Kids Create Their Own Skylander Games Characters

The new Skylanders Imaginators game, introduced this past Fall, brings something for everyone – the chance to create their own Skylander games character.  According to the CEO of Activision, Eric Hirshberg, 

“From the day we created Skylanders, we have received thousands of letters from kids all over the world sharing ideas for their ideal Skylander. The creativity and imagination that this game inspires in kids is overwhelming,”

What began in 2011 as an innovative way for kids to bring characters to life on the big screen, Skylanders continues to up their game each year with new captivating ways to interact with Skylander games characters.  The Skylanders video games is one of the top 20 highest selling franchises of all time.

Not only are the Skylander games updated each year with a new video game, starter kit, and new characters, it has also been turned into a new mobile app, Skylanders™ Creator, and the a Netflix original series, Skylanders™ Academy for Android and iOS devices.

Gameplay

The storyline of the new Skylanders Imaginators game discusses how long ago, the Ancients used a mysterious power called Mind Magic to create everything in the Skylanders world, called Skylands.  Realizing this power could be dangerous in the wrong hands, they sealed it away.

Unfortunately, the Skylander games villain, Kaos, discovered the secret and used it to create Doomlanders, an army of super powerful villains, made to defeat the super hero Skylander characters.

Kids have a whole new line of Skylander games super heroes to choose from in the Imaginator line…but they can also use over 300 characters from past Skylanders’ games.

But with this Skylanders Imaginators version, kids can create their own Skylanders characters, making it unique in every way from its body to head to wardrobe to expressions to weapons that it carries.  

I spent about 10 minutes creating my character from hundreds of choices.  It is yellow, my favorite color, and has some damaging weapons that make it a strong force to wipe out Doomlanders in the game.

In fact, I made it so powerful, that it is now my son’s favorite character to use!  To make your own Skylander Imaginator, you place a Creation Crystal on the Skylandander portal and begin designing.  Your character will be captured within the Crystal so that every time you put it on the portal, your character emerges in the game.

One Creation Crystal comes with the Skylanders Imaginators Starter Pack.  Of course, if you want to create more characters, you need to buy more Creation Crystals, which are available in different colors.

Bonding Over Video Games

My son has played almost all of the Skylander games for more than half of his life.  Every year, he looks forward to getting the new game as a part of the Starter Pack.  

He’s been playing for over 5 years and he just turned 11.  The ESRB rating of Skylanders Imaginators is an E+10 – meaning it’s recommended for kids 10 and older.  It’s rated this way for cartoon violence and comic mischief.

Yes, there is violence, as a Skylander you are fighting off enemies.  But there is no bloodshed and the enemies are all creatures, not humans.  Compared to all of the graphic, gore type battle video games out there, Skylanders is tame.

I actually enjoy playing Skylanders with my son.  We work together to fight of the enemy and travel together to solve puzzles, unlock gates, and get to the next level.  It’s a great game for working together for a common purpose, learning the storyline together, and helping each other through the game.  

Now granted, I do slow my son down a bit during the game, but we enjoy the time we spend together playing video games.

And because the Skylander storylines are interesting, it’s a win-win for me.  I get to spend time with my favorite little guy and we’re creating memories together.

The Skylanders Imaginators Starter Pack is available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Xbox 1, Xbox 360 and WiiU, is available through Amazon starting at $33 and up, dependent upon the console you have.

*  I was given a Skylanders Imaginators Starter Pack for purposes of review.  All opinions are my own.