darkSpyro

Hello all, please be patient with this new Skylander gamer.

I am in my early 30's and have not played too many video games over the last few years, but now my kids are getting to the age where they are having a lot of fun on video games. We are a Disney family and so are already fully hooked on the new Disney Infinity game -- it is a great game that has re-ignited my spark for fun, family video games.

It has also really piqued my interest in the Skylanders world -- I've read some reviews and watched some gameplay videos of Swap Force and am ready to dive into this world (assuming family listens to Christmas requests).

With that said, I may post here a few questions I have to make sure I understand how things work. Note: I'm a Wii U gamer.


First question -- how do saves work in the game? For Infinity, each person in my family logs into their own Wii U profile and thus has their own gameplay, but within a playset you can only have one save at a time. On Swap Force, can I have multiple saves of the game going on?

Thanks in advance!

Saves work exactly how you said they do.

But first... You need to learn the elements.

In the swap force starter, you get a life, water, and fire. In the GameStop exclusive dark starter, you get those 3 but with an additional earth and magic.

Let's say you get the regular

You'll need...

Undead (skull base)
Magic (bronze dome base)
Tech (pile of gear base)
Earth (soil base)
Air (cloud base)

You need these to unlock all zones in the game.

Now there are movement types attached to the bottoms of swappers.

If you got the regular, you'd need

Spin (free ranger, air)
Bounce (fire kraken, fire/rattle shake, undead)
Sneak (stink bomb, life)
Teleport (hoot loop, magic/ night shift, undead)
Speed (Magna charge, tech)
Dig (grilla Drilla, life/ rubble rouser, earth)

Characters come out in waves, released at random.

I will continue another time.

If you want to get everything out of the game, there's a group of swappers that if you get EXACTLY those, you will have access to everything in the game, such as "Elemental and Dual Elemental areas"
Elemental areas require a Skylander of that element to be opened:
Example:
Life Element gate. You could use Stealth Elf, Tree Rex, Bumble Blast and many others.
Then there are dual elemental gates. where you need 2 Players with the corresponding elements, or one "Swap Force" character with the correct swap.
Example:
Magic/Earth Gate. Player 1 can use Spyro, and player 2 can use Slobber Tooth.
Or, a single player could use "Trap Rouser", a combination of "Trap Shadow" and "Rubble Rouser"
Then there are Movement Zones, which require a Swap Force of the movement type to open.
Example:
Rocket Zone. You could use any swapper with the "Rocket" movement type. Note that the movement type is the bottom part of the swapper, so for example, if you use "Blast Kraken", even though Blast Zone is a Rocket Movement type, "Kraken" from "Fire Kraken" so essentially you would have a Fire/Fire Swapper with bounce. "Fire Zone" would work however, since Zone is Rocket.

Now, to have access to all the content above, you could get the following swappers:

Water: Wash Buckler-Climb
Fire: Blast Zone-Rocket
Tech: Nitro Magna Charge-Speed
Undead: Rattle Shake-Bounce
Air: Free Ranger-Spin
Earth: Rubble Rouser-Dig
Life: Stink Bomb-Stealth
Magic: Hoot Loop-Teleport

As you noticed, there are 8 Elements and 8 Movement Types. Then there are also regular "Core" Skylanders, which are just regular characters with nothing special, they do have an element, but they can't Swap, nor do they have movement types.
Find out more about the characters here:
Characters of the First Game: Skylanders Spyro's Adventure
Characters of the Second Game, where "Giants" are introduced: Skylanders Giants
Characters of the Third Game, the most recent one, where "Movement Types" and the "Swap Force"
first appear: Skylanders Swap Force

Hope I helped!

Quote: ZapNorris

Saves work exactly how you said they do.

Unfortunately, in my mind I said two things.

So is there only one save allowed, or can you do multiple game saves like lots of games that I'm used to?


Thanks for both of the above posts in helping straighten out how the elements/abilities work.

You can have up to three saves on one profile for SWAP Force. You could have four saves on one profile on Spyro's Adventure or Giants.

Also, upgrades and Quests(kind of like Achievements/Trophies for each character) are saved on your toy, those carry accross all profiles and platforms, if you buy one Smolderdash for instance and upgrade her in your save, when your kids carry it to their save, they get to use her upgrades and upgrade her(and you'll see those upgrades if you play her on your save again), but on their saved game at the chapter they were on the game.

If you want a character with seperate upgrade progress from your kids or you like a different path on them then your kids do then you will have to buy another of the same one(or, in the case of the latter, completely resetting a character lets you progress back up with their upgrades to eventually choose the other path).

Note: Series 2 and Series 3 figures can switch paths without having to reset.

Awesome info.....thanks Arc of Archives.

Another question:


So, old Skylander characters can be used on Swap Force (not that I have any at this point)
But, if I got a good deal on a Giants triple-pack, I could use them...


What is the deal with SSA adventure packs and SG battle packs -- any value in SSF?

yes, all figures are forward compatible but the New characters will not work in older games.

And the adventure packs are new levels for SSA which also work in giants. The ssa adventure packs don't unlock the levels in SWAP FORCE but do act as a magic item power up. The battle packs are magic items that also unlock a VS. mode battle arena level.

Quote: crocko33

Another question:


So, old Skylander characters can be used on Swap Force (not that I have any at this point)
But, if I got a good deal on a Giants triple-pack, I could use them...


What is the deal with SSA adventure packs and SG battle packs -- any value in SSF?

Every Skylander figure ever made works in Swap Force.

Just know that everything works in Swap Force - every Skylanders figure will do something.

On save games: Infinity Characters are basically just keys, but each Skylander figure has individual skill trees, XP, Items and Gold are saved to the toy itself. That means if Jnr could take a figure, spend all the gold and pop a hat on them - when you use that figure they'll have no gold and be wearing the swish hat.
For most figures you can't change which skill path they are on once you've picked one - so if that matters to you you'd better make a rule that only Dad gets to buy skills.

If you're a new player, you might want to consider getting the older games two. They should be super cheap, and the three figures you get in the starter packs will work fine in the new game.
Plus skills, gold, hats and stats you earn in the older game are stored on the character - so they'll carry through into Swapfoce.

As stated before ALL older figures work on the newer game – so Sypro’s Adventure figures work in Giants, and Sypro’s Adventure and Giants figures work in Swap Force. However new figures don’t always work in the older game.
When buying a NEW figure, the pack will tell you which older games it will work in.

Aside from the Swappers mentioned by CommanderGame I suggest you get the Tower of Time adventure pack for the Sky Diamond. It lets you get gold fast, to buy character upgrades.

Excellent -- Tower of Time is on the Christmas list!

Okay, maybe I'm getting too far ahead, too fast.

But what are you guys' thoughts on SSA, SG, and Battlegrounds?
If I'm starting with Swap Force, does it make sense to go backwards at all? And is Battlegrounds a good companion game?

Quote: crocko33

If I'm starting with Swap Force, does it make sense to go backwards at all?

Depends. You'll probably be able to find a lot of really good deals on the old characters. There's not a lot of differences between them except with the actual Giants and the Swappable characters. ie; Chill in Giants is pretty darn close to Chill in Swap Force. There's no great deals on the new stuff. I wouldn't bother with the old adventure packs as the extra levels wont work.

You could also consider getting Giants now, as there are a lot of deals for it where it's really cheap.

But Black Friday will most likely be your best friend for all purchases.

Quote: crocko33

Okay, maybe I'm getting too far ahead, too fast.

But what are you guys' thoughts on SSA, SG, and Battlegrounds?
If I'm starting with Swap Force, does it make sense to go backwards at all? And is Battlegrounds a good companion game?

Totally look at SSA and SG if you can get them cheap. They are both good games - think of them like extra tracks to take your toys/cars around.

As I said before:
If you're a new player, you might want to consider getting the older games... the three figures you get in the starter packs will work fine in the new game. Plus skills, gold, hats and stats you earn in the older games are stored on the character - so they'll carry through into Swapfoce.

This is good advice

If you're going to buy all 3 games I suggest you first play the SSA then SG then SSF. If you begin with SSF you or your children might find the graphics of the older game to be so-so. Previous games don't have jumping so you might find that odd as well.

Having played almost all characters from SSA and SG except Boomer and Ghost Roaster I have to admit that there are some characters who are average and mediocre.

If you don't wish to invest in old characters but plan to play all 3 games I suggest you get the following characters. I base this recommendation on how powerful/good they are and how certain abilities are helpful in completing the story modes.

I suggest you get the 2 previous games out of their packages (buy just the disk in 2nd hand shops) and handpick the characters. Swap Force portal is backwards compatible according to this forum. There are cute characters but that's just what they are, cute. There are also terrible characters like Jet Vac who's bundled with the Giants starter.

Handpick characters below:

Stealth Elf (life) - Consistently powerful. Her decoy is a big help. You will have her from SF starter and she is compatible all the way down to SSA.

Double Trouble (magic) - He can take out big enemies easily when others struggle.

Terrafin (earth) - He's the only character who can borrow underground and attack. He can't be hit while borrowing. I have not played with his SF version yet though.

Chop Chop (undead) - His wow pow in Giants version made him overpowered.

Whirlwind (air) - She can heal others but not herself. Her tempest clouds are powerful.

Flameslinger (fire) - Get the Giants version. His attacks can hit enemies on a higher floor. He's fast. Lots of situations where you need a fast character.

Drobot (tech) - Spammable attack. I do admit I dont use him so much compared to the others, but you need a tech and he's the best tech.

Thumpback (giant water) - easy to use attacks, great range even with melee attacks.

All the above can work down to SSA except Thumpback. If you need a water character for SSA Gill Grunt will do. He's pretty agile with his water jet pack.

Honorable mentions:
Camo - can heal both himself and the coop player's character. Healers are useful since they help you complete a chapter without anyone dying. The game rewards an achievement for that.

Zook - can lob attacks like Flameslinger. Cactus can function as decoys.

Also if you see a Boomer or Darklight crypt pack don't hesitate to buy it.

(Note the adventure pack levels from the past games don't get unlocked in swap force due to new graphics.)

Quote: Windumup

Also if you see a Boomer or Darklight crypt pack don't hesitate to buy it.

(Note the adventure pack levels from the past games don't get unlocked in swap force due to platforming and new features).

There, fixed it.

Appreciate those suggestions. Will definitely keep my eyes open for good SSA and SG deals...may need to hit up my local game store.

Okay, another question -- this time about PvP battles.

What is the impact of having "Fair Fight" turned on or off?

^I don't know about Swap Force, but in the first 2 games all it does is make both characters be Level 1 with no upgrades.

So, which is generally better?

To use fair fight or not use fair fight.


I'm assuming the following:

Fair fight = test even characters based on their characters skills/upgrades/abilities.

Not fair fight = My Spyro has a chance against your Blizzard Chill because he's level 10 and your only level 3. Better level up if you wanna compete!

Is that a correct way to think about this?

Quote: Rickorio

Quote: Windumup

Also if you see a Boomer or Darklight crypt pack don't hesitate to buy it.

(Note the adventure pack levels from the past games don't get unlocked in swap force due to platforming and new features).

There, fixed it.

Just a heads up currently Targets (at lest in MD) are doing buy 2 get 1 free with all games. All platforms including PC. So that could be a way to get all 3. However we started w/ Gaints and just bought a used copy of SSA for about $30 at the play and trade (http://www.playntrade.com another store like gamestop) for the game, 3 figures and the portal. they also sometimes have ols figures and will take them in for trade.

Hope you enjoy your time gaming time w/ your kids I know my hubby and son do!

Quote: crocko33

So, which is generally better?

To use fair fight or not use fair fight.


I'm assuming the following:

Fair fight = test even characters based on their characters skills/upgrades/abilities.

Not fair fight = My Spyro has a chance against your Blizzard Chill because he's level 10 and your only level 3. Better level up if you wanna compete!

Is that a correct way to think about this?

In fair fight, if you have 2 figures that are uneven levels, say, one is lvl 1 and one is lvl 10, the game will make them equally matched instead of one being super overpowered.

With fair fight off, they are at the levels you trained them to and one can easily kill the other if strong enough.

Okay, new question I have based on different things I've read....


When playing Skylanders, how important do you think it is to be sitting right next to the Portal of Power? From what I'm hearing, sounds like there "could" be a lot of movement on/off the portal with different characters/magical items during gameplay.

Depends on how often you think you will have to switch your skylander to a different one. Personally i just recommend using one of the correct element for the first time through a level as they get more exp and more damage in their elemental zone(Eg: tech skylander in a tech zone will deal their basic damage of the attack plus their element stat per hit(this is why drobot is king for tech))

Thanks megaman312...

Do you get very involved with using magic items? (this may be an SSA specific question)
Also, is it common to use multiple characters when fighting a boss?

I always use the hidden treasure item from the Dragon's Peak set. The winged boot is good for heroic challenges in Giants or speed runs in general. The anvil rain item is great for the You Break It You Bought it heroic challenge in Giants...without it, its nearly impossible for some characters to complete. The Sky Diamond from Tower of Time is needed for the training dummy gold trick in Swap Force if you want to farm a lot of gold quickly.

Yeah, its not uncommon to die in boss fights, especially the first few times you do them. Once you learn the attack patterns they get easier. Not sure about those in Swap Force yet since i haven't played it yet.

Quote: crocko33

Okay, new question I have based on different things I've read....


When playing Skylanders, how important do you think it is to be sitting right next to the Portal of Power? From what I'm hearing, sounds like there "could" be a lot of movement on/off the portal with different characters/magical items during gameplay.

It depends on the person and your play style. I switch characters fairly often. Different characters are better in different situations, either because of their element or their abilities. You need to switch to open different gates. If you are concentrating on leveling a certain character then you probably wouldn't switch as often. Also, if the character "needs to rest" (dies), you will have to switch to another one or restart the level. I think it's better to be close to it. It'll probably become irritating if you aren't.

Magic items can be very handy. I don't use them all the time, but they are nice to have in a pinch.
IMO the best ones are (forgive the incorrect names):

Life potion - obvious why this is nice. It's hard to find, but I think the Sheep Wreck Island adventure pack (which isn't out yet) will have a similar item.
Boots - Make you temporarily faster.
Hourglass - slows everything but you down
Diamond - use this and spam attack the training dummies in the hub world in Swap Force. It will give you TONS of gold. Makes upgrading a breeze.

There are a bunch of items that attack enemies. Any of them can be nice to use if you are struggling a bit with a tougher bad guy. If you are playing solo it's like having a second character helping out for a bit.

Quote: crocko33

Okay, new question I have based on different things I've read....


When playing Skylanders, how important do you think it is to be sitting right next to the Portal of Power? From what I'm hearing, sounds like there "could" be a lot of movement on/off the portal with different characters/magical items during gameplay.

Like others have said, depends on how you like to play. If you have a fair amount of characters it is handy to switch them out in the different element areas. It's also a good way to level up many characters at once since you keep switching them around.

Pre-Swap Force, I bought a 20ft' USB extension cable from Amazon. I ran it down the back of the Wii U, under the carpet under the catch and then have it wrapped around a table leg next to the couch. This way I can just reach right over and swap when necessary.

Guys, you forgot the best part!

All of your old guys who got reposed, or any of your SSA figs or Giants will already have their Soul Gem upgrade unlocked and available to buy, in Swap Force!

As in, you don't haveta look for their respective soul gems!

This also applies to S: G, whereas all SSA and Series 2 of all SSA Skylanders already have their Soul Gem upgrade already unlocked.

Here's another interesting tidbit---if you take the Swap Force Repose and upgrade it completely using the previous games...that new wow pow is already unlocked in Swap Force as well. In other words, Wow Pow purchase in one game means it's unlocked in all games. I was able to instantly see the new wow pow in action without any additional purchase.

I'd for sure suggest keeping the portal on a coffee table near the couch or setting up shop on the floor with it if you can. My living room isn't too large, so we are able to configure it either way. If you're a decent ways away from the TV and/or cconsole on the couch, I'd suggest floor/beanbag or other arrangements.

As folks have mentioned, certain areas in each level have an element tied to them, so you are getting the most bang for ever button mash if you put a character of that element on to play. I actually ignored the magic items until I was late in the game in Giants. Would never look back now, they get you out of TONS of sticky situations.

Our favorite "trick" is to take a Skylander who is low on health off the portal and push on with a full health one. Then, if we find some food during non-battle areas, put the hurt guy back and fill him up. Could even switch to an upgraded Whirlwind and have her shoot the injured guy to heal .

And HATS! Hats you collect through levels are not only fun to dress up your Skylanders in game, but they offer better stat boosts the harder/further along you get them! You are missing out on some cool looks and free stats if you don't!