I just got this video in my e-mail about the next version of Skylanders. It is called Skylanders Swap Force and it looks fantastic. They’ve taken the Skylanders theme and added a whole new gimmick, or divided it, or multiplied it actually. Check out the video.

So it looks like if there are 256 combinations that there will be 16 new characters for this game. 16 X 16 is 256 and if my math is correct then that is the number of figures times the number of combinations of those figures or something like that. A nice thing for our wallets actually. From the video there seems to be at least 6 of the characters revealed. They are (My best guess on the elements).

Water Element – Wash Buckler – A Pirate Octopus
Fire Element – Blast Zone – A Fire Robot
Life Element – Stink Bomb – A cross between a Gecko and a Skunk
Tech or Earth Element – Magna Charge – Robotic figure with a Magnet on his head and a plasma roller bottom.
Water Element 2 – Freeze Blade – Looks like an Ice Skating cat of some sort
Undead Element – Night Shift – A Boxing Saber Tooth Tiger or Vampire

Tech Element – Countdown – A Bomb with Missile hands – http://twitpic.com/c17pt9
Undead Element – Roller Brawl – Female Character with a Buzzsaw rollerblades- http://twitpic.com/c17kr5

I don’t know yet if previous figures will work in the game but if history is any indication they may very well work with the game. I can’t see Activision shooting itself in the foot by encouraging people to buy and collect so many Skylanders figures for Skylanders: Spyro’s Adventure and Skylanders: Giants and not be able to use them in this third incarnation.

Official Word on the Skylanders Game Facebook Page – And YES! ALL of your Skylanders will work with the new game!

I hope to learn more about this game at Toy Fair next week! I’ll definitely report it here.

Update : – After seeing Roller Brawl and Countdown I am thinking that the Swap-able Characters are more the size of giants and there will be regular sized characters as well as those two figures to not look to be swap-able.

Another Update via the Skylanders SwapForce site.
Here’s what is coming in terms of characters.
What Skylanders are in the new game?

• 16 SWAP Force Skylanders characters
• 16 new Skylanders characters
• 8 LightCore Skylanders characters
• 16 returning Skylanders characters with all new in-game powers and abilities

Some great new features in SwapForce including the ability to JUMP. Check out this video of gameplay