Tag Archives: Target

FRONT, Gaming

The Nintendo Classic Mini is here in Australia but Getting one isn’t that easy.

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The Nintendo Classic Console

The very retro and very anticipated Nintendo Classic Mini: Nintendo Entertainment System hit Australia this morning but good luck finding one for retail price as they are already at a sold out status.

Target Australia’s website are directing customers Nintendo’s Facebook page for more info about the sold out status (where customers are complaining some stores only had 10 consoles in stock for sale) while BigW Australia’s website has crashed due to overwhelming demand.

Customers were able to place pre-orders for the classic console from as early as July this year.

So now it’s sold out, the question begs is there another shipment?  The simple answer is YES but it’s a very open yes.  Nintendo have confirmed another shipment is due our way “sometime in early December” and that’s it.  No word on exactly when or how many units are coming our way or when we can start placing pre orders for the new console.

The retro inspired classic mini features 30 classic games from Bubble Bobble to Super Mario Brothers 1, 2 and 3 and Double Dragon 2 among a list full of fan favorites.

For those who can’t wait until the next shipment can always hit eBay where scalpers currently have their $99 classic console listed for as high as $1300!

UPDATE: Monday Nov 14th.

EB games Australia, it appears, are doing daily pre-order runs via their website for the insanely popular console.  Today’s first run saw the ‘undisclosed’ amount sold out within minutes and crashing their website leaving many many customers frustrated with the lack of preparation by the company.

  As of this post, EB’s website is noting another batch will be available for pre-order tomorrow from midday AEDT but as noted, there’s no disclosure about how many consoles are actually available for the pre-order.  For those trying to find those elusive extra controllers, EB have noted that they are still awaiting news of another shipment and that they have none currently available in stock.

In response to the backlash, EB released a statement noting for today’s pre-order, they had increased their server space to account for 30,000 people – twice as much as the norm and for tomorrow, they’ll double that again for 60,000 people.  The bottom of the statement reads “Stock for this item will be extremely limited”.

FRONT, Toys

DC Super Hero Girls Spotted on VIC Shelves!

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Wonder Woman and Super Girl from Mattel’s DC Super Hero Girls Line

The eagerly awaited DC Super Hero Girls line of action figures and poseable dolls have made a surprise and sudden appearance on shelves in selected Target stores across Victoria and Sydney today catching many fans off guard as we waited to receive any news of their release.  Word floating around was that we could have been waiting until as late as June this year before seeing this new line hit our stores and with the PR company dealing with press for this release for the Mattel created line not able to provide me any exact information regarding store exclusivity or in-store dates, it was a wait and see game that seems to have finally ended.

This morning, posts started popping up on Facebook showcasing Target stores across Melbourne and Sydney beginning to stock their shelves with Wonder Woman, Bumblebee and other characters from the line in their 6″ and 12″ forms.

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A Vic based Target store’s display – so pretty!

Target have confirmed to me that the 6″ action figures and 12″ dolls will be available at select Target stores from today with a $19 price tag for the action figures and a not too shabby $32 tag for the dolls and suggested for customers to check and see when their local store is currently stocking the line.  The release has been staggered through Target stores with some already almost sold out and some not yet out for sale to which Target Australia has put down to “unusual shipping delays” to their stores.

Retailer BigW have confirmed they will also be stocking the action figures and dolls in a few weeks time with a similar price point.

The DC Super Hero Girl line has been a massive hit in America where it was first launched in early March this year with stores stocking the line selling out faster than they could replenish the shelves and online, leaving many customers slightly frustrated about not being able to either get their hands on the whole set or buy their child their favorite hero. While the line was generally aimed at the 5-15 year old girl market with their ‘positive influence’ selling point, the 6″ and 12″ figures have been a hit with adult collectors scrambling to collect the set as well.

There is also a budget line of 12″ figures (Wonder Woman, Batgirl and Supergirl) coming soon to Target US stores that feature painted uniforms, rooted hair and less articulation than the original released figures.

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Budget line “power action” Wonder Woman, Super Girl and Bat Girl!

Recently, Mattel announced a brand new play set to go along with the 6″ action figures which includes a flying mechanism, grappling hook and zip line along with themed accessories which expand the play opportunities for the iconic school setting.  Currently available for pre order through Amazon US, the play set has an October 2016 release date.

Does your local Target have this line?  Have you bought any yet?  Sound off in the comments above!

Action Figures, FRONT, Toys

Mattel Takes on Female DC Super Heroes

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Wonder Woman and Supergirl DC Super Heroes by Mattel

Fashion dolls and action figures that come with positive messages have become a major selling point of late and rightfully so!  Companies like IAmElemental and Mattel’s Barbie have recently been introducing female empowered figures and dolls that are all about ‘being the best you’ to the very lucrative 6 to 16 year old female market and now, DC heroines including Wonder Woman and Batgirl are joining those ranks via a new line of fantastic fashion action figure dolls from Mattel.

Among the bevy of empowered and positive female figures hitting stores is the DC Super Hero Girls that will see 6 well-known DC heroines and villains from Wonder Woman, Supergirl, Batgirl, Poison Ivy, Harlequin and Bumblebee released as collectible action figure dolls with several points of articulation, fabric uniforms and rooted hair.  They are somewhat shapely like Barbie but stand half an inch taller than the blonde bombshell.

The plan to diversify just what toys are offered to girls in toy stores is a big bold move that seems to sit well with both the kids wanting the items and the adults buying them . Mattel’s announcement of new curvier Barbie saw adult collectors snap up the shapelier dolls in the droves and with DC’s legion of fans behind them, Mattel could be sitting pretty knowing a second audience with accessible cash is eagerly awaiting these figures.

A budget or cheaper version of these figures will also be hitting stores along with smaller plastic molded versions of each character.

Hitting Target stores in the US first, word has it that here in Australia, KMart, Target and Big W will be stocking these figures and these could be hitting our shore as soon as March 31st so get your wallets ready!

Depending on the popularity of the line, further releases including Katana, Catwoman and Hawkgirl could be announced.  Find out more about the DC Super Hero Girls here.

Do you have plans to collect the line?  Want to see another heroine not listed released at a later date?  Sound off in the comments above.

Corps Elite, GI Joe, Toys

Toy Review: Total Soldier Corps Elite Vs The Curse

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Fans and collectors of the long running GI Joe figures by Hasbro will undoubtedly, during their time, have come across the well known knock-off line “The Corps” figures by Lanard Toys.  It’s pointless in trying to deny it!  We all had them infiltrating our collections at one time or another!  They’re cheaper though less articulated and are more readily available on store shelves than Joes are currently here in Australia.

Though recently, Lanard re-branded the Corps line as The Corps Elite Vs The Curse, released a bunch of brand new vehicles, mega play sets and figures, introduced new characters with better articulation and launched a website featuring bios, artwork and mini comics.  It’s a big and bold move for the company, but a smart one, especially in an age where its competitor in Hasbro’s GI Joe are becoming more and more scarce on toy shelves and collectors are screaming for more releases.

The biggest and best change to the line is the introduction of two female characters, never seen before within the Corps line.  Somehow, over all these years, there has been zero female presence within the Corps line which, looking back, is rather odd considering Lanards influence of Hasbro’s Joe line which contains a strong female presence with characters like Scarlet, Lady Jaye, Baroness, Agent Helix…the list goes on.

Snake Bite by Lanard Toys. Photo from Actionfigurebarbecue.com
                                         Snake Bite by Lanard Toys. Photo from Actionfigurebarbecue.com

That’s all changed now with ‘Snake Bite’ and ‘Puma’ permanently added to the roster and due to their popularity, could lead the way to even more gals to future Corps releases.  Snake Bite, the red headed Aussie chick and Puma, the gun toting bad-girl brunette feature a brand new head sculpt each though share the same body, but also feature increased articulation on a Corps figure.  The new figures offer 6 points of articulation from hinged knees, ball jointed hips, swivel mid-torso, swivel/hinge shoulders, swivel/hinge elbows, and a ball jointed head (standard Corps figures usually offer 4-5 points of articulation) which will keep the Joe fans happy.  The paint apps are nice with Snake Bite’s funky side shaved red hair and green/grey camouflage and Puma’s brown pompadour pony-tail and red/brown uniform.  The only miss is Snake Bite is missing her eye under her red fringe.

The brand new three figure packs also offer up a series of weapons (of which the girls have two throwing daggers, a pistol and crossbow each AND with added ports, these girls can hold all their weapons at once!) along with a motorcycle which, judging by the articulation needed to put the figure on, is made specifically for Puma and Snake Bite.

Brand new character Puma
Brand new character Puma

These new Corps figures have been floating around England and the USA for a few months now and have recently begun popping up in Target stores here in Australia oddly branded through Target’s budget Kids Space line (I say odd as Lanard’s website lists KMart as the official Aussie distributor for the line and Kmart confirmed to me that these figures aren’t releasing until Jan 2016) The price point for these figures are pretty neat also with the three pack selling at Target for $8 each (yep, $8 for three figures, a bunch of weapons and a vehicle!) and single carded figures for only $3 each – though, just like everywhere else, Puma and Snake Bite are not sold individually.

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The official figures with detailed card back
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Target Australia’s Kids Space offering

Where Hasbro’s effort with GI Joe being literally non existent on shelves anymore, Lanard’s newer offerings have arrived at the right time and with the right price point.  Affordable, visual, fun and diverse!  You can find the figure packs via Target Australia under their Kids Space budget toy line right now or as the official Corps Elite branding in Kmart Australia in Jan 2016.