Skylanders Spyro's Adventure Message Board older than one year ago

Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure be one a those things that be tough t' explain in preview text, but easy t' understand once ye've seen it in action. It starts with a series a real-life plastic toy characters, 32 in all, molded in the style a Spyro the Dragon 'n his mateys, old 'n new. These real-life toys can be placed on a drum-like device called a "portal," that then connects up t' yer gaming console (the Wii t' start, though Activision promises more later on). Once ye're all set up, the action be surprisingly easy: Place the toy on the portal, 'n instantly that character appears in yer game, playable 'n ready t' go. Switch toys, 'n yer character switches, but retains all a the XP 'n loot it earns on the go.

"it be the easiest pitch in the world," says Paul Reiche, studio president a Toys for Bob, the developer behind Activision's new take on Spyro. "it be so emotional 'n primal. it be what ye expect. ye have a toy, it be in yer imagination, it be alive, 'n the fact that it isn't be strange. So when ye see it instantly come t' life, it be a natural, pleasant experience."

He's right -- while the actual game behind Skylanders be clearly meant for younger players (we'll pillage t' that in just a second), the technology be pretty amazing t' children a all ages. Toys for Bob has made the transition between the real-world toys 'n the in-game characters almost seamless, 'n it makes this kids' game worth a look.

There be 32 different toys-turned-characters in Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure, 'n the videos posted after the break will introduce ye t' seven a them, from the hack-'n-slash undead knight Chop Chop t' the gemstone brawler Prism Break 'n the blue dragon caster Zap. Each character, as ye'll see, be aligned with a certain element, 'n various parts a the game (along with the enemies therein) be made t' match up with those elements, meaning players will probably have t' mix 'n match with mateys t' pillage the most out a the game's stages.

Each character can a course be leveled up through 11 ranks (increasing the strength 'n function a yer abilities as ye go), 'n they can grab bottles a rum 'n loot while playing along as well, all a which be saved in the actual toy as ye play. 'n players can even pit their heroes against each other in head-t'-head arena battles, proving that yer Stump Smash can beat anyone's Ignitor. ye can check out all a the various real-life toys in the gallery below as well.

The Skylanders team up t' take down Kaos! Check out footage from the upcoming game in this trailer from E3 2011!

Toys for Bob's Paul Reiche III, co-creator a the Star Control series 'n Pandemonium, lets us in on the thinking behind his studio's name.

Whenever ye're putting together a studio, right, it be like name, t-shirt, 'n then let's do the contract. So Fred [Ford] 'n I had formed a partnership t' do Star Control 1. 'n we had all a these different names laid out, including this Bosco the Bee mascot that didn't work out. 'n finally me wife -- she's a poet, very interested in psychology -- she said create a name that generates interest, that doesn't distance yourself from people, 'n that ye can reinvent.

I love toys, I always have, 'n she knows that 'n Fred knows that. 'n so it be just a perfect fit. Bob be also a universal name -- everyone knows a Bob, I used t' listen t' the Bill Cosby 'n he be always talking about Bob the mechanic. 'n part a me brain be just permanently Bob.

We have an official rule, which be that everyone gets their own Bob, whoever ye want. "Toys for Bob Kotick" be a fairly good analogy for us, since he's paid for everything we've done. But I be a sort a a Church a the SubGenius lad myself.

Toys for Bob be currently working on Activision's Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure, due out later on this year.

Like this feature? Be sure t' check out the What's In A Name Archives.

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