ClawCrazy

Fans of skill crane games can now play on real machines via an online app. Whether you want to win folding pocket knives or cuddly toys, it is a great way to test your gaming skills and win prizes. ClawCrazy lets you test your skill and luck remotely controlling the arcade games located at their Farmington, Michigan-based facility by utilizing Android and Apple devices. Grab a prize with a claw or earn tickets to redeem in their prize gallery. 

From claw machines to skeeball there are a variety of games to challenge you in this online arcade that can be played from anywhere in the world. Purchase tokens with a credit card to initiate game play. If a claw pulls a prize out of a machine, Claw Crazy will mail it to you. 

You can also earn tickets that can be redeemed for prizes like a deck of UNO cards [3,600 tickets], Spalding basketball [9,000 tickets], LEGO Aston Martin set [12,600 tickets] or the newest Call of Duty video game [36,000 tickets] among numerous other prizes. Grab a plush Baby Yoda or a boxed Funko Pop figure from a claw machine or earn tickets in skeeball to get yourself a Starbucks gift card. Check out all the available skill challenges and prizes you can win at clawcrazy.com. 

My kids and I spend an entertaining evening playing around with the clawcrazy app on my iPad. There was a lot of trash talk going back and forth as well as laughing taking place as we challenged each other to see who could do the best in these feats. We didn't end up bringing home any prizes but had a fun time anyways. 

Are you geeked about these style of arcade games? If so, you are sure to have a good time testing your dexterity with the ClawCrazy app. If you are on Instagram, Threads or Twitter, give @Geekdad248 a shoutout sharing with us your ClawCrazy experience. 

RATCHET & CLANK -- THE MOVIE

Our family really enjoyed the opportunity to attend an advance showing of Gramercy Pictures' RATCHET & CLANK -- THE MOVIE which will be arriving in theaters across the United States on Friday, April 29, 2016.  The movie is based upon the highly popular RATCHET & CLANK video game franchise by Insomniac Games for the Sony Playstation gaming consoles.  You don't have to worry about not having played the video games as the movie is likeable without having done so, but the film does include numerous references to Playstation's RATCHET & CLANK that gamers who are fans of the franchise will appreciate.  My kids have never played any of the RATCHET & CLANK video games and just thought of the film as a new animated sci-fi adventure / comedy to go see.  If your children have enjoyed movies in the genre of Escape from Planet Earth, Home, and Monsters vs Aliens, they'll appreciate seeing RATCHET & CLANK.

The movie is named after two unlikely heroes, Ratchet and Clank, struggling to stop the vile Chairman Drek from destroying every planet in the Solana Galaxy.  Ratchet is the last of his kind, a foolhardy "lombax" who has grown up alone on a backwater planet with no family of his own.  James Arnold Taylor (Obi-Wan Kenobi in the Star Wars: Clone Wars television series) who has voiced Ratchet in several of the sequels to the original RATCHET & CLANK video game that was released in 2002 also portrays the character in this motion picture.  Ratchet likes to tinker with gadgets and vehicles but his results don't always turn out as expected leading to high jinks and trouble.  Clank, who has been voiced by David Kayes in all of the video games plus this new movie, is a pint-sized robot with more brains than brawn.  When the two stumble upon the villainous plot of Chairman Drek they attempt to warn a team of colorful heroes known as The Galactic Rangers and in the process join the group in an effort to save the galaxy.  Through their adventures Ratchet and Clank learn about heroism, friendship and the importance of discovering your own self identity.



The movie also features some well know actors voicing characters. These include Paul Giamatti as Chairman Drek, John Goodman as Ratchet's mentor Grimroth, and Sylvestor Stallone as Victor Von Ion the villainous robotic lieutenant to Chairman Drek.

A popular aspect of the RATCHET & CLANK video games are the variety of odd weapons that players can utilize.  The movie embraces this element of the games with humorous situations throughout involving weird and wacky weapons.  My daughter's favorite scene in the movie is when a character is shot with a ray gun which transforms people into sheep. She thought that was hilarious! With that thought in mind, check out the free RATCHET & CLANK online Sheepinator game which allows kids to turn evil Blargians into sheep and lets adults combat Internet negativity by turning mean tweets into sheep (click on the highlighted links for each of those respective games). When it comes to funny moments my son preferred the scene when the Galactic Rangers are trying to teach Ratchet how to use their arsenal of weapons which the young lombax just doesn't seem to get a grasp for using.



RATCHET & CLANK gets A Geek Daddy nod of approval for putting smiles on my kids' faces.  When it comes to a family outing to the movie theater having fun and a good time is what the experience is all about so in that aspect RATCHET & CLANK hit its target for our family. The movie has a PG rating with humor and violence that may make it inappropriate for preschool aged children based upon a parent's own discretion.  For more information on the film, visit www.ratchetandclankmovie.com

For those who may have missed out on playing the video games in the RATCHET & CLANK Playstation franchise, Insomniac Games will be releasing a re-imagined version of the original Ratchet & Clank game for the Playstation 4 in conjunction with the release of the movie. CLICK HERE for more information about the newest Ratchet & Clank video game for PS4.

Earn a medal from Toys R Us by participating in Star Wars EPIC BATTLES Challenge

We stopped by our local Toys R Us store this weekend so my kids could be awarded their medals for completing the online Star Wars EPIC BATTLES Challenge.  Go to the STAR WARS: EPIC BATTLES website and you'll find four picture puzzles featuring key locations from the original movie trilogy to complete.  Each location, Hoth, Yavin, Endor, or Tatooine has its own "Where's Waldo" style picture puzzle filled with popular Star Wars characters and vehicles plus some humorous illustrations thrown in to make the game extra fun.  Your mission is to find 5 hidden pictures in each EPIC BATTLE depiction. 

You can zoom in and out plus scroll up, down and side to side to assist you in accomplishing your mission.  Where is that Furbacca?!  Wow is that Indiana Jones swinging through the forests of Endor?!

Once you've found all five of your targets, the website will generate a Certificate of Accomplishment to print out.  You could frame it to display or you could take your certificate to Toys R Us to redeem for an exclusive Star Wars EPIC BATTLES medal.  Players can earn a unique medal for each of the four picture puzzles.  Between now and January 30, 2016 while supplies last you can swing by a Toy R Us retail location and redeem your online certificate for an absolutely FREE Star Wars medal.  Chewbacca may not have received a medal for the Battle of Yavin but my son sure did!

There is no age limit for participating but medals are limited to one per certificate per person per visit.  My son and daughter completed all four puzzles online so they picked the three medals they liked best and I turned in their third certificate for them.  We brought home Darth Vader (Yavin), Ewok (Endor) and (C3PO / R2D2).  The medals are made out of quality materials and have pin fasteners so kids can attach them to clothing, backpacks, or other things that may suite their fancy.  My 7 year old twins had a lot of fun completing the online picture puzzles and were really excited to get some cool Star Wars swag. HINT: We've gone to Toys R Us promos before, especially LEGO ones, where they've run out of giveaway items and my kids have left disappointed so you may want to call your local store before going to pickup medals to make sure they haven't run out of their allocation.  They still had a lot of medals available at the Toys R Us we visited but I'm sure that will vary from store to store.

Whether you are interested in the medals or not, if you are a Star Wars fan make sure to check out these picture puzzle maps while they are online because they are as Darth Vader would say "impressive, most impressive."  Playing the Star Wars EPIC BATTLES Challenge though is a nice way to spend some time having fun with your children doing something they may find a bit adventurous on a Winter day.  For those of you taking on this challenge, good luck and may the Force be with you!

SKYLANDERS SUPERCHARGERS race onto store shelves TODAY!

Skylanders® fans with a need for speed should look no further -- a brand new version of the popular video game franchise arrived at stored today that provides online multiplayer and racing gameplay for the first time. Available at major North American retailers nationwide beginning Sunday, September 20, 2015,  Skylanders SuperChargers takes kids on a wild ride as they drive the mountainous terrains, dive the deep sea environments and fly the big blue skies of Skylands like never before with amazingly detailed vehicles, many of which feature moving parts that will play in the real world and come to life in the game via the Portal of Power®. While this is a new addition the franchise that needs the purchase of a Starter Pack parents will be pleased to know that Skylanders SuperChargers is forward compatible with all 300+ unique toys from all previous games – Skylanders® SWAP Force^™, Skylanders® Giants, Skylanders® Spyro’s Adventure and Skylanders® Trap Team. 

Developed by Vicarious Visions, Skylanders SuperChargers expands upon the franchise’s signature gameplay to introduce vehicles-to-life -- an entirely new way for fans to experience the magic of Skylands. The trailblazing innovation of Skylanders SuperChargers is realized when players take the helm of powerful, tricked-out land, sea and sky vehicles that are playable in both the physical and digital worlds in a high octane action-adventure videogame. Skylanders SuperChargers offers a rich story-driven gameplay experience filled with vehicle-based and on-foot adventures, combat, puzzles, mini games, activities and platforming, set within a variety of all-new compelling environments. The game features a brand-new class of heroes that is distinct with fresh moves, powerful attacks and all-new weapons.  SuperChargers also have special in-game abilities that help Portal Masters fight Kaos.  Twenty new SuperChargers character toys and 20 new vehicle toys will be available.  Right out of the box, the game also features an all-new Racing Mode that blends high-octane, supercharged racing with combat, accentuated by power-ups, boosts, hazards and more.

 

Players can also purchase Racing Action Packs that unlock additional content. A total of three Racing Action Packs, one for each terrain, will be available for $34.99 MSRP and each will include three special toys -- a SuperCharger, vehicle and villain trophy which unlocks two exclusive racing tracks for the game. The first of the three packs, the Skylanders SuperChargers Sea Racing Action Pack, will be available at launch.

 “Remember when you were a kid and pretended that your toy cars came to life, zooming around your living room on the most epic racetracks of your imagination?” said Eric Hirshberg, CEO of Activision Publishing in a press release provided to A Geek Daddy. “Well, we are about to bring that fantasy one step closer to life with Skylanders SuperChargers. We are reimagining toys-to-life by bringing race cars to life, along with helicopters, motorcycles, jet planes and submarines, as you race through Skylands and compete against other players for the first time. Our fans are going to love playing this game. I know I do.”

To celebrate the arrival of Skylanders SuperChargers and the addition of racing to the franchise, Skylanders became the official partner of racing champion Max Chilton for the season finale of Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires. Chilton, a 24-year-old former Formula 1 driver and fan of the Skylanders franchise, blazed the tracks of Laguna Seca in a Skylanders-themed race car on September 12-13. “SuperCharged” Chilton shattered Tony Kaanan's 1997 track record in the qualifying race, broke the race lap record set by Helio Castroneves in 1996 and ended the season on the Indy Lights podium for Carlin. Skylanders also “SuperCharged” Enea Bastianini from the Gresini Racing Team to take the win at the San Marino and Riviera di Rimini GP in Italy, his first career victory in the Moto 3 World Championship.  Bastianini will take to the track again in his Skylanders SuperChargers-branded race suit at the Aragon Grand Prix in Spain on September 25-27. 

Skylanders SuperChargers Starter Pack will include two new Skylanders characters, a first-of-its-kind Skylanders vehicle, a newly designed Portal of Power® and the full AAA game. Skylanders SuperChargers will be available for the PlayStation^® 3 and PlayStation^® 4 computer entertainment systems, Xbox 360^™ and Xbox One^™ video game and entertainment systems from Microsoft, and Nintendo’s Wii U^™ system for $74.99 MSRP.  As a bonus for Nintendo purchasers, that console's game packs some extra star power as it includes two of Nintendo’s iconic characters reimagined as Skylanders -- Turbo Charge Donkey Kong and Hammer Slam Bowser -- available exclusively in Skylanders SuperChargers Starter Packs for the Wii U system, and in
Skylanders® SuperChargers Racing Starter Packs for the Wii system and the Nintendo 3DS family of systems.

Skylanders SuperChargers Dark Edition Starter Packs also will be available in North America on September 20 for $99.99 MSRP. All Dark Edition Starter Packs will include Dark Spitfire, Dark Hot Streak and the highly sought after Kaos Trophy which is the only way to unlock special gameplay content, plus a two-sided ultimate collector poster. The Dark versions of the Turbo Charge Donkey Kong and his vehicle, Barrel Blaster, will be available in the Wii U Dark Edition Starter Pack; Dark Hammer Slam Bowser and his vehicle, Dark Clown Cruiser, will be available in the Wii Dark Edition Starter Pack.

Skylanders SuperChargers Racing, a complementary racing experience, will be available on September 20 for Nintendo’s Wii™ system for $74.99 MSRP and the Nintendo 3DS™ hand-held system for $64.99 MSRP. The addition of Donkey Kong and Bowser as guest stars in the new game, along with their specially created vehicles, will be available exclusively in Skylanders SuperChargers and Skylanders SuperChargers Racing Starter Packs for the Nintendo platforms. The SuperCharged characters not only work in Skylanders SuperChargers, but will also work with select amiibo-compatible Nintendo games with a simple twist of the character’s base. 

Fans of the Skylanders franchise can also choose to purchase the Digital Portal Owner’s Pack, available on September 21 for $49.99 MSRP for connected consoles, and use the Portal of Power they already own to play Skylanders SuperChargers. The download of the Digital Portal Owner’s Pack provides a great way for returning players to enjoy Skylanders SuperChargers on the platform of their choice. On October 25, the full Skylanders SuperChargers game will also be available on select iOS devices including iPad®, and for the first time ever iPhone® and iPod touch®.  Skylanders SuperChargers will also be available on Apple TV® this fall.

Comcast Bolsters INTERNET ESSENTIALS Program for Low-Income Michigan Families

Comcast is bolstering its Internet Essentials program for low-income Michigan families by doubling download speeds and providing routers for in-home Wi-Fi service at no additional cost to participants' existing monthly bills.  Internet Essentials provides low-cost high-speed Internet service for $9.95 per month plus tax, makes available multiple avenues to access free digital literacy training, and the option to purchase a low-cost Internet-ready computer for about $150 dollars.  To participate in Internet Essentials, a family must have at least one child residing in their household who is eligible to participate in the National School Lunch Program, including public, parochial, private, charter, and homeschooled students.

Nearing its fifth year of availability, Internet Essentials has made the world wide web accessible to nearly 29,000 Michigan families.  The program was created to provide easier access to the Internet and close the digital divide that separates communities into information haves-and have-nots based on socio-economic conditions.  According to the Federal Communications Commission as many as 1 in 3 households do not subscribe to broadband service at any speed because of a lack of affordability and interest.  In Detroit, the numbers are even higher including seven out of 10 children not having access to the Internet at home, limiting their ability to take advantage of online resources for education, employment, and healthcare.

For more information or to apply for the program, visit www.InternetEssentials.com or call 1-855-846-8376, or, for Spanish, 1-855-765-6995. No credit check, no contract, no installation fee required. 

“The Digital Divide isn’t confined to certain buildings or neighborhoods in Detroit or in any other city or town,” said Comcast’s Heartland Regional Senior Vice President Tim Collins. “From day one, our goal has been to make Internet Essentials available wherever inequality exists, and to keep enhancing and expanding the program to serve the broadest number of families possible across entire communities, wherever they might be located.

Internet Essentials has been available in Michigan and across the United States in areas serviced by Comcast since 2011.   Since the program’s inception, Comcast has made 25 key enhancements to Internet Essentials, and this is the third time in four years Comcast has increased speeds for customers. The current speed is doubling to up to 10 Mbps downstream, which is enough to power multiple devices simultaneously. In addition, by offering Wi-Fi routers, customers will be able to connect any Internet-enabled device, including tablets and smartphones, which could help save money on monthly wireless bills.

To receive the faster Internet speed, customers simply need to reboot their cable modems. Existing customers who would like a Wi-Fi router just need to call the dedicated call center and either request to have one shipped to them for free, or they can schedule a professional installation, also for no additional cost. New customers will have the option to receive a Wi-Fi router when they sign up.

**Disclaimer** I have been provided a complimentary subscription to the Xfinity TV Go app and access to the Comcast cable programming lineup as part of the Xfinity blogger reviewer program.  #Xfinityreviewer

AMC Hypes BREAKING BAD Spin-off TV Series with Comic Book

Cable network AMC is hyping its new Breaking Bad spin-off television series Better Call Saul with an online comic book. Set in 2002, Better Call Saul focuses on the life of small-time lawyer Saul Goodman (played by Bob Odenkirk) six years before his appearance on Breaking Bad, though events during and after the original series will also be explored in the show.  The comic book features a story that ties together the new television series with Breaking Bad.  It also wraps up with a two page short at the end that has Saul imagining a TV commercial for his law practice portraying him as a super hero defending people from evil police officers. The online comic book,  Better Call Saul: Client Development, was written by Jenn Carroll and Gordon Smith with art by Steve Ellis.

 CLICK HERE to read Better Call Saul: Client Development.

The all-new "Better Call Saul: Client Development" online comic follows Mike Ehrmantraut and Saul Goodman as they work to root out the truth about Saul’s newest client, revealing exactly what took place between when Jimmy In-N-Out gets arrested as Heisenberg and the moment Saul confronts Walter White in his chemistry classroom. As a bonus, the Better Call Saul comic also includes an exclusive two-page short that reimagines Saul as a superhero, rescuing a client from the clutches of evil police officers.

Better Call Saul debuts on Sunday February 8, 2015 at 10pm (ET/PT) following the midseason premiere of THE WALKING DEAD on AMC.