Super Fighting Robot

Build it with style, or don’t bother building it at all!

Wed, 22 Jun 2011 20:46:00 -0700

Kre-O is not LEGO. This is 100% absolutely not a LEGO brand toy. I don’t know where you would ever get the idea that this construction brick set was a LEGO toy. It may be compatible with leading brands, but it’s not LEGO. Definitely has absolutely nothing in common with LEGO. This is not a LEGO Transformers toy.

LEGO.

It’s might be surprising to you that Hasbro has just now married the idea of ~~LEGO~~ construction brick toys and Transformers, but this is actually their second attempt. The first, Built to Rule, is better left forgotten by history. Kre-O, however, is definitely a step in the right direction.

I’m not really a big ~~LEGO~~ construction brick toy guy, but I sure was as a kid, and I do love me some Transformers. The new Kre-O sets looked pretty darn cool, so I figured I’d pick up at least one to see how cool they really were. I opted for Jazzfor a couple reasons - he’s always been a favorite character of mine, and he’s also one of the cheaper sets at $11.99. There are Optimus Prime and Bumblebee sets that are even cheaper at $7.99, but they don’t come with any of the little Kreon mini-figures. Also, both Prime and Bumblebee have much larger sets which I thought I might get if I liked the line enough, so I wanted to get a character I wouldn’t end up replacing.

This a ~~LEGO~~ construction brick set, so the whole point of it is to put the thing together. The instructions are pretty straightforward, and I managed to build both modes pretty easily. As you’re building, there are some stickers to place on some of the pieces - things like headlights, vehicle mode striping, and faction symbols. The quality of the paper isn’t awesome, so make sure you line it up right the first time, because the stickers aren’t going to survive being pulled off once they’re set.

Jazz’s car mode is a car. Roughly. It’s a pretty fat car, and might actually be the worst vehicle mode of the first wave of toys. It features opening doors, and an opening roof so you can seat a Kreon inside. He’s got some bars about where his side-mirrors should be that look like a Kreon can grab hold of, but they’re a little too large, which was a bit disappointing. The stickers and attempted shape call back to the original G1 Jazz, except here he’s silver like the live-action Movie version of Jazz.

Oh yeah, he’s got real rolling wheels, too. Unless you build them backwards at first like I did.

Building the robot mode was pretty easy, too. His head is very much G1 Jazz, and is sculpted so well it looks kind of incongruous atop the very blocky robot mode. Despite being made of bricks, he’s got a bit of articulation in the neck, hips, ankles, shoulders, and elbows. He won’t be striking too many dynamic poses, but if you wanted super-articulate action figures, you probably wouldn’t be buying a ~~LEGO~~ construction brick set.

Last but not least are those Kreon mini-figures I mentioned. Most Kre-O sets come with at least two Kreons, and the larger sets come with even more. Whereas the sets themselves take cues from a variety of different sources, the robot Kreons are pretty much straight G1. There are also a variety of human Kreons, like Jazz’s driver. They’re neat, but they create a whole bunch of scale questions best not thought about.

Not having played with ~~LEGO~~ construction brick sets since I was very young, I definitely enjoyed my first Kre-O. I’m not sure I’ll get the whole set, but they’re definitely a kind of fun not found in your mainstream Transformers toys.

"Everything's coming up Ramjet!"

Sun, 12 Jun 2011 19:27:53 -0700

This is the kind of toy the Transformers Club exists to make.

Last year at Botcon 2010, we were treated to a convention set that paid tribute to the bodacious 90s Transformers series, Generation 2. Host to a whole bunch of radical neon colors, G2 is remembered fondly for being pretty wacky, and Botcon is all about giving us fun stuff that we’d never get at retail.

This year, one of the Transformers Collectors’ Club exclusives is meant to fit in with that set. Using the popular Classics Seeker mold, Ramjet here is reproduced in his 90’s G2 color scheme extremely faithfully. Like all purchasable Club toys, he comes in a very nice box complete with bio card, both designed to call back to the packaging design of the G2 line.

In jet mode, one of the first things you’ll notice is how slavish to the toy the deco artist was. In addition to the colors being correct, he’s got tampographs all over him that replicate the sticker detail of the toy, going so far as to match up the fonts. And of course, the awesome G2 Decepticon symbols. Although here they’re missing the center crest, that’s not extremely noticeable or bothersome.

In robot mode, there are a couple surprises. For one, the perfect reproduction of sticker detail continues…as stickers. Apparently, the factory had some difficulty applying tampos to the insides of the intakes and feet, necessitating the use of stickers to get the right level of detail. It ends up being a nice throwback, as we don’t really get Transformers with stickers very often these days.

The second is the head, which got a surprise retool. I suppose you may have noticed in jet mode, as it’s his nosecone, but it’s more apparent here. Every other instance of the Classics “conehead” mold has a plastic head/nosecone, but this version has a new rubber nosecone. It doesn’t really affect anything either way, but it’s definitely interesting.

There won’t be a place in everybody’s collection for G2 Redux Ramjet, but as somebody who grew up in the 90s with particular fondness for G2, this beautifully garish toy pushes all the right buttons for me.

And yeah, I need a lightbox.

Full of country goodness, and green peaness. Wait, that's terrible.

Wed, 22 Dec 2010 20:09:00 -0800

The year is 1986. We didn’t know it yet, but events would unfold that would become turning points in our world’s history.

Kodak leaves the instant camera business, ensuring that years later we would shake it like a polaroid picture. An accident at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant irradiates the city of Pripyat. Pixar Animation Studios opens for business. The Transformers: The Movie opens in theaters, kills off Optimus Prime, and introduces us to a bearded, massive, rotund, planet-eating robot voiced by Orson Welles.

The irony is not lost on anybody.

Unicron would go on to be a massively important part of the Transformers mythos, making appearances…pretty much everywhere. Even Beast Wars, sorta. The one place he couldn’t quite make it to? The toy aisle. A toy was planned to accompany his appearance in the ’86 film, but after two different prototypes the project was shelved. It wouldn’t be until 2003, 17 years later, that we finally get a toy of Robot Orson Welles. I mean, Unicron.

A toy of Unicron? No way! Fans were sent into a tizzy. Even those who had stopped collecting toys crawled out from the dark caverns to purchase the last original character they needed. It was perfect.It had to be! Sure, the head sculpt was off, and the color scheme wasn’t perfect…but it was good enough, right? I mean, it’s not like we’d get a better one ever, right?

Jump ahead another 7 years. The year is 2010. This is significant, as it is the year that Japan decided Season 3 of the original Transformers cartoon took place. As such, Takara has been releasing several toys to commemorate the synergy between real life and fiction. The best thing is that 24 years after his appearance in the fiction, we have the definitive version of Robot Orson Welles. Damnit. I mean, uh, Unicron.

The TF2010 version of Unicron is incredible. The first thing to note is the brand new sculpt for his head, bringing him much closer to the original movie design and fixing one of the complaints regarding the original version of the toy. It looks amazing, and Megatron was right - the light up eyes still function. The only downside is that the grey paint at the base of his helmet is only on the front.

Although the chest hasn’t been retooled, the new paint scheme does a damn good job of faking it, again bringing his appearance much closer to the animation. The colors are fantastic, giving us a much richer orange than the original release, and the deep grey compliments it very nicely. There are tons of small details all over the sculpt, and there’s a ton of paint all over to make them pop. The panel lining on his arms and shoulders in particular is fantastic.

That kind of attention to detail is a bit of a double edged sword. While this toy certainly feels like a premium product, it makes the little downsides stick out that much more. Beyond the helmet paint issue (which is not apparent in the promo pictures), his right hand is still made out of translucent plastic. The reason for this on the initial release was to allow it to light up when pressed on, which on a toy for kids is rad and appreciated. That gimmick is still here, but for a collector oriented product I know I’m not the only once who would have preferred a solid grey hand. Mine also has an assembly problem with the planet mode maw, but apparently it’s not a common thing.

Despite the few small problems I have with this release, I can’t recommend it enough. It’s by far the most accurate version of Unicron we’re ever likely to get, and looks absolutely stunning. It looks especially fantastic with other Movie-era characters, like the recently released Rodimus and Cyclonus two-pack.

Just don’t let it get close to your food.

Images of TF2010 Unicron are my own. The figure is shown minus the planet-shell pieces, to enhance appearance, but are easily reattached. Other images sourced from, appropriately enough, unicron.com.

You mean they're...IN the computer?

Sat, 18 Dec 2010 01:19:00 -0800

TRON: Legacy was directed by Joseph Kosinski and stars Daft Punk, Garrett Hedlund, Jeff Bridges, Olivia Wilde, and Jeff Bridges again.

Pong may not have been the very first computer video game, but it might as well have been. It kickstarted an industry - without which, you’d only use your iPhone for things like making calls - and captured the hearts and minds of everyone who played it, like Steven Lisberger.

In 1976, inspired by the world of computer games, Steven set out to create a film that would take us deep into the world of microchips and programs, which at the time were hardly household words. In 1982, that vision was delivered to us in the form of TRON, a movie unlike any other. While a financial flop, TRON has nevertheless remained in the public consciousness thanks to it’s incredible visuals, and devoted fans like Tron Guy.

And so, nearly 30 years later, Disney has given us the next chapter in the legacy of TRON.

:: Welcome, User. Initiating Program.

Let me start by saying TRON: Legacy is a fun movie. From the start, which features an incredible version of the Disney castle, it’s a visual and auditory experience unlike any other and seeing it in 3D is a treat. Unlike some movies which take 3D and do everything they can do to push things at you from the screen, Tron takes a different approach. The 3D effects are used to subtly supplement what you’re seeing. The added depth really does a good job at immersing you in The Grid, and the rails of light peppered throughout the movie really makes things pop.

Therein lies my first issue with the movie: the style of the world. In the original movie, everything was built out of light. The glowing rails moving throughout the inky blackness conveyed a real sense of what being inside a computer might be like. The costumes, infinitely imitated, were like circuit boards alight with energy. I was eager to see how the world and outfits might benefit from modern technology. Instead, the beams of light are used sparingly, and the circuit motif on the costuming is gone, replaced with some cool-looking but ultimately generic highlights.

One could argue that because technology has advanced, so too has the look of The Grid. Okay, I buy that, but there’s a great flashback scene to the 80s era grid complete with the original Tron character that looks exactly like it does in the present. Disappointing, but not a deal breaker. I may really like the way the Batmobile looks, but if you gave me a Lamborghini instead I probably wouldn’t complain too much.

What is even more disappointing is the story. It’s not a bad plot, on paper. In fact, it’s kind of cool. Stay with me here: Kevin Flynn goes missing for near 30 years, trapped inside the world he helped create. His son, Sam, finds the door to the digital realm and is finally reunited with his father. Together, they have to make it back home, but not before stopping the rogue program Clu from doing some stuff. Add in some light cycles and pretty ladies. Sounds like a downloadin’ good time.

A good time is certainly had. However, if you’re expecting any kind of intellectual stimulation, you’re out of luck. A clever relation between the goings-on of The Grid to what we know of computer technology? None. An emotional struggle between Sam and Clu, two sons from different worlds? Absent. Some commentary on age between the elder Kevin Flynn and his eternally young counterpart? Nada. All of these things really should have been in this movie, and they easily could have been without taking away from how wonderful it looks and sounds.

Oh yeah, the sound. This score is incredible. I’ve been listening to it for a few weeks now, and it totally blows me away. It’s probably may favorite part of the movie, and works so well in context that it makes me all squirmy. If you are a made of microchips or from the inside of a computer, this is totally your new make-out record.

Tron: Legacy could have been amazing. Instead, it’s a fun distraction that looks real pretty and sounds even better. It may not spur discussions on net neutrality or free will, but it’s certainly the best Daft Punk music video I’ve ever seen.

Also, Olivia Wilde is a total babe.

My god...it's full of sodas!

Mon, 18 Oct 2010 22:31:00 -0700

Everybody had that friend. You know, that one who went to this really awesome olde-schoole soda shoppe with all kinds of crazy flavored syrup you totally should have been there it was the coolest thing ever too bad you’re not as cool as I am. It sounded amazing even though your friend was a total jerk about it. It’s the kind of thing Coca-Cola wanted to bring to the masses when they ~~turned Jesus into a carbonated beverage~~ introduced Vanilla Coke.

How were we supposed to know that Our Wonderful Vanilla Elixir was but a precursor to something far more grandiose and exponentially more terrifying?

Welcome to Coca-Cola Freestyle. This is the goddamn future of soda, people. Let’s check it out.

Oh, look. This must be the way.

Coca-Cola Freestyle promises 106 flavors. One hundred and six, people.

I’m just gonna let that positively huge number sink in for a minute.

…

Ready? Awesome. So, this thing is crazy. Crazy. A touch screen and a single spout penetrate the middle of what is otherwise a bleak, grand obelisk that is basically what the Monolith from 2001: A Space Odyssey would like if it got sponsored by Big Soda.

The technology behind Coca-Cola Freestyle is honestly ridiculously complex. Beyond the crazy mechanics of how the machine actually mixes everything, the thing is in constant communication with the mothership, downloading daily software updates and transmitting all sorts of information back. It’s clear the war between humans and machines won’t be because of Cyberdyne - it will be brought forth by The Coca-Cola Company. When our sons and daughters look back on the atrocities of this coming war, there will be a single question that claws at their minds, rendering them unable to sleep: Was the suffering worth Sprite Peach?

Probably not.

The first thing you notice upon placing your fingers on the touch screen is that this really isn’t as cool as you’d thought it’d be. In the world of super responsive multi-touch displays, this thing just doesn’t wow you. The second thing is the disappointing lack of certain flavors. Imagine my expression after excitedly pressing the root beer icon I was presented with exactly one choice - root bear. Come on, guys. Let’s get creative. Also, I call shenanigans because some of those 106 flavors are taken up by Minute Maid juices and PowerAde flavors. It doesn’t really feel like it’s in the spirit of what this thing is trying to accomplish.

I tasted four flavors - Raspberry Coke, Orange Coke, Grape Sprite, and Peach Sprite. If you’re interested in trying the first one, let me give you a step by step guide to recreate the experience at home:

1. Pour about 1/4 of a cup of carbonated water into your drinking glass of choice.

2. Pour NyQuil into the glass until full.

It was seriously gross. The Orange Coke was less gross, but the taste is also pretty easy to replicate - it’s basically Sunkist and Coke mixed together. The strange part was the nuclear orange fizz it had even though the soda itself was kind of dark. Weird.

Sprite however lends itself really well to additional flavoring. Grape Sprite had a really light grape flavor that is basically Grape Soda without the heavy syrupy feel. Peach Sprite was pretty good too, reminding me a lot of this really great peach soda from Korea.

All in all, the whole experience was kind of a let down. The adventure I had imagined when somebody first told me about it was was way more awesome than what actually happened. While the machine itself may hail from a time far, far away, I’d rather be back in the past where I can enjoy a nice glass of Mexican Coke made with real sugar.

Maybe Coca-Cola Freestyle is a part of the reason why 90% of the human race becomes a vampire in Daybreakers - everybody would rather drink blood than stupid future soda that tastes like medicine.

Does the Xbox 360 even have Blast Processing?

Sat, 16 Oct 2010 01:02:00 -0700

Almost before I could walk, I was eating mushrooms, spitting fireballs, and jumping on turtles with the best of them. No, I wasn’t some crazy-ass baby drugged-out on acid. At the tender age of 2, I was already busy mastering Super Mario Bros. on the babysitter’s NES.

Although I was born a child of Nintendo, I was raised in the House of Sega.

Sure, Mario was cool I guess.

Sonic, though? Sonic was way past cool.

Sega distilled the radical sensibilities of the bodacious ‘90s into one chill hedgehog mascot, and Sonic the Hedgehog captured the hearts and minds of a generation.

Since the days of the Genesis though, Sonic and his anthropomorphic animal associates have had some rough times, but our pals over at Sega are nothing if not persistent. Bless their hearts, they keep trying to give us a really amazing game that will once and for all break the tragic Sonic Cycle.

Just like the last four thousand games, Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 has been touted as the “return of Sonic”. The game was released a few days ago. We’re knee-deep in Phase 3, folks. Brace yourselves. This could go either way.

The moment you boot up the game, you’re greeted with the classic SAY-GUH intro. Well played, Sega. That isn’t the end of the nostalgia trip, though. The opening level is a lush, green oasis with plenty of checkered hills. There’s the casino themed level complete with hedgehog sized pinball machines…and a stage named Casino Climax. Um, okay!

Basically, Sega really, really wants every Sonic fan to fall desperately in love with this game, and Sonic 4 tries really, really hard. And in many ways, it succeeds.

Is it perfect? Absolutely not. As a lover of video game music (and as someone who had Sonic 2’s Emerald Hill Theme as a ringtone - nerd alert!) I’m sad to say the music in Sonic 4 is largely forgettable. The special stages take their inspiration from Sonic 1 instead of the ones from Sonic 2 that everybody remembers, and are a huge pain in the ass. The controls are a little imprecise, which unfortunately is a common thread in a lot of these 2.5D games.

You know what, though? Sonic 4 is the best Sonic game to hit a home console in 16 years. As the title implies, this is the first of several “episodes”, and Sega is keeping a close eye on fan reaction in an effort to make each successive episode even better.

With any luck, Episode 2 will address some of the concerns regarding Episode 1, and be hecka bad.

And I mean that in the most 90’s way possible.

Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 is available as a digital download on Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, and the iOS platform. I played it via Xbox Live Arcade at a cost of ~$15.

While the three console versions of Sonic 4 are largely identical, the iOS version of the game includes different levels, and as such this writeup does not apply to it. I offer no opinions of the iOS version whatsoever.

Drink from me, and live forever...until you explode.

Sun, 10 Oct 2010 23:29:00 -0700

Daybreakers was directed by Michael and Peter Spierig and stars Ethan Hawke, Willem Dafoe, Sam Neil, and Isabel Lucas. Watch the trailer here.

Daybreakers is kind of like what would happen if your best friend who really likes Twilight had control of the universe.

In the future, there is a greater threat than even Stephanie Myer’s writing. A real, terrible infection that has turned most of the world’s population into vampires. The remaining humans are given a choice - assimilate, or become what amounts to a meaty spongey blood dispenser. As you can imagine, most people would rather live forever as a super strong vampire than be strapped naked into a giant machine that drains your blood at regular intervals. Besides, everybody knows being a vampire gives you +25 attractiveness. At least.

Beware of blood-drinking spoilers ahead!

Despite the alternative, some people who have clearly never read an Anne Rice book in their entire life declare vampirism an abomination. Most of them get rounded up and kept in a crazy human farm that looks like it was inspired by either A) The Matrix, or B) Those weird cartoons that the video store kept hidden in a dark corner that mom never let you look at. Or hey, maybe a bit of both. It’s kind of creepy and weird and made me all fidgety.

The first act of the movie is really, truly awesome. The directors clearly took notes from movies like Blade Runner and Dark City to create a really effective design for the world. The vampires have a great, classic look to them with minimal makeup design that is really effective in its simplicity. We get sweet little glimpses of just what the world would be like if we were all vampires. How do you get around during the day? How much blood should you put in your morning coffee? Why does everyone in this movie smoke all the time? Is it because they’re really cold? Unfortunately, these ideas are rarely expanded on. I would have loved to see a more in depth look at the culture of a world of vampires - the looks we get are really awesome, but left me…thirsty for more. (zing!)

And then somebody EXPLODES.

Ethan Hawke’s character is charged with developing a blood substitute. You see, the human population is dwindling, and the vampires are running out of the red stuff. Why they don’t unhook the humans every once in a while and let them bang each other so they can squirt out babies to join the farm is never addressed. Anyway, the blood substitute doesn’t work and the guy they are testing it on explodes, getting his insides all over everything. They probably just had that room cleaned, dammit.

The movie kind of goes downhill from there. It gets a little kooky and silly, and goes off in a direction I didn’t really agree with. There are some cool moments buried in there, though. Pretty much every time a vampire dies, no matter how it happens, they explode in a brilliant shower of blood and fire. It’s awesome. There’s a really great scene where somebody blindly shoots into the dark, hits a vamp, and the ensuing explosion illuminates the field, showing a huge army of vampires marching toward them.

Daybreakers is a fun movie, but it really should have been better. It should have been Gattaca, but with vampires. Doesn’t that kind of sound like the greatest movie ever put to film? It totally does. Unfortunately, It never really delivers on the promise of the great first act, but it’s still worth a rental. You could certainly do worse this Halloween.

By the way, when is your party? I haven’t gotten my invitation yet.

…

You’re not gonna invite me, are you? Even after I wrote all of this just for you. You’re such a jerk.

Daybreakers is available on DVD and Blu-Ray or for online rental through most video on demand services. I watched it in HD from the Zune Marketplace through my Xbox 360. All screen shots were sourced by me from the trailer.

You wanna get donuts? Come on! Let's get donuts!

Thu, 07 Oct 2010 23:07:00 -0700

Maple Glazed Bacon Apple Donut.

The words hung in the air like some vast, predatory bird. My life flashed before my eyes, and I stood transfixed, watching my destiny unfurl itself in front of me as if Aragorn had thrown open the map to Mount Doom across the grand table in Rivendell. At that moment, I knew but one truth. At all costs, I must have it.

So today I made the trek to Dynamo Donut + Coffee, a quaint little place nestled in the Mission district of the fair city of San Francisco. With a great relaxed vibe and The Smiths being played just loud enough, I could have probably spent all day sitting there - and spent all of my money on delicious, fattening concoctions.

Like this baby.

The one donut to rule them all. The Maple Glazed Bacon Apple Donut. It sounds absurd, you might say! Ridiculous! Insane, even! Well, I say it sounds brilliant. It tastes brilliant. This is the best donut ever made.

Like all donuts at Dynamo, the Best Donut Ever is handmade daily with organic, sustainable, and local ingredients. The quality is striking. However, it does come at a price. While there is a $10 minimum for card purchases, you’ll probably want to spend that much anyway. I paid $11 for two of these guys, plus the Hot Chocolate you see above (made with Clover Organic Milk) and this tiny cup of espresso that Adam so eloquently described as “black as fuck”.

In addition to the bacon one, I also partook in the Chocolate Rose, which is a dark, dense chocolate donut with a rosewater glaze and little bits of lemon. The glaze was phenomenal, but the chocolate was probably a little too rich for me.

But I still ate the hell out of it.

These are definitely gourmet donuts that are priced accordingly, but damn if it isn’t worth it. Plans are already being made to revisit Dynamo next week. There’s an Apricot Cardamom donut waiting for me.

Visti Dynamo Donut + Coffee at http://www.dynamodonut.com/

You say "shark", I say, "Hey man, Jaws was never my scene."

Wed, 06 Oct 2010 10:18:00 -0700

I’m on my way to pick this beauty up:

Vintage Motobecane frame with all new everything else. Mmm. Delicious.

Anybody want to lend me $500?

Tue, 05 Oct 2010 10:23:00 -0700

Sometimes, I feel like things are made specifically for me to have.

December will see the release of a giant awesome box set featuring pretty much every piece of music Danny Elfman created for a Tim Burton film. A lot of these tracks haven’t even been available anywhere else before - film versions of tracks, demos, and tons of goodies spread across 16 CDs, a USB key with digital versions of all tracks, a 250 page book, a working zoetrope box (!), and more.

Limited to 1000 pieces, it’s also $500.

I wants it, precious. I wants it. It would go great with the awesome giant hardcover book of Tim Burton art I have.

Oh, shirt.

Tue, 05 Oct 2010 02:11:00 -0700

I love a good tee shirt. I also love good art, and geeky things. I’m really particular about the geeky shirts I wear, but these few over at splitreason.com are pretty rad.

Don’t be surprised if I’m octo-rocking one of these next time you see me.

Welcome to the future.

Tue, 05 Oct 2010 01:11:00 -0700

The far flung future of 20XX! You’re living it. Right now. I hope you’re enjoying your food replicators, hoverboards, and robotic housemaids. I know I am.

I know the future can be a busy place, but if you can find time in between smuggling contraband through Alliance territory and flying around in your jetpack, be sure to stop by. We’ll have interesting things and fantastic stuff to say about movies, games, donuts, toy robots, music, and much more. Leave a comment by signing in with your Facebook or Twitter profile and let us know how we can make life more exciting for you.

Pardon the dust as we get things cleaned up - the future is kind of messy.

Here’s to a wonderful, fabulous, amazing, incredible, stupefying, marvelous, sensational time! Excelsior!

Fight, for everlasting peace!

Sun, 03 Oct 2010 18:59:22 -0700

Fight, for everlasting peace!