Monday, December 10, 2007

AttacktiXmas Contest

Attacktix Photo Contest...Win Tournament Figures!

Here's the deal...we are looking for the best Attacktix photos. That's it. They can be serious, funny, artistic, or entertaining. To enter this contest, respond to this post with your best Attacktix photos. Each participant can enter up to three photos for consideration. (Please post in the Attacktix FORUM.) We'll accept entries for 10 days, and then the staff here at JoeAttacktix.com will narrow the field down to a number of finalists (between 5 and 10 depending on the number of entries). At that point everyone will get a chance to vote for the winners.

And what do the winners get? I'm glad you asked!

3rd place will receive a Boba Fett Tournament Figure

2nd place will receive a set of Han Solo and Luke Skywalker Tournament Figures

1st place will receive a set of Darth Vader and Stormtrooper Tournament Figures

Prizes will be mailed out the week after the winners are announced.

And that's it for now...if you have any questions...please feel free to ask in a post. Get those digital cameras warmed up and ready to go!

Friday, August 31, 2007

Star Wars Series 5 and Transformers Series 2 Starters Sets at TJ MAXX

Thanks to Greivous, from the Attacktix Forum for the following news:

Yes, my friends, it is true. I can confirm what I believe to be the FIRST purchase of the Star Wars Series 5 Starter Sets and the Transformers Series 2 Starter Set to happen in a brick-and-mortar store in the United States. However, this might not be a good thing.


First, the find.

My parents dragged me and my brothers to T.J. Maxx in South Bend (Indiana) this morning. After spending about 5 minutes looking at clothes, Jango and I headed over to the toys since, occasionally, they'll have junk video games to laugh at. While passing by the educational and toddler toys, Jango spotted the old S4 Gunship and S1 Omega Supreme. We looked at them a moment and Jango flipped them over to see a price of $6.

Looking around for other deals, what do I see but G1 Megatron and G1 Optimus Prime looking back at me! With a "Holy..." and an "Oh my..." I pick up the starter to find two SW5 starters behind it. A quick flip over and I see the price of $5. Needless to say I snatched up all three starters and then looked around for boosters only to find nothing. I then spent the rest of the trip very, very happy (also was able to get a new GCN controller and Battalion Wars new for $10 :)).

The Starter Sets with Paper of Prooftm (Yes, one is missing the Vader since I'd already pulled him out.

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Saturday, August 11, 2007

Two Tix Forward: GenCon Countdown...1 Week and Counting

GenCon Countdown...1 Week and Counting

One week from today is my birthday (yay me), but more importantly, it's the first day I'll be at GenCon this year. For those of you unfamiliar with the various Cons, GenCon is the largest north American tabletop gaming convention. It's follows E3 (video games) and Sand Diego Comic Con (comics natch) in the summer, and is a high point for tabletop gamers each year. This is my third trip to the con, and second as a "pro"...in the past I had attended Origins more regularly as a player. My wife Julie will be attending with me again this year, making this a min-vacation of sorts, we really fell in love with down town Indianapolis last year, and look forward to hitting some nice restaurants again this year, as well as the occasional relaxing stroll down the river walk

Next week Two Tix Forward will be reporting live from GenCon, probably later in the day, with an update with all of the things that interested me the most for the day. I may or may not have new 'Tix related news, though I will be taking a hard look at other games that may be of interest to the average 'Tixer, and also looking for the ever present gaming accessories. The following week will be a "Get Your Gear On" that both reviews any and all purchases I made at the con, as well as a recap of existing gaming gear, particularly that which relates to 'Tix.

If you have never been to a con of this size before, it's a bit difficult to explain. The event as a whole takes over the entire Convention Center, every room converted to some gaming purpose or another. Huge halls house the CCG tournaments, the Minis events, and the RPG campaigns. Obscure games the likes of which you have never seen are played, I will never forget the navy battle I saw reenacted on blue tarp on the floor, each fleet of destroyers small enough to fit in the palm of your hand. There are friends to be made that you may only see that one week each year, and games to be played the same...games that are prepared for and dreamt of for months on end, finally enjoyed for a fleeting few days each August. Can you imagine? There are seminars, contests, dealers, company presentations, everything you might expect. There are companies that sell only dice with 20 some tables dedicated to that most well known of gaming devices. There are popular games like Magic and D&D, and obscure games that no one has ever heard of before, making their grand entrance into the world at this very event.

Even though GenCon falls near the end of the yearly gaming circuit (following both Gama and Origins), the companies go out of their way to make it important for gamers. There are exclusives to be had and found. Their are hot new games that may be available there for the first time (Kingdom Hearts and Pokemon minis come to mind). There are also old out of print games to be found at the various dealer tables. There are artist alleys featuring some of the people that give the fantasy world it's "look". There are book signings (look for my friend Matt Forbeck of Blood Bowl fame), and all matter of entertainment to be found. This year, video games should be more on the map, with E3 having gone invite only, GenCon may or may not be picking up some of the overflow.

In any case, as you can see, this is something of a gamers nirvana. And, enough gushing from me...I had meant to write a serious article this week, but this is all I can think about, so that will have to wait a couple of weeks. If YOU are going to be at GenCon this week, look me up. I'm not to hard to find in a crowd, and I should have a blue Attacktix Staff t-shirt on. And, I should have a handful of tourney figs on hand and ready to give out, just for saying hi. :) - B

Tuesday, August 07, 2007

Tix Tool v 1.0 Release

After many months of work – Tix Tool v 1.0 is finally here! What is the Tix Tool you ask? It started as the brainchild of Steve Corder (Malform) over a year ago, as a way to have a “one stop shopping source” for information and tools concerning Attacktix. Chris Marshall (Cona Chris) hopped aboard to tag team on the Tix Tool with Steve early in 2007. Written in Microsoft Access, the Tix Tool is available in MS Access 97 and MS Access 2000 currently.

First and foremost, Tix Tool is a data repository, with a complete listing of all figures, their photos, their projectiles, and complete statistics regarding the figure. Star Wars lines up to Series 5 are included, as well as Tranformers Series 2 and Marvel Series 1. Tix Tool allows the user to keep track of figures in your collection, and figures available for trade. Several reports can be generated and printed off (including a listing of all figures with their special powers and special power ratios).

There are utilities that help the user keep track of actual trades. A custom label maker is also available (front, back, effects, and special powers!) complete with logos for all existing factions/classes as well as the ability to upload custom images! In addition, links to all the most popular Attacktix websites are provided.

Last but not least, there is an entire section built for keeping track of gameplay statistics. A printable scoresheet is available to keep track of game stats, and then the user can input the statistics after the game is over. Based on a “Match Points” formula, an MVP for each match is computed. Reports are then available showing win/loss records, and several other statistics for each figure you use.

If you do use the Tix Tool, please note that every so often you have to compact the file by going to the toolbar and clicking on “Tools”, then “Database Utilities”, then”Compact and Repair Database”.

Feel free to download (FOR FREE) the fruits of our labor.

Download Access 97 version
Download Access 2000 + version

We hope you enjoy using the Tix Tool – if you have any comments, good or bad, please post them. Thanks and enjoy!

Steve and Chris

Wednesday, August 01, 2007

Radar's Video Interview with Brian Wilk

You can never have enough Attacktix news. Especially directly from the mouth of her creator, Brian Wilk!

Sunday, July 29, 2007

Mr. Attacktix Speaks: A Quick (and Much Needed) Interview with Brian Wilk

by: JayDouble

I was finally able to run down Brian today and talk to him for a few minutes. I didn't get to everyone's question because I went straight to point. (I'm paraphrasing the conversation so don't take it as the final word.)

JD: Where's the newest series of Attacktix?

BW: The date for their release is to be determined, but they should be coming out.

JD: What does the future hold for Attacktix?

BW: After the the latest series is released, Attacktix will go on hiatus. The reason being is we want to retool how the product is communicated to the public. Wizards of the Coast along with Hasbro will be involved with this.

The game play will stay, they just want to work on how to market the game properly. It's a game that is for kids. So does it belong in the game aisle like Heroscape, with the cards like Magic, or in the aisle with the action figures? The niche they're aiming for is getting the parents or players of Magic, D&D etc. to play with the younger crowd.

They realize other companies are looking to get into it also, i.e. Mattel with DC. They look at this as being good. Competition creates great products and if DC's game has similar rules to Attacktix even better.

Another note:

As far as a "Master Rulebook" of rules goes he likes the idea of it. He also likes the idea of what the community as a whole is doing. First there were the rules from Hasbro, but the community took it a step further. Brian compared it to a source code for the computer, they put out the code and we're just tweaking it.

If you are not sure what "the community is doing" be sure to check out the fan created and edited, Wiki!

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

Away Message

Sorry I've been away so much. Fortunately, I haven't missed much Attacktix news. There have been reports of Series 2 Marvel starters at K-Mart, as well as the Series 5 Star Wars starter & Series 2 Transformers starter.

I will be away again on vacation till early next week. Look for the return of Top Tix Topics. Until then you can always chat on our messageboard!

Monday, July 09, 2007

Top Tix Topics

Every Monday JoeAttacktix.com news will feature the most popular topics on our messageboard! Check back each Monday to see the buzz-worthy threads in the Attacktix online community.

#1 - How high would you go and what would it be? - A thread started by Superfly about the highest point figure you'd use in tournament play. Is a Mega too big? 40 point figures over-costed? Come discuss your tournament teams that include high point figures.

#2 - Who is your favorite "bad" figure? - Be it padme, jawas, force blast figures, what attacktix are just plain fun to play with but are kind of weak for winning. Discuss here in this thread by Cona Chris!

#3 - And, finally, a general thread about the Transformers movie. Come discuss what you thought of the #1 film of this past weekend. (where are the movie attacktix?)

Friday, July 06, 2007

Two Tix Forward: Point Man

Point Man

If I had to narrow it down to the single most important thing I do when it comes to working on Attacktix figures, that would have to be getting the points right. No matter how great a figure is, if it costs too much, it won't see much play. If a decent figure costs too little, it's declared "broken" and gets played to the exclusion of other like figures. Sometimes it's a fine line.

The first thing I usually do when working on a new set is work out the point costs for all of the figures. They certainly aren't set in stone right off the bat, but by roughing them out, I get an idea of what the power level of each figure should be when I'm done. I thought it might be worthwhile for you today to share some of the thinking that goes into this process, to talk about how I see the different point costs from a design point of view. On with the show...

10 Pointers - These are often easy to pick out...typically, especially in Star Wars and Transformers, these are the "army builders", the low rung Trooper types. Stromtroopers...probably always going to be 10 points unless they are a commander or some other Specialist type. It's a little more difficult in Marvel, but I've found that some of the more human figures can fit at 10 points (see Elektra), or, in the case of the Avengers Spider-Man, it's an opportunity to show relative power level versus the rest of the team. In any case, a 10 point figure should feel like they are in a supporting roll, and might need a more powerful figure anchoring their team.

20 Pointers - A step up from the 10 pointers, at 20 points a figure might have better stats, weapons, or defense, than a 10 point figure. On the curve, a 20 pointer should be solid, and should round out a team nicely. 20 Pointers often feel like tweeners...sharing a number of traits with both 10 and 30 pointers. They also tend to feel that way in design...figures that just don't feel right at 10 or 30 points...they usually find their home at 20. Probably the hardest point distinction to make.

30 Pointers - Bread and butter. A 30 pointer needs to be able to front a team and hold it's own with about anyone. Many figs can "work" at 30 points...we've seen 30 point versions of many main characters across the various universes. 30 points figures are by far the easiest to "find" in a set, yet, the hardest to keep in check in terms of relative power level.

40 Pointers - These are the big guns. At 40 points, you should be able to build your team around this figure. Typically reserved for premiere characters...see also Vader, Prime, and Hulk. This is also the stomping ground of figures with experimental attacks and powers, flight, and huge projectiles. Nearly the top of the food chain.

50 Pointers - What do you do with a 40 pointer that gets a powerful effect to boot? Bump them up to 50 of course. This is the absolute height of the standard figure point costs.

60 - 100 Pointers - The exclusive realm of the Megas, and fodder for a whole topic all it's own.

So that's it this time, just a basic look at how I see point costs IN GENERAL. Sometime in the future we'll talk about The Curve and how it has changed over time. Over and out. - B

Thursday, July 05, 2007

Tournament at Botcon 2007

Some pictures have been posted of the tournament that was held at Botcon this past weekend. It has been rumored that the latest Transformers attacktix sets were given as prizes. If any one has more pictures or has the new transformers in their hands let me know!

Check out the pictures of the tournament here on the Botcon website.

Monday, June 25, 2007

Top Tix Topics

Every Monday JoeAttacktix.com news will feature the most popular topics on our messageboard! Check back each Monday to see what all the buzz is in the attacktix online community.

This week's top 3:
#1 - Is attacktix dying off? A poll by attacktixrulz followed by some slightly heated arguments can be found in this thread. Come voice your opinion here and show your support for the lines. We can only hope that speculation is just that - speculation! A more general companion thread , complete with a link to a Q/A with Hasbro from 16bit.com on this same topic, can also be found here.

#2 - Hasbro - a simple title but an extensive thread about all things attacktix related (and some not) by Hasbro. It's a feel good thread complete with the latest & greatest things Hasbro has done - including the R2-KT.

#3 - Repaints, Retools, and Rereleases - an extensive article by grievous about all the rehashes in our attacktix. An interesting read and discussion piece!

Friday, June 22, 2007

Two Tix Forward: Now Playing

Now Playing

Man cannot live on 'Tix alone. Or, at least, I know I can't. I've been hooked on games for almost 14 years now, and I don't see any end in site. Here's a quick look at the other games causing diversions in my life right now...

Star Wars PocketModel TCG - WizKids Games

Take a credit card, cut out little pieces, build classic Star Wars ships, battle. This game probably is even a little more complicated than it needs to be...I'm kind of winging my own rules for it to keep it nice and easy. But hey, the ships DO look kind of cool. And the price point is actually pretty good on this one...two sheets of ships (with from 1 to 4 ships on each sheet), rules and some of the cards, not bad at all. Oh, and the super mini micro dice...just in case. The best part is that the price is right, and the models look good. The downside...the cards seem like a needless complication.

Transformers 3D Battle-Card Game - Wizards of the Coast

Take a credit card, cut out little pieces, build a Transformer, battle. Deja Vu all over again. This game is very straight forward, and plays a little bit like advanced Rock/Paper/Scissors. But that doesn't mean it isn't fun, and it does feature the movie style characters, which is very nice. The vehicle modes tend to look better than the robot modes, but that may be neither here than there. Tip of the day...collect two of each character so you can "hot swap" them when they transform...makes it go a LOT faster. Pros: Cool vehicle modes Cons: some robot modes hard to "see" correctly.

Star Wars Miniatures - Wizards of the Coast

Smaller and a little more tactical than 'tix, this minis game has been growing on me. Ba da bing! Out today are the two packs for 5 bucks...a much better price point in my mind. It's interesting that a booster of this game (two minis and two cards) costs the same as a booster of 'Tix, which has two action figures. Best Part: Great variety of figure sizes, tactics Worst Part: price point on standard boosters a bit too high for my taste.

Magic the Gathering - Wizards of the Coast

The original, the grand-daddy collectible game. I collect the paper cards, but play online, so I get to double dip on this one. The current "block" has been a lot of fun, with a Past/Present/Future theme and interesting takes on alternate cards in each of the three newest sets. The upcoming 10th edition looks to be a great jumping on point for new players..the first black bordered base set since the first Alpha/Beta releases. Yay to being the first and probably still the best CCG, Nay to having to split my resources between virtual and paper cards.

HeroScape - Milton Bradley

I've been lazily collecting the main game, and playing occasionally, but I'm really stoked for the soon to be coming Marvel release. The real strength of the game lies in the excellent hex terrain, which lends itself to a lot of creativity. The core set of the main game is about to reboot as well, another good jumping on point. Props to the hex style character cards with built in beginner and advanced stats, Slops to some of the odd price points.

Two Tix Forward is a new weekly column by webhead, member of the Attacktix design team. Check in every Friday to see what is new! Click here to see all of webhead's articles.

Monday, June 18, 2007

Top Tix Topics

Top Tix Topics

Every Monday JoeAttacktix.com news will feature the most popular topics on our messageboard! Check back each Monday to see what all the buzz is in the attacktix online community.

This week's top 3:

#1: Ultimate Galactic Showdown Tournament in California next Monday, June 25 3pm-6pm. Check out the details in this thread or on the MySpace Page.

#2: Hulk Home Game - Spice up your Attacktix Hulk figure with some cool house rules from boardee Big Bace Mace. Let us know if you've tried these in a game out or what you think of 'em!

#3: Turbomagnus Custom Thread. This thread is 12 pages long, which attests to the cool figures Turbo makes. Featured this week is the Night-Camo Biker Scout.

Friday, June 15, 2007

Two Tix Forward: Tix X-Change

Tix X-Change

Attacktix is a collectible/tradeable figure game...and as a result, odds are you are going to end up with a few extra figures...either duplicates of figures you only wanted one of (say, Spider-Man) or maybe you just wanted to collect a certain class of figures, like Chromes. What to do with the rest?

There's always eBay...and sure there are those that call it "evilBay" instead...but I've found eBay to be a GREAT resource for game collectors...as both a buyer and a seller. But today I want to focus on two other options.

The first is another obvious avenue...trading figures. If you are lucky enough to have a few people to play with locally, you probably already do some trading amongst yourselves. Keep in mind that Joe's site also provides a fantastic trading venue. The user regulated feedback is a great way to gauge the security of your trades in advance, and you're dealing mostly with other fans of the game that are looking to find the right pieces to fill out a squad or to close out their collection. Trading, even online, is a great community builder for the game...it gives you "something to do" with your figures even beyond playing and collecting. Trading amongst other fans is a great way to build relationships within the gaming community, because it's an avenue to build up concrete trust amongst virtual strangers. I've also seen a lot of trading and lending at the various tournaments I've attended, and I think this also proves that trading is a great community builder. I know that for me, trading was my primary route to collecting the last few pieces of the first few Star Wars sets, and also a way for me to unload the Chrome figures that I wasn't trying to collect at the time. It's always interesting to see how different figures are valued differently within the community, and chromes in particular are an interesting case. They provide another level or tier of collecting, and allow non-chrome collectors to possibly leverage some great trades.

The second option I'd recommend is...giving figures away. What? Yeah yeah, here me out. I don't mean giving figures away to random kids on the street...I mean, give figures to your friends that DON'T play (yet). Yes, you bought them to begin with...but they're extra, right? Consider it an investment in future gaming. If you can hook one of your friends with free figures, you might have just "bought" yourself another opponent that you'll have fun playing games with and against. I have yet to find any of my friends that I've given figures to that haven't liked the game. I'm guessing, if you like the game enough to collect extras, your friends should have enough in common with you to enjoy the game as well. If you do go this route, consider giving away teams, and not just randome figs, or maybe just a handful of your friends favorite characters.

Whatever you do with your extra figures, I encourage you to view them as an opportunity to do more with your game. Good trades should make both sides happy, and giving figs away to friends is a cheap way to get more out of the game you love already.


Two Tix Forward is a new weekly column by webhead, member of the Attacktix design team. Check in every Friday to see what is new! Click here to see all of webhead's articles.

Monday, June 11, 2007

Top Tix Topics

Every Monday JoeAttacktix.com news will feature the most popular topics on our messageboard! Check back each Monday to see what all the buzz is in the attacktix online community.

This week's top 3:

#1: Attacktix Wika Request thread - help the Attacktix community grow by reading about our efforts to make an official Wikipedia Attacktix sector. Click on the link by grievous to add a comment so we can make this a reality. We also have a new sub-board dedicated to this hot topic!

#2: Fantastic Four team hopes - Great discussion about the hopes for a Fantastic Four team for the game of attacktix.

#3: Transformers 3-D Card Game discussion - While this is not attacktix related, this is a hot topic about the new 3-D card game out by Hasbro. Like it? Hate it? Interested in learning more? Check out this thread! You can also discuss booster pulls here as well.

Friday, June 08, 2007

Two Tix Forward: Zone vs. Tilt

Zone vs. Tilt

Being "In the Zone" is pretty much cliche by now, but it still is the best way to describe a certain way you feel in competition...when everything is going your way, when you feel like you CAN'T lose...like you're invincible. Usually people only use this as a sports analogy, but I feel it's an appropriate term in any competition.

For example...when I was a junior in High School, I was in a Water Polo tournament up in Ann Arbor, MI. Traditionally, we had struggled in Ann Arbor (but always played well in Lansing...go figure.) Anyway, the whole drive to the event I had the headphones going, Metallica I'm sure, and I was psyched. During the game...I was in the zone. Everyone around me seemed to be moving slower...the net seemed huge...I couldn't hardly miss. I scored 6 points in the first half. Keep in mind, a normal final score for a Water Polo match might be something like 5 - 4. But again, I was in the zone.

A couple of years ago I was at Origins playing HeroClix and it happened again. I was playing in small Battle Royal events...essentially an 8 man event where only the last person with figures standing survives. I think I won 3 out of the 5 events I played that day, coming in 2nd and 3rd the other two times. The zone opened up around me....I saw every option my opponents had clearly...I made no mental errors...my strategy felt impeccable, and my luck rolled along with me. In one match...I took one hit period during the entire ordeal, while dispatching my opponents left and right.

Then...there is Tilt. Tilt is that opposite feeling...when you've lost control, and you mentally spiral away from any sort of competitive edge. And just like the Zone...the tilt can visit you in any form of competition, whether it be sport or game.

I remember playing in a Gus Macker (a 3 on 3 basketball tournament)...probably as a freshman in college. We were in the first game...and we were being outplayed. But instead of trying to raise my own level of play, I just started getting mad instead...mad that I was missing shots, mad that the guy I was covering couldn't miss. As I let my emotions go sour...I played worse, not better, and we lost big time.

A gaming instance of tilt occurred in the finals of a WWE Raw Deal tournament a few years back...I had played well all day, and my first opponent in the finals should have been a favorable match-up for me. But, within the first turn, he had some good plays, I had some bad ones, and I lost my mental game just like that. Instead of playing on and trying to salvage the game intelligently, I simply "played it out" and lost in short order.

So...bringing this back...how does it relate to playing Attacktix? Obviously zone and tilt can happen in ' Tix play as well. Hopefully you don't find yourself on tilt when playing fun games with your friends. But...if you ever attend a tournament, don't be surprised if you find yourself feeling the pressure of competition. If you're in a tournament, and you find yourself in the zone...congrats, you're probably going to win a lot of games.

But what if you're on tilt? What if anything can you do to pull yourself out of that spiral? There are a couple of things I would suggest. One, be aware of your emotions during the game...if you find yourself getting mad, you are probably heading towards tilt. Missing attacks and losing games happens, but getting mad at your opponent for playing well won't help your mindset. If you find yourself getting worked up in a negative way, take a mental time out, count backwards from 10, take a couple of deep breaths, refocus on the task at hand. Another thing that helps, if one of your friends is watching your game and sees you heading towards tilt, have them say something to you to try and snap you out of it...a simple "hey, it's just one missed attack, there's a lot of game left" coming from a good friend might be all it takes for you to decompress and move on. And finally, if you get blown out in a game and you feel worked up in a negative way afterwards...the worst thing you can do is take that negativity in with you to the next game. Take the time between matches to instead reflect on what you can better next time, and analyze your opponents plays and see what you can learn going forward.

Attacktix is a contest like any other...if you invest yourself in game-play, it is sure to have an impact on your emotions. But it is a game, and it should be fun...never lose sight of that.

Two Tix Forward is a new weekly column by webhead, member of the Attacktix design team. Check in every Friday to see what is new! Click here to see all of webhead's articles.

Monday, June 04, 2007

Top Tix Topics

We have so much news, pictures and discussion from CIV it's hard not to include those topics in this weeks top tix topics. The main threads remain stickied though, so I think I'll include other discussions not related to C4 this week.

Top three this week:

Definition of Defeated - an interesting clarification thread that has people in a lively discussion over the semantics of the word "defeated" as it relates to the game of Attacktix.

6-2-07 "more than meets the eye" - come discuss the latest release of Transformers movie figures and the lack of TF movie attacktix (bummer) in this thread by our mod Malform

Superfly's Tournament of Champions June 9 - Superfly will be having a nice, family-friendly tournament June 9 in Cincinnati. If you are live near there come check out this thread!

Saturday, June 02, 2007

Custom Attacktix: Striker Thing

This is just a quick modification I made a while ago to my Thing! Early protoypes show that Thing could swivel at the waist, so it shouldn't be too hard to have a true Hasbro copy of this figure! Fingers crossed!

JoeAttacktix Images from Celebration IV

Transformer








Star Wars





Photos by Dolly

Friday, June 01, 2007

Collider.com's Brian Wilk Interview

Star Wars Celebration IV was an excellent source of news and excitement for Star Wars fans! A new Brian Wilk interview was spotted on Collider.com. You can check out the full interview here, but here is an interesting, and short, clip!

Two Tix Forward: Deck Building

Deck Building

If you are reading this on Friday or over the weeekend, take heart in the fact that I am busy deck building. Oh no, not the fun kind of deck building that involves CCG cards...I mean good old fashioned carpentry work building a deck. Rest assured, I'd rather be building decks of cards, or better still, building new Attacktix squads.

The number of different squads you can build, even at 100 points, is a staggering number. AND, that number grows exponentially as each set is released. Think about it like this, just taking into account point costs...you can make a team of ten 10 pointers, eight 10 pointers and one 20, seven 10 pointers and one 30, six 10 pointers and one 40 or two 20's, even five 10 pointers and one 50 once some of the newer figs are out...you get the idea. Then you multiply all of those variations with the different numbers of figures available at each point cost...it gets a little nuts real fast. You could spend years just trying to make up each different squad, playing it in one game, then building a new squad and playing that once, and on and on and on.

But of course, some squads work better than others. All Medic Droids and R2's? Eh, not so great. But because any attacking figure has an inherent value...you can play most any figures together and have some chance at victory. The odds are always better when the powers work together, but hey, the beauty of the game is that you can mix and match your favorite characters from across the different universes and give it a go. Today I also want to talk about squad building and scenarios. Anyone at TixCon probably saw "The Bar With No Name" setup we had, in a way it's own scenario thanks to the large amount of terrain provided by the setup. But there are other ways to run scenarios without needing much in the way of props, let's look at three examples.

Mirror Master - Not just the name of a cool Flash villain, Mirror Master as a scenario or format involves players using identical teams to duke it out. Players could agree on teams beforehand, or even have a third party pick a team that both players need to play. Maybe in Marvel it's a battle against your own evil clones, or in Star Wars a clash between two squads have have split their allegiance. Whatever the dramatic backdrop, this easy to run scenario removes the squad building element as difference in strategies, and allows players to focus solely on superior tactics. In a tournament format, this would work well for a small side event, with the squads being a surprise to all players.

Bob the Stormtrooper - This scenario works best in games where players are using a lot of Troopers or army builder type figs in any universe. The ideal setup would be something like this, build a squad of all say, Stormtroopers with a Heavy Stormtrooper or two. Now, secretly choose one of the Stormtroopers to be "Bob", or Mike or Elizabeth...the idea is, this Stormtrooper is unique, but your opponent doesn't know that yet. Mark the bottom of the base with a small pieces of tape or other label. Then choose a new special power for that figure that works "If Black". I'd tend to not use simply something like "Recover > Any", because let's face it, that's boring. This is your chance to get creative, or use one of your favorite powers on a low cost fig that normally wouldn't have it. Write this power down on a hidden slip of paper. Then, play your game like normal, but when "Bob" is defeated, reveal his new special power.

The Great Wall of Attacktix - The standard Attacktix game uses no terrain, making formations the key to group movement and providing the best cover for the figs you are trying to defend. The Great Wall scenario changes that. Chris on the design team pointed out that Jenga blocks are the perfect size and weight to use as terrain in 'Tix games. As a scenario, start out with each player building a six Jenga brick wall on the board. Then, on your turn, you may give up an attack to place two more bricks adjacent to one of your figures. Not only does this continually change the landscape, but it really allows you to play defense and offense if you plan your wall right.

OK, so there are some ideas to chew on. If you haven't ever tried a scenario, I recommend giving it a go. You'd be surprised at how even the smallest rules changes effect the way you play the game, and how much more you will appreciate it.


Two Tix Forward
is a new weekly column by webhead, member of the Attacktix design team. Check in every Friday to see what is new! Click here to see all of webhead's articles.

Thursday, May 31, 2007

Fire Guts Optimus Prime's Effect Revealed

SunnyShineUp has this prototype Fire Guts Optimus Prime on eBay.
Energon Mode - Instead of attacking with 2 different figures, you may attack with Optimus Prime twice.

So if he is your last figure, you no loner suffer from the loss of an attack. AND if he has the "Last Man Standing" Special, this guy will be a beast!

Thanks to greyelephant for his keen eyesight!

Transformers Series 2 and Star Wars Series 5 Protos on eBay - Clear Yoda

Be sure to check out these Attacktix Protos on Ebay!

Lots of great finds, like Hologram Yoda, Fire Guts Prime, G1 Optimus Prime and G1 Megatron! Lots more, and I have word that there are LOTS more to come!

Top Tix Topics

I was a bit delayed because of the holiday and all the C4 news but here are the latest hot topics on our messageboard this week!

This week's top 3:

#1: Pix from Celebration IV of TF Series 3! - Some really cool stuff is on the horizon for the Transformers line of attacktix including Rumble, Bumblebee, & Shockwave. Come discuss all the latest news from C4 in our thread dedicated to the topic. You can see a full character list with pictures in this thread by Penguin.

#2: Dengar & Emperor Series 5 Effects Revealed! - The latest Star Wars series 5 effects have been revealed! Hate all the new effects? Love them? Come discuss what you think in this thread.

#3: Marvel Mega discussion featuring the new Colossus w/Wolverine Mega - This is an older thread revived with the latest picture of the new Marvel Mega. This is probably one of the best sculpts for a Mega we've seen yet!

See you next Monday, when we will resume our regularly scheduled Top Five!

Monday, May 28, 2007

JayDouble Nabs an Exclusive Brian Wilk Interview for JoeAttacktix

Questions for Hasbro, regarding Attacktix, were posted on the Attacktix Forum, and JayDouble managed to have a nice chat with Brian Wilk, Design Director for Hasbro's Boys' Toys.

*I'm paraphrashing a lot, so don't take it as gospel. -JayDouble




Q: Why [does Hasbro] alienate so many loyal customers by making the same figures over and over again, such as DareDevil, Hulk, and others?
-superflytnt

A: A few reasons. The main market is kids, so to get them in the game you need to keep making main characters. Main characters draw more attention/familiarity and give them the opportunity to make lesser known characters.




Q: Are there any plans to return to the larger number of figures being released per series [30] or will it remain at the current lower per series [18] amount due to the number of lines that are being marketed at present?
-turbomagnus

A: [Hasbro is] going to stay with smaller amounts. The main reason for the bigger sets was boosters made of three Attackitx figures and not two.




Q: When will we see replacement missile packs (a bunch together that are affordable)?
-ionicdesign

A: [Hasbro is] still working on it. Unfortunately no timetable is set.




Q:Are there any plans for more 'mini-series' [Starter and Mega Sets, without accompanying Booster figures] ala the Ghost Rider (GR) and Spider-Man (SM) series?
-turbomagnus

A: There are plans in the making. Think of two new Marvel movies in the works. If they will be made is yet to be determined.




Q: Are there any plans to improve the quality of the figures. Such as misspellings, bad grammar, and odd figures being made. We deserve one more Hasbro employee to proof read each figure before [Hasbro] makes 100,000 of them.
-Annointed 1

A: Unfortunately quality control is never 100% so some errors do make it out.
As far as the quality of the Attacktix go [Hasbro is] working on it, specifically Star Wars. [Hasbro] realizes Marvel and Transformers are made stronger and weigh more. The problem is most of Star Wars are human based characters so you can't really put that much plastic into them. Hasbro is researching this now.




Q:Will Hasbro ever introduce a fantasy-style Attacktix line (similar to D&D or LOTR)?
-AWOL

A: [Hasbro] wants to venture into other lines. The problem is Attacktix is not as well known in the gaming world yet. Until that happens it will still be SW, Marvel, and TF for now. So spread the word to make Attackitx mainstream!




Q: Is Hasbro limited to introducing new Attacktix lines only at the time of a scheduled release of a movie (such as what happened with Transformers, Ghost Rider, Marvel, Spiderman)? If so, isn't Hollywood, then, setting the standard as far as what gets produced by Hasbro and when the products are released?
-AWOL

A: That is pretty much correct. Again it goes back to Attacktix becoming mainstream. Once that happens I think there will be plenty of creative freedom.




Q: We've had shooters, line-shooters, saber/staff strikers, limb-based strikers, prodders of all kinds, double-shooters, even a figure where you squeeze to launch his projectile AND who can also strike...
Are there any other kinds of attacks in the foreseeable future for Attacktix?
-turbomagnus

A: They're always testing various ways to attack. One example is a power up base. Say you like a Clone Trooper who is worth 10 points. With a power base you put the CT in it to give it a bigger base. But instead of it being worth 10 it's now worth 30. 20 for the power base and ten for the CT.




Q: Are there any plans of releasing Expanded Universe characters for the Star Wars line?
-nickvader92

A: Think new Star Wars entertainment. [Editor's note: Star Wars Clone Wars, Star Wars Animated Series, Star Wars TV, maybe what he is Brian Wilk is alluding to.]




Q: Is there any more word on the possibility of G.I. Joe Attacktix?
-turbomagnus

A: Not at the moment. [Editor's note: G.I. Joe's action figure line has taken a hit this year, an anniversary year. I do not think this is a reflection of the Attacktix sales, as much as G.I. Joe.]




Q: Why is it so hard to come up with more Transformer strikers? Marvel is 55% strikers! Star wars including the SW5 not yet out is 28% strikers... And Transformers including TF2 not yet released is a measly 16% strikers.
-malform

A: They're working to make it a balance between shooters and strikers. We may see more TFs with objects in the future to act as strikers. [Editor's note: In the future, so TF series 4 is in the works?]




Q: Despite the fact that the Star Wars Battle Case failed, will Hasbro take what it's learned from the Battle Case and release any other form of Attacktix terrain?
-turbomagnus

A: There's no plan for Battle Cases, but [Habro is] testing out terrains. When I mean terrain; up, down, objects, everything. Say you have this block and hit it, but the block also knocks your enemy down, the enemy is eliminated. Imagine Grievous up top shooting down, Jedi Knights hiding behind objects, bases that shoot, etc. Possibilities are endless.




Brian also covered a few more topics with JayDouble, regarding the future of Attacktix.

Hasbro is working on marketing Attacktix better in the aisles. They're looking at changing the location of where they're located, maybe in the hobby section or Pokemon/Yu-Gi-Oh! card section.

They're also working on redesigning the boosters. Starters easily sell better because you can see what you're getting. There's talk of half visible/mystery boosters. If you have a good design idea to make boosters sell, let them know.

As far as translucent sabers and projectiles go, they were having problems with them shattering so they shied away from it. After lots of testing and retooling translucent matrials should be the norm now.

Squad killers like Jedi Knights/Wicket will be shied away from in future series. BUT, army builder packs could be an option. Most likely a 4-pack retailer exclusive. (Not set in stone, just an idea.)

Thanks to Brian Wilk for his time, and great product, and also thanks to JayDouble for getting the voice of Attacktix fans heard!

Star Wars Celebration IV: CIV Attacktix Wrap Up



Fans who went to CIV will recognize the colorful banner above that sailed over the twin Attacktix display cases. It proved to be a great show for all Attacktix, especially Transformers. Marvel's Colossus Mega was on display, for the first time, along with Star Wars Series 5. Colossus and SW5 had previously been spotted on Hasbro.com, but this was the first time fans could get a peek, revealing some of the latest Attacktix Effects!

Read about the newest Attacktix Effects here!

Transformers Attacktix fans may have gotten the most exciting end of the deal! Transformers Series 2, also previously on display at Hasbro.com. were present along with never before seen, or even heard of, Series 3!

Be sure to check out all the Transformers Attacktix Series 3 pictures here!

Friday, May 25, 2007

Two Tix Forward: I Never Had an Optimus Prime

I never had an Optimus Prime...

I was what you might call the target demo for the Transformers toys when they first hit back in the 80's. What was I, 9 or 10? I had been playing and collecting "He-Man guys", but when those transforming robots came out, I got hooked big time. Every chance I got, I pushed for new Transformers. Good grade card? I'll take a Huffer thanks. Christmas? Mirage please. Saving up pennies and dimes? I remember begging my folks to drive me to Toys R Us one night to buy a Skywarp with coins I had saved up. Over time, I ended up with a great collection, including many of the big ones - Jetfire (my favorite to this day), Omega Supreme, Shockwave, but never did I manage to get the two top dogs, Optimus Prime and Megatron.

For some reason, those two were always out of reach. They never were on the shelves when I was at the toy store, or if they were, they were a few more dollars than my tiny toy budget could afford. A few of my friends had one, the other, or both, so I did get to see them in action, but I never had one of my own. I guess that always kind of bummed me out. It didn't matter that I was the only one with Omega Supreme...I didn't have Prime, and everyone knows he's the best.

Flash forward a decade or two. I'm playing/collecting Star Wars Attacktix, and I'm geeked to learn that Transformers are coming out in Attacktix form, but I find out that the first set are all the newer versions of the characters. Still very cool - I mean, come on, SUPER Optimus Prime - but just not the ones I grew up with. Well, guess what, as fate would have it, I joined the Attacktix team just in time for the design work on TF2, the first set to have "G1" figs in it. Wow. All of those years staging huge mock battles on my bedroom floor with every TF I owned...finally going to pay off! I'm sure my parents never saw that coming. (Can you imagine it? "Honey, time for dinner." "Just let the boy play, he may need to know someday if Grapple or Ironhide is better in a fight.") Even though I knew most of the characters fairly well, I still took the opportunity to do a lot of research on all of the characters, just like I do for every set. You never know when a small bit of the characters history will provide the spark for the perfect power combination.

(On a side note...notice that Captain America and Optimus Prime have the same power? Did you know they are going to be in a comic together when the New Avengers crossover with the Transformers? Weird. And by weird I mean cool.)

I always spend a little extra time on the starters, making sure they are as balanced and as fun as possible, because I know that the greatest number of new players will probably come into the game via that route. After all, they are clear packed, and usually have the big name characters in them. The Transformers starter is no exception. AND...it has both Optimus Prime and Megatron in it. This was my chance, to take back that tiny missing piece, and actually contribute to it. The artists, they did an amazing job...Prime and Megatron are probably two of the best translations of any Attacktix figures out there...amazing display pieces by themselves. And, for anyone that knows the results of TixCon, they play great too...contributing to the Transformers dominance over both the Marvel and Star Wars universes.

So...now I finally have my Optimus Prime and Megatron, sitting here on top of my monitor, ready to do battle at a moments notice. It's about time...

Two Tix Forward is a new weekly column by webhead, member of the Attacktix design team. Check in every Friday to see what is new!

More CIV Attacktix: Star Wars and the New Effects Figures

Rebelscum has some nice pictures of Series 5 Star Wars... which we have seen on the Hasbro.com website. However, they have some images of the new EFFECTS for Series 5.

Images at Rebelscum.com

Also, one picture you won't find anywhere else!

Transformer Attacktix Series 3 Revealed at CIV

Be sure to check out the images at the Jedi Insider for the first look at Transformers Series 3!

Images Here

Monday, May 21, 2007

Top 'Tix Topics

Every Monday, starting this week, JoeAttacktix.com news will feature the most popular topics on our messageboard! Check back each Monday to see what all the buzz is in the attacktix online community.

This week's top 3:

#1: TF-X - This thread was posted by webhead817 about a mysterious new Transformers line of attacktix coming soon. Webhead has been posting clues periodically, the latest being:
Four there are.Two for good.Two for evil.Two will lead.Two will follow. What the heck is he talking about? Come guess with us!

#2: Marvel Series 2 Discussion (with booklet pictures). Great discussion anticipating the latest figures, their stats, and what everyone wants for their new Marvel teams!

#3: Battlefront: Nar Shaddaa Spacedocks w/VIDEO. Amazing custom battleboard by superflytnt! Come check out the real working elevator, command post with LED lights, and the video of the Grievous tour.

Transformers Attacktix Series 1 Less Than $2

Be sure to check out the great AMAZON DEAL

$1.84 for Transformers Attacktix. Buy this series while you can.

ONLY AT AMAZON

Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Marvel Attacktix Series 2 Quick Start Guide

I don't have a working scanner at the moment, so here are some images of the figures in Series 2 Marvel Attacktix.













Friday, May 04, 2007

TixCon 2007 - Ohio Attacktix Tournament Video

Thanks to Radar, JoeAttacktix's newest mod, for his excellent video of TixCon 2007!

Thursday, May 03, 2007

ENTER TO WIN!


We only have a few entrants right now! Just email attacktixcontest@gmail.com with your name, and you will be entered to win!

Sunday, April 29, 2007

Transformers Attacktix Tournament Set and Megas Revealed

ATTACKTIX Battle Figure Game: TRANSFORMERS Tournament Set

click to enlarge image
Lead an ATTACKTIX squad into battle and knock down your opponent’s troops with real attack moves like launching missiles, swinging smashes and more! Each of the four figures in this tournament set comes with unique attack features and awesome styling that’s made to collect or trade!

Select your troops and plan your strategy! Each exclusive action game piece is modeled after a TRANSFORMERS character. Stand up your figures and play anywhere… no game board is needed! And a quick-start guide gets you playing fast! So set up, load up, and start battling, because THE LAST ONE STANDING WINS!

Includes 4 exclusive figures only available in this pack: OPTIMUS PRIME, MEGATRON, BUMBLEBEE and BONECRUSHER figures.
Item #: 68282
Approx. Retail: $ 12.99
Ages: 4 & Up

ATTACKTIX Battle Figure Game: TRANSFORMERS BATTLE MASTERS MEGATRON and SCORPONOK


click to enlarge image
A powerful addition to your squad, awesome MEGATRON and SCORPONOK battle figures can help bring exciting action to your next ATTACKTIX battle! Obliterate your opponent’s ranks when you launch the MEGATRON battle figure’s two missiles! Knock down rivals with the SCORPONOK figure’s jabbing action! You’ll want these figures to be a part of your strategy, because in ATTACKTIX, THE LAST ONE STANDING WINS!

Two Game pieces come with quick-start guide.

Item #: 68354
Approx. Retail: $ 12.99
Ages: 4 & Up

Saturday, April 28, 2007

JoeAttacktix Forum Celebrates its Second Year!

JoeAttacktix is two years old, and we are celebrating! First we are going to be giving away tons of prizes!

10 Random Winners will get a TF Attacktix Sticker!
5 Random Winners will get Entertainment Earth Exclusive Marvel Attacktix Posters!

T6-T10 Attacktix Tournament figures will also be given out!

If you want to win some of these prizes, simply send an email to attacktixcontest@gmail.com

And, if you are not already a member of the Attacktix Mailing List, join now to DOUBLE your chances to win! Simply click here to join now, or click the word JOIN in the top navigation menu. Once you enter your email, you will need to respond to the confirmation email!

And that is not all, be sure to check out the latest JoeAttacktix Puzzle Contest, for even more chances to win!

Wednesday, April 04, 2007

A Little Something Extra from Walmart - Attacktix Stickers

I was picking up a Walmart Exclusive Transformers Starter Set (with the Decepticlone)and in my box of Attacktix was a TF Attacktix Sticker.



I visited two other Walmart locations, and a Target, and I did not find these stickers anywhere else. I am wondering if Marvel and Star Wars variations are out there. If not, could this be a sticker that will be included in all the future Transformers Movie figures, to get the Attacktix Buzz going? The latter may make sense, considering the pulling of Transformers Attacktix from (some) Walmarts and Targets.

Please leave a comment if you have found these stickers yourself, and especially if you have a non-TF version.

Monday, April 02, 2007

More (of the same) News on Attacktix Tour UK

Please if we have ANY UK readers, please leave a comment if you went to one of the stops on the Attacktix UK Tour! Any info or pictures from the event would be GREATLY appreciated!

Check out the UK Toys R Us site as well

For decades kids have deliberated endlessly in the playground, presenting evidence for and against some of the toughest characters known to man. Yet until now the question has never been answered. Who would be the last man standing if all of the superheroes in the world contested a huge battle?

Attacktix can make it happen and finally kids can discover who the toughest, bravest superhero of all time is. With Attacktix, Spiderman can challenge Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker can team up with Optimus Prime, and The Hulk can take on Wolverine! Anything is possible.

Attacktix is a revolutionary action figure battling game with one simple goal: To be the last man standing. Each figure has a maximum number of moves similar to a piece in a game of chess and can be played on various levels for all abilities. Kids must think strategically about where to move their figures and who to pair them up against.

Now you have the opportunity to experience the world of Attacktix at a Toys R Us store near you from 17th March until 14th April 2007

For a limited period, you can take-part and experience the great Attacktix game-play. Attacktix masters will be on-hand to show you the cool skills and strategies available to defeat the opponents army.

So, why not come along and bring your own armies and show us your strongest characters and witness first hand, what is bound to be one of the best game play experiences this year!

Click here for the official site

Toys R Us in-store demonstration times: 10am to 5pm.

Visit any of the selected Toys R Us stores listed below to experience the world and game-play of Attacktix

17th March

Bedford
Cardiff
Enfield
Hull
Leeds
Medway
Merry Hill
Peterborough
Reading
Stockport

24th March

Bolton
Bristol
Conventry
Doncaster
Ipswitch
Livingston
Luton
Old Kent Road
Southampton
Swindon

31st March

Brent Cross
Gloucester
Milton Keynes
Norwich
Scunthorpe
Sheffield
Solihull
Teeside
Warrington
Woking

7th April

Brislington
Edinburgh
Harlow
Hayes
Liverpool
Northampton
Nottingham
Oldbury
Portsmouth
York

14th April

Croydon
Derby
Glasgow
Lincoln
Metro
Oxford
Poole
Preston
Stevenage
Stoke

Marvel Attacktix Series 2 Starter Set Revealed

Hasbro.com has revealed the latest Marvel Starter Set. With a traditional Hulk Striker and a Web-Ball Tossing Spider-Man!

ATTACKTIX Battle Figure Game: Marvel Heroes Starter Set


click to enlarge image
Lead an ATTACKTIX squad into battle and knock down your opponent’s troops with real attack moves like launching missiles, swinging smashes, claw swipes and more! Each of the four figures in this starter set comes with unique attack features and awesome styling that’s made to collect or trade!

Select your troops and plan your strategy! Each action game piece is modeled after a Marvel character! Stand up your figures and play anywhere… no game board is needed! And a quick-start guide gets you playing fast! So set up, load up, and start battling, because THE LAST ONE STANDING WINS!

Includes Thing, Hulk, Spider-Man and Doctor Octopus figures and a quick-start guide.
Item #: 68355
Approx. Retail: $ 9.99
Ages: 4 & Up

Optimus Prime STRIKER?



Don't you wish!

Who Is Playing Attacktix? Attacktix Map UPDATED

Today, April 2nd, 2007 is the Two-Year Anniversary of Attacktix! I dug up this old Attacktix Players Map and figured I would give it another go-round to see if we can find out who is playing!

With TixCon coming up this month, and tons of new figures hitting stores soon, this is the perfect time to learn more about Attacktix!

-----

If you are wondering who is playing Attacktix near you, take a look at the map below! Or you can even add yourself to the map! Spread the word, and have all your Attacktix friends sign in, so we can see how far the Attacktix Community can go!

If you want to explore the map, just click on any part of the map WITHOUT a flag, and pull it in any direction. Then, once you have an area you would like to focus on, just click the "+" button to ZOOM IN! Maybe you will find me :)



Thursday, March 29, 2007

Attacktix Transformers Series 2 Starter Now Available

Transformers Series 2 Starters are available NOW! You get G1 versions of Optimus Prime and Megatron as well as Energon Landquake and a Comic-Con style Cybertron Skywarp.

As we get cases of Attacktix from Entertainment Earth, that's where this came from. As far as we know it hasn't shown up in brick and mortar yet, but you can order one online-- or wait.

Each figure has a spring-loaded attack-- basically, all are firing projectiles except Landquake, who has this claw thing. Which is pretty cool.

It ships in an assortment with a companion Star Wars set featuring Chewbacca and Han Solo (Hoth gear) as well as Darth Vader and a Stormtrooper. So Attacktix still has a lot of product on the way, it seems. I'm especially fond of the Legends-style Skywarp in this set.

Thanks 16bit.com

Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Designer Notes: When Wampas Attack(tix)

From Web of Webhead

The Battle Master for the forthcoming Star Wars Attacktix Series 5 is arriving now for those that pre-ordered it from certain e-tailers. This mighty figure is of course the Wampa…packed with the Hoth version of Luke…

Attacktix Wampa

Designed concurrently with Series 5, this mega pack is the first of the Star Wars figures I’ve worked on to arrive on the scene. The Wampa gets very little screen time in the original ESB, and gets slightly more play in the Special Edition. Either way you cut it (ouch) there’s not a lot of canon to work with. However…the sculptors did an AWESOME job yet again, creating a great figure that feels more like a statue. I struggled a bit with powering the mighty snow beast…but I finally settled on Battle Cry…it seemed oh so fitting for this creature of the snow - matching his thunderous roar. As we found, when attacked, a Wampa can call for aid from his fellow snow beasts. In a large enough point game, a pack of Wampas would be quite the threat to contend with.

Luke was another story…I took the specific storyline element from this scene, Luke’s rescue by Han, and expanded it. This is a pivotal character building moment for Han, where we see his true grit shine through and his determination to risk his own live to save a friend. I could have easily gone the Rescue - If Han Soloroute, but I felt instead the need to expand that condition out, to allow you to play what if. What if Luke was rescued by the X-Men’s Beast instead? What if he was rescued by Starscream? True to form, the Hoth version of Han is a Captain (you’ll find him and Chewie in the Starter), so Luke’s Rescue - If Captain will work just fine in a storyline game. However, if you’re crossing universes (and really, why aren’t you?), you’ll be sure to find plenty of solid Captain figures to support this strategy in game. Enjoy! - B

Monday, March 26, 2007

Attacktix UK: Win Attacktix Battle Masters

Click here to enter!

Win Attacktix Battle Masters

Competition closes on 9:00am Saturday 31st March 2007
Win one of ten Battle Masters packs
Win one of ten Battle Masters packs

Attacktix - The battle everybody wants to see!

For decades kids have deliberated endlessly in the playground, presenting evidence for and against some of the toughest characters known to man. Yet until now the question has never been answered. Who would be the last man standing if all of the superheroes in the world contested a huge battle?

Attacktix can make it happen and finally kids can discover who the toughest, bravest superhero of all time is. With Attacktix, Spiderman can challenge Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker can team up with Optimus Prime, Stormtroopers can skirmish with Transformers and The Hulk can take on Wolverine! Anything is possible!

Attacktix is a revolutionary action figure battling game with one simple goal: To be the last man standing. Each figure has a maximum number of moves similar to a piece in a game of chess and can be played on various levels for all abilities. Kids must think strategically about where to move their figures and who to pair them up against.

And to find our who is truly the hardest hero in the universe kids can get down to Toys R Us at Tilling Road in Brent Cross on 31 March 2007 to see the Attacktix UK Tour in action!

All you have to do is to answer this simple question:

Which branch of Toys R Us can kids see the Attacktix Tour in action?

Competition prize:
10 winners will each win a Battle Masters pack.

Competition rules:

  • Employees of Newsquest (London) Ltd and their families and anyone else connected with this promotion are not eligible to enter.
  • Prizes are not transferable and there are no cash alternatives.
  • The editor’s decision is final.
  • Friday, March 23, 2007

    Transformer Movie Attacktix Megatron and Scorponok Megas!

    From TFW2005.com

    TRANSFORMERS BATTLE MASTERS MEGATRON and SCORPONOK

    A powerful addition to your squad, awesome MEGATRON and SCORPONOK battle figures can help bring exciting action to your next ATTACKTIX battle! Obliterate your opponent's ranks when you launch the MEGATRON battle figure's two missiles! Knock down rivals with the SCORPONOK figure's jabbing action! You'll want these figures to be a part of your strategy, because in ATTACKTIX, THE LAST ONE STANDING WINS


    ATTACKTIX Battle Figure Game: TRANSFORMERS Tournament Set

    Lead an ATTACKTIX squad into battle and knock down your opponent's troops with real attack moves like launching missiles, swinging smashes and more! Each of the four figures in this tournament set comes with unique attack features and awesome styling that's made to collect or trade!
    Select your troops and plan your strategy! Each exclusive action game piece is modeled after a TRANSFORMERS character. Stand up your figures and play anywhere... no game board is needed! And a quick-start guide gets you playing fast! So set up, load up, and start battling, because THE LAST ONE STANDING WINS!Includes 4 exclusive figures only available in this pack: OPTIMUS PRIME, MEGATRON, BUMBLEBEE and BONECRUSHER figures.

    Thursday, March 22, 2007

    Spider-Man III Attacktix Out Now

    From Web of Webhead

    Apparently the Spider-Man III Attacktix set is already starting to pop at retailers, with initial reports coming in of Toys R Us purchases. Start looking now at your favorite Attacktix outlet.

    Spider-Man III Attacktix Set



    This set represents the final pieces of the initial Marvel offerings, filling in the "missing" Spider-Man (SM) series figures first found in the Origins starter. This is also the second Marvel movie themed series following the Ghost Rider products from earlier this year. Designing figs for the movies... Read the rest of this entry »

    Saturday, March 17, 2007

    Attacktix UK Tour is Coming to a Toys R Us Near You!

    From Toy Talk: We have learned that Hasbro is staging a UK tour to demonstrate the new action figures.

    Held at Toys R Us shops around the country from March 17 until April 14, The Attacktix UK Tour should be great fun. Click below for a full list of participating stores and dates.

    Attacktix Launch Store List (visit the Toys R Us website for directions to your nearest store)

    17 March
    Bedford, Cardiff, Enfield, Hull, Leeds, Medway, Merry Hill, Peterborough, Reading, Stockport

    24 March
    Bolton, Bristol, Coventry, Doncaster, Ipswich, Livingston, Luton, Old Kent Road, Southampton, Swindon

    31 March
    Brent Cross, Gloucester, Milton Keynes, Norwich, Scunthorpe, Sheffield, Solihull, Teeside, Warrington, Woking

    7 April
    Brislington, Edinburgh, Harlow, Hayes, Liverpool, Northampton, Nottingham, Oldbury, Portsmouth, York

    14 April
    Croydon, Derby, Glasgow, Lincoln, Metro, Oxford, Poole, Preston, Stevenage, Stoke

    Win a Spider-Man Origins Starter Set

    If you are one of the large number of Attacktix fans who have yet to find the Origins Starter Set then this contest is for you.

    All you need to do is draw a picture of Spider-Man and post it in the Forum! If you are already a member, click here!

    If you are not yet a member you can register now. It's free and easy.

    Click the Forum button at the top of the page and enter to win!

    Wednesday, March 07, 2007

    Custom Marvel Attacktix

    Here are some of my latest Marvel customs.

    Click on the images to see them larger!

    Han Solo (soon to be Indiana Jones) holding Iceman's custom frosty Ice Blast



    Some different angles of my favorite Marvel hero, Iceman



    The Black Widow



    Secret Wars Spider-Man



    I was mostly interested in just the customization of the figures, soon I will assign powers, change bases and create some powers for these guys. Until then, enjoy!

    Thursday, March 01, 2007

    Marvel Series 2 Mega: Colossus with Wolverine Throwing Action

    ATTACKTIX Battle Figure Game: X-Men BATTLE MASTERS - Wolverine and Colossus

    click to enlarge image
    A powerful addition to your squad, awesome Colossus and Storm figures can help bring exciting action to your next ATTACKTIX battle! Obliterate your opponent’s ranks with Colossus’ Wolverine-throwing action, and Storm’s launching blizzard-blasting missile!

    You’ll want these figures to be a part of your strategy, because in ATTACKTIX, THE LAST ONE STANDING WINS!

    Includes Colossus with Wolverine, and Storm figures.
    Item #: 68277
    Approx. Retail: $ 12.99
    Ages: 6 & Up

    Sunday, February 11, 2007

    Hopes of DC and Halo Attacktix May Be Gone For Now

    February 1, 2007 (SEATTLE) - WizKids Inc., creator of runaway hit games like HeroClix® and Pirates of the Spanish Main™, announced today its agreement with Bungie Studios and Microsoft to develop a new collectable miniatures game (CMG) called Halo® ActionClix™.

    The Halo ActionClix, CMG brings the incredible content of the Halo universe
    to the tabletop via the award-winning Clix miniatures game engine. Players
    familiar with HeroClix and HorrorClix™ will be able to jump right into the
    action and enjoy brand-new game mechanics, including weapon swaps, figure
    respawning and vehicle-based combat.

    "Expanding the Halo universe into the Clix CMG world is a perfect fit for
    the franchise," said Brian Jarrard, director of Franchise and Community
    Affairs at Bungie Studios. "WizKids’ commitment to quality and authentic
    detail ensures that these new Halo ActionClix figures will appeal to
    collectors and CMG players alike."

    The first Halo ActionClix set will feature more than 80 unique miniature
    figures from the Halo universe, including preview content from Halo 3. A
    number of vehicle packs are also being produced, including a big surprise
    planned for San Diego Comic-Con this July. Figures will be sold in
    randomized Booster Packs. The vehicles and a Starter Game will be sold in a
    diorama display format.

    "We are proud to be associated with a great brand like Halo," said Lax
    Chandra, WizKids® president. "We are always looking for ways to push the
    envelope with our games and content. The phenomenal Halo video game play
    and universe provided us with an excellent spring board for innovation in
    tabletop miniatures gaming. We are very excited about this release."

    The Halo ActionClix CMG is expected to be released at retail in September
    2007, with special Prerelease figures available at San Diego Comic-Con July
    26 - 29, and at Gen Con Indy August 16 - 19.


    And from dvandom

    DC Battle League
    Mattel is out to cash in on the Attacktix thing with their own line of DC "Battle League" figures, to judge from the Toy Fair pictures (courtesy of Toy News International...not very good shots, ASM will probably better pics soon). So, now you can have Batgirl and Harley Quinn fight it out. ;) Looks like there's a new sort of attack figure, using a whiplashing post to have flying or jumping figures smack into targets.

    Marvel Series 2 and Spider-Man 3 Movie Attacktix at Toy Fair 2007

    Click here to see images of the new Marvel Series 2 Attacktix

    Toy Fair 2007 is underway in New York... lots of Attacktix to see. JoeAttacktix will get them all posted here once we sort through all the photos that will pop up over the next few days.

    As far as non-Attacktix stuff that is awesome. Spider-Spud looks GREAT... can't wait for him to hang with Artoo and the Bad Spuds. The SPI-DOG will be a welcome replacement to the pink i-Dog we currently have. Those Spider-Man 3 Superhero Squadron are JUST what I have been waiting for. Two series of the Marvel versions of Intergalactic Heroes and no Spider-Man... of course he was coming. And they are adorable! I must get them all!

    Finally, Marvel Heroscape! If you love Marvel Attacktix, and you want something a little more D&D dice rolling action, be sure to pick up Marvel HEROSCAPE as soon as you see it. And if you live in Tampa you better by it before I do!

    Saturday, February 10, 2007

    Attacktix Press Release from Toy Fair 2007

    ATTACKTIX BATTLE FIGURE GAME EXPANDS TO INCLUDE CHARACTERS FROM A MULTITUDE OF HEROIC UNIVERSES



    PAWTUCKET, R.I. (February 2007) – In the ultimate battle between intergalactic heroes and villains, which characters would join forces? And, which side would win? Would DOCTOR DOOM be able to take down OPTIMUS PRIME and OBI WAN KENOBI? Or, would SPIDER-MAN join forces with LUKE SKYWALKER and BUMBLEBEE to overcome the power of DARTH VADER? These scenarios are just a few that can be played out by fans of Hasbro’s ATTACKTIX Battle Figure Game, which will expand in 2007 to feature a diversified superhero character lineup, in the quest to be the last one standing.


    Superheroes and villains from the MARVEL universe, including the upcoming GHOST RIDER and SPIDER-MAN 3 feature films, will join the dozens of STAR WARS™ and TRANSFORMERS characters currently available. Additionally, new characters from STAR WARS and the TRANSFORMERS feature film will be introduced throughout the year.


    Hasbro’s ATTACKTIX game is easy to learn, but difficult to master. Kids plan their strategy, build their squad of figures, plot their moves and attack with one simple goal: to outlast their opponent. With no game board or dice, ATTACKTIX can be played on any flat surface, at anytime. Each of the collectible figures stands on a patented game base that features all of the game play information needed as well as revealing secret powers. The innovative movement system enables kids to move their figures in numerous combinations, providing for enhanced strategy and a new game each time they play. Also, multiple levels of strategy are built in to vary game play even further.


    Highlights of Hasbro’s ATTACKTIX line include:


    ATTACKTIX TOURNAMENT SETS

    (Approximate Retail Price: $19.99; Ages: 6 & up; SPIDER-MAN 3 Tournament Set available Spring 2007; TRANSFORMERS Tournament Set available Fall 2007)


    New in 2007, ATTACKTIX TOURNAMENT SETS bring an added level of excitement to the widely popular ATTACKTIX game. Based on the upcoming major motion pictures TRANSFORMERS and SPIDER-MAN 3, the Tournament Sets will include four exclusive figures in each pack and each figure will feature distinct strengths that will enhance competition on the battlefield.


    ATTACKTIX STARTER SETS

    (Approximate Retail Price: $9.99; Ages: 6 & up; STAR WARS and TRANSFORMERS Starter Sets available now; MARVEL Starter Sets available Spring 2007)


    The Starter Set is great for those new to ATTACKTIX as it provides a launching point for building a solid squad. Each set contains four figures, each with unique powers. Two of the figures in each pack are exclusive to the Starter Sets. Building on the success of the STAR WARS and TRANSFORMERS Starter Sets, Hasbro is launching the MARVEL Starter Set in 2007. MARVEL Starter Sets – such as the GHOST RIDER Starter Set – feature some of the most popular characters from MARVEL comics and MARVEL-based movies.


    ATTACKTIX BOOSTER PACKS

    (Approximate Retail Price: $4.99; Ages: 6 & up; STAR WARS and TRANSFORMERS Booster Packs available now; MARVEL Booster Packs available Spring 2007)


    Players can increase the power and strength of their ATTACKTIX battle figure forces with the addition of figures in ATTACKTIX Booster Packs. STAR WARS, TRANSFORMERS and the new MARVEL HEROES booster packs will include two figures – one rare and one super-rare. Each pack is blind, making the discovery of figures in the pack part of the excitement. The STAR WARS, TRANSFORMERS and MARVEL ATTACKTIX lines include 18 figures in each complete set. Collect them all to build the ultimate squad or to trade with friends.


    ATTACKTIX BATTLE MASTER ASSORTMENT

    (Approximate Retail Price: $12.99; Ages: 6 & up; STAR WARS and TRANSFORMERS Battle Master Assortments available now; MARVEL Battle Master Assortments available Spring 2007)


    ATTACKTIX BATTLE MASTER figures are twice as large as the average ATTACKTIX battle figure and bring more action to battles with bigger attacks, increased power, and stronger defenses – making them more difficult to defeat. For example, the AT-RT launches four missiles! Each BATTLE MASTER comes with a regular battle figure so that players can stage a battle right out of the box. In 2007, MARVEL battle masters will bring a new, more powerful dimension to fans’ battle line-ups.