Spyro the dragon is coming back to the world of games after a long absence in a title that could very well change both the videogame and toy industries.
Skylanders Spyro’s Adventure is an upcoming title from Activision that was announced today and will use a technology known as the "Portal of Power", which has the ability to transport real-world toys into the game for players to battle and level with.
This technology will be able to work with not just consoles, but handhelds and mobile devices as well. The toys will also maintain any achievements and levels they gain when going from one device to another.
Eric Hirshberg, CEO of Activision Publishing, had this to say about the game:
"These are more than action figures. They are inter-action figures. By pairing world class character design, world class video game design and world class story telling into one entertainment experience, we’ve given players a whole new genre that bridges the gap between the real and virtual worlds. From the first time a kid picked up a stick and pretended it was a sword, toys have unlocked kids’ imaginations. And how often have you wanted to bring those toys to life, to see them become animated and take them on an adventure? Skylanders Spyro’s Adventure does just that."
The title will offer both two-player cooperative and competitive gameplay. In the competitive mode, players will duke it out in battle arenas with their leveled characters, sounding similar to the kind of versus play found in Pokémon.
The game will have players taking on the role of a Portal Master, who can control up to 30 different characters including Spyro himself. All these characters were protectors and defenders in their world, but the Portal Master Kaos cast them out and froze them as toys in order to take over. It is up to the player(s) to return the characters to their homeland and liberate it.
Activision stated that the title is being put together with "top Hollywood creative talent".
