CEBU, Philippines - In ancient times B.V.G. (Before Video Games), here’s how kids played:
Take all your toys — dolls, soldiers, cars, blocks, that thing you got from a cereal box — and dump them on the floor. Forget about logic or plot consistency because the most important goal is to create an entertaining adventure.
That’s the essence of “Disney Infinity†(for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii U, Wii). Why not let Buzz Lightyear ride Dumbo? Or invite Mickey Mouse to hang out with Wreck-It Ralph? There’s one limitation: the characters have to belong to The Walt Disney Co. But given the depth of Disney’s roster — which now includes “Star Wars,†Marvel superheroes and the Muppets — the possible combinations do seem endless.
The starter kit comes with figurines of Mr. Incredible, Capt. Jack Sparrow and Sulley, and “play sets†for their corresponding movies, “The Incredibles,†‘’Pirates of the Caribbean†and “Monsters University.â€
The initial play sets offer an engaging mix of video-game genres. The Incredibles leap tall buildings and battle evil robots. Capt. Jack engages in swordplay and commands a pirate ship. And the Monsters U. students conduct a stealthy war of pranks against their rivals at Fear Tech.
Each of these solo campaigns lasts about four hours, but you’ll want to spend more time collecting the hundreds of capsules scattered across each open world. They contain the components you’ll need to build your own virtual playground in the “Disney Infinity†Toy Box.
Your Toy Box begins as a small, flat plot of land that you can upgrade with trees, hills and other natural features. As you gather more capsules, you can add people, animals, vehicles and buildings. And if you’re ambitious, “Disney Infinity†gives you the tools to build drivable racetracks or playable pinball tables.