Here is a first hand Skylanders review and most of what you need to know to be considered cool with your kids, grandkids or friends. The game itself is better known as Skylanders Spyro’s Adventure. The game has become incredibly popular and hard to find in stores as of this past 2011 Christmas season. I say game but it is much more than just a video game. I will walk you through how it works, it is quite impressive what Activision has put together to create such an exciting game.
Skylanders Spyro’s Adventure Review
Where to start? First know that the game itself can be played on either Playstation, Xbox or the Nintendo Wii. Be sure to purchase the game that works on your platform. The video game has characters much like any other game. The twist is that each character in the game has a physical figurine that you can touch and feel.
How to Play the Game
In order to play the game you need the Skylanders video game and what is known as a “Portal of Power” and at least one figurine. The image at the left is known as a starter pack. In the box is the video game, the portal and three characters. The round gray object is the Portal of Power. In order to start the game you place one of the figures onto the portal. When the character is placed on the portal it then appears in the video game. This pack has more than one character, here is why.
Use Multiple Characters
Why would you want more than one Skylander figure? Each character has different abilities, learn about each here. The game allows two players at a time. Each player can use one character at a time. Each character has different characteristics, such as their Defensive power, Strength, Luck, and Agility. Each of the physical Skylander figures also has a card that lists those characteristics. They also each have different weapons, such as a boomerang, gun or other weapons.
Over time as the character gains more experience they can increase their weapons. Various parts of the game require different skills so the player will need to use different characters. You can take a character off the portal at any time and replace it with another. You will still be in the same part of the game but be able to utilize another character. By the way, I keep saying “character” but most will refer to them as Skylanders.
Ease of Playing with Friends
One of the most amazing features of the game is the fact that each physical Skylander has a chip inside of it. As you use each character they gain experience, different weapons and other capabilities. All of this information is saved on the chip inside of the physical figure. You can then take your Skylander to any friends house, place it on their portal of power, join their game and retain all the benefits that you had earned when playing. This is one of my favorite features in this Skylanders review, the ability to take the figures with you.
Portability Across Platforms
The Skylander figures can be used on the Xbox, PS3 and Nintendo Wii. While you do have to purchase a platform specific video game you do not have to purchase platform specific figures. You can use the character on the Wii game, acquire experience and then use it on a friends Xbox. This makes it much easier for kids, and everyone else, to play the game with whomever they like and also keeps costs down as you can use the Skylander figures anywhere.
Not only can you use the figures on all three of those platforms but you can use them online. Each figure comes with a code that you can enter into the Skylander website and play online as well. The only difference is that using the code to play online does not allow you to use the weapons and retain the experience that you acquired in the video game.
Skylanders Craze
Incredible. That is the best word I can use to describe the genius that went into this game. They have taken the best parts of many popular games and rolled them into one. The idea of using figures has been popular for many years, but usually in role playing games. Then the idea of having cards, such as pokeman, with each character is very popular as well. They provide a video game for all three console platforms and they allow you to play online through their website. To combine the figures, the cards, the console game and online game is nothing short of incredible.
Here is the Skylanders commercial:
Hopefully this Skylanders review is helpful to you.
