Skylanders Swap Force

 Wii U
User Score
6.4

Mixed or average reviews- based on 126 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 70 out of 126
  2. Mixed: 21 out of 126
  3. Negative: 35 out of 126
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  1. Ivoryoshi
    Nov 21, 2013
    5
    This game was disappointing. I got excited by the swappable figures and the new look of the game I wonder how they went so wrong. This game was hindered by the usual skylanders marketing tactic. For those who are unaware, Activision don't release every figure out at once, instead they split them into waves to keep their consumers coming back. It worked with the other 2 because you couldThis game was disappointing. I got excited by the swappable figures and the new look of the game I wonder how they went so wrong. This game was hindered by the usual skylanders marketing tactic. For those who are unaware, Activision don't release every figure out at once, instead they split them into waves to keep their consumers coming back. It worked with the other 2 because you could get what you needed day one, so then you missed no in game collectable/area. Why it doesn't work here is that each of the swappable skylanders have a certain bottom ability that lets them access mini games. At the end your rewarded with a collectable for that level. They only released five or six at release date and even now we still are missing one being stealth from stink bomb and trap shadow. This may seem like a nit pic but it's drives me insane when I pass by those mini games and know that I can't get everything in the level. Plus this is the first skylander game to have me stop playing before finishing it. The story is average, controls work okay. I think that is what kills this game for me. Everything is okay with a terrible irritating thing that will probably go away soon. They may have gotten the ability to jump and swap but it costs them to make them important to get everything.… Expand
  2. jcareb
    Dec 27, 2013
    9
    A really fun and entertaining game. It has great graphics and really, really fun characters. But it is a little to much for kids at times and it takes forever to beat. It is still a fun game thou.
  3. SonicEnthusiast
    Apr 18, 2022
    10
    It was the third installment in the Skylanders franchise that I have so much nostalgia for. It increases the graphical power upon the first two games by a longshot. And while I do love those two games a lot, it was apparent that the style of graphics would soon become outdated and begin to be criticised. Every aspect of the game is solid, story is fine, gameplay is peak, level design isIt was the third installment in the Skylanders franchise that I have so much nostalgia for. It increases the graphical power upon the first two games by a longshot. And while I do love those two games a lot, it was apparent that the style of graphics would soon become outdated and begin to be criticised. Every aspect of the game is solid, story is fine, gameplay is peak, level design is great, a fantasticly smooth difficulty spike and good enemy placement. My only issue is that the levels were a bit long on my first playthrough all those years ago bit a very solid game overall and its in my top 30 of all time… Expand
  4. Easy_mode123
    Jun 8, 2022
    9
    why is this game still fun? if you dont have it i would still recommend getting it.
  5. Daniel758
    Nov 15, 2022
    9
    Its a really good game, it was my childhood.
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  6. Zeldafan19
    Aug 16, 2014
    4
    I was very disappointed with this new version of Skylanders. I enjoyed Skylanders Giants, but in this version, I was very confused and disappointed. The story is the same as Giants, but they changed Giants to swap-force and called it a new adventure. The new figures are boring and they were released in waves, so you had to wait for the ones you liked. Skip it, unless you are under 8.
  7. ellioto
    Nov 18, 2013
    10
    I bought this and a new Wii U at the PS4 launch, and I must say, this game is absolutely amazing! The story had be gripping my controller as I watched my characters grow, discovering their purpose in life. I had myself playing for hours on end, missing out on family events, my friends weddings, work, and uni study. This game is revolutionary! 10/10
  8. gamemaster01
    Nov 17, 2013
    7
    Skylaners is a good game if u want to burn money through your pocket because this game gives u 3 people to play with and u just want to get more to play with bit that's a bad thing for us but a great thing for the creators because u just want more and the story line isn't that bad but it could be improved because fighting kaos at the end isn't the best way to end all the games I thinkSkylaners is a good game if u want to burn money through your pocket because this game gives u 3 people to play with and u just want to get more to play with bit that's a bad thing for us but a great thing for the creators because u just want more and the story line isn't that bad but it could be improved because fighting kaos at the end isn't the best way to end all the games I think they need more bosses and yes there is kaoses mom but thats kind of like kaos this game is a huge money grabber from the game itself to the 100+ characters that u just need to have so u can do those little things like the secret entrances that required ceirtan typs of elements or taking down that tower thing the range for this game is 5-11.… Expand
  9. Kumakorosu
    Nov 20, 2013
    10
    This is a fantastic continuation of the franchise.
    The graphics and game play have been significantly improved.
    The new swap abilities are great, as is the ability to now JUMP!
    If you've played the previous Skylanders games, you'll love this one.
    If you haven't, then Swap Force is a great way to start.
  10. Hammad80
    Dec 22, 2013
    9
    Awesome Game. Everything about it is great. The only downfall is that the game takes TOO long for you to find a point where you can save and a checkpoint.
  11. Cerenzio
    Jun 8, 2015
    9
    So Sad to see a few uneducated hateful Trolls, bring down the score of a Solid Franchise. The game is fun, the figures are fun. Hey kids, there was this time, not to long ago, that figures did NOTHING. ZERO, NADDA, ZIP! And you know what? We bought and collected them anyway! Oh, and we LOVED IT. Spoiled much? The game rocks, enjoy it.
  12. ali2005
    Dec 18, 2015
    9
    Skylanders Swap Force is simply outstanding!It has got great gameplay and it is very fun!There is one huge problem.It's that the game only took me 2 weeks to beat and I was 8 years old at that time,but it still rocks!
  13. Banjo-Reviewee
    Jun 23, 2019
    6
    Honestly a very overrated one, the games did a better job expanding the series potential without becoming horribly bloated with content and becoming overly monetized. The plot is nothing special, stop Kaos and now his mom (I know, the stakes are really higher this time) from kidnapping some people with their legion of purple minions, way better than the last games plot. Gameplay is fineHonestly a very overrated one, the games did a better job expanding the series potential without becoming horribly bloated with content and becoming overly monetized. The plot is nothing special, stop Kaos and now his mom (I know, the stakes are really higher this time) from kidnapping some people with their legion of purple minions, way better than the last games plot. Gameplay is fine enough, its like a LEGO game and is probably meant for children younger than me. Jumping is also new which adds a sort of dodge mechanic, staggering is new as well and makes almost all tanks and giant character unplayable. One of the games most important new feature is portal master rank which was created as a way for Activision to make back the missed toy sales from the last, far superior, Skylanders title. Swap force characters are also a new mechanic with shoe-horned importance, the whole idea of swapping Skylanders is just **** stupid, in a interview with someone who worked on the game its revealed none of the children this game was focus tested with even remotely liked the idea of the swap force Skylanders. Not to mention all the new playable characters are forgettable and uninspired along with the supporting cast, which one member of actually became a recurring character for whatever reason. It sounds like I hate this game but I really don't its just that every Skylanders game before it was far better in almost every way, even then Skylanders as a series is a sleazy cash-cow but at least I'd rather waste my money on a above decent game.… Expand
  14. SgtSocks
    May 12, 2023
    7
    Surprisingly polished game, the graphics look amazing for the Wii U, the gimmick is fun, and characters are memorable. Great game for newcomers to the gaming scene.
  15. ND-Bringer
    Jun 25, 2022
    5
    Skylanders Swap Force represents the 3rd generation of this series. And while it was one my favorite games to play as a kid, overtime it became absent from my memory. Not because it was an abysmal game, but rather because there wasn't much substance to look back on. During the announcement of the 3rd game, fans were greeted with this sweet E3 trailer, where the new Swap Force SkylandersSkylanders Swap Force represents the 3rd generation of this series. And while it was one my favorite games to play as a kid, overtime it became absent from my memory. Not because it was an abysmal game, but rather because there wasn't much substance to look back on. During the announcement of the 3rd game, fans were greeted with this sweet E3 trailer, where the new Swap Force Skylanders performed a fun dance number, while swapping tops and bottoms. After playing two games that focused on heavy fantasy themes, a high-speed adventure with fast paced action sounded like a nice change of pace. But what we got in the end was a pretty over-mellow experience. Nothing in this game gives me any thrills or chills. Even with my zombi-phobia making my heart jump like rabbit, I prefer to play the classic games. Spyro's Adventure and Giants had levels with crisp, elemental themes...mixed in with colorful characters, and cool visuals. Stormy Stronghold, Oil-Spill Island, Cut-throat Carnival, the ghost pirate attack on the Dread-Yact! These kinds of stages weren't afraid to be insane, and it's a treat to show off these experiences to younger audiences. Rather than gives kids a sugar coated experience, these games should focus on delivering crazy extravaganzas mixed in with interesting fantasy theme lore. Appealing both to younger and older audiences. We almost had that here. The story this time around is a vacation-gone-wrong adventure for Flynn. Where you have to explore the Cloudbreak Islands and stop Kaos from corrupting the Elementals. It's not a bad idea, but thematically, the adventure is really weak. Most levels consist of the exact same terrain...and combined with an over saturated new art style, eye-rolling transforms into an emotion. The desert city...the desert junkyard...the desert tunnels...it gets so boring after a while. One of the unique set pieces of this game is petrified darkness. A powerful material that Kaos uses to corrupt the residents of Skylands. And when I mean "residents"...I mean a bunch of random forest animals, the Greeble race, some Kanga-Rats, Glumshanks, and himself. This is one the prime examples of how the creativity of the series "holds back". You could've made chilling moments where Kaos could infect all of the Skylanders closest friends, but all we got was Whiskers the big bird...who I've known for what feels like 20 minutes. It actually makes me appreciate moments from Giants and Superchargers more. While I wouldn't call them incredible stories, they were adventures that didn't insult my intelligence and made me wonder what the next crazy discovery was going to be in Skylands. But here I rarely connect with these characters. I should be intimidated by Kaos' Mom, since she's this ultimate Dark Portal Master, but not only does her character barely appear in the story, she's already defeated by the end of the game. What a waste of interesting character! It's one those gaming experiences that makes one feel disappointed rather than furious with the game design. Besides a few glitches in the Adventure Packs levels, I had know trouble completing this game. It's not like their were no enjoyable moments in this game. I like the strategy with combining the powers of the Swap Force Skylanders, we have another fun "singing" boss fight, enemies now get pissed off when you try to avoid them, and bashing the smaller enemies feels comedic now with the new animations, adding to the enjoyability of the combat system. I won't give too much away if your still curious about what happens in the game and you're expecting less rather than more out of the game, but this bare bones adventure will most likely leave you unsatisfied.… Expand
  16. Lil_Caucasian
    Feb 4, 2022
    7
    Definitely one of the better Skylanders games. The swapping mechanic on the (still expensive) figures is pretty neat.
  17. Wii_u_reviver
    Mar 9, 2022
    5
    SKYLANDERS SWAP FORCE is the finest SKYLANDERS game, and there's nothing else I can say about it.
  18. DolphinReviews
    Jul 21, 2022
    5
    The new gimmick Skylanders are great but the gameplay is pretty generic. The magic from the last game was starting to wear off.
  19. Void_GTAG
    Jan 31, 2023
    10
    This is the best gimic for a Skylanders game very made. The idea of swapping characters tops and bottoms makes it so fun and so cool to be able to use 4 different Skylander combinations with only 2 Skylanders. I very much recommend this game if you haven't played it already.

Awards & Rankings

4
#4 Best Wii U Game of 2013
16
#16 Most Discussed Wii U Game of 2013
15
#15 Most Shared Wii U Game of 2013

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
89

Generally favorable reviews - based on 7 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 7
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 7
  3. Negative: 0 out of 7
  1. Official Nintendo Magazine UK
    Jan 8, 2014
    80
    Just prepare for a sense of incompletion unless you spend around 70 pounds more than the base price. [Jan 2014, p.74]
  2. AusGamers
    Oct 25, 2013
    91
    Skylanders will be an influential series in years to come and successfully combines real world collectables with a fantastic platformer to deliver a rich and engaging experience.
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  3. Nintendojo
    Oct 25, 2013
    83
    Skylanders SWAP Force may seem like a cash grab in some ways, but the game their figures belong to is just so charming and, well, fun, that this doesn’t really seem like an issue. The gameplay’s addictive, the figures are well-built– screw the haters. I’m a Skylanders fan.
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