Skylanders: Spyro's Adventures blurs the line between games and toys. Aimed at six to twelve year olds it connects its thirty-two collectable figures with characters and abilities in the game.

Activision is dusting off their favourite purple dragon Spyro for a new cross media venture Skylanders: Spyro's Adventures. They are positioning the new Games For Bob developed title as one of their 2011 tent pole products.

Like the toy based Kinectimals DLC, Skylanders: Spyro's Adventures crosses the traditional boundaries between toys and games. It is going to require the game, a Portal of Power and thirty-two collectable figures to get the full experience. These elements come bundled in a starter pack that offers three collectable figures. Add to this the handheld and mobile phone versions and Spyro could prove an expensive proposition.

The Portal of Power is the door to the game world for the plastic toy accessories. Placing a toy on top of the portal will see them magically delivered into the game to be controlled. If you get bored of one character, or find you require a different ability to advance, simply swapping the toy on the portal will deliver them into the world. Each toy is also able to save any progress they make on internal memory enabling them to be moved between systems.

To some Skylanders: Spyro's Adventures will seem to be a shameless exploitation of the six to twelve demographic. But if executed well it could actually offer and interesting experience. Either way, parents look out when Skylanders: Spyro's Adventures releases on 3DS, PS3, Wii, 360 and PC later this year.