Skylanders Giants

Skylanders: Giants makes the beloved franchise bigger than ever. There are more Skylanders, bigger Skylanders and more game content than ever. While it doesn't do anything to break the mold, it's a really good game for children and parents alike.

Besides being accessible to just about all ages -- my 4-year old had no problems, though he finished Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes without much help so maybe that's not the best yardstick to measure "accessible" -- it's inoffensive, provides a middlin' challenge, and it's fun to watch and play (if it comes down to it.

Skylanders: Giants is basically the same game as one year ago but improved in small but meaningful ways. It's still the best family game around and the quality of the optional figures is really high.

If your kids loved the original Skylanders game, than they will love this new incarnation of the series as Giants adds new characters, abilities and worlds to this franchise. With almost flawless gameplay, a great control system and some really decent looking action figures, there's very little to complain about this game.

Just like the LEGO games, this is a great game to play with your kids. Especially if you're a gaming parent yourself, because it feels like you're sharing your passion with your offspring. Buying new dolls for the game, however, just feels like you're being ripped off. [December 2012, p.79]

Skylanders Giants is a genial product and clearly set up to feed the desire to collect.

A great sequel, which successfully expands the universe created in its predecessor. Visually, Skylanders Giants isn't that impressive though.

While it has its share of bugs and is qualitatively a mere expansion of the original in many ways, Skylanders Giants is still a full-blown sequel, featuring more Skylanders, more in-game collectibles, and larger and arguably more robust levels (albeit fewer) than the original. If more Skylanders is what you're after, this is what you've been looking for.

A far better game than it will probably be given credit for, and a good sequel that tries to add depth to the gameplay and even more variety to the characters.

Only supporting two players and no online play still feel like misses, as does the inability to jump. The package, as a whole, doesn't push the genre or the Skylanders universe in radical ways, but the additions are welcome and ultimately great fun.

It's more of the same Skylanders gameplay, which is probably just fine with Skylanders obsessed pre-teens.

There's very little in this game to find offensive, and kids will go crazy for all the cool new characters to learn and experience, and build on the fun that was had in the first title.

Skylanders: Giants is pretty much the same stuff as last year. The new giants are fun, but are not nearly powerful enough to justify their price tag. Still decent fun, just without the flair of freshness the original had. [Dec 2012]

Like its forebear Skylanders Giants won't tax the skills of the mature hardcore gamer. But it is a worthy expansion that'll keep the youngins amused on the TV, and in the schoolyard, for hours. [Christmas 2012, p76]

The simple but fun RPG-lite adventure gameplay is still great for parent/child co-play, but we had no problem blowing through the campaign in a single weekend. [Holiday 2012, p.81]

With Skylanders Giants and the introduction of big figurines, we were clearly waiting for major changes in terms of gameplay. However, the new title of the successful IP only appears to be a small update to the previous episode. And yet, the adventure remains complete and mostly pleasant thanks to a colorful production that will occupy our children for hours, either in the game or in their schoolyard.

The reality is that Skylanders: Giants is age-appropriate fun that harkens back to the delight you had collecting Pokémon cards or mashing your way through a dungeon crawler. If you've got little ones, then you already know the verdict here.

It is entirely possible to play through the game using just the three figures that come packed with it, thereby sidestepping the financial minefield upon which Skylanders: Giants is so precariously stationed. Possible, but not particularly realistic. Much of the fun and variety in Giants comes from the abilities lurking inside its many different characters, and with an estimated $500 in new figures to collect, Giants becomes even more difficult to recommend.

While the original Skylanders was appropriately lauded for being a unique, quality title for all ages, Skylanders: Giants seems to be riding on the coattails of the original title's good will. It's not bad, and it's really similar to the first game, but its limited innovation is largely unnecessary (Giant Skylanders).