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Apr 12, 2001
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Upcoming Skylanders game Trap Team will see a simultaneous release on both consoles and tablets, according to Activision. The full Skylanders Trap Team game will be available on the iPad when it is released in North America on October 5, marking the first time a complete Skylanders game has been made available on Apple's tablet.

Trap Team on the iPad will offer the same gameplay experience as the console version, with high-quality graphics and a dedicated Bluetooth controller that will be sold alongside the app in a Skylanders Trap Team Tablet Starter Pack. The Traptanium Portal controller will come with a built-in tablet stand, two Skylanders characters, two Traps, and a display tray that "lets Portal Masters keep track of the Traps they've collected and which villains they have trapped."

trapteam.jpg
While the game has been designed to take advantage of the included controller, players are also able to play Trap Team using on-screen touch controls. Third-party controllers will work with Trap Team as well.

As described by our sister site TouchArcade, the Skylanders line of action-adventure oriented games meld toys with virtual games, asking players to purchase little plastic figurines that sport NFC chips. These chips allow the physical characters to be imported into the video game through a plastic mat called the "Portal of Power."

Trap Team takes place after Skylanders: Swap Force, with players taking on the role of Portal Master to use Trap Masters and traps to re-capture all of the villains that escaped during the previous game.

The Skylanders Trap Team Tablet Starter Pack will be available beginning on October 5, and will retail for $74.99. It can also be pre-ordered from Amazon.com.

Update 3:10 PM PT: The controller included in the Skylanders Trap Team tablet bundle only works with the Trap Team app and is unable to work with other third party apps.

Article Link: Full 'Skylanders Trap Team' Game Coming to iPad With Bluetooth Controller, Energy Portal
 

stiligFox

macrumors 65816
Apr 24, 2009
1,480
1,319
10.0.1.3
If the controller is a standard MFi controller, it'll be cheapest one yet. I wonder how quality it's construction is...
 

seamer

macrumors 6502
Jul 24, 2009
426
164
If the controller is a standard MFi controller, it'll be cheapest one yet. I wonder how quality it's construction is...

Article says "dedicated" which really sounds like "the controller is tied to TT only, haha suckers".
 

charlituna

macrumors G3
Jun 11, 2008
9,636
816
Los Angeles, CA
If the controller is a standard MFi controller, it'll be cheapest one yet. I wonder how quality it's construction is...

most game controllers aren't really super high quality. They aren't laser carved out of a block of Aluminum with diamond chamfered edges etc. They are plastic and probably cost about $10 to make. But sell for 5 times that. This is merely in line with it.

What is more important is that a console level game is going to be released on the iOS system. That's rather huge. Especially so quick for at least an announcement. This tells us that the companies are embracing the whole Metal thing. Hopefully we will see more of this. Like Disney Infinity, perhaps some early Nintendo, Steam etc. It would also be great to see Myst and Riven updated as they still rather lack what the computer games had. Perhaps even ports of some of the other classics like the Kings Quest series and those cheesy "Carmen SanDiego" games. Really no excuse at this point on the tech side.
 

seamer

macrumors 6502
Jul 24, 2009
426
164
Massive skylanders fan - looks like an expensive October just got a little more expensive .....

Haha yeah. Discussing with my wife on whether to get the ipad version for travelling with the kid. Her concern is lugging 100+ figures on a plane. I'm thinking that he can play this thing wherever he wants.

And it gives me hope that they're going to fix Lost Islands. ;)
 

MRU

macrumors Penryn
Aug 23, 2005
25,368
8,948
a better place
Haha yeah. Discussing with my wife on whether to get the ipad version for travelling with the kid. Her concern is lugging 100+ figures on a plane. I'm thinking that he can play this thing wherever he wants.

And it gives me hope that they're going to fix Lost Islands. ;)

I think I'll wait for reviews of the mobile version before picking it up, I've already got the dark version ordered for the PS4 :) Swap Force is a beautiful game on next gen. Plus I have standard edition pre-ordered for Wii U - so not sure I really can justify another copy. If only we could just buy an adapter for the portal and the game off the iTunes app store at a discount and I'd jump at it, but another €60 .... mmm


I think most folks think the game is just a kids game, but seriously turn the game onto HARD or HARDCORE and you have a game that would give Diablo 3 a run for it's money, especially the console version which looks so dull compared to the vibrant world of skylanders.

Hundreds of collectables, tons of secret missions, battle areas and challenge zones, branching upgradable paths for each character ... I must be over 100 hours racked up on SwapForce .. Can' t wait for TT.
 

ricktat

macrumors 68000
Feb 18, 2013
1,896
1,707
Anyone find the Ipad compatibility?

Found this on a few sites. So I was going to get a mini for my kid this week.... But this will be a big mess once this comes out and it doesn't work.

Devices that support the latest Skylanders Trap Team include :

- Apple iPad 3rd Generation, iPad 4th Generation, iPad Mini Retina, iPad Air
- Kindle Fire HDX (7” & 8.9”)
- Google Nexus 7 (2013)
- Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro (8.4”, 10.1”, 12.2”)
- Samsung Galaxy Tab S (8.4”, 10.5”)
- Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 (2014), Galaxy Note Pro 12.2
 
Last edited:

stiligFox

macrumors 65816
Apr 24, 2009
1,480
1,319
10.0.1.3
Anyone find the Ipad compatibility?

Found this on a few sites. So I was going to get a mini for my kid this week.... But this will be a big mess once this comes out and it doesn't work.

Devices that support the latest Skylanders Trap Team include :

- Apple iPad 3rd Generation, iPad 4th Generation, iPad Mini Retina, iPad Air
- Kindle Fire HDX (7” & 8.9”)
- Google Nexus 7 (2013)
- Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro (8.4”, 10.1”, 12.2”)
- Samsung Galaxy Tab S (8.4”, 10.5”)
- Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 (2014), Galaxy Note Pro 12.2

I'm guessing it won't work because the controller requires LE Bluetooth, or something like that. MFi controllers don't work on the iPad 2 or non retina mini.
 

nutmac

macrumors 603
Mar 30, 2004
6,043
7,288
If the controller is a standard MFi controller, it'll be cheapest one yet. I wonder how quality it's construction is...

MFi controller market strikes me as a huge missed opportunity. Apple should build a reference controller as a way to drive App Store adoption, giving more incentives for hardware makers like Logitech to try harder.
 

Pakaku

macrumors 68040
Aug 29, 2009
3,119
4,359
What is more important is that a console level game is going to be released on the iOS system. That's rather huge. Especially so quick for at least an announcement. This tells us that the companies are embracing the whole Metal thing.

I thought there had been console games on iOS already, like Mirror's Edge and Dead Space. Or are those crippled somehow and not at the console level?
 

jclo

Managing Editor
Staff member
Dec 7, 2012
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PocketSand11

macrumors 6502a
Jun 12, 2014
688
1
~/
Honestly, the support is already out there for regular old Bluetooth controllers. My jailbroken iPhone can use them, plus Wiimotes too. There's no need for Apple's own standard. It just makes things way, way more expensive.
 

keysofanxiety

macrumors G3
Nov 23, 2011
9,539
25,302
Honestly, the support is already out there for regular old Bluetooth controllers. My jailbroken iPhone can use them, plus Wiimotes too. There's no need for Apple's own standard. It just makes things way, way more expensive.

I'm pleased you've said this because that's always one thing that confused me, and it's answered my question (sort of!). I don't understand why a Bluetooth PS3 controller can work perfectly fine on a Mac/PC but somehow is completely incompatible when it comes to iOS devices.

It's not even like Apple are manufacturing these MFI controllers. What on Earth do they have to lose for adding compatibility with 360/PS3 controllers? It would mean that people can use the hardware they already have, and in turn will encourage developers to create apps which utilises this pre-established, huge hardware business -- thus giving Apple more business/limelight in the process, and increasing the gaming platform on their iOS devices.

Is there something obvious in this argument that I've overlooked, or ...? :(
 

Michael73

macrumors 65816
Feb 27, 2007
1,082
41
So when my son is at home he can put the iPad in AirPlay mode and play this on the big screen and when out is can play on-the-go?!? Sounds good to me. ;)
 

MRU

macrumors Penryn
Aug 23, 2005
25,368
8,948
a better place
So basically the app is free on the app store, I hope then they come to their senses and offer JUST a bluetooth portal for people who will also be picking up console versions.
 

Iamthinking

Suspended
Jul 31, 2010
184
3
These NFC addons must die

This reminds me of the ubfunkeys my son begged me to buy him at great expense for a game that never really worked. After a few hours of trying to get the USB keys to jibe with the game, we gave up and never looked at it again. Cost=$100 ; entrtainment value = 25 cents.

I'd rather use the c-note to light the campfire than buy any more of these ripoff gimmicks.
-iamthinking
 

PocketSand11

macrumors 6502a
Jun 12, 2014
688
1
~/
Is there something obvious in this argument that I've overlooked, or ...? :(

All I can think of is that Apple will likely collect licensing revenue from these controllers like they do with Lightning accessories. Also, once someone has invested in iOS-only controllers, he's less likely to switch to a different platform. But Apple doesn't have enough market control to do this. I still agree with you that it would be better for them in the long run to put in compatibility with PS3 and 360 controllers (plus all the other generic ones).
 

sprale

macrumors member
Oct 23, 2007
69
1
Republic of Texas
Has anyone else noticed that the portal for the tablet version eats through batteries? The controller seems fine, but we're changing the portal batteries almost daily. Rechargeables help, but at this rate I wish I'd have just bought the portal for the Wii, and let them play the tablet version as a standalone on the road.
 
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