Infinite Lives

Ten months since the debut of his Mario Mech (which I blogged about at GameSetWatch, here), Donald Kennedy unveils its sequel, the Yoshi Mech.

Maybe the Best Thing about this particular customization is the robot’s flip-top snout, revealing Yoshi’s inner workings—the command center along the back wall was reappropriated from a Playmobil police station, Donald writes, while Little Yoshi’s laptop-console was ganked from a LEGO set.

“I can’t wait to do another,” Donald writes. “I think Luigi may be next.”

• Flickr – Custom Yoshi Mech via KodyKoala.com

Did you know Macy’s department store is already decorated? It is.

So it’s no surprise that custom toy artist Donald Kennedy of KodyKoala (see also, also, and also) is gearing up for the holiday season!

I admit, I like the name Bowser Claus, but I would have been more likely to go with “Koopa Kringle.”

• Bowser Claus is Coming to Town flickrset via KodyKoala.com

That incredible Samus Aran figurine (with LIGHT-UP HELMET and CANNON ARM) is, bafflingly, a customized Celsius vinyl toy, executed by artist Dave Quiles. Look at the details on her Varia suit!

This lovely bounty hunter is just one custom vinyl toy at the Ganmettal Celsius Custom Show, which opened July 10 at LA’s Toy Art Gallery.

The show also featured at least one Mega Man custom (well, duh, right?).

• Vinyl Pulse – Dave “outtamymind” Quiles for the Custom Celsius Show @ TAG (07.10)

Last week, I was pretty startled by the sudden appearance of two new Kidrobot plush bears (PJ Berri and Sweety Bancha) right here in my workplace.

Maybe I didn’t quite recognize them immediately, but each of these heavy-lidded teddies is based on the art of one Rodney Greenblat, better known to video game-goers as the guy behind the distinctive look of PaRappa the Rapper and UmJammer Lammy.

PJ Berri and Sweety Bancha retail at about US$30 each.

Last-instant edit: Damn! GameSetWatch totally covered this yesterday.

Following up on his nightmarishly awesome Mushroom Kingdom on Crack action figures, toysmith Donald of KodyKoala returns with a custom Wario action figure. And this villain is built like the Bluto of brick shithouses—Mario and Peach better watch out.

“I never realized how feminine a guy could look with purple overalls,” Donald writes at his blog, “until I started to paint him. Luckily I was able to darken up the purple, and make it a bit more masculine.”

• KodyKoala.com – KodyKoala’s Custom Wario Action Figure

Donald of KodyKoala is a formidably prolific crafter; his more recent custom Animal Crossing Qees are as cute as pie.

But Donald’s “Mushroom Kingdom on Crack” custom trio of action figures are absolutely terrifying. Filed under “nightmares.”

• Mushroom Kingdom on Crack (Set) via The Daily What

Nissie of Deadcraft made a ton of incredible Metroid amigurumi last year for a customer, and I didn’t know about it (this seems to be the trend).

Nissie also handcrafted the absolute cutest little metroid you’ve ever seen.

• Dolls – Video Games (Set) via Sprite Stitch

You know, if I read the Roto Forums every day like I claim I do, I would’ve known about and lusted for these Reactor-88 custom dunnies way back in March errr, three weeks ago. Like, at least.

• Reactor-88 Blog – Dr. Mario Virus Dunny Set via The Daily What

In the comments, Touch My Pixel’s Tarwin Stroh-Spijer says,

The [Scarygirl] game is almost ready to play (going through final approvals), but in the meantime we’ve got this juicy final trailer for you, which should show a lot more of the game than you saw last time.

The Melbourne-based Touch My Pixel team has worked well over a year to bring the art (and toys) of Nathan Jurevicius to life. Scarygirl, a browser-based 2D platformer, will star everyone’s favorite eyepatched heroine in 14 levels of gameplay—which include, according to Tarwin, “platforming and adventure elements, as well as physics-based bike riding and even a street Street Fighter style fighting game.”

I cannot wait for this to come out.

• Scarygirl.com

My ol’ pal Albert just finished his custom munny of Ness, the kid from EarthBound.

It’s actually totally spot-on. I love the tiny backpack, too.

• The Rez – I Am EarthBound: Albert Art custom “NESS” vinyl toy

You probably already saw these on Kotaku and Vinyl Abuse, but because I love them, here they are again: CASTLE CRASHERS TOYS.

The artist decided to customize vinyl Teddy Troops figures. With the Troops’ faces smoothed over with Sculpey, they bear (hur!) an uncanny resemblance to the heroes of Castle Crashers. Aside from the Knights’ admirably strong brows, I think the renderings of the little pets are the best part.

• Albotas – Custom Castle Crashers Teddy Troops
• Porl’s Flickr – Custom toys : Ozzels, Mini-munny’s, teddy troopers

No more toys! I insisted to myself last week. I was miserable. My bedroom, once spotless, is now cluttered with lidless boxes, each one full of tiny gashapon. I’d simply shelve the toys, but my shelves are already unhappily stacked with boxes full of Toy Collection 2006.

Poorhouse, meet my total lack of resolve. Because here they are, folks: ridiculously articulated figures from the Gyakuten Saiban series (including Ema Skye and Trucy, both from Apollo Justice).

Ema is my favorite. Forensic science is rad, and look how detailed her satchel is.

I can’t wait to get my hands on these, but no word yet on when, where, or how.

• Fruit Juicy – Tokyo Game Show 2008: Phoenix Wright Action Figures. (via)

Don’t Panic, in association with Sony, has launched the LittleBigPlanet Character Creation Competition!

In this contest, entrants create designs for the game’s Sackboy and Sackgirl characters. To compete, simply download a Sackboy template, doodle on top of it, and submit! Not only will the prizewinner receive a PS3 and a copy of the game, he can also look forward to limited fame and moderate notoriety: the winning character design will be included in Sony’s UK marketing blitz.

Maybe more thrillingly, Vinyl Abuse has announced they will turn their own favorite entry into a limited-edition six-inch figure.

The top ten entries will be determined by user votes; from there, the winning entry will be decided by Don’t Panic’s judges. So even the artistically disinclined can participate in the competition by voting. The competition closes on August 4, so hurry!

• Don’t Panic – LittleBigPlanet Character Creation Competition
• Vinyl Abuse – LittleBigPlanet – DontPanic x Sony – Design Contest

Recent reconnoitering of the Rotofugi webstore turned up this gem. Erick Scarecrow’s Soopa Coin-Up Bros. figure is, essentially, an arcade cabinet with feet. And at US$30, it is blank and consummate for the stroke of your genius.

To accommodate the less artistic, of course, Soopa comes prepackaged with lots of stickers.

But prepare to be totally inspired! More than 30 gorgeous custom figures were exhibited at the “Soopa Show” (which coincided with New York Comic Con this past April). Most of those Soopa customs are truly works of art, to be sure, but Jude Buffum’s “Cock Blocker” is maybe the raddest:

Splendid! (The i am 8-bit curator already bought it.)

• Rotofugi – Super Coin-Up Bros images
• ESC-TOY – Super Coin-Up Bros.