Meta's comprehensive reviews: Skylanders: Swap Force
Developer(s): Vicarious Visions
Publisher: Activision
Genre: platformer
Subgenre(s): action, shooting, racing, puzzle
Players: 1-2 local
Rated: E10 for Everyone 10+ (cartoon violence)
This game is funner than your average kiddie game.
TL;DR:
+ You don't need to buy any additional figures to finish the game
+ You can start on Hard which makes it more fun
+ Figures remember their level and what gear you equipped
+ Each character is unique
+ You can skip cutscenes
- Repetitive combat outside of bosses
- Most characters can't dash, sprint or fly so travel is slow
- Upgrading abilities costs too much
- Swap Force-specific characters won't work in original Skylanders or Giants
? Why do we need separate "portals" for the 360 and XB1 versions
No extras; achievements are straight-forward. You'll need to complete the story at least twice.
Note: this review covers both the 360 and XB1 versions as the only differences are visual.