Buy Disney Infinity: Marvel Super Heroes

Inspired by Activision's Skylanders franchise, Disney Infinity mixes real-world toys with video game action. There is a special USB-connected accessory that allows players to put special Disney Infinity-branded toys on the base and use them as characters in the game. The toys level up as they are used and can be used on any Disney Infinity game on any system, so kids can go over to a friend's house and continue the game with a pal. In addition to the figures, there are also special "play set" toys that add themed story modes to the game.

The original Disney Infinity toys were based on Disney properties, such as "Frozen," "Pirates of the Caribbean," and "Tangled." The new Disney Infinity 2.0: Marvel Super Heroes adds support for a new line of Marvel superhero play sets, and existing Disney Infinity characters can reach the new level cap of 20. Disney Infinity 2.0 is backward compatible, but Marvel-branded heroes won't work on the original game. Any parent whose kids enjoyed the original game will need to upgrade.

Disney Infinite 2.0 is built as a traditional action/platformer. The core gameplay mechanics are easy for any young kid to pick up. Every character has a set of core moves, though the specifics depend on who you're using. The Hulk and Gamora are better in melee combat while Hawkeye and Rocket Raccoon are better ranged fighters. Each character levels up and gains new abilities and attributes off a skill tree, which allows further customization. You can build Black Widow to focus on her ability to damage enemies, her durability, or to be a melee powerhouse. You can reset spent skills at levels 10 and 20, so players can change if they dislike how a character has turned out. Certain characters also have special abilities, such as Iron Man's power to fly or Spider-Man's web-swinging. You can swap players at any time by removing the toy from the base and replacing it with another.

When compared to the previous game, Infinity 2.0 seems to have a greater emphasis on combat than platforming, though that perhaps is due to the superhero theme. Fortunately, combat is quite fun. The core melee combat is fast-paced and easy, and you can bounce from enemy to enemy and easily dodge enemy attacks. Ranged combat focuses largely on locking onto enemies and shooting them repeatedly. As you advance in combat, you'll get more variety like more powerful throws, missile barrages, invisibility and so on. Much like the LEGO franchise, there is little punishment for death and a lot of rewards for smashing up the environment. You can find sparks to unlock new features in the game, experience points and restore health.

The game structure is divided into performing various missions for quest-givers in the play sets. Each of the three play sets included with the starter pack are based on a current popular Marvel property: Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Ultimate Spider-Man. The gameplay is fun, though the quality varies from set to set. Guardians of the Galaxy was a bit more fun than Avengers, which degenerated into repetition too quickly. There's a good mix of combat and platforming to be found. In addition to the play sets, there are smaller play sets that unlock minigames based on Marvel events, such as an attack on Asgard or helping Rocket Raccoon escape from prison. These minigames are fun but more simplistic than a "true" play set.

If there's one problem with the basic systems, it's that the characters are unequal. One of the first characters I picked out was Rocket Raccoon, as the recent movie made him a favorite of mine. Unfortunately, Rocket Raccoon is a ranged character, which means he starts off weak and uninteresting. He has only a single laser blaster and an ineffectual shoulder charge. Leveling him up made him more fun to play, but it took some time to get him up and running. In comparison, Iron Man is fun from the first moment. He can shoot laser blasts, he's effective in melee combat, and he can even fly.

Compared to, say, LEGO Marvel Super Heroes, Disney Infinity 2.0 doesn't do a very good job of making every character feel viable. It's certainly accurate to canon, but this would be a place to stretch things a bit to make sure everyone is having fun. This is especially apparent in big, open city areas. Characters who don't have some form of fast travel are stuck using much less-interesting vehicles. It's a great way to make kids frustrated. Why wants to be stuck walking along with a laser pistol when you could be a super-powered awesome character?

This is alleviated somewhat in the Toybox mode, which is akin to something like Minecraft. Players are given a robust and interesting editor mode that they can use to create a "toybox" of their own creation. This can be anything from a city that you can swing around in to a complex platforming level or a small interior house that you can decorate and customize. You begin with a selection of toys you can use in the Toybox and unlock more by completing missions in the various play sets. While you're in Toybox mode, the slot on the USB play base can be used for various power discs, which unlock new abilities for characters. My random selection of discs included a Spider-Man-themed hoverpad and a pair of glowing throwing knives that replaced my ranged weapon. In Toybox mode, there are no limitations to the characters you can use, so it's a great way to play your favorite character.

The Toybox mode is a really interesting and robust feature. I was able to play through some of the stages that other players made and saw some really cool games, including a replica of Castlevania that provided a surprising platforming challenge. The mode's biggest problem is that it might be too complex for young kids. There's a detailed tutorial that explains the concepts and mechanics, but it lacks the simplicity of Minecraft. I was able to create some basic things, but it'll take some time and dedication to make anything significant. The levels that other players have shared are proof that the toolbox is impressive but not for everyone. Fortunately, even if kids aren't interested in building things, they can partake of another player's levels. None of the Toybox missions are up to par with the paid play sets, but they're impressive efforts.

There is one warning that I have to give to parents who purchase this game. Much like Skylanders, Disney Infinity 2.0 is all about getting you to purchase more toys to go along with the base game. The core title has a fair amount of content for the money, but the way the game is designed strongly encourages players to purchase more. A number of the Toybox features are locked behind toys that must be purchased. They're still visible and stand there as a neon beacon, so players must get mom or dad to buy them a Guardians of the Galaxy set.

Like Skylanders, the game also has several mechanics that strongly encourage players to pick up new toys. Each of the three play sets included with the starter pack features cross-over character tokens. Collecting these tokens allows you to unlock the ability to use characters in other play sets. You can, for example, collect Iron Man tokens in Guardians or Rocket Raccoon tokens in Avengers. This only means that if you get the toy, you can use it. There's also the blind-bag "power packs" that contain a semi-random selection of power-ups, abilities and mini-games. These are much cheaper than figures but are sold in trading card packs. In short, this is not a title that a parent can buy and forget about, so be prepared.

As far as the toys, they're a mixed bag. Each toy is in a set position with little to nothing in the way of articulation. Each is also stuck to the base necessary for the game to function. This makes them a little iffy as actual toys. Kids can obviously have fun with even the simplest of toys, but they're not going to replace a full-fledged Iron Man or Groot figure. The little toys look rather nice, are well sculpted, well posed, and are really quite charming. They're great for displaying on shelves or desks, so they make great collectibles.

Visually, the game is also quite nice. The characters are well animated, bright and colorful with a host of great expressions. I was particularly fond of the body language and facial expressions in the Guardians of the Galaxy play set. I liked some of the Guardians more in the game than I did in the movie. The character animation is simple, but it has a nice amount of detail. The voice acting is a bit of a hodgepodge. For the most part, it is quite good, but it can be distracting when characters try for different versions of the same characters. Iron Man sounds and acts almost nothing like the movie version, which is odd when he's surrounded by characters trying their best to be a sound-alike to their live action counterparts. It's a minor flaw, and the acting is mostly charming and cute.

Disney Infinity 2.0: Marvel Super Heroes is a solid update to the existing game. It mostly adds polish and new content to the existing gameplay, and it does a good job. The biggest flaws are in the game's somewhat-inconsistent level design and the poor balance between characters. The latter is particularly egregious in a game where you have to spend $15 per character, and it's very possible to end up with a dud. It's a solid game for kids, and it features a whole lot of content and a fun Toybox mode that really sets it apart from Skylanders. Assuming you're willing to shell out the money for the experience, any Disney-loving kid will have fun with this title.

Score: 8.0/10