Hey Everybody,

This is something I wanted to do for Christmas, but since I knew my friend and fellow gamer thewalkthruking would be getting Skylanders for his 3DS I decided to wait.  He was nice enough to let me use Ignitor and Dark Spyro for this video, so thanks!

That aside, two of the questions I'm asked most often revolve around what Skylanders I have and more importantly, what Skylanders are not out yet.

I have answered this several times, and it is on the blog, but I figured a video might be a more well received medium.  And with that in mind, I figured New Years was a perfect time to make it happen:



I started out stressing (once again) to play Chapter 20 and Chapter 21 immediately afterwards.  This is a known glitch and you do not want to have to start over if you can avoid it...Please spread the word so your friends don't have to make it that far and then find themselves starting the game in a new save file.

I know it takes time to say that and I've mentioned it every chance I get, but if we help one other person avoid the glitch I figure it is worth it...

So with that said on to the heart of the topic...

And yes I am aware the lighting was not ideal and this is long, but just like with the unboxings I'd rather have something a little bit longer that is comprehensive than something a minute or two shorter that leaves questions to be asked.

So what we basically did is stand the Skylanders across the master sheet and go thru a roll call.

Here is what you need to know:

Yet to be Released (as of 12/31/2011):
-Double Trouble (Magic Element)
-Slam Bam (Water Element, Empire of Ice Adventure Pack (Chapter 23)).
-Wham-Shell (Water Element)
-Sunburn (Fire Element, Dragon's Peak Adventure Pack (Chapter 26))
-Cynder (Undead Element)
-Warnado (Air Element)
-Lightning Rod (Air Element)
-Camo (Life Element)
-Zook (Life Element)

There is speculation on release dates and packaging ,but I don't want to go into anything until it is 100%.

Clearly we are waiting on 2 Adventure Packs:
-Empire of Ice, Chapter 23
-Dragon's Peak, Chapter 26

Here in the US there are 3 Exclusives:
-Drill Sergeant (Sam's Club/Walmart)
-Whirlwind (Target)
-Legendary Triple Pack featuring Spyro, Bash, and Chop Chop (Toys'R'Us)

All starter packs come with Spyro, Gill Grunt, and Trigger Happy except for the 3DS version, which comes with Dark Spyro, Ignitor, and Stealth Elf (which is currently the only way to get Dark Spyro and Ignitor).

That pretty well covers everything.  Skylanders is a great game and I know everyone seems to be enjoying it just as much as I am.  I feel like this will answer pretty much all the frequently asked questions and you get to see my personal collection, which was also a frequent request.

I am currently on Chapter 3 in my "new" save file and am working back towards Chapter 21 to complete the blind playthrough ( I still plan to play Ch. 21 and 22 blind (ie first time)).

I have also Tweeted with Activision about the glitch and while they have a very quick response time thru that medium, they have yet to provide a solution that works...at least for me.  I will continue to pester them from time-to-time in hopes that they might dig out a miracle cure, but I am pretty confident anyone in my position will basically have to resort to a new save file and resetting all your Skylanders progress to continue on into Chapter 21.

All that aside, I hope you enjoy the video despite the lighting and long length...

And of course, Happy New Years!

Well, several of you have seen in the comments on vids or heard me mention that someone stole the web codes to my Zap and Stealth Elf.

I had someone on YouTube offer me their web codes and I would like to thank them...

I won't mention your username so you don't get bombarded with people asking for web codes, but you know who you are and I wanted to take the time to recognize it.

If most people hear of that they'll say, "Oh, sweet!  I'm going to watch the other unboxings and see if I can find a web code and register it!"  To have someone do the polar opposite is very rare, and I felt deserved mention...

There are still some great people out there, who are very kind, and will put others ahead of themselves!  I really don't see it often, but when I do, I feel like it should be recognized, even though those people are the last who really want or seek the praise.

I am not going to take the web codes because I want you to have them...if they spruce things up the online portion of Spyro's Universe could become a big deal and then you'd need the codes, lol.

I did send the e-mail to activision and of course since you're supposed to hear back in 24 hours, I have not!  That is about par for things lately it seems...

Nonetheless, this type of thing needs to be recognized more often and given just as much attention as the negative stuff like someone stealing a web code or finding glitches etc.

So once again thank you!  I truly appreciate the offer and have no doubt you perform kind acts for others who are fortunate to have you in their lives!  Keep going about things in this manner and you will no doubt be destined for great things!

1ofWiisdom

Well, it is 6:15 AM and I am beat.  I have uploaded Chapter 24: Pirate Seas and Chapter 25: Darklight Crypt and included a nice description for both of them.

Part 63 will be a long time coming since I have to go back thru the game on a new save file to get to Chapter 21: The Arkeyan Armory.  I wanted to replay the game, just not under these circumstances.
In order to expedite this I won’t record this new save file…I will play through with the newer Skylanders and work towards getting them up to Level 10 and with good upgrades.  Don't worry though, I have everything planned out.

*I will try to upgrade the Skylanders in this “unexpected playthrough” in bulk groups…I will do this so I can record it easier and show everyone the different upgrades and upgrade paths that so many of you have requested.  

Basically what that means is I'll play thru a few levels, build up some cash with several Skylanders and then come in and record upgrades on 4-5 Skylanders.  I'll then archive the video, repeat it a few times, and then combine it all into a video to upload. 

I get a lot of requests for "upgrades" so this may not be a bad idea.  This is not how I planned or wanted to do it, and proably not the way most of you would like it to be done, but under the circumstances I guess it is best.
**Should any new Skylanders come out or Adventure Packs get released I will pick them up ASAP, upload the unboxing, and record the intros. I’m pretty sure that won’t happen before I’m back for Chapter 21, but you never know.

Thanks to everyone who has watched the playthrough and enjoyed it. Keep in mind this is my virgin run thru on the game (blind playthrough) so I was learning as I played. I will try to come back with Chapter 21 and 22 in the new save file and then go back and land everything I missed in Parts 1-62, which will also be slowed down by this glitch.

Again, I am sorry about not being able to make Chapter 21 happen overnight, but I’ll get there as quick as I can…All I can say is DO NOT BOMB THE HOLE WITH THE AIR STREAM UNTIL AFTER Chapter 21 (or maybe before Chapter 20)…best advice is to avoid it entirely till you have access to all the chapters.

You can come here to the blog to check the Twitter feed...I mainly play/record at night so keep that in mind...I'll do my best to tweet where I'm at in the new save file once or twice a play.
I wanted Pirate Seas and Darklight Crypt up to cover the down time and for everyone who has followed to enjoy.  Both are a lot of fun, but very distinct.  I think you will like them.

I appreciate all the nice comments and support. Good luck with your playthrough and enjoy beating Kaos for me!

Oh and don’t forget the blog polls…I’ll keep updating those as planned.

1ofWiisdom

Well, I don't know how many actually follow along on the blog, or read, but this is IMPORTANT!

IF YOU OWN SKYLANDERS: SPYRO'S ADVENTURE ON THE WII YOU COULD FACE THE WEAPON MASTER GLITCH.  THIS WILL KEEP YOU FROM ADVANCING AND MAKE YOU START OVER ON A NEW SAVE FILE TO PROGRESS.


THE WEAPON MASTER GLITCH HAPPENS WHEN YOU COMPLETE CHAPTER 20 AND DO NOT PROCEED STRAIGHT TO CHAPTER 21.


DO NOT TURN THE GAME OFF AFTER CH. 20, STOP TO UPGRADE, EXPLORE ETC.


**SIMPLY PROCEED STRAIGHT FROM CH. 20 TO CH. 21 AND YOU WILL BE FINE.**


I can not tell you how annoying it is to be so close to the end, only to find you have to start all the way over.  This can be devastating for little kids and just really tick off any older players.  When ever you plan to play Chapter 20: Quicksilver Vault, make sure that you have plenty of time to complete it and Chapter 21: Arkeyan Armory.

Unlike I had previously posted, and many thought, bombing the hole has no impact on the weapon master glitch...in fact, I'm going to delete that.  I was one of the first few to get the glitch and most who had run into it just also happened to have bombed the hole, but don't even worry about that...Just go straight from Ch. 20 to Ch. 21 and you'll be fine.

I hope this helps you out and keeps you from falling victim to this glitch, which is really a horrible oversight.
As many of you know, I have not been able to progress to Chapter 21 thanks to the Arkeyan Weapon Master going into eternal hibernation...not even Eon's repetitive droning can awaken him from his slumber.

Alright, yet another unboxing video...but the last for some time.  Until they release the new wave of Skylanders and/or adventure packs my collection is complete (aside from the 3DS version I plan to pick up soon (see also: Ignitor and Dark Spyro)).  Let's take a look:



This one is fairly long just because I try to go in-depth and answer as many potential questions as possible, hence my comparisons to the Legendary Bash and Legendary Chop Chop...it was only a matter of time before it was asked, so I saved time in the long run by providing the info in the vid! 
I also custom tailor this to my playthrough...This will no doubt tick off some casual viewers who wanted 5 minutes of tearing in to the pack, but hey...quality wins in my book and again, it will save time by providing insights for those of you actively following along on the playthrough.

With that said, let's get down to business.  This is a very solid pack in that you get three elements (Fire, Undead, and Earth) that were not included in the Starter Pack!  This is a great first set to add on as you'll just lack Life and Air to have one of each element.  The characters are all near the bottom stat wise, except for Chop Chop who comes in ranked inside our Top 10.  A big reason for that is his Defense/Armor which is out-of-the-box 100%!  We'll go ahead now and break it down:

Eruptor (Fire Element) "Born to Burn"
-Strength: 80
-Defense: 85
-Agility: 25
-Luck: 35

Chop Chop (Undead Element) "Slice and Dice"
-Strength: 65

-Defense: 100
-Agility: 60
-Luck: 20

Bash (Earth Element) "Rock and Roll"
-Strength: 85
-Defense: 90
-Agility: 30
-Luck: 20

Overall a great triple pack to buy.  I know the Skylanders rank towards the bottom, but they upgrade well and quite frankly I'm a fan of the underdog!  I will likely feature these heavily in my "replay" to pick up all the collections etc.

Yep, you read correctly.  This time around I want to know what your favorite Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure Element is (Air, Earth, Fire, Life, Magic, Tech, Undead, or Water).  The poll will close at 11:59 PM CST on 12/31/2011.  So basically I am running it for 10 days and hoping to generate enough feedback to progress from that point.

Since Skylanders is the current playthrough  and was the overwhelming winner of Wiisdom Blog Poll #2, I felt it was only right to take a step in this direction.

Once this one wraps up I will take the Elements in order of their votes and poll regarding what your favorite "insert element here" is...

So, say that the Air Element wins (it currently has 2 of 4 votes and I haven't even pushed the poll yet, lol..thanks to the early voters!) I will break the next poll down something like this:

-What is Your Favorite Air Skylander
-Lightning Rod
-Sonic Boom
-Warnado
-Whirlwind

And so on...I might run each element for a week, we will just see how it goes.

That said, what you need to do know is go vote for your favorite Skylanders Element and tell your friends to do the same.  As mentioned, I will then poll for favorite Skylanders based on the results from this poll.  Should that continue to do well and generate votes I will break it down into a showdown between the favorite Skylanders (Tournament Style if you will).

Anyway, thanks again to those of you who follow the blog and have already voted...hopefully you've spread the word to friends.  I will leave the last poll up for a few days before archiving it.

Thanks to everyone who voted in it and be sure to check back often for more content updates and polls!

Hope you are all ready for Christmas as well!

-1ofWiisdom

Well, our 2nd 1ofWiisdom poll closed yesterday and we had a very solid 50 votes.  Thanks to everyone who took part and picked what title they most wanted. 

Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure came away with the top spot and an impressive 72% of the vote.  Zelda fans delivered with a late surge pushing Skyward Sword over Mario Kart 7 for the second spot.  I was a bit surprised we didn't have more votes for Super Mario 3D Land, but Kirby: Return to Dreamland managed to edge SM3DL out with a 2:1 margin...a literal 2:1 margin, lol.

Before we look at the final results, let's take a look at the games in reverse order and offer up some analysis on why things might have turned out like they did.

Super Mario 3D Land: This was the earliest release of those listed and is on the 3DS, which is not as widespread as the Wii.  Plus, those with a 3DS likely already had this title.

Kirby: Return to Dreamland: I'm guessing this game just didn't have the followers from my audience.  I've got a little Mario material and some Skylanders stuff...nothing on Kirby just yet (hint, hint).  The fact the game mustered 2 votes is actually quite impressive given the circumstances.

Mario Kart 7: This is actually a solid vote given the fact it is a 3DS title..it held 2nd place solid until some Zelda fans rushed in at the last minute.  Since it was closer to an actual "Christmas release" I suspect that helped it out perform Super Mario 3D Land.

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword: I was torn between if this or a Mario title would get 2nd, and like I said the late surge from a likely vigilant Zelda fanatic propelled the game past MK7.  I also think the fact this is on Wii might have played in as the are an infinite number more Wii owners out there than 3DS owners at ths time.

Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure: The winner, what can we say.  We'll first let's start with the obvious...I am currently doing a playthrough on this game and unboxings on the characters and Adventure Packs so it has an obvious edge right off the bat.  What else might explain the staggering vote count for SSA?  This game is not only on the Wii, but also on the 3DS.  And to be honest, Activision is really pushing this with ads and shelf space.  I haven't seen a tv spot for the game, but I'm sure they are pushing it on "kid" channels. 

So there you have a little background on the games, votes, and some potential reasons as to why things turned out like they did.

Now, let's take a look at the votes in order of ranking:

1.  Skylanders 36 Votes (72%)
2.  The Legend of Zelda Skyward Sword 6 Votes (12%)
3.  Mario Kart 7 5 Votes (10%)
4.  Kirby Return to Dreamland 2 (4%)
5.  Super Mario 3D Land 1 (2%)

Thanks again to everyone who voted and check out Wiisdom Poll #3...

Well, I am closing in on the end of the game...story mode at least.

You basically have Chapter 21 and Chapter 22 as the "final."

Chapters 23-26 are reserved for the Adventure Packs. 
-Dragon's Peak
-Pirate Seas
-Empire of Ice
-Dark Light Crypt

Obviously, "Dragon's Peak" and "Empire of Iec" are not out yet (still not out yet for diehard Skylander fanatics).  I am debating between tackling Pirate Seas and Dark Light Crypt BEFORE Chapter 22, but I might just go ahead and execute them in order...that is take out Kaos in Chapter 22 and then proceed on to the adventure packs I have that are currently released.

I will try and pick up Dragon's Peak and Empire of Ice when they are released.

During the potential down time I plan to go back to all the Chapters and pick up whatever I might have missed (hat, legendary treasure, etc).  I will likely use newer characters or Skylanders I didn't play with much in pursuit of the goal of having all of them on Level 10.

All of this will be recorded...

I am not sure if it would be worth recording the Skylanders going thru each of the heroic challenges.  I obviously record Skylander A on Skylander A's Heroic Challenge, but it might be overkill to have 32+ Skylanders running around each doing 37...it would take a long time to record that playthrough.  I will likely pick my favorite Skylanders and have them progress through, then just kind of highlight their progress with a quick video.

I also want to mention that not all of the Skylanders are out yet (Lightning Rod, Warnado, Double Trouble, Slam Bam, Wham-Shell, Camo, Zook, Cynder, and Sunburn off the top of my head).  Interestingly, most of these are "high-ranking" Skylanders if you go by my "Skylanders Rankings" post.  Obviously I will have an interest in completing my set and getting more accolades in the game.

We were projected to get a huge snow storm today/tonight, but it didn't come to fruition...My plan was to finish the main story mode, edit, and upload it to YouTube.  Now, that will be pushed back a bit till I have free time to record again. 

Once I wrap up Chapters 21 & 22 I will edit and upload asap. 

Following that I will tackle Pirate Seas and Dark Light Crypt in that order.

Thanks for watching and commenting on all the vids...like I've said, I try to respond to questions and offer help when possible.  This is a blind playthrough for me so I am really just learning as I go.

As I've mentioned several times in comments, I will try and pick up "new" Skylanders as soon as I can...If and when that happens, I will have unboxing videos up ASAP, so be on the lookout for those.

And to answer the most asked question I get...I do not know when the new characters will be released.  Most of us speculated before Christmas, but it looks like that will be limited to Zap, Hex, Dino-Rang etc.

I have read online where some folks were guessing mid-January.  In all honesty, no one seems to know for sure.  I have spoken with 3 folks running Skylanders demos both during launch week and then the crews that were sent out with the portable set-ups and they are completely in the dark.

Check here, Twitter, and of course YouTube and I'll keep you in the know as best I can.

As for now, I'm going to try and get some sleep...

Drill Sergeant, a Tech Element Skylander, is a Walmart (Sam's Club) exclusive here in the United States and retails for $7.96 (enjoy those 3 pennies).  Let's take a look at Drill Sergeant and cover some basics:




Drill Sergeant Tech Element "Licensed to Drill"
-Strength: 80
-Defense: 80
-Agility: 60
-Luck: 30
Total: 250 (Tied for 8th in the Skylander Ranking System)

Drill Sergeant is a pretty cool looking Skylander and more importantly has great base stats...I can't wait to see how well he will upgrade.  He is Arkeyan (an advanced, ancient civilization) and was found in the Dirt Sea regions by a burrowing Terrafin.

As an exclusive he is a bit more difficult to find than your typical Skylander and it is nice to see that his stats are above average.  I had a very hard time tracking him down, but as cited earlier, if you find him at Walmart you will only pay $7.96, the same for any base Skylander.  If you get desperate you can go online, but try not to give more than $20 and that is only if you really want him.

I look forward to incorporating him into the mix and seeing what happens when you have all of the Skylanders from one Element.

Tech Skylanders are, as you may have guessed, all available!  Trigger Happy (all Starter Packs except for 3DS), Boomer, and Drobot comprise the trio joining Drill Sergeant.  Overall, this is an incredible group of Skylanders and might be my favorite (as of now).

If you've got any questions, feel free to ask.

Update 3/18/2012

I have finally gotten to compile the Skylanders "in game" stats, which are an accurate reflection of well, you know, the STATS.  I don't know what the point of the cards was when they don't correlate to the actual game, but hey, now you have the best of both worlds.  The stats by the cards are at the bottom of this post.

1. Stump Smash 1001
2. Dino-Rang 971
3. Legendary Bash 967
4. Slam Bam 963
5. Warnado 963
6. Bash 955
7. Camo 942
8. Drill Sergeant 933
9. Terrafin 931
10. Legendary Chop Chop 928
11. Wham-Shell 926
12. Chop Chop 912
13. Legendary Spyro 906
14. Lightning Rod 899
15. Drobot 895
16. Eruptor 891
17. Prism Break 891
18. Whirlwind 886
19. Sonic Boom 886
20. Spyro 886
21. Voodood 885
22. Stealth Elf 880
23. Dark Spyro 875
24. Ghost Roaster 875
25. Gill Grunt 859
26. Hex 859
27. Wrecking Ball 855
28. Sunburn 855
29. Zap 852
30. Ignitor 843
31. Flameslinger 842
32. Zook 841
33. Cynder 839
34. Double Trouble 831
35. Boomer 791
36. Legendary Trigger Happy 770
37. Trigger Happy 758

-This includes MAX HEROICS (Speed, Armor, Critical Hit, and  Elemental Power).  This DOES NOT include "Health" like the above rankings.  Ties are settled by Health+Power Ranks.

1. Dino-Rang 371
2. Legendary Trigger Happy 370
3. Ignitor 363
4. Trigger Happy 358
5. Drill Sergeant 353
6. Legendary Bash 347
7. Legendary Spyro 346
8. Whirlwind 346
9. Slam Bam 343
10. Warnado 343
11. Camo 342
12. Flameslinger 342
13. Stealth Elf 340
14. Bash 335
15. Zap 332
16. Double Trouble 331
17. Boomer 331
18. Legendary Chop Chop 328
19. Wham-Shell 326
20. Sonic Boom 326
21. Spyro 326
22. Stump Smash 321
23. Zook 321
24. Lightning Rod 319
25. Hex 319
26. Gill Grunt 319
27. Cynder 319
28. Drobot 315
29. Ghost Roaster 315
30. Dark Spyro 315
31. Wrecking Ball 315
32. Chop Chop 312
33. Terrafin 311
34. Prism Break 311
35. Eruptor  311
36. Voodood 305
37. Sunburn 295

Note that this is not done by preference, but by the stats listed on the trading cars and online at Spyro's Universe, the official Skylanders site.  Any ties are settled by alphabetic order...not perfect, but it works, lol.

1.  Cynder  260
2.  Spyro  260
3.  Stealth Elf  260
4.  Sunburn  260
5.  Camo  255
6.  Ignitor  255
7.  Warnado  255
8.  Dino-Rang  250
9.  Drill Sergeant  250
10.  Lightning Rod  250
11.  Wham-Shell  250
12.  Chop Chop  245
13.  Double Trouble  245
14.  Slam Bam  245
15.  Zook  245
16.  Boomer  235
17.  Flameslinger  235
18.  Sonic Boom  235
19.  Wrecking Ball  235
20.  Hex  230
21.  Whirlwind  230
22.  Zap  230
23.  Bash  225
24.  Eruptor  225
25.  Ghost Roaster  225
26.  Terrafin  225
27.  Drobot  220
28.  Gill Grunt  220
29.  Prism Break  220
30.  Stump Smash  220
31.  Trigger Happy  220
32.  Voodood  220

Let's take a look at the trading card statistics for each Skylander, we will go by element and then overall in another post.

As you can see there is no "table" feature in blogger, so the columns kind of slant a bit, but you get the idea, and more importantly can see the stats and totals for each character and element as a whole.  We will use this information to RANK the Skylanders by ELEMENT, ATTRIBUTE, and OVERALL in coming posts.

Air          Lightning Rod      Sonic Boom      Warnado      Whirlwind      Totals
Strength           65                     50                   50                 60             225
Agility              60                     60                   70                 65             255
Defense           60                     60                   90                 30             240
Luck               65                      65                  45                 75              250
Total             250                    235                255               230              970

Earth          Bash     Dino-Rang     Prism Break     Terrafin     Totals

Strength        85         45                    75                 70           275
Agility           30         40                    10                 25           105
Defense        90         80                    90                 80           340
Luck            20         85                    45                 50            200
Total           225       250                  220               225           920





Fire             Eruptor           Flameslinger          Ignitor          Sunburn           Totals
Strength         80                     40                    100                60                  280
Agility            25                     90                     40                 65                  220
Defense         85                     25                     65                 65                  240
Luck             35                      80                    50                 70                  235
Total            225                   235                  255               260                  975





Life         Camo          Stealth Elf          Stump Smash         Zook        Totals
Strength    70                   60                      90                    70             290
Agility       45                 100                     20                     20             185
Defense    70                   30                     70                     85             255
Luck         70                  70                     40                     70              250
Total        255               260                   220                   245              980





Magic       Double Trouble    Spyro   Voodood    Wrecking Ball     Totals
Strength            75                  60           75                  35                245
Agility               30                  90           50                  50                220
Defense            50                  50           60                  90                250
Luck                90                  60           35                  60                245
Total             245                260          220                235                960


Tech     Boomer     Drill Sergeant      Drobot     Trigger Happy     Totals
Strength   70                80                   40                 40                  230
Agility     40                 60                   60                 60                  220
Defense   50                80                   75                 20                  225
Luck       75                30                   45                100                 250
Total      235             250                 220                220                 925

Undead     ChopChop     Cynder     Ghost Roaster     Hex     Totals
Strength          65               55                 60                 70        250
Agility             60               85                 40                 40        225
Defense         100              75                 85                 70        330
Luck              20               45                 40                 50        155
Total             245            260                225               230       960

Water     Gill Grunt     Slam Bam     Wham-Shell     Zap     Totals
Strength      70                 85                  75              30        260
Agility         40                 40                  25              65        170
Defense      60                 85                  90              70        305
Luck          50                 35                  60              65        210
Total         220              245                250            230        945

Ok, so the questions I get on a daily basis are a bit overwhelming, this is my attempt to answer the most commonly asked and hopefully save everyone some time.

Basics

A few basics: I am in North America.  Anytime I list prices or say a Skylander is "exclusive" it applies only to the North American, and particularly the U.S. Market. 

Also, a good source for general info and where to buy Skylanders in your country is the website:
http://www.skylanders.com/

About the Game

First off, Skylanders: Spyro's Universe is a game from Activision, developed by Toys for Bob, that is available on every major system.

Starter Kit

The "Starter Kit" is a box that includes: the game, the Portal of Power, a Master Sheet, and 3 Skylanders.
-The Wii, PS3, XBOX, and MAC/PC Starter Kits all feature Spyro, Gill Grunt, and Trigger Happy
-The 3DS Starter Kit features Dark Spyro (exclusive), Ignitor, and Stealth Elf
--Also note the story line is different for the 3DS Version.  The others are the same.

Elements and Skylanders

There are 8 Elements.  Each of the 8 Elements has 4 Skylanders.  That means there is a rough total of 32 Skylanders to collect.  That said, there are actually more, 37 to be exact when you include: Dark Spyro, Legendary Spyro, Legendary Bash, Legendary Chop Chop, and Legendary Trigger Happy.  There are also collectible Skylanders in Silver, Gold, Translucent Blue, Crystal/Clear, and Glow-in-the-Dark (all of which you have a legitimate chance of finding...Toy Fair stuff is listed later on).

Each Skylander will come with a card, sticker sheet, and web code.

Elements

There are a total of 8 Elements, as mentioned...here they are:

-Air
-Earth
-Fire
-Life
-Magic
-Tech
-Undead
-Water

Skylanders by Element with Slogan

Air
-Lightning Rod (One Strike and You're Out!)
-Sonic Boom (Full Scream Ahead!)
-Warnado (For the Wind!)
-Whirlwind (Twists of Fury!)

Earth
-Bash (Rock and Roll!)
-Dino-Rang (Come Rang, or Shine!)
-Prism Break (The Beam is Supreme)
-Terrafin (It's Feeding Time)

Fire
-Eruptor (Born to Burn!)
-Flameslinger (Let the Flame's Begin!)
-Ignitor (Slash and Burn!)
-Sunburn (Roast and Toast!)

Life
-Camo (Fruit Punch!)
-Stealth Elf (Silent But Deadly!)
-Stump Smash (Drop the Hammer!)
-Zook (Locked and Loaded!)-Changed to (Bamboo-Yah!)

Magic
-Double Trouble (Boom Shock-A-Laka!)
-Spyro (All Fired Up!)
-Voodood (Axe First, Questions Later!)
-Wrecking Ball (Wreck-N-Roll!)

Tech
-Boomer (Bring the Boom!)
-Drill Sergeant (Licensed to Drill!)
-Drobot (Blink and Destroy!)
-Trigger Happy (No Gold, No Glory!)

Undead
-Chop Chop (Slice and Dice!)
-Cynder (Volts and Lightning!)
-Ghost Roaster (No Chain, No Gain!)
-Hex (Fear the Dark!)

Water
-Gill Grunt (Fear the Fish!)
-Slam Bam (Armed and Dangerous!)
-Wham-Shell (Brace for the Mace!)
-Zap (Ride the Lightning!)

Regular Skylanders by Element with Availability

Air
-Lightning Rod (Single Pack and Triple Pack G)
-Sonic Boom (Single Pack, Triple Pack D )
-Warnado (Single Pack and Triple Pack H, Glow-in-the-Dark)
-Whirlwind (US Single Pack aTarget Exclusive...Thanks to false advertising by activision, Whirlwind was released in Triple Pack F, AND Single Packs elsewhere)

Earth
-Bash (Single Pack, Triple Pack C, Legendary Triple Pack, Translucent Blue Single Pack)
-Dino-Rang (Single Pack, Triple Pack E, Silver)
-Prism Break (Single Pack, Triple Pack B)
-Terrafin (Pirate Seas Adventure Pack Only)

Fire
-Eruptor (Single Pack, Triple Pack C, Silver)
-Flameslinger (Single Pack, Triple Pack A, Gold)
-Ignitor (3DS Starter Pack, Single Pack, Triple Pack H)
-Sunburn (Dragon's Peak Adventure Pack Only)

Life
-Camo (Single Pack and Triple Pack H)
-Stealth Elf (3DS Starter Pack, Single Pack, Triple Pack D, Crystal Clear)
-Stump Smash (Single Pack, Triple Pack A, Frito's Flocked Stump Smash)
-Zook (Single Pack and Triple Pack G)

Magic
-Dark Spyro (3DS Starter Pack Exclusive, Possible Later Single Pack)
-Double Trouble (Single Pack and Triple Pack F)
-Spyro (All Starter Kits except 3DS, Dark Spyro=3DS Only, Legendary Triple Pack)
-Voodood (Single Pack, Triple Pack B)
-Wrecking Ball (Single Pack, Triple Pack D, Glow-in-the-Dark)

Tech
-Boomer (Single Pack, Triple Pack B, Silver)
-Drill Sergeant (Single Pack Only-Walmart/Sam's Club Exclusive and thanks to activision false advertising and deceptive practices Single Packs Elsewhere and Triple Pack F)
-Drobot (Single Pack, Triple Pack A)
-Trigger Happy (All Starter Packs, except 3DS, Legendary Single Pack a Toys'R'Us Exclusive)

Undead
-Chop Chop (Single Pack, Triple Pack C, Legendary Triple Pack, Gold)
-Cynder (Single Pack, Triple Pack G, Crystal Clear, Metallic Purple)
-Ghost Roaster (Dark Light Crypt Adventure Pack)
-Hex (Single Pack, Triple Pack E, Pearl)

Water
-Gill Grunt (All Starter Kits except 3DS)
-Slam Bam (Empire of Ice Adventure Pack)
-Wham-Shell (Single Pack, Crystal Clear)
-Zap (Single Pack and Triple Pack E, Glow-in-the-Dark)

Legendary Skylanders


-Bash (Legendary Triple Pack, Toys'R'Us Exclusive)
-Chop Chop (Legendary Triple Pack, Toys'R'Us Exclusive)
-Spyro (Legendary Triple Pack, Toys'R'Us Exclusive)
-Trigger Happy (Legendary Single Pack, Toys'R'Us Exclusive)

Regular Skylanders by Triple Pack

Triple Pack A-1: Drobot, Flameslinger, Stump Smash
Triple Pack B-2: Prism Break, Voodood, Boomer
Triple Pack C-3: Eruptor, Chop Chop, Bash
Triple Pack D-4: Wrecking Ball, Stealth Elf, Sonic Boom
Triple Pack E-5: Zap, Hex, Dino-Rang
Triple Pack F-6: Whirlwind, Double Trouble, Drill Sergeant
Triple Pack G-7: Lightning Rod, Cynder, Zook
Triple Pack H-8: Camo, Ignitor, Warnado
Legendary Triple Pack: Bash, Spyro, Chop Chop

Regular Skylanders by Single Pack

Everyone with the exception of: Spyro, Gill Grunt, Trigger Happy, Terrafin, Ghost Roaster, Slam Bam, Sunburn, and currently Dark Spyro are available in Single Pack offerings.  I would expect that those of us in the US and Canada will see Dark Spyro singles some time before Giants comes out.  Keep in mind, the Legendary Triple Pack Skylanders are not available as singles at this time either.


Adventure Packs (The Only Retail Way to Land These 4 Skylanders)

-Darklight Crypt: Ghost Roaster, Darklight Crypt, Healing Elixir, Time Twist Hourglass (Chapter 25)
-Dragon's Peak: Sunburn, Dragon Peak, Sparx the Dragonfly, Winged Boots (Chapter 26)
-Empire of Ice: Slam Bam, Ice Cave, Anvil Rain, Sky-Iron Shield (Chapter 23)
-Pirate Seas: Terrafin, Pirate Ship, Ghost Pirate Swords, Hidden Treasure (Chapter 24)

Skylanders by Wave

It is often asked, "What is a Wave?" or "What do you mean by Wave __?"  Here is the answer.  A "wave" simply refers to the staggered release order.  In October, at the launch of the game, you had access to quite a few Skylanders, but not all.  Later in the fall Wave 2 came out...You still couldn't get Lightning Rod (Wave 4)...Here is the complete breakdown for your convenience:

Wave 1 (20 Base Skylanders, Dark Spyro, and Legendary Triple Pack): Spyro, Gill Grunt, Trigger Happy, Dark Spyro, Ignitor, Stealth Elf, Voodood, Drobot, Booomer, Drill Sergeant, Eruptor, Flameslinger, Stump Smash, Bash, Prism Break, Terrafin, Chop Chop, Ghost Roaster, Sonic Boom, Whirlwind, Zap, Legendary Spyro, Legendary Bash, Legendary Chop Chop.

Wave 2: Wrecking Ball, Dino-Rang, Hex
Wave 3: Double Trouble, Cynder, Slam Bam
Wave 4: Lightning Rod, Zook, Sunburn
Wave 5: Camo, Warnado, Wham-Shell


Collectible Skylanders: Rare, Not Part of the 37


Silver Skylanders


-Boomer
-Dino-Rang
-Eruptor

Gold Skylanders


-Chop Chop
-Drill Sergeant
-Flameslinger

Translucent Blue Skylanders

-Bash (Toys'R'Us Exclusive)

Cystal "Clear" Skylanders

-Wham-Shell (First seen in Australia)
-Cynder
-Stealth Elf

Glow-in-the-Dark Skylanders

-Warnado
-Wrecking Ball
-Zap

Translucent Red Skylanders

-Drill Sergeant (Walmart Exclusive)

Exclusive Skylanders (Toy Fairs, E3 etc)

-Single Pack Trigger Happy (E3 2011)
-Metallic Purple Cynder (Nurumberg Toy Fair 2011)
-Chrome Spyro (E3 2012)



Promotional Skylanders

Frito Lay

-Spring of 2012 (Promotion April-May)

--Flocked Stump Smash

-Summer of 2012 (June 18th-July 13th estimated run time)

--Skylander Sidekicks

Shown with Frito Lay Promo Sheet Name and (Coded Game Names)

---Mega Stealth (Whisper Elf)
---Super Trigger (Trigger Snappy)
---Big Grunt (Gill Runt)
---Mighty Fin (Terrabite)

We now know that the promotion runs July 8th, 2012 through November 2nd, 2012.  The names are the "Coded Game Names" from above

-Terrabite (Terrafin)
-Trigger Snappy (Trigger Happy)
-Whisper Elf (Stealth Elf)
-Gil Run (Gill Grunt)

Wii: Weapon Master Glitch

I strongly suggest you ready my blog post regarding this aggravating issue:

Weapon Master Glitch Blog Post
 

Skylanders Rankings

You can check out various Skylander Ranks in one of my other blog posts:

Skylanders Overall Ranks

Skylanders: Elemental Ranks by Trading Cards

My Complete Collection


Some of you may enjoy this video showcasing the complete collection (32/32 and 37/37) as well as touching on most of the major information contained here.  All info in the video was accurate as of the recording date (May 21st, 2012):

Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure Complete Collection


Conclusion

That basically wraps it up.  There are still a few uncertainties and unknowns, but you can get the geneal idea here.

Enjoy, hope this helps a lot of ya'll out.
 
-1ofWiisdom

Okay, I've got a couple of updates for everyone.

First, Parts 24-32 are uploaded, live, and have their descriptions.  You'll note that the descriptions have gotten a bit more detailed, particularly where I list off the objectives, collections, and Skylanders that were used.  I'm thinking I'll style all the vid descriptions along these lines OR I will just keep them simple and go into detail here on the blog.

For example if Chapter 5 is a 2 part video I would have the blog post begin with the vitals: Chapter Name, Goals, Collections, Skylanders used etc...continue into a detailed analysis, and end with the completed vitals.  I might actually go that route as it would save me a ton of time with the standard descriptions.

Second, I will try and get a complete blog list on all the Skylanders and adventure packs to help answer questions for everyone.

Third, I would really like to know if those of you watching the playthrough would prefer that I continue to progress or go back and pick up missed items (Legendary Treasure, Hats, etc).  And if you prefer I go back do you want it to be immediate, or after a few chapters?

I ordinarily get everything and if I've missed something I replay it until I have it all (aside from the Subspace Emissary...plan to do all that after things wrap up).  In Skylanders I just felt like I'd have to go back afterwards for the time goals, which could be very challenging ,and figured I'd just progress through the game...and then at the end come back and pick up said items before or during the time objectives.

Lastly, I have had a lot of people requesting gameplay vids for certain Skylanders.  The best thing to do is to find that Skylander listed in the description or tagged and watch the video.

However, I can cut and edit certain gameplay portions so you can just watch say a stand-alone 3 minute video on Stealth Elf...The only catch is if I go this route it will cut into the time before I can continue in the main story mode.  Once complete I can go back and do this, but I will try to accommodate what folks would rather see the most.

Ordinarly I would just go thru the playthrough at my own leisure and not factor outside influence into any decision.  Skylanders has just got such a big following I figured if I was ever going to try and cater the content to the audience this would be the time.

Thanks for all the subscriptions, friend invites, comments, and messages...I try to reply to them as best I can.  I am hoping by making the Skylanders Info blog etc I can direct a lot of folks there and then of course move on in the direction folks would like to see.

Hopefully that all makes a little bit of sense, it is 3:45 AM and I could use some sleep, lol.

So GameStop is at it again...

I tend to have a love-hate relationship with the place, most recently hate because of their antics with the Tanooki suit keychain pre-orders for Super Mario 3D Land were to receive.

Sometimes I love the place for having games no where else in town does and still keeping older classics from the GameCube and PS2 around.

Then there are times like these...

In my daily skimming for Skylanders I found that GameStop was selling the figures for $4.99 each!  Holy smokes that is a great deal!!  Toys'R'Us did the same thing a few weeks ago with the 2 for $10 deal and it literally decimated the shelves!

So I proceed along and then I'm slammed with reality...

GameStop will sell these to you for $4.99 but you can't pick your Skylander because they are "shipped at random."  I mean really...get with the program.  If you walk in to the grocery store, stand in line at the deli to get a 1/2 lb of Honey Maple Ham do you really want the attendant to tell you "Oh, the deli serves at random...Here is your Lemon Pepper Chicken."  Uh, no...that is pointless.  No one buys blind, this isn't a "grab bag" at your local card shop...this is something that you specifically want and they have available.

Short of someone buying the game for the first time and having no Skylanders this is a horrible idea.  I could literally order 10 of them hoping for Eruptor and Bash and wind up with 4 Chop Chops, 2 Stealth Elfs, 2 Wrecking Balls, a Boomer, and a Prism Break...There is no method to the madness.

And to be more than fair with GameStop I just tried to check stock at the local stores..."In Stock" was the result...Really?  I bet they are in stock, but which characters?  Geez!

If you want to buy Super Mario Galaxy 2 you don't want Super Mario Sunshine and you sure don't want a Mario title to ship at random because "Wii games are in stock."  GameStop really needs to step-up to the plate here...it is the holiday season, tons of great games are out, and they are dropping the ball big time!

Like I said I have ha love-hate relationship with the place (it does usually smell good since they tend to be nested with Subways, lol), but as of late I have only been disappointed.  If they would just list out what characters they have they would likely sell a ton more since I am certain I'm not the only one who doesn't want to take a crap shoot on "blind" Skylanders.

Thus, for now, I will continue to buy from Target, Toys'R'Us, and Walmart before I give GameStop a shot...I'm sure they will redeem themselve, but this marketing is just absurd.  Have fun not selling many Skylanders online...

Strength
Agility
Defense
Luck

Right...so NOW the Skylanders page is up and running and has given official names to the "stats."  Since I can't go back and re-do my videos I won't bother to adjust all the blog posts...but let this be your informative insight of the midnight hour...that is what they are "officially" called. 

I guess this happened once the 2nd wave came out and the characters went from "coming soon" to the actual figures you can drag and drop on the portal.

I will adjust for the next round of unboxings and posts...hopefully folks read this before there are 50 comments and messages that I'm wrong lol.

Oh well, live and learn...

Now you know, and knowing is half the battle...oh wait, different game...

Triple Pack #2 as it has become known features Prism Break, Boomer, and Voodood...let's take a look:




Prism Break  "The Beam is Supreme!" (Earth Element)
-Elemental Power: 75
-Armor: 90
-Speed: 10
-Luck: 45

Boomer "Bring the Boom!" (Tech Element)
-Elemental Power: 70
-Armor: 50
-Speed: 40
-Luck: 75

Voodood "Axe First, Questions Later!" (Magic Element)
-Elemental Power: 75
-Armor: 50
-Speed: 60
-Luck: 35

This is a pretty nice Triple Pack and retails for $19.99.  I am excited to use Boomer, I have heard Prism Break is good in the mine levels, and Voodood is somewhat of a mystery so I am excited to see how he plays.