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A Beginner’s Guide to Disney Infinity 3.0

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Disney Infinity 3.0 is the third entry in Disney Interactive’s flagship “toys to life” video game series, and by far the most expansive one yet. Newcomers to Disney Infinity and also video games in general may find it overwhelming, so I’ll try and break it down in an easy to follow guide.

The aforementioned “toys to life” genre consists of games with real life toys/ figures that are used to to play the game. While it started with Activision (the behemoth game publisher behind Call of Duty) and the Skylanders series, it has since grown to include Disney Infinity, Nintendo’s amiibo figures, and LEGO Dimensions which is coming this September.  Using the Disney Infinity Base, included with all 3.0 Starter Packs, Disney Infinity figures are placed on it to insert said character into the game world. The base acts as a way of unlocking content, as Play Sets pieces (I’ll explain those in a moment) and Power Discs are also placed on the base.

DisIn2Play Sets in 3.0 are single player games that take place in a specific world and use specific characters. Included with every 3.0 Starter Pack is the “Twilight of the Republic” Play Set. This Star Wars adventure contains a single player game set in The Clone Wars, which is the era in the Star Wars prequels between Episode II and III and was also the name of the animated TV series of which the Play Set is based around. Players use the two Starter Pack figures, Anakin Skywalker and Ashoka Tano along with certain other figures like Yoda and Obi-Wan Kenobi. At anytime, you can switch between characters if one of them is defeated, or you just want to change things up. These are purchased separately and have an icon on the box showing that it is compatible with the Twilight of the Republic.

Other Play Sets will be available, with an Inside Out one available on launch day, and other Star Wars Play Sets based around different eras coming soon. Each works with specific figures included with the Play Set along with marked figures sold separately. While it may seem limiting that only certain figures work with certain Play Sets, it is worth noting that each one follows a story and features voice-acting, and require different character abilities. So, an Inside Out character like Disgust not only would be out-of-place in a Star Wars  world, but also not well equipped to face off against Star Wars villains like Darth Maul. Play Sets are game entry exclusive, meaning that these will not work with Disney Infinity 2.0, nor will 2.0 Play Sets work with 3.0.

When it comes to mixing characters into the same setting, the other mode of the game, the Toy Box, provides ample room for using all kinds of characters in all kinds of situations. The Toy Box is many things, as you can create your own games within it, or download user created Toy Boxes. A multitude of items are available to build with and use in the Toy Box that are both unlocked with characters and Play Sets, but also acquired with the in-game sparks which are earned throughout the game. All Toy Box elements from the first two games will be available along with new elements. All released figures from 1,2.0, and 3.0 can be used in the Toy Box along with Power Discs which give you access to different vehicles, weapons, and power-ups (special abilities and gameplay bonuses given to the character in use). With items unlocked, players can also create their own Interior which is a house/mansion that you design and populate with “sidekicks”, mini versions of all kinds of Disney characters. Newly added to 3.0 is the ability to farm and build your own village, similar to the popular Nintendo series Animal Crossing. Toy Box Expansions are also going to be sold separately and add-on a full-fledged kart racing game, along with other kinds of levels/missions.

With so many figures to buy, from Mulan and Olaf, to Chewbacca and Sam Flynn, along with characters from the two other games like Sulley, Iron-Man, and Donald Duck, the collecting component of the game can become quite expensive. However you do not need to own everything to have a great time. Releasing this Sunday, August 30, Starter Packs retail for $64.99 and all pre-orders come with the Toy Box Takeover Expansion. Many figures, and Play Sets will not be released until next year, including  content based on The Force Awakens and a new Marvel Battlegrounds Play Set. Disney Infinity 3.0 is available for the Wii U, PS3, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and PS4. Each comes with a code to download the PC version for free. An Android and iOS adaption is coming that will only consist of the Toy Box mode. All figures and Power Discs are platform agnostic.

(Screenshots ©Disney)

Leave a comment and let me know what you think of Disney Infinity.  Are you excited for 3.0? Also, feel free to ask any questions!

Zack Kaplan is a Disney fan whose love for the house of mouse is only matched by his love for video games.  Having just graduated high school, he is looking forward to widening his Disney horizons with a trip to Disneyland Paris. You can reach him at zack@ofmickeyandmen.com or @ofmickeyandmen . For fun find him on other websites, he’s like a living hidden Mickey!

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About Lou Mongello

Lou Mongello is a former attorney who left the practice to pursue his passion, and is now a recognized Disney expert, author, speaker, and host of WDW Radio. Learn more…

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