A new version of the miniatures game by Disney has reached the shelves, namely "Disney Infinity 2.0". This game, in close alliance with Marvel brings us new miniatures and an upgrade on the existing system of playing. But is it an improvement? I think it is..
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| New, and improved! |
Disney Infinity 2.0
"Disney Infinity 2.0" is a sandbox third person platform game, in which you control one of the miniatures that you can place on a base and load into the game. This is a well known principle known from their biggest competitor "Skylanders". On this base, you do not only load the characters, but also the playset in which you want to play. At the moment, there are 3 play sets available, "Marvel's The Avengers", "Marvel's Spiderman" and "Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy". Next to the playsets, there's always the Toy box, in which you can let your imagination roam wild! You can build your own environments where you decide what's possible. The building blocks are unlocked by playing, and collecting blue shards. These blue shards can then be used to buy new blocks, buildings, vehicles, ...
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| Just one of the great starter sets |
Look at all these mini's
Disney really picked up the pace, and already at release gifts us the possibility of more than 30 miniatures spread over 3 playsets. Let's be clear, it isn't possible to use all miniatures in every playset, though some can be used in different playsets. All miniatures (even the one of the first Disney Infinity) can be used in the Toybox though. These miniatures can be powered up even further by using (and buying) power discs. These power discs come in 2 varieties. The round ones improve your miniatures power by giving them extra power-ups. The hexagonal ones gives you special toys that can be used at any time. New are the hexagonal power-ups that contain new missions. These expand the lifetime of your playset, and can be used in the Toybox.
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| That's gonna hurt a lot of wallets |
Your miniatures can not only be boosted by using power-ups, but in Disney Infinity 2, your miniatures gain experience by collecting orange shards. These shards are earned by destroying your opponents, annihilating surrounding in the playset, or completing quests. Once you gain enough shards your level increases (up until level 20). By gaining a level, you can spend that point on improving your miniature's fire power, health or even learn new attacks.
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| He can fly, throw his Mjolnir, and get even stronger! |
How about all my previous figurines?
Well, Disney did include backward compatibility. Thanks to this, you're able to play with all your "Disney Infinity 1" figurines, and use all your Power Discs in the toy box.
Unfortunately the fact remains that you're still not able to take along your character in every story. Although this does make sense, it surprises me that you aren't able to play with Nick Fury in "The Avengers", but are able to buy him in the "Spiderman" set. This is most likely because he's your main mission-giver in "The avengers", but it would have been nice to have more cross-over characters.
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| Fight good vs bad in the Toybox |
I love playing with these toys!
Even when you're through with the playsets, and wasted hours on levelling those miniatures, the game has just begun. Disney Infinity 2.0 brings us an improved Toybox. In this Toybox you are able to create your own sandboxed worlds with all the items you've collected throughout your travels. Creating your own world is explained in some very easy to follow tutorials. Those tutorials have been refined so you're now able to create the worlds you specifically want. Be it a fighting world, or a racetrack, you'll find the helper you need.
Thanks to the worldwide web, you don't even have to create your own world, as the game allows you to download the best examples created by other users, and try them out yourself.
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| Your only limit is your imagination |
Verdict
Disney Infinity 2.0 is a big improvement on the previous version. Not only has their cooperation with Marvel made it possible to play with some of the most popular characters of this moment, but it makes for some great stories in the playsets. With the added capabilities of the miniatures and the new upgrade system, Disney really has taken a step in the right direction. The extra's you can buy with power discs are more worth the buck this time around, with included new missions! Next to that, the toy box overhaul makes it possible for even the less-imaginary of us to create some wonderful worlds in which to play. Given their big startup line, and the promise of further expansions, Disney has opened the war on miniature-video gaming!
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