Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure

 Wii
User Score
6.1

Mixed or average reviews- based on 54 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 27 out of 54
  2. Mixed: 11 out of 54
  3. Negative: 16 out of 54
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  1. SatanNYC
    Dec 26, 2011
    10
    My children received this game from a relative who lives far away for Christmas only to get it home and find that it doesn't work. The "portal" will only recognize the character if it's held about 6 inches over the portal. Once it's placed on the portal a alert comes up on the game asking you to place the character on the portal. After looking online for a way to solve this problem I seeMy children received this game from a relative who lives far away for Christmas only to get it home and find that it doesn't work. The "portal" will only recognize the character if it's held about 6 inches over the portal. Once it's placed on the portal a alert comes up on the game asking you to place the character on the portal. After looking online for a way to solve this problem I see that many people are having similar problems with the "portal", including dead spots, not registering characters, not working at all, etc.

    Now the idea behind this game is obviously all about selling packs of additional characters to add to your arsenal. That being said, you should be able to toss this portal off a building and have it still work. Once the portal is broken, which seems incredibly easy considering the age group this game is aimed at, the sales of additional characters comes to a halt.

    I have tried to contact Activision for 3 days and have had no luck. The phone line brings you to automated answers to questions that any person who read the directions already knows and then hangs up on you. The website, after filling out all the information, returned me to a screen that stated "you cannot create an account at this time" NICE!

    I would recommend staying away from Activision products (see MW3 review) until they realize that ripping people off is NOT an acceptable business practice.    … Expand
  2. GeniusKing
    Jun 8, 2012
    8
    I think the negative reviews for this game are way too harsh... As soon as my 7 year old saw the commercials for this game he was on me non-stop for WEEKS to get it - you can avoid the $70 new price by picking it up on Amazon, I got it for about $45... as for the game itself it's pretty much exactly what parents look for in a game - keeping the kid(s) occupied FOR HOURS at a time....I think the negative reviews for this game are way too harsh... As soon as my 7 year old saw the commercials for this game he was on me non-stop for WEEKS to get it - you can avoid the $70 new price by picking it up on Amazon, I got it for about $45... as for the game itself it's pretty much exactly what parents look for in a game - keeping the kid(s) occupied FOR HOURS at a time.... graphics are awesome, and I especially liked the fact the hints are actually spoken by the characters, so you don't have to spend a lot of time reading screen after screen, this can be especially tedious for the little ones who aren't real good at reading yet... the kids love the interaction with the Portal of Power and changing out the characters which is really simple and fun. When considering this game just be ready to be hounded to death by your kid(s) wanting to keep getting new Skylanders, at $8 a pop it can get expensive. Game is really pretty easy (almost too easy) but that can be good for the younger kids who are easily frustrated. The biggest problem I had was enforcing the rule that we're not gonna KEEP going back to buy more interactive characters, 5 was about my limit and once they understood that they played it all the way through... Definitely not a disappointment!… Expand
  3. iloveFFC
    Aug 14, 2012
    10
    a very addicting franchise, i only intended to collect a few of the toys, but once i started, i couldnt stop! now im only missing two figures, not including the legendary figures, i want more boomer and wham shells in stock, along with the rest of the skylanders, they are in too low stock country-wide (U.S.A) and i think they aren't working hard enough to make them more available evena very addicting franchise, i only intended to collect a few of the toys, but once i started, i couldnt stop! now im only missing two figures, not including the legendary figures, i want more boomer and wham shells in stock, along with the rest of the skylanders, they are in too low stock country-wide (U.S.A) and i think they aren't working hard enough to make them more available even though they said they were, but its a very innovative game style and i like the colorful figures and how they interact with the portal of power and how Richard Horvitz (voice of invader zim, my favorite tv show) voices the main villian, Kaos! FEAR HIS GIANT FLOATING HEAD! :DDDDD… Expand
  4. Leanonme111
    Apr 30, 2014
    10
    I love this game. The plot is amazing. I just love collecting all of the skylanders. Sometimes my mom even plays with me! It makes me tremble in fear and sometimes just feel really happy! 10/10
  5. Kharb
    Oct 17, 2011
    10
    When I got this game, I wasn't expecting too much (good few hours of fun) but this game is addictive! It is great to be able to swap characters on the fly, the environments and music are great. I would recommend this game for any parents who have kids (I even found myself playing co-op with my son!)
  6. youlouz
    Jan 19, 2015
    8
    This is a very nice game, unlike the others in the franchise.

    Pros
    -Plenty to explore
    -Entertaining story
    -fun battle

    Cons
    -Poor Graphics

    You must check out this game.
  7. JCat
    Nov 4, 2011
    10
    An adult gamer here who decided to give Skylanders a whirl after reading all the positive reviews (from other adults). The game is marketed for kids/families, but trust me, once you enter this magical world, you'll find it hard to put down. In fact, once night of playing a few levels will almost a guarantee you'll be running to your local retailer or searching on-line for new collectibleAn adult gamer here who decided to give Skylanders a whirl after reading all the positive reviews (from other adults). The game is marketed for kids/families, but trust me, once you enter this magical world, you'll find it hard to put down. In fact, once night of playing a few levels will almost a guarantee you'll be running to your local retailer or searching on-line for new collectible action figures to blast into the included "Portal of Power". Speaking of which, these action figure scuplts are quite impressive, with great detail and paint jobs! Drop 'em on the cool multi-color, glowing portal and take them for a spin in the world of Skylander. Between finding treasures, taking on special heroic quests, searching for Soul Gems, acquiring hats which add character stats, seeking out hidden areas and purchasing upgrades, there's LOTS to see and do. Not to mention, the fun of switching characters and building up their abilities. The starter kit comes with three characters, but in order to unlock certain side-quest-like areas, you'll need to have at least one character from each elemental class. At $8.00 each, it's worth the extra fun You can still finish the game with the three including characters, but trust me, you'll want more. In addition, there are actual adventure sets for around $19.95 that expand the Skylander universe with a new character, new "themed" areas to tackle and magical objects that can be placed on the portal to enhance your quest. If you like games like Gauntlet Legend combined with a Dungeon crawl style affair, you'll simply love Skylanders. I'm no fan of Activision, but they sure have hit it out of the park with this one. Welcome back Spyro - you are now forgiven for that charmless past.… Expand
  8. irateworstgames
    Dec 9, 2011
    0
    Even for a series that has never exactly been stellar, Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure sets the bar particularly low. The story is exceptionally trite, the script asks very little of the voice-actors, and the gameplay is bare-bones simple (even as it holds your hand through the most rudimentary mental exercises). There are no platforming elements to speak of (you can't even jump in theEven for a series that has never exactly been stellar, Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure sets the bar particularly low. The story is exceptionally trite, the script asks very little of the voice-actors, and the gameplay is bare-bones simple (even as it holds your hand through the most rudimentary mental exercises). There are no platforming elements to speak of (you can't even jump in the console versions!) and practically any platforming-esque mechanic is either performed automatically (conveniently placed bounce-pads replace the aforementioned jumping) or is explained a half dozen times by in-your-face visual cues, constant narrative hints, and pop-up text explanations. The enemies in this game are laughable and should never pose the slightest threat to your life total. Graphically, the Spyro series was never really a powerhouse, and it is obvious that the same amount of effort went into this title. This could have been a PS1 title. It is marketed towards the elementary-school set, though, so it gets a pass. The toy mechanic itself is cute and sure to be a hit with kids from ages 9 to 90, but when taken as a whole with the design decisions in the game proper, it comes across as exceptionally aggressive marketing. Different characters basically play exactly the same as any other, even Spyro himself (which explains the loss of jumping and gliding: lazy design), with one financially relevant caveat. The element attached to each character serves as a key to access locked areas (ie: only a fire element skylander can unlock a fire element area) and a damage modifier is applied for certain elements in some areas as well. What this effectively does is force you to pay for additional figures in order to unlock the full content of your already expensive purchase. And why wouldn't you, after finding the character-specific advertisements sprinkled about each level that unlock abilities and short intro videos for figures that didn't come with the core package! There are already expansion packs available as well. When distilled to its purest form, Sklanders: Spyro's Adventure is essentially a poorly made toy tie-in game that thinks you or your children aren't intelligent enough to figure out how to solve basic challenges without being told exactly what to do in at least three separate ways. To unlock the full breadth of this franchise-turned-shovelware experience you must needs spend something to the tune of a hundred dollars, though you do get some cute toys in the process. And hey, at least there are hats.… Expand
  9. ccrogers15
    Jan 27, 2012
    1
    This game is the worst game ive ever played. This 1, is not spyro. They only used the name spyro for it to sell. They should of left spyro alone and started a new IP. But no, they yet again gotta ruin the spyro name. Why dont they learn and go back to the original spyro that always got good reviews. (not enter the dragonfly tho).
  10. IHATENEWSPYRO
    Dec 24, 2011
    0
    Once again Activision has paid all critics. The truth is that this game sucks almost as much than mw3 (that got really bad reviews from users) I you liked old spyro dont get this crap (even legend series was better)
  11. bitterroot1995
    Mar 14, 2012
    1
    This is not spyro. Thanks activison for AGAIN ruining a GREAT series. If a series is doing good, LEAVE IT ALONE and DONT TOUCH IT. Keep your grubby nasty fingers away from Ratchet and clank, Sly, and ty. You guys KILLED spyro. Legend of spyro was one thing, but slylanders goes over the limit!
  12. mrmonster
    Jun 7, 2012
    7
    Skylander's Spyros Adventure is like a family friendly Skyrim. This is a must for kids of all ages, even if they are not fans of Spyro (note that I am not a Spyro fan). And if you and/or your kids are Spyro fans, this is something you NEED. This game features a revolutionary game play that allows you to use the Skylanders figures to choose which characters to play as. The game alsoSkylander's Spyros Adventure is like a family friendly Skyrim. This is a must for kids of all ages, even if they are not fans of Spyro (note that I am not a Spyro fan). And if you and/or your kids are Spyro fans, this is something you NEED. This game features a revolutionary game play that allows you to use the Skylanders figures to choose which characters to play as. The game also features and original storyline, the best graphics you can get on the Wii. This is a nice family friendly game that even teenagers will probably enjoy. And the game is easy enough for kids, but not too easy. I think anyone who likes fantasy should get this game. This is also good because of it's use of co-op multiplayer, and competitive multiplayer.… Expand
  13. DestinationMarc
    Jan 28, 2014
    3
    Ok, LISTEN UP. I'm speaking from a long-time veteran point of view, so not everyone will agree with me. Does this game look good? Decent is a better way to put it. Is the humor/comedy funny? Hit-and-miss. Are the characters memorable? Only Spyro, Cynder, and Sparx. But the main reason I rated this game so low is because, first and foremost, it just DOES NOT feel like a Spyro game. I thinkOk, LISTEN UP. I'm speaking from a long-time veteran point of view, so not everyone will agree with me. Does this game look good? Decent is a better way to put it. Is the humor/comedy funny? Hit-and-miss. Are the characters memorable? Only Spyro, Cynder, and Sparx. But the main reason I rated this game so low is because, first and foremost, it just DOES NOT feel like a Spyro game. I think the concept is neat, since it's never really been done before, but then even THAT isn't all well, as you must syphon out tons of money to get the game in the first place (if you're buying it for the first time) as it's roughly $40 for the game, portal, and starter characters, and another $10 - $20 for each additional character. And honestly, for being part of the Spyro franchise, this series has nearly NOTHING to do with Spyro himself. You don't have to use him at all seeing as there are other characters of his element, and I wish they could've put a lot more focus into Spyro. When I first heard of this game, I honestly thought it was a joke. Spyro's downright ABSURD redesign is the first thing I saw, besides the title, of the game, and I instantly knew it wasn't going to be all that great. I mean, THIS was the next big Spyro project after the glorious Legend reboot trilogy? And this project took the place of a Legend of Spyro MOVIE?! You can probably understand why I'm peeved about this. It upsets me that this is getting so much praise and frankly I don't think it deserves it. I wish Activision would "pull a Ubisoft" so to speak and split Spyro from Skylanders (Rayman fans will get what I mean by that); I feel I could enjoy Skylanders more if that were to happen. It's not really that Skylanders doesn't belong with Spyro (because duh, they're already together), but more Spyro doesn't belong with Skylanders. To bring us true fans back to Spyro's roots, any future Spyro games to come out of the series shouldn't be Skylanders-related. NOW, with that being said, I do have some positives about this game and its series; the controls are nice and easy to get a hold of, there are plenty of cool collectables, and the questing in general is quite nice. The graphics are ok, and the character designs (beside Spyro's) are alright, but like I said, most these new characters are forgettable. I feel very conflicted here, but in conclusion, if you just want this game for the action and clectables, then I say pick this game up, but if you're a long-time Spyro fan thinking this game will be even remotely similar to any past Spyro platformer, STAY AWAY. You will most likely be disappointed.… Expand
  14. snowsnows85
    Feb 12, 2012
    6
    A fun multiplayer game that is aimed at all audiences. You don't half to be a hardcore gamer to play this game with a family member. It's fun leveling up your characters and they are all very interesting since they each have their own elemental type as well as moves. Although this game is fun at first it is very simple to beat and honestly doesn't have a whole lot of replay value.
  15. Damedus
    Aug 9, 2013
    10
    Great Game! It's a well designed game with lots of replay-ability and collectors and kids in mind. Unlike Tabletop figure games these figures can played alone or with a friend at any time on the console and its available for almost all of them. The figures also retain their stats so you can play at a friend's house too. What's even better is that old figures from this game work on the newGreat Game! It's a well designed game with lots of replay-ability and collectors and kids in mind. Unlike Tabletop figure games these figures can played alone or with a friend at any time on the console and its available for almost all of them. The figures also retain their stats so you can play at a friend's house too. What's even better is that old figures from this game work on the new game which also brings its set of figures and not to mention it's a yearly franchise so each year we get new figures and a new set of stages to play in(each game has around 16~25 stages not counting the heroics).… Expand
  16. LtPaul
    Oct 23, 2016
    7
    Great fun to play with younger siblings or children, and has a great mix of a smooth learning curve and easy gameplay. However, the hefty price tags of extra characters can quickly leave you out of pocket.
  17. Arandomgamer01
    Oct 21, 2016
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Alright let's do this. I love Skylanders. In preparation for Imaginators I will write reviews on the old ones. So let's talk. Spyros adventures plot never thrilled me. The plot was more kiddish. The voice acting was a meh. I loved Flynn's voice actor. Now for the spoiler bit. The plot. My only question is why are only the Skylanders pulled to Earth? Everybody else is there! The gameplay for now is good. I will have more complaints in the later games. My only problem is the bounce pads. Every other game had jumping! Yea the A button makes for better attacks but still. Bounce pads eliminated any parkour challenges! All in all I am fine with Spyros Adventure is a good start.… Expand
  18. Kakkaismo
    Apr 3, 2018
    8
    Good game. Liked it as a kid. Love it now plot is good only bad thing is that you have to pay for the characters.
  19. Calbeesauce
    Mar 28, 2020
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I found Skylanders Spyro adventure to be a fantasy game for younger kids and a fun game to platinum as a adult

    It’s gameplay reminds me of games like Diablo And it’s characters are all quite nifty to collect and memorable in design/play style The Kaos boss battle at the end isn’t as bad as people say and i beat it with double trouble and trigger happy So no you don’t need to buy hundreds of Skylanders and nowadays they are quite cheap

    The complaint that it ruined Spyro is void to me As if you want to play a Spyro game DO THAT INSTEAD I know these games might not appeal for Spyro fans and that’s ok have fun with the reignited trilogy, but don’t s*** on another game for having him playable and in the title Overall I’d ignore a lot of the unwarranted hate directed at this game: some of it is valid However most of it is just Spyro fanboys complaining about Spyro as talked about earlier The figures are cheap The gameplay is fun The collectables are fun to collect and useful for the most part And the story is good for kids but if it’s not your thing just skip it

    10/10 mastapeece    … Expand
  20. RampantRome
    Dec 19, 2020
    6
    My favourite game of all time but has too many flaws to get something higher than a 6
  21. SuperClaudio64
    Mar 20, 2022
    7
    Gioco molto atmosferico, con delle belle musiche e con un buon cast di personaggi. Purtroppo richiede un minimo di 8 personaggi di varie tipologie e alcuni pacchetti specifici per essere giocato al completo.
    Tuttavia il primo gioco degli skylander mi ha intrattenuto anche a distanza di una decina di anni dalla sua uscita. Molti dei personaggi giocabili sono bilanciati e diversi nelle loro    Gioco molto atmosferico, con delle belle musiche e con un buon cast di personaggi. Purtroppo richiede un minimo di 8 personaggi di varie tipologie e alcuni pacchetti specifici per essere giocato al completo.
    Tuttavia il primo gioco degli skylander mi ha intrattenuto anche a distanza di una decina di anni dalla sua uscita. Molti dei personaggi giocabili sono bilanciati e diversi nelle loro abilità, l'unico problema del gioco sono le boss fight ripetute e abbastanza lunghe e la carenza di meccaniche base nel gioco, come poter saltare liberamente.    … Expand
  22. ND-Bringer
    Feb 3, 2023
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Skylanders is a series that has earned a lot of praise over the years for all the right and wrong reasons. On the surface, it's an excellent game for young children to play, the key word being "young". The developers usually focus on adding gaming elements that appeal to little kids above all else. This is really reflected within the first few levels of the game. Where characters are constantly reminding you on what to do next. It doesn't matter if a tornado is about to demolish the local Mabu village, it's not designed to hurt the player in any way. It's eye candy used to trick people into believing they're about to enter a world of wonder.

    The game itself, is still entertaining in some places. The toys to life genre pairs really well with the Wii system since players are encouraged to switch up their figures to add variety to the combat. And their are plenty of quick time events where you have to shake the remote to open gift boxes and treasure chests. Moving your body like this while controller a hero makes the player really feel apart of the world. It's just a shame that this world isn't all that interesting.

    Their's a good deal of lore to be found by interacting with Story Scrolls describing the various types of creatures in Skylands, but it usually feels watered down. The Cyclopses are really good stone masons, explaining why they make strong fortresses. But they are also mocked for making stone ships for the Cyclops Navy. It's a funny joke, but these enemies only appear in three levels of the game, and a handful of heroic challenges. So it ultimately feels pointless.

    The trailers advertising these games make it seem like this series was going to be an epic set of adventures. But in actuality, it feels quite friendly and safe. Spyro feels less like a main character and more like a cameo. You can't jump. Skylanders with wings can only use their wings to hover over the ground. The big villain Kaos is never intimidating. And overall, it feels like more could be done to enhance the experience.

    The best part of the adventure is beating up enemies with your friends, it may not be a breathtaking game, but if you're looking for simple button mashing fun, this may the game for you. The music is really uplifting in Spyro's Adventure. The combat is pretty satisfying, since each Skylanders uses a very unique move set. And theirs a ton of level variety, with up to two or three levels to go with each major element.

    If their's anything to stress about, the boss fights against Laos's evil Skylanders are the absolute worst. Kill the minion, dodge the magical attacks, kill the minion, dodge the magical attacks, kill the minion, kill all the minions while dodging the magical attacks. Each clash is more annoying than the last. It's the cheapest design choice in the series. Their's also a hydra....you can't actually fight it though, you just attack Kaos enough, and then it miraculously dies. Incredible game design.

    Theirs also no reward for three starring all the levels in the game, which is very sad, if your like me, and did it anyway without checking beforehand. If you want a taste of classic Skylanders, just stick to Giants, the rewards are much better.    … Expand
  23. JamesIsLost
    Aug 2, 2021
    9
    This game is great. I've had this game since about 2015 and I'm still replaying and expanding my collection today. Me and my brother used to come home and play this game all afternoon and have a blast. I have played the adventure mode 5-6 times over the years and recently bought the adventure packs and beat those. For me this game is amazing and I recommend it to anyone who wants to try it.
  24. Banjo_Reviewie
    Dec 18, 2021
    10
    No matter what people say this is still a remarkably amazing kids game.

    The gimmick is so much fun, even if you think they're a waste of money you have to admit how novel the toys to life concept is and how much fun it is for children.
  25. Caffe
    Sep 3, 2023
    6
    I've played the whole saga. I like the idea behind the game. The gameplay is fun but the best part is the character design of the various characters.

Awards & Rankings

8
#8 Best Wii Game of 2011
6
#6 Most Discussed Wii Game of 2011
9
#9 Most Shared Wii Game of 2011

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
81

Generally favorable reviews - based on 11 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 11
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 11
  3. Negative: 0 out of 11
  1. DarkZero
    Jan 10, 2012
    80
    It's an awesome game, the only caveat being that it has more hidden fees than most airlines.
    Read full review
  2. Nintendo Gamer
    Dec 7, 2011
    80
    A fun, silly, occasionally challenging romp. [Dec 2011, p.67]
  3. Gamer.nl
    Nov 9, 2011
    85
    Skylanders has a smart concept that has been implented very professionaly. The toys that you use with the Portal really star in this game that is fun for young and old.
    Read full review
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