Pankapu: the Dream Keeper

Pankapu: the Dream Keeper is a Kickstarter 2D game that was successfully funded December 11, 2015 last Friday. It is a 2D episodic action/platformer that shares some similarities to
 Ori and the Blind Forest.

The game's developer, Too Kind Studios, stated that their goal for Pankapu is to go back to the roots of old school, simple and fun Action/Platformer games with a mixture of humor, imagination and strong story. With the stretch goals that were reached, this game will be released in Q1 2016 on Steam, PC, Xbox One and PS4.

To help his child fall asleep, a father tells him the story of Pankapu, a tiny warrior created by Iketomi the God of dreams. His mission is to fight the hordes of Nightmares who’s trying to invade his world. During his quest, he will meet many characters, such as Chii, a magical spider who will become his friend and guide him all along this great adventure in Omnia. During this events, he will be also confronted by Gangreyn, a dark and viscous opponent who will challenge him to go see Yne’Ska, the Mother of Nightmares. Then, the tiny hero will decide to not just save his world but also to go in the center of the nightmares land, to restrain the problem at its source. At the end of his quest, Pankapu will discover the truth behind this invasion, understand the mystery of the nightmares’ origins and the fact, that maybe, they are not as bad as they look.

Official website - http://www.tookindstudio.com/en/
Kickstarter page - https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/tookindstudio/pankapu-the-dreamkeeper/description

The red hero, Pankapu, with two Aegis at his disposal, the green Ardour and the blue Faith.

Each three playable Aegis has a different moveset apart from Pankapu's, but only the green Ardour Aegis was available in the Demo. The Ardour Aegis is an archer who can shoot to kill enemies from a safe distance and can use his fast movements to dodge and avoid enemy attacks. The blue Faith Aegis is said to be the Support & Healer of the three.

I have also tried out the alpha version demo of Pankapu that you can view below here. A few spelling errors here and there, but it is a game originally in French, but will also be localized in English. Overall, I adore the visual graphics and can't wait to see the full story coming soon. Being one of the many backers for the Kickstarter, notably the Knight of Nightmares rewards tier, I will receive the full game as soon as it is released.

Official Yooka-Laylee Comic

Golden Bell's The Sunday Comics was happy to announce that they're doing an official Yooka-Laylee comic. The company has talked with Playtonic Games on the idea since July 2015. After some talk between Playtonic's Gavin Price and Andy Robinson with Golden Bell, they came to an agreement on some strips and one offs with an overall direction, Golden Bell started creating the content. They already have the first 18 comics underway and they'll be released in The Sunday Comics.

The comics will be written by Marc Goldner, Rob Gross & Rachel Korsen, with the art done by Rachel Korsen. You can currently get your comic subscriptions at the active Kickstarter for The Sunday Comics. The company has also been thinking about doing a special Yooka-Laylee reward tier for fans who want exclusive First Look Access to all the Yooka-Laylee work they're doing.

Skylanders Toys R Us Collector Packs

At Toys R Us stores worldwide, there are blue collector packs for fans of the hit-video game, Skylanders. These packs serve as blind bags, meaning you can't see what is inside these packs unless you buy and open them. Inside each of these collector packs is an original Skylanders micro comic, a sticker, a Battlecast card (two out of four that you get if you purchase the Starter Pack of Skylanders: SuperChargers), and a small poster of a SuperCharger.

A Skylanders Collector Pack, exclusive at Toys R Us stores

Here is a video of my showcases the contents of the Collector Packs. 

New Yooka-Laylee NPC character - Rextro SixtyFourus

Playtonic Games and IGN have both released the existence of a new NPC for the upcoming 2016 game, Yooka-Laylee: Rextro SixtyFourus.

This pixelated dinosaur is the guardian of the arcade machines in each world that can be unlocked. Each world hides at least one secret arcade game encasing old-school gaming goodness, and completing its retro challenge will enable you to claim another Pagie.

Skylanders TV series Announced

Activision Blizzard has launched a new studio called Activision Blizzard Studios, a new film and television studio devoted to creating original content based on the company's extensive library of iconic and globally-recognized intellectual properties. And Skylanders will be having its own tv series!

"Activision Blizzard Studios' first production will be "Skylanders™ Academy," an animated TV series based on the award-winning Skylanders® game. Currently in production under the supervision of showrunner Eric Rogers ("Futurama"), "Skylanders™ Academy" will feature the voices of Justin Long ("Alvin and the Chipmunks," "Ask Me Anything") as Spyro, Ashley Tisdale ("Phineas and Ferb," "High School Musical") as Stealth Elf, Jonathan Banks ("Breaking Bad," "Better Call Saul") as Eruptor and Norm Macdonald ("Saturday Night Live") as Glumshanks. Additional voice talent includes Harland Williams and Richard Horvitz. The award-winning, $3 billion Skylanders® franchise has sold through more than 250 million toys since pioneering the toys-to-life category in 2011(1)."

Skylanders SuperChargers Sequels in Comic Form

IDW Publishing comics on the Skylanders franchise are renewed as sequels to the new video game, Skylanders: SuperChargers. Part 1 of the first story arc will start this Wednesday (10/28) with a three part story called Secret Agent Secrets about the retrieval of three of the new Eon's Elite: Voodood, Ghost Roaster, and Boomer.

Skylanders SuperChargers #1: Secret Agent Secrets Part 1
GET SUPERCHARGED! Join Spyro and all his Skylanders friends as they meet a new group of friends and embark on their most perilous journey to date!

Skylanders SuperChargers Issue #2: Secret Agent Secrets Part 2
REV UP YOUR ENGINES! The new season of Skylanders kicks into overdrive as Spyro and his newfound friends race to beat the clock!

Skylanders SuperChargers Issue #3: Secret Agent Secrets Part 3
First story arc concludes! With the world crashing around them, Spyro and the Superchargers team race to save Skylands from certain doom!

 

 

 

All Stretch Goals Met for Them's Fightin' Herds

The Them's Fightin' Herds indiegogo campaign has come to an end. Users who backed the project and supported it helped reached a little over $587K, which not only unlocks a seventh character, the mysterious Goat, but also new exclusive stages and story mode for her.

Them's Fightin' Herds is Successfully Crowdfunded!

 

Them's Fightin' Herds has been successfully crowdfunded within 3 day remaining time limit last night! But will more fans donate more money to the project to unlock more rewards lying in wait? We'll have to wait and see.

I myself donated about $55 for the unique in-game flair on my future character and lobby accessory pack, as well as receiving the closed beta version of the game, when it comes out, the digital copy of the full version of Them's Fightin' Herds, the soundtrack, digital gallery, including being added as a credit in the Book of Eldritch Lore.

The 'Thanks for your Support' tag on the Campaign page

The detailed additional Stretch Goals detailed for the Them's Fightin' Herds Indiegogo campaign

Them's Fightin' Herds Interest

Well, looks like I'll be contributing to this interesting fighting game.

This upcoming project was originally a My Little Pony fangame called "Fighting is Magic" that got shut down by Hasbro, but the development team didn't stop there and then. Instead they proceeded to make a spiritual successor of their old game, non-related to MLP with its own lore and original characters. It is also being assisted by Lauren Faust (producer and developer of M Little Pony: Friendship is Magic). I've taken an interest to this game by its lore, setting, and the characters which share similar personalities to the six main characters in Friendship is Magic. This game will be released in 2017.

Indiegogo page - 
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/them-s-fightin-herds/x/12369452#/

Steam Greenlit Page -
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=523129840

Early Velvet character concept

"Once the call for the Key Keeper went out to The Tundra, absolutely ALL of the reindeer in the nation entered Rein’s competition to win the honor, for all the Deerfolk of Rein thought highly enough of themselves to take the prize. But it was a young doe named VELVET who ultimately prevailed. Delicate and lithe, she is by no means the strongest, but she is by far the fastest and most agile of the Ice Sprites’ pets, and she demonstrates a talent for conjuring and controlling snow and ice that no other deer could hold a candle to.

Almost as if to flaunt her superiority to jealous competitors, Velvet’s fighting style is not only formidable, it is a vision to behold! Her technique could easily be mistaken for dancing, and she takes down her opponents with the utmost ease and grace. One would say she was simply PERFECT if being completely full of yourself was not considered a personality flaw— and she, for one, does not consider it so. Don’t get her wrong — it’s not completely “me, me, me” all the time with her. She does care about the fate of her world. She just knows it will take the best to save it, and that is undeniably HER."

Early Arizona character concept

"Arizona exemplifies what is best of Cattlekind. Honest, hardworking, honorable and brave, she cherishes the life she leads and believes that green grass, clear skies, and a life free of fences should be available to all of Fœnum. She’s immensely righteous, the kind of kid who fights off other kids’ bullies, who never tells a lie, who believes in always doing the right thing. In fact, she’s so idealistic she can seem a little naïve, and sometimes her good intentions get her into trouble simply because she isn’t always realistic about life.

It’s kind of hard to believe such a big heart sits inside such a small frame. She’s only a calf, but her determination and compact, muscular build packs a surprising wallop! As an opponent, her greatest strength is… well, her strength. Though her horns are only budding, they’ll throw a challenger across the field, her back hooves hit like a freight train and she’s so literally down to earth, she’s nearly impossible to knock down."

 

Early Tianhuo charater concept

"High above the clouds atop the highest of mountains lies the diminutive Empire of Huoshan (known to other Fœnecians as The Volcano), built over the gaping maw of an active, lava-spewing crater. The Empire’s subjects are Longmas, a very proud race who are half horse, half dragon. Every Longma is a member of the military, sworn not only to protect their beloved Empress (Daughter of Heaven, Empress of the Miniscule yet Mighty Realm of Magnanimous Magma, Lava, and Fire) and their honored volcanic home, but all of Fœnum itself.

It took the Empress not even a moment to make her choice for Key Keeper. Her name is Tianhuo, and amongst her people, she is undoubtedly the greatest the noble half-breeds have to offer. As Captain of the Imperial Guard, Tianhuo is the frontline defender of her Royal Highness!"

Early Pom character concept

"Sheepkin, the citizens of the small city-state of The Meadow, are a democratic society, following the will of the masses, the herd, if you will. Problem is, all of the Sheep will vote for the very first suggestion any Sheep happens to make.

When they heard the call for a Key Keeper, they immediately held an election to decide if they should decide who to send. Amidst all the bleating, one small voice squeaked out an opinion. “Of course we should.” The Sheep were stunned silent. Someone who speaks their mind? Someone with their own opinion? How bold! How brave! She must be… THE BRAVEST OF THEM ALL! So a vote was called for and the decision was unanimous. The squeaky lamb, Pom, found herself charged with finding the key with only a small pack of Sheep Dog puppies to accompany her.

Instead of roaming Fœnum competing for the key, she is doing everything she can to avoid it, but she keeps running into the other Key Seekers. And to make things worse, her puppies’ protective instincts make them formidable fighters. She keeps winning the key! So the other Key Seekers keep tracking her down, picking fights! She’s desperate to find the strength to escape her predicament – but what she doesn’t know is that the one little lamb who had the strength to speak her mind just might have the strength to save the world."

Early Paprika character concept

"For decades it was believed that the reclusive Alpake Clan of The High Plains knew nothing about the world beyond the remote Huacaya Mountains. That is until they learned the Alpake had received news of the situation. Suddenly the whole lot of them just showed up in the capitol of High Plains, pushing —no, SHOVING— their champion forward with uncharacteristic fervor and enthusiasm before running away, singing with glee.

Her name is Paprika and she has a lot of love to give. A LOT. If only she could find somebody to give it to. Somebody. Anybody. She’s not picky. All you need to do is have a heartbeat and she will devote her heart, her life, her very SOUL to your mere existence. And should she have her heart set on you, whatever you do, don’t run. It seems that her neediness and desperation infuses her with some kind of super strength that makes her extremely dangerous!  Her hugs are crushing, her declarations of adoration will burst your eardrums. She will leap passionately into your arms – and knock you through a brick wall. Once she decides you are the love of her life, there is no escape. You are doomed. Whenever Paprika the Alpaca is in the mix, love can KILL."

Early Oleander character concept

"When the call for a Key Keeper finally reached the unreachable ears of the Unicorns deep in the shady forests of The Woodland, it was ignored. The reclusive and reverent Order of the Horn does not participate in violence of any kind. They believe that Light Magic will ultimately prevail, though they did  not presume to know how.

This was not good enough for one Unicorn — and this surprised no one. Oleander has been long known as the Order of the Horn’s resident rebel. Frustrated with the closed mindedness of her people’s philosophies, she longed for progress and new ideas, and she found these in a book. A book of DARK MAGIC. She believes, that harnessed for the right reasons, dark magic is just as good as light magic. But the use of the book and its spells has marked her. Unlike the rest of her clan, her white coat has turned dark and now they turn deaf ears whenever she tries to speak her mind. It’s no matter. She does not need their permission to save Fœnum. And when she does, she’ll prove that darkness is as good as light."

Raw Gameplay Video

Malefor Skystone in SuperChargers

Skylanders Malefor appears as a Skystone in Skylanders: SuperChargers.

David Rodriguez had hinted in the Q&A interview on Malefor that we may see the evil dragon sooner than we've expected.

Q: We know Skylands is endless but there are countless small and big islands so it's almost impossible Malefor didn't get crushed on one of them. Since it would be pretty easy for him to get rid of the Yacht once on land, is there any chance we'll see more of him in the future...?
A: Whew! So glad that I didn't have to go 0-3 with you. Hopefully this last answer makes up for the first two. You will definitely get to see more of Malefor in the future! In fact, I have a feeling that guy is going to pop up sooner than you'd expect.

My SuperChargers Blind Playthrough

After receiving my review copy of Skylanders: SuperChargers, I have started my blind playthrough on the game. You can see my videos in the link below. The playlist will gradually be added as more parts to the playthrough is added as oon as I finished converting the videos.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwM3fQuxj6vtkAuMvldCMQ1zE14zPYano

Ready to be SuperCharged?

Skylanders: SuperChargers will be released tomorrow.

You can expect a playthrough from me on the game when I get it in the mail. Due to some.... questionable shipping schedule on Activision's part, there's a high chance I'll receive my SuperChagers shipment tomorrow on launch day and start my playthrough then.

Starter Pack of Skylanders: SuperChargers

Donkey Kong and Bowser to Appear in Upcoming Skylanders IDW Comic

Skylanders-Amiibos, Turbo Charge Donkey Kong and Hammer Slam Bowser, will appear in an upcoming Skylanders IDW comic that will feature their story on how they came to assist the Skylanders in Skylanders: SuperChargers.

The comic itself is currently exclusive at GameStop, available for free for those who preordered the Wii, Wii U or 3DS Starter Pack of SuperChargers. The comic will very likely be available separately in 2016.

http://www.gamestop.com/wii-u/games/skylanders-superchargers-starter-pack/122213#bonusFeatures

Front cover of Skylanders SuperChargers "Unexpected Allies" comic 

Full comic cover of the special Skylanders IDW comic issue: Unexpected Allies

Skylanders SuperChargers Racing Trailer

Toys R Us has recently updated their Skylander stands with the upcoming Skylanders: SuperChargersRacing for the 3DS and Wii.

Fans can augment their SuperCharger experience with a complementary, dedicated racing combat game -- Skylanders SuperChargers Racing -- for the Wii™ system and Nintendo 3DS™ hand-held system. All-new tracks, augmented with power-ups, boosts, hazards and more, offer up to 50 different and exciting gameplay experiences. On Nintendo 3DS, gamers can go head-to-head with competitive multiplayer via local play or online with up to four players. Iconic Nintendo character Bowser™ and his Sky vehicle, Clown Cruiser are available in the Skylanders SuperChargers Racing Starter Packs for Wii and Nintendo 3DS and can also be played on the Wii U™ system. The Supercharged character not only works in Skylanders SuperChargers Racing, but also as amiibo in compatible Nintendo games, so players can store their saved data in both modes with a simple twist of the figure's base.

Skylanders Malefor Q/A Interview with IDW Comic Writer - David Rodriguez

(Reposting from - http://skylanders-malefor.deviantart.com/journal/Skylanders-Malefor-QA-Complete-558279217)

I recently reached out to David Rodriguez, one of the writers of the IDW Skylanders comics, and asked if he could do a Q&A interview regarding Skylanders Malefor who had previously debuted in the comics back in early 2015. He was allowed to do the Q&A, and me and a couple of fans from the Skylanders Malefor DeviantArt Group asked him several fan questions about Skylanders Malefor and his Return of the Dragon King comic debut.

Standard comic cover of Skylanders Issue #8: Return of the Dragon King Part 2 by Fico Ossio

Below is the following message by David Rodriguez answering the given questions provided by Skylanders fans of Malefor:

Hello Everyone! My name is David A. Rodriguez and I am a Design Specialist at Vicarious Visions, the Activision studio responsible for bringing you Skylanders: Superchargers! I am also the Narrative Lead for the project. That means I work with multiple teams on the project to construct the story, cinematics and mission dialogue for the entire game. In addition to that responsibility, I co-write the Skylanders comic series for IDW with famed comic writer, Ron Marz. And yes, all of those comics are indeed in-canon!

But today I'm going to do my best to answer as many of your questions about Malefor and the Return of the Dragon King story arc as possible. I'd also like to thank Alison and all of you for inviting me to participate in this Q/A.

All right, enough preamble. Let's get to your questions!

jjman65
1. The description for the graphic novel said that Malefor was a purple dragon like Spyro but, it was never mentioned during the story arc. Is there a reason for that?
There was no specific reason it wasn't mentioned. Spyro and Malefor's Skylander history is intact. But with SO much going on in the RoTD story arc, we thought it best to keep the main arc of Malefor's return and revenge streamlined and even then we could barely fit it in the book! The main reason it was mentioned on the graphic novel description at all was so that fans would know that we were officially bringing Malefor into the Skylanders universe.

2. Were there any ideas that didn't get into the story arc or ones that Activision said no to?

Activision was totally behind the Malefor story arc and were very excited that we were fleshing out what started in those three bios in the very first Skylanders game. We were pretty much given free reign to resurrect the character and make him as awesome as possible. And you know, destructive. Exceedingly destructive.

3. Will we see more of Calliope in the future since she's an ally of the Skylanders now?

I hope so. Not only do I like her as a character but, as some of you know, she's very important to me personally.

Drek95
1. Is Count Moneybone somehow related to Malefor? His new armor's style really reminds me of the Underworld's Ruler and they are both Undead related so he might have helped with the King's return.

Well, on one hand you have a Count who calls himself Lord of the Underworld and on the other you have an Undead Dragon King. So they may have some indirect relation that has yet to be revealed. But if I had to venture a guess, I'd say they wouldn't get along too terribly well. They have sharing issues.

2. Did Skylands' Spyro meet Malefor before...? Eon seemed to hint at that but it might have simply been a reference to the Legend's series.

Ah, Drek, I feel bad having to duck another specific answer for you, but this is one that I'll have to leave you guys wondering about for now. What we do know, however, is that Spyro's memories before arriving in Skylands ARE somewhat fractured. So, many things are possible.  

3. We know Skylands is endless but there are countless small and big islands so it's almost impossible Malefor didn't get crushed on one of them. Since it would be pretty easy for him to get rid of the Yacht once on land, is there any chance we'll see more of him in the future...?

David: Whew! So glad that I didn't have to go 0-3 with you. Hopefully this last answer makes up for the first two. You will definitely get to see more of Malefor in the future! In fact, I have a feeling that guy is going to pop up sooner than you'd expect.

Sponge Dragon
What will become of Malefor now that he's defeated?

Well, he's going to do what super-villains do, Sponge Dragon. He's going to lick his wounds, make a list of everyone who he thinks did him wrong and then he's going to come up with a new plan to make them all suffer. Because he's a bad, bad dude with nothing else to do but sit around and think up evil stuff to do to people.

MarielKeybash96
Why does Malefor wear armor?

To hold his battered body together. The destructive magic that Hex unleashed in their battle did an incredible amount of damage to Malefor. The armor that he wears stores magical energy which makes him even stronger than he used to be. However it is also necessary for him to wear it to even leave the Underworld. And you know, it looks REALLY cool.

Concept art of Malefor in the IDW Skylanders comic series drawn by Fico Ossio

LostSunburn
During the fight with Malefor in the arc, Malefor states that he and Spyro fought before. However, after Malefor's defeat, Spyro says he doesn't remember anything. Is this an intentional detail we may see in the future, or some sort of plothole?

Plothole? There's no such things as plotholes in Skylands. Right? Who's with me?! Ahem. Totally intentional. One that I hope to have the chance to explore in the future. Plothole...pffft. Someone get me a strategy guide.

LunyaTheDragon
1. What is exactly the continuity with the interactions with Malefor? No need for specifics - but did Cynder get defeated first, then Hex beat Malefor, or the other way around, or something else entirely?

So, the timeline, as I understand it, is as follows. Malefor's minions steal Cynder's egg and he raises her to be super evil. She is later defeated by Spyro and freed from Malefor's control. Then, some time later, Malefor sets his sights on Hex and is soundly defeated.

2. Flynn seemed pretty devastated on the way he had to give goodbye to the Dread-Yacht. Does he still hold some feelings towards Hex for destroying it, or is aircraft destruction common enough when dealing with villains that it's not too big of a deal?

I think Flynn understands the necessity of using the Dread-Yacht as a weapon in this instance. And it's been blown up, crashed and repaired so many times by now that Sharpfin must keep a pile of spare parts around just for Flynn. And you know, Flynn doesn't really manage to hold onto any one thought for any extended length of time that doesn't involve Mexican cuisine.

3. During the scene where Malefor attacks the Skylanders protected by the shield-wielding Skylanders, a shape of a skull can be seen among Malefor's flames. Is it a result of him absorbing powers from Hex, or are skull shapes a characteristic of his fire powers?

Good eye! That is indeed part of Hex's powers blending into Malefor's flames.

CrystalBlazier
1. Did you do research on Malefor from The Legend of Spyro series before you gave him a reimagined (and better fully developed) personality in Skylanders?

First of all, thank you for the awesome compliment. It was a huge responsibility to bring this character back and I'm happy that he's been so well received. I've played the original Spyro games, but it's been awhile so I had to dig into the history quite a bit. Luckily, one of the producers of the Skylanders series (Mike Graham) also worked on the Spyro games for years so he was a great resource in making sure I had a firm grasp on the history before creating the new fiction around his return.

2. What inspired you guys to finally bring Malefor into the spotlight at last?

It all started with the bios really. When I first started working on the franchise I read all the Skylander backgrounds and thought it was really interesting that Spyro, Cynder and Hex each had this common hook in their past. When the comic series kicked off, our editor (David Hedgecock) wanted to know if we had any ideas for the first 3-part comic story arc. It had to be something big and so I pitched him the Malefor idea and then our team at Activision got onboard and a short...8 or 9 months later...Kablam!! A super-villain is reborn. :)

3. What did Malefor think of Cynder when he raised her to be his devoted servant? I know that after she was freed and began fighting for good, Malefor must've felt some form of betrayal/resentment towards Cynder as she became one of the three Skylanders to have caused him more pain and frustration than anyone else.

Well, Malefor is no fan of Cynder, that's for sure. As you've said, she, Hex and Spyro have caused him more pain and frustration than anyone in Skylands. And Malefor isn't someone that handles defeat very well. As to whether he has feelings besides hate and resentment toward Cynder...well...that might be a story worth exploring at another time.

4. Why did Calliope turn to Malefor for help in search of her lost family instead of the Skylanders?

It was more of Malefor seeing someone with a need and taking advantage of the situation before she could turn to someone else. And when you're desperate you often make bad decisions. Like our poor, misguided fairy. ‪

5. I know Hex dealt major damage to Malefor in their first encounter, including being responsible for the complete loss of his wings, tail and possibly other parts to his body. Did the battle banish him to become an undead spirit that he had to be resurrected back to life through the powers of Skylanders?‬

He wasn't quite turned into a spirit, but he wasn't quite whole either. His battle with Hex nearly destroyed him and left him a weak shadow of his former self. It took him years to recover from that defeat and even then he still needed the powers of Cynder, Hex and Spryo to fuel his armor. 

5. I noticed that Malefor has a very arrogant personality that he almost constantly boasts about his superiority and how powerful he is. If his arrogance was present before his battle with Hex, what made him believe that he was an unstoppable dragon king?‬

Well, the thing about arrogance is that it doesn't really require solid, rational evidence to back it up. And just like any great hero, a great villain doesn't ever accept defeat. Malefor considers any failure a temporary setback. He has a goal to conquer and rule and anyone who stands in the way is merely a temporary obstacle. ‬ ‪

6. Why does Malefor want to rule Skylands as its king?‬

Malefor wants to be King of Skylands because he believes he is the only one fit to rule. If there is anyone above him, that would mean accepting that he is not the greatest and most powerful. Which goes back to his incredible level of arrogance.

Skylanders: Return of the Dragon King Comic Bundle Cover drawn by Fico Ossio

ShaloneSK
Why did Malefor crown himself the Undead Dragon King?

Probably because there weren't a lot of people lining up to do it for him. And because it sounds super-scary.

IgniteTheBlaze
1. Why did Malefor decide he was going to rule Skylands instead of destroy it, like his "The Legend of Spyro" self would've? Also to add on to that question, does Malefor still feel the need to "bring about the great cleansing" and destroy the world to bring about a new world's birth?

While they obviously share many things and have lots in common, Skylanders Malefor is his own character, with his own motivations and desires that are separate from his LoS counterpart. This Malefor has suffered defeat at the hands of the Skylanders one too many times for his liking and he won't be happy until he's crowned above all of them.

2. In the comic we only see Malefor use normal fire and purple fire, but is he still able to wield all the elements of Skylands since he is a magical purple dragon like Spyro?

Malefor's exact history and abilities haven't been fully disclosed yet, but I hope to get to that in the future!

3. Does Skylanders Malefor have any minions/followers? And if so, what kind?

He used to have a bunch of them. He's kind of short on them on now though. And he just lost Calliope. Maybe he should get a subscription to Minions Monthly like Kaos!

HeyItsHotDog
Did Malefor originate from Skylands or is he from another world like Spyro?

Hey...wait one second...Spyro's from another world?! Where's that strategy guide I asked for 10 questions ago?

AtomicPhoton
If there was another Legend of Spyro character you could redesign for the comic, who would it be?

To my knowledge, we don't have any plans to revive any other LoS characters and bring them into Skylanders. But if I got to pick, I would totally like a crack at Hunter. :)

‪Matteomax‬
Were any other older Spyro characters considered for the story arc?‬

There were so many characters in Return of the Dragon King that it never occurred to us to try and bring more of them in. And like we talked about earlier, Malefor is really bad at sharing. Even screen time! ‪

Trix‬
How long has Malefor been hiding in the caverns recovering from his battle with Hex?‬

Since right after he got beat up. :)

Thank you very much, you've all been great!  

 In all seriousness, thank you for inviting me to play with you guys for a little while. And a sincere thank you to all of you for your continued support of the comic book series and the Return of the Dragon King storyline in particular. It has been a great honor to bring such an incredible villain back to life!  

Take care everyone and I hope to hear your thoughts on the upcoming game and a whole new year of Skylanders comics! - David Rodriguez

SuperChargers for iPod, iPad, iPhone Touch

Skylanders: SuperChargers will be out via select iPads, and for the first time ever, the iPhone and iPod touch on October 25th in North America.

The game offers fans a new cloud save feature which allows for portability between multiple Apple devices for a true on-the-go experience. Simply save your progress via cloud save and pick up your progress on separate devices as long as you're logged in under the same Game Center account. Now fans can seamlessly enjoy the same robust gameplay-driven adventure as its console counterpart wherever and whenever they want.

The Skylanders SuperChargers Starter Pack for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch will include everything necessary for fans with those devices to create the full Skylanders SuperChargers gameplay experience out of the box, including a Bluetooth portal, an embedded Bluetooth controller and a built-in stand. Upon download, players will get Instant Spit Fire and Instant Hot Streak for free with the download, while in-app purchases will unlock Instant versions of Dive-Clops, Dive Bomber, Super Shot Stealth Elf and Stealth Stinger.

The full Skylanders SuperChargers game experience, including online co-op and multiplayer racing, is playable on iPad Air, iPad Air 2, iPad mini 2, iPad mini 3, iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPod touch 6. Fans with iPhone 5/5C, iPad 3 and iPad 4 can enjoy the single-player Adventure Mode, local co-op and head-to-head racing in split screen.

Skylanders - Sun Dragon and Camo Thoughts/Gameplay

For those who don't know, there was a Skylander that was prototype figure of the Life Skylander, Camo, during the development of Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure. This Skylander's development name was Sun Dragon, a Life dragon Skylander.

During the early stages of Spyro's Adventure, an in-game model of Sun Dragon was already made, and his gameplay was quite similar to Camo's. Like Camo, Sun Dragon could fire sun energy spheres as his primary attack and release a string of plant firecrackers as his secondary moveset. Sun Dragon was first sighted in the cinematic of the Spyro's Adventure Beginning Trailer, notably seen fighting with Slam Bam and Gill Grunt on the right side. And he was seen again on the left side of the screen when the Skylanders were being blasted out of Skylands.

Toys for Bob eventually decided to scrap Sun Dragon altogether very late in the Spyro's Adventure development and instead created our lovable Camo, who became Sun Dragon's successor. Some of Camo's attacks are very much like Sun Dragon's and both even have the same element. But their designs are very different from one another.

Because of the character changes made late in development, Sun Dragon was left in the Beginning Trailer as a sort of easter egg while Camo himself was added in as a last minute cameo.

There have been few Skylanders, and perhaps many more, that were made during the development of Skylander games over the years. Some would become scrapped when the developers created an updated version of the heroes or felt that they were too out of place or were difficult to develop. Some scrapped Skylanders, like Krypt King and Chopper, were brought back after the developers discovered that they may fit in with the game's current gimmick or simply because they wanted to bring them back.

Skylandes: Giants concept art of Chopper as the Tech Giant, before he was scrapped and replaced by Bouncer. He would soon be brought in Skylanders: Trap Team, redesigned and placed as a normal core Skylander.

Concept art of Krypt King standing by Chop Chop. Krypt King was set to be the Undead Giant in Skylanders: Giants, but Eye-Brawl took the role and Krypt King would later appear in Skylanders: Trap Team as a reimagined Trap Master.

Will Sun Dragon be brought back as an upcoming Skylander in a future Skylanders game? With a new name, new design, element, or completely different moveset? Only time will tell, and it is up to the developers of Skylanders to decide.

As a bonus, here is a special prototype gameplay footage of the mysterious Sun Dragon Skylander before he became his successor, Camo.

Going to be voicing in Yooka-Laylee

As you may already know by the title, I am one of the kickstarter backers who will be voicing in Yooka-Laylee. Yep! I will be a voice actor in the Banjo-Kazooie successor. Isn't that great??

For those who haven't heard of Yooka-Laylee, it is an upcoming video game that was successfully funded in Kickstarter. It is being developed by former employees of Rare, a game company who was responsible for developing Banjo-Kazooie, Donkey Kong 64, and other notable games. Yooka-Laylee is set to be a spiritual successor to Banjo-Kazooie, with playable characters being Yooka the Chameleon and Laylee the Bat.

At first I funded about 70 dollars in euros for the Yooka-Laylee kickstarter and never actually thought about the Be in the Game backer reward. When I thought about changing my pledge, I hesitated since I didn't have the self-confidence about the voice acting challenge. Around that time, the Be in the Game backer reward was filled up, and I lost my chance.

Then the strangest thing happened. Last week, I was browsing the kickstarter page again to see how much money was funded since its first week of success, since it mostly updated by the hour a few weeks ago and is still growing. I scroll down to see how many slots were left on each reward, when I noticed that one last slot in the Be in the Game reward was open, like someone had changed their mind or decided to change their reward pledge.

I don't know if this was a sign, or a coincidence. But I know I wouldn't miss this chance again, so I took it. Not only will be one of the fan voice actors in Yooka-Laylee, I also help fund the game further. :D I don't know who will I voice yet, but I know it will be a wonderful experience.

Skylanders: Battlecast

Just today, Activision reveals a new Skylanders spin-off game, Skylanders: Battlecast. In Fall 2016, you can collect cards and use them to battle online players and navigate through single-player mode. You can purchase the cards at your retailer when the game is released.

"Built from the ground up to bring Skylanders to life on mobile devices, Skylanders Battlecast combines physical card play with mobile gaming in an all-new way," says Eric Hirshberg, CEO, Activision Publishing, Inc.  "This is our biggest investment, and one of our most magical ideas yet, for the Skylanders franchise on mobile."

For Skylanders Battlecast, players can purchase physical card packs at retail, as well as digital card packs in-game.  Players will experience a magic moment by scanning cards with their mobile devices and watching them come to life.  Additionally, fans can scan two character cards to create animated duels in which players can physically interact with the characters.

"We are bringing physical cards to life in an exciting new way. Activision has assembled a team of experts across video game design, physical card game design, pro card players and top card artists to develop an amazing new experience," says Josh Taub, senior vice president, product management, Activision Publishing. "With Skylanders Battlecast, fans can expect the amazing creativity, innovation and fun that Skylanders games are known for delivering."

Skylanders: SuperChargers Amazon Preorders

Amazon.com recently posted preorders of few of the Skylanders and their Vehicles for Skylanders: SuperChargers. Right now they are up for preorder for SuperChargers, Stormblade, Fiesta, Dive-Clops, Nightfall, Shark Shooter Terrafin, and the additions of High Volt and Smash Hit really has few fans hyped up.

Preorder Vehicles are the Sea Shadow, Crypt Crusher, Dive Bomber, Shark Tank and Sky Slicer are also up on Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B013HJ7ACQ/

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B013HJ7C4W/

SuperChargers Gamescom 2015 Overview

As Gamescom comes to an end, we gathered a whole bunch of information on Skylanders: SuperChargers.

The official confirmation of Online Play has got me further interested in seeing how SuperChargers will stand out between the previous Skylanders titles. Will it gain a higher game rating upon release, or will it outshine the other titles instead? Fans appear to be immediately drawn in, as the highly-requested online play was finally added into this installment.

As stated, not only are you able to do online co-op in Racing Mode, you can also play online co-op with your friends in Adventure Mode as well. Online competitve racing has up to four players with many different race tracks for you to experience. There will be power-ups and hidden routes for you to take advantage of during the race.

"Skylanders' all-new Racing Mode, playable in Land, Sea and Sky environments, features supercharged racing combat, layering in even more depth and excitement to the game's online multiplayer component.  The high-octane mode is further amplified with all-new time trials, which include three-lap races that take friendly competition up a notch as players battle for the best time score on the leaderboard.  All Skylanders SuperChargers Starter Packs will come loaded with six dynamic race tracks - two each for Land, Sea and Sky. With hidden routes, power-ups, and diverse locations, Racing Mode offers completely new ways to enjoy the game. Whether played in offline split-screen or online multiplayer, gamers can choose the best route to finish a race, trying to avoid attacks along the way as they navigate through dynamic environments. Voice-chat is available with friends for an added layer of excitement.

Skylanders fans told us they wanted to go head-to-head in online multiplayer with their friends and family, and we delivered. Skylanders SuperChargers enables gamers to race against friends all over the world and brings an exciting new expansion to the Skylanders gameplay experience," said John Coyne, senior vice president of consumer marketing, Activision Publishing, Inc.  "We continue to be firmly committed to driving Skylanders' spirit for providing originality, innovation, creativity and fun with each game."

Previously, fans were disappointed when there were no signs of villains being playable in SuperChargers after purchasing traps specifically to capture these characters back in Skylanders: Trap Team. But rejoice! Most of the villains will be making a return in SuperChargers and now also have their own vehicles to pilot.

Skylanders SuperChargers continues to rev its engine with the addition of Skylanders SuperChargers Racing Action Packs at launch and beyond. These optional expansion packs, one each for Land, Sea and Sky, unlock even more thrilling racing content for Portal Masters. Each pack comes loaded with three special toys, including a SuperCharger, its signature vehicle and a villain trophy. The villain trophy unlocks two new tracks and new modes, including SuperVillain Cup, Boss Pursuit and Mirror Cup. There are 12 boss villains across all three packs, with four in each pack, which players can defeat and play as. Fans can then store these boss villains on their villain trophy toy to play at a friend's house.

The following Villains confirmed so far -

• Chef Pepper Jack
• Golden Queen
• Count Moneybone
• Wolfgang
• Kaos
• Chill Bill
• Captain Frightbeard
• Threatpack
• Pain-Yatta
• Hood-Sickle
• Chompy Mage
• Dr Krankcase
• Bad Juju

Fans continue to speculate on which villain will appear. From Dreamcatcher, the Gulper, and other minor villains they like. The possibilities are endless. No doubt SuperChargers will be put to the test when it comes up against its fellow toys-to-life game rivals in the Fall.

Skylanders: Return of the Dragon King Comic Bundle

Skylanders: Return of the Dragon King is presumably the most anticipated comic arc in the Skylanders series so far. The reason why is because the story features the full debut of Malefor, the self-crowned Undead Dragon King in the Skylanders universe. 

Did you know? Malefor originally appeared in the Spyro series, notably The Legend of Spyro game trilogy as the true main antagonist. For him to finally appear in the Skylanders universe, reimagined along with Spyro, Cynder and Sparx, is what most fans, most Spyro and Skylanders fans, have been waiting for since he was first mentioned in the backstories of Cynder and Hex.

Skylanders Malefor was portrayed wonderfully, proving to be the most malevolent and powerful enemy the Skylanders (Spyro included) had ever faced. Though I was still curious about how he will be portrayed as being the first purple dragon in the Skylanders universe and reveal his connection to Spyro. Kudos to writers David A. Rodriguez and Ron Marz for developing Malefor's character and the story. It was well worth the wait. :D

And Fico-Ossio, IDW Publishing comic artist for Skylanders, did a magnificent job designing Malefor when researching The Legend of Spyro: Dawn of the Dragon. Very intimidating and awesome redesign, although his normal state was a little too similar to Malefor's Dawn of the Dragon design.

Overall, I would highly recommend this story arc for those who are die-hard Spyro and Skylanders fan WHO have an intense liking in seeing Malefor back in action in some form. I hope to see him again in a future Skylanders comic, or a Skylanders game. :)

Skylanders: SuperChargers at Gamescom

Skylanders: SuperChargers is taking Gamescom 2015 by storm. Not only has the appearance of the villains from Skylanders: Trap Team excited fans, the confirmation of online multiplayer has them cheering. Being one of the press individuals for Skylanders, I was given new gameplay footage of SuperChargers for Gamescom 2015. Just one more month, and the game is out~! :D

Opening

Welcome to the official game blog of yours truly, CrystalBlazier. :) I will be posting updates on the video games I play, plan on buying, or express interest in on this site. The blog is still a work in progress, but hopefully I will be able to finish it soon. If you are a fan of me, please feel free to follow me and watch for upcoming updates. Don't forget, if you want to check out my Youtube Channel, see it here.