Info On Tablet Starter Pack

[mr_grizzly]

Does anyone have any firsthand experience with the Tablet Starter Pack and/or the digital packs for the game?

I can't get the game right now, as only one local store even carries the Tablet starter pack (physically in the store, not just through online purchasing) - but they are out. I really want to purchase the level packs so I can play the game on the go (especially at work when it is slow), but don't want to shoot myself in the foot by buying an incomplete game. I want to know if you can actually play all of the game through (including going into all elemental gates and capturing all villains) with the digital packs? Can you add characters by using the online codes? It sounds like the physical Tablet Starter Pack unlocks the digital level packs within the game so I am hoping they are not mutually exclusive - ie. only adding characters, etc. through bluetooth OR only playing with the 8 digital characters and traps they give you. With this last thing, I can see some of the game being unaccessible, assuming it is not 8 trap masters you get (one character is Food Fight), therefore certain gates not able to be opened, no chaos trap - plus no way to add the adventure packs, the mystery characters, etc.

More than likely, I will purchase the first digital pack to unlock levels 2-6 plus the chaos doom challenges, then see how it all works. Willing to spend the $15 now to tide me over until I can actually afford the physical starter pack or until I get the other two level packs.

[Daphtaru]

I haven't used the mobile version yet but from my understanding of it, if you aren't using physical characters on it you only get the Trap Master Instant Snap Shot, and Instant Food Fight which will only give you a Water Trap Master. It's not worth buying the episodes if you plan to buy the physical Tablet Starter Pack as the whole game is free once you have one. I haven't heard anywhere mention that Villains work without the physical copy of it. Hope that helps.

[mr_grizzly]

You can play/replay the first level for free and capture and play the first two villains.

[mr_grizzly]

Ok, so I went ahead and bought the first level pack. It does not contain extra characters or traps - so you are 100% limited to the two digital starter characters and two digital traps.

Needless to say, I contacted Apple for a refund, located a starter pack at Future Shop and started playing with it before work.

When you buy the character pack, the game insists you have 3 GBs of space (contrary to the initial 1.3 GB download). Each time you put a new character on the portal, there is a minute that the game is downloading data for that character (so make sure you load what characters you want to play while you have wifi access), but they load up instantly the next time you use them. I am not sure how much data is used to download the character files, so be aware that the game size may increase significantly if you intend on using your whole collection on your tablet (that's what I will do).

The controller is great, the portal is bulky, but the ipad fits easily into the slot and at least with the ipad, I can still keep it plugged in while playing if I want. You need to hold the power button down for a few seconds to turn it off.

I spent most of my time at McDonald's before my shift downloading the characters I had in my backpack. I will check out the game on the tablet (especially Brock's arenas and Kaos' Challenges) during the dead time at my work tonight.

Don't know if this is a quirk with the new game, but it seems some of my lesser used characters are now at level one. Perhaps I played them mostly on the 3ds and didn't update them on the portal, but it is certainly something I will be keeping an eye on now.

Prepare to meet your match, Kaos!

[1ofWiisdom]

I actually took the TSP (Tablet Starter Pack) BACK tonight. I had planned to give it to my Nephew for Christmas, but he downloaded the first chapter and got "device not supported" or something. I was told early on that the iPad Mini would work...clearly that is not the case. The iPad Mini with Retina Display will work. That said, I am not going to buy a tablet just to play the game that I would rather play on a console. The Mini really isn't that old, so I'm not sure why it isn't capable of playing the game.

I think it is a good move to hit the mobile market, but I don't know many of the target demographic that are sporting state of the art tablets either. I think a lot of people will buy this and be severely disappointed at their bday, or Christmas. Hopefully parents/grandparents etc read the back and the staff they talk to actually knows this before it becomes a big issue.

I ordered it on launch day since the Wii U DSP had been plucked by scalpers...Had no way of knowing what the back outlined etc. I'd also been told the Mini would be fine, so there is that.

However, as mentioned, I know a lot of kids around my Nephew's age and none of them have compatible tablets and I don't believe the parents/g-rents will want to shell out $$$ for a "supported" tablet.

It will be great for those who are getting it and a tablet, or who already have one capable of playing it...

[mr_grizzly]

Well, batteries on the portal only last about four or five hours (of hit and miss play between customers at work. Disappointed they are AAA, which are more expensive.

Wondering why my characters were showing up in my "Collection," and why I wasn't getting elemental bonuses for them at first on my ipad. Turns out I needed to claim ownership of them on this device, then I got the bonuses, and I am assuming now they will show up in the collection (forgot to check that out).

Quite satsified with the ability to play the whole game at work and on the go. Just got to have a good supply of batteries and a screwdriver on hand.

[mr_grizzly]

I think the makers of the tablet version failed in one big way:

This game is meant to be played on the go, YET it downloads each level (including each section of Kaos' challenges) only as you start it (not all at once) - so that means I can't play it elsewhere if I had not already downloaded that level. It will not download to my ipad using cell data (though thankfully, I can use my iphone as a personal hotspot to temporarily create a wifi spot - hopefully not using too much data!). Would be really disappointing for some kid out camping or travelling on a Greyhound somewhere, hoping to play the whole game, only to find once he finishes the level he was on at home that now he can't play the next level.

[mr_grizzly]

Grr! Another thing I am noticing, regardless of how good my wifi is, there are times I can't download character info or a level temporarily because it is unable to connect to their server.

[1ofWiisdom]

Yeah, the layout is far from ideal...Great idea in theory, but the general public isn't going to have the necessary hardware or WiFi to make it practical "on the go" which was to be the main selling point.

If you are playing the TSP at home and have a console, you just must really prefer a tablet. Console > Tablet in my opinion....especially in a situation like this. That doesn't factor in the bigger screen etc.

On the go, the 3DS still shines brightest, and it isn't even close.

My biggest initial fear was the size of the game on the tablet...Anyone with an iPad would be screwed since they don't offer external storage etc. I've got 16 GB and most of that is in music, pictures, and videos...I have them on the tablet because I want them there...transferring is a moot point bc of that. The way folks are describing the cloud storage it isn't going to pan out well.

Given the constant need for WiFi as others have described and tech restrictions of older tablets, this seems more like an auxiliary option for most.

Again, I don't know many kids who have the latest and greatest tablets and who don't have them in a case that would then make the portal stand pointless, and thus necessitate you holding the tablet.

At Home = Console
On the Go = 3DS