About Skylanders Academy

Skylanders Academy is the hub where your Skylander first appears when you select Story from the main menu (after completing Chapter 1: Soda Springs), and where your Skylander returns after completing a story Chapter, an Arena (if you spoke with Brock), or Kaos Challenge Mode (if you interacted with the Kaos statue). The buildings are under construction and unavailable at first, but Mags opens new areas as you complete chapters of the adventure.

The Courtyard

Your Skylander begins each trip to Skylanders Academy on a stone path overlooking the Courtyard. The character at the other end of the path is often the one you talk to in order to begin the next part of the adventure. The Villain Vault is a few steps farther. Use the Villain Vault to learn more about Villains, and to switch them into your traps.

The floating platforms near the Villain Vault lead to a mysterious portal. When you place the Magic Items Mirror of Mystery or Nightmare Express on your Traptanium Portal, use this portal to reach those worlds. Descend the steps on the side opposite of The Courtyard of the mysterious portal to reach Persephone.

Persephone’s Treehouse

Persephone remains in The Courtyard, trading Skylander upgrades for gold, but she’s not far from her Treehouse. Go inside her treehouse to collect a few coins and the Elemental Diamond Trinket.

Courtyard Tower

Complete Chapter 2: Know-It-All Island and hop over the gap between the mysterious portal area and the red carpet. Use the switch to enter Courtyard Tower. It’s a large, open room filled with coins that you can visit one time during each trip to Skylanders Academy. The coins reappear each time, and there’s a Trinket you can collect once, Iris’ Iris.

Main Hall

When the Main Hall first opens after Know-It-All Island, there are more closed off areas than spots to visit. Auric’s shop is available immediately, and he adds to his inventory throughout the adventure. Interact with the hot air balloon image near the fireplace to create a shortcut between the Main Hall and The Courtyard.

The first new area in the Main Hall appears after Chapter 3: Chompy Mountain. Mags has a slot machine-like device that spits out valuables. Brock opens the Rumble Club after Chapter 4: Phoenix Psanctuary, and Crossbones introduces Skaletone Showdown at the same time.

The Great Chimney

Inside the Main Hall, look for a switch near the fireplace. It opens the way to The Great Chimney. It’s similar to the Courtyard Tower, where you can visit it once per trip to Skylanders Academy and it also has a Trinket, the Big Bow of Boom.

Upper Hallway

Opened after completing Chapter 6: Rainfish Riviera, the Upper Hallway doesn’t have any attractions of its own, but houses the Hat Store and Game Room.

The Kitchen

The Kitchen appears off the Main Hall after the completion of Chef Zeppelin. Hit the floating dodecahedrons in the cauldron with an attack from a Skylander of the proper element to destroy them. Destroy all the dodecahedrons to earn rewards. Each trip back from a Story chapter adds new elements to the cauldron. The Kitchen is also the location of Kaos’ quest.

The Crystal Caverns

Opened by placing the Legendary Geode Key in the Kitchen, the Crystal Caverns are a special area only available to Mini-Skylanders.

Hat Store

Hatterson opens a store off the Upper Hallway. He has a quest for Hood Sickle, and once it’s complete he offers a selection of Legacy Hats for sale. His inventory includes hats for sale in previous Skylanders adventures.

Hat Store Inventory

Skaletone Showdown

Skaletone Showdown is a rhythm game where you take on some of the most famous (and infamous) characters from all of Skylands. It’s not just for Skylanders, either. Captured Villains can play, too!

Look for the Skaletone’s frontman, Crossbones, in the Main Hall. The statues behind him represent the people trying to join the band. Complete additional Story chapters to unlock the full roster of showdown challengers.

Interact with a statue to begin a showdown against that character. You must select a difficulty. Higher difficulties offer more gold, but you need to be good to earn it.

There are three stages to a showdown. The first and last stages prompt you to press the proper button when it crosses into the gold box on the screen. Accuracy increases your score multiplier, so no missing means bigger scores. The middle stage is a freestyle jam. Mash buttons and shake the controls sticks as quickly as possible to fill the meter. Fill the meter to earn a medal.

Game Room

The Game Room opens after events in Chapter 6: Rainfish Riviera. Dreadbeard offers to play Skystones Smash inside. Jump on the nearby Element-based platforms with a matching Skylander to move up higher. Reach the top and claim your prize. After you collect the Legendary Rocket in Chapter 13: Future of Skylands, the Game Room has the portal to reach the Observatory.

Academy Defense Tower

Once you complete Chapter 7: Monster Marsh, a new area opens up off the Main Hall. Go past Mags and her slot machine to reach the Academy Defense Tower. There are coins to collect in the area, a Trinket to find, and a Troll Radio for entertainment.

Outer Walkway

Go up the stairs near Crossbones to reach the Outer Walkway. The Outer Walkway connects the Main Hall to The Grand Library.

The Grand Library

The Grand Library opens after your visit to Mystic Mill. It has two hidden areas, which both contain Trinkets, to explore. One is The Archives. Look on the wall not far from the quick travel portal. The other secret location involves Quigley and a mini Skylander. The book in the upper right corner of the library brings up the Skylander collection menu.

Legendary Treasures

Use the Legendary Treasures you collected during Story chapters to decorate Skylanders Academy. Most Legendary Treasures are simple visual upgrades, but some do more than improve the Academy’s visual appeal.

Legendary Treasures

The Archives

The Archives is a coin-filled room you can revisit one time for each trip to Skylanders Academy. There is also a Trinket to collect here.

The Reading Room

Speak with Quigley while a mini Skylander is on the Traptanium Portal. He sends your Skylander to The Reading Room. Here you can find Stealth Elf’s Gift.

The Observatory

To get to the Observatory, you need to find the Legendary Rocket in The Future of Skylands. On your next trip to Skylanders Academy, go to the Game Room and place the Legendary Treasure to create a portal to the Observatory. The Observatory has a telescope you can use to observe the rocket orbiting a moon. If it looks familiar, you might remember it from the opening credits! You can find Spyro’s Shield in the Observatory as well.