Skylanders is a toys-to-life action-adventure video game franchise developed by American video game developer Toys for Bob and published by Activision.
Skylanders games are played using NFC-enabled collectible figurines of playable characters, alongside a specially themed NFC reader dubbed the "Portal of Power", which reads and writes data stored on a microchip within the base of the figure. This includes the corresponding character to use during gameplay, as well as ingame upgrades and statistics, allowing figures to retain their game data across different games in the series.
Each Skylander is associated with one of ten elements: Earth, Air, Fire, Water, Magic, Tech, Life, Undead, Light, and Dark. Skylanders of different elements are stronger in certain areas of the game, and can unlock areas of the game hidden behind "Elemental Gates".
Plot The games take place in the Skylands, a realm of floating islands located at the center of the universe that is often threatened by evil forces who seek to rule it and gain access to all worlds.Skylanders: The Machine of Doom, page 43 For generations, a band of heroes known as the Skylanders, among whom include the purple dragon Spyro, have worked with the Portal Masters to defend Skylands from evil and protect the Core of Light.
Preceding the events of each game, the Skylanders are sent away from their home world to Earth, becoming frozen in the process due to the lack of magic in the 'human world'. In most games, they are mistaken for toys in this state, causing them to be sold at toy stores.
The player(s) take on the role of a Portal Master, utilizing the Portal of Power to send the Skylanders back to their home so that they may battle against the Dark Portal Master Kaos, a recurring villain in the series, as well as his army and other recurring villains.
Games
Spyro's Adventure (2011)
Spyro's Adventure is the first game in the series and features 32 Skylanders, four for each of the eight elements. The Skylanders seek to restore the Core of Light, which Kaos destroyed, by collecting the Eternal Sources of each element and other components.
Giants (2012)
Giants is the second installment in the series and a direct sequel to Spyro's Adventure. It introduces a new team of Skylanders called the Giants; canonically the first Skylanders who are larger than normal Skylanders. The Giants were assembled to stop the robotic Arkeyans' reign and are large and strong enough to lift, throw, and destroy trees and rocks, as well as being able to break walls that can normally only be destroyed with bombs. They must stop Kaos after he reactivates the Arkeyan Conquertron and attempts to take over Skylands by resurrecting the Arkeyans.
Swap Force (2013)
Swap Force is the third installment in the franchise and takes place in another part of Skylands called the Cloudbreak Islands. It introduces a new group of Skylanders called the Swap Force, who have the ability to swap their top and bottom halves to mix and match abilities. Together, the Swap Force and the Skylanders fight to prevent Kaos and his mother from ruining the magic restoring performance of the Elementals on Mount Cloudbreak.
Trap Team (2014)
Trap Team is the fourth installment in the franchise. It introduces two new elements, the Light and Dark elements, as well as a new group of Skylanders called the Trap Masters, who wield powerful weapons made of Traptanium, the strongest material ever discovered in Skylands. They were charged with guarding the dangerous inmates of Cloudcracker Prison until Kaos busted them out. Trap Team also features the new trap mechanic, allowing players to trap specific in-game enemies in Elemental Traps, which are shards of Traptanium from Cloudcracker Prison. The trapped enemies can then be summoned as playable characters for a limited time. The Skylanders and their trapped foes fight together to stop Kaos and the Doom Raiders.
SuperChargers (2015)
SuperChargers is the fifth installment in the series. It introduces a new group of Skylanders called the SuperChargers, who pilot special vehicles of the Land, Sky and Sea. The Skylanders must stop Kaos and his Sky Eater, as well as The Darkness, which has its own plans. SuperChargers also featured a multiplayer racing game mode similar to the Mario Kart games, which can be played online or via local multiplayer. The Wii and the Nintendo 3DS received a distinct new game, titled SuperChargers Racing, that focused exclusively on the racing mode.
Imaginators (2016)
Imaginators is the sixth and currently final main installment in the series, which was developed by Toys for Bob. It was released on October 13, 2016, in Australia and New Zealand, on October 14, 2016, in Europe and on October 16, 2016, in North America. It was the only game in the series released for the Nintendo Switch and did not require a portal of power. It introduced two new kinds of Skylanders, the Imaginators and the Senseis. The Imaginators are player created characters with a customizable look and ability set. The Skylanders must stop Kaos, who, with the help of Brain, is using Mind Magic to create his own evil Skylanders called Doomlanders. Crash Bandicoot and Doctor Neo Cortex make guest appearances as playable characters, marking their first appearance in a video game since Crash Bandicoot Nitro Kart 2 in 2010. Their figures were initially exclusive to the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 starter packs, but were later released as a stand-alone double pack.
Spin-offs In 2011, Activision released Skylanders Universe, an online browser-based multiplayer game that allowed players to interact in Skylands, play minigames, customize their own island, and log their Skylanders collection. Players could connect their portals to their computer to summon their Skylanders, like in the core series. The service was discontinued on April 29, 2013.
Activision released spin-off games on mobile devices, including Cloud Patrol, Battlegrounds, Lost Islands, Collection Vault, mobile ports of Trap Team and SuperChargers, Battlecast, and Ring of Heroes.
Characters
Skylanders There are a total of 144 playable Skylanders. They are arranged by their game of debut, with some being in special groups.
Core Skylanders Debuting in Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure Spyro (voiced by Josh Keaton in the first five games, Matthew Mercer in Skylanders: Imaginators) is a purple dragon of the Magic element and a legendary Core Skylander. He first appeared in the titular franchise. Bash (voiced by Keith Silverstein) is a rock dragon of the Earth element. Boomer (voiced by Joey Camen) is a dynamite-throwing troll of the Tech element. Camo (voiced by André Sogliuzzo) is a plant dragon of the Life element. Chop Chop (voiced by David Lodge) is an Arkeyan skeleton of the Undead element. Cynder (voiced by Tobie LaSalandra) is a violet dragon of the Undead element. She first appeared in The Legend of Spyro trilogy. Dino-Rang (voiced by Keith Silverstein) is a boomerang-wielding dinosaur of the Earth element. Double Trouble (voiced by Alex Ness) is a tiki-masked sorcerer of the Magic element. Drill Sergeant (voiced by Thomas Bromhead) is an Arkeyan drill machine of the Tech element. Drobot (voiced by Alex Ness) is a dragon of the Tech element who wears a robotic suit. Eruptor (voiced by Keythe Farley) is a lava monster of the Fire element. In Skylanders: SuperChargers, he is known as Lava Lance Eruptor and is the driver of the Burn-Cycle. Flameslinger (voiced by Keith Szarabajka) is an elf archer of the Fire element. Ghost Roaster (voiced by John Kassir) is a skeletal ghost-eating ghoul of the Undead element. Gill Grunt (voiced by Darin De Paul) is a harpoon gun-wielding "gill-man" of the Water element. In Skylanders: SuperChargers, he is known as Deep Dive Gill Grunt and is the pilot of the Reef Ripper. Hex (voiced by Courtenay Taylor) is an undead elf of the Undead element. Ignitor (voiced by Dwight Schultz) is a fire spirit knight of the Fire element. Lightning Rod (voiced by Alex Ness) is a storm giant of the Air element. Prism Break (voiced by Peter Lurie) is a crystal rock golem of the Earth element. Slam Bam (voiced by Fred Tatasciore) is a four-armed yeti of the Water element. Sonic Boom (voiced by Lani Minella) is a griffin of the Air element. Stealth Elf (voiced by Audrey Wasilewski) is an elf ninja of the Life element. In Skylanders: SuperChargers, she is known as Super Shot Stealth Elf and is the pilot of the Stealth Stinger. Stump Smash (voiced by Kevin Michael Richardson) is an ent of the Life element with mallet-shaped hands. Sunburn (voiced by Troy Baker) is a dragon/phoenix hybrid of the Fire element. Terrafin (voiced by Joey Camen) is a dirt shark of the Earth element. In Skylanders: SuperChargers, he is known as Shark Shooter Terrafin and is the driver of the Shark Tank. Trigger Happy (voiced by Dave Wittenberg) is a gold gun-wielding gremlin of the Tech element. In Skylanders: SuperChargers, he is known as Double Dare Trigger Happy and is the driver of the Gold Rusher. Voodood (voiced by André Sogliuzzo) is an orc of the Magic element. Warnado (voiced by Fred Tatasciore) is a turtle of the Air element. Wham-Shell (voiced by Chris Parson) is a crab of the Water element. Whirlwind (voiced by Salli Saffioti) is a dragon/unicorn hybrid of the Air element. Wrecking Ball (voiced by Ryan Cooper) is a grub worm of the Magic element. Zap (voiced by Jeff Bergman) is a water dragon of the Water element who was raised by electric eels. Zook (voiced by Fred Tatasciore) is a bamabazooker of the Life element who wields a bamboo-made bazooka.
Debuting in Skylanders Giants Chill (voiced by Julie Nathanson) is an unspecified humanoid of the Water element. Flashwing (voiced by Tara Strong) is a crystal dragon of the Earth element. Fright Rider (voiced by Yuri Lowenthal) is an undead elf jouster of the Undead element who rides a skeletal ostrich. Hot Dog (voiced by Carlos Alazraqui) is a fire dog of the Fire element. Jet-Vac (voiced by Greg Ellis) is a bird-like sky baron of the Air element who wields a powerful vacuum device. In Skylanders: SuperChargers, he is known as Hurricane Jet-Vac and is the pilot of the Jet Stream. Pop Fizz (voiced by Bobcat Goldthwait) is a gremlin alchemist of the Magic element who drinks a potion that turns him into a stronger form. In Skylanders: SuperChargers, he is known as Big Bubble Pop Fizz and is the pilot of the Soda Skimmer. Shroomboom (voiced by Matthew Moy) is a one-eyed agaric mushroom of the Life element who wields a slingshot. Sprocket (voiced by Elizabeth Daily) is a goldling of the Tech element.
Debuting in Skylanders SWAP Force Bumble Blast (voiced by David Sobolov) is an anthropomorphic beehive of the Life element. Countdown (voiced by Richard Tatum) is an anthropomorphic bomb of the Tech element. Dune Bug (voiced by Nolan North) is a rhinoceros beetle of the Magic element. Fryno (voiced by Robert Cait) is a fire rhinoceros of the Fire element. Grim Creeper (voiced by Lex Lang) is a ghost of the Undead element. Pop Thorn (voiced by Chris Edgerly) is a pufferthorn of the Air element. Punk Shock (voiced by Tara Platt) is an electric eel of the Water element. Rip Tide (voiced by Patrick Seitz) is a humanoid fish of the Water element. Roller Brawl (voiced by Cree Summer) is a vampire roller derby player of the Undead element. In Skylanders: SuperChargers, she is known as Bone Bash Roller Brawl and is the driver of the Tomb Buggy. Scorp (voiced by Rino Romano) is a scorpion of the Earth element. Scratch (voiced by Kat Cressida) is a feathercat of the Air element. Slobber Tooth (voiced by Dave Fennoy) is a turtle dinosaur of the Earth element. Smolderdash (voiced by Grey DeLisle) is a fire spirit of the Fire element. Star Strike (voiced by Misty Lee) is an alien of the Magic element.