Among the many criticisms the Nintendo Switch has received since its January 13th presentation is that of its launch line-up. Though The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild will be stellar, games like Just Dance 2017, Skylanders: Imaginators, Super Bomberman R and 1-2 Switch haven’t exactly set minds afire.

Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime addressed this while speaking to CNET and noted that, “Launch day is not the be-all and the end-all. It really is the steady pacing of content that continually reinforces for the people who bought into the platform why they made a smart choice, as well as what compels people who might be sitting on the sidelines to jump in.”

“We feel we have this great ongoing march of content to motivate you to jump into the platform.”

Which is all well and good but given the company’s track record with Wii U, it remains to be seen whether that “steady pacing of content” will happen. Nintendo Switch is out on March 3rd so stay tuned for more details.

Just a couple of years ago, the Toys to Life genre was one of the biggest ones on the market, making big bucks numbering in the billions on an annual basis. Since then, Disney Infinity has been cancelled, Warner Bros.’ LEGO Dimensions has failed to take off, and Amiibo sales are no longer the kind of lightning in a bottle that they were- and now, the vanguard of the genre, Skylanders, which created the genre to begin with, may be due for a cancellation too.

This report comes from Unseen64, well known for their analyses and dissections of canceled games and behind the scenes reports of the going ons in the industry. The report states that franchise developer Toys for Bob are still awaiting word on their next project, with Skylanders 2017 having been canceled altogether.

The suspension of the franchise may have to do with the declining sales of the series- Imaginators was a dramatic step down from Supercharged, which itself was a step down from the previous games. While we await official word on this, let’s hope that the studios involved in the development of these games make it through unscathed.

• 1. Development
• 2. Story
• 3. Gameplay
• 4. Characters

Development

The team working on Skylanders Imaginators said they have been working on this game right after they released Skylanders: Trap Team. The company has said that despite the fact that Trap Team wasn’t a commercial success, they felt they still needed to try to press the advantage that was left when Disney decided to shut down its Infinity program.

In February of 2016, Activision announced there was going to be another Skylanders game that would be coming by the end of 2016. On June 1, 2016 Imaginators was officially unveiled and the development team announced the game would be available in October. At this same unveiling, the development team announced that it wouldn’t be using the mobile platform this time around. They also announced they wouldn’t be making a Wii U or 3DS version as they had done with previous iterations in the series.

In June, at E3, the development team announced Crash Bandicoot would be part of the game. They also announced there would be special modes and games where this character would be the ideal one to use in Imaginators. The team went to great lengths in order to get the Crash character correct. They first put out a plastic model of the character they were going to put into the game and spent quite a bit of time making sure that character had the right look and exuded the right amount of attitude. Once the team felt they had the model done right, they went about putting the character into the game.

In August of 2016 it was announced Crash was being joined in game by one of his iconic villains in Doctor Neo Cortex. In October of 2016, Skylanders Imaginators released around the world. The game launched first in Australia and New Zealand. It then launched in the UK and finally in North America on October 16.

Story

The story of Skylanders Imaginators takes place in a far-flung past of the world the game series inhabits. When the inhabitants, known as the Ancients were walking this land, they used something called Mind Magic in order to create everything. This Mind Magic was able to bring anything into existence the Ancients could imagine.

Those creators soon realized that if the power fell into the wrong hands, it could be used to destroy as well as create. The fear of the power falling into the wrong hands led to the Ancients sealing away the powers and burying the knowledge. Centuries later, the well known Skylands villain Kaos uncovered the secrets of this power. Once he found the power, he unleashed it into the Skylands and is using it to create an unstoppable and seemingly unending army of Doomlanders.

The Portal Masters have been called into action to try and stop Kaos’ nefarious plans. In order to take on Koas and the Doomlanders the Portal Masters will have the power to create their own Skylanders warriors. In order to help the fight against the evil forces that are overrunning the world, new character types called Senseis have been introduced as well.

Gameplay

The basic gameplay for Skylanders Imaginators is the same as it has been since the original Skylanders. There is a portal and a set number of characters that come in the starter pack. These characters can be put into the game using the portal. There are separate characters and vehicles that can also be purchased and put onto the portal to be used in the game.

In order to use the new Imaginators characters, players will need to have “creation crystals.” These crystals can be used on any portal, but they can only make one character per portal. There are a couple of different modes in this game including a racing mode (which will allow players to use the Trap Team characters and vehicles) as well as the regular story mode where the Portal Masters are going to go up against the Doomlanders.

All of the characters that have appeared in previous versions will work in this game. The title offers the ability to play in single player mode, or local co-cop. There is no online multiplayer mode.

Characters

Skylanders Imaginators will allow players to use the same core Skylanders that have been featured in several, if not all of the previous games in this long-running series. As usual, these characters will be divided up into several different element classes and those classes will have at least some say in the kind of powers each character is able to wield.

The big difference between this game and others in the series is playable characters will be able to be created. Players will be able to change up the powers, abilities, catchphrases, appearance and more of these Imaginators characters. There is another kind of character that has been introduced in this game as well. In addition to the prefabricated core characters there is also something known as a Sensei. This class of warriors, both good and bad, is far more powerful than the core group. Each Sensei has mastered a specific fighting style that can be paired with their element powers in order to be that much more of an impressive fighter. In all, there are 31 Senseis in this game.

Master Senseis

• Air Strike
• Ambush
• Aurora
• Barbella
• Boom Bloom
• Buckshot
• Chain Reaction
• Chopscotch
• Ember
• Flare Wolf
• King Pen
• Mysticat
• Pit Boss
• Ro-Bow
• Starcast
• Tidepool
• Tri-Tip
• Wild Storm

Villain Senseis:

• Bad Juju
• Blaster-Tron
• Chompy Mage
• Dr. Krankcase
• Golden Queen
• Grave Clobber
• Hood Sickle
• Kaos
• Pain-Yatta
• Tae Kwon Crow
• Wolfgang

Guest Star Senseis

• Crash Bandicoot
• Dr. Neo Cortex

Note: This wiki will be updated once we have more information about the game

The latest addition to the mega-selling Skylanders franchise brings a new twist to the “toys to life” concept. This time round you don’t necessarily have to buy loads of physical figures to experience different characters – you can just go ahead and create them yourself. The Starter Pack comes with a new portal, two nicely-crafted character models: Master King Pen and Golden Queen, and – at first sight – a rather dull-looking Creation Crystal.

You should never take things at face value though. That seemingly insignificant Crystal actually unlocks a whole heap of fun. In the five years or so since Skylanders first brought its colourful capers to consoles, the franchise has certainly proven it’s not afraid of change.

"Skylanders Imaginators feels like the natural successor to 2013’s Swap Force, where some of the toys had interchangeable tops and bottoms."

Placing one of the plastic toys on the supplied portal magically transports it into the game so it instantly becomes a playable character. Tiny chips in the base of each toy mean your progress and stats are retained, so the characters actually improve their skills and abilities over time. It’s a clever bit of kit and has become a bit of a phenomenon, amassing huge sales over the years.

Each Skylanders game has had all sorts of new design ideas, ranging from giants and trappable villains to vehicles and characters with swappable bodies. This time, Activision and those guys at Toys For Bob have introduced 31 brand new “Sensei” characters – split over 10 classes and each with different attacks, special moves and personalities.

These figures not only unlock special abilities and certain areas of the game, but they’re also the only guys capable beating Battle Gongs, initiating an arena battle for bonuses. Undoubtedly though, it’s that aforementioned Creation Crystal that shines through as the greatest innovation in this year’s release.

Skylanders Imaginators feels like the natural successor to 2013’s Swap Force, where some of the toys had interchangeable tops and bottoms. Back then, the 250+ permutations meant new characters could be created, each with unique powers and abilities. Imaginators takes that a step further…

"Opening chests, finding collectibles, taking selfies and completing objectives during the actual game rewards further add-ons and costumes that you can add to your character, incentivising exploration and keeping the whole thing fresh."

Set aside those shiny new Skylander figures a moment and instead chuck the aptly-named Creation Crystal on the portal. You’re then able to tinker with a surprisingly comprehensive creation tool to build your own unique characters. It’s a first for the series and a fantastic addition. In fact, it’s so much fun tailoring these characters that you can spend ages doing that rather than playing the actual game.

First you have to choose one of the defined battle classes – be it a Ninja, Bazooker, Bowslinger, Brawler, Knight, Quickshot, Sentinel, Smasher, Sorcerer or Swashbuckler – with each affecting ranged, melee and special moves.

You also get to choose a name and the set the appearance of your new Skylander. It’s a deceptively in-depth creation tool, with options to tweak bodies, weapons, gear, size, colour and aura. What weapon should you choose? Which tone should your skin colour be? What’s your special attack move? Do you have a tail? What kind of voice do you have, and what’s your catchphrase? Many selections have a bearing on your attributes too – so choosing the right headgear and arm guards, for example, could affect how fast or strong your character is.

Opening chests, finding collectibles, taking selfies and completing objectives during the actual game rewards further add-ons and costumes that you can add to your character, incentivising exploration and keeping the whole thing fresh.

In fact, I can’t help but think the new Sensei characters will struggle to get much of a look in. It is actually far more fun to romp through the colourful levels with your newly-created character – especially as you can constantly change their appearance and abilities as you go.

Skylanders’ gameplay is much the same as the previous titles. It’s a hack and slash affair, where you defeat an onslaught of enemies before moving onto the next area. Along the way, there are various mini-games – nothing too taxing but fun nonetheless. One minute you’ll be chasing a snail and collecting his slime, the next you’ll be playing with a jukebox or solving a sliding puzzle. It’s all perfectly targeted to a younger audience and although it’s not hard to romp through the levels and complete the game, you’ll have a blast doing so.

Pop two Skylanders/Crystals on to the stand and you can enjoy the experience with a friend through local co-op play as well. Each stage looks suitably different, and it’s as smooth navigating the moving platforms and runaway rafts as it is when you’re being shot from a cannon or sliding and grinding between zones. The visuals are bright, cartoony and as colourful as the characters themselves. Some familiar old faces make a welcome appearance too and are blessed with great voice acting.

The game doesn’t hold out too much of a challenge but Skylanders is clearly aimed at a younger audience. The physical toys are top quality and the tactile, interactive element really appeals to kids. As you play, the portal throbs different colours, illuminating the characters and crystals, which looks kinda cool too. And ultimately, the gameplay is fun, quirky and entertaining – even the cut scenes are good to watch. Children will lap this up. Imaginators is an interactive cartoon with the ability to create and play with your very own characters in the game.

"Be warned though. Skylanders has long been a retail juggernaut and this version is no different. There are plenty of opportunities to splash real world cash. There’s obviously the lure of buying new Sensei figures in stores."

Be warned though. Skylanders has long been a retail juggernaut and this version is no different. There are plenty of opportunities to splash real world cash. There’s obviously the lure of buying new Sensei figures in stores. And you’ll probably find yourself needing at least a few more Creation Crystals. A warning pops up on first use and tells you to choose your Battle Class carefully as your decision can’t be undone. You’ll have to go out and get yourself more Crystals if you want to try out the other classes.

In-game you’re able to improve your stats, abilities and customisation options through a plethora of microtransactions too – so parents beware. And that’s not all money-wise… if you ever want to order a physical version of the unique Skylander character you’ve just created, then you’ll be pleased to hear it’s actually possible using the accompanying mobile app… the downside is it isn’t cheap. You can even get yourself a customised t-shirt or character card. Now that’s merchandising at its finest!

On the plus side, you don’t have to spend more. Every Skylander you’ve collected over the years is compatible with the new portal – which means all that money and time you spent on previous games hasn’t been entirely wasted. All 300+ Skylanders are supported.

Imaginators progresses the series nicely, and although it may be much the same game as its predecessors, it’s absorbing and ultimately good fun. However, the story is not as good as games past, it’s a little repetitive, and the Sensei figures may be overlooked given the great creation options available. Still, there’s loads to do, plenty to explore, and lots of reasons to keep coming back for more.

This game was reviewed on the Xbox One.

A lot of that depth comes from the sheer variety of things to do and discover. That’s what this guide covers- from all the collectibles in the game, to cheats for infinite gold, from a guide to weapons, to general tips and tricks, and some of the Achievements and Trophies, our Skylanders Imaginators guide has it all. Let’s get started.

Collectibles

There is a wealth of collectibles hidden across all of Skylanders Imaginators’ extensive levels. There are chests to find, soul gems to collect, and legendary Selfie Frames to get your hands on. Where in the game can you find all of this? The videos below will help you track everything down.

Weapons and Customization

As always, Imaginators has a staggering variety of weapons to collect and use. Then there are the Aura, as well. Plus there are the Gears to track down, too. Adding even more to the replayibility by throwing more collectibles into the mix, however, are customizations, which are unlocked by customization items. The video below will help you get all of these collectibles, and deck out your Skylander just the way you want to.

Infinite Money Gold Cheat

Money makes the world go around- even in a kids’ game, really. Having more cash to spend means you’re able to do more things. Which is why you can’t complain if something lets you have infinite gold in Skylanders Imaginators, right? The cheat described and demonstrated in the video below does just that. Remember, though- try these things at your own risk, and games are always more fun when you don’t cheat!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZ0u3P5sgjs

Miscellaneous Tips And Tricks

For a kids’ game, Skylanders Imaginators has a whole lot of depth and nuance, and an almost staggering amount of content. There’s so much to see and do, it can all honestly feel a bit overwhelming- at least at first. But no matter- whether you’re a newcomer to the series, or a returning veteran, the tips and tricks provided in the video below will help you find your footing, and get the hang of what Skylanders has to offer soon enough.

Achievements Trophy Guide:

Off and Running!
Complete Cradle of Creation on any difficulty

Two Down!
Complete Mushroom River on any difficulty

Road Scholar
Complete Scholarville on any difficulty

Storm Stopper
Complete Shellmont Shores on any difficulty

Battleship Borrower
Complete Sky Fortress on any difficulty

Fizz Fixer
Complete Fizzland on any difficulty

Hardcore Gamer
Complete Golden Arcade on any difficulty

Brainwash Buster
Complete Dragon Temple on any difficulty

Cake Maker
Complete Abandoned Amusement Park on any difficulty

Foiled Again
Complete The Lair of Kaos on any difficulty

No Madness for You!
Complete 3 Adventures in Mausoleum of Madness or Danger Dungeon

Great Gladiator
Complete 3 Adventures in Battlefield Blitz, the Battleship, or Operation: More War

Local Liberator
Complete 3 Adventures in Calamity City or Trouble Town

Just Getting Started
Unlock your first Sensei Elemental Realm

What? No Damage???
Cradle of Creation: Complete the Gong Challenge without taking any damage

I’ll Take the Next One
Mushroom River: Leave Eruptor on a raft to ride down the river alone

Demolitionist
Scholarville: Explode 15 Exploding Barrels and Crates

Banananas!
Shellmont Shores: Eat five bunches of bananas

Wrecking Baller
Sky Fortress: Use the wrecking ball to destroy every crate on the Vulture Cargo Ship

Fizzy Landscaping
Fizzland: Remove 9 trees with fizzy bottles

King of Cake
Golden Arcade: Score over 4000 points in the Candy Cake Gumdrop Land video game

Ultimate Tourist
Dragon Temple: Visit every island when descending from the temple

No Hill Too Steep!
Abandoned Amusement Park: Destroy 25 falling boulders

Big Winner!
The Lair of Kaos: Break Kaos’ Gameshow scoreboard by scoring too many points

Savior of Skylands VI 
Complete Story Mode on any difficulty setting

Self Reflection
Take a Selfie on the Hall of Selfies

Star Voyager
Complete all three Star Objectives on any chapter

K-TROLL King
Beat 10 Troll Radio challenges

Lock YES!
Solve 10 Lock Puzzles

Clash Titan
Win 10 Creation Clash Matches

Gong Bonger
Complete 3 Battle Gong challenges

Secret Spelunker
Go down a rabbit hole on the M.A.P.

No Longer a Noob!
Earn 5 Objective Stars

Getting Serious Here
Earn 10 Objective Stars

Whoa! That’s High!
Earn 20 Objective Stars

Black Belt
Level up any Sensei to level 20

Sky-Chi for Ye
Open a Sensei Shrine

Imagine All That Imaginite!
Open 50 Imaginite Chests

Ooh – rare!
Acquire a Rare weapon and equip it to an Imaginator

Really Is Epic
Acquire an Epic weapon and equip it to an Imaginator

Not a Myth Anymore!
Acquire an Ultimate weapon and equip it to an Imaginator

Fear the Gear!
Equip an Imaginator with all Ultimate Gear

Skylanders Imaginators is the newest toys to life game by Activision, and the newest entry in the original franchise that started it all. The central gimmick this time around? Your own customizable character. But beyond the gimmick, the meat and bones of the game quite resemble previous titles in the franchise, with the same mix of platforming, action, and puzzles.

As players of the series will know, Skylanders games can have a surprising amount of depth- especially considering that they are aimed at kids. There’s so much to do, and it can get so overwhelming, that no one would judge you if you needed help. That’s where we come in with this video walkthrough. It’s a complete video walkthrough of the game, with the ending, so no matter where in the game you are, if you need help, we’ve got you covered with this. Just make sure to be mindful of the fact that the walkthrough has, well, spoilers.

When Sony announced at E3 this year that the PS4 version of Skylanders Imaginators, the next installment in Activision’s billion dollar toys-to-life franchise, would be getting Crash bandicoot figures and content exclusive to the PlayStation 4 version, there was a lot of celebration and rejoicing at Crash finally returning home, although there was one question that remained unanswered- given that Skylanders toys are all platform agnostic, how would exclusivity even be implemented?

As it turns out, it won’t be. The toys, as well as the content that they lock, will be made available to Xbox and Wii players too, though there will at least be a short period of PS4 exclusivity, Activision confirmed today. The content will be available first on PS3 and PS4 in a special Crash Bandicoot pack on October 14, and it will then arrive in a standalone Adventure Pack for all other platforms later this year.

Skylanders Imaginators will be launching on Xbox 360, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, and Wii U.

With E3 just a couple of days away now, Activision have come out and announced their full slate of titles for the convention, too. While their presence at the show is greatly reduced this year than in previous years, they will still be showing off some pretty key and major games- including the new Destiny expansion, and the new Call of Duty, to finally, the new Skylanders game.

“E3 gives us a great opportunity to share what our talented teams have been working so hard to build for our players and we are delivering innovation and pushing the creative boundaries in every one of our franchises this year,” said Eric Hirshberg, CEO of Activision. “From taking combat to whole new heights in Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare, to a new adventure in Destiny: Rise of Iron, and unleashing kids’ imaginations to create their own Skylanders in Skylanders Imaginators, we’re offering fans incredible new ways to play.”

E3 begins this Sunday, with Bethesda’s presser. The showfloor will open two days later, on Tuesday. Stay tuned to GamingBolt for more coverage and information.