Skylanders Swap Force Games

Oct. 1, 2013 at 1:04 PM ET Here's a billion-dollar idea: Toys that kids can play with inside a video game, as well as out in the real world. Activision proved that in 2011 with "Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure." The small plastic figurines that lit up on screen may not have been as interactive as your favorite G.I.

Skylanders Swap Force is hands down one of the most ambitious family-focused video games ever conceived. The third core entry in the Vicarious Visions series aims to take the toys-to-life genre it spawned to dizzy new heights with a dynamic swapping mechanic that enables players to create new Skylanders by combining existing characters.

As wave 1 of Skylanders Swap Force approaches, details of character upgrades show how the mix and match feature is leveraged in game. Also, news of wave 2 and wave 3 seasonal variants appears on the Skylanders.de website.

You'll never guess who stopped by my house Friday for a visit. Two Activision employees, a copy of "Skylanders Swap Force" and a Sony PlayStation 4 were in M4d Ski11z's Man Cave to spread some next-generation love. Chris Wilson, an Activision producer who worked on "Swap Force" walked me through the demo.