Skylanders: Giants

Genre: Action-RPG / 3D Platformer

Players: 1-2 Co-Op / Competitive (Local)

Game Company Bad Behavior Profile Page: Activision Blizzard

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Review:

Note: Are you confused by all this “Toys to Life” stuff? Check out eShopperReviews’ helpful guide here!

Skylanders: Giants is a family-friendly Action-RPG with 3D Platformer elements released in 2012 on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, and Wii U, with an entirely separate game with the same title released on Nintendo 3DS the same year. This is the second game in the Skylanders franchise, the series that started the “Toys to Life” craze that has largely died out by 2022, save for Nintendo’s own Amiibos, which continue to linger on. Much like Amiibos, Skylanders figurines have NFC chips in the figurines, which can be read by a “Portal” device that connects to your Wii U via a USB port.

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Getting Started

For those wondering about what additional toys/gadgets/doodads you’ll need to get to enjoy this game, know that in order to play this game, you need to get a compatible Skylanders portal – any Wii U-compatible Skylanders Portal will do, which includes portals made for the PlayStation 3 and Wii platforms (not the 3DS, Xbox 360, or Xbox One platforms though – those won’t work). The Wii U Trap Team portal is highly recommended, as this is the only portal that works with all Wii U games in the series.

You will also need at least one compatible Skylanders figurine (this game only works with Spyro’s Adventure, Giants, and Eon’s Elite figurines) – Different figurines have different abilities, and some types of figurines are required to access certain areas or get bonuses in some areas, but no specific figurine is required to play the game. Having said that, it is definitely recommended that you have at least one “Giant” figure, as these figures frequently have an easy ability to surpass some obstacles that are otherwise a bit more inconvenient to surpass.

Adventure Pack figurines from Spyro’s Adventure also add content to the game, but are not necessary to play and enjoy it.

Finally, if you want to play this game’s multiplayer Battle Mode, you’ll need at least two Skylanders figurines.

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Bigger and Better?

While it would be easy to see the “Giants” of this game as a gimmick to sell more toys, it bears mention that this isn’t just a lazy double-dip. The figures themselves not only continue to have a great amount of detail, but some of the figurines for this set are “LightCore” figures, meaning that they actually light up when placed on the portal. It’s a nice touch that adds an extra element to these figures.

Of course, if you’re just here for the game and aren’t interested in the toys, know that Skylanders: Giants still manages to be a great presentation in the graphics and sound departments as well. The game still features beautifully-designed, expressive, colorful, and well-animated characters like in the first game (and because of backwards-compatibility, this includes all those returning characters as well), and assd some nice set piece elements that give players new wonders to look at every now and then. Topping all of this off is once again a wonderful orchestral soundtrack and some absolutely fantastic voice acting from well-known veterans like Richard Steven Horvitz and Patrick Warburton.

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A Big Difference?

In many ways, Skylanders: Giants remains a similar sort of experience to its console predecessor (while still being quite different from the handheld games). This means you’ll be meandering around mostly-linear levels accomplishing tasks and taking on enemies. The most major change this time around involves the titular Giants, an element that the levels are designed to incorporate.

In the prior games some sections would be cordoned off and only available to Skylanders of a specific element (there are 8), something that still happens here. However, in addition to this, players will also encounter places in levels where there’s a large object obstructing the way that can only be interacted directly with if you’re using one of the new Giant figurines. As with the element-specific sections, these parts of the game are either entirely optional, or players are provided with another means of getting past that obstacle, such as bombs that can be used to clear obstructive barriers.

As a result of this, it is entirely possible to play through this game without using the Giant figurines… but clearly the game was intended to be used with them. When it originally sold, one of these Giants was included in the game, but if you’re buying the game used now, you should probably be sure to pick one up so you don’t feel like you’re constantly being sidelined or being forced to use alternative solutions to the Giants’ more direct approach.

Beyond this caveat, Skylanders: Giants remains an excellent game much like its predecessor, with a fairly interesting world to explore and a decent variety of obstacles to overcome. Combat is also pretty satisfying here, especially if you find a Skylander whose abilities you particularly connect with.

There is one other major complaint I have here though – the occasionally meandering levels that let you wander and explore a bit make it frustrating that the game does not let the player control the camera. This seems like a completely unnecessary omission that really limits the player.

Finally, I should be sure to mention the Battle Mode, which allows players to pit their Skylanders against one another in various competitive modes. This mode has been expanded from the original game to include new game types, and if you happen to have a friend who is a fan of the franchise, this adds to the game a wonderful competitive element vaguely reminiscent of Pokemon.

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A Giant Success or Giant Failure?

Skylanders: Giants doesn’t do much to change the formula from the prior console entry in the franchise, save for the titular Giants themselves. To some extent, this is an “if it ain’t broke” sorta’ situation, as the core game is still a solid Action-RPG with 3D Platformer elements, though some facets of the franchise are starting to wear thin, like the outdated camera and the increasing way players are gated off from areas of the game if they don’t have the correct type of figurine. Still, if you’re the sort of person looking to buy into the Skylanders series, Giants is a good sequel that builds on its predecessor, and fans of the franchise aren’t likely to be disappointed.

tl;dr – Skylanders: Giants is the second game in this Toys-to-Life series, a family-friendly Action-RPG with Platformer elements much like the previous console entry in the series. This game doesn’t change much of the formula from the prior game, save for the titular Giants themselves, which both add variety and gate off more of the game’s content unless you have one of these figures. If you do, you’ll once again be in for a good time. If not, you may find the limitations the game places on you to be wearisome. However, if you’re down for the whole Toys-to-Life experience, you’ll find Skylanders: Giants to be a worthy sequel.

Grade: B

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