Having achieved success with Skylanders Cloud Patrol and Skylanders: Lost Islands, it was only a matter of time before Activision brought a more console-like experience to iPhone and iPad. The result, Skylanders Battlegrounds, doesn't mirror Skylanders Giants, but it carries a similar appeal, thanks to strategic combat, a wealth of Skylanders characters and, for the first time on iOS, integration with the franchise's Portal of Power.
That said, the game is unique in that players control up to two Skylanders at once, with the goal of thwarting Kao's warlord army. The developers broke each level into a grid, and players drag a finger across it to instruct their Skylanders to move. The game is turn based in this regard, as each move causes enemies to shift. Should both Skylanders and bad guys occupy the same space, the game transitions to battle mode. Here, users point out which creatures they want their Skylanders to attack, and the characters respond in kind, unleashing a plethora of devastating ranged and melee strikes. Survive a set number of enemy waves, and the game rewards the player with virtual currency, experience points and other goodies before returning to the current grid, whereupon which the person continues onward to complete the current objective, be it tackling a particularly nasty troll, or gathering lollipops.
Both grid movement and battles work quite well. In regards to the former, it's possible to avoid most encounters by studying enemy patterns. With the latter, pulverizing baddies couldn't be simpler (you literally draw a line to the intended target) and each Skylander possesses signature abilities that deal more damage. The game also includes Portal Master power-ups, and these come in quite handy. Chief among these items, sticks of dynamite, anvils and health potions, to name a few.
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