Christmas 2018 Fallout

 Now that I am a parent Christmas is mostly all about making the kids happy and helping Santa get them the toys that were on their list. But every year I still look forward to unwrapping my own gifts from my kids & wife. They typically do a great job of getting me some sweet presents and this year they did not disappoint. I know it's a little late, but lets look behind the wrapping paper and see what goodies were under the tree for me this year!

 Ghostbusters: The Ultimate Visual History Book

I love this book! I have been a huge fan of the Ghostbusters since the awesome foursome hit screens in 1984 and I thought I knew a lot about the series, but according to this book I didn't know as much as I thought I did. This book goes deep into the creation & production of the 2 original films. This is a fantastic read for any Ghostbusters fan with some bonus extras included inside.

Funko Pop Doctor Octopus & Blanka

I collect Funko POP figures, but I am not a ravenous collector. I usually grab the figures I like from series that hold a special place in my life. My wife picked me up these two guys because she knows I am a fan of ol' web head and she heard me say Blanka was my favorite Street Fighter II character while I was playing the game with my kids. I guess my wife does listen to me every now and then!

Super Mario Kart Piranha Plant & Rosalina Figures

My wife admitted that she picked these up for me because they were on a smokin' clearance sale at Barnes & Noble. I think they are pretty cool, but I will probably hand them down to my son so we can add them to his Super Mario figure collection.

Movies!

I rarely make it out to the movie theater to see a movie above a PG rating these days, so my wife picked me up a great selection of movies I have missed over the last year. Included are Spider-Man: Homecoming, The Death of Superman, Justice League, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, Avengers: Infinity War, Rampage and Stephen King's IT. Can't wait to find the time to watch these flicks!

Stocking Stuffers

I freakin' love stocking stuffers! Ever since I was a kid I couldn't wait to rip into the stocking on Christmas morning to find the cool little gifts Santa had brought in addition to all the edible goodies inside. This year was no different. I got a mini Horn Head Madball, Batman Fidget Spinner, Ghostbusters Ecto Plasm container, Ninja Turtles Playing Cards and some sweet treats!

Guitar Hero Live for the WiiU

I kind of looked at my wife confused when I opened this one. I hadn't played Guitar Hero since it was on the PS2 and really hadn't shown any interest in picking my guitar back up, but once again my wife found this on a great Black Friday deal and thought I would enjoy it. I was skeptical, but I plugged in my pretend amp and myself and the kids had a blast playing this game again!

Well, that's it for this past Christmas. I hope yours was merry, bright and full of good tidings. Now enjoy a full hour of Christmas commercials from the 90's to tide you over until next year! Merry Christmas!

The History of My Virtual Boy: Part 2

So last week I talked a little about the history of the Virtual Boy and then left you hanging. Yes I did find a metric ton of Virtual Boys at Wal-Mart in the summer of '96 in Tennessee, but the amazing thing was that they were on clearance for around $25 each! Yes, I grabbed one and I still have it today!

I really had no interest in buying this Nintendo product, but for that price, brand new, I couldn't pass it up. The system was indeed portable as advertised and ran off 6 AA batteries. I did use it as a tabletop game sometimes, but when I got lazy I became an expert at laying on the couch and balancing the Virtual Boy on my face and chest. I'm sure that I'm not the only person who did that? I had heard that the red and black tones of the game along with the 3-D graphics caused people to have headaches, I personally never had that problem, but I can definitely see how players could have this problem. Fresh out of the box the Virtual Boy came with my favorite game for the Virtual Boy...

Mario Tennis! I was really surprised with how fun this game was. It's a casual game that can be played in a few minutes, the graphics were simple but nice and the control was solid. Speaking of control...

The controller was similar to an original NES controller. I can't quite remember why they had two D-pads, but I remember not using the right one at all. The layout was pretty easy to memorize if you were a previous Nintendo player, which is a good thing since you really couldn't look down while your face was stuck in the visor. My only small issue with the controller is that it is where the 6 AA batteries are stored to power on the system. This creates a bit of weight in the controller and makes it a little uncomfortable to hold for longer periods of time.

This is a backside view of the Virtual Boy. Not much to see here, just a cool design and sleek looking system.

Since I did enjoy Mario Tennis, I searched out and bought a few more games for the system including Mario Clash, Wario Land, Teleroboxer and a Japanese Baseball game. Unfortunately by the time I got into the Virtual Boy there were little to no games for sale at our usual game stops including Babbage's and Electronics Boutique. There were only 22 games released for the system and I just may try to grab them all some day. Until that day comes I have the memories of one of Nintendo's biggest failures sitting on a shelf in my basement and I'm glad I own it. Thank you Mr. Gunpei Yokoi for creating this 32-bit, three dimensional footnote in gaming history!

Do you have any memories of the Virtual Boy? Let us know about it in the comments section below!

Christmas 2017 Fallout

Now that I am a parent Christmas is mostly all about making the kids happy and helping Santa get them the toys that were on their list. But every year I still look forward to unwrapping my own gifts from my kids & wife. They typically do a great job of getting me some sweet presents and this year they did not disappoint. I know it's a little late, but lets look behind the wrapping paper and see what goodies were under the tree for me this year!

Super Mario Maker for the 3DS

I have been wanting this game for a long time now. It didn't matter if it was the 3DS or Wii version. I just wanted the power to control Mario's adventures in the Mushroom Kingdom. For so many years Nintendo dictated to us what perils would befall our fearless plumber, but now I can put 100 Bloopers in Bowser's castle and give Mario all the abilities he needs to succeed! I love this game, my kids love this game...kudos to you Nintendo!

DreamWorks Voltron Action Figures

Every Sunday for about the last year my kids and myself have been watching a new episode of the DreamWorks Voltron Legendary Defender series on Netflix. We love it! It is one of the few rebooted series from my childhood that I can actually say is better than the original. The animation is top notch, the action is great and the humor is fantastic! If you have not seen this show, I highly recommend you do it soon. Anyway back to the toys. We all got a lion that all come together to form a huge, interactive Voltron figure! I received the Black Lion. We have had a lot of fun with this guy since Christmas morning!

Gremlins Glasses and Ice Cube Tray

I had never seen these before. I didn't ask for them, but I am glad I got them! I am a big fan of the Gremlins movies and anything with a Mogwai or devilish Gremlin on it is a winner in my book! One glass has Gizmo on it and shares the "Rules" of Mogwai caretaking that I am sure we are all familiar with. The other glass features Stripe on it and his "REVISED" rules which include "Feeding after midnight", "Keep out of sunlight" and "Get them wet". Very cool! BTW the Ice Cube tray was in the freezer when I took this pic.

 
Movies: Logan, Apocalypse & Wonder Woman

I had not seen any of these movies yet. So far the only one I have watched out of this all-star trio is X-Men Apocalypse. It was okay, not my favorite X-Men movie. Hopefully soon I can check out Logan & WW. I am so far behind on my movies! I guess that's what happens when you're a parent?

Dome Basketball Game

I used to have one of these when I was a kid and me and my brother would spend a ton of time slamming the buttons hoping to score a bucket and become basketball world champions! I played it with my kids, but they didn't seem to get as excited as I was when playing Dome B-ball!

Stocking Stuffers

I love stocking stuffers, maybe even more than the main gifts. I love the anticipation of seeing how much stuff got shoved into my Spider-Man stocking every Christmas morning! This year I got a few TMNT blind boxes, a TMNT fidget spinner, a Kylo Ren figure eraser, Star Wars playing cards, a bootleg Turbo Football and of course lots of candy including Snickers bars and Sour Patch Kids!

That's it for this year! I hope you got everything that was on your list. I can't wait until Christmas 2018! Enjoy the new year everyone and let us know what your favorite holiday gift was in the comment section below!

Top ten game wants for N64 Mini

The SNES Mini has come and gone. I was one of the lucky few that was able to find one at a retail store and I LOVE IT! In fact, just the other day me and the kids were playing Super Mario World, F-Zero and Street Fighter II: Turbo Edition. I just wish there was a way to add more Super Nintendo games to it? Well, now all the talk and speculation has come to Nintendo releasing a Nintendo 64 Mini! If this happens, I want one! Here's my top ten list of games that I would like to see on an N64 console based on how much I enjoyed them as a kid.

 Conker's Bad Fur Day
(2001, Rare)

Banjo-Kazooie

(1998, Rare)

 Mario Kart 64
(1996, Nintendo)

 Paper Mario
(2000, Nintendo)

 Pokémon Snap
(1999, HAL Laboratory/Nintendo)

 Spider-Man
(2000, Activision)

 Star Wars: Episode I Racer
(1999, LucasArts)

 Super Mario 64
(1996, Nintendo)

 Super SMASH Bros.
(1999, HAL Laboratory/Nintendo)

The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
(2000, Nintendo)

Honorable Mentions go to: Killer Instinct Gold, GoldenEye 007, Mario Party, NBA In The Zone '98, Pokémon Stadium and Turok: Dinosaur Hunter. I hope you enjoyed the above Nintendo 64 commercials. What games would make it onto your N64 Mini wish list? 

Super Mario Bros. Skybox Movie Cards!

In the summer of 1993 kids all over the United States waited with anticipation for the theatrical release of the blockbuster film event of the decade! That film was Super Mario Bros. starring Bob Hoskins as Mario and John Leguizamo as Luigi! I saw the movie at the theater when it was released and enjoyed it for the most part, but I was left with so many questions. Why was Koopa a human? Why were the heads of the Goombas so small? Where was Princess Toadstool? After all these years I have no answers for these questions, but I have grown to appreciate the Super Mario Bros. movie for what it is...a fun, crazy, industrial thrill ride filled with fungus and mediocre performances! In other words it is an amazing sight to behold!

Around the time the film was released naturally there was a ton of tie in merchandise. Everything from action figures to books to music soundtracks featuring Roxette were released to the unsuspecting masses, but the one thing that always eluded me was the Super Mario Bros. movie cards by Skybox! Years ago I bought a sealed box of 36 packs on eBay for around $10. I never had any intention to open them, but plans change.

Recently me and my kids watched the movie and my son fell in love with it. I mentioned to him that I had a box of the cards and his little mind was blown. We dug the cards out of our back closet and sat on the living room floor with the girls opening every pack to see if we could complete a whole set and we did! We got the 100 card base set and also the 3 card hologram set! When we reached this milestone there was much rejoicing and we read the back of each card as a bedtime story for the kids.

Now that I've told my story, in no particular order here are my favorite cards from this Super trading card set:

"A Parallel Dimension" (Card #28)

The scene where these 2 mini-dinos are featured happens when the Mario Bros. make their first trip to Koopa Square. These guys are only on screen for a split second, so it's nice to finally have a still picture of them to pour over for as long as I want. Aren't they cute?

"Big Plans" (Card #62)

For 80% of the movie the Mario Bros. are dressed in either street clothes or vibrant colored dance wear! It isn't until their assault on Koopa Tower that we finally get to see the unstoppable plumbers in their recognizable red & Green garb! I remember getting so excited when this happened on the big screen. I still get that feeling of joy when I look at this card today.

"Daisy's Back" (Card #90)

The scene from this card happens just before the end credits roll. Daisy busts into the Mario Bros. apartment asking for help on another adventure. I assume they did this to lead into a sequel. Man I would've loved seeing a second film with Wart as the main baddie...but wait something is a little off here? 

Daisy is in a totally different outfit on the card! They must have changed up the end sequence to make Daisy look more badass in the final version of the movie with her long sleeve shirt and bandolier filled with Bullet Bills!

"Koopa Regresses" (Card #86)

This is another blink and you miss it scene in the movie. When Koopa is hit with the Devo Gun (aka Super Scope 6) at the end of the film by Mario and Luigi, he is transformed into a primordial sludge that splashes on the streets. But as he is being transformed, he regresses from his current state to a T-rex in the process! I love this shot! I wonder if Dennis Hopper was under that sweet Halloween mask?

"Luigi Mario" (Card #4)

Not only does this card introduce us to one of our heroes it also shows that Luigi enjoys reading GamePro Magazine! I loved that periodical as a kid. Why don't they make these anymore?

"Yoshi" (Card #52)

For obvious reasons this card was included! Who didn't love Yoshi and to see him come to life in this film was mind shattering. He was so AWESOME and even saved the day by grabbing Lena with his super stretchy tongue! Also Samantha Mathis looks kinda hot is this photo.

That's it! I hoped you enjoyed this look back at one of the weirdest pieces of Nintendo history from the 90s. If you are a fan of Mario and haven't seen this movie, I highly suggest you check it out with an open mind...otherwise you will be very disappointed. After all THIS AIN'T NO GAME! For more info on the strange history of the making of this film, click HERE.

My Faves: Figure Collection #3

 

 I have a fairly big collection of loose figures from the 80s & 90s. I would like to share a few of my faves with you at this time. Get ready, here we go!
 

 

TMNT Talkin' Turtles: Leonardo (Playmates Toys, 1991)

This is the original Leonards Talkin' Turtle I had as a kid growing up with Turtle Fever. If I remember correctly, my older brother was actually the one that bought this guy. I loved the facial sculpts of this TMNT toy series. I mean look at that battle ready facial expression! On the downside I remember these "Talkin'" Turtles really did not talk that well. You had to insert a "Quip Strip" into the shell/sewer cover on their backs and pull it at the right speed so you could almost understand the mumbled voices of the TMNT. Great concept, just a little underwhelming when you expect your heroes to have a convo with you.

 

McDonalds Happy Meal: Kermit (McDonalds, 1990)

Oh Man! Where do I start with this guy? Everyone loved the Muppet Babies cartoon and everyone had these McDonalds toys. Between myself, my brother and the neighbors, we had the whole first series of these guys! This Kermit is from the second series that came out as the Muppet Babies popularity was sliding. I do not remember collecting this set with the same ferocity as the first, but damn does it bring back great memories.


MOTU Thunder Punch He-Man (Mattel, 1985)

Thunder Punch He-Man was a figure I never owned as a kid, but my neighbor had him and I was jealous! It's He-Man who blasts roll caps out of his back! That smell of a freshly popped cap still reminds me of this figure to this day. I picked this figure up at a yard sale a while ago for about $1. He is a little used and abused, but can still bust caps with the best of 'em!

McDonalds Happy Meal: Under 3 Mario (McDonalds, 1989)

This figure really confused the hell out of me. He was in one of those grab bags at Goodwill. It was Mario in his raccoon suit, I had to get him. I looked on the bottom of his feet and it said "1989 McDonalds". Did McDonalds put out a second series of Super Mario Bros. 3 figures I never knew about? Nope! This is the Under 3 toy that came out with the greatest Happy Meal set of all time, the 1989 SMB3 Happy Meal. I never knew this thing existed, but I am glad I own it.


McDonalds Happy Meal: Changeables Cheeseburger (McDonalds, 1989)

Transformers were the hotness for many years in the 80s. Since they were so popular you would see tons of copy cat vehicle/robot toys on the shelves. One of the greatest copy cat toys were the McDonalds Food Changeables aka McRobots! This little guy's name is C2 and he is from the second series that came out in 1989. This series also included a Big Mac, Large Fries, Hotcakes and an Ice Cream Cone! I love the fact that not only did we get toy sized McDonalds foods in this Happy Meal, but they turn into badass robots fighting for our right to eat fast food on planet Earth!

Coleco Donkey Kong Arcade Game

Every summer our town has a huge flea market which I try to make it to. You'll find everything from used tools to artwork to vintage toys. This past year I was able to score a few carded WildC.A.T.S figures a box of Deathwatch 2000 cards and some Nintendo DS games. But the best pickup of the day had to be this vintage Coleco Donkey Kong table top arcade game from 1982!

The seller wanted a pretty high price for this item. He claimed it was something he didn't want to get rid of, but his wife was making him do it. I passed and figured I'd go back later and if it was still there, it was meant to be mine. I went back after searching about 100 tables and Donkey Kong was still on the table. I made an offer to the seller. He refused. In the end I paid him the asking price, but he did throw in a few Hot Wheels cars to sweeten the deal!

It worked and immediately reminded me of the scene from Gremlins where Stripe and his Mogwai buddies were playing the same game under the Christmas tree while Gizmo tooted his horn in the spirit of the season.

This past year a Reaction figure of Stripe was produced and included a mini version of the game. Of course I had to own that too. I added it to my collection this past holiday season.

I attempted to snap a pic of the screen, but it came out all blurry. Thankfully I was able to grab this off the website Geek Vintage. My kids and I enjoy playing this game from time to time. Sometimes it is frustrating and other times satisfying. There is nothing like the feeling you get when you reach the top and save your girl...only to have her get nabbed again by DK!

The artwork on this game is fantastic and definitely from the 80s. With a classic depiction of Mario and the pre-Donkey Kong Country DK without a tie. I always wanted one of these as a kid and the dream was realized in my 30s. Better late than never! Now enjoy some retro ads for the Coleco lineup of mini arcade games!