'Twas the week before Christmas and all through the blog, I was lounging and chilling while rubbing my dog. But time has grown short; the holidays are near! Gotta get these hauls sorted before the new year. So without further ado, let's start this deep dive. Here are the last few things I picked up in 2025:
I had already completed Reload (including the DLC) during a couple of free Game Pass trials on my Xbox One, so I was originally going to wait on a potential Switch 2 release to own it. However, Sega and Atlus opting to release it for that platform on a Game-Key Card made me shift gears to the PS5 version, which, luckily for me, was available for only twenty bucks on Walmart's site, making it impossible to resist. (I also grabbed the DLC for a steal on PSN.) Probably not going to replay this massive game for a good while, but I'm very happy to finally 100% own it.
I rarely buy from Build-A-Bear (mostly due to the prices combined with the fact that I'm not much of a plush collector in general), but I COULD NOT pass up a movie version of Shadow the Hedgehog complete with multiple Keanu Reeves voice clips. I actually missed the initial rollout of this guy last year, so I was super jazzed to see BAB finally restock him back in August. Now I'll be able to consult Keanu's brooding wisdom any time with a simple squeeze! (Until his batteries die like BAB Bowser's. I need to look into getting those replaced.)
Hello Kitty returned to McDonald's back in August with another Happy Meal collab that lured me in by way of a mash-up with my favorite ninjutsu reptiles. Unlike the previous Yu-Gi-Oh! crossover, however, I was only able to grab one toy from the set before it ended. Luckily, though, I was at least able to score a Raph. (Which is also a Kitty, meaning that with a single figure, I was able to pull both the main character from one side of the crossover and my favorite turtle from the other. Not too shabby.)
Been admiring these highly-articulated Pokémon figures from a far for a good while, but when it was revealed that my absolute favorite Mythical Pokémon was joining the line, I HAD to finally get in on them. Deoxys is a pretty fantastic figure for being such an odd design, too, with bendy tentacles and a stand perfect for levitation poses. I only wish that he had interchangeable arms so that you could also have him with his more traditional "hands" instead of being limited to just the tentacles, but it's not a big deal. It's still WAY more than I ever expected Deoxys to get in terms of a figure, so I'm really happy with him. (Now make his other formes!)
Went on a bit of a pin shopping spree after I happened upon a mega rare Super Mario RPG Geno pin (released exclusively in a set with the other party members when you pre-ordered the Switch remake on the UK My Nintendo Store) on Mercari for an absolute song. (Seriously, look up how much a set of all five of those pins usually costs on eBay and the like. You could literally buy TWO COPIES OF THE GAME for less than those super tiny things.) Anyway, scoring a deal THAT good on official merch of my favorite SMRPG original character made me feel pretty darn happy, so I quickly scoured Mercari and eBay for other cheap, extremely me-relevant pins so Geno wouldn't be alone in expanding my collection. I ended up adding representation from Paper Mario, Wreck-It Ralph, and CHRISTMAS to my little banner in addition to Super Mario RPG, all for WAY less than what a set of Geno and his buds in pin form would normally cost. Good stuff.
Heard good things about the Muppet comics by Roger Langridge, so I've had my eye on this Omnibus collection of them for a while. Eventually found a decent price on eBay, so I quickly added it to my already massive reading pile. Looking forward to experiencing the Muppets' trademark absurdity in comic form! (This run also happens to feature a nice bonus for Muppet diehards: a rare adult appearance by Skeeter from Muppet Babies!)
Pre-ordered this final TMNT IDW Collection with the Amazon cash that I got for my Birthday. Still haven't dug into Volumes 16 and 17 yet, so I'll have a hearty feast of turtle adventures to dig into once I finally get started on that reading backlog. (Knocking that out will probably be my New Year's resolution.)
Found a great eBay deal on the two Super Smash Bros. poster sets that used to be available as Club Nintendo rewards. I only owned one poster from either set (the Palutena one, which my future brother-in-law gifted me back in 2014), so at the price of less than ten bucks per poster, I couldn't pass up this chance to complete the collection. (Especially since the second set featured two of my favorite Smash 4 newcomers: Bowser Jr. and Duck Hunt.) The posters were, admittedly, not in perfect condition, with some fraying on the edges and wear from previous use, but they still look fantastic on my walls, and it's really great to finally have them all. (I wish they would've made a third set with Greninja and Mega Man's posters. Would've LOVED to have those decorating my room.)
Remember the amazing deal that I got on that Geno pin? Well, the same Mercari seller also put up the Mario from the set at just as good of a price! Needless to say, I jumped right on it and gave Geno a buddy. (I wish I could find at least one more from that set just so I could have enough pins to represent a three-person SMRPG party, but that seller weirdly only ever offered multiple Genos and Marios. Not sure how that happened.)
Speaking of great deals, Gamestop had a crazy amiibo sale a while back that I took advantage of, adding Zelda's famous alter ego to my shelf for six bucks. (I also picked up a certain two-pack at a good discount, but it went out of stock just as I ordered it and Gamestop is STILL working on fulfilling it. We'll see if it ever comes.)
Been wanting THIS guy for a good while, but was waiting for the right price. Eventually found a decent enough deal on Mercari and snagged him. With the addition of everyone's favorite lava sort of a molten man, the Space Ghost Coast to Coast main cast (plus Old Kentucky Shark!) is at last complete on my POP! shelf! I can finally rest easy. (Or at least I can until I find a good deal on Brak. Or they make a new Brak. A new Zorak would be nice, too. The old one can't stand worth a crap!)
A couple of fresh Switch platformer pick-ups! First, one of the most 90s video game trilogies in existence finally scurries its way on to modern platforms complete with bonus content and all the same gloriously dated references. As for the other game, it's a very Italian send-up to the Wario Land series full of cartoony animation and general zaniness. Excited to give both of these a full playthrough in the near future.
It's been a loooooooong time coming (more than a year), but I FINALLY got Dynamite's new collections of the SLG Gargoyles comics in from Kickstarter. For those unaware, SLG stands for Slave Labor Graphics, a comic company that published new, Greg Weisman-penned Gargoyles comics back in the mid aughts that essentially acted as a "canon" Season 3, largely ignoring the Goliath Chronicles. Those comics are also fully canon to Dynamite's NEW Gargoyles comics, making them essential reads if you want the whole story. I've had the first (and only so far, annoyingly) volume of Dynamite's new book for a while, but I've been waiting to get these before I started reading it. Now I can finally catch up with Goliath and crew! (Or, rather, I'll SOON be able to. See, the copies of Volume 2: Clan Building that everyone got in from Kickstarter had a tiny issue: a repeated page. So, Dynamite sent out replacement copies to everyone affected. Mine's still in the mail, but I should get it in by the end of the year. Dynamite's gotten REAL good at making me wait for Gargoyles.)
EAT ROCK, PLANKTON CHIPS! Archie's versions are the definitive Wingnut and Screwloose in my mind, and I've been waiting SO long for NECA to get to them in their TMNT Adventures line. Well, their time has finally come, and they DO NOT disappoint. Both are amazingly detailed, with pitch perfect comic accurate sculpts and colors, all of the usual NECA articulation, and even a few neat surprises like the rock they threw at the Turtles in their first appearance being included as an accessory. I honestly couldn't ask for much better figure representations of them, and it feels great to finally have my favorite versions of the Huanu duo standing tall on my shelf.
Saw this Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds Switch 2 case go up for pre-order and I HAD to score it. Not only is it covered in character decals straight from the game, but the zipper pulls are even shaped like tiny Sonic heads! Now, that's just cool. (Only weird thing is that it smells vaguely of...pickles, for some reason? Not sure what THAT'S about.)
Won this little package of Sonic goodies from FrackDeals on Twitter. If you're a Sonic fan and don't know him, I'd definitely recommend giving Frack a follow on your social of choice. Not only does he stay on top of new Sonic merch pre-orders and deals (he's actually the reason that I was able to score both that Switch 2 case and Jakks Mephiles for retail), but he also does giveaways like the one I won this stuff in fairly often, so you can also try your luck at winning some cool stuff! He's also just a cool dude who likes cool lizards. Thanks again for the opportunity and the rad swag, Frack!
Amazon recently had Super7's new TMNT 2k3 Ultimates figures down to a ridiculously discounted price, so I HAD to at least pick up my favorite turtle from that particular series while he was cheap. He's SUPER cool, too. Great articulation and he looks like he popped right off the screen, which is a first for 2003 turtle figures. I don't know if I'll bother with Hun, Splinter, Casey, or April, but I'll definitely pick up the other Turtles and Shredder eventually. (Also, if you know the specific image that my little handshake photo is referencing, you are awesome.)
Speaking of Turtles, I saw that last year's Mutant Mayhem Raph Keepsake Ornament was also discounted on Amazon, so I decided to add my favorite turtle to my little tree. (Also, yes, my tree has both Raph AND Ralph on it.)
Moving on to Black Friday, Amazon had a really good deal on a 512 GB MicroSD Express Card, so I decided to take advantage and triple my Switch 2's storage. (I don't usually download that many games, so hopefully, it'll last me a good while.)
As far as more interesting Black Friday pick-ups go, I also scored two recent Sonic games at Walmart for super cheap!
I was originally going to wait for the physical Switch 2 version of CrossWorlds because I wanted to support legit physical Switch 2 releases, but the fact that we STILL don't have a date for it in DECEMBER made me up and lose my patience. Plus, with Walmart knocking the Switch version's price down to thirty bucks for Black Friday and Sega discounting the Switch 2 upgrade pack for a limited time, the prospect of getting a Switch 2 copy earlier for just $35 total was too good to pass up. Now I just need to get that Season Pass so I can take some sponges, Turtles, and super fighting robots for a spin.
As for Sonic X Shadow Generations, I already owned a Switch copy, but since Walmart had the PS5 version down to just FIFTEEN BUCKS for Black Friday, I figured that a 4K graphical upgrade, exclusive Dark Beginnings content, and a larger copy of Gerald Robotnik's Journal were all absolutely worth three fivers and change.
Last but not least, The Yetee had some of their pins on sale for Black Friday, so I grabbed this cute Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS set. Now Ai and Linky can rep Yu-Gi-Oh on my banner!
That finishes things up here. I'll see you guys next week for the annual Fallout post! Hope you all have a fantastic holiday!
