Preview: Skylanders Trap Team (Multiplatform)

Just like all those times when Joker breaks everyone out of Arkham Asylum, Skylanders: Trap Team features a dramatic prison breakout thanks to the perpetually evil, Chaos, which plunges Skyland into a diabolical hell of violence, drugs, corruption, and organized crime. (I may be slightly overstating this.) Only this time, once the crazy guys are captured, they work for Batman.

Maybe the biggest change for the Skylanders franchise this time around is the redesigned Portal of Power, which features a slot to install Traps. Besides playing to the story line of the game, the traps are used to nab enemy characters and "convert" them to being good guys that can be used in battle. The Portal of Power is also equipped with a small speaker so players will be able to get "feedback" from trapped villains.

All the characters from previous Skylander titles will be compatible with Trap Team, which means players have a choice of some 250+ Skylander characters (which is to say nothing of the characters that can be trapped in the game) to battle through some really bright, colourful environments.

The PlayStation 4 version is the one that was demoed at E3 and, boy, does it look good. Trap Team is also coming for Wii, Wii U, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Playstation 3, Nintendo 3DS, and, maybe the biggest game changer of all, iPad, Kindle Fire, and Android Tablets. Besides the basic starter pack, which comes with a handful of Trap Team figures, Portal of Power and trap, the tablet versions will come with a wireless controller.

Skylanders: Trap Team will be ready for launch on October 5, 2014 in North America, October 2 in Australia, and October 10 in Europe.

- Aaron Simmer

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