What a great time I had on a recent visit to my local Best Buy. Prominently located at the front of the store was a living room-like endcap that featured a super-unique new console game called Skylanders Giants. The display was fun and inviting so we stopped and checked it out.
The game itself is completely unique. It integrates these super cool figures and accessories that actually link into the game via a special pedestal-like device that plugs into your console. The figures represent the avatar or character you play in the game. Simply place your figure on the pedestal and the game changes to represent that character! You know instantly you made the link as the Skylanders figure and the pedestal light up. Once the game registers the figure used (pretty much instantly), you are allowed to play that character and use any unique abilities it has.
Which character you choose dictates what areas of the game you have access to as well as what abilities you can use to defeat your enemies. The kids thought it was amazing. When it was their turn, they simply dropped their figure onto the pedestal to make the change in the game.
The graphics are colorful and stylized with a slight World Of Warcraft feel. The gameplay is easy to follow yet challenging. My 6 year old learned the controls fast enough as to not get frustrated and my 9 year old was fighting bosses in a short time.
It's fun to see a game that extends beyond the console and your TV. You can buy different figures and accessories to add new gameplay and adventure. All are 100% compatible with the base starter set. I can easily imagine my kids playing with the figures without even turning on the game itself! The options for creativity and imagination are greatly expanded with a game like Skylanders Giants.
I am not embarrassed to say I played the game far too long before handing the controls over to my kids!
Visit Best Buy online to find out if there is an in-store demo at your local store and to learn about the Skylanders Giants Exclusive Launch Loot Bonus for those who pre-order the Skylanders Giants Starter Pack or Portal Owners Pack for any of the following platforms: PS3, Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, or 3DS.
