Skylanders: Trap Team | |
---|---|
Developer(s) | Toys for Bob Beenox Vicarious Visions (iOS, Android) |
Publisher(s) | Activision |
Producer(s) | Dawn Pinkney Chris Wilson |
Artist(s) | Terry Falls Lee Harker |
Writer(s) | Alex Ness |
Composer(s) | Lorne Balfe [1] |
Series | Skylanders |
Engine | Vicarious Visions Alchemy |
Platform(s) | Android, iOS, Nintendo 3DS PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Wii, Wii U, Xbox 360, Xbox One [2] |
Release | |
Genre(s) | Toys-to-life, role-playing, platform |
Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
Skylanders: Trap Team is a 2014 3D platform game [3] [4] developed by Toys for Bob and Beenox and published by Activision. It is the fourth installment in the Skylanders video game franchise and was released on October 2, 2014, in Australasia, October 5, 2014 in North America, and October 10, 2014, in Europe, for release on Android and iOS mobile platforms, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Wii, Wii U, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and Nintendo 3DS. It is the sequel to Skylanders: Swap Force , and features the voices of Fred Tatasciore, Billy West, John DiMaggio, Matthew Moy, Laura Bailey, Alex Ness, John Paul Karliak, Matthew Yang King, and Richard Horvitz.
Skylanders: Trap Team utilizes a near-field communication reader platform, called the Traptanium Portal, that reads NFC chips located on the bottom of figurines. The figurines are then used in-game as playable characters. It introduces a new group of Skylanders called the "Trap Masters", who work with the Portal Master to capture the criminals that Kaos has released from Cloudcracker Prison, which holds the most feared villains of Skylands. It also introduces playable villain characters that can be captured using new trap figures after they have been defeated.
A sequel, Skylanders: SuperChargers , was released in September 2015. [5]
Kaos has blown up Cloudcracker Prison, creating the new elements of Light and Dark and freeing the Doom Raiders, the most notorious villains in Skylands, led by the Golden Queen and her cohorts; The Gulper, Chompy Mage, Chef Pepper Jack, Dreamcatcher, Dr. Krankcase and Wolfgang. With help from the Trap Masters and using Traptanium, a magic material that can harness the power of the elements, the Skylanders must round up and trap the villains, who can fight for them.
A long time ago, a powerful team of villains called the Doom Raiders hid out in the Savage Badlands and wreaked havoc over Skylands. Eventually, a group of elite Skylanders called the Trap Team captured and locked them up inside Cloudcracker Prison.
Some years later, Kaos releases the Doom Raiders and other villains by blowing up the prison. As a result, the Trap Team is sent to Earth along with crystal traps formed from the material Traptanium, which was used to build the prison. While hosting the opening of Skylanders Academy, Buzz witnesses an explosion and goes to investigate. He helps the Trap Team catch the Gulper, a giant blob monster, at Soda Springs by using its addiction to soda. Meanwhile, Kaos gathers with the Doom Raiders at his new lair, but they reject him as a result of his failure to prevent the Gulper's capture. However, the Doom Raiders' leader, Golden Queen, allows Kaos and his troll butler Glumshanks to stay. The Trap Team secures intelligence about the Doom Raiders at Know-It-all Island then heads to Chompy Mountain, where they battle Chompy Mage and his forces and trap him. Meanwhile, Golden Queen learns of the defeat, with Kaos deciding to take advantage of this to retake control.
The Trap Team is sent to track down Chef Pepper Jack and stop him from stealing the Phoenix Chicken and obtaining an egg to create a Spicy Omelet of Doom. Kaos intervenes to foil his plans, but this allows him to escape with the egg. The Trap Team launches an assault on his Zeppelin and traps Chef Pepper Jack. The remaining Doom Raiders are set to take action, but Golden Queen still wants to build a weapon made of Traptanium in an attempt to get all the gold in Skylands, much to Kaos' dismay. Realizing he will need the help of the Skylanders, Kaos decides to aid them in getting revenge, revealing that one of the Doom Raiders, the Dreamcatcher, has been terrorizing a Mabu village in Monster Marsh. The Trap Team heads to Telescope Towers to stop her from stealing the secrets of Traptanium from the dreams of Mabu scientists. Although they defeat and trap her, she manages to send the secrets to the Doom Raiders.
Despite this, mad scientist Dr. Krankcase still needs one final piece to complete the Doom Raiders' ultimate weapon: a large amount of "stinkocity", or any form of strong odor. He accumulates this level of stikocity from the Secret Sewers of Supreme Stink, which contain a supply of odorous green goo. While the Skylanders are able to arrive at the sewers and stop the main flow of goo, Dr. Krankcase replaces the goo with cheese and plans to bury it and travel forward in time to when it will rot, though time travel requires a Portal Master. To do so, they reopen Kaos's Wilikin workshop and trap him, but Wolfgang abandons Krankcase and leaves him to be trapped by the Trap Team. They track Wolfgang to Time Town, but when they arrive, he has already traveled to and taken over the far future, constructing "The Big Bad Wolfer", a giant speaker that amplifies his music. The Trap Team shuts down the Big Bad Wolfer and defeats Wolfgang, but the rotten cheese is sent to Golden Queen in the present and she completes the ultimate weapon. She demands the release of her fellow Doom Raiders, the surrender of the Trap Team, and all the gold in the world.
The Trap Team steals a rocket from the Trolls and uses it to get to the Skyhighlands, where they find a crystal to locate the Golden Queen's lair and defeat her. However, Kaos takes the weapon for himself and absorbs the combined "stinkocity" and energy from the collected Traptanium to become much stronger. Having gained the power to connect with the human world, he realizes he does not need to defeat the Skylanders, but rather the Portal Master, or the player, and sets his sights on Earth. With both worlds hanging in the balance, the Trap Team makes their way through the weapon and battles Kaos, who is defeated and put in a special Kaos Trap. The game ends with official opening of the Skylander Academy.
In the Eternal Archives, Hugo reads The Most Boring Book Ever and unwittingly opens a portal to The Realm of Dreams, allowing Nightmare creatures to escape along with their master The Dream Sheep and his sidekick The Sleep Dragon. Dream Sheep casts a sleep spell which puts all of Skylands to sleep, allowing his minions to wreak havoc. The Skylanders and the Trap Masters are immune to the sleep spell, and must trap all of the nightmare villains and stop Dream Sheep.
As in previous games, the player controls various characters by placing toy figures representing them onto a near field communication-enabled interface device called the Traptanium Portal, which activates the character in the game. Trap Team adds the trap, a new type of item which, unlike the figures, which bring characters into the game, can be used to store forty-seven [6] Villains and control them as playable characters who are more powerful than Skylanders. [6] These stored characters can be taken to other consoles. [2] The Traptanium Portal has a speaker incorporated in its design to emphasize the trapping mechanic; [6] when enemies are "trapped", their vocals travel from a screen to the portal. [6] The game features Skystones Smash, a mini-game that is the successor to Skystones from Skylanders: Giants . [6] It is a number-based card game played in a tabletop style. [6]
Trap Team introduces Trap Masters, [6] special Skylanders that are stronger against trappable villains, as well as Skylanders Minis, miniature versions of regular Skylanders. [7] Players can switch between playing as a villain and a Skylander at any point in the game. [6] In co-operative play, players can share the trapped villain and take turns playing as it. [6] However, there is a time limit to how long a villain can be used. [6] Once the playable villain's energy is depleted, players must wait until their energy recharges before they can use them again. [6] There are also hidden quests involving villains, which unlock exclusive upgrades upon completion. [6] Villains can also be stored in the Villain Vault, which is located in the game's hub world. [6]
The mobile version of Trap Team uses a bluetooth Traptanium Portal and optional touch controls. [8] If the Traptanium Portal is not connected, players can use "on the go characters", digital versions of the figurines stored on the device. [8]
Trap Team also introduces the new elements of Light and Dark, with Knight Light and Spotlight for Light and Knight Mare and Blackout for Dark. Areas only accessible by Skylanders of these elements, as well as Villains of these elements, are labeled to be of an "Unknown Element" and cannot be visited or trapped, respectively, until a Light or Dark Skylander is placed on the Portal of Power.
Skylanders: Trap Team introduces 18 new Trap Master Skylanders, 18 new core Skylanders, 40+ trappable villains, and sixteen new mini Skylanders. It also includes five reposed core Skylanders from previous games, and 8 Eon's Elite Skylanders with shiny finishes.
On April 23, 2014, Activision announced Skylanders: Trap Team for release on October 5, 2014. [9]
Skylanders: Trap Team was released on October 2, 2014, in Australia, October 5, 2014 in North America, and October 10, 2014, in Europe, for release on Android, iOS, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Wii, Wii U, Xbox 360, Xbox One and Nintendo 3DS. [10]
In addition to the regular Starter Pack released for all gaming consoles (which includes Food Fight and Snap Shot, two Traps, sticker sheets and trading cards), a Dark Edition Starter Pack was also released, and included the Ultimate Kaos Trap, a dark version of Snap Shot, Dark Wildfire, Dark Food Fight, a two-sided collector's poster, sticker sheets, two additional traps, and trading cards. [11]
The Nintendo 3DS Starter Pack came with Gusto and Barkley, without any traps, as the trapping mechanic is integrated differently.
The Tablet Starter Pack, for Android and iOS devices, comes with a Bluetooth Traptanium Portal, a controller and everything that is included in the Starter Pack from game consoles. [8]
The Wii version contains a free download code for the Wii U version of the game, which is not available on the Nintendo eShop otherwise. [12]
Aggregator | Score |
---|---|
Metacritic | WIIU: 86/100 [13] XONE: 78/100 [14] PS4: 78/100 [15] iOS: 90/100 [16] |
Publication | Score |
---|---|
Destructoid | 7.5/10 [17] |
Game Informer | 8.75/10 [18] |
GameRevolution | 6/10 [19] |
GameSpot | 8/10 [20] |
GamesRadar+ | [21] |
Gamezebo | MOB: [22] |
Hardcore Gamer | 4/5 [23] |
IGN | 8.2/10 [24] |
Joystiq | [25] |
Nintendo Life | [26] |
Nintendo World Report | WIIU: 9/10 [27] 3DS: 6/10 [28] |
Pocket Gamer | MOB: [29] |
Polygon | 8/10 [30] |
Push Square | [31] |
Shacknews | 8/10 [32] |
The Guardian | [33] |
TouchArcade | iOS: [34] |
USgamer | 4/5 [35] |
VideoGamer.com | 7/10 [36] |
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (March 2022) |
Skylanders: Trap Team received "generally favorable" reviews for most platforms according to review aggregator Metacritic; [13] [14] [15] the iOS version received "universal acclaim". [16]
During the 18th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards, the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences nominated Skylanders: Trap Team for "Family Game of the Year". [37]
Toys for Bob, Inc. is an American video game developer based in Novato, California. It was founded in 1989 by Paul Reiche III and Fred Ford and is best known for creating Star Control and the Skylanders franchise, as well as for working on the Crash Bandicoot and Spyro franchises.
Crash Bandicoot is a video game franchise originally developed by Naughty Dog as an exclusive for Sony's PlayStation console. It has seen numerous installments created by various developers and published on multiple platforms. The series consists predominantly of platform games, but also includes spin-offs in the kart racing and party game genres. The series was originally produced by Universal Interactive, which later became known as Vivendi Games; in 2008, Vivendi merged with Activision, which currently owns and publishes the franchise.
Marvel: Ultimate Alliance is a 2006 action role-playing video game published by Activision for various gaming systems. Developed by Raven Software, Ultimate Alliance is set within the fictional Marvel Universe and features many of the superheroes, supervillains, and supporting characters that appear in publications by Marvel Comics. It shares many similarities with Raven Software's previous Marvel titles, X-Men Legends and X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse, in that it allows players to select from its vast cast to create the ultimate superhero team. The game features an original plot in which the heroes of the Marvel Universe must join forces to defeat Doctor Doom and his Masters of Evil and foil their plans for global domination.
Marvel Super Hero Squad: The Infinity Gauntlet is a fighting video game, and the sequel to Marvel Super Hero Squad. It was released in November 2010 for Nintendo DS, PlayStation 3, and Wii, and was released for the first time on a Microsoft console, the Xbox 360. Similar to the first game, it features cartoonish super-deformed versions of the Marvel Comics characters, as seen in the Marvel Super Hero Squad toy line, as well as the television show. The 3DS version was released in 2011.
Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure is a 3D action-adventure platform game and the first video game in the Skylanders series. It is played using with toy figures that interact with it through a "Portal of Power" that reads their tag through NFC.
Skylanders is a toys-to-life action-adventure video game franchise published by Activision. Skylanders games are played by placing a character's figure on the "Portal of Power", a device that reads its tag using NFC and "imports" them into the game as a playable character, leveling them up and saving its progress on the figure to potentially be used on a different game with all its saved stats. Skylander figures are sold separately from the game itself unless you buy the starter pack. Typically, the starter pack for each game contains two or more Skylanders, a Portal of Power, the game disc and sometimes something else to show off the game's newest feature.
Skylanders: Giants is a 2012 video game in the Skylanders series and a direct sequel to the 2011 game Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure. It features the voices of Kevin Michael Richardson, Greg Ellis, Peter Lurie, Steve Blum, Dave Wittenberg, Carlos Alazraqui, Kevin Sorbo, Bobcat Goldthwait, Patrick Seitz and Julie Nathanson. As the title suggests, it features larger Skylanders known as "Giants", along with other new gameplay mechanics. 16 new Skylanders were introduced, including 8 "Giants": Bouncer, Crusher, Eye-Brawl, Hot Head, Ninjini, Swarm, Thumpback, and Tree Rex.
The Amazing Spider-Man is a 2012 action-adventure game. It was developed by Beenox and published by Activision. Based on the Marvel Comics character Spider-Man and the 2012 film of the same name. It was released on June 26 in North America and on June 29, 2012 in Europe for the Nintendo DS, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, Nintendo 3DS, Android, iOS, and Microsoft Windows. A version for the Wii U was released in March 2013 in North America and Europe known as The Amazing Spider-Man: Ultimate Edition in both regions. A PlayStation Vita version was released in November 2013.
Battleship is the name of two video games based on the film of the same name, both of them published by Activision in 2012. It was released for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, Nintendo DS, and Nintendo 3DS. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions are a first-person shooter developed by Double Helix Games while the Wii, DS and 3DS versions were a turn-based strategy game developed by Magic Pockets.
Angry Birds Trilogy is a video game co-developed by Rovio Entertainment, Exient Entertainment, Housemarque, and Fun Labs and published by Activision.
Lego Marvel Super Heroes is a 2013 Lego-themed action-adventure video game developed by Traveller's Tales and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii U, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and Microsoft Windows, and by Feral Interactive for OS X. The game features gameplay similar to other Lego titles, such as Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga and Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes, alternating between various action-adventure sequences and puzzle-solving scenarios. The handheld version of the game by TT Fusion was released under the title Lego Marvel Super Heroes: Universe in Peril for iOS, Android, Nintendo DS, Nintendo 3DS, and PlayStation Vita. A Nintendo Switch version was released on October 8, 2021.
Skylanders: Swap Force is a 2013 platform game developed by Vicarious Visions and Beenox and published by Activision. It is the third main game in the Skylanders video game and toy franchise, following 2012's Skylanders: Giants, which was a direct sequel to 2011's Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure.
Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark is a video game based on the Transformers franchise, developed by Edge of Reality and WayForward, and published by Activision. It is the third and final entry in the Cybertron series, following War for Cybertron and Fall of Cybertron, and acts as a spin-off and crossover with the live-action Transformers films. One portion of the game takes place in the timeline divergent from the one where the films take place, serving as an alternative to the events of Age of Extinction, and follows the Autobots as they try to retrieve a Cybertronian artifact called the Dark Spark from the mercenary Lockdown. The other portion, set between the first two Cybertron games, depicts the Decepticons' attempts to use the Dark Spark to win the war against the Autobots, and the latter's efforts to stop them.
Amiibo is a toys-to-life platform by Nintendo, which was launched in November 2014. It consists of a wireless communications and storage protocol for connecting figurines to the Wii U, Nintendo 3DS, and Nintendo Switch video game consoles. These figurines are similar in form and functionality to that of the Skylanders, Disney Infinity and Lego Dimensions series of toys-to-life platforms. The Amiibo platform was preannounced to potentially accommodate any form of toy, specifically including general plans for future card games. Amiibo use near field communication (NFC) to interact with supported video game software, potentially allowing data to be transferred in and out of games and across multiple platforms.
Skylanders: SuperChargers is a role-playing platform video game and the fifth installment of the Skylanders series. It was developed by Vicarious Visions and Beenox and published by Activision. It was released on September 20, 2015, for PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Wii U, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and was released on October 25, 2015, for iOS. Skylanders: SuperChargers Racing was released as a standalone title for Wii and the Nintendo 3DS on the same date, and focuses on racing. A sequel, Skylanders: Imaginators, was released in October 2016.
Toys-to-life is a video game feature using physical figurines or action figures to interact within the game. These toys use a near field communication (NFC), radio frequency identification (RFID), or image recognition data protocol to determine the individual figurine's proximity, and save a player's progress data to a storage medium located within that piece. It was one of the most lucrative branches of the video game industry especially during the late 1990s and 2010s, with the Skylanders franchise alone selling more than $3 billion worth over the course of four years.
Skylanders Academy is an animated television series produced by TeamTO and Activision Blizzard Studios based on the Skylanders series. The first season debuted on Netflix on October 28, 2016. A trailer for the series debuted on October 12, 2016. The second season was released on October 6, 2017 and the third and final season was released on September 28, 2018.
Skylanders: Imaginators is a 2016 toys-to-life 3D platform game developed by Toys for Bob and published by Activision. It is the sixth installment of the Skylanders series, a successor to Skylanders: SuperChargers, and was released for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Wii U, Xbox 360 and Xbox One. It allows players to create their own characters, known as Imaginators. The game received generally positive reviews, but its sales were below Activision's expectations. It is the sixth and most recent Skylanders game released on consoles, as the franchise went into hiatus after its release.
Ice Age: Continental Drift – Arctic Games is a tie-in video game based on the film Ice Age: Continental Drift. It was developed by Behaviour Interactive and published by Activision and was released on 10 July 2012 for Wii, Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo DS, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360.