HOW TO PLAY FORTNITE

Have you heard of FORTNITE? Even if you haven't played this game I'm sure you are aware of it. Over the last two years it has become a video game phenomenon. The game is so popular that Netflix considers Fortnite one of their primary competitors when  it comes to capturing the attention of kids and young adults.

Fortnite is a free-to-play battle royale game where up to 100 players fight to be the last person standing. You start the game by boarding a flying bus and up to 100 players skydive into a battle zone. Once on the map, you need to find a weapon to fight with. Players can also scavenge gear and find vehicles to help them in combat.

The goal is to be the last player left standing. Over the course of time the map begins to shrink forcing players into tighter and tighter spaces. Eventually all but one player will be eliminated. The video game ends with the message #1 Victory Royale displayed across the screen with only the last player left to see it.

FORTNITE THE ULTIMATE UNAUTHORIZED GUIDE

My kids have constantly asking me to play Fortnite so I appreciated author Grant Turner sending me a copy of his book FORTNITE: THE ULTIMATE UNAUTHORIZED GUIDE. Whether you are a parent wanting to find out more about this video game before letting a child play or enjoy playing Fortnite yourself and want some tips on achieving #1 Victory Royale this is a book you will want to pick up. Starting with simple instructions on how to download and install the game on all platforms (Nintendo, PlayStation, Xbox, PC as well as Apple and Android mobile devices), FORTNITE: THE ULTIMATE UNAUTHORIZED GUIDE divulges all the essential information someone will need to be competitive in a Fortnite battle royal.

FORTNITE: THE ULTIMATE UNAUTHORIZED GUIDE is available in paperback and as an e-book. It is nearly 200 pages that in addition to containing lots of useful tips also is full of useful illustrations, graphics, maps and game screen captures that highlight tricks and strategies for dominating a Fortnight battle field. Readers learn how and where to unearth the best weapons and gear, discover essential combat strategies, plus get tips for identifying ideal landing zones and building the perfect fort. The book also provides secret cheats, hacks, unlockables, and much more to help you get ahead when playing Fortnite.

You can get FORTNITE: THE ULTIMATE UNAUTHORIZED GUIDE in print from Target and Barnes & Noble or as an ebook at Amazon and Google Books.

FORTNITE T-SHIRTS

Have fun playing Fortnite wearing some battle gear of your own. Get yourself a Fortnite t-shirt from tvstoreonline.com.  From a shirt that highlights dance moves that you can have their characters do  to celebrate achievements when playing to one featuring the popular Cuddle Team Leader character from the game, tvstoreonline.com has a number of officially-licensed Fortnite t-shirts available in both youth and adults sizes.

Fortnite Bus Crew

Kids that love the gaming world, love playing Fortnite will love this officially-licensed Fortnite Bus Crew Light Blue Youth T-shirt. A crazy Fortnite t-shirt, this Fortnite Bus Crew tee will make your little one the hit at school when they show up wearing this in class as the world of gaming knows no boundaries when it comes to dressing to impress by using images from the Fortnite gaming world itself. Fans of Fortnite that are obsessed with the video game will want to wear this Fortnite tee out on the town when they are hanging out with friends or when they're at home, sitting and playing in the Fortnite world.

Fortnite Durrr Burger Space

Fans of Fortnite only wish that they could actually stop off and have a quick bite to eat at Durr Burger, the fictional restaurant in the game Fortnite that has the world obsessed. Located in Greasy Grove, wearing this Fortnite Durr Burger Space Adult White T-shirt shows everyone that you meet, who also play Fortnite, that you are perfectly fine with being an instinct of the game, instead of being a supporter of Uncle Pete's Pizza Pit. Fans of Fortnite will appreciate the campy-factor associated with this Durr Burger Fortnite tee as when you wear it you're immediately telling the world about your diet.

Fortnite Dance Dance

Whether you're into the Infinte Dab, the Zany, the Groove Jam, Disco Fever, or the Wiggle, we all know that there are many dances that a character can do in the game Fortnite. But, if you're a die-hard fan of this particular aspect of the Fortnite game, you'll love this officially-licensed Fortnite Dance Dance T-shirt. Now fans of Fortnite that like to get off on the good foot, or do their tang and get funky when they're lost in the world of Fortnite can show everyone just how important the notion of dancing is in the game and in life when they wear this funny Fortnite video game t-shirt around comic con this year.

Cuddle Team Leader Love

Anyone that is playing Fortnite is already familiar with the Fortnite Cuddler Team Leader. Fans of the game will appreciate this loving homage to the world of Fortnite when you get them this officially-licensed Fortnite Cuddle Team Leader tee for their collection. Buying and gifting them this t-shirt will make a Fortnite fan the happiest person in the world when they get to it displaying their love for the world of Fortnite as the world's latest video game obsession.

T-SHIRT GIVEAWAY 

Thanks to a geek daddy's friends at tvstoreonline.com you can enter to win one of their great Fortnite t-shirts. Complete the entries in the form below before 11:59 pm on Sunday, March 3, 2019 for a chance to win. One lucky entrant will be selected to receive their choice of an adult or youth sized Fortnite t-shirt. Must be a United States resident over 18 years old to be eligible for this promotional giveaway. tvstoreonline.com will be responsible fore delivery of the prize. Good luck!

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VALENTINE FROM VANELLOPE

A Geek Daddy received a surprise Valentine from Vanellope von Schweetz! Thanks Walt Disney Studios for sending a sweet Valentine's Day treat my way. I'm looking forward to having a family movie night seeing Vanellope's newest adventure with Wreck it Ralph now that RALPH BREAKS THE INTERNET is available to add to our home entertainment video library.

The Digital edition of RALPH BREAKS THE INTERNET: WRECK IT RALPH 2 is available now and the movie is arriving February 26, 2019 on Blu-ray and DVD. The movie is rated PG for some action and rude humor by the Motion Picture Association of America. This animated film has a run-time of 112 minutes. Along with the feature presentation, the home video release has bonus extras that include deleted scenes, a documentary about the making of the movie, and a segment highlighting Easter Eggs that were placed within RALPH BREAKS THE INTERNET: WRECK IT RALPH 2.

In the movie, Video-game bad guy Ralph and his best friend Vanellope von Schweetz leave the comforts of Litwak's Arcade to try to save her game, Sugar Rush, from being retired after it becomes broken by a player. This quest takes them to the vast, uncharted world of the Internet. There Ralph and Vanellope must rely on "the Netizens" who inhabit the Internet to help the duo navigate their way. Lending a virtual hand are Yesss, the head algorithm and the heart and soul of the trend-making site "BuzzzTube," and Shank, a tough-as-nails driver from a gritty online auto-racing game called Slaughter Race, a place Vanellope wholeheartedly embraces - so much so that Ralph worries he may lose the only friend he's ever had.



Will Sugar Rush continue to delight kids at Litwak's Arcade or is it heading to the garbage heap? And if Sugar Rush is unplugged forever what will happen to all of its characters? You will have to watch RALPH BREAKS THE INTERNET: WRECK IT RALPH 2 to find out! Available to watch digitally now from Movies Anywhere, iTunes, and Vudu or pick it up at your favorite retailer where Blu-rays and DVDs are sold beginning February 26.

 For more information, go to movies.disney.com/ralph-breaks-the-internet-wreck-it-ralph-2

THINGS TO LOVE ABOUT GOLDFISH SWIM SCHOOL

There is a lot to love about Goldfish Swim School! My kids have been swimming there for several years now and it has been an exceptional experience for our family. If you are the parent of a child between 4 months to twelve year old tweens, this is a great place to check out when it comes to developing swimming abilities and water safety skills.

My twins have been swimming here themselves for a few years. The kids have had a lot of fun while getting some great exercise. It has been impressive to see how they've mastered different swim strokes and how comfortable they are at swimming now. They probably are better swimmers than me and my wife now.

Here is a reason from each member of my family about why we love Goldfish Swim School:

WATER SAFETY

My son misjudged the depth and current of the river in a water park tube ride getting himself in a scary situation. When he jumped in the water and found himself struggling, the confidence and skills he learned at Goldfish Swim School kept him safe until a lifeguard could bail him out of the predicament. The boy never panicked and put his lessons to good use!

He utilized a variety of the things taught during his classes at Goldfish Swim School to get himself out of trouble. Using the side breathing he utilize during laps in the pool to get air kept him breathing while having trouble keeping his head above water. Combining the strokes he has learned with the treading water water safety skills Goldfish Swim School has their students practice kept him from being sucked under by the current. Following the instructions he had been provided of reviewing your surroundings and calling for help, he was able to get a lifeguard's attention who jumped in with a float to assist him.

Goldfish Swim School really emphasizes teaching their students about water safety. In fact, they host a WATER SAFETY DAY each year that is open to all the residents in communities where Goldfish Swim Schools are located free of charge.  It is an event filled with fun activities and educational presentations on how to be safe in and around the water. My kids love going to this event and it is a great time for parents and children to reflect on water safety tips.

SWIM FORCE

My daughter has mastered all the swimming lessons at Goldfish Swim School but she isn't done there just yet. She is participating in the Swim Force program that teaches kids about participating in swimming as an athletic endeavor. Based upon that experience she is wanting to swim competitively in high school and college now. Wouldn't it be great if she can earn a scholarship?!

Swim Force members are kids who have graduated from all of the Goldfish Swim School swimming classes. Once they've succeeded in all the school's levels of lessons, they are invited to join the Swim Force.  This involves a weekly hour long practice session and quarterly swim meets where they race against each other. My daughter loves being a part of the Swim Force!

PROGRESS REPORTS

My wife loves how Goldfish Swim School communicates with parents! After class, instructors provide parents with individual poolside progress reports for their children. Personalized details for each student are conveyed informing a parent about what was worked on during the lesson, noting positive accomplishments  by the child and highlighting areas where there is need for improvement.

FAMILY SWIM TIME

I love to go for a swim myself along with my kids when the pool at Goldfish Swim School is open for students and their families to jump in to have a good time. When the kids are off from school we like to take a dip in the pool. Sometimes the kids practice their swimming strokes but often times they are just goofing around. It is a nice way to spend some quality family time together having fun. These family open swim times are a great perk at Goldfish Swim School.

These are just a few examples of why Goldfish Swim School has earned A Geek Daddy nod of approval. For more information or to find a location near you, go to goldfishswimschool.com 

A Geek Daddy is a brand ambassador for Goldfish Swim School. I receive complimentary products and services in exchange for sharing my family's experience at Goldfish Swim School. Opinions expressed are honest and my own.

HELLBOY BEER

To commemorate the 25th anniversary of the creation of the HELLBOY comic book, Oregon's Gigantic Brewing and Dark Horse Comics are teaming up to create a limited edition batch of 666 cases of themed beer, based on award-winning cartoonist Mike Mignola’s legendary character. Depicted as a well-meaning half-demon, Hellboy is a member of the United States Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense (B.P.R.D.) where he fights against dark forces that threaten the Earth such as monsters, magicians, witches and undead creatures. Involuntarily summoned from Hell by Nazi occultists as a baby, Hellyboy was rescued by Allied Forces and was raised as the son of the professor who was assigned to study him. He has lived here ever since defending the planet from evil.

Hellboy has been featured in numerous graphic novels and comic books, prose novels and short story collections over the last twenty-five years since his first appearance in the 1994 Dark Horse Comics mini-series Hellboy: Seed of Destruction. He also has been in two animated movies and two live action films. Another Hellboy film is also forthcoming starring David Harbour, Sasha Lane, Ian McShane, Penelope Mitchell, and Milla Jovovich which is set to be released by Lionsgate on April 12, 2019.

Celebrating twenty-five years of Hellboy, Gigantic Brewing will release six different beers with flavors inspired by fan-favorite characters from the Hellboy comic books throughout 2019. Each new beer will be a limited edition run of 666 cases. The first beer, Hellboy, features a maple syrup and pancake profile. That sounds so good! I want to taste a bottle of that for myself!

Gigantic Brewing’s first Hellboy beer will be released in March, ahead of Hellboy Day on March 23, 2019, when comic book stores and fans across the country will celebrate twenty-five years of Hellboy comics and graphic novels. New batches in the series will be released approximately every seven weeks after that. The limited edition beers will be released in the following order and feature different flavor profiles:

• Hellboy - Maple Syrup Pancake Beer (6.66% abv)
• Liz Sherman - Mole Chili Stout (6.66% abv)
• Johann Kraus - Citrus Wit Beer (6.66% abv)
• Abe Sapien - Indigo Blue Fruit Ale (6.66% abv)
• Blood Queen - Cranberry Yuzu Sour (6.66% abv)
• Trevor Bruttenholm - British Barleywine (9.99% abv)

Gigantic Brewing will also be selling prints and t-shirts featuring new Mike Mignola’s illustrations for each of the six Hellboy beers. There will be an introductory beer tasting party on March 15 at Seattle's Emerald City Comic Con followed the roll out of the beer to locations across the country. More details about distribution of these beers will be coming out closer to the release date.  To find out more information about Hellboy Beer, follow Gigantic Brewery on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram or visit www.giganticbrewing.com/pages/hellboy.

BUDWEISER COPPER LAGER

To compete more with craft breweries, Budweiser is releasing limited batches with unique twists to their flavoring and style called the Reserve Collection.  Last year they released a Red Lager inspired by a recipe crafted up by George Washington that was being promoted around the Fourth of July.  I enjoyed a few of these beers relaxing on my back deck listening to Detroit Tigers on the radio over the summer.

Incorporating barrels that had previously held bourbon into the brewing process has been a popular trend lately with craft beers. Now the King of Beers has teamed up with the world's best-selling bourbon, Jim Beam, for their own creation inspired by that craft beer trend→ Budweiser Reserve Copper Lager. This new specialty beer is available in heritage glass bottles nationwide.

Copper Lager is an American lager-style beer, brewed with two-row barley and aged on Jim Beam bourbon barrel staves. The charred American oak staves, which previously served as barrels aging Jim Beam for four years, create a toasted oak aroma, while the beer has a deliciously nutty taste with caramel rye and vanilla notes and the classically smooth Budweiser finish.



If this beer captures your interest, grab a six pack when you see it because when a store's supply runs out they won't be restocked. CLICK HERE to find out more about this beer and where you can find it near you.

LEGO DC SUPER VILLAINS VIDEO GAME MOVIE CHARACTER PACK

To get their diehard fans excited, and of course help sell more comic books, DC Comics every year or so creates a dynamic cross-over storyline that has a dramatic impact in shaping the overall scope of the publisher's fantasy universe.  Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment has transformed one of these events, DC Comics' Forever Evil comic book story from 2013-2014, into its newest LEGO video game → LEGO DC SUPER VILLAINS.

In the Forever Evil plot arc, the heroes of the Justice League have mysteriously disappeared and been replaced by their alternates from another dimension. Ultraman, Superwoman, Owlman, Johnny Quick, Power Ring, and Deathstorm at first appear to be protectors at first but eventually it becomes clear they are a crime syndicate out to become the rulers of the world. Thus Earth's super villains team up to stop this threat for the best interest of the planet. Led by Lex Luther the newly formed team of villains rescues the Justice League who have been imprisoned by the crime syndicate uniting with the super heroes to battle their common foe.



In LEGO DC SUPER VILLAINS it is good to be bad! Players create a completely customizable character who leads a team of super villains to foil the evil plans of the fake heroes from Forever Evil comic book stories. Along the way, you will unlock new powers and customizations for your character, engage in additional story quests, puzzles, and mini-games that unlock rewards and recruit other Super Villains as seen in DC comic books and movies. Also you get to cause mischief throughout well-known DC Comics locations including Gotham, Metropolis, and Smallville joined by villains such as Black Manta, Cat Woman, Deadshot, Reverse Flash and The Joker.

DC Movie Character Pack

To keep LEGO DC SUPER VILLAINS fresh and fun after the initial game has been completed there is also a season pass that provides new DLC content including bonus levels and characters throughout 2019. In the just released DC Movie Character Pack you can now play as Wonder Woman, Batman, The Flash, Superman, Cyborg, and Deathstroke as they appeared in the Justice League movie produced by Warner Bros. Pictures. You can access The DC Movie Character Pack by getting the deluxe edition of the video game, purchasing the Season Pass as an add on or buying this character pack separately for $1.99. Add these characters to help your customized super villain and some of DC Comics greatest bad guys … and gals … take down the crime syndicate.

For more game information, visit chaos-is-coming.wbgames.com and follow the official LEGO® DC Super-Villains social channels on Facebook and YouTube, and @LEGODCGAME on Instagram and Twitter.

UGLY DOLLS TRAILER

We had a tasty treat snacking on some cookies that look like characters from UglyDolls while watching the trailer for this animated movie that is heading to theaters for a May 3 opening weekend. This musical stars some awkward yet adorable looking creatures whose singing will be performed by the voices of Kelly Clarkson, Nick Jonas, Janelle Monáe, Blake Shelton and Pitbull. This diverse group of singers provide a dynamic that promotes acceptance, joy and friendship through their vocal talents in the portrayal of this film's story. Thanks STX Entertainment for providing us with these quirky cookies and a heads up about this trailer promoting UglyDolls!



UglyDolls transports audiences to the town of Uglyville, where weird is celebrated, strange is special and beauty is embraced as more than simply meets the eye. Here, the free-spirited Moxy and her friends live every day in a whirlwind of bliss, letting their freak flags fly in a celebration of life and its endless possibilities, occasionally looking to the sky, where a new UglyDoll appear from to be embraced by the community.

Moxy (Kelly Clarkson) loves her square-peg life in this round-hole town, but her curiosity about all things leads her to wonder if there’s something – anything – on the other side of the mountain which nestles Uglyville. Moxy gathers a group of her closest friends and sets off to find what’s on the other side. They discover another world – Perfection – a town where more conventional dolls are trained in protocols before they graduate and are sent to the “real” world to find the love of a child.

In Perfection, Moxy and her crew are subject to the manipulations of Lou (Nick Jonas), the perfect doll in charge of training recruits. Here, the UglyDolls will confront what it means to be different, struggle with their desire to be loved, and ultimately discover that you don’t have to be perfect to be amazing because who you truly are is what matters most.

Unconventionality rules in UglyDolls! For more information about this family friendly upbeat musical visit uglydolls.com or check out their social media feeds on Twitter and Instagram. If you aren't connected with A GEEK DADDY on Twitter and Instagram don't forget to follow us too!