"Unlocked Blocked" ("How To Train Your Dragon 2")
When people discover I play videogames, a good percentage ask me right off the bat if I like "World of Warcraft:. It's as if part of the criteria of being a gamer is having an active account with Blizzard Entertainment to travel across many digital lands via the interwebs. But I digress. I tell those people I don't play "World of Warcrack" because there's no end. The goal is not the destination because there is no destination. It's just wandering around forever, completing tasks and missions, and leveling up for infinity. It sucks up a huge amount of your time and for what? So you can show off to other players the nice shiny +99 armor you finally received after grinding in a cave for 300 hours. No offense to WoW players; I'm glad you find enjoyment. But it's not an addiction I want to tempt.
Unfortunately, that doesn't mean I never get blind sighted. Take for example "Skylanders". When it first came out in 2012, it looked like a harmless all-ages title. There was 20 main stages in the game and by placing 1 of 20 Skylanders action figures onto a physical base that was plugged into your X-Box, Playstation, or Nintendo 3DS, you were able to play as that character on screen in the game. Sure the $90 starter pack was a bit costly but what a neat concept!
However there was a catch. Perhaps a BIG catch.
First off, only 3 figures came with the game so if you want to collect them all, you'd have to go out and buy the rest at $14 a pop. Second, only a fourth of each stage could be unlocked with the figures that came with the game so if you want to complete all the levels in their entirety, you had to get all the figures. But wait, there's more! Some figures had rare exclusive versions with additional powers and abilities. You see that chest in the middle of the cyclone in the lake? You need the "Legendary Gill Grunt" to obtain it; exclusively sold at your local Toys 'R Us. Want additional levels? Then pick up 1 of our 3 playset packs at the low price of $40 a piece!
What started off as a cool idea turned into an ugly, expensive, outrageous monstrosity. And sadly, it only got worse. Every year a new Skylanders game was released with a new catch. The second entry introduced giant Skylanders. The third made it possible to swap the tops and bottoms of 30 new characters. The fourth introduced 40 new vehicles on 20 new race courses. And so on and so for the next five years. By the time the line was cancelled due to poor sales, to own every collectable would cost a person $15,950 (Manufacture Retail Price).
But perhaps the best testimony I can offer comes from my nephew; Tony's son. He was a massive Skylanders fan when they first came out. Collecting the toys and playing the game was a huge joy for both him and his dad. He even went as a Skylander one year for Halloween. But after the second game, he threw his hands up in the air, cursed, and walked away. Now if you ask him what he thinks of the franchise, he'll go into an angry rant about the greed of corporate videogame developers and the stupidity of the kids who keep buying lousy over-priced toys.
How can I possibly top that? - Jake