Nintendo 3DS, PlayStation 3, Wii, Xbox 360
AU: October 17, 2012
EU: October 19, 2012
NA: October 21, 2012
BR: November 22, 2012
Wii U
NA: November 18, 2012
EU/AU: November 30, 2012
Skylanders: Giants is a 2012 toys-to-life action role-playing game in the Skylanders series and a direct sequel to the 2011 game Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure. It features the voices of Kevin Michael Richardson, Greg Ellis, Peter Lurie, Steve Blum, Dave Wittenberg, Carlos Alazraqui, Kevin Sorbo, Bobcat Goldthwait, Patrick Seitz and Julie Nathanson. As the title suggests, it features larger Skylanders known as "Giants", along with other new gameplay mechanics. 16 new Skylanders were introduced, including 8 "Giants": Bouncer, Crusher, Eye-Brawl, Hot Head, Ninjini, Swarm, Thumpback, and Tree Rex.
It was released in October 2012 for Nintendo 3DS, PlayStation 3, Wii, and Xbox 360, and was also released on the Wii U as a launch title in North America, Europe and Australia. It was the final Skylanders game to be owned by Vivendi before Activision became an independent company in 2013.
Gameplay
Skylanders: Giants builds upon the fundamentals of the first game, which merges a line of physical toy figures with a video game world. The game introduced over 40 new toy figures, some of which are more than twice the size of the original Skylanders cast in both physical and virtual form. The game involves connecting a physical toy to the video game console through a "Portal of Power"; whichever toy is used creates a respective character in the game. Toy figures from the first game are also forward compatible with Giants, although there are also new versions, called "Series 2", which have more powerful attributes than the originals. If the Series 2 Skylanders are used in the first game, they act as their own Series 1 counterparts. A new series of figurines called "LightCore" was also introduced, which glow when put on the Portal of Power and have a flash bomb attack in-game. The game has a new and improved "Battle Mode" for head-to-head play, featuring more areas and gameplay options as well as offering a new variety of alter ego Skylanders.
Storyline
10,000 years ago, the Arkeyan Empire, which consisted of robots, enslaved Skylands. The Giants, the first Skylanders, rebelled and defeated the robot king who held the source of Arkeyan power, the Iron Fist of Arkus. The victory powered down every robot, but the Giants were suddenly transported to Earth by the Fist, where they froze into toys due to lack of magic. Over time, they came to be regarded as myths because of their unexplained disappearance.
In the present day, following the events of the first Skylanders game, Kaos, who was shrunk and put on display in a toy store on Earth, returns to the Skylands after finding a Portal of Power.
The Skylanders embark on Captain Flynn's ship, the Dread-Yacht, after learning something big is happening in Skylands. They meet Ermit the hermit, who reveals that Kaos has returned and accidentally awakened an ancient Arkeyan Conquertron, a giant robot, which has recruited him as its new leader. They are searching for the Lost City of Arkus where the Iron Fist is. The Skylanders race Kaos to the Lost City, also Ermit tells the crew he has a giant robot of his own. The Skylanders encounter a "machine ghost" which turns out to be the soul of Ermit's robot, before reactivating it.
Despite the Skylanders' efforts, Kaos manages to reach the Iron Fist of Arkus first and transforms into a large Arkeyan robot, preparing for his conquest over the Skylands with alongside the reactivated Arkeyans. The Skylanders discover that he cannot be stopped unless the Iron Fist is removed from him. With help from Ermit and the Machine Ghost, the Skylanders remove the Fist of Arkus, defeating Kaos and returning him to normal. The Arkeyan Conquertron carries Glumshanks and Kaos out of the collapsing city before shutting down completely.
Post-credits, Kaos and Glumshanks are shown entering Kaos' Kastle, where they encounter Kaos's mother, who is only shown in shadow. If players complete Nightmare Mode, they are given a scene where Chompies dance and party around the deactivated Iron Fist of Arkus.
3DS Storyline
10,000 years ago, the dreaded pirate Captain Freightbeard terrorized the Skylands before he was imprisoned in the Chest of Exile, with his sword used as a lock. Eventually, he returns to find the chest and wreak havoc once more. The Skylanders and the Giants, along with Hugo, Flynn and Cali, must find the Chest by following the clues before Freightbeard does.
Sound Effects Used
- Sfxbible-new, Human Element Throw Up Vomit 02
- SKYWALKER, RUBBLE - BRICKS COLLAPSING WITH CRUMBLING (used when a Giant Skylander falls through the hole in levels and one of the chains are destroyed and giant rocks are taken out of the ground.)
- Sound Ideas, ELECTRONIC - MAGICAL SWISH 03
- Sound Ideas, FIREWORKS - SINGLE BOTTLE ROCKET: WHISTLE AND EXPLODE 03
Image Gallery
