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!