A new year brings a new installment in Disney’s Infinity series. Beyond the highly anticipated Star Wars integration, what other surprises await within the toy box?
The modern gaming landscape presents numerous choices for consumers, particularly those interested in “toys to life” games. Alongside traditional console releases, three major franchises now compete for shelf space, requiring physical figure purchases for in-game integration. Nintendo offers amiibos, Activision presents Skylanders (whose accessory sales broke records with last year’s Trap Team, and a new iteration is forthcoming), and Disney, bolstered by its acquisitions of Pixar, Marvel, and Lucasfilm, continues to expand its Infinity universe. This concept centers around a Toy Box mode, allowing unrestricted character interaction and creation, and Play Sets, story-driven adventures specific to particular franchises – currently including Star Wars. Disney’s Infinity figures have consistently demonstrated superior aesthetic quality compared to Nintendo’s amiibos and Activision’s Skylanders. However, the core gameplay experience remains paramount, and past iterations have yielded mixed results.
With Infinity 2.0, the series transitioned to next-gen consoles (PS4/Xbox One) with a Marvel theme. In retrospect, our initial assessment may have been overly generous. Post-release engagement among both our editorial team and younger reviewers has been limited. While the introduction of Marvel characters was initially appealing, the Play Sets lacked inspiration; the included Avengers Play Set felt particularly sterile and uninspired, a stark contrast to the engaging Pirates Play Set from Infinity 1.0. Disney has addressed these shortcomings with the Twilight of The Republic Star Wars-themed Play Set included in the 3.0 starter pack. This offering delivers an exciting and varied experience, featuring lightsaber combat, speeder races, and space-based dogfights against Separatist ships. (The Empire content will be introduced later.) The Toy Box has also received enhancements, streamlining its interface and incorporating educational elements that reward tutorial completion. However, its primary appeal remains with established fans and those inclined towards creative construction akin to Minecraft. Fortunately, the platform facilitates easy access to impressive user-generated content, offering a wealth of mini-games and exploration opportunities.
Accompanying the release of Infinity 3.0 are two Play Sets: Star Wars: Twilight of The Republic, as previously mentioned, and Inside Out, based on the acclaimed Pixar film. Familiarity with the film enhances the game experience; otherwise, it may feel akin to a feverish Little Big Planet experience. The platforming gameplay is colorful and engaging but can be occasionally stressful, exhibiting challenging controls for younger players. All central characters from the film – Joy, Anger, Fear, Disgust, and Sadness – are included, each possessing unique superpowers that facilitate level completion. For example, Joy can glide, Anger is immune to lava, and Fear boasts unparalleled speed. A 3-in-a-row puzzle game offers the opportunity to unlock additional levels and challenges within the headquarters.
Infinity 3.0 launches alongside a selection of standalone figures, including Tron heroes, Mulan, Olaf from Frozen, and Mickey and Minnie Mouse. We anticipate future Play Sets that capitalize on the figures’ unique abilities to deliver engaging narrative-driven experiences.
The Star Wars Play Set, Twilight of the Republic, proved to be the most enjoyable experience for both adult and younger reviewers. Dedicated collectors can acquire a special edition featuring Boba Fett (also available as a standalone figure closer to Christmas). The starter pack includes Anakin Skywalker and Ashoka Tano (from Clone Wars); standalone figures available at launch include Obi-Wan (Ewan McGregor version), Yoda, Ezra Bridger, Kanan Jarrus, Sabine Wren, and Zeb Orrelios. Future additions include Darth Maul, Darth Vader, Princess Leia, Luke Skywalker, Chewbacca, and Han Solo. These figures are visually appealing and are prominently displayed within our editorial office, except when actively used within the game. The Star Wars universe provides a rich foundation for gaming experiences. 2015 marks a significant year for the franchise, with the release of a new film (Episode VII: The Force Awakens, in theaters in December), a large-scale FPS game from EA (Battlefront), and the integration of Star Wars characters into the Infinity universe. The narrative draws heavily from the first prequel film (Phantom Menace), offering the thrill of hyperspace travel, combat against enemy ships, exploration of iconic planets such as Tatooine and Coruscant, and encounters with familiar characters such as General Grievous, Jabba the Hutt, and Darth Maul. Developers at Avalanche, with assistance from Andy Serkis’ Ninja Theory studio, have refined the combat system, resulting in energetic lightsaber duels and strategic Force utilization. Mastering the timing of laser beam deflection adds a satisfying strategic element. The aircraft controls, however, required adjustments to achieve optimal responsiveness. The default motion-detection settings proved disorienting. Fortunately, the option to disable this feature and invert the Y-axis provided a more intuitive control scheme.
Twilight of the Republic incorporates numerous side quests, primarily of the “fetch quest” variety. However, the Star Wars setting elevates these tasks, allowing for encounters with memorable supporting characters and eliciting a sense of nostalgia. This Play Set resonated positively with reviewers of all ages. Despite minor bugs and occasional loading delays, we anticipate further Star Wars content within Infinity 3.0. The universe offers endless possibilities, and the current execution demonstrates a strong narrative, engaging gameplay, and overall relevance. Two additional Play Sets, Rise Against the Empire and The Force Awakens, have already been announced, and we eagerly anticipate their release, assuming they maintain a similar level of quality. Reviews will be available on senses.se in the future.
The play set Rise against the Empire is about the original trilogy and will be released later (date not confirmed at the time of writing)
Overall, Disney Infinity 3.0 represents the most refined and well-developed iteration of the Infinity series to date. Moving forward, we hope that Disney will implement a system enabling compatibility between older Play Sets and newer versions, (existing 1.0 and 2.0 figures are compatible with Infinity 3.0, however, the older Play Sets are not, and new 3.0 figures are exclusive to this version and later releases). Furthermore, we encourage Disney to leverage its extensive library of films and stories to create immersive Play Set experiences. The potential for Mulan, Frozen, The Lion King, Aladdin, or The Hunchback of Notre Dame Play Sets, with their rich environments and compelling narratives, is considerable. Realizing this potential would solidify Disney’s position as the leader in the “toys to life” genre. With the integration of Star Wars and the release of Infinity 3.0, Disney has made significant progress towards this goal.
The Fall season has been enhanced.
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