Classic Skylanders Figures Become Eon’s Elites This Fall

While Nintendo’s Amiibo line of interactive figures is just starting to take shape, the original toy/game hybrid franchise, Skylanders, is introducing a new line of all-star figures that power up some of the series’ most beloved characters.

Announced at San Diego Comic-Con on Thursday, July 24, Skylanders Eon’s Elite series will take eight of the best characters from the game’s original release, Spyro’s Adventure, and re-release them with new metallic paint jobs, new decorations and an exclusive metallic gold base. Polygon reports that the line will launch with two characters, Spyro and Chop-Chop, with six more figures to be announced before their fall release.

Eon’s Elite figures won’t just see cosmetic changes. The re-tooled figures will be up to three times as powerful as their non-elite counterparts, representing the biggest stat boosts ever seen in the series. In-game, the eight characters receive their power boost after being selected as having demonstrated “undaunted courage and commitment" in the defense of the Skylands.

Activision has done a great job of keeping older figures playable and relevant as new editions of Skylanders have been released. With Eon’s Elite, they’re taking that mentality to the next step by making classic figures into some of the most powerful players in the Skylanders universe. Of course, they also get to re-package old sculpts and make a ton of money with little expenditure, so it’s kind of a win/win.