As any series of toys increases in popularity and becomes scarcer on store shelves, it’s inevitable that their value increases. In many ways this is a bit of a shame, as the children who would enjoy them the most are often priced out of the market.
Most recently I’ve seen this happening with Skylanders. As we approach Christmas and stocks dwindle their price is starting to rise. This has been intensified by a second wave of Skylanders figures along with collectible Legendary Skylanders and most recently the game’s equivalent of Willy Wonka’s Golden Tickets, Silver Skylanders figures that are hidden in packs at random.
I’ve been keeping an eye on the secondhand market for the various characters and have noticed a few trends. There are some figures only available in multi packs (like Ghost Roaster) that are being purchased and then sold separately at an increased price ($24.99 on Amazon for example). Then there are packs that are exclusive to a particular retailer (like the $19.99 Toys ‘R Us Legendary Packs ) that are being purchased and then resold at a higher price because of their limited availability online ($43.98 on Amazon). Then there are the super rare Silver characters that people are scouring shelves for and then putting up on Ebay for as much as $129.
The danger in all this is that collectors rather than gamers will dictate how much these Skylanders figures will go for. These figures have been designed to be played with rather than kept in their packaging to accrue value. Here at least there is some consolation though, as one collector recently told me, you can actually play with the Skylanders figures without unpacking them. The portal technology works through the cardboard and plastic of the packaging — for the single packs at least.
Here’s my contribution to help players find the figures they need, a list of their availability updated to include unpacked loose figures:
Earth Characters
Terrafin US Availability: Buy as part of Pirate Adventure Pack or Loose.
Prism Break US Availability: Buy as part of Triple Pack or Single Pack or Loose.
Bash US Availability: Buy as part of Triple Pack or Single Pack.
Legendary Bash US Availability: Buy as part of Legendary Pack or Loose.
Dino-Rang US Availability: Buy in Single Pack or Triple Pack or Loose.
Silver Dino-Rang US Availability: Find in Single Pack or Triple Pack or Loose.
Fire Characters
Ignitor US Availability: Buy in 3DS Starter Pack or Loose.
Eruptor US Availability: Buy as part of Triple Pack or Single Pack or Loose.
Silver Eruptor US Availability: Find as part of Triple Pack or Single Pack or Loose.
Flameslinger US Availability: Buy as part of Triple Pack or Single Pack or Loose.
Sunburn US Availability: Coming soon as part of Single Pack.
Air Characters
Sonic Boom US Availability: Buy as part of Single Pack or Loose.
Lightening Rod Availability US: Coming soon in Single Pack.
Whilrwind US Availability: Buy in Single Pack or Loose.
Warnado US Availability: Coming soon. Not in the Triple pack that Amazon returns for “Warnado” search.
Water Characters
Gill Grunt US Availability: Buy in 360, PS3 and Wii Starter Pack or Loose.
Zap US Availability: Buy as part of Single Pack or Triple Pack or Loose.
Slam Bam US Availability: Coming soon as part of Single Pack.
Wham Shell US Availability: Coming soon as part of Single Pack.
Magic Characters
Spyro US Availability: Buy in 360, PS3 and Wii Starter Pack or Loose.
Dark Spyro US Availability: Buy in 3DS Starter Pack or Loose.
Legendary Spyro US Availability: Buy as part of Legendary Pack or Loose.
Voodood US Availability: Buy as part of Triple Pack and Single Pack or Loose.
Double Trouble US Availability: Coming soon as part of Single Pack.
Wrecking Ball US Availability: Buy as part of Single Pack or Triple Pack or Loose.
Tech Characters
Trigger Happy US Availability: Buy in 360, PS3 and Wii Starter Pack.
Boomer US Availability: Buy as part of Triple Pack or Single Pack or Loose.
Silver Boomer US Availability: Find in Triple Pack or Single Pack or Loose.
Drobot US Availability: Buy as part of Single Pack and Triple Pack or Loose.
Drill Sergeant US Availability: Buy as Single Pack or Loose.
Life Characters
Stealth Elf US Availability: Buy in 3DS Starter Pack and Single Pack or Triple Pack or Loose.
Stump Smash US Availability: Buy as part of Triple Pack and Single Pack or Loose.
Zook US Availability: Coming soon as part of Single Pack.
Camo US Availability: Coming soon as part of Single Pack.
Undead Characters
Chop-Chop US Availability: Buy as part of Single Pack.
Legendary Chop-Chop US Availability: Buy as part of Legendary Pack.
Ghost Roaster US Availability: Buy in the Darklight Crypt Pack or Loose.
Hex US Availability: Buy as part of Single Pack or Triple Pack or Loose.
Cynder US Availability: Coming soon as part of Single Pack.
