Skylanders: Giants vs The Legend of Spyro: A New Beginning
Side-by-side comparison of features, pricing, ratings, and alternatives.
Skylanders: Giants is the 2012 direct sequel to Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure, blending physical toy collectibles with video game action. Players place real-world action figures onto the Portal of Power to bring them to life in the fantasy adventure. Featuring brand new characters known as Giants who are twice the physical size of regular Skylanders, the game introduces expanded gameplay mechanics, puzzles, and enemies. Developed by Toys for Bob and published by Activision, it continues the beloved action RPG and hack-and-slash franchise experience.
The Legend of Spyro: A New Beginning explores the true origins of Spyro as you embark on a dangerous, combat-driven quest that will bring you face to face with the Dark Master's ultimate creation, Cynder. Experience the true power of the purple dragon as you unleash devastating fury attacks, upgradeable breaths and ground to aerial melee combos in a frenzied battle with hordes of menacing enemies and bone-chilling bosses. Developed by Krome Studios and published by Sierra Entertainment, this cinematic experience delivers action-packed gameplay across multiple platforms. Players can dive into a rich storyline featuring memorable voice acting, challenging boss fights, and powerful elemental abilities tailored for fans of classic action-adventure platformers.
- Engaging toy-to-life integration that kids love
- Fun cooperative local multiplayer gameplay
- Introduces larger and more powerful Giant characters
- Expands upon the successful formula of the first game
- Engaging combat system with upgradeable moves
- Cinematic presentation and voice acting
- Diverse elemental breath abilities
- Memorable boss encounters
- Requires purchasing additional physical figures to experience all content
- Can become an expensive hobby due to toy purchases
- Core gameplay loop feels similar to the predecessor
- Camera angles can occasionally hinder platforming
- Difficulty spikes during certain combat arenas
- Shorter overall runtime compared to open-world titles
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The Verdict
AI-generated from listing dataThe Legend of Spyro offers a single-player, story‑driven combat adventure at a lower price, while Skylanders: Giants adds toy‑to‑life and local co‑op at a higher cost and extra hardware.
Key differences
- •Spyro is pure single‑player action‑adventure; Giants adds physical toys and local cooperative play.
- •Price: Spyro $39.99 vs Giants $59.99 plus optional figures.
- •Combat focus: Spyro emphasizes upgradeable elemental breath and melee combos; Giants centers on hack‑and‑slash with Giant characters.
- •Replay value: Spyro has a shorter, linear campaign; Giants offers ongoing toy collection and character progression.
Gameplay & fun factor
Giants adds toy‑to‑life interaction and co‑op, expanding play styles beyond Spyro's solo combat.
Platform availability
Both are console titles released for similar platforms; no platform advantage specified.
Price & value
Spyro costs $39.99, while Giants costs $59.99 and may require extra figures for full content.
Multiplayer / co‑op
Giants supports local drop‑in co‑op; Spyro is single‑player only.
Content & replayability
Giants includes collectible toys, character progression, and multiplayer replay loops; Spyro has a shorter linear story.
Difficulty & accessibility
Spyro's difficulty spikes are noted but it has no hardware barrier; Giants adds toy setup complexity.
Graphics & performance
Both released in their era with comparable console graphics; no performance data provided.
Choose Skylanders: Giants if…
A family or group who enjoys collectible toys and local co‑op despite higher overall expense.
Choose The Legend of Spyro: A New Beginning if…
A solo player who wants a narrative‑driven action platformer without extra hardware costs.
Common questions
Do I need to buy extra toys to play Skylanders: Giants?
Yes, additional physical figures are required for many characters and content.
Is Spyro: A New Beginning suitable for a single‑player experience?
Yes, it is designed as a single‑player game with a cinematic story.
Which game offers better value for the money?
Spyro costs $39.99 and includes the full game; Giants costs $59.99 and may need extra figures, making Spyro the better value.