Hands on with Skylanders SuperChargers: racing, co-op, multiplayer & more

Last week I was invited to an intimate hands on demo experience of the latest entry in the Skylanders series, SuperChargers. This was the first time I was able to really see the game and I was pretty excited since the premise is a departure from what we expect from Skylanders. The most intriguing feature they let us try out was the new online multiplayer and co-op modes which will be making its debut with Skylanders SuperChargers.

We were treated to demo the PS4 version of the game and were given a handful of different characters and vehicles to choose from. In the first demo, we all took part of a race using sea based vehicles. You choose your Skylanders and vehicle, which can be any from the series and not limited to the new ones. The benefit of choosing the appropriate character with their vehicle is the special attacks geared for each pair.

Skylanders SuperChargers – event photos:

We also had the opportunity to check out was a race using sea vehicles. I chose newcomer Dive-Clops with his Dive Bomber sub. He was reminiscent of a family friendly Big Daddy from the Bioshock series. Now we begin the race, only it’s not just any race. SuperChargers’ races are combat based like Mario Kart. I was excited to see the game expand to more than the traditional story mode.

The game ran smooth and we only faced minor bugs that will be worked out before the release. For example, someone hit me with an hourglass power-up that slows you down significantly and it stuck around on me longer than it should. I still had a blast and know kids of all ages will enjoy this new addition to Skylanders.

Another portion of the game we played allowed us to control a veteran Skylander, Stealth Elf, with upgrades including her new Stealth Stinger which is an organic stylized helicopter. We went through a mini course like an arcade style shooter to see who can score the highest. This portion is a little slower paced, which is welcome compared to the high speed racing component.

The last section of the game we got to play was another race, this time with land vehicles. I stuck with my previous character Dive-Clops, but chose Hot Streak, a flaming muscle car that was a blast to use. The race plays just as good as the previous demo but the levels each accommodate the appropriate vehicles.

With the sea levels, you have the ability to dive underwater and find new shortcuts and secrets. The land levels show more of a focus on drifting, ramps, and going off road which is just a small taste of the diversity this entry in the series holds. I can’t wait to try the story mode including the Nintendo exclusives Turbo Charge Donkey Kong and Hammer Slam Bowser.

Skylanders SuperChargers races to all platforms on September 20th, 2015.

Take a look at a number of new gamescom screens and official toy images below.

Skylanders SuperChargers – toy images:

Skylanders SuperChargers – co-op / multiplayer screens: