Skylanders!

So my sister got me this new game called Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure for the Nintendo Wii for my birthday.  It's a extremely interesting concept, and it's angling to be the next Guitar Hero "big thing!"  The game's concept is simple but ingenious and the game is actually very fun to play! Activision just might have that next big thing on their hands.  The starter set comes with 3 figures, Spyro, Trigger Happy and Gill Grunt, and the "Portal of Power" which is connected via USB to your game system.  You then place the actual figures on the portal and it "transports" the character into the game.  The characters stats, powers, nickname and accessories are all stored in a chip on the figure so you can take your figures to your friends house and have all your information available.   The game plays like the 1985 arcade classic, Gauntlet where you explore, find food and powerups in dungeons and battle hordes of monsters.

Warrior needs food badly!

The guys who wrote Toy Story penned the story for Skylanders and it's very enjoyable with some very funny lines and moments.  I guiltily admit I laughed when a pirate challenged me to a game of cards and said "no one can beat my poop deck!" :P The music is very well done as well as it was composed and orchestrated by Hans Zimmer, of whom I am a big fan.  The Last Samurai, Crimson Tide, Gladiator, Pirates of the Caribbean, etc all have fantastic soundtracks. The game is clearly aimed at the kids ages 7-10 demographic, but it doesn't pander to them or talk down to them as if they're stupid and it's so accessible that adults and more importantly, parents, can enjoy the game too.  Unfortunately my little ones are still too young for video games, but I look forward to playing it with them when they're old enough.  I even put aside a couple figures for them when they're old enough.  Sure I could just break out the figures I have for the game, but there's something special and magical about opening up a brand new toy and it being all yours.  So while the game will be 7 years old by then, they'll at least have a figure or two still brand new to have that experience with.

The only real draw back is that the figures cost $7 a pop and much like Pokemon, there's going to be a "gotta catch em all" mentality.  The game is actually set up so that while you could beat the game with just the 3 starter figures, which represent 3 of the 8 elements in the game, you can access new levels and content in the game by getting figures from the other elements. You don't actually NEED all 32 characters, but having one of each of the 8 elements does open the game up to it's maximum potential.  Of course, you can also achieve this by playing it with your friends, provided they have different figures than you.  Activision went so far as to not include online play for this specific reason, so you need to pack up your toys and head over to your friends house to play, kinda like how we did it as kids. :) Also, for the first time ever, the game is cross platform compatible.  Meaning, your figures will work at your friends house whether he has a Xbox 360, PS3 or Wii.  That in and of itself is revolutionary!

My favorite characters by far are Drobot, a flying cyborg dinosaur, Prism Break, a rock monster with crystals for arms and Boomer, a crazed dynamite throwing troll who decided to switch sides and fight for the good guys. Much of the fun of the game is personalizing the character so they're distinctly yours so my 3 are named....

 "Gorignak"                        "Dinosaucer"                        "Evil"         

According to my system, I've already racked up 23 hours of game time, no small feat when you've got two one year olds that demand your play time when you get home from work, and most of that time playing it multiplayer either with my brother-in-law, my brother or my best friend.  I'm still trying to get my wife to play! :P  Needless to say, I'm pretty hooked and so are most of my friends and well, most of the country.  Skylander displays at Wal-Marts, TRU's and Gamestops are usually pillaged with pegs left barren and tumbleweed rolling by so it looks like it's well on it's way to becoming this years Furby, Tickle Me Elmo and Tamagachi (wow, that brings back retail memories).  The big difference, in my opinion, is that this concept has the potential to have staying power like Pokemon.  The concept can be applied to other properties like, case in point, Pokemon so I really don't see this game, or this concept fading away after the Christmas season.  So if you decide to pick up the game, there's an active Portal of Power on my end table, so come on over! :)