darkSpyro

For Christmas, I got Swap Force for the 3DS. Here are my over all thoughts.

I think it's a very good game, much better than Giants but MUCH lower than Spyro's Adventure on a scale of goodness. The graphics have lowered ever so slightly. The upgrades are disappointing (As usual) and don't offer much variety. Some of the models for new characters look awful (Night Shift's bottom-half) and some of the new characters move awkwardly (Fire Kracken). Story was good, Count Moneybone was a likeable character. Good game 7/10

While I am normally a person who welcomes change, I honestly hate what changes N-Space has done, even though they are minor. Some examples are the camera going father from the character in some areas of a level so make it more like it's console counterpart. I liked in when it was just behind the character, it looked like a Nintendo 64 game. The colors aren't as vibrant as they were in SSA either. Even though I enjoyed this game I believe that Skylanders on 3DS was at it's best with VV. Graphics also need much improvment the 3DS can handle SO much more.

What are your thoughts? I'd love to hear. Happy New Year!

The graphics aren't very good but overall it's a good game. I especially like it because it's much more fast paced than the console version. I've only played my friend's copy so I can't wait to get my own tomorrow!

I have little to compare it to, but is it just me or was it a bit short? I felt it was over before I even started.
It's also kind of a shame the dark Skylanders (bar Spyro) are still just more recolours.
Was Giants on the 3DS really that bad? I felt it was inferior to SSA on the 3DS, but I never played Giants so I can't compare.
And Moneybone? Totally 'on the money' *insert laugh track*, he actually felt reasonably developed, again, mostly because all I have to compare him to is Hektor, who despite being kinda freaky, was simply "Evil floating head who chases you."

Hektore was one of the most boring villains I've ever seen. Moneybone is the best in the skylander series next to kaos' mom. They both need a turn as the main villian of the console versions.

The game is good but very short.

I don't like how in this one you can be ALL of your skylanders in every level. I liked having to choose two skylanders to use in a level in SG. It made you think strategically to pick the two that will get you in all of the gates. Even though it makes swapping more convenient, I honestly wouldn't have minded using the portal before every level to upload the two I wanted to use. I feel like it defeats the purpose of the portal. I haven't gotten very far in the game yet but I still think it's really fun.

Quote: drake8888

I don't like how in this one you can be ALL of your skylanders in every level. I liked having to choose two skylanders to use in a level in SG. It made you think strategically to pick the two that will get you in all of the gates. Even though it makes swapping more convenient, I honestly wouldn't have minded using the portal before every level to upload the two I wanted to use. I feel like it defeats the purpose of the portal. I haven't gotten very far in the game yet but I still think it's really fun.

Taking away the need for physical toys once registered takes away the magic of the game, although I also understand the need to play this conveniently on the go. IMO they should stop soiling the franchise with these inferior releases and just stick to the flagship console versions.

Frankly I love having my entire collection at my finger tips...literally. I can't speak much for the game as I've only done the first level then I scanned in the whole lot. I really didn't like SSA on 3DS because I hate timed levels. I like exploring and taking my time.

I enjoy this game much more than the previous two. you can use as many skylanders as you have not just two. the levels are easier and you can choose your own difficulty level. only wish there were more levels

I've played the 3DS one some, and it seems better than the Giants version. I'm torn on the load them all thing. You still need to sync figures to upload their levels gained, so at least there is that. However, I did think it was cool to have to load in two figures before a trip or going somewhere and make do with just them. It added a strategic element toward planning to take advantage of the element of the day and also try and maximize the levels I needed cleared.

I'm actually a huge Skylanders 3DS fan. After all it was my very first Skylanders game. Now do I like it more than the console versions? Eh, depends on alot of things since the 3DS versions have lots of differences. When if came to Swapforce 3DS I ofcourse got it the very day it came out ...

Now, ofcourse, I'll be honest, when it comes to which 3DS installment I like best? I'd say S:SA. Though admitedly I do enjoy alot of the new features and 'fixes' the new games had to offer... honestly, the 2 main reasons I don't just play S:SA non stop and not the new ones.. 1) New Skylanders. (since ones like Chill, Sproket, and Rollar Brawl are my favorites of those types but aren't in the 1st one.) 2) access to the entire collection.


I'll give a brief thing about the entire collection access. Myself? I like having access to the entire colelction without having to lug around my toys with me. And really once I get them maxed level I don't require the use of the toy or portal which in my oppion, for the 3DS version, it works better once you get to that point. However, I do miss only having only 2 per level and the 'instant switching'. Because it's to the point I very rarely switch unless I'm doing an element gate or swapzone due to it. So I thought of maybe a compromise where you can do like you did before only instead of using the portal to switch the 2... you use your vitrual collection.


Anyways, here's me thoughts on each game.

S:SA - I loved the game play and it's fast pace. I also enjoyed how completing missions actually had a part to play in the storyline/level continuations and how beating each mission in a level alloud you to unlock the time attack challenge. The race to the end after completing a mission was fun too as it gave an extra bit of challenge to it. Plus the design and feel of the game was nice too. And the magic items were cheaper. Oh and I liked how you could go to the next level in an area without having to go back to the main area.

Giants - Storyline and Gameplay was allright, though some levels just seemed to go on for to long. It was even slowed by the pace. Missions now unlocked nothing since time challenge was unlocked simply by completing the level. So that was lame about the missions. Plus they had similer missions all through out. Only 1 was different per level. Only real improvement IMO was that they finally made the Time challenge unselectable after you've unlocked it.

Swapforce - They've made some improvements though I still don't like their decistion to not use the Adventure packs from previous games.... i mean, the console versions had a reason for it... improved ghraphics and the jump feature would of had them making adjustments to those levels. But in the 3DS version... none was needed. They could of left the levels how they were... unless it was the radients challenges. But eh. Anyways, Swapforce had improvements, like the virtual collection and difficulty modes... but there were some things still missing.

And the game was too short. And you could no longer see cutscene's by replaying the levels... have to do a new save file

Anyways, I'd love to see some improvements to the series. Including the addition of multiplayer, and additional things for you to do (least Gaints and S:SA had radiant challenges too.).... though some parts I wished they'd keep the improvements but make the game play more closer to S:SA.

My only concern is having to remember with Giants to not go over the 99 Limit.

my biggest problem with skylanders on 3DS is the portal, so i love that we don't need to scan the characters more then once in swap force.

This is funny...so the 3DS goes out of its way to NEVER show the cutscenes...and the console versions FORCES YOU to see the cutscenes.

Ummm...show the scenes and make it available to immediately exit.

GhostRoaster, you're mistaken there... 3DS version is very similar in terms of cutscenes, you're forced to watch cutscenes for stuff like battle gates opening and there are usually one or two other unskippable scenes in each level. Watching every battle gate open when I beat the enemies that set them up, watching the worm move and watching the cannon fire are all annoying. I kid you not... There is an unskippable cutscene in one level just to show you where to toss a bomb.

It's a big contributor to why I really dislike the n-Space Skylander games- these levels shouldn't try to imitate the console version like they are(the 3DS cannot handle that), they should be made to run through for compact play- and I shouldn't constantly be interrupted by these pointless, unintertaining cutscenes while playing. They're clearly in to give the games a feel more similar to the console versions, but that isn't how it works. You don't need to outright show the player what to do or what they've done all the time, and SF 3DS does it a lot. It was like that in Giants 3DS too, forcing you to every single Battle Gate open and adding dialogue during levels(though dialogue isn't as bad because it's wonderfully easy to skip it), then it was made worse in SF 3DS.

This isn't just in earlier levels- that would be acceptable because that's when you should be introducing the player to the game- this kind of thing is in nearly every level. You constantly get interrupted by dialogue and cutscenes, just like the console version.

It baffles me how SWAP Force has managed to make mid-level cutscenes so annoying.

On-topic: I don't like it much, but it's an okay distraction once in a while if I really have nothing else to do. The only reason I ever pick it up is to level Skylanders, but I have more fun doing that on the console version, it's just grinding either way. However, I haven't touched the game since it locked up my console(n-Space, please sort out the crashing glitches with these games next time, they were in Giants too and it's just ridiculous).
SF 3DS is the very epitome of "mediocre" to me... I like a couple of the ideas and improvements but dislike a lot of stuff as well. The game doesn't do anything especially well or have any unique gimmick to make it stand out. And overall, it's just not a very good improvement over the predecessor either, s this game really has little going for it at all. It's a pretty boring companion product and it's poor on its own. //forum.darkspyro.net/spyro/detail.php?post=4737555

P.S. Hektore is still my favourite Skylander villain, simply because he's the only one (besides SA Kaos??) who ACTIVELY TRIED DOING SOMETHING TO STOP YOU. Seriously.