darkSpyro

So, now with my final lightcore in my hand, it looks like my soon-to-be-obsolete portal can be used like a Christmas tree. And, as I do towards the end of every year, I reflect back on the year that was Skylanders Giants and say...was it worth it? What was YOUR best/worst moment? Do you like lightcores? What, if anything, will change for you in how you play/collect Skylanders moving forward?

Where did you get LightCore Hex? Are you in Australia?

Can't wait for my LC this October, almost there lol

most US folk either got their lightcore aunt f- i mean LC hex from AU or will wait till tober.

I'm in the US...I chose not to wait, although I'll get my other boxed LC Hex when I get Swap Force.

So, since people aren't trying to stay on topic, let me go first...

Skylanders was a blast, especially since I was doing it all from day 1. I'm still have things I need to do in the game, albeit it's more of a tedious chore at this point.

Best Moment: Getting Scarlet Ninjini the morning of release with no problems.
Worst Moment: LC Hex being delayed until Oct in US.

I understand the power balance of not having a wow pow but having the nuke effect. They offer nothing to the gamer who has other versions already but are simply cool items if you are into the lightcore.

I'm of the opinion that lightcores will not be a significant feature beyond Swap Force if they don't do something to help encourage adoption. I think they should simply blend the concept of lightcores with the core characters and not make it a different product.

Best: Toss up to getting most variants in store for retail price and getting a clear cynder
Worst: Distribution methods after wave 3.

All in all there was slight improvement on some stores this time around and I have to say out of all of them Target and Amazon were hands down to me the best in getting the figures and will probably be where I will most likely get more of them in the future. Toys R us and some of their deals in the start for the legendaries is another good runner up.

Though overall the figures were not handled properly with activision favoring several and loading them in boxes while each store only received maybe one or two of those like bash, spyro and wrecking ball and single pack hot dog. I think by swap force bash might be the next boomer because he's an awesome character to play with but the distribution was horrendous on him.

The game was good, I still need to finish the wii U version as that was my main focus this time since I can play it off the tv and I waited to have nearly all for a collection before playing it. (First one I played with was Jade flashwing, fit perfectly for the past 1st chapter).

I'm still on the boat that swap force will be the last titled skylanders game since many come in trilogies before doing something different with the concept and the collection is getting too big now after giants and the money not so much. Unless there is more deals I'll probably be like many only to invest in a starter pack and a very small amount of third gen figs.

Best moment: getting the glow in the dark exclusive cynder/ starter pack and all available landers on oct 18th (my birthday)
Worst: having to wait for thumpback and having to get hot dog in a triple pack
I also went variant hunting but where I lived at the time has like two shops. Nothing was found ;(

Lucky! ive got to wait until october 4 my pre order bonuses!

Best getting Ninjini Eyebrawl and Thumpback on the same day.

Not being able to find wrecking ball or hot dog

Quote: tigerdr

I'm still on the boat that swap force will be the last titled skylanders game since many come in trilogies before doing something different with the concept and the collection is getting too big now after giants and the money not so much. Unless there is more deals I'll probably be like many only to invest in a starter pack and a very small amount of third gen figs.

Personally, they can keep it going past three, but like you I suspect some pretty decent changes (if that's possible) while remaining in the skylanders realm. I suspect that unless they continue to on-board new customers net/net there will be declining purchases on the reposes---simply not enough value on them to have a ton of them. I really wish there were 16 giants and 16 new cores in SG as they are doing in SF. They definitely burned us out on reposes, and it will backfire this time around I suspect. That's probably why there are double the number of new characters this time around.

Quote: GhostRoaster

Quote: tigerdr

I'm still on the boat that swap force will be the last titled skylanders game since many come in trilogies before doing something different with the concept and the collection is getting too big now after giants and the money not so much. Unless there is more deals I'll probably be like many only to invest in a starter pack and a very small amount of third gen figs.

Personally, they can keep it going past three, but like you I suspect some pretty decent changes (if that's possible) while remaining in the skylanders realm. I suspect that unless they continue to on-board new customers net/net there will be declining purchases on the reposes---simply not enough value on them to have a ton of them. I really wish there were 16 giants and 16 new cores in SG as they are doing in SF. They definitely burned us out on reposes, and it will backfire this time around I suspect. That's probably why there are double the number of new characters this time around.

60 new characters from what it looks like or from what I heard anyone can correct but if there's over 30 new and only a 12 chapter game clearly shows they are trying to cash in as much as possible so they clearly know something is up with this that it's clearly a cash grab. I think it's also going to take how well it sells in Japan if they will make anything titled skylanders after swap force. I'm still betting that TFB is making a successor to the franchise and it won't be a skylanders game for their 4th toys to life game.

There's always something possible with the technology but there's also the possibility with so many figures that might be why there's only 12 chapters from how much data is being stored on game discs with more thought into it. The Wii version is still being made which would limit capacity. If those only hold 8 gb like the xbox 360 or less that would hinder being able to make a bigger game.

Much of the ideas are seeming to blend together too much on what characters they fall onto making as well. So the creativity is starting to lack a bit, and many are awful looking for swap force. I really do see a mass decline in sales because of that as well.

Best: Finding both Stone variants in store.
Worst: Not really using the S2 figures other than seeing their Wow-Pow.

I'm thinking we will not collect reposed figures anymore.

Best: Going to NYC for the Ninjini release and seeing so many skylander fans and parents that enjoy it.
Worst: Money spent on cost of collecting all these
Worst#2: Having to ebay SSA stuff and granite crusher, cause i joined the game late.

Quote: SlayerX11

Best: Going to NYC for the Ninjini release and seeing so many skylander fans and parents that enjoy it.

Nonono, only evil, dirty scalpers went to the TRU event.

Quote: tigerdr

60 new characters from what it looks like or from what I heard anyone can correct but if there's over 30 new and only a 12 chapter game clearly shows they are trying to cash in as much as possible so they clearly know something is up with this that it's clearly a cash grab.

Well, there's been an inverse relationship between number of characters offered and content. Number of characters goes up, while game content goes down. It's a cash cow, and good for them for wanting to cash in. Problem is, they are treating it as if they don't want to promote longevity (which is sad because the franchise doesn't need to be killed by overkill). Personally, I would've done more to balance the content we are receiving with new characters. For 12 chapters I would've offered up 16 new guys and 8 reposes (no lightcore, or include lightcore on 8 of the new guys). That would be it. I would even re-think the 8 guys as 256 swapabilities on 12 chapters is enough. And I would release all of these swaplanders day one. I'm also tired of waiting for a character I really want long after I've played the game; you're unable to play the game the first time with the guys you want.

I think Activision is continually testing what they think we'll accept...and I'm here to say they've hit my threshold with SF between 60 figures, 256 swapabilities and 12 chapters and no online. They are going to get less purchases of figures because of the content problem, and b/c of the sheer number of figures I'm going to pair down this time. Even these last minute variants from Giants this late (Purple Rod) in the game is also having me rethink variants as well.

At the end of day Activision doesn't care about what I do, but if enough people who think like me do the same thing maybe they'll downshift a bit--gamers of all ages play this and it would be nice to concentrate a bit more on the content. It doesn't take many crazy collectors like me collecting multiples of all characters to start showing a ding.

Looking back on Giants, I'll probably call it the beginning of the end of innocence in this rat race.

I totally expect Activision to offer up ANOTHER toy-to-life game in this market, as opposed to dropping skylanders.

Best: Finding Glitter Hot Head on Boxing Day
Worst: Talking to a TRU employee about variants, only for him to tell me that during SSA, he say them all the time.

I also have had the privilege of never paying a scalper price. All my Skylanders were bought at store price either in-store or on Amazon.

Best: Finding Stone Zook at Walmart
Worst: Not finding any more variants

Best: Finding Rock Zook, and Rock Whirlwind when Giants was released, and finding Clear Stealth Elf near Christmas.


Worst: Finding out I missed a Silver Boomer.

Quote: GhostRoaster

I totally expect Activision to offer up ANOTHER toy-to-life game in this market, as opposed to dropping skylanders.

I really think that's what TFB is actually working on right now instead of another skylanders game. They know people why buy the figures and use the technology if the idea sounds appealing enough. They know people will be burned out on buying anything with the word skylanders in it so just have to wait and see what they do around the beginning of next year.

Best: Finding Ninjini at Target. Finding used L-Chop Chop.

Worst: Not buying Darklight Crypt when I had the chance. Finding Wham Shell in a store a couple of weeks after giving up hope of finding one and buying the castle case for him.


I got into the game in Janurary so any SSA finds are looped in with Giants ones.

Quote: tigerdr

Quote: GhostRoaster

I totally expect Activision to offer up ANOTHER toy-to-life game in this market, as opposed to dropping skylanders.

I really think that's what TFB is actually working on right now instead of another skylanders game. They know people why buy the figures and use the technology if the idea sounds appealing enough. They know people will be burned out on buying anything with the word skylanders in it so just have to wait and see what they do around the beginning of next year.

Interesting theory. We shall see. Personally I'm not burned out on skylanders; I'm burned out with too much figures and not enough content to justify it (then again maybe the average skyfan buys 1/2 the figures and not like us nut-cases who buy them all).

Actually, I'm an average fan, though I have to have every character, or I feel left behind. And I'm still missing some from SSA.

I'm betting the "average" skyfan has about 10 characters.

The "average" skyfan has one of each, not all this crazy repairs, color variants, Lightcore, alt decos, just one of each.