‘Skylanders Imaginators’ gives kids a blank canvas to create outlandish characters

By Gabe Gurwin June 1, 2016

Disney Infinity might be coming to an end, but the toys-to-life game genre is still anything but dead. The franchise that started it all, Skylanders, is getting a new installment this fall, and it’s offering something that could reinvigorate fan interest in Spyro’s plastic adventures: the ability to create your own characters.

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Skylanders Imaginators is Activision’s fulfillment of the “countless” requests the publisher has received for players to be able to create their own characters in the Skylanders universe.

No matter how in touch with our ‘inner kids’ we might think we are as adults, nothing comes close to the creativity that springs from the mind of an inspired kid,” says Activision CEO Eric Hirshberg in the official release. “We’ve turned this year’s game into the ultimate blank canvas for kids’ imaginations so they can create and play their own Skylanders.”

This blank canvas certainly allows for some … unique character possibilities. A short teaser for the game shows off a banana-headed creature holding a skewer of hot dogs, a man with snakes for hands and a brain for a head, and a skeleton creature that looks like it was pulled from MediEvil.

Skylanders Imaginators also introduces the “Senseis,” powerful characters that help players unlock weapons and new areas. Some of these characters are “fan-favorite villains” who have decided to switch sides, but one thing is for certain: They’re all badasses. The trailer shows them walking away from exploding crates of dynamite in slow motion, and they don’t even look.

We loved last year’s game, Skylanders SuperChargers, but Imaginators looks like exactly what the franchise needs to avoid fatigue. And if you still want to use your classic characters, all of them are supported.

Skylanders Imaginators launches this fall for Xbox One, Xbox 360, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, and Wii U. The starter pack includes two new characters, as well as the “Creation Crystal,” which allows you to send your Frankenstein’s monsters into the game.

Pre-Order Skylanders Imaginators on Amazon:

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Gabe Gurwin has been playing games since 1997, beginning with the N64 and the Super Nintendo. He began his journalism career…

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