Summary
- Toys For Bob has a diverse range of games, from sci-fi action-strategy to skateboarding and movie IPs, showcasing their ability to master different genres.
- The studio's work on the Skylanders franchise, particularly Skylanders: Giants and Skylanders: Trap Team, received praise for expanding on the original game's foundations and introducing new features.
- Toys For Bob's early game, Star Control, left a lasting legacy by inspiring critically acclaimed games like Mass Effect and Stellaris, showcasing their ability to push boundaries and innovate.
A body of work does not get more varied than that of American video game developer Toys For Bob, who began its existence in sci-fi action-strategy games before graduating to video game genres such as skateboarding, movie IPs, and games cross-compatible with physical toys to name just a few. Like many overlooked developers, gamers will be surprised to learn that Toys For Bob has been operating for over three decades, releasing its first video game in 1990.
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Its larger body of work aside, Toys For Bob rocketed into the mainstream in the 2010s with the release of the first entry in the Skylanders series and, since then, has carved out a name for itself reinvigorating beloved platformers like Spyro the Dragon and Crash Bandicoot, as well as assisting developer Infinity Ward on Call of Duty titles such as Call of Duty: Warzone and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2022). With such a decorated and varied development history, Toys For Bob has been behind many well-received games during its time in the industry.
10 Disney's Extreme Skate Adventure
Admittedly, the royalty that is the Tony Hawk series has been unchallenged in the skateboarding genre since the first entry's release in 1999. However, when Toys For Bob took licensed Disney and Pixar properties and stuck them in an extreme sports skateboarding game based on Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4 with simplified controls, the resultant mix was refreshingly fun and engaging.
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Praised as enjoyable for children and adults alike, Disney's Extreme Skate Adventure allows players to kickflip as Simba and rail-grind as Buzz Lightyear through various worlds. With a plethora of single-player and multiplayer options to choose from, Disney's Extreme Skate Adventure is a surprisingly deep and engaging experience for both young gamers and veterans.
9 The Unholy War
With massive fighting game franchises like Mortal Kombat and Tekken taking up a sizable amount of space within the genre, it is easy to forget that there exist many other fighting games that were well-made gaming experiences that were positively received. One example of this is Toys For Bob's 1998 effort The Unholy War, which put a sci-fi spin on the genre.
Not one to be tethered to one genre, Toys For Bob added a layer of complexity with the addition of a "Strategy" mode which created a rare fighting-strategy genre mash-up. The Unholy War is proof that, even in its early days, Toys For Bob was pushing boundaries and looking to innovate.
8 Skylanders: Giants
The second entry in the physical toys and video game merging series Skylanders, Skylanders: Giants does more of what its predecessor began, albeit in a more polished and expansive manner. This is by no means a criticism however, as the sequel is a fun-filled jaunt through colorful levels that adds a host of new characters, including eight of the eponymous Giants.
With new additions joining the existing set of heroic Skylanders, Skylanders: Giants further builds on the foundations of the previous game. Furthermore, with gamers' older figurines being forwards-compatible with the sequel, their entire Skylanders collection can join in on the fun.
7 Star Control
Back in 1990, Toys For Bob released its first-ever developed game in the form of Star Control, a sci-fi action-strategy game. Rich with in-game lore and showcasing a layered combat system, Star Control was a runaway hit on its release, with players in awe of the game's strategic elements and thrilling one-on-one spaceship combat.
Reviewing well and being the recipient of multiple accolades by the video game press are not the only reasons why Star Control is still remembered fondly over thirty years later, with the game creating a lasting legacy by being lauded as the inspiration for the critically acclaimed Mass Effect series as well as fellow sci-fi strategy game Stellaris.
6 Skylanders: Trap Team
After two games before it, one would be forgiven in assuming that Toys For Bob had nowhere else to go regarding the Skylanders franchise when the third entry Skylanders: Trap Team hit the shelves in 2014. However, the ever-industrious Toys For Bob shook up the format with the third entry yet again while also keeping fan-favorite features intact.
Skylanders: Trap Team not only introduces a large cast of new heroes to collect, but it also allows players to "trap" villainous enemies to directly control them as good characters. With this new mechanic and a plot tasking players to round up the most infamous villains in Skylands after a prison break, Skylanders: Trap Team is bound to delight fans of the franchise.
5 Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure
With the first entry in the Skylanders franchise Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure, one will find a lovingly crafted gameplay experience with colorful characters, a vibrant world, and innovative use of peripherals.
There is no question that Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure kick-started a video game franchise that captured the attention of children and adults alike, providing an engaging collect-a-thon experience for new gamers while exuding a nostalgic feeling for veterans of the genre. While the franchise has gone on to spawn multiple sequels, it is this first entry that began the Skylanders hype and laid the foundations for those entries that came after.
4 Star Control 2
With 1992's Star Control 2, Toys For Bob managed to create a video game that joins the exclusive group of games that overtook their originals in terms of positive critical and public reception. Eschewing the strategy element of its predecessor, Star Control 2 includes an open world (or indeed in this case an open galaxy) where players are tasked with recruiting alien races as allies to free an enslaved Earth.
Expanding on in-universe lore, fans of the series preferred the streamlined yet expansive nature of the second entry. Much like its predecessor, Star Control 2 garnered many accolades from the video game press, such as inclusions on various "all-time best game" lists.
3 The Horde
A servant boy raised by wild cows (seriously) named Chauncey inadvertently saves the king of his land from choking to death and is subsequently rewarded with land on which he can develop his own township, the catch being that said land is under constant assault from ravenous red monsters. If this synopsis catches one's interest, then one should play the hybrid genre video game The Horde.
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Released in 1994, The Horde shows off Toys For Bob's mastery of mashing genres together to create a unique, charming, and gripping experience. One part RTS, one part city building, and one part hack and slash, The Horde is a wondrously twisted and humorous experience that garnered exceptional responses from the vast majority of critics.
2 Spyro Reignited Trilogy
Spyro Reignited Trilogy
Fans of Insomniac Games' landmark PlayStation trilogy in the Spyro the Dragon franchise rejoiced in 2018 when the Spyro Reignited Trilogy was released. A full remaster of the original three games, this collection was greenlit after the success of fellow PlayStation icon Crash Bandicoot's remaster, Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy.
The Spyro Reignited Trilogy transported fans back to their childhoods spent hunched over PS1 consoles taking the little purple dragon on journeys through the Dragon Kingdom, Avalar, and the Forgotten Realms with dragonfly Sparx as a companion. Dealing with such a beloved character with dignity and care, Toys For Bob's remaster was critically lauded and will be cherished for years to come.
1 Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time
Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time (dupe)
- Released
- October 2, 2020
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
- Genre(s)
- Platformer
It took a lot of waiting for fans of Crash Bandicoot to receive a proper mainline sequel to Naughty Dog's original trilogy, twenty-two years to be precise. Still, the substantial gap seems to have been worth it, with Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time meeting critical and fan acclaim upon release.
With its dimension-hopping narrative, a mix of recognized and innovative mechanics, and Crash's trademark cheeky humor, this fully-fledged sequel is brimming with content for players to sink their teeth into. Collecting gems, defeating old adversaries, and breaking boxes as five playable characters will keep fans busy in what has become the most expansive Crash game ever made.