Check out the New Skylanders Trap Team Toys

Skylanders Trap Team is the latest version of Activision’s billion-dollar franchise that allows the publisher to double dip into the toy and video game realm. New this year is the ability to defeat villains and then capture them using a mysterious resource known as Traptanium, fancy pieces of plastic that fit into the redesigned Portal of Power.  Once that happens, the hapless evildoer fights for good. In addition, trapped characters talk to gamers via a speaker inside the Portal.

Not only is this a smart idea on the developer’s part in terms of exciting gameplay, but it also introduces more things to buy. Yes, you’re free to enjoy the core game with the Trap Team Starter Pack for your console of choice ($74.99), but to unlock its full potential, you’ll need to pick up Traptanium and a variety of new Skylanders figures that come with signature abilities.  It’s the old Barbie with a new hat concept, except in this case, you have snarling lizards brandishing swords, and a dinosaur with a helicopter blade on its back.

With this in mind, Activision sent a small sampling of the new toys to check out, so here’s a sneak peak at what you can expect to find on store shelves when Skylanders Trap Team releases October 5.

First up are the Trap Masters, each of which sell for $15.99. These guys are among the coolest Skylanders figures, largely because of their size and detail. You can’t miss even one Trap Master on a collector’s shelf.

Obviously, the game’s developers named each character after its appearance.  The Trap Master on the left carries a large hammer, hence the name Wallop. Jawbreaker, meanwhile, comes with a healthy set of chompers.

Then we have Wildfire, definitely a must have because of the shield and fireball. From our experience, you cannot remove accessories from a figure’s hands, which cuts down on the clutter.

If you can’t afford all of the Trap Masters, Activision sells the average sized Skylanders Trap Team figures for $9.99 a piece.  Here are two of our favorites, Chopper and Funny Bone.

The $9.99 figures are not as big as the Trap Masters, but still pack plenty of detail.

From there, we move on to the Minis. These pintsized Skylanders come in packs of two, but despite their diminutive appearance, retail for $14.99.

Finally, Traptanium! Naturally, each Skylander belongs to a unique elemental type, be it Magic, Water, Air, Fire, etc., and it’s in your best interest to (for example) pair Earth with Earth to capture a villain. We’re not yet sure how much individual pieces cost, but Amazon sells three-packs for $15.99.

Now let’s see what comes inside the Skylanders Trap Team Starter Kit!

Which Skylander is your favorite? Let us know!