The Mum’s Guide to Skylanders
Skylanders are currency in our house. We have seen many trends come and go but we have seen nothing like Skylanders. To be honest I entered into this computer game craze rather blindly. They were all the talk amongst Master O’s friends at school and after much begging we bought him Skylanders Giants for Christmas. As with all things my children engage with, I thought I should educate myself about exactly what Skylanders is.
So here is
THE GAME
There are 3 different versions or series of the popular game that can be played on the following consoles
The original version is Skylanders Spyros. This is the game that started it all. For our family this was before we were really into computer games and I am now told that it “doesn’t matter that we don’t have it as it is not as good as the others.”
Second to be released was Skylanders Giants. As the name suggests the characters and lands were bigger than before.
(The characters from this series can also be used in the new Swap Force game)
The latest and greatest version to hit the stores is Skylanders Swap Force. Cue 7 year old pandemonium as kids relentlessly nag their parents to try and buy the newest Skylanders. This new game allows you to “swap” characters. You can literally pull apart a character and mix and match their heads and bodies to create new characters. If you are new to Skylanders, Swap Force would be the best starting point.
THE PORTAL
To begin playing each game you will need to purchase a “portal”. This portal acts as the entry point for each character to enter the world. As you place a character on the portal it lights up (Both the portal and the character!) and comes to life before your very eyes on the screen. A portal can be bought as part of a “Starter Park”. The portal is what makes this game so unique in its interactivity.
THE SKYLANDERS
Characters within the series explore the magical worlds of Skylands. The world of Skylands is built up of 8 elements. Eah character is part of its own element group.
As you play the game and enter each realm, the game will tell you which character element is best suited to that realm. Different elements have more power within each realm. As you can see above these Swap Force characters belong to the water element.
Their are 100’s of characters! Some quick notes though.
- Not all Spyros characters can be played in Giants or Swapforce. This list below is a cheat sheet to which Spyros characters can be played in Giants.
- Not all Swap Force characters are swappable! Look for the little gold emblem on the character or the little wheel on the top left hand side of the box.
- Only a limited number of characters are released at a time! Don’t go looking for all the characters you find on the poster in the starter kit. Only a limited number are currently available. As time goes on a few more are released etc. The “Swappable” characters currently available in Skylanders Swapforce are;
- Characters are available singularly or in packs of three. They retail for anywhere between $14-$20 each
THE ATTRACTION
So why do kids love Skylanders? What is the attraction? The interactive capabilities of the game were something new for my children. As they place each charater on the “portal” the character comes to life on the screen. They love exploring the lands as different characters and there is always something new to discover. I think its also the whole “collection” aspect. Kids LOVE to collect things and there is a thrill they get out of being able to add to or complete a collection and this is exactly what Skylanders is. My kids spend hours looking at the poster, talking about which characters are the coolest and which characters they would love to get next.
There is so much we love about Skylanders and so much I am learning! As I learn more, I promise to share more so until then
