January Arcade Block Review

I was trying to find the overall theme for January's Arcade Block, but I don't think it has one.  I know that there are monthly themes for the regular Nerd Block boxes, but I think this one just has a random assortment of things.  Anyway, on to the review...

Disclaimer: This box was purchased by See, Shop, Love!

Arcade Block costs $19.99 per month and ships from Canada, so if you live in the U.S. like me it'll cost you around $30 per box.  They feature only video game gear from all genres of games, and each box contains a t-shirt (you choose your shirt size when you sign up).  They also include things like Funko POP Vinyls, stationery, candies, accessories, and more.

• Tetris Notebook ($7.99) - This was also in the December Nerd Block Classic box, so if you subscribe to both, congrats--you are now the owner of two Tetris notebooks!  Pete only subscribes to Arcade Block, so this wasn't a problem for us.  I thought it was weird that they would include this in two boxes so close in succession, but the info card says that they received a lot of emails requesting it, so that's why it's in this month's Arcade Block.
• Retro Sega Genesis Buttons ($5.00?) - I had a Sega Genesis when I was younger and I loved it!  I instantly recognized Earthworm Jim (lower right corner).  The other characters are Sonic the Hedgehog, Ninja Golden, and Battletoads.
• Gorilla Stickers ($3.00?)- The info card says that they "put a Gorilla twist on the best characters from Scorpion to Starfox" for these stickers.  I don't really know what Gorilla is, but I'm assuming it's another game or character.

• Plants vs. Zombies Timepocalypse Comic Book ($9.99) - This is a standalone story based on the popular app game.  I've never played it myself, but I'm familiar with the premise.  I think this is more appropriate for younger kids, so it might be put up for swap.
• Mega Bloks Halo Ghost ($11.99) - I think this was probably Pete's favorite item this month, especially because he bought the Master Chief Collection Halo game a little while ago (I think that's what it's called--sorry, I am not a gamer).  It has 104 pieces and is appropriate for ages 8+.

Here's a peek at what the Plants vs. Zombies comic book looks like.

Bottom Line: It's kind of hard to calculate the value of these boxes because they often include items like the buttons and stickers that I can't find elsewhere online, but guessing at the values of those this box is worth around $37.97.  Value aside, I think this is a really fun box for video game enthusiasts!

What do you think of this month's Arcade Block?

December Arcade Block Review

December's Arcade Block was one of the best yet!  My boyfriend, Pete, subscribes and he texted me when he got it saying it was his favorite box so far.

Arcade Block costs $19.99 a month plus shipping, which brings it to about $30 if you live in the U.S. (it ships from Canada).  It's part of the Nerd Block family, and the items inside are all from different video games.  Like the original Nerd Block subscription, there is a t-shirt in every box.

• Portal Scarf ($19.99) - I don't know a lot about video games, but I do know that Aperture Laboratories is from Portal.  This was Pete's favorite item in the box.  Even if you're not a Portal fan, this scarf is really nice for winter; it's warm and well-made.
• Asobu Touch Control ($9.99) - This attaches to your smartphone so that you can play games with an arcade-style joystick.  It works with all touchscreen phones and tablets.  I think this is such a cool idea!
• The Legend of Zelda Phantom Hourglass Figure ($4.99) - This is a blind box item with a Zelda character inside.  I didn't take a picture of the figurine we got, but Pete didn't even know who/what it was and he knows Zelda pretty well. I was able to find it just now through a Google search, I guess his name is Linebeck.  The figurine inside can be found here, it's the one on the left in the second photo.

• Sonic the Hedgehog Fridge Magnets ($6.95) - I love these magnets!  You can arrange them on your fridge to create a scene from the game.
• Halo Lanyard ($5.95) - This has an attachment you can add your ID too, which is nice if you work at a place like I do that requires you to badge in through every door.

• Super Smash Bros: Brawl City T-Shirt ($20?) - Pete really liked this shirt, and I think it's pretty clever, too.  It's a play on the Grand Theft Auto logos, except for Super Smash Brothers.

Bottom Line: This box had a good assortment of things from games that Pete likes, so this was a great box for him!  It's a little difficult to place value on these items because I often have to go to Amazon or eBay (and I can never find the actual t-shirts, either), but I think with boxes like this one the value is more in finding items that match up with your interests.  Either way, I approximate the value of this box to be about $67.87, which is well worth the $30 price!

*Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post.

November Arcade Block Review

Pete was really excited to get the November Arcade Block because they released a spoiler saying that the box would contain an Assassin's Creed item, one of his favorite video games.  It ended up being a really good box overall, and the Assassin's Creed item was a huge plus.

Arcade Block is a geek/gamer subscription that specifically sends video game items.  It costs $19.99 a month and ships from Canada, so it's about $30 after shipping to the U.S.  Each box comes with a t-shirt (they ask for your size when you sign up), which always makes the box a good value overall.

• Assassin's Creed II Pop Vinyl - This was randomly selected from six options, and our box had Ezio, the main character of the Assassin's Creed franchise.  I don't know much about the game other than what I've observed of Pete playing it, but he was really happy with this and was glad to have gotten Ezio.
• Minecraft Hangers - This is a blind box-type item with 10 possible designs inside.  We haven't opened it yet, but it's a keychain, I think.
• Team Fortress 2 Gift Wrap - I don't know anything about Team Fortress 2, but based on their website I think it's a computer game that has comic books as well.  Either way, 'tis the season for wrapping presents, so this will come in handy.

• DOTA 2 Convertible Bandana - I'm not familiar with DOTA (Defense of the Ancients), but it looks like an online MMORPG.  This bandana can be worn a bunch of different ways and has different characters' faces on it.
• Mario Bros. Super Star - The informational card says this is "back by popular demand," so I guess it was pretty popular in a previous box?  This is only the third month of the box, though, so it must have been included in the first month (we started subscribing at the second box).  It's a cute little stress reliever, or I suppose it could be a decoration.

• Mario Bros. Hero Series T-Shirt - I almost forgot to post about the t-shirt!  It features Mario, obviously, and is an interesting design.  It's not Pete's favorite, but he'll still wear it out and about.

Bottom Line: Arcade Block is a fun subscription for gamers.  I'm not a part of their target audience, but Pete enjoys it and I like that they send a t-shirt in each box.  I suppose how much you like the box really depends on what games are featured, but if you like surprises, I'd recommend giving it a try!

*Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post.

October Arcade Block Review

My boyfriend, Pete, is a big gamer, so when I saw that Nerd Block was coming out with a new box that was video game-themed I knew he would love it!  Arcade Block boasts licensed merchandise that's hand-picked by the Nerd Block team.  Even better, each box comes with a t-shirt, just like the original Nerd Block.

Arcade Block ships from Canada and costs $19.99 a month.  After shipping costs to the United States ($9.50), the box cost $29.49.  Considering all of the items inside, I still think it's a pretty good deal.  Since boxes ship on the 25th of each month, my reviews will usually be posted during the month after the box was sent.

Here's what the box looked like when we first opened it up.  The boxes don't have a specific theme, but they release a few spoilers each month about what will be inside.  For example, for October Arcade Block advertised that this box would be "Da Bob-Omb (Super Mario Brothers)" and would have a Street Fighter item.

Here's everything that was inside.  All values are approximate based off of Google searches, and the two with question marks are ones I had to guess at.

• Flying Squirrel Mario Plush (~$20) - I thought this was cute, but I wasn't sure how Pete would like it because it's a plush toy.  He actually liked it quite a bit, though, because Squirrel Mario is one of his favorite characters.
• Street Fighter Pixel Bricks (~$12) - This building block model contains 188 pieces and is the character "Ken."  This is the one item Pete said he probably won't use, but it's still fun.
• Super Mario Pull Back Racers (~$10) - I used to love toys like this when I was a kid; you pull back the car against the floor and then it zooms forward.  I thought my cat would like chasing it so I opened it up and let it go, and I was right.
• Portal Key Cap (~$5?) - Portal is one of the few video games I've actually played myself and is also a favorite of Pete's.  This key cap is fun, and ours is the "Companion Cube" design.
• Notes from Hyrule (~$8?) - These are two magnetic note boards with erasable markers.  One has Zelda on it and the other has Link, from the Zelda franchise.

The t-shirt for this month says "Freeman's Crab Shack" ($15?) and is from the Half Life series.  I didn't know anything about it, but Pete told me that there are crab things in the game that look just like the design on this shirt, and they latch onto peoples' heads.  Nice!

Bottom Line: We were really impressed with this Arcade Block box and are looking forward to getting more!  Assuming that my price estimates are right, the value of the box is about $70, which is well worth the $30 price.  Next month's is going to have an Assassin's Creed item, and Pete is really excited for that because it's one of his favorite games.

*Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post.