Since crossing the threshold of one billion dollars in turnover, the Skylanders series is now scrutinized by the entire entertainment industry. If Activision and the Toys for Bob studio have managed to find the magic formula of the "video toy", the two companies are well aware that they should not rest too much on their laurels at the risk of being challenged one day. It must be said that the neighborhood has already started to take an interest in this great recipe, starting with Disney, which tried its luck (in vain) with Disney Infinity and Nintendo, which wants to reproduce the same pattern with its Pokémon. Suffice to say that with its two behemoths of video games for kids, the competition is tough to say the least. Also, in an attempt to innovate, Toys for Bob came up with a concept that was pretty awesome on paper: it will change the top and bottom of each figurine to create brand new ones. This is the secret of the SWAP Force, introduced into the game by a dark story of a volcano whose last eruption gave life to these 16 new Skylanders, able to combine with each other to take advantage of the forces of the 4 natural elements: water, earth, air and fire. By doing a quick mental calculation, we get the number of 256 possible combinations, which therefore implies a whole new way of understanding the game.
Exchange of good practices
That's good because the Skylanders: SWAP Force starter pack includes 2 of these new swappable Skylanders, namely Wash Buckler, a pirate octopus and Blast Zone, a bomb-throwing robot. To these two figurines is added a Skylander of the Series 3 type (powers and improved skills), just to vary the pleasures and the situations. Each Swap Force figurine is made up of two separable parts linked together by a powerful magnet. Concretely, by playing with the combination of Wash Buckler and Blast Zone, we end up with either Blast Buckler or Wash Zone, the nuance was important. It's pretty well done and the child can manipulate his toys without taking the risk of damaging it from the first use. The point of changing the top and bottom of each figurine is therefore to create different characters and combine their powers. If the upper part manages the main attack, the one that generally throws projectiles, the bottom manages above all the movements. Of course, each SWAP Force character does not have the same characteristics and depending on the area in which you move or the enemies you have in front of you, it is often recommended to make several mixtures.
Concretely, by playing with the combination of Wash Buckler and Blast Zone, we end up with either Blast Buckler or Wash Zone, the nuance was important. It's pretty well done and the child can handle his toys without taking the risk of damaging it from the first use."
Obviously, this means that you will have to put your hand in the wallet to make the most of the many possibilities that the game offers in terms of characters. If it takes 12€ for a classic Series 2 or 3 type figurine, you will have to pay 15€ to obtain a SWAP Force character and thus see the chance of being able to access blocked areas in the game and therefore inaccessible at first sight. Because if the main adventure of Skylander: SWAP Force can end perfectly with the three figurines offered in the starter pack, we are very quickly tempted to see what Magna Charge, Hoot Loop, Rattle Shake or even Free Ranger can bring to the story. This is all the more true since a voice-over (quite unbearable in the long run) constantly reminds the player how important it is to have this or that character in order to make the most of the abilities offered to him. in some areas. Pure and hard inception.
SWAP bidouwap
Still, this swap system is particularly well thought out and offers the game a new dimension which thus revives the interest of the series. Not only does the title allow children to customize its characters and thus make them evolve according to their preferences, but in addition establishes a certain strategy in the fights. Be careful, this remains in the field of basic strategy but the kidos may appreciate it. We also like the fact of being able – finally – to jump in the game. It seems absurd said like that but the previous episodes did not allow jumping and it is therefore another way of understanding the levels that are open to us. . We also note the desire to offer a little more exploration to the player with the possibility of returning to the main hub, namely the village of Fondebois where you can access different missions but also indulge in other activities such as shopping or revisiting old areas to discover hidden bonuses. That said, the heart of Skylanders: SWAP Force remains the fights and on this side, the title is quite generous. It's a pity, however, that the objectives are still very primary (finding a key, freeing friends, cleaning up an area) because there is a lot to offer in this universe which has been enriched this year. As for those who attach a lot of importance to the graphics, know that they have been improved with colorful, varied decorations, modeling that is altogether successful and rather surprising animations. Proof that the developers do not abuse the trust of its young fans too much by offering them a third episode much more successful than the previous ones.
