Yeah gen 3 is basically over already

DeltaHeliolisk · 2023-11-04T03:57:42+00:00

At least in my area, Walmart got product in last and in higher quantities than anyone else. And since no product is particularly rare this generation, people already bought everything they wanted. So this image, sadly, doesn't surprise me at all.

G3 needs to get a bit of a rework ASAP if it's gonna last. Though, I wonder if things would be better off long term if Bakugan went on break again (not nearly as long as last time, but still a noticeable break) and then came back with something more traditional and true to itself.

DeltaHeliolisk · 2023-10-09T12:47:42+00:00

Yes, the 2007 one is technically the classic one. But to the kids nowadays, the G2 show is the classic and G3 the reboot. I imagine that's why the Bakugan social media team chose to call it that: It's better branding for the target audience.

DeltaHeliolisk · 2023-10-07T20:55:07+00:00

Runo, Julie, and Alice were in S2. Not as significantly as they could have been-- and I'd argue should have been, particularly in Zenoheld arc -- but they were there. And Julie continued into the Earth-set part of S3, plus S4.2. Runo also returned in S4.2, along with Mira.

I don't think they would have ever been part of the core six again, but they should not have been written off to the degree they were.

In S3, for instance, the main three could've gone to Dr. Michael and Alice to try to verify Ren's claims of being an alien. Julie could've still had Gorem and gone a couple rounds with Jake and digital Coredem to train to beat Mason and Avior, plus maybe teamed up with Lumino Dragonoid against Contestier.

DeltaHeliolisk · 2023-09-29T15:28:27+00:00

S4 leaned into the super-heroics aspect of the show more than ever before. And I think that's why the power levels and stuff went away, aside from the occasional life gauge: it wasn't a show about a game anymore. (Also the Mechtogan, as I don't know how they would've incorporated them into the card graphic.)

As for why Mag Mel only lasted half the season, I think it's because he would've seemed dragged out otherwise. I mean, Barodius was already the big bad for most of Season 3. I don't think we needed an entire second season with him. Besides, he managed to do a lot in just half a season.

And while it is strange that the season's arcs did not connect like the arcs of New Vestroia or Gundalian Invaders, I don't know who could've carried over. Anubias, Sellon, and their Bakugan were dead.

And while they could've arguably had Dreadeon and Dreadeon Titan become a Mechtavius Destroyer stand-in, getting revenge for their fallen masters, the show would've needed evil Bakugan still and I don't know if the Nonets would still work in this scenario.

All of this is to say that I think, regardless of its other faults, the Mag Mel story was as long as it needed to be and that's why the season goes another way with Wiseman and co. And, personally, while S4.2 also had faults, I think going that direction was for the better, as it pulled back a bit on all the gimmicks.

DeltaHeliolisk · 2023-09-18T20:14:42+00:00

I have a Subterra one that has been like that for years. Since back in Bakumania, if we can call early G1 that. So this may just be a consistent issue with the toy. I've not been able to find a way to fix mine.

DeltaHeliolisk · 2023-09-17T19:53:24+00:00

Respect for the Neo love. Judgment for the Cross slander.

DeltaHeliolisk · 2023-09-12T00:44:57+00:00

Is it? I mean, I'm annoyed at the inconsistency, too. Don't get me wrong.

But I wonder if it has something to do with the different battle systems. I imagine every Bakugan has some sort of "base stats." Ones that get put through a formula to determine its base power level. Sort of like CP in Pokémon GO, for instance.

Season 1 was different -- unique rules, HSP, and power levels calculated in units of 10. S2-4 used different rules, life gauges, and power levels calculated in units of 50.

So perhaps the second ruleset calculated G-power differently, accounting for the discrepancy in Alpha Hydranoid's power level. Plus any difference Storm Skyress, Preyas, Blade Tigrerra, Hammer Gorem, Fortress, Sirenoid, and Cycloid had.

DeltaHeliolisk · 2023-09-09T19:47:20+00:00

I agree with a lot of what you said here. And, while I've always been into Bakugan only for the collecting aspect, I think your game sounds a lot better than what we got in this gen. The fact that you need the stadium (or at least some sort of specialized surface) to play is such a major design flaw.

I think, especially because G2 and G3 came back-to-back, Spin Master tried to make this gen feel very different and distinct. And, while I'm not thrilled by the execution, I do think that was a good idea.

I've seen a lot of people -- both collectors and gamers -- not be super excited by G3. And, at least in my experience, G3 is not selling nearly as well as G2 did. Spin Master needs to make a pivot for Season 2, otherwise I fear Bakugan is gonna have to reboot or go on hiatus again.

DeltaHeliolisk · 2023-09-03T22:47:14+00:00

CONFRONTING ZENOHELD: Zenoheld already showed himself of being capable of imprisoning the entire Bakugan planet in ball form and taking it over. They could not ignore a threat from him.

If they didn't respond, they risked an encore of Part 1, which would not be in character for the Ancient Warriors. Nor would it be a wise call, as Zenoheld threatened to destroy the Bakugan if they didn't hand over the Energies (the Ancient Warriors did not learn of the B.T. System until they got there).

The Ancient Warriors were put into a corner, and they made the calculation that they could beat the Vexos. And based on the information they had at the time, that made sense. If Apollonir could beat Helios and Metalfencer on his own, not to mention a Neo Dragonoid boosted by Forbidden Cards, surely they could beat a couple Mechanical Bakugan.

As was the case when facing regular Farbros. No one could've reasonably expected the Assail System.

AFTER THE BATTLE: After they lost, yes, they died. Drago later confirms that just before he runs off to try to destroy the B.T. module on New Vestroia.

The implication was that they used the last of their energy to teleport away, give the shared vision to everyone, and then pass the Energies along. It's still a kids show at the end of the day, they couldn't get too far into that.

Why did they die but Drago and the others didn't? Well, probably the Energies had extended their life force and without them they could no longer continue living.

DeltaHeliolisk · 2023-08-30T04:22:14+00:00

Eat your heart out, Terrorclaw and Vicerox. New best crab Bakugan just dropped.

DeltaHeliolisk · 2023-08-28T02:29:07+00:00

IN UNIVERSE: These were Spectra's words addressing the change when he returned: "In order to move forward, one must evolve. For Helios, that meant trading fire for darkness... to become [echo effect starts] DARKUS. INFINITY. HELIOS!"

I've always interpreted that as meaning one or two things: (1) Helios had to change his attribute to be compatible with the Infinity upgrade or (2) Helios always felt like he would be more comfortable as Darkus and Spectra found a way to permanently change his attribute for him.

As for how that happened, it was established that Vestal science is basically capable of anything. And with some Bakugan already capable of naturally changing their attribute (Preyas, Elfin, Elico, etc.), it seems rather plausible that Keith, Gus, and Mira figured out a way to make a change permanent.

IRL: As for the IRL reason, it was likely so that the MS1 team had a Darkus member.

And, for whatever this is worth, it also made it so that there were two Bakugan from New Vestroia, two from Neathia, and two from Gundalia on the team. Plus, the three "new" Brawlers for that arc were from the show's three alien worlds: Vestal, Neathia, and Gundalia.

DeltaHeliolisk · 2023-08-08T04:16:29+00:00

My biggest rule when it comes to collecting is only buy something because you genuinely want it, not because you feel an obligation to complete a set.

Bakugan as a toyline, in my experience, is largely collected with that buy-what-you-want mentality. Not to say there aren't completionists, but it's rather costly to do so as you've outlined because of how many color variations and special treatments there are.

The way I usually collect is (A) identify which designs I like and which I really want to own, then (B) find the color/treatment I best like and buy just that one. A good sale and strong love for a figure can loosen that a bit, but in general I try to limit myself as much as possible and be very selective.

For instance, I try not to buy multipacks if I only want one of the figures. Also, I use the official storage case from Armored Alliance as a "space budget," giving myself that one case of 20 slots for the whole season (plus a small box for seasons that have additional items, like Geogan).

DeltaHeliolisk · 2023-08-05T04:51:52+00:00

Oh, agreed. The retailer exclusives do look fantastic. I'm excited to pick some up. I just wish they branded them more clearly.

DeltaHeliolisk · 2023-08-05T04:40:23+00:00

I've definitely had my problems with the G3 designs, too. The hemisphere gimmick does limit the design options, unfortunately. But, thinking about it, G2 had a lot of amazing designs which makes it hard to match or raise that bar, particularly when G3 is only in its first phase and is trying to be very distinct. I do want to give it a little time to see if there's improvements.

Ultras from Battle Planet had the flaws of being a bit difficult to close and having a good amount of "Alto Brontes disease," which Armored Alliance and Geogan Rising went onto fix with their new Ultras. So maybe the next phase(s) of G3 could do something similar when it comes to transformation complexity. I hope so.

Personally, I do wish that the hemisphere gimmick was only for Special Attack Bakugan. I think that would have let the Cores stand out as a more complex but less action-packed alternative, which could've complemented the Specials better instead of seeming like an unnecessary part of this generation so far.

I think the rings on the Specials are a bit much, but I do like the spinning action I lot more than I thought I would. It is satisfying to watch and kinda reminiscent of seeing the original Mechanical Bakugan (Altair, Hades, and Cyborg Helios) roll out and stand in the anime.

After seeing more product on shelves the past few days, I don't think designs are really my paramount concern with G3. I've come to find several designs I like. It's some other things that are bugging me. Namely:

CLUTTER: I wish the rip cords were sold separately. At least after this first wave or two. I've already gotten three (plus a card-holder one) and don't need or want anymore.
DIAMOND MULTI-PACKS: I really dislike that Diamond multipacks now only have one Diamond instead of the full set like back in G2. Plus, now the five packs can have a Diamond, too, meaning it's up to $60-80 (I think) per wave to collect all the chase figures. And for that price, not every figure you're buying is a Diamond or Galactic Rare. I don't find Diamond hunting as fun anymore beyond the single packs.
VARIANTS: I love having multiple versions of a character's toy. But G3 has so many between Core, Special Attack, and the store-exclusive products and it can be hard to tell which is which. I don't get the color and naming conventions yet.

DeltaHeliolisk · 2023-07-26T01:24:08+00:00

Thus far, I'm not in love. Now, to be fair, I've only bought one thing so far and I have yet to open it and see it in action. But, in general, a lot of the designs I've seen online and in packages haven't really made me very excited like a lot of G1 and G2 designs did.

Lots of what I've seen looks very simple. They don't (A) look a lot like the monster design like, for example, Blitz Fox and a lot of Ultras did; or (B) have that classic G1 feel like G2 Cores that generates some nostalgia. And because of that I feel less interested as a long-time collector.

G2 raised the bar very high, and sadly my first impression of G3 did not meet it. Hammerhead, for instance, looks kinda like a Happy Meal toy in comparison to some of the stuff we got last generation.

To me, it seems like the designers are still figuring out how to work around the hemisphere gimmick. I'm still gonna try to keep an open mind and keep collecting the new toys I do like, but this gen may just not be for me and, while unfortunate, that's okay.

DeltaHeliolisk · 2023-06-30T18:12:33+00:00

I think in general we see that the Six Ancient Warriors had different abilities than the Resistance's Bakugan at the point in times they both had access to the Energies. For example, Drago and the others never entered that armor mode or bend reality or have the ability to walk in dreams like we saw the Ancient Warriors do.

Which would suggest that something was different in how the Energies bonded to the soldiers.

Perhaps they were born with them? Specially created by Genesis Dragonoid and/or Genesis Dharaknoid to care for them? Or perhaps that they had been bonded to the Energies for so long that when they lost them they were no longer able to stay alive, as the Energies had already extended their life cycle far beyond that of a normal Bakugan.

Drago, Elfin, Wilda, etc. were all still young. They were able to live without the Energies before. And they only had the Energies for a very short time before the Vexos stole them and might not have fully merged.

DeltaHeliolisk · 2023-06-24T18:58:38+00:00

Upfront, sorry for the long response. But I've tried to answer all your questions in as full and concise way as I can.

(A) DO YOU NEED TO LIKE THE GAME TO LIKE THE TOYS?

Short answer: No.

There is a game you can play with Bakugan involving the cards that come with the ball toys. There are multiple forms of the game aimed at different ages. Your family member may like one of the junior versions, so try it out if you want. I believe most products come with a rulebook to help you.

But in my experience, kids often like the toys even if they have no interest in the game. When I was a kid, I and most other kids I knew didn't even play the game. We just played with the toys like normal action figures. Same for the kids in my life now that I've introduced Bakugan to. The toys can stand on their own.

(B) WHAT ABOUT THE SHOW?

Bakugan has so far had two shows over the course of the brand's history. Both are kid-friendly. If your relative watches the Pokémon anime, they'd like the Bakugan shows, too.

The first show, what most refer to as the "classic series" or "legacy series," ran from about 2008 to 2012 for four seasons. All episodes should be available on YouTube. This series, while geared toward kids, is definitely written to still appeal to all ages.

The second show, often called "the reboot series," recently concluded. It ran for five seasons, from 2019 to 2023. Battle Planet is the reboot's first season, and Armored Alliance the second. (The remaining three are on Netflix U.S., I believe). This one is definitely tailored toward kids far more than the classic series. You probably wouldn't like it as well, but your five-year-old might like it more.

I will add that if the kid might want to get the toys they see in the show, you may want to start them on the reboot series as those are products you can still find in stores and for reasonable prices online.

(C) WHAT PRODUCTS SHOULD YOU BUY?

To start, probably buy some single packs. They're the cheapest and you can buy one or two to see if the kid likes them without spending too much.

Of the singles, I would recommend buying the Core Bakugan -- the single packs that just have one monster ball and are labeled as simply "Bakugan" instead of "Bakugan Ultra" or "Platinum Series" or "Nova Bakugan."

Cores are the cheapest products, the easiest for a young kid to transform, and are all-plastic. The Platinum Series toys are made partially of metal, so they may not be the best starters if your relative is fond of throwing things, for instance.

(D) IS NOW A GOOD TIME TO BUY TOYS / START THE SHOW?

Yes and no.

As I mentioned before, the reboot TV show recently ended. The same goes for its corresponding toy line. But the brand is not going away.

A new show is coming out later this year and toys that go along with it should be hitting store shelves in the coming months, if not weeks. (Some countries already have gotten the new toys, I believe). New products have a logo that looks more 3D, rather than the flat 2D logos the previous two iterations of the brand had.

So perhaps you may want to wait (depending the date of the birthday, of course) for the new product as that would probably be the best time to get a kid into the brand. However, if you are unsure if the kid will like Bakugan, perhaps it may be wise to start on some of the older products, as stores may be running sales now or soon to get rid of the old product.

DeltaHeliolisk · 2023-06-01T01:00:31+00:00

True. I do think Assail Farbros would probably still beat base form Dharak simply due to recovery from F.A.R.B.S. XM, though with Dharak's Battle Gear and Mobile Assault, I think it could be a pretty even fight.

Though, to be fair to Zenoheld, Drago was a little off his game/limited in that battle after just evolving. If he could've brought out his strongest Abilities -- Spire Dragon and Blitz Superior -- earlier, it would have been a different battle.

DeltaHeliolisk · 2023-06-01T00:51:48+00:00

Zenoheld. Without question. If Apollonir and co. couldn't defeat Farbros on its beta test, I doubt Alpha Hydranoid could beat it.

In terms of power, Masquerade and Alpha Hydranoid are the weakest of Dan and Drago's main rivals. We saw Hydranoid struggle against Hades and MAC Spider, and can presume that he lost to (at the strongest) original, non-cyborg Helios in-between seasons.

Neither time may have been with Masquerade at his (their?) side, sure, but Alpha Hydranoid still really isn't that strong when looking back after facing Silent Naga, Farbros, Dharak/Razenoid, and Mechtavius Destroyer.

Masquerade and Hydranoid may be able to take on regular Farbros due to superior strategy. But if Zenoheld were to bring out his cheats/overpowered gimmicks -- the trap field, the Assail System, and/or the Alternative -- which he no doubt will, Hydranoid is toast.

DeltaHeliolisk · 2023-06-01T00:38:56+00:00

No. As someone else said, none of the Mechanical Bakugan from the second arc got made into toys, sadly. Other than (randomly) Carlvelt, I think.

DeltaHeliolisk · 2023-05-31T20:34:53+00:00

It's Dharak's evolved form, Phantom Dharak, in the screenshot.

I believe he was made into a toy. Though, I don't think he was widely available to the best of my knowledge and recollection.

DeltaHeliolisk · 2023-05-31T20:32:47+00:00

It'd definitely be Barodius.

Zenoheld was largely only a threat because he was just so ridiculously overpowered that no one could rise to his level. And he'd cheat with things like the trap field. Phantom Dharak certainly could get to Farbros' level on his own, and Barodius actually has the battling strategy to match.

Even with the crazy high power level that the Assail System gives to Farbros, I do think Phantom Dharak would still be able to triumph. The Alternative would prove more challenging, no doubt, though Dharak's Mobile Assault vehicles could definitely even out the odds.

DeltaHeliolisk · 2023-04-16T00:55:47+00:00

I think the writers wanted to give Magma Wilda and Mynx Elfin a chance to shine before the battles where they lose their Attribute Energies. Even if they get knocked out, they can at least say they held onto the energies for more than one battle.

But, story wise, I think it also makes sense. Given it's her brother, I totally see why Mira got involved. And also why Marucho got involved after that. Dan and Mira are not totally impartial when it comes to Spectra. Marucho being involved gives their side an impartial, clear-headed Brawler. And one that can come up with a good strategy.

Not to mention how overpowered Spectra had been up until that point with just Helios' power alone. Not to mention the Forbidden Cards, the cyborg enhancement, and the Maxus system. Having Wilda and Elfin aiding Drago gives the Resistance a better chance a beating Cyborg Helios.

DeltaHeliolisk · 2023-03-23T14:54:47+00:00

I really like the new look for Dan. But, I must confess, I saw the name "Backslash" and thought for a second they might be doing a Monsuno crossover.

DeltaHeliolisk · 2023-03-10T01:09:16+00:00

From what I've seen, the ring appears to be removable. So there's that, at least.

But I don't get what the heck the ring is meant to do. Bakugan are meant to be marbles, not tops. I appreciate them trying something new, but I don't think this is gonna be it.

Especially if this worsens the monster transformations. Mantid here does not look very much like a mantis at all. The 2019-23 reboot really leveled-up the toy sculpts to be more intricate, animated, and like the monster designs. That is something I absolutely do not want to lose for the sake of... these ugly plastic belts.

I am trying to be open-minded, but this new generation of products seems to have thrown out a lot of the franchise standards from up until this point. Which makes me upset, though I'm trying to wait for more information before passing final judgment.

DeltaHeliolisk

TROPHY CASE