The toys-to-life genre exploded around the 2010s when Skylanders popularised the idea of using NFT based toys as a means of interacting with a videogame. Sure, there were other projects the utilised a peripheral or other physical elements to unlock or engage with a digital experience, but Skylanders really opened the floodgates for a wave of toys-to-life titles.
While I never got into the Skylanders scene myself there were two specific brands that I was really excited about, LEGO Dimensions and Disney Infinity, both of which spoke to my inner-child’s desire to see the multitude of IPs falling under each of the brands interacting in their respective projects. Was one more successful in achieving this goal? Yup. Does that mean the other was less entertaining? Nope. Where LEGO Dimensions really leaned into colliding the various franchises under the Warner Brothers and LEGO IPs and created some truly memorable moments such as Portal’s GLaDOS meeting HAL 9000, Disney Infinity brought the ‘Disney Magic’ to its project with great collectibles and special experiences.
I honestly had a ton of fun playing through the subsequent releases of the game.
From the first reveal I was amped for Infinity, the idea of collecting a range of uniquely designed Disney characters to use in conjunction with the game was cool, and the micro-adventures they had created for these characters had serious potential. The concept being that players would be able to play through story moments in playsets themed around an IP, unlocked by physical playset pieces, and then a Toy Box Mode for cross-brand interactions. There are most certainly some shortcomings we could talk about when it comes to how Disney handled the interaction between characters, and the obvious cost associated with engaging with the project, but I would rather ramble about fun stuff. Fun being sailing the seas as Captain Jack Sparrow, blasting enemies on an alien world as Buzz Lightyear, or creating my own level in a toybox themed around TRON.
I honestly had a ton of fun playing through the subsequent releases of the game, each new iteration adding more characters and worlds to explore. This is where I refer to the Disney Infinity Experience, the excitement for a bunch of new figurines to add to my collection and seeing which brands they would be bringing into the game. From Sam Flynn and Quorra to Obi-Wan Kenobi and Kanan Jarrus, having characters I like released as stylised little figurines was awesome – then taking those characters into the game was just as awesome. Plus, all the little nods to other Disney brands like Gravity Falls and Treasure Planet added that magic I associated with the videogame.
So, when I say I miss the Disney Infinity Experience, I guess I am saying that I just miss a bit of the joy those kinds of games brought to the medium. I miss being allowed to be a big kid who collected a bunch of figurines. Having changed how I engage with gaming, and how my desire to collect everything has shifted, it’s nice to remember when I collected a bunch of toys from things that I love.
