We were invited to visited the first of the Skylander Arena Tour events at the Bullring in Birmingham last Saturday. Now I’m going to admit, Skylanders is not a game Tall Dad, I or my girls have ever played. I was intrigued to learn more about it. Also Miss N really wanted to blog about it too, so we decided to make a day of it.
First stop was Selfridges, which was A – MAZ – ING and coffee and doughnuts at Krispy Kreme
We then headed to the famous Rag Market, before heading back to the St Martins Square, which is just outside of the Bullring to meet up with Penny (A Residence) and her family and start our tour of the Skylanders Arena.
I understand similar will be available (but larger) at the Lollipop event this weekend as well as various other locations throughout Europe. I will try to update this post with more details as soon as I receive them.
There was lots to do, and it was actually a great introduction to the game as the people working there were really knowledgable. We chatted and quickly got a good idea what the game was about. We were then handed wrist bands and tattoo’s for the children, which they loved.
Miss A started her day off having a character from the game painted onto her arm:
There was an area with around 8/10 consoles so you could play the original Skylander game. Miss A has never played anything like this before but enjoyed taking the monsters (as she called them) for a walk around.
MIss N however, really got into it, so much so that she convinced Tall Dad that she would really love to buy it for the Wii.
The concept off the game is very clever and I will review it in more detail on the blog at a later date.
There was also a huge timed matching pairs game, for the children and T-shirts could be won. Also green screen technology, so you could have your photograph taken with one of the monsters.
I must share with you a couple, as they really are good especially Tall Dads 😉
Miss N along side one of the Skylanders gamers who had travelled to the event then played the new Skylander Giants games, on a huge screen. The winner to take on a new challenger and a prize for the ultimate winner. Miss N thought this was a fab idea, and was so chuffed to have been picked as the first challenger.
Finally Miss N (9) was lucky enough to interview Jeff Wills (Skylander Manager) to find out a little bit more about Skylander’s and what the future holds. You an view it HERE on her blog, I am so proud of her!
We were given a goody bag to take away with us ( We were given one as a thank you for attending the event as a blogger) , which had a T’shirt and poster in together with a very special limited edition Skylander figure.
I think my final thoughts have got to be how much we enjoyed the meeting the Skylander gang, we really enjoyed the time we spent there. I really had not understood how huge this game is, and the following it has.
Skylander Giants is very eagerly anticipated, and having seen it being played it looks HUGE just as the name predicts Even though we have not got the game we will definitely be getting it now!
Thank you for reading
Oh wow, my boys are skylander crazy! I don’t understand them either. Your daughter did her interview like a real professional, very confident. Well done her.
Thank you, she really is a star!
Glad to catch up with a fellow attendee of this tour! I was the woman wandering around the venue with a black Skylanders t-shirt and Trigger Happy teddy on my shoulder. Seems you lot had fun too! I had to travel up from London for this tour due to Lollibop not allowing in lone adults to attend the Skylanders event. Well worth the two and a half train ride up though!
Thank you so much for the comment! Yes I remember you, it way a very fine trigger happy you made! That’s such a shame about the L event. Have you read my daughters interview too…you might enjoy it!
I have read her interview and I think it was wonderful. I have also subscribed to her blog. Just wondering how you found out about the event? I discovered it purely by luck on the Spyro forums at around midnight last Wednesday and hurriedly arranged train travel!
Hi, yes I was attending the event in my role as a blogger. I was invited over a month ago I think. A x
Thank you for your kind words about Miss N’s blog. Watch this space for more exciting Skylander posts!
Complements must be given for good work :). I’ll be keeping an eye on here for more Skylanders posts, trying to get the information straight from Activision or the shops can be a nightmare at times. Fan posts are often the best 🙂
Sounds like you had a great time!
Wish I had known earlier about this so I could have brought my little Skylander fan to this event. 🙁
Awh, that’s a shame, I think there was only two in the UK. If I hear of any more though, I will be sure to post about it though!
I am very happy you had a good time. This weekend the tour is in The Netherlands and all it gets are bad reviews: no goodie bags, so no t-shirt, no giants present, nothing to buy. And lots of people and young ones very dissappointed (who waited in line for a couple of hours to get in). We decided not to go. But I am glad to read you had a good time.
Hi Lina, thank you for the comment.
It’s hard me to comment on the tour in another country, but can only reflect my experience. On the details I saw about the tour (in the UK), there wasn’t any promises of goody bags or things to purchase once you were there. To be honest the experience exceeded my expectations. It’s a shame, as it seems that it was a really popular event. I hope you get to play with the new Giants game, my eldest daughter is still asking for me to buy it!