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Skylanders Swap Force Hands-On

03/10/2013 Skylanders: Swap Force Preview
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Skylanders: Swap Force 360

Skylanders: Swap Force

Format:
360

Genre:
Platforming

Further reading:
Skylanders Swap Force
PlayStation 4
Kick Off Countdown
Springtime Trigger Happy
Jade Fire Kraken
Enchanted Star Strike
Jolly Bumble Blast
Skylanders Dark Starter Pack
Swap Force Starter Pack

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Other GamePeople columnists have reviewed this from their perspective - huh?:
Eclectic Gamer (PS3)
Tech Gamer (PS3)
Reporting Gamer (PS3)
Family Gamer (360)
Family Podcast (360)


Skylanders Swap Force hands on with the game on PS4 for a good impression of game-play and sound in HD.

There's only 10 days to go until Skylanders Swap Force hits stores in the US. So I was excited to get some hands on time with the game itself.

On the PlayStation 4 you can see why this latest version of Skylanders continues to attract interest from outside its traditional family gamers. The visuals and audio really add polish to an experience with plenty of creativity and opportunity for physical on the carpet play as well as in game with the new mix and match figures.

One of the biggest question mark here is how many special edition characters there will be. After Disney pushed the retail envelope with their blind foil pack collectible upgrade tokens I hope that Activision aren't tempted to bleed the family market to hard.

I've already picked up on various store exclusives for Toys R Us and recently reported on some seasonal specials, Kick Off Countdown (maybe for June), Springtime Trigger Happy (likely for April), Jade Fire Kraken (possibly for Summer), Enchanted Star Strike (looking like a Halloween fig) and Jolly Bumble Blast (likely for this Christmas).

Then of course there is the Skylanders Dark Starter Pack available at certain retail stores. Unlike some special editions this actually offers quite good value with the increased price offering not only limited edition characters but also a wider selection to get you started.

Hopefully is that we don't see too many of these as they potentially push the price up for collectors. Families I think are in safer territory as they are unlikely to try and get the whole collection. Instead my advice is to buy the Swap Force Starter Pack and play through that to completion (possibly a couple of times) before investing in more figures.

If there are other characters you think you may want it can be good to take advantage of services like Toys R Us "Lay Away" offer where customers can set aside products to be paid for at a later date. Either way go for a few favorites rather than collecting the full set.

Written by Andy Robertson

You can support Andy by buying Skylanders: Swap Force



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Andy Robertson writes the Family Gamer column.

"Videogame reviews for the whole family, not just the kids. I dig out videogame experiences to intrigue and interest grownups and children. This is post-hardcore gaming where accessibility, emotion and storytelling are as important as realism, explosions and bravado."


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