Playing the Game In terms of gameplay, it's pretty basic Skylanders. It's a simple third-person platformer with basic brawling and shooting action depending on your Skylander's powers, with some light puzzle solving and plenty of hidden areas and items. If you haven't played a Skylanders game, it's mostly comparable to the LEGO games. It's fun, accessible, and kid-friendly. I made an air elemental Sentinel named Vapor Waif who fights with a bladed staff (double-ended trident) and a magic elemental Sorcerer named Dan Castmeme who tosses magical energy bolts from a distance. Vapor Waif's close combat brawling is more direct and active than Dan Castememe's magic, but the magic provides more ranged options. With the Introduction of the SWAP Force Skylanders, which are considered as two individual pieces, a new and updated Portal of Power was introduced, which allows for more room for the toys as well as being able to read more pieces than previously, such as when using two SWAP Force figures and a Magic Item all at the same time. This Portal of Power is flatter and not as tall as the original portal design, with the lip replaced with a thin wall. Searching for the Activision logo etched into the underside of a figure is the most reliable way of confirming that you are looking at a Skylanders figure when in doubt, and applies to every figure in the franchise, not strictly SuperChargers vehicles. Most figures, but not all, will have their in-game element symbol etched there as well. It is important to note that this rule of thumb only applies to the first 4 games in the franchise: Spyro's Adventure, Giants, Swap Force, and Trap Team.

Look at the very bottom of your figure. If there is a thin, bright orange, semi-transparent plastic base layer on the underside, then it is a figure from the Giants game. Since the Giants portal of power is a wired USB device, there is no need for batteries, so it doesn't have a battery compartment underneath. A modified version of this portal was included with Skylanders: Imaginators in some regions, which functions exactly the same as a Swap Force portal.*** Look at the part of your figure that a character is standing on. If it has the same engine motif found on the SuperChargers portal of power, regardless of its color, then it is a character figure from the SuperChargers game. Swap Force portals are compatible with Spyro's Adventure, Giants, Swap Force, SuperChargers, and Imaginators.

In Spyro's Adventure and Giants, The dramatic, ethereal music that plays when the Portal of Power is empty is an epically slowed-down version of music that would normally play on that level. A newer, larger portal with a large silver Rift Engine was made for Skylanders: SuperChargers; it features additional space for both Vehicles and Skylanders. Unlike prior portals, this portal no longer has built-in lighting and the platform is very thin in height.

After the shut down, any subsequent Skylanders games with newer wireless portals no longer has a USB port on them. Only exception being Trap Team 3DS which sometimes came with the older portal instead.More importantly, the more you play, the more Imaginite you find in chests and as rewards from challenges. From the start, there's a good pool of a few dozen heads, chests, arms, and legs, but you can expand that into hundreds by playing and finding Imaginite. Imaginite also adds to your selection of equipment, personalities, and sound effects. In Skylanders: Ring of Heroes, the portals are once again redesigned, having the size of the original Spyro's Adventure portals, but bear a more futuristic appearance, and are worn by the Portal Masters as a medallion/amulet. Compare a picture to your portal if possible for visual confirmation. Otherwise, the following additional details may help you identify your portal.