Skylanders: Spyro’s Adventure is a new addition to the Spyro the Dragon universe linked to a new peripheral line of action figure toys. It is part of Skylanders, a new subseries in the franchise. To play the game, players must connect the Portal of Power accessory that comes with the game to the device on which the game is played. The game includes three real-life action figures (Spyro, Trigger Happy, and Gill Grunt), a collector’s poster, trading cards, sticker sheets, and a variety of site codes in the Starter Pack, which is the default release. There are over 35 characters, but they can only be unlocked by purchasing extra packs, including action figure toys. As a result, the game’s DLC is only available via the action figure and cannot be unlocked in-game without physically placing it on the Portal of Power and having its RFID chip scanned.
The plot revolves around Spyro and his Skylander pals attempting to defeat Kaos, the evil Portal Master. The game is played in third-person action mode, with each character having unique powers. The characters are separated into eight groups (classes) based on the game’s eight elements: air, water, earth, technology, undead, magic, fire, and life, with four characters each. Each character has two major attacks, both of which can be upgraded using game coins. Experience also unlocks new skills, which are unlocked through finding specific caps, and, eventually, a tertiary attack. There are randomly inserted Gold, Platinum, and Pearl versions of various characters in the range of toys.
Any upgrades, cash, or headgear are saved directly to the toy via the Portal of Power rather than in the game. Furthermore, the toys are cross-platform; any information on a toy may be accessed and played on any device supporting the game. For some versions, the Portal of Power is not transferable between consoles and PC. When a character dies, the level must be reset, a new nature must be introduced, or the player must wait around twenty minutes for it to be revived. A second player can join the game and play cooperatively by placing an additional toy on the Portal of Power. The main adventure is featured in the game and may be played solo or in co-op. Skylanders also has a player-versus-player game in which players compete in areas packed with traps, weaponry, and obstacles.
