Skylanders SWAP Force

Editor's Notes

Version reviewed is the 'Skylanders SWAP Force' for the PS3, provided by Activision. There are some special versions such as the Dark version and the Adventure pack version, which are not covered here.

Introduction

In October of 2011, developer Toys for Bob, backed by the publishing powerhouse that is Activision, released 'Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure'. It was an experiment that seamlessly blended a physical toy line with the video game universe of the same name. Individual Skylander toys are placed on the 'Portal of Power' and are magically brought to life to be fully controlled on your television. Developed for console, PC, and handheld, it quickly became the vehicle by which Activision was able to print their own money. Millions of children found addiction among the eight separate (and separately purchased) Skylander elementals – and across 32 standard characters – that helped the game to become one of the highest selling new IPs of 2012. Now, two years and two iterations of the Skylanders adventure later, Activision, with the development efforts of Vicarious Visions, is taking the toy / video game concept to the next level with 'Skylanders: Swap Force.'

The Game Itself: Our Reviewer's Take

While the core game mechanics remained consistent across the 'Spyro's Adventure' and 'Giants' iterations of the franchise, 'SWAP Force' reflects a more serious attempt to make the gameplay more in line with (young and old) gamers' expectations. (Hurray jump ability!) At the same time, the 'Skylanders: Swap Force' story is just distinct enough from previous titles to further increase sales of the Skylander toy line while providing a surprisingly deep video game experience for children and adults alike.

Every 100 years the four ancient elementals combine their powers atop a volcano that replenishes all the magic within Skyland. During the last volcanic eruption the elementals were attacked by dark and evil forces. Coming to the elementals rescue, the Skylanders were trapped within the volcano's eruption, a blast that gave them an amazing new power and transformed them into the Swap Force. As epic as this may sound, it really boils down to the ability to mix-and-match (aka swap) the upper and lower halves of each individual Skylander from the Swap Force series.

The starter pack of Swap Force comes with the game, portal pad, and three individual Skylanders: Wash Buckler of the water element, Blast Zone of the fire element, and an un-swappable character from the life element, Ninja Stealth Elf. Conveniently, Skylanders from previous games will also be functional within the realm of Swap Force and may be used as playable characters.

During the mostly linear experience, players have the opportunity to work together to stop Lord Kaos and his evil plot to capture and transform the four elementals before the next volcanic eruption. The story is easy to follow and provided enough excitement and laugh-out-loud moments that both my daughters (ages 7 and 8) had a memorable experience.

Enjoyed as a co-operative game for the PlayStation 3, my daughters were quick to manage the controls and always understood their objective. The game did a wonderful job of prompting them in the right direction and provided constant tips and tricks for successfully navigating each level. A quick reminder that certain Skylanders are stronger in specific areas, or are required to unlock specific gates and chests, helped them to better strategize and work together more effectively while never diminishing the fun factor.

As an adult who has enjoyed gaming for many years, I was surprised by the depth Swap Force provided. More than a simple game designed for children, each playable character has the ability to level up from experience gained and treasure found, and each half of the Skylander – upper and lower – can be leveled up individually, making the swap ability all the more intriguing. Combining individual Skylander elements has the potential for incredibly powerful Swap Force creations.

While Playing Swap Force, I was reminded of games like Diablo 3 where loot was so integral to the overall experience. Although on a smaller, and less mature scale, Swap Force isn't much different. The importance of gathering loot while completing missions, and the benefits of doing so, is enough reason to search every nook and cranny for the next chest or breakable object typically associated with loot drops. While the gameplay of Swap Force is light, the addictive loot collecting and deeper-than-expected RPG elements make 'Skylanders: Swap Force' an enjoyable experience for gamers of every age, alone or together.