Skylanders SuperChargers lets you pilot a hovercraft, spaceship & more with all-new vehicles

The rumours were true: the Skylanders are taking to the land, sea and air later this year with Skylanders SuperChargers, a new vehicle adventure game heading to PS4, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS3, Wii U and iPad on September 25.

Developed by Skylanders: Swap Force creators Vicarious Visions, Skylanders SuperChargers lets players get behind the wheel of up to 20 different vehicles, including cars, motorbikes, tanks, speedboats, hovercrafts, submarines, jet fighters, helicopters, rockets and spaceships to drive, fly and sail their way across Skylands like never before.

One vehicle – the Hot Streak Supercar – is included in the game’s Starter Pack, with others available to purchase separately or in packs with the new SuperCharger figures.

Yep, as well as having vehicles to collect in this year’s game, Skylanders SuperChargers also introduces a brand new type of Skylander capable of modding them with cosmetic and stat-boosting upgrades. 20 SuperChargers will be available in total with one of them – Spitfire – included in the box.

All existing Skylanders can drive vehicles, but only the new SuperChargers seem to be able to mod them. Vehicles can only be driven during specific vehicle sections, however, with the on-foot sequences remaining similar to the gameplay found in previous games. Sea and air vehicles are only required to access bonus areas, and are not needed to complete the main game.

Earlier portals will be compatible with Superchargers, too, meaning that if you’ve already bought Giants, Swap Force or Trap Team, you don’t need to worry about picking up the new SuperChargers portal. Plus, if you’re thinking about buying the game on PS4, Xbox One, Xbox 360 or PS3, you’ll also have the option to purchase a digital Portal Owner’s Pack, which includes a downloadable copy of the full game and digital versions of the Hot Streak Supercar and Spitfire SuperCharger. All physical toys and vehicles will be compatible with the digital version.

The physical SuperChargers Starter Pack, meanwhile, will include the game disc, the new portal, the Hot Streak Supercar, Spitfire SuperCharger Skylander and the new Sure Shot Stealth Elf.

The new portal doesn’t include some features found in earlier portals, however, suggesting it may not be backwards compatible with earlier games. The speaker introduced in last year’s Trap Team is missing, for example, and while traps are still compatible, players can no longer use them to trap and play as enemies. Instead, SuperChargers uses traps to grant players special ammo for vehicles. For example, placing a water trap in the portal will offer players water ammo.

It also isn’t yet clear whether Activision has plans to offer a physical version of the game without the new portal, nor is it known how the price will differ between the physical and digital versions.

A “different, complementary experience” to Skylanders SuperChargers will also be available on Wii and Nintendo 3DS, although Activision has yet to detail exactly how that will be different to the main game.

Nevertheless to hear more about what to expect from this year’s game, have a listen to our thoughts on it in the video below or continue reading for our in-depth summary.

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW:

• 20 vehicles will be available in total, including tanks, motorbikes, speedboats, hovercrafts, deep-sea exploration vessels, spaceships, rockets, the Dive Bomber submarine and Sky Slicer jet fighter. One vehicle – the Hot Streak Supercar – is included in the Starter Pack.
• 20 new SuperCharger Skylanders will be available, too, including a new bird character Stormblade and spirited speed demon Spitfire, who comes included in the box.
• All existing Skylanders are compatible with SuperChargers, and are able to drive every vehicle.
• While vehicles can be driven by all Skylanders, only SuperCharger Skylanders are able to mod them. Modding lets players customise each vehicle’s look and improve its armour, handling, top speed and acceleration by finding Mod Chests hidden throughout each level.
• Pairing up a specific SuperCharger Skylander with a specific vehicle unlocks additional modifications, too. For example, pairing Spitfire with the Hot Streak unlocks bonus mods for the car.

• There are three vehicle types: land, sea and air. However, they can only be driven during specific vehicle sections, which are locked in a similar way to Elemental Gates. Only a land-based vehicle (such as the one included in the Superchargers Starter Pack) is required to finish the game.
• As well as offering access to bonus items, vehicle sections also include optional objectives. For example, the sea-based section of the Skylantis level tasks players with destroying a storm generator, which affects the rest of the level.
• Unlike Skylanders, vehicles do not have bases, and have been designed to be played with in the real world. Cars, for example, have actual wheels, while planes have articulated wings. Skylanders don’t physically sit in the vehicles, either. Instead, they are placed alongside the vehicle on the Portal of Power.
• Four SuperCharger Skylanders have been revealed so far, including Spitfire, Stormblade, Dive-Clops and Sure Shot Stealth Elf.
• Vehicles will be available to purchase separately or in packs with SuperCharger Skylanders. Prices for the vehicles, SuperChargers and packs have yet to be confirmed.

• The story once again sees players defending Skylands from Kaos, who is threatening to use a new sky-eating superweapon.
• Each level features a unique concept. Skylantis, for example, obscures enemies and items behind volumetric cloud, while another is set on a ‘crazy farm’ that lets you shrink and grow animals. A third is set on the back of a moving dragon.
• While a new portal is available for SuperChargers, it is not required if you already own an existing portal. Instead, existing players can download the Digital Portal Owner’s Pack, offering access to the full game and a digital version of the Hot Streak vehicle. Physical Skylanders and vehicles remain compatible with the digital version.
• The new portal features a new design but does not include the speaker found in last year’s Traptanium Portal.
• Traps are compatible with SuperChargers but do not let you capture and play as enemies. Instead, traps are used to provide additional elemental ammo to your vehicles. Attaching a water trap, for example, will provide you with additional water ammo.

• Traps with a villain already inside will grant players a Skystone featuring that villain.
• Skylanders SuperChargers is being developed by Vicarious Visions, the team behind 2013’s Skylanders: Swap Force.
• The physical Starter Pack contains the full game plus the new portal,the Hot Streak Supercar, Spitfire SuperCharger Skylander and the new Sure Shot Stealth Elf.
• Due for release on PS4, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS3, Wii U and iPad on September 20 in North America and September 25 in Europe. The Wii and Nintendo 3DS will also receive a “different, complementary experience”. Price TBC.

CONFIRMED CHARACTERS & VEHICLES:

Spitfire (Included in Starter Pack) (Element: Fire)

Stormblade (Element: Air)

Sure Shot Stealth Elf (Included in Starter Pack) (Element: Life)

Hot Streak (Included in Starter Pack) (Type: Land | Element: Fire | Signature Driver: Spitfire)

Dive Bomber (Type: Sea | Element: Water | Signature Driver: Dive-Clops)

Sky Slicer (Type: Sky | Element: Air | Signature Driver: Stormblade)

Source: Activision