wlj

you guys have this stuff down to a science

BobO'Link

I just snagged a Kaos Trap from Amazon (regular price) - in stock on Feb. 20th. Hurry... this could be short lived. Now my grand daughter has one of her own.

**EDIT**
WOW! Gone in the time it took for me to type that! With the vast number from MP vendors selling at $40+ it makes me wonder just how many of these are going to those vultures...

wlj

are there any other traps that are very rare or just Kaos?

dsa_shea

Are you trying to snag and sell or are you truly interested for your own collection?

BobO'Link

Water Traps...

wlj

winged water and snake life perhaps

fujishig

What is up with the water traps? Did they produce more of those, or do people just like the other ones? There are a few stores where I've seen nothing but dozens and dozens of water traps...

BobO'Link

I'm thinking they were vastly overproduced in a typical blind fashion - much like the vast underproduction of the Kaos Trap. Almost every store here has Water Traps but few of the other elements. Gamestop has the best selection but even they are limited in certain elements.

RANT

I don't understand their logic behind Trap variety and production. There are a few elements that do *not* have 6 trappable villains but *still* have *6* different traps! What's up with that idiocy?!? Then there are the Light and Dark ones which appear to have only 3 different traps but *4* trappable villains! I can understand wanting a different trap design for each trappable villain but having too many or too few is just plain stupid! And *NOT* including a Kaos Trap in *every* starter sold is the height of idiocy! Screw "The Thrill of the Hunt" mentality Activision throws at *every* incarnation of this franchise. If they had kids wanting this stuff and upset that their current favorite item is "rare" and essentially unobtainable due to limited manufacturing and/or vultures taking advantage of the situation they'd think twice! That doesn't even take into account all the "Store Exclusive" crap they throw out the door!

I truly think I'm done with Skylanders/Activision after this one.

END RANT

wlj

i am going to assume a new skylanders game will be released this year. i am wondering if it will still use traps? Or a completely new way to make the consumer spend gazillions of $$$

dsa_shea

^Second choice.

BobO'Link

^ Yep. They proved with Trap Team that little from past releases counts. I'd also expect another new portal to support the new gimmick. And like I mentioned before expect them to start dropping support for the older (Spyro's and Giants at least) characters. I also expect the next game to be the last produced as I think they've pretty much alienated most of their user base at this point.

fujishig

I understand the vitriol on this thread, but why do you think they alienated most of the user base? The figures still seem to be selling, even with Infinity and (stupid, hard to get) Amiibo also clogging the shelves.

BobO'Link

^I believe they've alienated the user base solely due to people being disgusted with not being able to find Kaos Traps and other product (the Light & Dark Expansions are also in short supply). I've read several "reviews" on Amazon from people pretty much fed up with the incessant money-grab that makes up Skylanders along with the "rarity" of needed/desired characters.

While I *do* feel you get value for what you purchase it just seems never ending. It's kind of like what they did to the Guitar Hero franchise with too much too often and lots of seemingly overpriced kit needed to play. The games are designed so that it takes months to complete simply due to Activision *not* releasing characters needed to get into areas until *well* after release. While this somewhat keeps kids coming back it also serves to get them into a "why bother" mode of play because they know they can't "finish" until several months down the line, if at all (Kaos Trap shortage).

The figures sell because the games are actually good, in spite of the built-in limitations/road blocks, and the characters are, for the most part, well constructed and work well for "floor play" with kids. Around here it's hard to find Skylanders stuff (because it sells out almost as soon as it's put out at most stores) but Infinity and Amiibo stuff is well stocked.

I'm a long time gamer (started in the 70s) and really enjoy the Skylanders franchise but I truly feel like they've gone to the well a few too many times for it to sustain itself much longer. I'm ready for them to just release a *new* game with just the disc (no new characters) and let us just use what we already own. But I'm realistic enough to know this'll never happen as there's not enough money in that distribution model.

wlj

i would say around here unless you go to a large city....I don't see alot of Skylander stuff. I live in a small town and the local walmart has a decent sized skylander area but there may be 4 or 5 different characters to choose from which seems crazy considering the mind boggling amount of characters. They have alot of Infinity and the new Amiibo figures.

If I was into Skylanders I can imagine myself going quite mad over not being able to get what I want. With Infinity I know I can easily get whatever figure I desire without having to search all over the place. However from what I read, alot of Skylander fans enjoy "the hunt".

darkdaze73

I was able to snag a Kaos trap on Amazon just now. Said out of stock when I placed the order, but hopefully they will fulfill it since it was in there when the order was placed. I also noticed that they have a promotion where you can get a Water Trap for .99 with the purchase of a "select Skylanders Trap Team Toy from Amazon.com ". I went ahead and added one into my order. Gamestop is currently running the same promotion but theirs only works if you buy another trap.

wlj

You paid $65 for it??


you could have gotten one on ebay for $40

darkdaze73

It popped up on Amazon for $5.99. No way I am paying either of those prices for this.

wlj

you must have been at right place at the right time. I have only ever seen it $50+ on Amazon

Obi-Wanma

Several of the Disney Infinity 1.0 characters are getting difficult to find. Violet from the Incredibles is one of the most difficult, regularly going for at least 25-30 bucks online. I ordered a 3 pack with her, Vanellope, and Rapunzel from mailed Switzerland (this pack was not released in the US) and only paid a few dollars more than I would have paid for Violet alone.

I also drove 30 miles into the boonies this morning to pick up a Mrs. Incredible figure for 7 bucks. She's also going for upwards of 25 online, and can be found locally in a 3 pack with Barbosa and Mike Wazowski for about 30 bucks, but I already bought the other 2 figures before I realized this was an issue.

Syndrome and Randy are also difficult to find at reasonable prices. The 3 pack with Davy Jones can be had for 40-50 dollars, but again, I already bought Davy Jones

And don't even get me started on power discs...

BobO'Link

That's it exactly. For the past couple of weeks I kept a Kaos Trap tab page open on my home and work browsers updating it every half hour or so before I was able to snag one. During that time frame I missed 2-3 other opportunities as it would sell out as I was putting one in my cart. It goes in and back out of stock so fast that the inventory tracker sites don't even list the times accurately.

BobO'Link

Thanks for the heads up! My grandson is needing/wanting another Fire and Tech trap. I figured that since both are rather rare around here it was worth the crap shoot on getting some he doesn't have since you also get a Water Trap for another buck. Two orders, two "free" Water Traps (I used slow shipping for a $.99 eBook/MP3/Digital video credit).

We don't need any more Water Traps but since I'd purchased the last couple we didn't have from WM last week and that the UPC is the same on all traps of the same element I can return any duplicates on that receipt or even do a even exchange if traps of other elements come in stock.

Those promotions also speak volumes about the mis-handling of Trap type production/distribution. Water Traps are currently $3.49 at Amazon (no, you can not purchase 2 and get one for $.99).

darkdaze73

I used nowinstock.net to let me know it was available. I missed getting it a couple of times as it kept going in and out before I could purchase it.

wlj

that is a cool site! didn't know about that one

BobO'Link

That's the one which has been more accurate and up to date but the product goes so fast it's hard to catch even using that site. That's why I just resorted to regular reloads of the Amazon page. A couple of times I caught it in stock but it went fast aren't even logged on nowinstock.net as existing.

wlj

it is nuts how the amazon price changes for Kaos like every 5 minutes or so. It was 55, now 65 a few minutes later. crazy hehe