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Giant step for animal cracker
By Lou Kesten |
November 4, 2012, Sunday
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WHEN I was a kid, my favorite toy was a bag of animals - an assortment of plastic critters gathered from various discount stores in my neighborhood. It was an unlikely mix of farm animals, wild beasts and the occasional monster, but I had the kind of imagination in which cows, lions and dragons all played for the same team.
"Skylanders Giants" (Activision, for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, US$74.99) brought back memories of Bag of Animals, turning my coffee table into a menagerie of birds, fish, lizards and even sentient plants. Two differences: The Skylanders figurines are much prettier and you don't have to make up your own adventures.
For those of you who missed its debut last year: "Skylanders" comes with a "Portal of Power" that plugs into your game console. When you place a figurine on the portal, the character appears on your TV screen, inside the "Skylanders" video game. The original release offered 32 playable characters, and the new edition adds 16 more - including eight giant-size creatures.
The starter kit comes with the game software, the portal and three creatures - one giant and two regular-sized. You can complete the game with just one Skylander, but to get the full experience, you'll want to spring for five more (which cost US$10 each).
So we're talking about US$125 to get the complete experience - although, if you bought last year's edition, you can use the same portal and figurines.
Is it worth it? Well, the video game itself is solid and at times delightful. The story is paper-thin - you're out to save the Skylands from a high-strung lunatic named Kaos - but provides motivation to explore the airborne islands and battle a succession of wittily designed monsters. On the default difficulty level, it's just right for kids who aren't ready to take on "Call of Duty."
Overall, "Skylanders Giants" is a lighthearted romp that parents and children can enjoy together. Don't be surprised, though, if you find yourself cranking it up after the kids' bedtime.
"Skylanders Giants" (Activision, for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, US$74.99) brought back memories of Bag of Animals, turning my coffee table into a menagerie of birds, fish, lizards and even sentient plants. Two differences: The Skylanders figurines are much prettier and you don't have to make up your own adventures.
For those of you who missed its debut last year: "Skylanders" comes with a "Portal of Power" that plugs into your game console. When you place a figurine on the portal, the character appears on your TV screen, inside the "Skylanders" video game. The original release offered 32 playable characters, and the new edition adds 16 more - including eight giant-size creatures.
The starter kit comes with the game software, the portal and three creatures - one giant and two regular-sized. You can complete the game with just one Skylander, but to get the full experience, you'll want to spring for five more (which cost US$10 each).
So we're talking about US$125 to get the complete experience - although, if you bought last year's edition, you can use the same portal and figurines.
Is it worth it? Well, the video game itself is solid and at times delightful. The story is paper-thin - you're out to save the Skylands from a high-strung lunatic named Kaos - but provides motivation to explore the airborne islands and battle a succession of wittily designed monsters. On the default difficulty level, it's just right for kids who aren't ready to take on "Call of Duty."
Overall, "Skylanders Giants" is a lighthearted romp that parents and children can enjoy together. Don't be surprised, though, if you find yourself cranking it up after the kids' bedtime.
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