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Skylanders Action Figures Video

Please, please, please check out this video of some of the 30+ action figures that can be used in Skylanders: Spyro’s Adventures. The action figures themselves have some cool designs and the marketing copy is hilarious. Most of the action figures have tag-lines that are so silly that you have to laugh at them.

I’ve actually started my second run of the game and the main reason I’m playing it again is because it’s fun to use the action figures to swap characters. I’m positive that the game and the toys will sell like crazy this holiday season. Well played Activision. Well played.

Nintendo 3DS and Wii Getting Hulu Plus By End of 2011

Nintendo of America has announced that its 3DS and Wii consoles will be getting Hulu Plus by the end of the year. The streaming video service is already available on the competing PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 systems. Here’s a clip from the press release…

With Hulu Plus, Wii and Nintendo 3DS users will be able to instantly stream thousands of TV episodes — including the entire current season of popular shows like Modern Family, Glee, Dancing with the Stars, The Biggest Loser, House and Grey’s Anatomy — from premium content partners like ABC, Comedy Central, FOX, NBC, MTV and many more. Hulu Plus also offers access to classic TV favorites like Lost, Battlestar Galactica, The Hills and hundreds of popular and award-winning movies. Hulu Plus is available through a separate subscription fee of $7.99 per month with limited advertising.

I’m positive that all of you are going to rush out to buy a 3DS to watch The Biggest Loser. I kid, I kid. Seriously though, does the addition of Hulu Plus make the 3DS or Wii more appealing to you?

Coffee Talk #414: Skylanders — Brilliant, Evil, or Both?

I’ve started playing Skylanders: Spyro’s Adventures for a Machinima.com review. I’m completely fascinated by the Skylanders business model. For those of you not familiar with the deal, Skylanders is an action-RPG available for most…

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, Lindsay Lohan’s latest mugshot, the outstanding customer service at Verve Coffee Roasters, or Bernard Hopkins getting suplexed in a boxing match, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

I’ve started playing Skylanders: Spyro’s Adventures for a Machinima.com review. I’m completely fascinated by the Skylanders business model. For those of you not familiar with the deal, Skylanders is an action-RPG available for most videogame systems. What makes it unique is that it uses toys to enhance and unlock gameplay. The $69.99 starter kit comes with the game, the “Portal of Power” accessory that plugs into your console, and three action figures. Additional action figures can be purchased for $7.99 and up.

Now here’s the kicker: from what I’ve seen, you have to buy more toys to get everything out of the game. That’s brilliant…and possibly a little evil. So far, the game is surprisingly fun; I had low expectations for it and they have been greatly exceeded. The toys look cool. On their own, I’m not sure they’re worth $8 each or $20 for a three-pack, but considering that they unlock in-game features, they’re pragmatic as well as decorative. There are more than 30 toys, with more action figures and DLC on the way, so it’s entirely possible to spend hundreds of dollars on Skylanders…and I’m sure some kids will do just that.

Fascinating, hey? I’m not really sure what kids and tweens like these days, but I imagine Skylanders is going to be hugely popular this holiday season. While most of the videogame business has been focusing on DLC and $10 online solutions to make more money of off each title, Activision is probably going to strike gold with ~~dollies~~ action figures. If this game does well, can you imagine a Transformers, Pokemon, or Disney game using a similar business model? This dolly thing could be huge…and more than a little exploitative.

Anyway, I wanted to see what you thought about Skylanders and its business model. Is Skylanders brilliant, evil, or both?!?

Coffee Talk #412: Predict Nintendo’s Future with 3DS and Wii U

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, Kurt Angle’s fiber solution, Apple and Samsung being best frenemies, or why people were scared of mummies back in the day, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Today I’d like you guys and gals to put on your analyst caps and predict Nintendo’s future. In the past, people have questioned Nintendo’s DS and Wii consoles, which went on to become two of the best-selling systems in videogame history. A lot of analysts and journalists have doubts about the 3DS and Wii U systems, but will they proven wrong by Ninntendo once again? Or will the “experts” be right this time?

As for me, I don’t see how Nintendo can go anywhere but down. This really has nothing to do with the 3DS and Wii U, but rather the remarkable sales of the DS and Wii. Those systems sold like crazy and I’m not sure when the business will see something like that again. The 3DS will surely sell well, but it faces stiff competition from smartphones and tablets. The Wii U’s tablet-as-a-controller strategy is odd, but it could work. There are lots of idiots out there that are saying “Nintendo is teh doomed!!!” but the company will always sell millions of Mario, Metroid, Pokemon, and Zelda games. I guess what I’m saying is that Nintendo won’t be able to duplicate the ridiculous success it enjoyed this generation, but it will be fine during the next.

How about you? How do you think things will play out for Nintendo? Will the 3DS recover from its rough start? Will mainstream consumers flock to the Wii U and its tablet controller? Will Nintendo rock next generation? Or is it “teh doomed”? Channel your inner Jesse Divnich and analyze Nintendo’s future (please)!

This Week’s Videogame Releases (Batman Arkham City!)

The big game this week is Batman: Arkham City. The sequel to arguably the best comic-book videogame ever release, Arkham City should be another thrilling action game starring The Dark Knight. PlayStation 3 owners looking for some exclusive cooperative action should give Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One a look. Insomniac rules! Rocksmith adds an interesting twist to music games by allowing you to plug any guitar you have into your console. Everybody Dance is the newest franchise on the highly competitive dancing-game scene. It’s getting hard to keep track of them all.

Any of you planning to pick up new games this week?

This Week’s Videogame Releases

The Q4 onslaught of videogame releases continues! Dead Rising 2: Off the Record combines the world of the sequel with the protagonist from the original game. Forza Motorsport 4 brings back Microsoft’s inimitable simulation racing style. If you’re looking for action in the friendly skies then Ace Combat: Assault Horizon is the game for you. Spyro is back in Skylanders: Spyro’s Adventure, which is a crossover with a new line of toys. The immortal Hulk Hogan returns to the gaming world in Hulk Hogan’s Main Event, which allows you to do the infamous “big boot” with motion controls. If you’re looking for an athlete that’s down with recreational drugs then why not give Michael Phelps: Push the Limit a chance? Lastly, JRPG fans will want to keep an eye on Rune Factory: Tides of Destiny.

Any of you picking up new games this week?

This Week’s Videogame Releases

October kicks off with a slew of awesome videogames! If you’re looking for a supremely gorgeous post-apocalyptic shooter then you definitely want to pick up id Software’s Rage. There probably won’t be any NBA basketball played until next year, but that shouldn’t stop you from playing NBA 2K12. Spider-Man — both the current version and the 2099 version — are back for another wall-crawling adventure in Spider-Man: Edge of Time. Want something dark and brutally difficult? If so then Dark Souls, the successor to Demon’s Souls, is right up your alley. Finally, sometimes you just need to dance. If that’s the case then Just Dance 3 will do you good.

Any of you picking up new games this week?

This Week’s Videogame Releases

There are tons of great games coming out this week! As a comic-book nerd and Silicon Knights fan, I’m most excited about X-Men Destiny. Football (soccer) fans have FIFA 12 and Pro Evolution Soccer 2012 to devour (go Man City!). The PlayStation 3 is arguably the most interesting platform this week with The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection, Child of Eden, Tom Clancy’s: Splinter Cell Classic Trilogy , and Atelier Totori: The Adventurer of Arland set for release.

Any of you planning to pick up new games this week?

Windows 8 Metro UI Looks Like the Wii Interface???

You know, I always thought there was something familiar about Windows 8’s Metro user interface. I just couldn’t put my finger on it. Thankfully PC Magazine’s John Dvorak used his age and wisdom to point it out to me — it’s just like the Nintendo Wii interface! In a recent column Dvorak wrote:

First of all, the interface should be renamed Microsoft “Kiosk,” because that seems to be the source of its inspiration. Then again, it reminds me of the Nintendo Wii, only with higher resolution. It also looks like it wants to blast ads at you.

He’s totally right! I can’t believe I didn’t see it right away. Now I feel bad about all those times my fellow PC Magazine Labs analysts and I would send him hate mail from random PCs in the lab. On second thought, that still cracks me up. I blame RPadholic irontoes. He’s the one that registered the email address dvoraksucks@hotmail.com. I was just watching. Really.

Anyway, what do you think? Does the Metro UI resemble the Wii interface? Or is Dvorak nuts on this one?

Source

This Week’s Videogame Releases

Everyone could use a few more god-killers in their lives. This week Sony is providing a double dose in God of War: Origins. This compilation contains HD remasters of Kratos’ adventures in Chains of Olympus and Ghost of Sparta. I know that a few of you are hockey fans and not Canadian (very strange), so I imagine that NHL 12 is a big deal for you. White Knight Chronicles II isn’t getting the hype of the original, but it looks better in several areas. Lastly, Nintendo fans can get tripping with Bit.Trip Complete (Wii) and Bit.Trip Saga (3DS).

Anyone picking up new games this week?