Casinos have a vast selection of slot games with themes ranging from sports to cartoons, music to fantasy and everything in between. If you are new to the world of slots, you will be delighted to learn that you can try them without spending any money at online casinos which offer free spins with no deposit which we have found for you. You can sign up to the offers and get to play for free without having to make a deposit. Movie slots are popular and one of our most favourite games is a nod back to the 80’s and comes in the form of the Top Gun Slots.

Top Gun the Film

If you haven’t seen the film for a few years then here is a quick recap. Feckless hero Maverick, played by Hollywood hunk Tom Cruise, is on a mission to be the best of the best. Reckless and branded a danger, he doesn’t care who he hurts on the way to the top. Until the fateful day that his best friend Goose is hit and ends up smashing into the cockpit release glass, dying on impact. With Meg Ryan playing his grieving widow and Maverick’s girlfriend Charlie, played by Kelly McGillis, on his case the hero is prevented from ruining his career when he becomes wracked with guilt. The film is both action-packed for octane seekers and brimming with emotion for romance lovers.

Top Gun the Slots

As you might expect, there is plenty of imagery from the film in the Top Gun slots. It is now owned by software giants Playtech who acquired it from the original developers IGT. On the five reels, you will find most of the big stars from the movie featuring as symbols on the reels. Maverick is missing, this is thought to be an infringement issue, but the game is still packed full of everyone else that you love. With 243 different ways to win, it comes as no surprise that there are win triggers associated with almost every symbol including Charlie, Goose, Iceman, Jester and more. The reels also feature iconic symbols such as the bomber jacket, the Ray-Ban sunnies and the fighter jets which also fly in and create Dogfight Wilds. You can also trigger the Danger Zone Free Game, which gives you some extra chances to win big. This is a real adrenaline-charged adventure that fans of the movie will love.

Christmas and Pop Culture: How Santa Capitalizes on Consumerism

Everybody loves Christmas.

That holiday is one of the most important holidays to exist, celebrated by diverse nations in all parts of the world. It is a period of happiness and festivity – with a sprinkle of chaos. Most often, we get into the Christmas mood right on December 1st – and remain high-spirited until Christmas Day.

But, how did we come to love and cherish Christmas so much? Is there a recipe for his popularity despite the progressive nature of modern society? Let us rephrase that: how did Santa look before he discovered marketing?

Everybody’s Favorite Guy

It is not a coincidence that we mentioned marketing and Santa in the same sentence.

For the society of today, marketing is everything. Promoting products boosts sales, and what does that bring? Well, a lot of things, but most importantly, it brings the need to buy more.

Before the 20th century, society relied on customs to strengthen the cultural heritage of each nation. Although we still do that, we now have more ways to preserve the traditions. Santa is a perfect example of that.

For us, marketing today is an inseparable part of our daily routines. We are so used to commercials that, for the most part, do not even distinguish them from the program that we are watching. Advertisements are not restricted to TVs anymore. Billboards, newspapers, the internet – wherever you go, you will see them. And how is Santa connected with marketing? Well, the two concepts do have something in common – they rely on the people’s attention to remain present.

The correlation between Santa and marketing dates to the beginning of marketing as we know it. Pop culture, an effervescent machine that powers the entire social framework, utilizes Santa as the trigger for the collective spirit. To put it simply, society needs Santa as a bow to tie around the gift box. And Santa needs marketing to remain on the gift wish-list.

Who is the real Santa?

Just like most popular icons in our history, Santa’s real identity remains a mystery.

Questions of his age, profession, location, and general existence have been used as settings for numerous movies and TV shows. Is he a mixture of several traditions and folk stories? Is he a real man living in Finland? No one knows. And for the most part – it does not matter.

Call it a suspension of disbelief, but we all know he does not exist (sorry for the spoiler). Nevertheless, we still watch movies that revolve around him and his potential identity. A mysterious old man that you help on the street, who later is revealed as Santa who gives you a gift back? Classic.

Santa is a cult, an image that is used as an attention-grabber for society. And it is a well-oiled machine that we happily believe in. And we keep asking for more.

More Than Pop Culture

Pop Culture is teeming with Christmas references. At first, we had a holiday genre that focused on holidays in general. However, as movies specifically dealing with Christmas increased in numbers, a new genre emerged. Now, the Christmas genre is present in almost all categories of entertainment.

Films are the most obvious example, but let us not forget music, shows, and games. For example, try thinking of Mariah Carey without singing “All I Want for Christmas”!

When it comes to TV shows, almost all shows must have one episode that happens during Christmas preparations. And it usually airs in December, because the theme provides excellent ratings. The gaming sphere is abundant with Christmas paraphernalia and symbolism as well, including online casinos. Santa is very popular there, and some of the best Christmas-themed slot games can be found here on MoneySlots website. Considering the extent of Santa’s presence in everyday media, it is safe to say – Santa transcended even the popular culture.

Shop, Shop, Shop

After you have seen it in commercials and laughed about it in your favorite show, what is the last thing you are left to do? Well, buy it. Marketing and entertainment have slowly guided us to the most important part of the festive enterprise. Shopping! While classic gift hunting in malls is gradually becoming an archaic activity, people still shop.

As a world that relies on shopping for the continuation of industry, we are used to buying items. We buy things all the time but buying for Santa and Christmas has more prevalence than mundane things.

The season is all about family values, sharing, caring, and big presents. Everyone needs Christmas gifts for their loved ones, even with the chaos that accompanies the shopping. And the chaos that typically ensues has been portrayed in numerous movies. It is not even a Christmas stereotype.

Nevertheless, all that is quickly forgotten once the festivities begin. No one cares about it, as long as the house is full of presents and Santa is coming.

Everyone can agree on who made the slot machine, in any case, there are contradictions about when this happened. Charles Fey is acknowledged to have finished in his advancement in either 1887 or 1895, yet the present slots share little for all goals and reason with the main machines that were truly established on cards. Be that as it may, Fey didn’t begin his life needing to concoct the slot machine. The inventor was conceived in Bavaria in a family with 15 more kin. At fourteen, he started to work to assist his family, yet he started to fear being drafted into the German armed forces. That, alongside developing strain among him and his dad, prompted Fey going to France to fill in as an instrument creator. 

Fey’s machine had three reels and his symbols were the natural precious stones, hearts, and spades, with the additional Liberty Bell. His notable machine really took its name from this image. It wasn’t too hard to even think about reading a success on the early slot machine, and arranging three Liberty Bells offered players the most noteworthy payout. The way that the machine had a programmed payout was novel and before long made it a hot item. Truth be told, Liberty Bell was so generally welcomed that numerous copycat machines before long started to show up.

After the Liberty Bell surprised the world, the following outstanding expansion to the slots scene was the Operator Bell. Made by the Mills Novelty Company with the commitment of Charles Fey, the Operator Bell would acquaint a few changes with the class, however not even close as exceptional as the Liberty Bell. The Operator Bell, for the most part, included personal satisfaction changes, making the experience progressively charming. In addition, it is felt that the Operator Bell is the main slot machine to incorporate the foods grown from the ground symbols that we currently know and love. It is considered 30,000 of these machines were made and sold. 

With the progression of time, casino innovation turned out to be increasingly best in class. The land-based industry was flourishing and numerous new slots turned out for gamblers to appreciate. In any case, there was another type of betting seemingly within easy reach and it would offer bettors another and energizing possibility – Internet betting. 

The ascent of online betting in the mid-1990s enabled slots to progress from the landbased club floors to the screens of spinners’ work stations. The games whose accessibility was recently limited to club floors, bars, and cantinas are presently promptly accessible to anybody with a PC and a solid web association. 

As the Internet turned into a greater factor in regular day to day existence, organizations attempted to benefit from this and soon another online betting industry rose all of a sudden. Before long the main influx of online club hit the market and they offered novel ways for individuals to put bets. The main online slots were made accessible to people in general and players couldn’t get enough of them. Given slot games are the most well-known games in the land-based club, it was unavoidable that a similar marvel would rehash itself on the web.

The majority of the online traffic wound up on the online slots which needed to rapidly develop to oblige an energetic web-based playing group of viewers. After just a couple of years, the industry had developed exponentially and it was headed to turning into a worldwide wonder. Gamblers could now appreciate top-quality slots from the comfort of their own home and the main prerequisite being a PC and an Internet association. 

Each online slot game utilizes an arbitrary number generator PC which makes irregular groupings each millisecond to guarantee that each slot is reasonable and not fixed. This arbitrary number framework is incorporated with all slots and every single authorized club, guaranteeing a reasonable playing experience. As it’s totally irregular, the past twists won’t have anything to do with the triumphant arrangement. On the off chance that a slot has as of late paid out a bonanza, it will, in any case, have similar chances of paying if the big stake was never activated – slots have no memory. It resembles flipping a coin, since you’ve flipped heads multiple times straight, doesn’t mean tails are probably going to arrive on the following flip! 

You could experience the best online slot games on offer by visiting online gambling club like www.mobilecasinokings.com. Any honest Mobile Casino Kings survey can affirm this!

The sequel to one of the best video games of the decade is almost here. The Last of Us: Part II is set to be released May 29, 2020 after trailer upon trailer and plenty of vague whispers over the years. Since its initial announcement in 2016, fans have pounced on every scrap of news, which promised the return of Ellie and Joel at the very least. Now, we have a lot more information to get excited about, revolving around the duo’s life five years after the events of the first instalment, as reported by www.playstation.com.

As our age’s popular zombie culture continues to expand its horizons, it will be interesting to see how Naughty Dog’s new title compares to entertainment markets for post-apocalyptic themes, not to mention gaming technologies.

Monsters vs Humans in Entertainment

Movies and TV shows have helped popularize the zombie genre as much as video games. Think of The Walking Dead’s 10 whole seasons and the brand new Zombieland: Double Tap. Watching humans try to survive against plagues of zombies and monstrosities is a brutal but thrilling recipe for success. Other gaming entertainment in on the fun includes slots like Attack of the Zombies and Rise of Dead on www.bestcanadacasino.ca gambling sites. Visuals, music and sound effects related to undead themes, whether shambling or Egyptian, enhance the appeal of spinning reels and bonuses with eerie excitement. The Resident Evil franchise, spanning video games and cinema, is another great example of how much people love this kind of horror that chills their spine and makes them want to run from the monsters too.

The Last of Us: Part II Key News

According to the detailed report of www.techradar.com, Naughty Dog is pulling all the stops in terms of technology and plot. The facial animation is expected to be meticulous so as to deliver double the immersion of the original title. Ashley Johnson has once again donned her mocap as Ellie alongside Troy Baker reprising the role of Joel. An important new character is Dina, Ellie’s love interest, whose dark fate triggers the protagonist’s quest for truths and justice.

Halley Gross, having led the development of the game’s storyline, reveals that the young protagonist will not be coddled. The reason is that the whole point of the project is to question how a child is likely to grow in this grueling post-apocalyptic environment. Expect a difficult journey and lots of hard choices.

In terms of gameplay, both official statements and trailers show that combat will be more realistic and based on a combination of stealth and force. In other words, Ellie gets the full impact of every punch, bullet or arrow. However, the challenge is supposed to be made easier by upgraded allies. From among a few negative aspects of The Last of Us explained on www.gamespot.com, Naughty Dog is definitely making up for the virtually useless sidekicks. They will be smarter and cause the same damage as your main character. New types of zombies and evil humans are also appearing to spice things up.

PlayStation 4 remains the game’s platform of choice. Future versions and instalments may come to change that. Until then, prepare for another gory and highly emotional battle through monsters, undead and human alike.

As a student you may get some form of encouragement from society to travel abroad. Weather for work, study, or pleasure, traveling is beneficial to everyone. It is better to experience the thrill, excitement, and challenges that come with international travel earlier in your life as opposed to later. In your younger years, your experiences overseas may have a positive effect on your life. The exposure you gain changes your perception of the world. As a student traveling abroad, you get to enjoy different cultures. A stint outside your comfort zone may help you build cultural sensitivity and tolerance towards other religions, cultural practices, and philosophies. Travel also breaks the monotony of school. Another reason for traveling while you are still in school is to get out of your comfort zone. When you are in a different country, away from your friends, family, and your daily routine, you are forced to venture into the unknown to meet new people, network, and make new memories. The change of environment helps you build your social skills and gives you the confidence to take new and daring tasks.

Technology saves us a lot of luggage space

Before the smartphone, you had to carry a map, a bunch of compact disks, a camera, and some books to keep you company, a diary, and a phrasebook. These days, through Google Maps, you can squeeze the whole world into your slim smartphone. Through music streaming sites like Spotify, Tidal, and Sound Cloud, you can listen to the world’s stories through melody. You do not even have to tolerate the boring selection of movies that are common in hotels and planes; you can catch up on your favorite television shows and movies on your phone or laptop.

Today’s technology eliminates the language barrier

Less than a decade ago, you had to walk around with a phrasebook in the native tongue. That was not even the hardest part; you had to try and pronounce the word from a language that you did not understand to get services. With the support of mobile applications like Google Translate (on Android) and iTranslate (on IOS), communication is as simple as whispering to your phone and letting an app speak for you. Do you have a problem reading menus, public notices, flyers, and street signs? No problem, take a photo of the text through your mobile app and let it translate the information for you. In addition to translation, applications like DuoLingo teach you new languages and improve your accent. If you need to improve your writing skills you can always use companies like Pro-Papers and immediately get to grips with writing tricks.

Technology has revolutionized how we book flights and hotels

The logistics of travel, you have to book a hotel, flights, and touring services. Thanks to the internet, all the solutions are available online. You can book flights and reserve a hotel space from your home. With add-ons and extensions like Chat Bot, you can communicate and get instant replies through Facebook messenger via the artificial assistant. Traditional hotels are expensive, thus making alternative arrangements like Airbnb popular. Through the click of a button or the touch of a screen, you can book an affordable place to stay. The best part of an Airbnb arrangement is the fact that you enjoy constant contact with the natives. This type of connection helps you appreciate the local culture. Dive into the internet, do some online research on the natives to get a better understanding of what to expect.

Cashless Technology is safer

Google Wallet, Pay Pal, Apple Pay, and Samsung Pay are but a few options out there in electronic payment platforms. Before this age, tourists had to walk around with lots of cash; virtually painting a target on their backs.

Technology helps you maintain constant communication with your folks and friends at home

There was a time before social media, a time before the mobile phone. A time when you had to send postcards and heartwarming letters home to let your parents know about your welfare abroad. Thanks to social media, you can communicate in ways that are greater than words. You can share pictures, locations, and documents detailing your experience. You can even make video calls to your loved ones. Communication is cheaper, internet channels of communication are way more economical than landlines and traditional phone calls. The world is and will forever be on the move. Everyday people venture out of their comfort zones in search of opportunity and escape. As a student who is finding your way through life, international experience will do you a lot of good. A stint abroad equips you with the kind of exposure that will instill a sense of responsibility and focus in your life.

There are thousands of online slots available, many of which are based on original or unique themes. However, there are other dozens of video slots which are all based on television shows and movies. These fun slots include unique features and symbols inspired by the show or film and can be much more fun to play than ordinary slots.

Some of these licensed slots are better than others, which is why we’ve decided to round up the five best-licensed video slots you need to play.

Game Of Thrones by Microgaming

Game Of Thrones is an online slot developed by Microgaming which is based on the TV show of the same name. While most fans dislike how the show ended with its eighth season, the Microgaming slot is still incredibly fun to play.

The slot uses a 5×3 layout with 243 paylines, and it has an RTP (Return to player rate) of 96.4%. Symbols in the game include the show’s logo and the four houses; Targaryen, Lannister, Stark, and Baratheon. Each of the four houses has an accompanying unique feature which includes free spins of up to 18 plus Multipliers of up to 5x. The game also includes Stacked Wilds as well as a Scatter symbol resembling the Iron Throne. Game Of Thrones also comes with a unique Gamble Trail Feature where players move across four points on a map and gamble their winnings.

Narcos by NetEnt

NetEnt’s Narcos has been praised by both slot players and fans of the show. The video slot uses a 5×3 layout with 243 paylines and has an RTP of 96.23%. Symbols in the game are all based on the show and include characters such as Steve Murphy and Javier Pena. Other symbols include Planes, Cartel members, Flamingos and more.

The slot includes various special features including Wild symbols and substitutions, Walking Wilds, a Drive-by feature where symbols are transformed into higher-paying symbols, Lock Up symbols, two Locked Up features, and Free Spins.

NetEnt slots are widely available at the various sister sites of Skill On Net.

The Goonies by Blueprint Gaming

In October 2018, Blueprint Gaming released a video slot based on The Goonies film. The firm’s slot uses a 5×3 layout with 20 paylines and has an RTP of 96%. This fun slot includes various symbols inspired by the film, including pirate flags, skulls, and treasure.

It’s also packed with special features including Scatter symbols which award players with the One-Eyed Willy’s Bonus. Other promotions include Wild substitutions, as well as various game modes including Free Spins, additional Wilds, Multipliers, and so much more.

American Dad by Playtech

Playtech is a game developer known for creating dozens of licensed slots. One of their most popular slots is based on Seth McFarlane’s American Dad TV show. Released in 2017, the American Dad slot uses a 5×4 layout with 40 paylines and has an RTP of 94.14%. The symbols in the slot are all based on the show’s characters; Roger, Stan, Francine, Hayley, Steve, and Klaus.

The game also includes several unique features including Wild substitutions. There’s also the Schmooblydong Wheel which can reward players with Re-Spins and Free Spins, along with Stacked Stan symbols, Roger’s Random Wilds, Francine’s Holy Grail which awards additional wins, Hayley’s Progressive Multipliers, and so much more.

Vikings by NetEnt

One of the most recent licensed slots to have been released is NetEnt’s Vikings which is based on the show of the same name. This video slot uses a 5×3 layout with 243 paylines and an RTP of 96.05%. Symbols in the slot are based on characters from the show as well as shields, the show’s logo, and traditional playing card letters and numbers covered in blood.

The special features offered include the Raid Spins of up to 5 spins, the Shield Wall which generates winning combinations, Hotspots symbols, Expanding Wilds, Scatters and so much more that helps you make more winning combinations.

Sometimes, what students need to understand their status in their academics is a little inspiration. Assignments are one of the top struggles of scholars in school. Although there are a great number of tools that can help with assignment tasks, getting to fully understand the concept of what they are given is what scholars must do. However, when it comes to receiving inspiration about the challenges faced in studying, films are a great option to deliver that.

Over the past few years, several films have been created to depict the choices of great people in history. Many films have also been made to help deliver ideas on concepts as well as share inspirational stories with scholars. As a student, this kind of films will always come in handy.

Although some education-related movies are incorporated with many genres, they still dwell around the same idea, which is providing inspiration to scholars. If you are a student and have no idea about what kind of films are sure to deliver these inspirational ideas to you, then this article will discuss some of the best education-related films all scholars should watch.

Top 10 Education-Related Movies All Students Should Watch

Movies are one of the best ways to consume enough information about various concepts. In the same sense, they are great factors for providing inspiration to scholars. The history of movies has recorded several education-related films that have helped millions of scholars around the world.

Below, we will take a closer look at the top 10 education-related films all scholars should watch. They not only offer entertainment but also a wide range of educational ideas. Let’s dive in.

1.                 Nil Battey Sannata

Also known as The New Classmate, Nil Battey Sannata is an Indian comedy-drama movie directed by Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari. The 2015 movie depicts a mother who works hard to make ends meet while her daughter struggles in learning math in school. Her daughter, who is an unmotivated student, receives motivation when her mother is enrolled as a student in her class to learn math so that she can tutor her daughter

The young student receives motivation when her mother learns math and performs well in school. The movie depicts a story that involves nothing but a little motivation to make better performances. Also, scholars who watch the movie will get a clear understanding of the fact that hard work and dedication leads to success.

2.                 Dead Poets Society

Dead Poets Society is a 1989 American drama film about a teacher who makes an impact on the lives of his scholars through his love for poetry. With his teaching of poetry, his students receive inspirations that help them deal with challenges in their lives.

3.                 3 Idiots

3 Idiots is an Indian movie that depicts the story of three scholars who aspire to different things but are made to become engineering scholars due to parental pressure. It features a story of the daily challenges students face and how learning new things about life can help students in their academics.

4.                 Freedom Writers

Freedom Writers is a movie that is based on the true-life story of Erin Gruwell. The movie features a young and motivating teacher who inspires his scholars to go beyond high school and learn all about tolerance as they pursue their education.

5.                 The Miracle Worker

The Miracle Worker is a 20th-century drama film that portrays the struggles and challenges experienced by blind and deaf Helen Keller as her teacher, Anne Sullivan, helps her learn to communicate.

6.                 Good Will Hunting

The movie is about a 20-year old man who works as a janitor. It turns out the man is naturally gifted with an extraordinary intellect in chemistry and maths. Over time, he gets led to a community college instructor and therapist who helps me uncover his hidden talents to the world. For scholars who watch this movie, they are made to understand that success comes with believing in yourself first.

7.                 Stand and Deliver

The movie depicts the true story of a man who ensured his socioeconomic scholars never dropped out of school by teaching them advanced mathematics go change their lives.

8.                 The Great Debaters

Just as its name implies, the Great Debaters is about a group of students who ensured they practised and trained on debating techniques. This happened due to the inspiration delivered to them by their educator, which inspired them to challenge Harvard at the debating competition.

9.                 The Breakfast Club

This movie tells a story of 5 students from different backgrounds who happened to end up together in detention. As they spend some time together in detention, they start to become friends even though they all come from totally different backgrounds. The movie helps students understand that people can develop the strongest bonds even at the most unexpected places, and background is never a factor that affects friendship bonds.

10.            Akeelah and the Bee

Akeelah and the Bee is a 2006 drama film that tells the story of a young female student who struggles to prepare for a spelling bee competition. The movie provides scholars with the fact that hard work and preparation is the only way to achieve success in whatever they find themselves doing.

Conclusion

Since the invention of movies in our world, providing people with unique concepts about life has become easier.

The above films are top films which deliver unique inspirations and motivations to scholars around the world. If you are yet to see any of them as a student, then you should do that right away. Good luck!

Everyone knows that Ann Coulter is a famous writer. She is an author of such bestsellers as ‘How to Talk to a Liberal’, ‘Slander: Liberal Lies About the American Right’, ‘Godless: The Church of Liberalism’ and so on. Perhaps, you have even read a few book reviews about her works. However, what you may not know is that she graduated from the University of Michigan. She got her J.D. from University of Michigan Law School. If you are currently studying there, you are probably thinking about how she also had to deal with the task of writing University of Michigan essays. Perhaps, you would like to take a look at the University of Michigan supplemental essays that were submitted by people who became successful in life.

What helped Ann Coulter succeed is her endless desire to work hard to achieve her goals, as well as her motivation to do more. Apart from writing University of Michigan essays, she was also an editor of the Michigan Law Review. Having graduated, Ann Coulter worked as a clerk at the United States Court of Appeals, as well as worked as an attorney in the Department of Justice Honors Program. Apart from that, she is also known as a political commentator and a columnist. There is no doubt becoming a student at the University of Michigan has been a rather stressful experience for her as well. The application process can make you feel really frustrated, not to mention the fact that writing Michigan supplemental essays is a very hard thing to do. Your piece of writing needs to impressive. You need to stand out from the crowd. That is the reason why so many applicants experience difficulties writing Michigan supplemental essays.

Yet, what every applicant needs to keep in mind is that they have enough knowledge to be able to submit an unconventional applications essay and become a student at the University of Michigan. It was not easy for Ann Coulter as well but she found strength to deal with this process and became a successful writer and a lawyer despite the fact that the University of Michigan acceptance rate is a number looking at which may make you feel discouraged. All in all, you need to mull over what you are going to write in one of those University of Michigan essays and how you are going to present yourself. Think of it this way: your essay will be the first piece of information the review committee will learn about you. Make sure you submit one of the most memorable University of Michigan essays to secure your spot at this educational institution.

Another useful tip to take into account is to look through the list of famous people who have graduated from colleges and universities you are interested in. The thing is that imagining how they had to deal with the same difficulties you are currently facing may be quite inspiring. In addition to that, seeing what they have managed to accomplish after graduating can be very motivating as well. No matter whether you are fascinated by the career path of Ann Coulter or someone else, allocate a few minutes to read their biography. You will find out about their first jobs which will remind you that working hard is always of key importance. You need to have desire and motivation if you are aimed at achieving success in the field you are interested in. Going to college such as the University of Michigan is the first step for you to take on the road to success.

“Ghostbusters”

Ecto-1A

Playmobil

Our Score 4.5 out of 5 stars

There’s something strange in you neighborhood this holidays season as Playmobil has recently introduced a second version of the iconic “Ghostbusters” mobile into their play line. Ecto-1A is based off the vehicle seen in “Ghostbusters 2” and features all the same cool upgrades shown in the film including working lights, siren, updated paint scheme and lenticular marquees announcing that the “Ghostbusters” are back and ready to play! 

I am not sure who was more excited to get this toy, myself or my seven year old son Ian? Having just checked it out at this year’s New York Comic Con and being fans of the movies we were both anxious to get playing. Playmobil’s easy open packaging let us get right to it, well sort of. There is quite a bit of assembly that must be done before you can rid your house of any unwanted paranormal entities. Thankfully the package comes with four figures (Venkman, Spengler, Stantz and Zeddemore) complete with new uniforms, proton packs and slime shooters which can be quickly assembled to help keep the kids busy while you are constructing the heavily detailed vehicle.

Though the instructions could have used a little more detail we got through it with only a couple setbacks (a missing light post and a backwards roof tank). Parents make sure that you double check everything before pushing it completely together as we found it very difficult to make changes once things were together due to how tight the pieces fit. Aside from a small Phillips head screwdriver to install the batteries for the lights and siren no other tools are needed which is always a plus and it certainly helped speed things up.

Once Ian had Ecto-1A loaded up (by way of the removable roof) he was off and running with lights flashing and that famous siren blazing as they set out to conquer any unwanted visitors from the afterlife. Pairing the toys with the downloadable Playmobil App lets youngsters take their imagination even further as included with the vehicle and figures is a hologram pyramid which attaches to one of the included traps. When placed on a mobile device the “Playmogram” projects one of four selectable ghosts which with a touch of the screen be sucked down into the trap just like in the movies. Ian really loved this feature and spent quite a bit of time trapping the various ghosts and yelling quotes like “We got one” and “He Slimed Me”.

As with their previous “Ghostbusters” products Playmobil spared no expense with the Ecto 1-A package as it packed with tons of great details and features. Given what is included in the packaging for the $59.99 price tag (Vehicle, four figures, Multiple Accessories) and when paired with the downloadable bonus content you really can’t go wrong. So “Who You Gonna Call?” when it comes to finding that great holiday gift for that special loved one? We say Playmobil!

This week we talk movies, movies, movies with reviews of DOLEMITE IS MY NAME, THE IRISHMAN, THE REPORT and more!! Want to listen in? Click HERE!

“Dragons”

Hiccup and Toothless w/ Baby Dragon & Light Fury w/ Baby Dragon and Children

Playmobil

Our Score 3.5 out of 5 stars

Just in time for the holiday season Playmobil has added several new figures to their “Dragons” line which is based on characters from the film “How To Train Your Dragon 3”. Children and Adults of all ages can now act out all of their favorite scenes from the movie and beyond with the help of newly added characters like “Light Fury”, “Hiccup” and “Deathgripper”. These highly detailed and fully articulate figures are sure to provide fun and enjoyment time and time again and feature solid construction which will hold up for years to come.

Having recently seen some of the “Dragons” toys at this year’s New York Comic Con our in house toy tester Ian was very anxious to get his hands on some of these really great looking figures. From a parents stand point I was pleasantly surprised by the easy to open packaging and minimal assembly that both of these sets required. The last thing any parent wants is an overzealous youngster repeatedly asking if they are done putting a toy together while also trying to manage multiple bags of pieces and highly detailed instructions. Aside from having to use a little extra muscle to get both Light Fury and Hiccup’s wings in place that’s really all there was to it with these sets. Hiccup does require a screwdriver for battery installation for the light up back fin. Aside from that no other tools are needed and you can get your youngster playing fairly quick. Ian really enjoyed the details of each of the dragons which include textured skin on both main figures (Hiccup/Light Fury) and some really cool and intricate paint work. This was a feature I also thought was very well done especially on the Light Fury and Toothless figures which are painted with an iridescent paint that gives off a shiny yellow glow when the light hits it.

Each set along with the main larger dragon comes with a handful of smaller toys as well. The Light Fury set includes a Baby Dragon and two children figures while the Hiccup set includes Toothless as well as its own Baby Dragon figure. Both larger dragon figures feature projectile shooting action which Ian also enjoyed (what kid doesn’t love shooting things at their sibling or parent). Thankfully Playmobil opted for less powerful springs as the smaller sized projectiles can quickly become lost if they went shooting too far. On that note parents of smaller children may want to take caution as most of the accessories are quite small and Playmobil does a solid job making buyers aware of this and with their recommendation of these being for ages 4 and up.

From price point to play Playmobil continues to do a solid job and their latest additions to the “Dragons” line are no different. Even after a couple of weeks of hard play each of the figures still look new and are working as they should. Yes some of the tiny pieces caused a bit of frustration when they inevitably went missing but, it only caused a momentary pause in the play and thankfully did not hurt any of the functions so If you have a youngster on your list this holiday season we definitely recommend checking out Playmobil’s “Dragons” line as they are sure to put a smile on that loved ones face Christmas morning.         

“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles”

Leonardo, Raphael, Bebop, Rocksteady

ReAction Figures

Super 7

Our Score 3.5 out of 5 stars

Within the past few years the toy makers at Super 7 have brought to market some really cool products which have helped establish the brand as one of today’s top retro toy companies. Their 3.75” ReAction Figures especially has been a continued growing line for the San Diego, CA based company and now includes over a dozen licenses including “Aliens”, “Universal Monsters” and “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles”. Our in house toy tester Ian had the chance to check out the first four figures from the “TMNT” line (Raphael, Leonardo, Bebop and Rocksteady) and put them through the paces to see just how well they could handle the rigorous play of an active 7 year old.

Prior to turning them over to Ian I had the chance to check out the really nice artwork that adorns each package. The artwork is all new however it stays true to the original Kenner blister packaging of the early/mid 1980’s. On the back you get a witty bio of each figure along with a picture of the full line in that series. I should point out that these figures do have a 14 and up label on them as they are intended more as an adult collectible. That’s not to say someone younger can’t play with them but the figures do include small pieces some of which are quite pointy and sharp.

Each of the figures looked just as good out of the packaging as they do in it as Super 7 did a great really nailing the details despite the figures smaller size. The four figures all feature 5 points of articulation and come with between 2 and three accessories which can be placed in the hands of each figure. Though Ian is a huge turtle’s fan he seemed to have more interest in Bebop and Rocksteady partially because of their off the wall look and “cool weapons” as he put it. Raphael and Leonardo still got plenty of play but in our house it is hard to compete with a punk rock warthog and rhino.

With the Holidays quickly approaching we highly recommend checking out the Super 7 “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle” Reaction figures. All four figures we checked out are available now and in the coming months more figures including Donatello, Michelangelo and Shredder are set to become available so help that collector on your list expand his or her collection this season with the latest offerings from Super 7.     

Today, the gaming industry faces the crisis of supply. It means that the consumers are oversaturated with lots of good and solid titles. As a result, publishers and distributors have to find new ways to attract buyers. At the same time, the gaming industry is filled with scammers and honestly bad products. This article will tell about the ways to buy good games at a reasonable price.

Firstly, the general rule behind finding good offers on gaming products is to be open-minded. For example, Steam is not the only place where players can find good offers. Cheap steam keys can be found on the platform https://gamerall.com/steam-games. This principle is a general rule: it is always possible to find where to buy games for a more affordable price comparing to the major digital distribution prices.

Also, like virtually any other industry, the gaming industry tries to attract new customers with sales. There are several types of sales. They may vary depending on the platform but in general, every platform tries to feature the following sales:

• Seasonal sales

This type of sales is widely spread in other industries, too. The idea is simple: these sales occur during a certain period of the year. Steam Summer Sale (usually takes place in August) and Steam Christmas Sale can serve as examples. In this case, gamers expect a specific time to buy even AAA titles for a lowered price. Usually, platforms offer some additional features during the seasonal sales, such as exclusive bonus system, achievements, or unique statuses for players.

• Developer-specific sales

This type of sales is also shared with other industries. On the contrary to the previous type, such sales are not tied to a specific date. Instead, the platforms offer the players discounts on the products of certain developers. The goal is to encourage the fans to buy other games of a developer/. For example, some players like Stellaris, but are not really into the other games developed and published by Paradox Interactive. In this case, a sale on Paradox Interactive games will drive players to buy Crusader Kings 2, Europa Universalis IV, or Cities: Skylines. Developer-specific sales are a great way to build a loyal community of gamers around a certain studio.

•  Genre-specific sales

This is a rather rare type of sales, which features discounts on games of a certain genre. There are only a few such sales, as gamers tend to engage in different genres.

To summarize, the main rule for finding good games for a good price is to know that every offer, however it may seem juicy, can always have a better alternative. Sales and smaller platforms are the main ways to find even AAA titles for affordable prices.

Comic enthusiasts found a welcome relief for the end-of-summer blues when they attended Elite Comics 2019 Halloween ComicFest this past Sunday at the Overland Park Convention Center in Overland Park, Kansas.

The event, which was FREE to the public, filled three rooms with dealers and comic artists and featured free comic giveaways to all who attended. Media Mikes was well represented as well. We had a table where we gave out some sweet movie swag from such films as “Countdown,” “Rambo” and the upcoming “Midway.”

And, of course, it’s not an official event unless Cosplay is involved and the 2019 ComicFest was no exception. Fans young and old represented their favorite characters and genre’s proudly.

All in all, a great time was had by all who attended, many of them already making plans to attend next year’s event. Rest assured we’ll be there as well!

This week “Eddie and the Cruisers” star Michael Pare’ introduces the show featuring interviews of “Joker” and “Judy.” We also ask “which movie villain would make a great character study film?” as well as pay tribute to those we recently lost. Enjoy by clicking HERE.