Top: Maisto 1:24 scale Audi R8.

Middle: ROTF Human Alliance Mudflap and Chromia w/Agt Simmons.

Bottom: ROTF Robot Powered Machines Optimus Prime & Bumblebee.

Amidst the sheer madness of the super crowded OG private sale today, I secured these toys!  For this OG private sale, the security guards at the entrance didn’t check if the shoppers had an OG card.  Everyone was let in.  It made the place looked more crowded than the private sales of past years.  In previous years, I went in the evening after work.  This time round, I went after lunch and the store was already super crowded, as if everything there was going for free today!

My shopping experience at OG today: Overall not very pleasant.

All the snaking queues to the cashiers were so slow moving that I spent nearly an hour waiting in line for my turn to pay for my purchases.  I contemplated leaving the the queue and give up buying a few times.  Luckily I brought along something to read while waiting.  My feet ached from standing still for too long and I was thirsty because of all days, I forgot to bring along some drinking water with me.  Apparently if you decided to pay in cash, there is another faster queue, but the stubborn me wanted to score some precious points in my credit card.

Overheard in the queue: Some interesting stuff

While queuing, some aunties behind me were overhead saying that one of them arrived at 8.30am today (the sale started at 9am) and the queue to enter was already all the way to the back of the building!  Another said that her friend came even earlier at 7.30am.  And yet another auntie takes the cake.  Apparently this was her second shopping trip to OG today.  She had came in the morning and went home first to put down her earlier purchases so that she can come again and shop a second round!  Wow!

What’s up at OG? - Sale and storewide discounts

For your information, it’s a 20% + 10% discount sale today.  From tomorrow till 21 Mar 2010, it will be storewide 20% sale for the public.  If you do not have anything crucial to buy at cheaper prices, I suggest that you forget about going for future OG private sales and just go for the 20% storewide sale in the few days that follow.  The crowded aisles and long waiting times to queue for purchases just aren’t worth it! 

Were you there too?

I’m sure several other local toy collectors and bloggers were there as well today.  If you are one of them, what are your toy hauls and how did you feel about the whole shopping experience?  Feel free to share them here! 

In conjunction with the 1 week long March school holidays (this week) in Singapore, Toys “R” Us (TRU) has listed many of its popular toy brands for special discount sale!  Among them are the LEGO King’s Battle Chariot box set.  It’s usually going for around SGD 40.90 each.  Since last week and till stocks last, there is a 30% discount on it and I picked up one over the weekend from TRU Suntec City!

Actually I find the chariot design recommended on the box and instruction sheet too tall and bulky for a single horse to pull.  In battle, the speed and agility of chariots are critical.  It seems odd that chains are used as reins to drive the horse.  If the driver flicks the chains on the horse’s back like what is usually seen in movies, it’s gonna hurt the horse real bad.  Which warriors in the right mind would injure their own war horses?  The wheels of the chariot are also too large.  Do you notice that the wheels are even bigger than the horse itself?

Hence I decided to redesign the battle chariot using only the available LEGO pieces given in the box set and here is my custom built chariot!  I have included a driver’s seat for the soldier, though this is not how chariots are usually driven.  The rear part of the chariot can still hold the golden treasure chest.  The extra pieces are used to build a road block set up by the menacing troll soldiers.

If I’m not mistaken, the king character of this box set is known in the LEGO Knight’s Kingdom series as King Leo.  I have been collecting many LEGO Knights box sets (mostly the smaller ones) since the early 90’s.  I mixed and matched the various LEGO pieces and LEGO mini figures to create custom characters for my own LEGO Knights adventures series.  Some of the characters in my stories, especially the villain ones are provided by LEGO itself over the years in their catalogs. 

To date, 9 stories of magical medieval adventures have been summarized by me and each of them is long enough to be expanded into a novel on its own.  The stories are all inter-linked and involve the same set of main characters.  Another couple of stories have already been conceptualized.  Someday, I’ll introduce them all to the world in literature form.  Till then, they stay with me as part of my many fictions that are inspired by my toys!

“Halt! Who goes there?”

The Transformers Revenge of the Fallen (ROTF) toys are on clearance sale now!  First up are the box sets that used to be exclusives to Toys “R” Us.  Their original retail price (ORP) had originally been on the high side.  Now the following can be found at much reduced prices at many departmental stores, most notably at OG Orchard!

ROTF Gathering at the Nemesis box set @ SGD 49.90 (ORP: SGD 119.90).

ROTF Back Road Brawl box set @ SGD 29.90 (ORP: SGD 79.90).

ROTF Voyager The Fallen - Burning version @ SGD 19.90 (ORP: SGD 51.90).

On top of the above ROTF toys discounts, a free ROTF Deluxe toy (Dead End) will be given for free for purchases of more than SGD 80.00 worth of ROTF toys at OG Orchard.  I hear that this ROTF toys offer is also available at other departmental stores, though the free ROTF Deluxe toy varies from store to store.

There is also a private sale at OG Orchard on this Wednesday (17 Mar 2010) for OG card members and their guests, and most items will be on 20% + 10% discount!  From 18 - 21 Mar 2010, there will be 20% storewide discount for everyone!  Happy toys shopping!

Since I blogged about the great G.I.Joe The Rise of Cobra (ROC) toys clearance sale in local departmental stores some months ago, I still get some queries on where to find this and that particular ROC figure or vehicle, or playset at the rock bottom prices. 

Well you have to understand the pattern of stock clearance at retail stores, especially for fad items such as toys that are based on movies.  When the toys are collectibles popular with fans and collectors, a clearance sale would wipe out the most sought after pieces from the departmental stores very quickly. 

The next “big things” for the local toys scene are the Iron Man 2 movie toys, as well as those from Disney’s Toy Story 3 movie.  Hence inevitably, passe toylines like the 2009 G.I.Joe movie and 2009 Wolverine movie toys have been on clearance sale for the past several months to make shelf and peg space for the latest toys from other upcoming 2010 movies.

Nonetheless, some great gems from the ROC toyline are still found at very good prices, but in only very few departmental stores and some selected collector’s toy shops.  The local departmental stores that still carry the ROC toyline as of this week are: OG, Metro, and Toys “R” Us.  I don’t know what exact pieces they still have in their stores.  You’ve got to go there and find out yourself.

G.I.Joe The Rise of Cobra Pit Mobile Headquarters playset

For harder to find ROC figures, vehicles and playsets, most of them have been cleared from the departmental stores.  Your best bet now would be collector’s toy shops like Simply Toys, and the Sunday Toy Market at China Square Central (CSC).  The ROC toys still available there may or may not be at the rock bottom prices you prefer.  Well good luck to you, since we’re now at the tail end of this toyline.  It’s kind of like take it or leave it.

Here is a video review of the ROC Pit Mobile Headquarters.  This massive playset can still be found at Simply Toys at SGD 49.90, or at SGD 45.00 for their members.  You can call them to check for the stock availability before going there.  The box itself is very bulky and rather heavy, so preferably arrange your own private transport to bring it home!  Happy last minute ROC toys shopping, while stocks last!

Wow, take a look at the Iron Man 2 movie toys preview filmed during the recent Toy Fair 2010! 

I like the Iron Man race car and mobile headquarters (reminds me of the Pit Mobile HQ playset of the 2009 G.I.Joe movie toyline but smaller).  The Iron Man helmet and remote controlled Iron Man toy look great for kids!

We should expect to see the Iron Man 2 movie vehicles toys and role playing items in local departmental stores in the coming months leading to the movie sequel in May 2010.

Happy viewing the video and happy waiting for the toys to hit local mass retail! 

While I was at a departmental store to pick up my pre-ordered Bburago Lamborghini Gallardo Polizia 1:24 scale model car over the weekend, I also made an impulse purchase of an Iron Man 2 movie toy!

 Front Mint-on-card (MOC) view.

Back MOC view.

Close up of the “Power Up Glow” feature by pressing down on the head.

I don’t have a photo of the lighted up toy because all the shots turned out bad and they can’t really show off the red color lights effect well.  You’ve got to fiddle with the toy itself to see its “Power Up Glow” in person.

This 3.75-inch fellow is still MOC.  I’ll take him out of package sometime later when I’m in the mood to do so.  Meanwhile, he looks pretty cool in package, and I can still play with his light up effects!

The range of Iron Man 2 movie toys available in Singapore so far can be found in my previous 2 blog posts:

Iron Man 2 movie toys in Singapore

More Iron Man 2 movie toys in Singapore

Happy Iron Man 2 movie toys shopping and collecting!

Since my last blog post in October 2008 about wanting to add the Bburago Lamborghini Gallardo Polizia 1:24 scale model car to my collection, I had waited and waited extremely patiently for this toy to arrive “naturally” at our local departmental stores.  At long last, the first sighting showed up sometime in January 2010 at Metro Causeway Point, but the only 2 pieces there had imperfect paint jobs.

Finally, I got a piece from OG Orchard using their latest Bburago catalog.  The OG staff were very helpful in helping me secure this Lambo Polizia, which I had waited very long for.  The kind lady OG staff offered to order the model car for me when I spotted its picture in the catalog.  To my delight, the Lambo Polizia “drove” into the store within 2 weeks!  I collected it over the weekend and here are its photos.  It is the 10th Lamborghini to join my 1:24 scale model car collection!

Side front view.

Rear left view.

Rear right view with opened engine hood.

Front view with closed trunk.

Front view with opened trunk.

Close up engine view.

Closed up steering wheel view.

Like my other 1:24 scale Lamborghini model cars, this 1:24 scale Lambo Polizia has painted interior details on the steering wheel, dashboard, plus additional police patrol car equipment molded inside the car!

Close up interior door view.

Even the interior of the doors spot the Italian Traffic Police logo (I think this is what it is, it’s too small for me to make out the words) like on the actual car.  YouTube videos featuring the actual Lambo Polizia car can be viewed at my earlier blog post.

There is still 1 more piece of this model car at OG Orchard while I was there last weekend.  Even if it is sold out, you can approach their helpful staff at the toy department to order it for you.  Happy model car shopping!

When you see all the 3.75-inch Iron Man 2 action figures in the departmental stores, you might be dazzled by how all the red and gold variants of Iron Man closely resemble one another. 

You might be further confused if you can’t read roman numerals, so here are some tips to help you sail through in identifying the Iron Man 2 movie 3.75-inch action figures:

How to read roman numerals -

I - 1

II - 2

III - 3

IV - 4 (a ‘I’ before V is 4)

V - 5 (remember that V is 5)

VI - 6 (a ‘I’ after V is 6 and so on)

VII - 7

VIII - 8

IX - 9 (a “I” before X is 9)

X - 10 (remember that X is 10)

XI - 11 and so on (I’ll blog about the rest of the roman numerals if Hasbro gets that far in its Iron Man 2 toyline.)

If you intend to buy just the movie poster version of the 3.75-inch Iron Man action figures, just note that a round circle on his chest refers to his Movie 1 version, while an inverted triangle on the chest means he’s from Movie 2.  You can then choose which variant you would like to buy from these 2 main distinctions.  The back of their packaging also tells you a brief summary of each armor version or “Mark”.

Do beware that there are reported cases of mislabeled Iron Man 2 movie 3.75-inch action figures.  So you still need to check every figure carefully to ensure you don’t accidentally buy duplicates or the ones which you didn’t intend to buy!

Hope the above helps you in your selection of which Iron Man 2 movie toys to buy.  Of course for the collectors who intend to buy all of them, it doesn’t matter!  Happy Iron Man 2 movie toys shopping!

Upon further observation of the Iron Man 2 movie toys that have just been released at mass retail here, I realise that there are more variety of figures than what I covered in my earlier blog post on them 2 days ago.

Iron Man 2 movie action figures - movie series wave 2 - SGD 16.90 each 

Top row (from left): Iron Man Mark II, Hypervelocity Armor Iron Man & Iron Man Mark VI (w/Power Up Glow).

Bottom row (from left): Deep Dive Armor Iron Man, Iron Man Mark IV & Iron Man Mark VI.

Note: For Iron Man Mark VI (w/Power Up Glow), the bubble packaging has an opening that allows you to press the figure’s head, and the body will light up in red color, very nice! 

Iron Man 2 Movie Armor Tech Deluxe action figures - wave 1 - price to be confirmed

Juggernaut Mission Iron Man (left) & Negative Zone Mission Iron Man (right).

Iron Man 2 Movie Mark VI 8-inch action figure - SGD 19.90 each.

Iron Man 2 movie toys buying tips coming up tomorrow!  Come back again to read them!

While window shopping at Orchard Road this week, I came across the Iron Man 2 movie toys in a departmental store.  There were mostly in the popular and in trend scale of 3.75-inch action figures. 

This time the retail price per figure is SGD 16.90, which is slightly cheaper than the other Hasbro action figures in the same scale.  I do hope that the retail price of subsequent Hasbro 3.75-inch action figures will at most be this price, or lower!

Iron Man 2 movie action figures - movie series wave 1

Top row (from left): Iron Man Mark I, Iron Man Mark II & Hypervelocity Armor Iron Man.

Bottom row (from left): Deep Dive Armor Iron Man, Iron Monger, Power Assault Armor Iron Man & Iron Man Mark III.

Iron Man 2 movie action figures - comics series wave 1

Top row (from left): Classic Armor Iron Man & Stealth Iron Man.

Bottom row (from left): War Machine, Original Iron Man & Crimson Dynamo.

I forgot to take a photo of the Iron Man 2 movie toys hanging on the pegs.  Perhaps if I see them again, I’ll take a photo.

Updated on 5 March 2010: Incidentally, Little Plastic Man blogged about seeing these toys as well and he took a photo of them too.  Both of us spotted them at the same departmental store, but not at the same time, LOL!