A new challenger has entered the competition for your hard earned cash. Disney Infinity was announced earlier this week. This new gaming platform will be familiar to anyone who has experience with the Skylanders franchise. Disney Infinity will use physical figurines and accessories which will appear in-game once placed on a separate peripheral, the "Infinity Base."
The game will include characters from several Disney franchises, including The Incredibles, Monsters Inc., Pirates of the Caribbean, Toy Story, Cars, Wreck-It Ralph, and The Nightmare Before Christmas. The starter pack will include three figures, their three respective "Play Sets," and the game itself. Both two player local co-op via split screen and four player online co-op will be supported.
Jack, Sully, and Mr. Incredible are in the Starter Pack.
Each Play Set is restricted to characters from that universe, so you won't see Mr. Incredible controlling a pirate ship in the regular game. There is, however, a Toy Box mode, which will allow players to have free reign over user created areas. Different tools and items can be unlocked and traded between players. Additional discs can be placed beneath each character to enhance their abilities. If you look closely at the Infinity Base you'll see a hexagonal port for "Power Discs," which include special items like vehicles. The possibilities are quite impressive. Watch the announcement trailer to get an idea for how it will all work.
Of course, this is going to cost a pretty penny. The starter set is priced at $74.99. According to Joystiq, each individual character (keep in mind, there are a total of 17 of them) has it's own in-game Play Set, and these will cost $34.99. A piece. And I thought 10 bucks for a Skylander figure was bad! Granted, the Skylander figure is just an individual character, but, just --wow! These Play Sets had better be pretty impressive at $35. The Power Disc bundles will start at $4.99.
Here's a list of what will be initially be available:
The Disney Infinity Platform includes:
· Disney Infinity Interactive Pieces – Initially a line of 40 collectible interactive pieces will be introduced that allow players to expand and customize their play experiences.
· Disney Infinity Interactive Character Figures – Seventeen character figures will allow players to experience a variety of their favourite characters in true to property experiences and in "Toy Box" mode.
· Disney Infinity Base – When figures are placed on the Infinity base, they unlock the world and play experiences of Disney Infinity.
· Disney Infinity Power Discs – Interactive discs can be placed on the Infinity base to power up characters and "Toy Box" with unique powers, customizations and gadgets.
Disney Infinity will support two player local co-op and four player online co-op. It is expected to launch on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii, Wii U, and 3DS this June. It's going to be an expensive summer.