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The 'Skylanders Giants' |OT|

Katzii

Member
Okay, I want to make sure I don't mess up and get the wrong pack, so I'm just looking for some clarification here: I got the 3DS version of the game last year, but I'm thinking about picking up the Wii U version of this one. If I do so, would I be able to use that portal with this just fine or would I need to get the Wii U starter pack? The first post says the portals are all wired/USB now and the 3DS version of Spyro's adventure came with a USB cable, so I figure it might be fine, but I want to make sure I don't end up screwing myself if I get the Portal Owners pack.

As was said before, no way of knowing until the Wii U is out, but the 3DS portal is quite small, so wouldn't be best suited for two players or for putting items on along with Skylanders.

As for the game? I'm still playing it, but then I'm restricting myself to one level per day on each version. It still feels like the first, in which I replayed it a fair few times and only stopped playing because it had too many other games to contend with.

I'm not going to quote that gif, but I sincerely believe that someone with that reaction to GM78's post has serious emotional issues. That, or they haven't yet hit puberty.

i6ebggCJk5UOK.gif
 

GameMaster78

Neo Member
Is there a way to buy only the game disc if you already have a portal + plenty of giants and other figures? >.< i'm assuming no... bleh

I want the Wii U version but I hate having to buy doubles of that tree giant.

and since every version of the game comes with him he is pretty much useless for selling/trading

There is a Portal Owners Pack, which comes with the game and Tree Rex for 59.99. The game, to 100% it, requires 1 Skylander of each element and one Giant of ANY element.

Jet-Vac and Series 2 Cynder will be released as single packs later on, for those who go with the Portal Owners Pack.
 
There is a Portal Owners Pack, which comes with the game and Tree Rex for 59.99. The game, to 100% it, requires 1 Skylander of each element and one Giant of ANY element.

Jet-Vac and Series 2 Cynder will be released as single packs later on, for those who go with the Portal Owners Pack.

If you gotta have Jet-Vac right away, you can always pick him up in the Legendary 3-pack (TRU exclusive) or in his Lightcore incarnation.

BTW: Do Lightcore's of the new skylanders introduced with Giants feature the upgrade path swapping and Wow Pow abilties? I've heard the Series 1 Lightcore releases do not feature these.
 

Mims

Member
Reading this thread and looking at everyone's pictures is making it really hard to wait for the Wii U verison to come out. Everyday I keep debating with myself to get the 3DS to tide me over or maybe just get some series 2 figures to level up in the mean time.
 

Sora_N

Member
You can't tell me to hide my wallet, and then say this is like gauntlet. That is setting me up for failure :( I want to try this out now, but the cost of the figures is a major deterrent

You don't actually need to buy figures though, just the starter pack is good. Any characters afterwards is up to you, but MOST people buy a couple at least. I've heard of some people enjoying the game just fine without buying anything. The only thing is that you need one of each element to open up all areas in the game (for completion purposes).
 
You don't actually need to buy figures though, just the starter pack is good. Any characters afterwards is up to you, but MOST people buy a couple at least. I've heard of some people enjoying the game just fine without buying anything. The only thing is that you need one of each element to open up all areas in the game (for completion purposes).

Yes, but if you want to have a 100% complete game you will have to buy all the 32 figures (less the variants and legendaries).
 

MattKeil

BIGTIME TV MOGUL #2
You can't tell me to hide my wallet, and then say this is like gauntlet. That is setting me up for failure :( I want to try this out now, but the cost of the figures is a major deterrent

If you're not into collecting 'em all, all you need is one of each element. Pick out favorites based on look and just use those.

Drobot is the best
 

Katzii

Member
Yes, but if you want to have a 100% complete game you will have to buy all the 32 figures (less the variants and legendaries).

Not entirely true. You can complete the game 100% with just eight figures (one of each "element"), but you cannot obtain all of the Accolades or Heroic Challenges without all of the figures. But then if you have friends who play and they have different figures, you can "register" their character on your game and it still counts.
 

Fantomex

Member
If you're not into collecting 'em all, all you need is one of each element. Pick out favorites based on look and just use those.

Drobot is the best

I respectfully disagree with you sir. We all know the title of "best" Skylander is a tie between Sonic Boom and Terrafin.

Regards,

Fantomex.
 

Plinko

Wildcard berths that can't beat teams without a winning record should have homefield advantage
Drobot is easily the best. Easily.
 

Fantomex

Member
Drobot although having hovering ability, projectiles and good armor fails at looking awesome. Something Sonic Boom and Terrafin excel at.

Regards,

That Fancy Lad Fantomex.

P.S.

I don't have a dad :.(
 
Drobot although having hovering ability, projectiles and good armor fails at looking awesome. Something Sonic Boom and Terrafin excel at.

Regards,

That Fancy Lad Fantomex.

P.S.

I don't have a dad :.(

This is incorrect because there is nothing more awesome than a dragon that also happens to be a robot. Or a robot that happens to be a dragon. See also: cool robotic voice, LASER EYES, thrust capabilities. He truly is the perfect specimen.
 

Sora_N

Member
Yeah that's why I spent another $12 on Drobot...for the LC version. I want to collect most of the LCs, probably all...hah.

I know LC Drobot is underwhelming but meh, still lights up for $2 more. It's hardly anything worth complaining about imo.
 

bumpkin

Member
Not entirely true. You can complete the game 100% with just eight figures (one of each "element"), but you cannot obtain all of the Accolades or Heroic Challenges without all of the figures. But then if you have friends who play and they have different figures, you can "register" their character on your game and it still counts.
I never owned any of the adventure packs outside of Darklight Crypt, but my buddy unlocked the rest (he owns them all) in the Ruins on my game. It wasn't necessarily for lack of interest in owning all of them, he just had his collection with him and would plop the new piece on whenever I saw him/we played next.

Speaking of which, I think I may have to hit my local TRU very soon to pick up some new figs while their sale is on. :D
 

Syriel

Member
All you guys arguing about the "best" figure have it wrong.

Chill is clearly the coolest Skylander available.

No contest.
 

Zing

Banned
If you gotta have Jet-Vac right away, you can always pick him up in the Legendary 3-pack (TRU exclusive) or in his Lightcore incarnation.

BTW: Do Lightcore's of the new skylanders introduced with Giants feature the upgrade path swapping and Wow Pow abilties? I've heard the Series 1 Lightcore releases do not feature these.

As mentioned earlier, there is really no reason not to buy the regular starter instead of the portal owner pack. For $15, you get Jet-Vac and Cynder along with the new portal.

The light core figures are not "series 2". They do not have wow pow or ability to change upgrade paths.
 
As mentioned earlier, there is really no reason not to buy the regular starter instead of the portal owner pack. For $15, you get Jet-Vac and Cynder along with the new portal.

The light core figures are not "series 2". They do not have wow pow or ability to change upgrade paths.

What about Pop Fizz, Chill, and Jet-Vac light cores tho? Aren't they series 2?
 

DarkPanda

Member
After 3 Toys R Us' in 3 days, I finally managed to snag Sprocket and Flashwing! I didn't have high hopes for this last one after a previous store told me that their "wave 2" stuff sold out in a hour (!), but I guess this last store somehow managed to keep their stock for longer. No Hot Head, but I'm not to worried about him. I'm sure he'll turn up later with the rest of the Giants.

Looking at it, apparently Hot Dog is the only new regular Skylander that's not available in some form or another (Shroomboom so far is 3-pack only). I'm a little surprised; I thought they'd spread the new characters out a bit more, but I'm not complaining! The faster I can complete my collection (of 1 version of each character, I'm not double-dipping), the better!
 

Hawk269

Member
Does anyone know if they will have "add on" packs like they did with the original game? I kind of hope they don't and only offer additional levels as DLC via packaging it with characters etc.

When the 1st game came out, they had 2 "adventure packs" available day one, so just curious if they plan to do the same or deliver new levels a different way.
 

Katzii

Member
Does anyone know if they will have "add on" packs like they did with the original game? I kind of hope they don't and only offer additional levels as DLC via packaging it with characters etc.

When the 1st game came out, they had 2 "adventure packs" available day one, so just curious if they plan to do the same or deliver new levels a different way.

no add-on packs this time around from what I know, but you can use the ones that you had from the first game. From what I've been told, the levels are the same though.
 

zroid

Banned
I'm terrified of this game. I know if I start, I'm going to get completely obsessed and throw tons of money I don't have at it. :(

And yet, it's so tempting to pick up the Wii U version in a few weeks...
 

stlobus

Member
So am I the only thirty-something year-old without kids that's thinking about buying this?

Yes, only because I'm a 30 something without kids that already bought it. :)

When I went to stand in line Sunday morning at my local Toys R Us, there was a small group of us. Two parents there with kids, five adults without kids who were getting it for themselves.

I ended up spending about $200.00 on figures and the game Sunday morning when I went with my sister to pick it up. I got home, thinking my wife was going to be pissed. Her response, "Was that all of them?" When I told her Target may have more, she was getting her shoes on and asking why I wasn't already in the car.
 

bumpkin

Member
So am I the only thirty-something year-old without kids that's thinking about buying this?
You would have been about four days ago, but I took the plunge on Sunday and bought me the starter set. I already owned Spyro's Adventure and a bunch of figures for that prior to getting Giants. I don't have any kids, unless nephews count. We actually just gave the middle one the "Mega-Pack" for PS3 which has a starter kit, one of the adventure packs and a 3-character pack. My brother in-law was telling my wife that it's all he wants to play now. :)

I popped over to TRU last night in hopes of finding some wave 2 figures. The sales clerk said they were pretty much all sold out within an hour Monday morning. In lieu of that, I picked up a few wave 1's; got myself Chill, Fright Rider and Swarm. Also snagged the Dragon's Peak Adventure Pack to put away as a Christmas gift for the nephew.
 

fernoca

Member
Count me in the "30s camp" too. :p
Though I jumped into this last year with the firts game; when I was 29.

Is a game and I have fun. I also pay my bills, work 40+ hours a week, cook, clean, etc...and currently alternating Giants with Borderlands 2, Street Fighter x Tekken... don't care what others think. ;)

I'm also gay, so..no wife or girlfriends needed...or eeewww..wanted!... :p
 

Rootbeer

Banned
guess i better hop on the TRU deal to fill out my wave 1 collection. I should have bought that legendary pack when it was in stock earlier... now it's gone :p
 

Zing

Banned
I checked out the game extremely briefly today. Didn't someone in this thread complain about the framerate? It seems the same as the first game.

The new portal is so damn flimsy compared to the first one. The original portal is rock-solid, heavy even without batteries inside, and has the really cool light-up symbols around the edge. The new one is so light and empty feeling. It slides around and almost tips over just from its own USB cord. The symbols around the edge are painted and do not light up. I also noticed that the bottom of the base lights up in green on the original, and lights up as varying colours on the new.

No one here would know first-hand, but does anyone know if you need the lightcores to "100%" the game? I noticed one of the things is to have "40 orange-based Skylanders". If this doesn't count the Giants, then you need the lightcores to achieve this. I suppose you could test this by seeing if you trigger the other "orange-based skylander" accolades using the giants. I will be able to find out myself this weekend, since I decided to swap my daughter's Christmas and birthday gifts.
 

Sora_N

Member
I checked out the game extremely briefly today. Didn't someone in this thread complain about the framerate? It seems the same as the first game.

The new portal is so damn flimsy compared to the first one. The original portal is rock-solid, heavy even without batteries inside, and has the really cool light-up symbols around the edge. The new one is so light and empty feeling. It slides around and almost tips over just from its own USB cord. The symbols around the edge are painted and do not light up. I also noticed that the bottom of the base lights up in green on the original, and lights up as varying colours on the new.

No one here would know first-hand, but does anyone know if you need the lightcores to "100%" the game? I noticed one of the things is to have "40 orange-based Skylanders". If this doesn't count the Giants, then you need the lightcores to achieve this. I suppose you could test this by seeing if you trigger the other "orange-based skylander" accolades using the giants. I will be able to find out myself this weekend, since I decided to swap my daughter's Christmas and birthday gifts.

Sorry to repeat myself but I don't own the game and my gf is not that techy so she couldn't check. Did you try checking your 'Collection' in the game?
 

Zing

Banned
Sorry to repeat myself but I don't own the game and my gf is not that techy so she couldn't check. Did you try checking your 'Collection' in the game?
I haven't actually registered any of my Giants yet, as I have since packed the game in a gift box for my daughter. I guess I will find out tomorrow, since I have eight orange-based figures to register once she opens her gift.

I'm afraid that if the lightcores don't count, I will be tempted to buy all of series 2 after all. :D I am holding my ground in regards to the lightcores, though. They really mis-handled that design. They should have brought back all 32 of the original figures and made one of each element be lightcore instead of just duplicating an existing series 2 figure. For example: Wham Shell, Sunburn, etc lightcore.
 

Lan_97

Member
I checked out the game extremely briefly today. Didn't someone in this thread complain about the framerate? It seems the same as the first game.

The new portal is so damn flimsy compared to the first one. The original portal is rock-solid, heavy even without batteries inside, and has the really cool light-up symbols around the edge. The new one is so light and empty feeling. It slides around and almost tips over just from its own USB cord. The symbols around the edge are painted and do not light up. I also noticed that the bottom of the base lights up in green on the original, and lights up as varying colours on the new.

No one here would know first-hand, but does anyone know if you need the lightcores to "100%" the game? I noticed one of the things is to have "40 orange-based Skylanders". If this doesn't count the Giants, then you need the lightcores to achieve this. I suppose you could test this by seeing if you trigger the other "orange-based skylander" accolades using the giants. I will be able to find out myself this weekend, since I decided to swap my daughter's Christmas and birthday gifts.

I have 12 orange base skylanders including 3 lightcore and 4 giants, and I unlocked the 12 orange base accolade.
 

Sora_N

Member
Apparently the only way to unlock all the heroic challenges is to have the orange base figures, the green base don't work. Fuuuuuuuu Activision. I cannot confirm since I don't have the game with me (gf's game).

ffuuuuuuuuuu.png
 

Lan_97

Member
Apparently the only way to unlock all the heroic challenges is to have the orange base figures, the green base don't work. Fuuuuuuuu Activision. I cannot confirm since I don't have the game with me (gf's game).

This is sadly true.
 

Sora_N

Member
I'll probably just buy the toys and load the challenges, then return. I will not support that. It's just stupid to me. There's no reason that the old characters would not unlock the challenges...they're the same characters.
 
The toys r us I went to today had sprocket and flashwing but they were in 3 packs. Almost bought them but held off. Anyways I said in the last page or so I wasn't going to get giants but ended up coming home today with the starter pack, chill, frightrider, pop fizz, crusher, granite crusher, swarm, and bouncer.

I'll probably just buy the toys and load the challenges, then return. I will not support that. It's just stupid to me. There's no reason that the old characters would not unlock the challenges...they're the same characters.

Ill probably do the same, does the light core characters have different challenges, since there noted as separate characters on the box?
 

Lint21

Neo Member
Could I get some advice on purchasing please?

I've never played Skylanders before. I want to play through the first game and then through the second. I'd like to collect all the unique figures, but I don't care about different colors or retailer exclusives, just the ones that are, from what I understand, on the Collection screen in-game.

I have a theory about the best way to do this:

1. Buy Skylanders: SA and Skylanders: Giants starter packs.
2. Buy as many Series 2 figures as possible in triple-packs to save money.
3. Fill in the rest of the Series 2 figures as singles.
4. Buy the Series 1 Adventure Packs.
5. Buy any remaining Series 1 figures that are not covered in steps 1-4.

This is based on the following assumptions:

1. Series 2 figures work for Series 1 and 2.
2. Lightcore figures are sort of like a variant and aren't needed (?)
3. Legendary figures are unique and need to be purchased in addition to the standard version.
 

Sora_N

Member
Could I get some advice on purchasing please?

I've never played Skylanders before. I want to play through the first game and then through the second. I'd like to collect all the unique figures, but I don't care about different colors or retailer exclusives, just the ones that are, from what I understand, on the Collection screen in-game.

I have a theory about the best way to do this:

1. Buy Skylanders: SA and Skylanders: Giants starter packs.
2. Buy as many Series 2 figures as possible in triple-packs to save money.
3. Fill in the rest of the Series 2 figures as singles.
4. Buy the Series 1 Adventure Packs.
5. Buy any remaining Series 1 figures that are not covered in steps 1-4.

This is based on the following assumptions:

1. Series 2 figures work for Series 1 and 2.
2. Lightcore figures are sort of like a variant and aren't needed (?)
3. Legendary figures are unique and need to be purchased in addition to the standard version.

I think your first five steps sounds about right.

REgarding your assumptions:
1. Yes series 2 works, except new characters will not work in the old game.
2. Light Cores are sort of variants, but the technology is neat.
3. Legendary are unique in game and says "Legendary" but if it's the same as the first game, it doesn't affect your collection counts. You can skip them unless you like them or you like to collect (like me).
 

Hawk269

Member
It is kind of cool that all the accessories, such as the adventure packs and the little add-on stuff like the lost treasure stuff works with the giants game. I did not see this mentioned anywhere on the game packaging or even on their website. Also the nice thing is that the extra levels you get from the adventure packs are improved visually a little from the originals found on the original game. Clearly, Giants looks a lot better that the original and the old add-on's levels have been givin a little touch up as well.
 

Lint21

Neo Member
I think your first five steps sounds about right.

REgarding your assumptions:
1. Yes series 2 works, except new characters will not work in the old game.
2. Light Cores are sort of variants, but the technology is neat.
3. Legendary are unique in game and says "Legendary" but if it's the same as the first game, it doesn't affect your collection counts. You can skip them unless you like them or you like to collect (like me).

Thanks! By, "Yes series 2 works, except new characters will not work in the old game.", you mean that characters that do not appear in the first game won't work, right? But these so-called "reposes" WILL work in both games?
 

Lan_97

Member
Got the 3DS version in today. Some comments:

- Adventure packs open up the same levels from last year's game (just like the console version).
- Levels feel more like the console version, but with jumping.
- Frame rate is poor and gets really bad in zoomed out views or with many enemies on screen.
- There is a room full of sheep to harass but no test dummy to check out attack damage numbers
 

no_to_co

Member
Got the 3DS version in today. Some comments:

- Adventure packs open up the same levels from last year's game (just like the console version).
- Levels feel more like the console version, but with jumping.
- Frame rate is poor and gets really bad in zoomed out views or with many enemies on screen.
- There is a room full of sheep to harass but no test dummy to check out attack damage numbers

How do you like it? Worth getting even with the subpar frame rate?
 

Sora_N

Member
Thanks! By, "Yes series 2 works, except new characters will not work in the old game.", you mean that characters that do not appear in the first game won't work, right? But these so-called "reposes" WILL work in both games?

Yeah reposes work in both games, but there is path switching for reposes in Giants and supposedly some extra ability too. Only reposes unlock heroic challenges in Giants, I'm not sure if reposes unlock heroic challenges in the first game.
 
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