Disney INfinity Returns via TOYBOX Action Figures

INFINITE POSSIBILITIES

     Last year was a bad year for Disney INfinity.  Small problems began began to emerge with the announcement that the Marvel Battlegrounds play set would ship with a single figure, then there was news that there would not be a 4.0 release, but rather 3.0 would be getting updates to continue the Infinity line.  In March Disney Interactive said they'd be dropping out of E3 without a reason giving, and then they officially announced in May of 2016 the video game series would be cancelled.

ENDLESS FUN

     It was a shock to fans, and there were a slew of problems that could've easily put off the toys-to-life game's closure- such as adding far more actual game content, more replayability, and even the simple feature of resetting a figure's data more than twice could've gone a long ways to it selling better.
     What the series did right, however, was in the art design.  The Disney INfinity design style was absolutely superb, and now fans of it are in for a treat.  Disney INfinity focused Youtube channel Infiniteer Adventures spotted an intriguing ad on the Disney Shop- showing that on November 3rd, Disney is releasing action figures that look exactly like they are ripped straight from the game's gorgeous designs.  Making the case even stronger, is the fact this toy series appears to be named directly after the specific Disney INfinity game feature called the TOYBOX as can be seen from the image above, featuring Rey and a Stormtrooper from the Star Wars: The Force Awakens playset.

     It's great to see that such wonderful toy designs are being salvaged for an even better use, bringing us articulated versions of the INfinity toys from Star Wars, Marvel, and Pixar properties.  This also offers the opportunity for fans to potentially obtain some of the previously cancelled figures such as Spider-Gwen, or the truly stunning looking Doctor Strange toy.  This is some truly exciting news coming a year and a half after the closing of the game and someone was smart enough to have held on to the game's slogan and put it to great use- "Infinite Possibilities, Endless Fun-" and we can all be thankful for it.

     Related posts [ Disney INfinity ]   

     Source [ Infiniteer Adventures ]

Mega Bloks (Construx): Masters of the Universe Skeletor: Micro Review

     It's been quite a while since I've found some cool toys since Wave 2 of the Mega Bloks (now Mega Construx) Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles mini figures, and today I came across an awesome new one- a tiny Masters of the Universe Skeletor.

     When I first came across the initial bunch of TMNT Mega Bloks figures I was immediately taken with how well done they were, wave 2 pushed that impressiveness even further.  Then the toys were set back a little with the TMNT: Out of the Shadows film tie-ins, then they knocked it out of the park with the black and white Mirage Comics figures- they were downright spectacular!

     Once again, Mega Construx has done a fantastic job in making an absurdly tiny and somehow still manage to have a ton of articulation.  This is a tremendous new mini figure that is great for collectors and fans.  It's well painted, well sculpted, and articulated- these things are just plain amazing little figures.  I only hope they will produce more than only He-Man and Skeletor, currently the only 2 available for the Masters of the Universe line.  I'd really like to see Tri-Klops, Stinkor, Man-at-Arms, or any of the vast array of characters from the comics or show.
     I'll definitely pick up more as they come, but right now, this Skeletor is a perfect introduction to the set, and I can only hope for more to come.

     I've also seen they've released 2 figures from Star Trek: The Next Generation and 2 from Aliens.  In reality, they could make a plethora of great figures for those series' as well- paving more paths for cool new figures now that the TMNT lines are becoming stale.  I'm not kidding, there's a wealth of characters to choose from but they go with ones nobody wants, or more simple repaints/variants of the core turtles for each new wave comprising a full 50% of each new wave.  Mix it up a little Mega Construx!  People will buy the awesome figures when they aren't making the same mistake the old Playmates line made, no one wants the football Leonardo, or an Army fatigues Donatello, we'd rather have a cool Metalhead or Chrome Dome than the infinite number of variants.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mega Bloks Wave 2: Tiny Toy Review

     Back in February 2015 Mattel and Nickelodeon announced some changes in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles licensing.  LEGO had dropped the license and the toys began anew with MEGA Bloks.  Really, I wasn't ever impressed with the LEGO TMNT anyway, although it was a disappointment we never got a video game along the lines of size and quality of LEGO Marvel Super Heroes.

     I first came across these Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles MEGA Bloks earlier this year, and have been consistently impressed them.  The first series was great- high quality look, materials, and designs.  Tons of posability and sheer fun factor.  They were exactly the kind of TMNT toys I would've wanted as a kid.
     The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows film figures were slightly less amazing.  As they felt like a cheaper plastic, and the realistic look didn't come across nearly as well as the Nickelodeon cartoon based figures' appearances did.  Overall they're still great little figures, it's just the cartoon waves are better.
     Then I got, but haven't reviewed, the Classic line and the Mirage Comics based Eastman and Laird black and white toys.  Both lines are downright superb.  They got right back to the great plastics, great sculpts, and tremendous coloring and articulation of the first series.  These toys are better than either the Playmates line or the Minimates toys.

     Now I got ahold of the series (wave) 2 of the Nickelodeon figures and they are equally amazing.  MEGA Bloks have maintained a level of craftsmanship that makes me quite grateful that LEGO isn't the one making these little toys any more.  The Slash figure is awesome, the translucent purple Donnie is neat, and the Mouser 3 pack is an ingenious use of micro-figures.  My only complaint about this wave is Splinter's lower half is a bit awkward being one chunk instead of legs- but that's a small nitpick.  They did, however, make it so you could pose the chunk.

     In future waves they could definitely use a few extra non-main-turtles figures as well.  Each wave has kept all 4 turtles with 4 other figures, one of which is the "secret" figure.  Series (wave) 3 is already being spotted in places and it has, once again, all 4 turtles in their new variants, as well as another foot soldier variant, April O'Neil, and Leatherhead- with a Triceraton as the secret figure.  Where's Metal Head, Mutagen Man (Pulverizer), or The Fugitoid?  We need more variety in each wave.  And less blind bags.  I've never been a fan of blind bag marketing because it really seems like a cheap sales tactic.

     Anyways, as long as they keep making these I'll keep buying them.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows: Mega Bloks: A Tiny Toy Review

     It's been a while since I bought these back in early June, and even longer since I reviewed the initial wave of Mega Bloks Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (based on the Nickelodeon show), but because wave 2 just hit the shelves and the TMNT 2: Out of the Shadows film hits DVD on Sept. 20th (although it's already digitally available) I figured I should get this short review out.

     As with the original wave of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Mega Bloks toys, these things are great.  They look good and are super poseable with a ton of articulation.  They don't quite match the absurdly high quality of product of the first wave of toys.  These feel like a slightly cheaper plastic and the colors appear to be slightly "off."  It could be an attempt to make it closer to the film, but it still looks a touch off from the high quality of the Nickelodeon based figures.  Overall though, they are still tremendous tiny action figures.

     Honestly, if you liked the first wave, or enjoy the films even a little bit, you may appreciate these figures.  They're small, made well, and still maintain the Mega Bloks quality.  I truly like these much, much, MUCH better than the larger Playmates toy series' based on the movies, television show, and even their re-issues of the classic action figures from the 80's- but these toys are not quite as cool as the Kaiyodo Revoltech TMNT figures.

     These TMNT 2: Out of the Shadows movie figures have the added benefit of knowing which figure you are buying as well.  That's a huge plus for me.  Sure, I like the idea of blind packs, but it's a huge annoyance to continually not get the figures you want.

     For more Turtles related posts [ TMNT ]

Masters of the Universe: Kellen Lutz as He-Man

     I saw that Kellen Lutz, star of the box office turd The Legend of Hercules, has apparently been in talks to possibly play He-Man in the cinematic reboot of Masters of the Universe.  He had tweeted that he had a meeting about the film and claims it's in "GREAT HANDS!"

      *SIGH*

Flexing my acting chops is WAY harder than flexing my abs!

     This news, in combination of ties to McG, make my hopes for a proper film adaptation of this beloved 80s property quite small.  The old 1987 Dolph Lundgren version was a tremendous mess, and I still have some enjoyment of it- like Frank Langella's Skeletor and Meg Foster's Evil-Lyn.  Too bad there wasn't Tri-Klops or Stinkor...

     What I'm wondering is why they don't get people on the project that have a vision for Eternia like the awesome sculptures below by DeviantArt-ist EdgePang.

This is how to handle it.

     As it sits now, the Masters of the Universe film sounds like it's being handled as horrendously as the JEM film, which is to say it's looking like a pile of Beast Man's rotten shit.  It doesn't help that it's being written by Christopher Yost, the person responsible for the terrible Thor: The Dark World.  Seriously, not a single thing I've read about this project makes it sound even remotely decent.

     I currently hope that this Masters of the Universe film will never reach my eyes.  In "great hands" my ass- it sounds awful.  

Disney Infinity: Cancelled Spider-Gwen Figure

     So shortly after the reveal of the cancelled Doctor Strange Disney Infinity figure, we now get news and images of the cancelled Spider-Gwen as well.

     Once again, I must say this is awful because the game had so much potential that wasn't being capitalized on.  As amazing as these figures were, the in game content was severely lacking and is, at least I believe, why the sales weren't nearly as good as Disney was hoping.
     The situation could be remedied by greatly expanding the in-game content, and- to cut costs- make the figures smaller.  An even $9.99 would be considerably better than the typical $15, especially because the figures had a limited number of resets (2), and could only be used in certain play sets.  Disney Infinity was very constricted in terms of play and ridiculously limited in scope.  But the potential was there.  So much potential wasted.  I mean really, no online play?!?  That is almost a standard in every other game made, so why not here?

     A part of me hopes another company swoops in and Disney licenses the game out so we might see more Disney Infinity.  The odds are extremely slim, but at least if some group handled it like Skylanders or the LEGO Dimensions with much larger open worlds, the game would sell much better.

     We'll sadly probably never get this wonderful Spider-Gwen for our shelves or game.

     Source [ Infiniteer Adventures ]

Transformers: The Last Knight: Barricade!

     I really wasn't too surprised when it was announced Transformers would be getting a 5th film, and it's not too surprising that one of my favorites Decepticons is returning- Barricade.  He's gotten an upgrade from his last appearance in the first film in 2007.

Hey @joshduhamel, we thought your boys took care of this problem. #transformers

A photo posted by Transformers (@transformersmovie) on Jun 10, 2016 at 8:53am PDT

    Now I'm really hoping that Soundwave makes an appropriate return, but not as a damn Mercedes Benz SLS ARG as he was in Dark of the Moon.  At least he was a subterfuge and intelligence agent as a satellite in Revenge of the Fallen.  He should be doing spy work, and not be an agent of brute force.  And he definitely needs his army of smaller spybots- Laserbeak, Ravage, Buzzsaw, Ratbat, Rumble, Frenzy, Slugfest, and Overkill.

     For more of the pics check out the Transformers Movie Official Instagram page.

     Transformers: The Last Knight is set to hit theaters June 23rd, 2017.

Disney Infinity: Cancelled Doctor Strange Figure

     After hearing the awful news back in early May that Disney Infinity was stopping production, along with all of Disney Games, and seeing this new Doctor Strange figure makes it sting just a bit more.

     Infiniteer Adventures has posted a video showing not just this amazing Doctor Strange, but also concept art for Jafar, Peter Pan, and a second Hulk figure.  The main figure is based on the upcoming Doctor Strange film, and the look of Benedict Cumberbatch in the role of Dr. Stephen Strange.  And it is just wonderful how well they captured the look and feel of the character.

     A small part of me hopes some other company buys up the rights to somehow continue to produce these things.  But if someone does, I can only hope they focus more on the gameplay in the actual games, than the figures themselves.  That is, I believe, what really killed the sales and subsequently Disney Infinity, in the long run.  The games had no real substance, and no online play- which is a fundamental part of play in damn near every other game made.

     Currently, after hearing about the Marvel Ultimate Alliances being rated for the new consoles, and hearing that the new PS4 Spider-Man is indicative of what's to come- I'd like to guess we might be soon getting actual games that are large and fun to play.  Not a two hour campaign and 4 dinky mini-games.  The companies being licensed these games could have far more potential than the Infinity line would've- so despite my disappointment with Disney Infinity being shuttered, it might turn out to be a very huge blessing in disguise.

     And damn, does that Doctor Strange figure look awesome or what?

     Related posts [ Disney Infinity ]

     Source [ Infiniteer Adventures ] via [ Comic Book Resources ]

Disney Infinity: Thoughts on the Cancellation

     This has not been a good year for Disney Infinity.  We originally started to see issues creeping in with the announcement that Marvel Battlegrounds play set would ship with a single figure, then we got the news that there wouldn't be a 4.0 release, but rather 3.0 would be getting updates to continue the Infinity line.  Later in March Disney Interactive said they'd be dropping out of this year's E3 without giving a reason.

     A journalist specializing in Disney, Ben Fritz of The Wall Street Journal, tweeted about the toys to life model costing the company $147 million and thus the decision to cut the Infinity line and focus on licensing.  This might be hugely surprising to some, but really, the model they followed with their particular line had some very large flaws.  I've long complained about the non-backwards compatibility which hampers future purchases- why would I want to keep buying them if I can't use my whole collection?!?  Plus their toys can only be "reset" twice ever, leaving you stuck with limited playstyle choices with some characters.  To be fair though the toys-to-life market has been said to be shrinking in 2016 (cite 1 & 2).

     Seriously, Disney owns both Marvel and Star Wars as properties.  They are a vast goldmine that truly got mishandled- and I'm saying that as a fan of Marvel, Star Wars, AND Disney Infinity.  There was so much focus on the toys, that the game content suffered horribly.  There simply was not enough game content.  It appeared that solid game content was sacrificed to fit many play sets on a singular disc to sell us a game and then force us to buy the costly toys to unlock the play.  If there was much more story content and a fun open world to play around in the problem wouldn't be too bad, but all the story modes were so damn short it was very hard not to complain.  I mean look at how huge the LEGO Marvel Superheroes' open world New York City is.  To make that example even better, the city is absolutely packed with stuff to do that is constantly occurring all over.

     In series 1, the Pirates of the Caribbean playset was short of length, but really well designed and fun.  In series 2 the Marvel's Avengers and Spider-Man play sets were, once again, far too short- but still fun.  Particularly the Spider-Man Mysterio levels, they are downright brilliantly designed.  Then series 3 hit, and do you think the creators listened to the complaints of players?  Nope.  All the play set story modes arrived and were ridiculously short once more.
     Making this worse is the fact that it was announced they'd have no online multiplayer, only couch co-op, once Marvel Battlegrounds was released.  Are you fucking kidding me?!?  This was really a monstrous mistake on their part.  Think of the multiplayer market for EVERY OTHER GAME now- all online because not everyone can play together physically.

     Personally, I think Disney Infinity was a grand idea, very poorly handled.  They needed to build a huge open world, add online co-op, and maybe sell the toys-to-life as smaller objects.  Or even make the toy cheaper- as in simply make them all cards or discs to trade around.  Infinity had tremendous potential and it was squandered to sell more toys instead of focusing on the actual game they made.  The games are fun, but there's so little actual game content that it suffered.  As an avid fan, my purchases have been reduced because the price to game content is too damn small.  Perhaps if the game was sold only as digital, with IAPs for the individual characters the value would be much more appealing- but I doubt they'll do that.  Unless another company picks up the closing Avalanche Studio and attempts to keep the game side of things in production.  It would be EXTREMELY unlikely, but it's always a possibility- I mean it IS Disney Infinity- the possibilities are endless, right?

     At least the licensing side looks all right.  Electronic Arts is creating multiple Star Wars games (including a Battlefront sequel), a 3rd person game from Titanfall developer Respawn.  Even Dead Space developer Visceral is cooking something up for the Star Wars universe.  Although there doesn't seem to be any non-Star Wars related games on the horizon which is a bit sad.

     For my older posts [ Disney Infinity ]

     Sources [ Infinity Inquirer ] [ One Angry Gamer ]

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mega Bloks: Toy Review

THESE TINY TMNT TOYS ARE AMAZING!

     I came across these Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles toys a couple months ago and picked a few up on a whim.  They were small, and had really good packaging and design- so I thought, why not?  It turned out that it was a great idea, the blind bag Mega Bloks Ninja Turtles are a bit frustrating, because it's reduced to a marketing ploy to get parents to buy many of them in search of finding the ones their children might want.  But, regardless, these things are super awesome.  Especially the Classic TMNT ones that are in small boxes that allow you to see what you are getting.  Both the versions from the Nickelodeon television show and the ones based on the 80's cartoon are damned cool.  This is exactly the type of Ninja Turtle kind of toy I would've wanted as a kid.

     The toy designs are spectacular and the articulation for them is quite impressive for their tiny size.  For the Nickelodeon blind bags I got really lucky and found Michelangelo, Raphael, and a Foot Soldier.  Raph has a spray can and a "Mikey" graffiti tag across the back of his shell and hilarious angry eyes.  These things are amazing and I went searching for more.  I've found some pics of upcoming waves that include Slash and Splinter, but no release date information.  I'm also hoping for a Metal Head at some point soon.

     The TMNT Classic Mega Bloks toys are equally impressive.  Tons of articulation, well made weapons, and tremendous paint jobs, they are truly a small version of the classic toys.  In fact they are extremely close to the much larger NECA Classic Collection toys, which were inspired by the original Playmates toy line from the 80's.  Again, I went seraching for more pics of what toys are on the way, and Toy Ark has a ton of stuff.  Including an amazing Technodrome that I noticed has both a cool looking Classic Splinter as well as a bunch of Mousers!

     These have brought me back to action figure hunting.  I'll be searching for all the incoming waves like a druggie looking for the next hit.  I like these way more than the LEGO ones for certain.  I want them all!  Even the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: Out of the Shadows ones, as I think the Krang design is pretty neat.

     Official [ TMNT Nickelodeon ] 
          [ TMNT Classic Mega Bloks ] 
          [ Mega Bloks General Forums ]

     For other Turtles posts [ TMNT ]

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2 (2016): Out of the Shadows: NEW Trailer

     Another new trailer just dropped for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: Out of the Shadows film and it features mostly a bunch of Michelangelo's humor and he gives a quick introduction to each of the TMNT themselves.

     It looks overly action oriented, but it'll probably have plenty of great moments shining through the absurdity.  I don't mind, I'll be seeing it and enjoying it regardless- and I'm really intrigued by the Kraang and Technodrome designs.  It is slightly more intriguing that Fred Armisen is voicing the Dimension X native.

     Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: Out of the Shadows hits theaters June 3rd.

Hasbro's M.A.S.K. Getting a NEW Comic Series Before Film

"Masked crusaders, working overtime
     fighting crime, fighting crime!"

     That theme song is such a memorable one for many of us 80's kids, along with Silverhawks, GI Joe, and all the other oddball cartoons we were blessed with.  Ah, the sweet scent of nostalgia is in the air.

     IDW Comics announced today that in addition to the forthcoming Paramount Pictures/Hasbro film deal version of M.A.S.K., they'll be making a new comic series as well.  I am overjoyed at this because Brad Turner along with his mask Hocus Pocus and motorcycle/helicopter Condor have been a staple decoration on my main shelf for a nearly 3 decades.

     Not simply going with a mere re-hash the series will be getting a modern overhaul and update to match with the times.  Brandon Easton (writer) and Tony Vargas (artist) will be attempting to add a bit of a new spin on the book, creating something new and interesting out of the old ridiculous stuff.

     This new version of Mobile Armored Strike Kommand, and their nefarious counterparts of V.E.N.O.M. (Vicious Evil Network of Mayhem) will not be a bunch of bumbling dimwits, but they also won't be too grim and gritty, wither.  They're trying to find a good balance of tech and seriousness.

“This is a M.A.S.K. for the 21st century with a diverse team of specialists who are chosen for a top-secret program with a painful learning curve.  Ultimately, each participant will have to choose a side — and no matter which side they choose, the consequences will be great.” - Easton

     The new story has Matt Trakker as a person seeking a new path from his ways.  I am a bit weary of how they'll handle him as he's talked about as “an engineering genius and intellectual bad boy who has been in search of stability since the loss of his father at an early age.”  Really?  That sounds a bit too trope-y for me, but hell, I'll be picking them up anyways just for the way they handle some of the updated characters such as the badass villain Vanessa Warfield.

“Imagine if your car, motorcycle, SUV or yacht could change into a more powerful vehicle complete with state-of-the-art weapons systems and other cutting-edge technology.  The possibilities are as fun as they are disastrous.” - Easton

     What has currently sold me is this last quote by Easton, "The new M.A.S.K. on the whole speaks to the current zeitgeist of constant upgrades and need for immediate gratification."  It's a sure sign of the times when technology is crushing people's patience and the insane sense of immediacy that has become the state of things.  So I am very curious to how well they handle this.

     And lastly- I'm crossing my fingers that they'll make a new toy line to go with the new comic series and film.  I'd really like to see how they update Calhoun Burns and the Raven, Floyd Malloy and Vampire, or maybe the Jackhammer with Cliff Dagger.  Of course, I'd immediately buy a new Condor.  I know GI Joe issued a carded Matt Trakker toy a few years back in a wave, but I would like to see the good toys come back on their own.

     Source [ USA Today ]

Transformers: Robots in Disguise: Warrior Class Grimlock Toy

     It's been almost 2 years since my last post on any non-videogame related toys.  The last one was about Bebop and Rocksteady action figures for the Nickelodeon Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles television show.  Anyways, I was out picking up some household essentials and of course I HAVE to swing through the toys section, and I came across this gem.

     The new Transformers: Robots in Disguise Grimlock is kind of awesome.  He's based on the designs of the 2015 Cartoon Network show and it follows the look quite well.  He's got decent articulation and a nice color scheme that is much better than the original clunky look from back in the 1980's, but not nearly as complex as the Transformers: Age of Extinction version.

     I really like the look of this new version of the old Dinobot, well done Hasbro, you've successfully caught my eye for the new series because a an action figure.  It's cool that there's enough of the original in there for old fans, as well as a neat update for the current generation of kids.
     It's much better than what was done do my favorite Decepticon Soundwave in the Transformers: Generations toys.  His robot look was great, but he transformed into a battle van.  What the heck?!?  He should be a stealth spy drone (as he is in Robots in Disguise) character with a focus on infiltration, subterfuge, and intelligence gathering.  Even the ridiculous movie version (from the films Revenge of the Fallen and Dark of the Moon) had a better idea with the satellite, although they really blew it with his iconic voice being altered.

     One last thing, I definitely have to acknowledge the fact that Grimlock's "Beast Mode" looks a hell of a lot like the 1998 film incarnation of Godzilla with the thick lower jaw.  I mean seriously- look at it!  There's got to be some sort of connection or inspiration linking the two designs.

     As a little extra, here's the Transformers: Robots in Disguise intro video for Grimlock:

Ghostbusters: Activision has a NEW Game on the Way!

     With the release date in only about 6 months time, the reboot Ghostbusters film has now got a full onslaught of marketing goodies for all of us nerds and collectors.

Good News Ray, there's a new game staring right at me.

     Over at the Retail Merchandiser Sony has announced a slew of products:

"In the lead off to the movie’s release, Sony Pictures Consumer Products is working to ensure it has items available at every price range, from $9.99 action figures  aimed at children to high-end replica proton packs for adult collectors. Apparel companies such as Hybrid and FAB NY are adapting scenes from the movie into T-shirts and backpacks. IDW is continuing its work on the Ghostbusters comic series while Simon & Schuster is developing a junior novelization and a Guide to Ghostbusting book that will give the franchise a presence in stores like Barnes & Noble."

      But for this post in particular, I was drawn to this next part:

"Ghostbusters is also returning to video games. Already, the Ghostbusters sets are on sale for Lego Dimensions, a toys-to-life game featuring the classic building blocks and a new full-fledged Ghostbusters video game from Activision will release alongside the movie on the Xbox One and PlayStation 4."

     Most recently there's been the Ghostbusters addition to Lego Dimensions, which is standard Lego game playing fun, there's the mundane Ghostbusters: Puzzle Fighter game, the surprisingly entertaining Little Ghostbusters phone game, the interesting and oddly-fun-yet-still-terrible augmented reality game Ghostbusters: Paranormal Blast, and the very under-appreciated Ghostbusters: The Video Game.  That's a game I would very much recommend to any fans of the films, or even of the old 80's cartoon and toys series.  You know what I'd even recommend it to the, like 20 fans of the Extreme Ghostbusters.  I'm not quite sure how they could cram that much 90's into one show, but they managed to do so with a spectacular level of overconfidence.

     Anyways, if this new Activision game is even remotely as good as Ghostbusters: The Video Game, the new game will make a killing.  It would be of great note here that Activision has also got another top notch property game in the works with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutants in Manhattan, and if their previous game Transformers: Devastation is any indication, the new Ghostbusters will likely be a very good game.  It sounds like Activision has finally started to learn to actually listen to what the fans want.

     Now, for those of us that remember it, we can only hope that they re-release Ecto Cooler Hi-C drinks.  I drank that stuff by the gallon.

    Ghostbusters hits theaters July 22nd, 2016.

     Source [ Retail Mechandiser ] via [ IGN ]

TMNT: Out of the Shadows: Bay Movie Krang (Kraang) Toys Leaked

     The upcoming sequel to the Michael Bay produced Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie, subtitled Out of the Shadows, looks to be including the famed Dimension X villain Krang (or Kraang for the newer fans), as well as at least a small version of the Technodrome!  These leaks are brought to us via leaked toy catalog.

     It's good to see Krang has ditched the bright red wrestler's speedo for a more mechanical look.

     Also included in the catalog are a Stealth Disguise Leonardo, a Wingsuit Raphael, and Michelangelo in a Pirate costume. 

     And as a little addition to the visual look, Rolling Stone magazine had an interview with Michael Bay posted yesterday with a wonderful little treat about his thoughts on Krang's appearance:

Pablo Helman shows Bay the latest version of Krang, a new-to-the-movies villain who is, essentially, a disembodied brain inside a giant robot. "So we've eliminated the tentacles," Helman explains. "Is it too monster-ish?" 

"He could have some tentacles," says Bay. "I just don't want them coming out of the side. He looks like a stupid octopus."

     That's a pretty accurate description.  Hilarious and accurate.

     For more of my Turtles related posts [ TMNT ]

     Sources [ ToyArk ] [ Rolling Stone ]

   

Captain America: Civil War: A LEGO Playset Movie Spoiler?

     It looks like one of the upcoming LEGO sets for Captain America: Civil War has a potential spoiler attached to it: Ant-Man as Giant Man.

     Personally, I had been hoping Scott Lang would've cranked the dial the opposite direction and fussed with the regulator at the end of Ant-Man so he could get huge and squash Yellow Jacket,I mean they hinted at the giant growth with the garden gnome, Thomas the Train, and the massive ant, but I guess it made much more sense to keep Ant-Man more in the shadows until Civil War hits theaters when they might need an extra edge against a big gun opponent like Vision, a secret weapon of sorts to even the odds.
     Granted, this isn't a guarantee, as the Ant-Man movie final battle set had a black-clad Hank Pym Ant-Man suit that wasn't in the film, but the odds have been raised from micro to giant sized potential with this play set.

     Captain America: Civil War arrives in theaters May 6th, 2016.

Disney Infinity 3.0: D23 2015 Reveals: Marvel Battlegrounds, Star Wars' Finn & Rey, and More

     With the D23 Interactive Presentation landing a mere 2 weeks before the release of Disney INfinity 3.0, we were sure to get some news about it.  Fans in attendance got a nice look at what's to come, a nice surprise, and lots of informational excitement.

Rey & Finn from Star Wars: The Force Awakens.*

     The announcements:

Marvel:

• The Marvel Playset is titled "Marvel Battlegrounds."  It is set to arrive in the spring of 2016 and will include the first 4 player local co-op for DI.

Disney:

• Two figures and a Power Disc will be available for the upcoming film Zootopia.  There will be a Nick Wilde (a fox) and Judy Hopps (a bunny) figure (see pic below).  No information was available for the Power Disc.
• The upcoming Disney/Pixar film The Good Dinosaur will also get a figure and a Power Disc pack.  The figure will be Spot the human, and the pack will include 4 of the dinosaurs (Arlo, Butch, Nash, and Ramsey) featured in the film.
• During the Disney Resort's Toy Box Summit, a group of Toy Box Artists got together and helped select a Disney Classic character for 3.0.  The figure chosen was Peter Pan and he'll be released roughly a year from now as "The Toy Box Artists Choice."

Star Wars:

• The first two Episode VII: The Force Awakens characters were revealed by the actors in person for the accompanying Playset.  They were Daisy Ridley's Rey and John Boyega's Finn.  
• A limited edition set of "Light FX" figures will be released featuring the lightsaber wielding characters' sabers actually lighting up when on the base.  They will be the same toy and in-game play, it's just that their sabers now actually light up.  (Currently the known toys with this feature are: Luke Skywalker, Anakin Skywalker, Darth Vader, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Kanan Jarrus, and Yoda.) 

Extra Goodies:

• There have already been 5 Playsets announced, with "more on the way."
• Visitor's of Walt Disney World will receive a Magic Band, that if placed on the base will unlock a statue of Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse that is featured at many of the parks.
• Disney Cruise Line users will also receive exclusive content, including a cruise line toy box ship piece.
• The Disney INfinity 3.0's ultimate unlock will be Sora's Keyblade from the Square-Enix game Kingdom Hearts.  The ultimate unlock is a small bonus for players that unlock all the figures in the Hall of Heroes area.  Previous unlock's were a Lightsaber in 1.0, and Luke Skywalker's Landspeeder for 2.0.
• All guests that attended got an exclusive Kingdom Hearts Costume Power Disc for Mickey Mouse with the costume of King Mickey, as well as a Mickey figure. 

Nick & Judy from Zootopia.

     Sources [ Disney INfinity ] [ INfinity Inquirer ]

     *Finn & Rey pic was originally from Game Informer, but I cleaned it up.

Disney Infinity 3.0: Officially Revealed and Trailer

     So soon after the leaked release of the Star Wars: The Clone Wars pack a week ago, Disney Infinity 3.0 has been officially announced through Game Informer.  It makes sense to do it now, as "May the Fourth Be With You" was yesterday, although in truth I would've expected the announcement to arrive on the actual "Star Wars Day," May 25th.

     As already known, it will be heavily Star Wars themed (for all generations, old and new), with multiple Play Sets on the way including one to be released later in the winter based on The Force Awakens movie.

     What I find most profound is the way the game is being developed by many studios, each focusing on specific portions, aspects, or Play Sets .  Avalanche is handling the main course, with others kind of specializing in certain areas or aspects.

     Ninja Theory’s playset will be the set with the game pack.  It is called Twilight of the Republic, and will feature Anakin and Ahsoka at some point during the The Clone Wars series, attempting to find the person responsible for a new constructed droid army.  It is said to contain both normal and space battles.  Yoda, Obi-Wan, and Darth Maul have all been confirmed as separately purchasable characters.

     Studio Gobo’s set is called Rise Against the Empire that will roughly follow the main story of the classic trilogy.  The set will jump around to key moments and places featured in the original films and feature the characters of Luke, Leia, and Darth Vader.  Han Solo, Chewbacca, and Darth Vader have also been announced as additionally playable, but once again, a separate purchase is necessary.

     There will also be Avengers: Age of Ultron things for the Marvel players handled by United Front Games introducing Hulkbuster Suit Iron Man, Ultron, and a few more.
     And of course the Disney centric series will be getting a bunch of stuff as well such as Mickey, Minnie Mouse, Sam Flynn, Quorra, Mulan, Olaf, and more.  And a nice new additional set will be based on Pixar's upcoming film Inside Out featuring a slew of the characters from the movie.

     Then lastly ,Sumo Digital has been brought on board to adjust and update the driving mechanics for an upcoming Kart Racing game, which will carry over into the Toy Box itself.
     Then speaking of the Toy Box, it is getting an overhaul with an updated hub world and a new farming system that will be added.

     I think one of the best announcements is that the DI: Power Discs will be sold in packs that you'll be able to see what you are buying now.  No more blind luck to get things you are looking for.

     Disney Infinity 3.0 will be arriving on PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PC, AndroidiOS, and the Wii U some time this fall. The Starter Pack is priced at $64.99.

     Source [ Game Informer ]

Countdown to Bay & Liebesman's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

     With the new Bay & Liebesman Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie less than a week away, I figure I should get some of my draft reviews cleaned up and posted leading up to my review of the new film.

Elevator Dance Party GIF!

     I've got slated this week, if I can squeeze them in, movie reviews for the original film, Turtles Forever, and 2007's TMNT.  For video games I've been playing a slew of the older games such as the Nintendo version, PS3's TMNT: Re-Shelled, and a couple of the more recent ones like the PS3 version of Out of the Shadows and the movie tie in game for the 3DS that arrives on Tuesday this week.
     There's a ton of comics and trade reviews including my favorite story, the Michael Zulli Soul's Winter.
     It might be worth noting I've even got plenty of toy reviews on the way including the phenomenal new Nickelodeon TMNT cartoon Sewer Lair Playset and a ton of figures So there might be a TMNT overload on this blog for a while because I've got 25 drafts near ready to post.

     Hope you enjoy that GIF.

     To see my previous Turtle Posts [ TMNT]

New Kaiyodo Revoltech Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Nickelodeon Toy Action Figures (TMNT)

     As both an avid action figure collector and long-time TMNT fan, these new Kaiyodo Revoltech Ninja Turtle figures have wowed me.  They are highly pose-able, and being based on the Nickelodeon cartoon series, they look absolutely amazing.  I mean I really like the new Playmates toy line, but these blow those out of the water.  The only figures I can think of that even come close to these are the Playmates TMNT Classics line.

     The downside is they are rumored to be 5-6" tall and between $40-50.  The price to import these might be worth it as these are stunning.  The release date is rumored to be Sept-Oct 2014, so it's not too far away.

     Now to wait for the release of these while contemplating the effects of Bay & Liebesman's reboot of the TMNT film franchise on the Turtles' fanbase...


     Sources [ ToyReviewDaily ] [ Kotaku via TAG Hobby ]

     For more of my Turtles posts [ TMNT ]