When Skylanders Worlds Collide

Apparently the biggest thing in the junior gaming world since Super Mario Bros. is happening, and I'm still trying to figure it all out.

A couple of days after my kid turned 8 he informed me that he would be spending about $50 of his birthday money on a Skylanders game at Toys R Us in Dublin.

I'd never even HEARD of the game, but out we went, in search of the coveted starter pack. As we picked it up and the dude at the register noted, "Great deal,"  I saw that the game, a portable disk-stand thing, a few plastic characters that could have come in a McDonald's Happy Meal and a wireless plug-in, retailed for $69 and up.

My son explained. It takes the kid real world and makes it virtual. Plop your little plastic character on top of the base, plug the tiny remote card into your Wii or Playstation game system and, boom, it will knock out your spouse's computer and you'll find out that your home Internet really does have a maximum number of wireless devices allowed.

Oops.

One visit from Comcast later, and we're back in action. Just put your Dino-Rang or Hex or Eruptor character on the disk and watch it come alive on your TV game screen, headed off through various levels of adventures.

It's the ultimate in marketing, as your character ultimately "tires" out, and, yeah, you need to buy more to make it to that next level.

After several nights of begging for another trip to the store we now know that Gamestop in Dublin has suddenly closed down. (The horrors!) And that parents are stalking the aisles of Toys R Us to nab the newest Skylanders character. Literally.

Sales people say that adults are coming to the store during the day when the kids are in school to snatch up the boxes of toys. They and other retailers can't even keep the three-packs of characters in stock.

So is your kid playing this? Are you going to game stores on your lunch break to feed his/her obsession? Share in the comments!