Well it’s not quite Skylanders Builders or Skylanders Online as I predicted. Today Activision Blizzard revealed the sixth Skylanders game. Say hello to Skylanders Imaginators, coming this October.
“For the first time in the history of the series, Skylanders Imaginators will give fans the power to create their very own Skylanders characters,” says Activision communications manager Scott Lowe. “Players can now create their own heroes with endless combinations – complete with their own unique personality, appearance, attacks, abilities, and even catchphrases.”
These custom figures are stored within new toys called “Creation Crystals.” These new crystals will probably work like the elemental traps from Trap Team. Just like the standard figure toys, you can move your custom Skylanders to different platforms.
First you have to unlock custom parts. There are new weapons, in-game areas, and “10 new Battle Classes,” which is a first for a Skylanders game. You can unlock them by purchasing the new line of Skylanders Imaginators toys called Senseis. The example Sensei shown in the trailer is Master King Pen, a giant owl with arm blades. He’s included in the Starter Pack along with the Golden Queen and a fire Creation Crystal. I love that they made Golden Queen – the breakout villain of Trap Team, into a full figure.
The story sounds pretty standard. Our lovable villain Kaos is up to his old tricks as he creates an army out of something called Mind Magic. Expect to see the return of series regulars like Flint, Tessa, Cali, Buzz, Mags, and of course, Glumshanks.
I’m loving the idea of a custom-built Skylander. The gimmick feels a lot more fun than the racing in Superchargers. Letting kids (and kids-at-heart) run wild with their imaginations is always a good thing. “Nothing comes close to the endless creativity that springs from the mind of an inspired kid,” said Activision CEO Eric Hirschberg. “This year’s game is the ultimate blank canvas for kids’ imaginations so they can create and play their own Skylanders.”
Skylanders Imaginators launches October 16 in North America (October 13 in Asia, October 14 in Europe) for Playstation 4, Xbox One, Wii U, Playstation 3, and Xbox 360.
