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It seems the guys behind the OTFCC can't catch a break lately. The exclusives for this year's conventions have been announced, and if you consider news of a repaint a spoiler, you shouldn't follow this link. One of the toys was cancelled for this year and will come out in 2005, so you get to know in advance what you'll be getting. Also, it seems Mega Zarak will no longer be a hotel exclusive. Cool stuff!

There's also some stuff on the hotels... go to the con's official site for more.

--AP

Item: Halo Edition Xbox. GameSpot is reporting that a really spiffy new bundle with a green Xbox and controller is comiing with Halo for about $170. A good deal, surely. The Xbox had a price drop earlier this week, dropping to $150.

A bundle of Nintendo announcements were also mentioned. Release info for new games, a GameBoy Advance wireless adapter, more games, and a lot more were announced... so be sure to check this out. Metroid Prime 2, anyone?

--AP

We saw Hellboy Friday night in a theater that most certainly wasn't filled to capacity, but it seemed to be filled with an approving audience. The costumes were mostly good, the effects were pretty great, and while the plot had a few holes, overall, it was a good flick. Worth your time and money, definitely.

--AP

After tackling Batman, it seems Hot Wheels is now producing cars with cereal graphics on them in their normal assortments. We spotted a Trix edition on Friday and have been trying to find the others, but have yet to see them. Through some research, we found the Cereal Crunchers series to include:
Frankenberry Camaro
Cocoa Puffs Pontiac GTO
Honey Nut Cheerios Plymoth GTX
Trix Lincoln Continental
Lucky Charms 8 Crate

These are roughly a dollar each at stores when found, so if you want something goofy and cheap, these are pretty slick from what we can see.

--AP

When originally spotted, the 700+ piece Bionicle Bucket seemed too good to be true at $19.99, when the average $9 Bionicle kit had about 50-60 parts. Well, we saw over a dozen at our local Toys "R" Us on Saturday night, so we're happy to say they're making the rounds. Happy hunting!

--AP

Well, it looks like we're about to outdo ourselves this week, as one of our articles is starting to end up with a whopping 88 images created for it so far. This includes thumbnails, a couple of special review graphics, and even some spiffy desktops that you can use on your very machine to get a good look at a toy far cooler than anything you're likely to have yourself. Not to toot our own horns... but this feature is turned out to be way better than anything we've ever done, and significantly more extensive.

That said, this week at 16bit.com we've got a nice trio of reviews tentatively lined up for you. On Monday, you can seea review of the Luxochamp CD A+B, a super-indie effort combining modern punk and 80's new wave sensibilities. Tuesday will bring forth a feature on the Zoids Zi-Comm Unit, an electronic device that brings out additional lights, sounds, and other effects from select Zoids action figure parts. On Thursday, we will be proud to present you with a review of the Playmobil Golden Nugget Saloon set, a bar filled with bottles and all sorts of extras. We dare say it's our best yet, so be sure not to miss it, especially if you want a desktop image of a drinking, possibly hallucinating toy hobo.

At Galactic Hunter, we'll be posting our Q&A on Monday. On Wednesday, a review of , better known as Gold Leader. For Friday, be sure to stop by for a look at the new TIE Fighter Pilot.

--AP

Courtesy of a number of fine folks from Playmoboard, we've got news (and a picture) of six reissued Playmobil specials. Now called Playmobil Pals, the same toys are coming in new, less pink boxes with the same set number. Here's the lowdown.

Champion Knight (4616) - Originally released in 2003 as the Blue Knight.
Pirate with Skull (4580) - Originally released in 2000 as Pirate and Skull.
Sorcorer (4594) - Originally released in 2001 as Magician.
Dark Knight (4517) - Originally released in 1995 as the Dark Knight.
Captain Peg-Leg (4548) - Originally released in 1997 as the Sea Robber, this set is also available through Playmobil's direct mail service in a plastic bag (7668) for $2.99.
Detective (4580) - Originally released in 2000 as Police Officer.

According to the thread at Playmoboard, these sets showed up at a Target. As Target stores have been selling Specials sets with a special sticker over the barcode, and is also blowing them out at the moment, it's safe to assume this is a new mass-market replacement for the line. Seeing as how some of these sets have closed on eBay as high as $30, this is surely a good piece of news for new fans of Playmobil. The rest of you either won't care or are mad you overpaid.

For those only closely familiar with Playmobil, this is notable because the Specials range of individually boxed figures are a highly collected sub-set of the toy line and they tend to be phased out rather quickly with some commanding fairly high prices. Only two of the six items being released in the Pals range are easily found in our neck of the woods, so for fans of the toy line, and there are maybe twelve, this is a pretty big deal.

--AP, special thanks to Holly for not minding that we stole this image

Galactic Hunter has posted their weekly Q&A column by yours truly and, as always, I'm eagerly looking for new questions. So, feel free to send any in.

This week's highlights include why I don't know what next year's convention exclusive is, more on Clone Wars, which Elan is the rare one, and some other stuff. I think there's something in there about Queen, I wasn't paying attention. Rock of Ages, baby.

--AP

Last night on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim, the programmers announced several new episodes of Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law were to start airing on April 18, a Sunday. New highlights include a Jetsons-themed episode, as well as numerous other episodes which may include a party for Avenger.

--AP

The 1990s were filled with great music, most of which never ended up being heard on the radio or by the fans that would appreciate it. Today we look at the self-titled album from Luxo Champ, a six-track garagey new wave marvel featuring the entirety of The Rondelles with some other guy singing and on keyboards. The fun, goofy lyrics permeate a kind of pseudo-pop sensibility you can only find on an indie label that no longer exists, making this woefully out of print CD a real blast to listen to... and it's not too hard to find. You haven't heard it, and the label decreed it shouldn't cost more than eight bucks, so read about the next CD you should buy in today's review!

--AP

The end of a line can often yield awesome and unusual items, and this Zi-Comm Gauntlet is definitely one of the latter. This item basically was released direct to clearance at stores like Toys "R" Us and Target, probably to litter the shelves for a while until someone finally takes pity on them and makes them go away. We found it interesting, but not great, and if you'd like to see more about this very peculiar children's toy be sure to check out today's review!

--AP

The very funny HBO comedy Da Ali G Show (or "The Ali G Show") is coming to DVD this Summer. The six episodes created for HBO will be in one $29.99 package. TVShowsOnDVD.com reports some amusing features, extras, and confirmation of more Borat, but no word of his UK offerings.

--AP

Today at Galactic Hunter we look at Dutch Vander (Gold Leader), a relatively minor Rebel from A New Hope that piloted a Y-wing fighter and was never heard from again. For a reasonably minor character, and a human at that, this is one mighty fine figure with a great amount of attention paid to detail and articulation. While the head looks a little funky, the rest of it is fantastic and you can read all about this helmeted hero in today's review!

--AP

Wal-Mart stores in Arizona are starting to receive multiple cases of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles action figures with bonus DVDs. Unlike previous reports, it seems that virtually the entire line is shipping with one of two DVDs. While we didn't see the likes of April or the Foot Fire Mystic, there were dozens of Turtles and variants, Splinter, Leatherhead, and many new figures. These seem to be shipping in endcap cases like the Batman figures with bonus comics or the first batch of Masters of the Universe figures with bonus videos. The price fluxuates from store to store but hovers between $5.60 and $5.90. For what these are, they're an excellent deal.

--AP

This thread at the 2005 Boards has images of the Alternators Silverstreak in and out of the box, what may be a Universe Blurr repaint, and a surprise Energon Landmine repaint. All of these look excellent, and the strange dark faced Silverstreak that appeared at Toy Fair seems to have been a fluke.

--AP

The new Mattel Crash Test Dummies toys are now showing up at Target in (presumably) exclusive multi-packs. Like Hasbro's, two regular carded toys are packaged together in a large cardboard sleeve (or envelope, if you will.) If you're a fan of the line-- and as these are pretty iffy figures in terms of quality, you shouldn't be-- be sure to look these up.

--AP

Every now and again something so amazingly cool is released that even a decade after its release, it's still one of the best things ever. The Golden Nugget Saloon is one of these items. It's a bar, with a bartender, singer, spittoon, loads of alcohol, and all sorts of amazing pieces that make you wonder just what happened over at Playmobil HQ to make them stop cranking out sets of this quality. If you like Playmobil, or even if you can't stand it, we can guarantee today's review will be a most amusing experience.

As a bonus, we included six desktop wallpapers of the set featuring the Hobo and many other items. We have more in the works and will post those when they are ready.

--AP

A number of fan sites are linking to a pair of images from Great Toys.net. These come from a Japanese toy catalog. One has Wing Saber, a robot that should bring to mind the classic Japanese Cybertronian leader Star Saber. The other is a Divebomb repaint in dark blue with yellow energon bits.

--AP

The Death Stinger has hit Boscov's, a department store's Web site, for $9.99. It's a large kit and is compatible with the Zoids remote control unit, and at this price is borderline ridiculously great. If you have the means, it's well worth the money.

--AP

A number of items have hit the toy store's Web site at insanely low prices, assuming you care for such things. $3 figures, $10 Castle Grayskull, $5 Slime Pit, and much more, including a playhouse for $25 and a bean bag chair for $20. Those last two didn't make the rounds much before, so for the die-hard MOTU fan, this is a deal definitely worth checking out. Prices at Kay Bee's Web store tend to fluxuate up and down, so be sure to check them for the latest rates.

--AP

Today at Galactic Hunter we look at a brand new TIE Fighter Pilot, and this is his first resculpt from the ground-up since 1996. Hasbro really did a spectacular job the first time, and this new edition is superior in every way with better articulation, sculpting, and paint bringing it to life-- well, as much life as a space suit can have. Sure, it's mostly black, but it still looks great and you can learn all about it in today's review!

--AP

New boxes for Aqua Teen Hunger Force and Space Ghost: From Coast to Coast are hitting DVD stores this Fall, so says TVShowsOnDVD.com. Volumes 3 and 2, respectively, are both currently slated before Thanksgiving.

--AP

Hasbro returns with a brand new Q&A this week. This week, they let us know that they have no plans to release information on the upcoming movie at this time, and they also have some positive word about the smaller Japanese version of Super Link Galvatron appearing in the states.

--AP

Homestar Runner added a new short animation, powered by The Cheat! Be sure to check it out.

--AP

It seems Friday was a huge day for news, as several lists, images, and more made the rounds for Universe, Energon, and Alternators from many unofficial sources.

Some Cyberjets from Generation 2 are coming and can be seen in this auction, labeled Air Ride and Space Case. As these are not packaged toys, any of a number of things could change between now and their release. Also labeled Universe, but most likely Energon releases, are Cyclonus and Demolishor auctions, both for the toys in their Super Link colors. The last auction for today shows a recolor of Landmine, this time in colors strikingly similar to the great Armada Hoist toy. All of the auctions show the toys in both modes, so if you have yet to see them in multiple forms these are must-see auctions.

TFW2005 discovered that the recently announced Energon Mini-Cons pack featuring the Sea Team and Adventure Team are not recolored toys but rather are the toys as they appeared in their initial appearances from Armada. This set is currently exclusive to Amazon.com, as far as can be told, and is the third such pack of Mini-Cons. The 2005 boards added a couple of new threads with new images as well, such as a packaged Universe set of Crystal Widow vs. Oil Slick and packaged shots of the Energon toys Shockblast and Cliffjumper.

Lastly, TFW2005 posted a list of a ton of new items from a Hasbro China sell sheet. A number of very unusual names and cryptic descriptions were listed, but it looks like a ton of Beast Wars toys are returning in Universe, Alpha Q may be released in toy form, and a number of repaints are on the way for Energon. We'd say more, but best to let the list speak for itself.

--AP

Hasbro has confirmed a Valor vs. Venom movie is being released to VHS and DVD later this year. There's also some nifty wallpaper up, but as of now it seems there's no word as to how it will be sold. Presumably, it will be packaged with toys again, but this remains to be seen.

--AP

Target stores in the USA have a number of games, including three classic arcade compilations, on sale this week for as little as $10. If you're in need for a cheap diversion, be sure to pop in and see what's left at your local store.

And in a news sending your humble news editor in hysterics, GameSpot has confirmed that the very first two Famicom Final Fantasy titles will be ported to the GameBoy Advance on a single cart. From the sound of things, it's almost like a port of the Playstation's Final Fantasy Origins disc, with upgraded games and more modern gameplay. The double-whammy RPG compilation is due in Japan this July, but no release date has been announced for the English speaking world.

Keep in mind that recent announcements for the Nintendo portable also included eight US-bound NES ports as well as a recently released R-Type III. Retro gaming love, thy name is GameBoy.

--AP

Sometimes it's hard to tell if a link is a joke or not, and with this in mind, we present to you Fallen Rapper Pez with prototypes of Tupac Shakur, Biggie Smalls, and Eazy-E. This site includes shots of the prototypes being made and the correspondance with the author and the Pez company. Amusing, to say the least.

--AP, thanks to SC

Apparently the new game coming from Atari is going to be jam-packed with the kind of extras you expect on DVDs BWTF reports some "Knowing is Half the Battle" shorts were produced back in the '80s and are to be included as bonus content in the game. There's also a ton if pictures and other information on a recent party to celebrate the game, so be sure to check it out.

--AP

Due to the exhausting nature of the reviews last week, we've only two planned reviews this week. On Monday, we'll be posting a look at Wall of Voodoo's The Index Masters CD featuring their first EP and a bunch of otherwise unavailable live tracks. Later this week, come back for a look at three nifty pieces of Hellboy Merchandise from the recent film's promotional campaign.

Galactic Hunter will see a new Q&A on Monday, with all sorts of questions on recent hot topics like the cartoons and the ever-nebulous future of the franchise as a whole. Reviews this week will be of Captain Antilles and Holographic Luke Skywalker.

--AP

Galactic Hunter has posted their weekly Q&A column by yours truly and, as always, I'm eagerly looking for new questions. So, feel free to send any in.

This week's highlights include our lack of knowledge on international CommTech chips, three-packs, silver Clones, more Ephant Mon observations, and yes, the end of the line, a subject we'll be temporarily retiring after this column.

--AP

The fine folks of TFW2005 has posted shots of the newest Palisades statues as revealed at last weekend's Cybercon Expo. Wheeljack and Starscream were shown for the first time, and we must say, ol' Screamer never looked better There are also some shots of Soundwave and Laserbeak, so be sure to check these out.

--AP

The band Wall of Voodoo released precious few albums in their time together, many of which are out of print and unfortunately collector's items of sorts. Today we look at The Index Masters, a CD from 1991 that combines a previously released live show from 1979 with their first six-track EP from 1980. This out-of-print disc is a great introduction to the band, but as you're unlikely to see it, odds are it won't be your first exposure to the group. It's a great release and still surprisingly fresh by today's standards, and you can read more about it in today's review!

--AP

It seems a number of items are starting to hit stores for this Summer's sequel to Shrek, entitled Shrek 2. We spotted dozens of figures from what must have been several large cases at a Phoenix area Wal-Mart last night, which included a fifth figure that has not yet appeared on eBay or elsewhere to our knowledge. The new figure, Dragon, is pictured in her packaging below. Fully assembled, she's easily over a foot long and may actually be better than the hard-to-find McFarlane Dragon from the first film.

The Dragon requires some assembly to fit in the package, and comes with a baby Dronkey, so you can guess some interspecies relations went on before the first two films. The toy comes sealed-- not taped-- in a plastic bag which we assume is to hide the scent. The smell from the Dragon alone kept me from opening the accessory at this time. A full review of the Dragon with Dronkey is on tap for late this week or early next week.

Other figures currently shipping include Shrek, Puss in Boots with Three Blind Mice and The Gingerbread Man, Fiona, and Donkey. The big gimmick for this series is scented toys, and as you can see, some advertise "I Stink!" on the package. Donkey's waffles, for example, are scented.

The toys aren't on par with the bulk of the McFarlane product, and the toys from the first movie will probably continue to appeal to collectors far more than the new crop. With the possible exception of new characters and this really nifty Dragon, of course. These Hasbro figures are about eight bucks per. Also shipping are some sprinkler toys and other typical blockbuster cash cow tie-ins.

--AP

A different Wal-Mart tonight revealed that new 12" G.I. Joe Valor vs. Venom figures are shipping, notably the BAT which supposedly ships alongside the new Cobra Commander, the latter of which we did not see. Happy hunting!

--AP

If you haven't seen it, an official page from McFarlane Toys shows images and full-body sculpts of their upcoming 12" ALIEN and Predator figures. This is not the first time these figures have been released in a large scale, as Kenner and Hasbro have made several versions of the ALIEN in 10", 12", and larger sizes alongside two differently colored 10" Predators.

--AP

Like candy? Wal-Mart, Target, and many other stores have all their Easter sweets at half price this week.

--AP

Today at Galactic Hunter we look at a brand new Holographic Luke Skywalker, a clever use of the molds used to make Luke Skywalker (Jabba's Palace) minus a couple of accessories and paint operations. If it's well lit, it looks great, otherwise, it's just OK. You can see a lot more about this new nicely jointed figure in today's review!

--AP

Tonight at one of the huge Target Greatland stores, we spotted all six of the recently released Playmobil Pals (see earlier this month for more news on these.) All six were available, some were already bought, and they cost a mere $1.99 each, which is less than some of these cost initially when released a few years ago.

The packaging combines the modern Specials style with the measurements of the figure and the grid on the back of the packaging with new coloring and a new tab on top to hang the figures on pegs, only this time it's permanently sticking up instead of able to be folded up or down. The photos on the packaging are, in fact, new. Some of which are completely new, while others are simply modified or flip-flopped, like Captain Peg-Leg. (You'll notice his peg leg and eyepatch are reversed on the front of the box.) The Dark Knight and Pirate with Skull have new posed figures on what seem to be the backgrounds used for the Specials releases.

Also notable is that the line art generic Playmobil figure head that appears on the boxes has been dropped. On the top, it was replaced with a partial head that seems very similar in style to the Hasbro Smiley they've been using since late 1998. The rest of the heads were replaced by fully colored heads with a baseball cap reading "P."

The biggest surprise, though, is the inclusion of a printed US choking hazard warning. This is notable because previous Specials released through Target or elsewhere had a sticker, and this makes for more America-friendly packaging despite having text on the back in something like 20 languages.

But enough of that for now. We'll be doing some more impressions and reviews and stuff in the future.

--AP

Recently released cult favorite The Lost Skeleton of Cadavra has been confirmed for a June 22 DVD release. The film is basically a low-budget 50's sci-fi flick that was made in the 21st century. Our sources tell us it's pretty slick. Read more at DVD File.

--AP

A number of new or just-released-and-we-didn't-see-it-yet items are up for sale from LEGO via eBay. We've never heard of a toy company selling advance toys at MSRP early, but here's a number of early Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and Spider-Man 2 items up for grabs now, like this Draco's Encounter with Buckbeak set that has an owl, some figures, and a horse modified into a hippogriff. We don't expect other companies to follow suit with this kind of preview sale, but hey, this is a really great thing to see if you want stuff early. (Note: the auctions end today so they may be gone by the time you read this.)

--AP

A fairly nifty redeco of the Japanese mammoth toy is supposedly coming stateside, and a painted sample has shown up on the 2005 boards. The final product is different than the original, of course, but is by no means bad. Fans of the original toy might get a kick out of the new look, which has yellow in it but still seems to look pretty great.

Also, the sixth and long awaited final issue of the War Within: The Dark Ages series hit stores yesterday and more or less wraps things up nicely.

--AP

It seems that there are 30 games to be shown for Nintendo's new double-screen portable this May. While this seems unlikely, as Nintendo rarely shows more than a handful of new games with new hardware, it will be interesting to see how it all turns out this May.

--AP

Today at Galactic Hunter we look at a the fifth and possibly final Fan's Choice figure as we review Captain Antilles. Rather than repainting a previous figure, Hasbro went all out to create a brand new and yes, chokable action figure with a great sculpt and some marvelous new parts. Sure he has the face and haircut of a young boy, but if you leave the helmet on you'll hardly notice. Read more in today's review!

--AP

If you've been to Target stores lately, odds are you've been to one that has an endcap full of Gollums and Aragorns from Return of the King. Well, now you might have a reason to buy one, because they're selling for about $1.44 at several locations alongside a now-75% off Warg.

--AP

We found the action figures earlier this week, and on last night's trip to buy tin foil, we saw Shrek 2 versions of the classic Operation as well as a few others which we forgot because we still haven't bought a notepad to keep track of this stuff. Possibly Shrekopoly. But be sure to check out the Shrek Operation, as I believe it may be the first licensed character version of the game and the box art is fairly amusing.

--AP

Hasbro added new shots of two new figures. Soundwave is a recolor of the US Machine Wars Soundwave, and Spacecase is a G2 Cyberjet. Both have lots of yellow, as required by law, we assume. Check 'em out, the colors aren't half bad!

--AP

GameSpot is reporting another 10 games are coming for the Famicom Minis series in Japan, and that Series 1 is being phased out soon. The 10 new games are:
Adventure Island
Balloon Fight
Clu Clu Land
Dig Dug
Dr. Mario
Ghosts 'n Goblins
Mario Brothers
Mystical Ninja Goemon
Stinger
Wrecking Crew

With Konami producing a couple of titles, there's still hope for Castlevania or Contra ports down the road.

Also, GameForms has a story on Metroid Prime 2 as well as some screenshots. And there's multiplayer.

--AP

Last night at Wal-Mart's clearance racks, we spotted Skeletor and He-Man Colgate toothpaste, which we had not seen previously. It has decent art and should amuse the He-Fan in all of us. Or at least of our teeth.

Also, Wizard posted an unpainted prototype of She-Ra from the waist up. Apparently a better shot appears in the new issue of ToyFare.

--AP

A number of Japanese music importers based in Japan are now accepting preorders for Polysics Or Die!!!, a new best-of collection featuring songs from most of their albums. Good news, surely, for those who haven't heard most of their output. And that'd be most fans.

--AP

An amusing interview with Bob Odenkirk on the subject of the ill-fated Mr. Show movie, Run Ronnie Run, has been posted at Chunklet, a great magazine that's fairly irregularly published.

--AP

It seems PREVIEWS, the catalog from which finer comic stores do their ordering, has added a number of DVD TV series releases to a recent catalog, so says a report from the nearly-omnipotent TVShowsOnDVD.com. Check it out for the full scoop.

--AP

Fans of the ex-Wall of Voodoo frontman, rejoice. Apparently copies of the new album Snakebite are shipping early-- as in now-- and two minute previews of each song on the album are up at CD Baby. More information at the homepage of Stan Ridgway.

--AP

Next week, we'll be looking at the delayed Hellboy merch feature as well as the figure Battle Fist from one of the final waves of Masters of the Universe. Our Monday music feature will The Leisure Experiment from The Tiki Tones.

Meanwhile in a galaxay far, far away we'll be looking at R2-D2 with the drink tray and General Dodonna. Q&A will be up on Monday, as always.

Last night, we checked out Kill Bill Vol. 2, which was excellent, as well as some ASU comedy festival with the ever... "clever" ASU troupes. Also present was a very talented group from Chicago called Schadenfreude. We were amused by a number of their sketches including one "Loco Pantelones," which featured a crazy man in crazy pants. It was also entirely in Spanish, which was pretty amusing. Also preesnt was the University of Arizona's own Comedy Corner, who were goodly enough to write a sketch in which two men were fighting for the sexual affections of a cactus.

--AP

Galactic Hunter has posted their weekly Q&A column by yours truly and, as always, I'm eagerly looking for new questions. So, feel free to send any in.

This week's highlights include the possible success of The Clone Wars, what the Jedi may or may not have seen coming, and the life and death of the characters leading in to the final film.

--AP

The action figures for Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban are hitting Toys "R" Us stores now. We spotted three figures, a couple of Harrys and a Werewolf. A fourth figure, not named on the cardback, looks a lot like a Wraith. The figures seem a little larger than before and come on dark blue cardbacks.

--AP

Wal-Mart stores are getting a 12" two-pack of Doc Ock and Spider-Man with cloth outfits. These are not to be confused with the 12" walkie-talkies.

--AP

Toys "R" Us stores are receiving another six pack of Mini-Cons from Armada, but in Energon packaging much like those at Wal-Mart. This set includes the Adventure Team and the Sea Team, and the artwork of the characters has been taken from the Japanese releases right down to the yellow Sea Team weapons.

--AP

More Masters of the Universe toys are hitting the clearance racks. Toys "R" Us has now marked down most of their existing stock nationwide, while Kay-Bee stores are getting new cases of product. Based on what we're seeing in these parts, it seems to be cases of mostly Spin Blade Skeletors. Other new figures may be hitting eventually, though, and as such we advise you to keep your eyes peeled and see if you can spot something good.

--AP

The band The Tiki Tones put out a few polynesian-inspired instrumental albmus before releasing The Leisure Experiment, which sounds like it belongs as a soundtrack to some movie from the 1960's. The band put a fair amount of energy into this six-track release and as such should delight anybody looking for something a little different. It's not exactly a fabulous deal at about ten bucks, but it's quite entertaining and you can read all about it in today's review!

--AP

TVShowsOnDVD has a feature on the upcoming Batman: The Animated Series DVDs. It's shaping up to be a decent deal, boasting half the first season spread over four discs for $44.98 MSRP, meaning it'll probably be closer to $30 in stores. Select commentaries will be available, as well Spanish and French audio tracks. Looks like a winner!

Our meager research indicates the first season is 60 episodes, so if you assume the box will include 30, that's roughly 15 hours of stuff to watch. Consider that 13 episodes of TransFormers will set you back $30-$50, it's quite the deal.

--AP

A certain Swiss surrealist probably could only dream of the day his fearsome creation would be turned into a 7" tall soap dispenser. Sega is releasing a vaguely adorable soap dispenser, and this page has pics, pricing, and preorders. It's cute enough to see, I gotta say.

--AP

GameForms has a fairly vague report on the one game in the Final Fantasy series that hasn't been released for the PlayStation, and that's the original Japanese Final Fantasy III. Apparently there's some buzz it might be rereleased in the near future, and you should read this story from the

--AP

ADV is releasing a new release of Destroy All Monsters, according to this article at Monster Zero News. It doesn't seem to differ too much from the current release aside from a slightly higher price and a bonus soundtrack CD with 30 tunes for your amusement. I assume this is to be used to make home movies of your guinea pigs and iguanas attacking a small model city. (If any of you make one, please let us know.)

The release date is expected to be May 18, just in time for... uh... Memorial Day.

--AP, thanks to EK

Mike Nelson of Mystery Science Theater fame is contributing a commentary to yet another DVD rerelease of Reefer Madness, which streets today. Online, it can be had for under $10 and it seems like the disc is targeted at $13 in stores.

--AP

Today we're looking at the new version of Fisto, rechristened Battle Fist last year when released as part of the Snakemen series of Masters of the Universe figures. He's a modified version of Ice Armor He-Man, but he is chock full of nifty little features and added articulation that should please a number of fans. You can see more in today's review!

--AP

Today at Galactic Hunter we look at the long-expected R2-D2 (Jabba's Sail Barge), or Bartoo-Deetoo. He's based on the great R2-Q5 but is painted up like R2-D2 and has a new hole in his head so he can carry a number of drinks. More images and commentary follow in today's other review!

--AP

Don't forget to check out updates at The Onion and Homestar Runner.

--AP

A report at GameSpot has images from and information on an upcoming Godzilla game from Atari, which is slated for the Xbox and PS2. No mention of a GameCube port was made, which is notable as the last Godzilla game from Atari is on GameCube and seemed to be a decent seller.

Also, some rummaging around a local GameStop has revealed that a lot of the classic GameBoy games-- you know, the four-shades-of-grey classics from 1989-1998-- are dropping in prices. Some decent titles are about four bucks now, so if you remember reading about a decent game in Nintendo Power about a decade back it might be in used game shops on the cheap. (No boxes or manuals, unfortunately.)

--AP

Now here's an oddity-- Paramount is releasing a box with seven episodes of The Next Generation featuring Captain Picard. For $20, it's a decent alternative to the $100+ season box sets. You can read all about it at TVShowsOnDVD.com.

--AP

The first-ever movie version of Slimer was released recently with the new Ghostbusters Head Knockers from NECA. The other figure in the assortment was the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man, and these are showing up at the likes of Suncoast and Sam Goody. Action figures of these characters, Gozer, and the two demon dogs are coming later this year from the same company.

--AP

The Official MST3K Info Club has an amusing story regarding a colorized Three Stooges DVD. While colorizing things is a sin and must be punished, there is a notable blurb that is good news. "What makes this DVD notable is that the shorts will be introduced by The Film Crew--aka Mike Nelson (Moe), Kevin Murphy (Larry) and Bill Corbett (Curly). No release date has been announced."

--AP

Today at Galactic Hunter a review is available for one of the best known obscure Rebels, General Dodonna. As far as obscure characters go, he was one of the lucky few to have two outfits and several speaking parts, but for reasons unknown he vanished for the sequels and, as of yet, prequels. While he's basically an old white guy in a long coat, you can read lots more about him and see pictures in today's review!

--AP

Last night, Hasbro added some new jets to its Universe roster, and posted a new and very vague Q&A.

And over at TFW2005, a number of retooled and repainted Beast Wars items are being revealed alongside what appear to be miniature versions of Optimus Prime (Masterpiece Edition) and Starscream (new sculpt), but at this time no additional information is available. This new line, apparently called Robot Masters, looks like it will include super-wonderful toys for about $20. It seems that Robot Masters answers the question "What if TransFormers Universe was done really really well?"

There's a Beast Wars Convoy that seems to have been dolled up to look like the TV show version, and as an added bonus, there's a Megatron that seems to have been updated as well. The other figures are repaints and remolds of characters that might not interest you in the slightest, but these four larger toys look to be quite interesting. If these new molds for Optimus Prime and Starscream from their classic editions turn out well, this could be a whole new and significantly better turn of events for fans of the original TransFormers. What next, perhaps a Cyclonus?

--AP

An update at He-Man.org has revealed three new additions to NECA's line of Microbusts. The newest additions to the Masters of the Universe lineup will include He-Man, Beast Man, and Orko.

--AP

Japanese magazine Dengeki Hobby released a photo spread (hosted at TransFandom) featuring a prototype of the new Robot Masters G1 Convoy (aka Optimus Prime) hsowing its articulation, and shows the mini Superlink Grand Convoy model kit. There's also a shot of Robot Masters artwork, more Smallest TransFormers graphics, and another DVD Mini-Con..

Also, retailler Action HQ posted a number of pictures from the line, including a group shot showing the relative size of some of the toys. Looks like Optimus might be comparable to an American $10 toy if not a little larger. The site also showed some packaged images, which seem to be pretty ornate and reveals these to be packaged in robot mode. (This is fairly unusual as most toys, save for the likes of Beast Wars Metals Ravage, were in their beast or vehicle modes or in non-window boxes.)

If we didn't make it perfectly clear yesterday, we'd like to gush some more about those new Robot Masters toys. Well, at least four of them really rock.

--AP

A number of role-play wands, large figures, mini figures, and action figures are hitting Target Stores as well as elsewhere. The sculpts do not seem much improved from previous efforts, but hey, it's something new. It seems the bulk of the toys don't have any movie title on them, but merely read "Harry Potter." It seems Mattel is moving away from text on their packaging which makes it look more and more like a bootleg.

--AP

A series of miniature $9.99 playsets from Hasbro are hitting Toys "R" Us stores in preparation for Shrek 2. So far, two are available, and to avoid spoilers, you'll have to go see them for yourself.

--AP

And now we know that the Big Convoy toy we've been seeing is actually Nemesis Prime. You can see the full gallery at TFClub.

Also spotted today at local Wal-Marts are the following figures.

Demolishor is, as far as we can tell, the first sighting of the toy in the United States. The toy was changed from the releases that showed up in Hong Kong as the giant Decepticon logo on the truck bed is now entirely purple instead of purple with silver at the bottom of the "face." The toy itself is quite slick and stable standing up, which is a plus. Demolishor comes with the normal trading card with the character's stats and not the card with the biography that has been appearing with Megatron and other Deluxe figures.

Arcee is a nicely jointed, well-painted, nifty motorcycle of goodness. Insecticon is chunky but sturdy. All were worth snagging. The basics, we should note, were on sale at Wal-Mart for $1 off.

With these releases and other recent leaks and announcements, our semi-official Energon Checklist has been updated for your enjoyment and/or mirth.

--AP

Several Learning Express stores in Phoenix received their cases of the 2004 Easter Eggs late, including the likes of the Pirate with Monkey for a hair under $5. Get while the getting is good.

--AP

This week at 16bit.com, we'll be reviewing the new Demolishor (previewed above) as well as the new Shrek 2 Dragon with Dronkey. On Monday, we'll be posting another DVD review-- TransFormers Season 3 part 1.

After Monday's Q&A, Galactic Hunter will receive reviews of the Ewok with Glider as well as Rappertunie, so stay tuned for those.

--AP

Galactic Hunter has posted their weekly Q&A column by yours truly and, as always, I'm eagerly looking for new questions. So, feel free to send any in.

This week's highlights include the custom merchandise once offered by Star Wars.com, stormtrooper differences, and why you'll never see Freeze Frame Weequay in a store again.

--AP

It a piece of good news/bad news, we spotted a Mirage at a Phoenix area Wal-Mart last night. We took shots of it boxed, and after opening it, we realized our sample was molded missing the eyes. There's just a giant hole in its head. We assume this is an isolated thing, but we're depressed all the same as we were so proud of having found all the new Energon toys. (If your sample is like this too, let us know.)

The good news is that the toy is pretty slick and is a $19.99-ish price point, smaller than we previously thought. It looks a lot like Cyclonus from the original series, which, coincidentally, is the subject of today's review below. The robot has a ton of articulation, and really looks fantastic even though he's got two giant boat pieces hanging off of his backside. It's like TransMetals 2 Cybershark and Robots in Disguise Sky-Bite, except a wee bit neater.

--AP

Since we're on a TransFormers kick, today we look at TransFormers Season 3 Part 1, which has 16 episodes of toy commercial goodness. There's a crazy leader who shoots his men in the face, a boring leader on the side of good, a birthday party, and yes, robot psychiatrists. The characters are often given more to do in these few episodes than in the first seasons of the show, so be sure to read all about it in today's review!

--AP

The season finale of Arrested Development aired on FOX last night, and featured cameos by Kevin McDonald of Kids in the Hall and a few cast members from Mr. Show. This episode was great, as usual, and as of yet it is unknown if it will also be the series finale.

--AP

Today we're looking at the the reformatted Demolishor, a new Energon dump truck. He's green, not so lean, but definitely mean. Obviously, a toy like this skews young, but fans of robots in disguise should get a kick out of this bulky, nifty construction vehicle. You can see more in today's review!

We also found a replacement Mirage today, and we must say it's excellent when it has its full head. Pick one up if you have the means.

--AP

It seems that the Konami Arcade Classics collection for GameBoy Advance has been given a facelift. Once an orange box with text, now character art and a revised logo have been added to give it a little zing. Both boxes can be found at most Wal-Marts for around ten bucks, and the orange box version is available all over for $15 or so.

Also, GameForms added plot information and more official screenshots from Metroid Prime 2: Echoes There are also screenshots in the newest edition of Nintendo Power, and ours came in the mail today.

--AP

The entire rundown of all 28 episodes has been posted to TVShowsOnDVD.Com. Each disc boasts seven episodes, which isn't at all bad.

--AP

Check your local or online storefronts today for the newly released Kids in the Hall Season One box set. The Canadian sketch troupe's first box will be the test for additional season box sets, and it's available cheaply. According to Best Buy's Web site, it should be around $36.

--AP

Don't forget to check out Homestar Runner, as a new Strong Bad email has been added.

--AP

Today at Galactic Hunter we look at an alien spawned of the Return of the Jedi Special Edition, Rappertunie. This fairly large frog-like critter has no pants, but does have a base, an instrument, and quite a bit of articulation considering that he really doesn't need any to serve his purpose. He looks great, has a great paint job, and should delight alien fans everywhere, but you can just read today's review for more images and commentary.

--AP

The Value Pack of small G.I. Joe toys at Target which includes three figures, a vehicle, and a comic book is now marked down 30% off, to roughly $6.98. The set isn't a bad one for what you get, so toy fans might want to snag one before they dry up.

--AP

Over at eBay, you can see an auction for a repaint of Armada Jetfire, but in the colors of the original American Astrotrain toy.

Also, a repaint of the just-released Mirage toy has surfaced here through the work of the 2005 boards.

Lastly, the new issue of the comic Generation One Volume Three is due out today, so be sure to check your local comic shops for that.

--AP

Don't forget to check out updates at The Onion update, which features some great new interviews and movie reviews.

--AP

One of the neater fairy tale creatures in the first Shrek was a great purple beast of legend, and this set of Dragon with Dronkey, both delights and disturbs this toy critic. She's big and purple, breathes fire, and flaps her wings and is a whopping 14 inches long. Her companion is an odd result of interspecies dating and smells like something is burning, as is the intent-- his package boasts "I Stink!" We would like to be sure that you realize that this packaging, in this case, is most accurate. You can see more in today's review!

--AP

Looks like people are getting on the preorder bandwagon for these new toys, which is especially interesting as it seems people aren't completely sure if they're coming to the USA yet, and prices are varying from store to store. Robot Masters, for the record, is the line that incorporates new and old characters along with new molds of old characters like Starscream.

Right now, we're seeing preorders at Big Bad Toy Store and Action-HQ. It's assumed that many of these will make their way to the States, but as of yet, we don't know. As such, preorder at will.

--AP

Mezco Toyz added a new forums area today and unveiled their San Diego exclusive Hellboy toys for Comic Con International this summer. One of the figures is a rotocast Hellboy, and we can't tell if these are based on the comics, or if the movie figures are just taking on a lot more in the way of comic-like proportions.

--AP

Today at Galactic Hunter we look at one of the more maligned races from Return of the Jedi with the latest Ultra figure, Ewok with Attack Glider. While a partial retool of 2001's Teebo, he has a new head and has enough new bits that you probably won't know or care that he's partially recycled material. He looks great and even a little mean, and you can find out more in today's review.

--AP

An interview at TheOneRing.Net pretty much says it all. There's a three-piece set of theatrical DVDs coming in a special slipcase, and news on the upcoming Extended Edition of Return of the King as well as news on the rumored (with signs at Toy Fair) mega Trilogy Box set.

--AP

We recently were forwarded a PDF of Hasbro's 2004 catalog, which has numerous previously unseen G.I. Joe and Zoids toys. This is especially notable as Hasbro has officially said that the line will be rested in 2004, which means there's a good chance that a lot of these toys will never come out. Some new figures and some 80's kits in new colors were shown, and we plan to have the lowdown-- with pictures-- for you in just a few days. There's even a large electronic Gojulas Giga action figure in there, so be sure to stay tuned.

--AP

According to information from German He-Fan sites by way of He-Man.org, it appears that the final figures are appearing on sell sheets in Germany. While this is no guarantee that the final versions of Orko, Stratos, and He-Man will be produced, it's starting to look like a strong possibility.

--AP

The fine folks at TFW2005.com have translated a Japanese page with information and images on the Convinience Store edition of Japan's World's Smallest TransFormers line, complete with new Rodimus toy. Check it out, after all, it has pictures.

Also, Hasbro announced Swerve with Roadhauler from TransFormers Universe, which are repainted Armada toys Blurr with Incinerator.

Lastly, we spotted the newest set of TransFormers Tiny Tins last night. There are three Mini-Cons individually packaged that together form the original version of the Skyboom Shield, and sell for $3.99 each. The logos on the package read "TransFormers Universe, Robots in Disguise" but make no mention of Armada. Given the price and the fact there's nothing new here than the tins, we opted to pass.

--AP

Because it's important to us, it's important to you. Several outlets today are reporting that Tom Waits has gone into the studio to record his next album, "Real Gone". The real kicker is who will be on the album with him-- two Primus alums, Les Claypool and Brian Mantia. You can read more about it here and a number of other places.

--AP