you think about it, Babak Forutanpour’s AryaBall is more or less the smartphone of outdoor toys. Like your modern phone is an all-in-one device that does many things, AryaBall takes care of a few popular sports using a clever, innovative design that makes you want to grab one just to try it out. Go take a look at the almost funded Kickstarter and if you like what you see, well – you know what to do. I’m actually surprised that Babak hasn’t thought up ONE sport using everything in that cool new toy, as I could see some network exec slapping himself in the forehead at the very idea of some new (and popular) competitive show that makes for more must-see “reality” TV. Anyway, 45 more hours to go (and counting down) and AryaBall is only a few thousand from its goal… suspense!

Welp, VR Just Went Viral. Literally. Yuk.

Posted on March 25, 2014 by geelw

People, I’m speechless. THIS just happened and while some in the tech sector are giddy, anyone who had any thoughts about privacy using that Rift when it comes out has just gotten a “poke” to both eyes. Blech, Yuck, Argh and so forth and so on. Not to mention that people who will buy that thing and not clean it because they’re dopey about stuff like this will end up giving everyone in their homes and elsewhere some sort of eye infection or worse. Ewwww…

Now, I’m not a big VR supporter (I still recall when it was attempted with mixed results in the 90’s), but I was willing to give it a chance based on all the people I know who’ve tried both development versions of the Oculus Rift hardware. Now, I’d not touch the thing with a ten foot pole unless I was using said pole to bash those goofy goggles to bits with. Data mining through your entertainment isn’t new at all, but facebook getting it’s money gloves into EVERYTHING is getting to be extremely annoying. Let me shut up here and vent with some ice cream for a bit. Man, what a day… between this and Fed Ex jerking me around with a package they keep failing to deliver (I’m HOME you idiots!), I’m not having a good day today. Blaaaaah.