Skylanders has always sold incredibly well on Nintendo platforms and for the past couple years the only new video game released for Nintendo’s Wii console has been the latest Skylanders installment. If Activision was to partner with any console maker for a killer exclusive it would be Nintendo, and they’ve done just that with a Skylanders SuperChargers amiibo crossover starring Bowser and Donkey Kong that is nothing short of amazing.
Amiibo figures shook up the Toys to Life gaming category last fall when they debuted in limited numbers and sold out immediately. To this day more than half of all amiibo figures are near impossible to find in stores as adult collectors gobble them up any chance they get.
One of my pet peeves with amiibo in general aside from Nintendo’s inventory issues is the inability to play with them in an action/adventure game. Amiibo act more like keys to additional content than an actual toy coming to life. As such their physical form holds more value than anything in-game has to offer thus far.
That concern goes away with the newly announced Hammer Slam Bowser and Turbo Charge Donkey Kong Skylanders SuperChargers figures. Or are they amiibo? The answer is both. At E3 last week I had a chance to handle both of these figures and was floored by the simple twist of the base that switched each from amiibo to Skylander. Please, Activision and Nintendo, find a way to partner on a massive amiibo action/adventure game that crosses over with Skylanders. The “sky’s” the limit.
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- Turbo Charge Donkey Kong
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- Hammer Slam Bowser
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- Clown Cruiser
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- Barrel Blaster
In-game both of these figures and their corresponding vehicles — Barrel Blaster for Donkey Kong and Clown Cruise for Bowser — look fantastic. Bowser and Donkey Kong are loaded with numerous attacks like their companion Skylanders and all of the attacks play homage to various incarnations of the character. Donkey Kong can tuck into a barrel and bounce around while Bowser can torch everything in sight.
Each of these “guest stars,” as Activision calls them, will bring along their own guest star for a special move. For Bowser there’s a koopa attack that will spit out a bunch of angry koopas onto the screen. Donkey Kong can summon along Diddy Kong for some vehicular mayhem.
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- Wii Starter Pack
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- Wii U Starter Pack
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- 3DS Starter Pack
The downside to this deal is that these two guest starring Nintendo characters and their vehicles are exclusive to Nintendo platforms. Hammer Slam Bowser and his Clown Cruiser vehicle come with the Nintendo 3DS or Wii Starter Packs, while Turbo Charge Donkey Kong and the Barrel Blaster bike are exclusive to the Wii U Starter Pack. All four figures and vehicles will play on all three Nintendo platforms, but you won’t be able to play as Bowser or Donkey Kong on Xbox or PlayStation systems.
Here’s the story behind this unusual but most welcome Toys to Life crossover.
In Skylanders SuperChargers, the evil Kaos has unleashed The Darkness to take control of Skylands. Fortunately, a special team of Skylanders known as the SuperChargers has been assembled to pilot an incredible fleet of vehicles with the power to travel through the destruction – over land, sea, and sky! But with Skylands on the verge of collapse, the Skylanders have reached out across all dimensions to call for reinforcements. Answering the call is the most unexpected duo – Donkey Kong and Bowser! Using their own elite vehicles to magically travel between worlds, they have joined the epic battle against Kaos and The Darkness!
Here’s a massive gallery of high resolution Skylanders SuperChargers amiibo crossover screenshots and artwork featuring Hammer Slam Bowser, Turbo Charge Donkey Kong, and their vehicles.
