Skylanders: Is your kid hooked on this ingeniously marketed game?
The little figurines hold computer chips. You place them on the stand to bring the characters into the game. The stand connects wirelessly to your game system such as a Wii.
Skylanders Spyro’s Adventure is a relatively new video game that is also a toy line. It’s different than other toys with video games because you need the toy to actually play the game!
It is a brilliant marketing plan that my 8-year-old says “ is to upsell” the kids. You have to buy more figures to use them in the game. And you can’t play the game with just one character. Each character has different skills that you will need to complete the game.
The starter pack costs about $50 and includes among other things three figurines and this pond-looking wireless pad that the characters sit on. The wireless pad connects you to your game console such as Wii or X-Box.
You can buy additional characters individually for $7.99 or in three-packs. But they are often hard to find.
Kids can take their characters with them to play at friends’ houses on their systems too.
It really is quite brilliant – and insidious – to make the toy be part of the game. You can’t play without adding more to your collection. It is such an interesting business model that financial magazines are writing about it.
So are your kids into Skylanders? Have you heard about it? Do they have you looking for the toys? What do you think of the game and the marketing behind the games?
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
43 comments Add your comment
A
February 2nd, 2012
7:17 am
I have a 9-year-old boy but have never heard of this. Thankfully he goes for more traditional toys like Legos and not every new fad out there.
motherjanegoose
February 2nd, 2012
7:20 am
No ( is this my shortest post?)
Anj
February 2nd, 2012
7:23 am
Hm…..
This was going to be the next Wii game that we got, but now that I know this, I am reconsidering. There are a ton of great games out there without the “collectible ____” aspect to make people keep spending.
Figment
February 2nd, 2012
8:09 am
Not interested in this game mainly because I don’t want to purchase a bunch of figures just to play a game. Plenty of other video games out there to play. I’ve been enjoying my “old school” video games lately, and my son seems to like them better too since there are less buttons to push. His favorite is Rampage on my N64.
Kat
February 2nd, 2012
8:20 am
Fortunately, that probably is MJG’s shortest post. It would have been better if she had either just left it at the one word (no), or better yet, had realized that you do not have to actually post if you don’t actually have something to say. I’m saying that MJG could have considering not posting – for once.
motherjanegoose
February 2nd, 2012
8:37 am
@ Kat… that was the first word I thought of…just like OUCH for the HUGE baby in Iowa but Dawn had already shared it. It is good to know who my friends are and I guess you will not be joining me for lunch. It is o.k. though because I think the boss likes me :). Of the past 7 topics, there were 3 that I did not post on. IMHO this is better that those who get on here and complain about how stupid the topic is or ridicule TWG for her choice of topic. Something I would not do, as I consider it bad manners. FYI…I always have something to say…it may not be interesting to you or 100,000 other people but there are those who do want to hear what I have to say and have spent hours with me….imagine it. Some on this blog HAVE endured time with me and are up for it again….amazing folks for sure.
Augusta
February 2nd, 2012
8:47 am
We won’t buy this…..we have a Wii, but this is definately NOT on our wish list….
Lori
February 2nd, 2012
8:51 am
Brilliant marketing doesn’t begin to describe this. Whoever came up with this concept better have gotten a big, fat promotion and a raise!!! My son LOVES this game. He got it for Christmas for the Wii. Of course we almost immediately had to go buy more Skylander characters – we now have 14, and he has at least one of each of the 8 types. The company advertises that you can win the entire game with only the 3 that come with the game. However, this is not realistic for young children. Each character has to rest after their lives expire, so you can’t continue to play the game for any length of time without additional characters. Otherwise, you have to turn the game off and come back and play later – YEAH RIGHT!!!
So I'm not the only one
February 2nd, 2012
9:21 am
annoyed by MJG’s painfully long responses. Actually, it’s not the responses, but the concept this person feels the need to be so verbose.
JOD
February 2nd, 2012
9:23 am
@MJG 7:20 – Hahahahaha :o)
This is exactly the kind of cr$p (oops, I mean toy) that I would hope DD wouldn’t be interested in at all. I give the creators credit, though, as it is brilliant. She is (at least for now) more interested in classic toys, so we’ll encourage that as long as possible.
Off topic, is anyone else have issues with the *&^% ads on AJC? Mine keep causing the page to scroll to the top on its own. Grrr.
Lori
February 2nd, 2012
9:40 am
What’s with all the hate this morning for motherjanegoose?? Geez, if you don’t like her comments then don’t read them!!!
JOD, I’ve been irritated with the ads too. I wish they’d stop doing the ones that open up on their own.
Wayne
February 2nd, 2012
9:42 am
@JOD: I’m with you on the ads. It’s not just AJC that does it and it drives me nuts.
No you're not the only one...
February 2nd, 2012
9:46 am
annoyed by MJG’s posts. She may be a nice person in the real world, but on this blog I avoid her posts when I see them. Not only is she verbose, but she comes across as very high and mighty and superior.
Purple Monkey Dishwater
February 2nd, 2012
9:46 am
Hate? What hate? I see annoyed, but not hate.
You should work on the reading comprehension.
So I'm not the only one
February 2nd, 2012
9:48 am
Yes…The high and mighty segment is bothersome. Thanks.
Oh about the ads. It’s what makes this blog free.
Voice of Reason
February 2nd, 2012
9:56 am
Video games are becoming more popular every day as the technology improves and allows you to become more and more immersed into the game. Some even consider them as an art form. The video game industry as a whole takes in more revenue than the movie industry has in well over a decade.
I think the business model for Skylanders Spyro’s Adventure is brilliant. We as human beings have always had this fascination with collecting things. Cough, Beanie Babies, cough, cough. And if you are into video games or own any of the current generation of video game consoles you know that the task of collecting things has always been a part of either the main plot or a side plot of the main game.
The game was written by the same people who wrote Toy Story.
I think this is great. Not every kid has a yard to play in and not every kid enjoys playing sports…and NO kid does either of those things all the time. So if you don’t play it yourself or know a child who does play it you have really have no right to judge. Kids love this stuff. These are the things that keep the boys off the pipe and the girls off the pole just like sports or reading.
Kids rule
February 2nd, 2012
10:00 am
@Lori – apparently your son wears the pants in your family. To receive a present then have to IMMEDIATELY go buy more, then you say you have 14….at a cost of $7.99/ea that’s over $112 just on the characters.
What a total waste of money….
That's ok, motherjane...
February 2nd, 2012
10:00 am
…those of us that have been around with you for the 7-8 years of this blog love you…
testing - I am banned again...
February 2nd, 2012
10:01 am
Everyday my comments disappear at this time of day…
Wayne
February 2nd, 2012
10:03 am
Understood that the ads help to make things free, but they could be a lot less annoying.
On topic: I have enough issues tripping over Pokemon balls and cards all over the house, not to mention the Wii controllers that somehow end up all over the place. Speaking of which, there’s a racket right there. I wouldn’t say my kids are rough on controllers but they aren’t slamming them into the ground or bouncing them off each others heads. What’s with them failing all the time! I’ve got a small fortune going on with controllers!
@ testing....
February 2nd, 2012
10:03 am
If you were a motherjanegoose apologist, then this would not be a problem for you.
catlady
February 2nd, 2012
10:04 am
If my daughter buys this for her children (I cannot imagine her doing so) I will not believe it. I know my son won’t get it for his kids–no TV or computer in their house. For goodness sake, folks, put your kids out in the fresh air and let them play, using their imaginations (not fueled by every idiot fad, trend, TV show, or subject of a magazine!)
I Agree 100%...
February 2nd, 2012
10:04 am
With @No your not the only one……referencing MotherJaneGoose….she does come up uppity and superior. And we have to constantly be reminded that she’ been in all 50 states, and her kids are P E R F E C T…as is she.
I scroll right past her obnoxious posts.
No you're not the only one...
February 2nd, 2012
10:08 am
Exactly, not hating on MJG, but just don’t feel the need to read her posts which are all fairly predictable. Her wonderful job traveling the country, best kids ever, you name it. As I said above, she’s probably a nice lady who I wouldn’t mind talking to in person, but she may just need to adjust her virtual persona to reflect that she’s not the annoying, superior person she seems to be.
Re: ads on the site. Try installing Ad Block Plus in your browser. I use it and never see a pop up or any other ad.
Voice of Reason
February 2nd, 2012
10:12 am
@Catlady
Not every kid gets to enjoy fresh air. Everything in moderation. Video games help fuel a kids imagination just as much as reading a book does. I can remember playing games on the old NES back in the day and then going outside to reenact aspects of the game outside with my friends.
Don’t knock it till you try it.
Never understood parents who don’t allow TV or computers in their house. As long as you monitor it and keep it age appropriate there is nothing wrong with it.
motherjanegoose
February 2nd, 2012
10:13 am
NEWSFLASH…I am not high and mighty…if I were, there would be several things I would change right now. I do not have all the answers, if I did I would not even have time to sit here and type as there would be folks lined up at my door ( no one is outside now). I am not even attractive…currently, I am sitting here in my pajamas with bed hair and unbrushed teeth ( drinking coffee) as I do not have to go outside to work today.
Here is one thing I am:
LOVED… I have had dozens of kids hug me tell me this week that they love me and for that, I am thankful. They are so cute!
It is fine if there are 50 people on this blog who do not love me, as there are another 500 plus who do.
BTW…those of you who say I am verbose get an A from the teacher. Congratulations and thank you for an accurate description. Most good teachers are pretty verbose, as they have to be able to communicate in a spoken or written fashion or they might be out of a job.
Again, I am good with the boss…or she would have banned me. Thankfully, I do have a few friends here.
So I'm not the only one
February 2nd, 2012
10:20 am
You just proved our point.
Figment
February 2nd, 2012
10:37 am
@MJG – just ignore the haters
My son enjoys video games and playing outside. He also enjoys cartoons on TV, playing pretend around the house, coloring and playing with his legos and hot wheels cars. All in moderation people, as we’ve said for the billionth time in the blog.
Video games are not a bad thing, I grew up with them and still play them to this day, everything from Atari 2600 to my PS3. It’s something I enjoy for a little downtime. It’s not my life nor will it by my son’s life while he lives under my roof.
Scooby
February 2nd, 2012
11:31 am
Looks pretty cool. I may want to get it for me.
Stacey
February 2nd, 2012
12:27 pm
I agree with others that say the concept is ingenious and I can see it being the wave of the future for gaming. My son played with this game at a display in Toys R Us and liked it but he doesn’t have a Wii. If it comes out for PS3 I can see my husband being just as excited about it as my son. My son has the Move system for PS3 (same concept as Wii) and loves it but there aren’t a lot of Move games on the market right now.
JOD
February 2nd, 2012
1:04 pm
I’m not knocking video games (we don’t play them right now…may in the future, though). I see this as the accumulation of more and more plastic junk that takes up a lot of space. Nothing against that stuff, I just sigh when I see it.
PS – Got AdBlock Plus, but I’m still getting bumped to the top of the page. There is JOY at not seeing the lame ads, though – thanks.
misawa
February 2nd, 2012
2:17 pm
I have to admit, in all honesty, that I have been stoked for Skylander to come out! I have been trying to figure out how I can finagle getting this for my son (turning 4 in April) – even if I’m pretty sure he won’t quite be able to comprehend it or play it.
Having been a gamer most of my life, I love “outside the box” concepts and thinking – even if they do come with add-ons that cost a little more. I like the direction the designers took for Skylander (at least, I say that having not played it quite yet).
catlady
February 2nd, 2012
3:24 pm
Voice–I agree about moderation, but as a very long-time teacher see/have seen far too many kids raised by the TV/video/gaming. For many of the kids I work with, it would be best to never have access to modern, entertainment electronics. I can frequently point out the kids whose lives are controlled by the electronics in their homes (including many who supposedly are low income).
My son (two young boys) has a radio in his home. They listen to a lot of music, especially bluegrass. They aren’t happy about the prevalence of poor choices available. I respect that. For 4 of the years I was in grad school, we had no TV or video stuff. We did have a VCR and played many Walt Disney movies (over and over). My kids were 14, 10, and 5 when I decided this. We had many other things we did, like family walks, board games, reading, volunteer work, and other things together.
My younger daughter (no children) and her husband do not have a TV either, although they certainly have computers and a DVD player. They work out, cook together, and enjoy socializing. This year they are having a small garden!
I guess you would say they don’t find that necessary for their lives.
My elder daughter married a TV/video/Nintendo lover, but she has helped him modify the way he spends time (2 young children will do that, too!)
Lori
February 2nd, 2012
4:23 pm
Kids rule – Who are you to judge who wears the pants in my family. The reason we have 14 toys is not because my son is the boss of me, but because he is not very enthusiastic about anything in particular, so when I find something he really enjoys, we try to indulge him on those things. I like to encourage him to take a strong interest in things, and that one thing really got him. He’s not a video game freak in general, so I’m not worried he plays too much.
Lori
February 2nd, 2012
4:25 pm
It’s nice to see your kid get excited about something every one in a while!
Lori
February 2nd, 2012
4:29 pm
And Purple Monkey Dishwasher – I was merely pointing out that there was no reason for personal attacks against fellow bloggers. Apparently you need to learn to read between the lines, as well as learn to not be a jerk!
Bravo
February 2nd, 2012
4:53 pm
The kids… What about me. This is very addicting and diabolical marketing. It is very cool and it works. I check Target regularly, but I have a backup stock of figures for Valentines Day and Easter.
K's Mom
February 2nd, 2012
10:01 pm
@JOD, I am with you on the “stuff.” We have too much of it and I am thankful that this will likely pass before the little guy would become interested….
Scott
February 3rd, 2012
7:37 am
Pretty ingenious idea, i can see it growing and love how it combines “figures” with a video game. Very cool how you can take the figures anywhere there is a ‘portal of power’. The figures are NOT console specific, only the game disc is. So, the figures you play with at home and power up/level up can be used anywhere so you can go to a friends house and plop your figure onto their portal and continue to collect gold/upgrades etc for that figure. Plus, they created a ‘web universe’ for skylanders where you can play with your figures online (kinda like a webkinz or beanies), to where you get coins etc and can add stuff to YOUR skyland, basically creating your own area. Plus they have a ‘mainland’ where you can go see other fellow skylanders (just like chatting) and be friends with them. Of course I would suggest not doing this for kids unless they know who they talk to, basically monitor it. Lastly, they are ‘figures’ even though they don’t have moving parts (YET) and my daughter will take them and play with them in her doll houses etc and mix and match with her other dolls/figures.
So, the kids are getting multiple uses out of the Skylanders game! Big pro/bonus in my opinion.
The con that steers folks away, which i think is hard to grasp is the cost. Obviously you CAN beat the story chapters (not the entire game at 100%) with the 3 figures that come with the starter kit. Now, even though your skylanders die and have to sit out, if you are out it asks if you want to try again and then it picks up where you left off and your skylanders are back to ‘life’. I know this because we had 7 skylanders to defeat one of the bosses and they all died but then it started over right at the boss. So, with the single packs ranging from $8 – $10, and 3 packs ranging from $20 – $25, there are 37 total figures right now, 3 of which come with the game, and 1 exclusive to the 3DS game, so you figure if we avg $7 per fig that’s a total of $217 total for figures alone. Add the avg of $50 for starter kit and we are at $267. THEN, there are 3 adventure packs that cost $20 each, which are cool because they add another chapter to the story as well as another figure, so add another $60 so far and we are sitting at a grand total of $320 rounding.
So, overall cost is high if you think about it, however, some could say “we don’t have to buy ALL of the figures etc”, and they are right, they don’t HAVE to. They could also spread it out over time (esp cuz not all of the figures are even out yet). It’s really up to each parent on how much they would want to ‘invest’ in this game. Just like other games/figures, do you have to have every collectible of it? i.e. CARS movie cars, people were snatching those up like crazy when the 1st movie came out to get everyone. Think about the $$ that parents spend on action figures for every movie/cartoon/novelty that comes out (Spiderman, Batman, Indiana Jones, Thor, Capt America, Dora, GI Joe, WWE, Cars, Pokemon, Bakagun, Beyblades, etc etc etc).
I feel the cost of each figure is pretty spot on with other action figures and collectibles out there in the market. Sure, they could sell them for $5 each, but they don’t, especially because right now the demand is there.
Overall, i feel it’s a fun game, novel concept, and has been keeping our family entertained for a couple months now. The gameplay is easy to pick up, only a few buttons to hit, plus it has humor and cuteness to it. My kids are 8 and 6 and they love it. They beat the story, but continue to play to get the figures leveled up as well as to find all of the hidden treasure, gems, etc. We have loved the lego games in the past, and this is just another type of adventure for us. The downside to it is it is not co-op online where you could play with friends online like you can sports games, Call of Duty, etc. That is the next BIG step they can make with this, offer it online co-op multi player.
In the end, i don’t care if they make more figures, my hope would be that they would come out with another Skylanders adventure part 2 sequel where we can use these same figures in that game. Perhaps fall/holiday season of 2012??!!
my 2 cents…
Tech Samurai
February 3rd, 2012
3:26 pm
Kids?!? How about adults too! Not only is the marketing ingenious, but the technology behind it is amazing too! I had put off buying the game for a few months, but broke down and purchased it last weekend. Not only to I love it but so does my daughter. There aren’t that many cute, fun old-school platformers for the Xbox so Skylanders is a gem. Plus it is one of the few non-Kinect games that my daughter and I can play together.
Reality, you DON’T have to buy all 38 Skylanders. You can beat the game with just the ones that came with it. If you want to get all the collectibles and explore all the areas, then you only need one Skylander from each element (3 are in the starter kit so you only need to get 5 more). Want to extend the gameplay? There are 3 adventure packs available, with a fourth coming soon. Ideally, Activision will hopefully release downloadble content or a Skylanders 2 to even further extend the gameplay so that buying those characters will not go to waste.
newblogger
February 4th, 2012
9:05 am
Great idea…ingenious marketing. But, thank goodness my boys are through the Pokemon, Digimon, Yu-gi-oh, Ninja Turtle, etc. collecting stages. I’ve done my time. My oldest is 21 and just hangs his head in embarassment when we remind him of the time he just couldn’t understand why we wouldn’t let him spend $100 on a Pokemon card that he was sure would be worth thousands in a few years. We still laugh at that! My youngest is 11 and would rather watch ESPN and yes, ride his bike, play soccer and defeat the Nazi’s playing outside with his best friend (he is in fifth grade and currently studying WWII). His teacher would be so proud!
Voice of Reason
February 6th, 2012
11:35 am
Want a time-sucking game? Try playing Skyrim. I just started playing it yesterday. There is so much you can do it’s crazy.
bob
February 8th, 2012
4:05 pm
I LOVE Skylanders I have a collection of 10 and counting. I am a 10-year-old boy and I love skylanders and you cannot make me change my mind.