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It's getting to be that Toy Fair time of year, with everyone rolling out their new toy releases. Today Activision held an event to talk about their latest Skylanders news: introducing Skylanders Giants.
I love Skylanders Spyro's Adventure and so does my six-year-old, so Skylanders Giants is big news indeed in our house. I got to see the giant Tree Rex in action today. On the portal he casts a big shadow over the smaller Skylanders, illuminated with glowing eyes that draw power from the portal. Seriously cool. On screen the giant behaves as a giant would - shaking the ground as he walks, smashing objects for treasure just by brushing past them, and leaving giant footprints wherever he goes. Drop a giant onto the portal and just the impact of his landing on the Skylands will knock out an enemy or two. If you come across a chain, there's no need to find means of travel from one part of the Skylands to another, the giant can just pull the chain in a feat of strength, bringing the Skylands to him.
There's a plan for eight giants plus eight new regular-sized Skylanders. You'll be able to bring your current Skylanders into the new game, but sadly, the giants aren't backwards compatible to the existing game. I'm told there will be starter packs with and without the portal for existing players.
I'm excited for Activision to keep this going. The new figures and lands are a delight, and with the data stored in the toys themselves, the options are limitless. Activision recently sent me the Empire of Ice Adventure Pack, which not only comes with a new Skylander (the yeti-like Slam Bam), but I didn't realize these adventure packs had brand new levels stored in the toys as well. The Empire of Ice is good fun, made even more interesting with the little add-on toys like Anvil Rain. Anvil Rain! As in, it rains anvils! What's not to love?
Though Activision recently launched a series of games under the umbrella Games for Girls, Skylanders is not among those games despite its girl-gamer appeal. I really wish Activision would release more girl characters. My daughter loves being Stealth Elf, and she was beside herself at the shiny limited-edition Cynder I came home with today. But there's only a couple more girls that we don't have, and upwards of 30 boy characters. More girl characters aren't just good for girls interested in the game, they're good for boys to see how awesome and powerful girls can be - interchangeable with their awesome boy characters. Please, Activision, please. (Be warned: I do believe gendered toys will be a recurring theme in my upcoming Toy Fair posts. I'm looking at you, Lego.)
The Empire of Ice Adventure Pack
