Out This Week: Skylanders And Sonic

Though perhaps not as exciting as last week’s offerings, there’s still plenty to shout about as we hit mid-October. Sure, most of those “must-have” titles are usually pushed back to the end of the month or November, though there are still a couple of games releasing this week, mainly aimed at younger audiences.

Skylanders: Swap Force | Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, 3DS, Wii U | Friday

First up this week is Activision’s third Skylanders instalment, dubbed “Swap Force”. Truth be told, when we first clapped our eyes on the series, we had a bit of a giggle. Rudimentary gameplay and a high price point never go well together, especially when you try and flog an entire of range of add-on peripherals.

However, whilst we’ve been busy eating our hats, Skylanders has rocketed to the top, shifting millions of plastic figures and becoming another power-selling franchise for publisher Activision.

Unlike Giants and its array of slightly larger figures, Swap Force at least tries to tweak the series’ fundamentals. Aside from finally being able to jump, some of the figures will break in two, encouraging players to come up with their own variations. It definitely looks fun though whether it dispels the series’ basic, repetitive combat is another thing.

Sonic Lost World | 3DS, Wii U | Friday

Rounding out this week’s surprisingly short list is the return of everybody’s favourite blue hedgehog. Exclusive to Nintendo platforms, Sonic Lost World definitely looks like a return to form for the series as it tries to emulate a 3D action/platform experience akin to Super Mario Galaxy.

The game will feature a number stages, directly influenced by retro levels. These will be complemented by refined mechanics and a bunch of new systems, as well as online multiplayer modes and MiiVerse support.