darkSpyro

RULES
1. exclude imaginators.
2. ignore gimmick or roster. we are talking gameplay
3. file like this:
1. game name
pros

bla

bla

bla

cons

yadda

2. repeat
3.repeat
4. repeat
5. repeat


my rating:
1. spyro's adventure.
pros:

• huge hub! iincredibly fun to just trot around
  
• fun and long gameplay
  
• a lot of levels
  

cons:

• hardest boss battles ever
  
• not much to do after completed story
  

2. trap team
pros:

• pretty big but not too big of a hub.
  
• arena too fun same kaos challenges
  

cons:
(barely found any)

• not enough villains that are classic.
  
• skystones game too bare-bones
  

3.giants.
pros:

• skystones game a lot of fun!!
  
• long not too easy not too hard boss battles
  

cons:

• TINY hub! what?
  
• finding collectibles too hard
  

4. swap force
pros:

pvp?

cons

• almost everything. blund gameplay that was too short and easy... unskippable rufus... everything...
  

5. superchargers
pros:

• none
  

cons:

• boss battles! i HATE the boss battles in the cars... its teasing and awful...
  
• racing is awful
  
• hub built awful
  
• too teasing getting money.
  

Can't completely ignore gimmicks and figures since it's part of the experience. Anyway, for me (limiting to three bullet points so I don't rant/gush too much):

1. Superchargers (tied with SF for now)
Pros:

• Driving sections have a lot of variety from just two additional purchases
  
• "Knock" combat style makes it satisfying to play and makes melee characters possible to use in harder difficulties
  
• Block puzzles are more than just "push block until you can't anymore" and change with difficulty (supposedly? It asked me if I wanted to change difficulty to an easier puzzle on Normal when I was making it more complicated than it was)
  

Cons:

• No one's ever online, even on Wii U
  
• Loading during cutscenes making them unskippable
  

1. Swap Force (tied with SC for now)
Pros:

• Elemental and Swap Zones have plenty of gameplay variety
  
• "Knock" combat style makes it satisfying to play and makes melee characters possible to use in harder difficulties
  
• Elemental Zones give older characters value, and reason to play as them
  

Cons:

• Loading during cutscenes making them unskippable
  
• You have to listen to Rufus every time you start your completed file
  

3. Spyro's Adventure
Pros:

• Skylander gibberish giving each a distinct personality and feel
  
• Areas and puzzles that can be approached differently with different Skylanders (Flying over ice, sniping thieves, water/lava requiring specific characters to traverse, etc.)
  
• Kaos, who breaks the fourth wall and feels like an equal with his dark Skylanders
  

Cons:

• Combat's nothing to write home about
  
• PS3 and Xbox 360 are earlier builds and thus are partially incomplete
  

4. Trap Team
Pros:

• The villains have fun personalities
  
• You can play as Kaos
  
• Minis are adorable
  

Cons:

• Glitchiest Skylanders game
  
• Traptanium Elemental Gates are the most arbitrary paywall ever
  
• First game to give old Skylanders nothing to unlock
  

5. Giants
Pros:

• Autogyro Adventure
  
• Machine Ghost
  
• No additional purchases required if you already have all 8 elements from SSA
  

Cons:

• Nothing significantly new added from SSA's start
  
• Takes away fun features of SSA
  
• Nightmare mode is next-to-impossible using the titular Giants