There are a lot of Skylanders. In 2011 the original game came out with 32 characters (36 if you count recolours) and the number has only grown from there. Now there is somewhere around 200 figures and the cool often quirky character design probably has a lot to do with the series still going strong six games later. With so many skylanders it’s impossible to make a definitive list of the best but here is mine.

5. Boomer

There are a number of trolls in the Skylanders universe but Boomer is the only one on the side of good. He came out fairly early and while he wasn’t the coolest looking he was fairly hard to find. He was well worth the hunt though. He throws dynamite, blows stuff up and is one of the strongest characters I have ever played as. Also his pants are made out of hair.

4. Spotlight

When Skylanders first launched all the figures belonged to one of eight elements. It wasn’t until Trap Team that they added more and even that was a bit of a surprise as they were announced and released months after the game’s original launch. Spotlight was one such skylander, belonging to the brand new light element and sporting a sleek character design. Spotlight was nice addition to the roster.

3. Stealth Elf

I have always really enjoyed Stealth Elf, ninjas are always cool after all. Going invisible when playing against other people, bladed scarecrows of death, she is all kinds of fun. I’m not the only one who seems to like her because she has the most figures of any one skylander. With four unique models and a number of recolours, one of the more powerful elite figures and even the mini Whisper Elf, there is a Stealth Elf for everyone.

2. Hotdog

A lot of skylanders have cool abilities. One can shoot rainbows, one has exploding watermelons and another rides a skeletal ostrich who sticks it’s head in the ground to have it pop up elsewhere on the screen to attack. The best ability though is on the fire loving puppy from Skylanders Giants, Hotdog. One of his attacks is a fiery bark which is nothing exciting until you pick the upgrade path that adds bees to his bark. Why is a dog barking bees so cool? It’s a Simpsons reference that’s why.

“Oh yeah, what are you gonna do? Release the dogs? Or the bees? Or the dogs with bees in their mouth and when they bark they shoot bees at you?” – Homer Simpson

1. Spyro

The title character from the first game and the main reason I bought it myself. He was certainly put in the game to tug at the nostalgia of those who played his games when they were young and now how kids of their own. While he was more than likely used to as a means to get more money he is still enough like his old self that it brings back good memories. He can shoot fireballs and better yet he has his charge which fills me with all kind of good memories of killing sheep.

~~Amanda Swartzentruber~~