Skylanders: Combatants

Skylanders: Combatants is a 2016 video game co-developed by Toys for Bob and Vicarious Visions and published by Activision. It is the sixth main installment in the Skylanders franchise, serving as a sequel to 2015's Skylanders: Fan Wiki. In Skylanders: Combatants, a new team of Skylanders called the Combatants unite to defend Skylands from a new, powerful enemy. The game was released worldwide on October 7, 2016 for PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Wii U, and Nintendo 3DS, The game was released on PC a week later on October 14, 2016. Vicarious Visions later ported the game to iOS devices on November 18, 2016. Additionally, the game was released as a launch title for the Nintendo Switch on March 3, 2017. Finally, the game was released as a launch title for the Atari VCS in July 2019.

Skylanders: Combatants received positive reviews from critics and fans alike and sold 12.5 million copies, making it the best-selling game in the series.

Gameplay
As with its predecessors, Skylanders: Combatants allows the player to take control of a large variety of characters known as the Skylanders by placing their associated toy on a near-field communication device known as the Portal of Power. Once said character is placed on the Portal of Power, he/she instantly becomes playable in the game itself. All Skylanders from the previous games are fully compatible with Combatants. The core of the game is focused on platforming, fighting, solving puzzles, and exploration. Elemental Gates make a return in this game, and can be unlocked by any Skylander as long as they are of the correct Element. Players now have the ability to control the in-game camera, a feature that was absent in previous Skylanders games. The game supports both local and online multiplayer for up to two players in the game's main campaign. PvP mode makes a comeback after being absent from the series since Skylanders: Trap Team, and also supports online multiplayer.

One of the new primary game mechanics are the Combatant Skylanders. Each Combatant is associated with one of ten Combat Classes, all of which determine their fighting style; the ten Combat Classes are as follows: Smasher, Brawler, Sorcerer, Bowslinger, Knight, Swashbuckler, Sentinel, Quickshot, Bazooker, and Ninja. Additionally, Kaos has his own unique Combat Class, which is named after him. Combatants are the only Skylanders who can access special Combat Zones in the game. These are similar to the SWAP Zones from Skylanders: SWAP Force, whereas there are multiple zones scattered throughout most of the levels, and they can only be accessed by a Combatant of the same Combat Class (which is identified by the symbol on the front of the base of their toy). Each Combat Zone features a mini-game tailored to Combatants of said Combat Class, which reward the player with a special item (i.e. hats, trinkets, Legendary Treasures, Winged Sapphires, etc.) upon completion. Skystones Combat, an updated version of Skystones from Skylanders: Giants, is featured in this game, where players use and collect Skystones featuring the new Combatant Skylanders. Players can unlock alternate costumes for the Combatants during gameplay, which affect the stats of each character. Each Combatant has their own unique "Finishing Move", a devastating attack that deals a massive amount of damage to all enemies on-screen. However, these moves can only be used when the player collects enough Combat Orbs to fill up the Finishing Move gauge of the Combatant that is currently in use. Combat Orbs can be obtained by defeating enemies, found in treasure chests, or earned by completing objectives and side quests. Currency for Combat Orbs are as follows:


 * Blue = 10
 * Purple = 25
 * Green = 50
 * Yellow = 100

Additionally, players will encounter mystical beings known as the Senseis throughout the game. These heroes are the mightiest warriors in all of Skylands, and will help train the Combatants in their battle against the forces of evil. Players can assign one of their Combatants to a Sensei to help boost the stats of the former and reduce the number of Combat Orbs they need to perform their Finishing Move. (Note that a Combatant can only be assigned to a Sensei of the same Combat Class.) A Combatant can still train with a Sensei even if the player is not playing as them, or even if the game is turned off. Additionally, a Sensei can be summoned using a physical Sensei Coin that allows them to assist the Portal Master and the Skylander during missions. However, they can only be used for a short amount of time and can only be used a few times per level. The functionality of the Sensei Coins is as follows:


 * Bronze = 10 seconds; 3 times per level
 * Silver = 20 seconds; 5 times per level
 * Gold = 30 seconds; 10 times per level

Senseis are completely optional, and the player can complete the entire game without using them.

In addition to the game's story mode, there are several additional game modes available to the player.


 * Score Mode - The player can replay any past levels trying to beat the target high score.
 * Time Attack Mode - The player can replay any past levels trying to set the fastest record time. (You can not play the boss levels in Time Attack Mode.)
 * Bonus Missions - Bonus levels that are unlocked as the player progresses through the game.
 * Heroic Challenges - These are mini-games that are unlocked by adding a Combatant Skylander to your collection. Upon completion, they will grant your Combatant with enhanced stats depending on the challenge. (Only Combatants can access Heroic Challenges.)
 * Combat Challenges - This mode grants the player access to any Combat Zones they've completed in the journey through Skylands. These can be completed for additional rewards.
 * Elemental Arenas - Special battle arenas that can only be unlocked by a Combatant of the same Element. There's even one for Kaos! (Once an Elemental Arena is unlocked, any Skylander can enter it.)

Crash Bandicoot and his arch-enemy, Dr. Neo Cortex, appear as playable guest stars in Combatants and they unlock the Thumpin' Wumpa Islands level upon being added to your collection. This level has iconic gameplay features present in most Crash Bandicoot games. Additionally, Donkey Kong and Bowser were added to the game in March 2017 to coincide with the release of the Switch. Donkey Kong and Bowser are exclusive to the Wii U, Nintendo 3DS, and Nintendo Switch versions of the game, while Crash and Cortex are compatible with all versions.

Development
A sixth Skylanders game was confirmed by Activision in February 2016, with a planned release date of "Fall 2016". Vicarious Visions began development of Combatants immediately after the completion of SWAP Force, and the game's development cycle is approximately three years. Toys for Bob was brought on board to co-develop the game alongside Vicarious Visions following the release of Trap Team, marking the first time the two studios have directly worked side-by-side to work on a Skylanders game.

With the franchise's fanbase growing older and older with each installment, Activision instructed the two teams to make, "A more mature, dark, and serious game that will cater to a new generation of fans, while not alienating the consumers who helped get this series off the ground." Activision even brought in a handful of long-term Skylanders fans to get an idea of what the next Skylanders game should be like.

Following the Nintendo Switch Presentation on January 13, 2017, Activision announced that Skylanders: Combatants would be released on the console as a launch title.

Following the release of the Atari VCS in July 2019, Activision announced that the game would be a launch title for that console as well.

Air

 * Eaglewise Blindsighter101 (Sorcerer)
 * PetStarPlanet (Swashbuckler)
 * Dreamcatcher (Ninja)
 * Phantom Dreamcatcher

Water

 * Sirena (Swashbuckler)
 * Perma (Knight)
 * Gulper (Sentinel)

Earth

 * Gravel Cannon AdamGregory03 (Bazooker)
 * Golden Queen (Sorcerer)
 * Dark Golden Queen

Life

 * Chompy Mage (Bazooker)
 * Jingle Bell Chompy Mage
 * Crash Bandicoot (Brawler)
 * Donkey Kong (Brawler)

Tech

 * Taze (Brawler)
 * Dr. Krankcase (Quickshot)
 * Dr. Neo Cortex (Sorcerer)

Undead

 * Cursed Cutlass BHCreations (Knight)
 * Wolfgang (Bowslinger)
 * Dark Wolfgang

Fire

 * Dragon Gauntlet BCtheBoss (Brawler)
 * Dark Dragon Gauntlet BCtheBoss
 * Chef Pepper Jack (Swashbuckler)
 * Seasoned Chef Pepper Jack
 * Bowser (Smasher)

Magic

 * Pain-Yatta (Smasher)
 * Party Time Pain-Yatta

Light

 * Amilla (Smasher)
 * Dark Amilla
 * Luminous (Knight)

Dark

 * Nightshade (Brawler)
 * Steel Plated Nightshade

Kaos

 * Kaos
 * Ultimate Kaos

Trivia

 * This marks the first mainline Skylanders game to be rated Teen.
 * This also marks the first mainline Skylanders game not to be ported to the Wii.
 * Despite being similar to Skylanders: Imaginators, many of the concepts for Combatants were conceived before the former game was even announced. As a result, some elements were taken from Imaginators for  Combatants, and improved upon.