Friday, May 17, 2013

Unboxing Skylanders BattleGrounds with Royal Double Trouble

What? Skylanders BattleGrounds with GameStop Exclusive Royal Double Trouble
Where Did You Get It?  GameStop
What Did It Cost?  $39.99 plus tax
Any Specials?  FREE Sidekick with Skylander purchases of $19.99+ thru 5/31/13
What is Included? Download Code for Game, Bluetooth Portal of Power, USB Cable, (3) AA Batteries, S2 Cynder, Jet-Vac, Platinum Treasure Chest, Royal Double Trouble, Poster, Collector Cards, and Sticker Sheets



I finally pulled the trigger and landed Royal Double Trouble!  As you should know, I am a pretty big Double Trouble fan...I had held off getting him for the collection due to not having a way to play the game (sidenote: I still don't have a way to play the game).  So why pick it up now you ask?  Simple...Sidekicks!

INSERT VIDEO WHEN THE FEATURE IS BACK AND FUNCIONAL...COUGH.

GameStop has a promotion running where you get a Sidekick with $19.99 or more in Skylanders merchandise...this likely varies by store in terms of how they enforce it (ie to the letter of the law, Starter Pack=4, 1 Giant=1, $20+ on 4 separate purchases etc).  I wasn't sure (based on their internet ad) if it would work with the iOS Starter Pack or not...so I asked.

The local store I go to said they hadn't been selling Skylanders in a long time and that no one had even asked about the Sidekicks...guess that was good news for me!  I picked up Skylanders BattleGrounds AND got all 4 Sidekicks!!  For what it is worth, this is good business...I have bought a TON of Skylanders and games from them in the past, most of the employees know me, and it is a nice gesture that helps to ensure when the next round of Skylanders, or hot game drops I will give them first shot.  Still, that was a pleasant surprise...

With the Sidekicks known to be secured, I could fully justify the purchase...however, as I held BattleGrounds in my hands I realized it was actually a good deal.

Let's view it on a line item basis:

-Royal Double Trouble $10
-Jet-Vac $10
-Cynder $10
-Game, Portal of Power, Platinum Treasure Chest >$10...that covers it!

In my case here is how I was able to justify it:

-Royal Double Trouble: I am afraid they might eventually discontinue him (think along the lines of Walmart's GITD Starter Pack etc)...People have been hocking him on the net for close to $40 since it came out...Just getting him is justification for most...I am not most.





-Cynder: Since I got both of my Starter Packs (Wii and 3DS) in the Walmart Exclusive GITD Versions I never got the real "purple" Cynder.   A minor issue, but it makes her $10 of the purchase price very valid.




-Platinum Treasure Chest: It is unique and registers separate...Most would stick $10 here, but I'm thrifty so we will go with $5.




-Jet-Vac: I really like him...Granted with LC Jet-Vac and Legendary Jet-Vac I didn't have to have him, but I'll still call it $10...We are now at $35 out of the $39.99.

-BattleGrounds the game...yeah, haven't mentioned it until now!  Obviously if you are an Apple person, this alone justifies the purchase.  I am more of an Android guy and currently have no way of playing BattleGrounds...However, I am smart enough to know it would be worth at least $10 to me as I enjoy the Sykanders franchise...I can give it to my Nephew, buy a compatible device and play it myself, or sell the download code for $5-10 and use that to buy S2 Drobot.  This fully covers the purchase price.

-Bluetooth Portal of Power, USB Cable, and Batteries: The last two are fully functional with any device...The Portal should work for desktop, serve as a backup for the Wii and Wii U, and get me, or someone else going with an iOS device.  We have now exceeded the purchase price.

-FREE Sidekick: I was thinking I'd get at least 1 (maybe 2...which is what I needed) with this purchase...big perk!  My plan if I only got 1 was to go back to the store when Scarlet was in stock, buy her and another figure to cover the 2nd one...The fact I got a full set was unexpected and awesome!  (And if anyone from corporate GameStop sees this...think about it: The Sidekicks are a promotion to get people in to buy Skylanders...the employees both mentioned how they hadn't sold Skylanders in awhile and no one had asked about the promo...They know me as a good customer...Guess what that means for this branch of your store?  When Scarlet resurfaces...I am buying her there.  When LC Pop Fizz, LC Hex, and S2 Drobot surface I'll be purchasing them from this store...Similarly, when I want to pre-order or hunt for a game, they get first shot...It was a smart move from the folks down at the bottom of the ladder...Look at my reaction and tell me they did something wrong).

And there you go...made sense to me, hope it makes sense to you!

If I don't wind up with a way to play the game, I'll likely give it to my Nephew (provided his iPod can play it...if not I think he will be getting  a way to play it soon enough).

With this logic, I probably should have bought it when it came out, but oh well...Waiting paid off in the sense that I got to cash in on the Sidekick promo!  Last time they were out there was nothing I needed...go figure.

If I do wind up with a way to play the actual game, I'll post up my thoughts on it...Nonetheless, Whisper Elf, Gill Runt, regular S2 Cynder, AND Royal Double Trouble have now officially joined the team!

If you are in need of a Sidekick, or the complete set, consider picking up BattleGrounds as a way to land the  GameStop Exclusive Royal Double Trouble, the Platinum Treasure Chest, AND a Sidekick, or two, or three, or four!

Once I get some free time I'll record Royal Double Trouble's Intro to the Playthrough AND take a look at the Platinum Treasure Chest...I'm curious as to what it dishes out and more importantly if I can use it and the regular treasure chest in the same level...I think it should work and that makes a lot of "cents."




Currently Playing

  • Skylanders Imaginators
  • Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
  • NBA Playgrounds
  • Minelogix-Minecraft PC
  • Stardew Valley - PC
  • Wii Fit U (Wii U)
  • Animal Crossing amiibo Festival (Wii U)
  • Yoshi's Wooly World
  • Animal Crossing New Leaf 3DS

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