Skylanders Giants due this fall

Activision scored a holiday hit with Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure, and the publisher isn't wasting time in preparing a follow-up. The publisher today announced a sequel, Skylanders Giants, for release this fall.

Skylanders Giants brings 20 new characters to the game, including figures twice the size--both in-game and in action figure form--of those in the original. Additionally, Activision said some of these figures sport a "light technology" that illuminates the figure when it is close to the game's "Portal of Power."

Additionally, Skylanders Giants features all-new arenas and fresh gameplay options in the title's battle mode. Further, Activision said Skylanders Giants features "enhanced" elemental zones and new hero challenges.

All characters from Skylanders: Spryo's Adventures will be compatible with Skylanders Giants. The game is in development at Toys for Bob, the Novato, California-based developer behind the original game.

Activision did not announce what platforms Skylanders Giants will arrive on or what the game will cost. For reference, Skylanders: Spyro's Adventures was released for the Wii, Xbox 360, 3DS, PlayStation 3, PC, and Mac carrying a $70 price tag. Additional characters are available for that game via separate purchase.

The original Skylanders: Spyro's Adventures boasted connectivity with real-world toys based on the Spyro universe. In Spyro's Adventures, players could place the game's numerous figures--who have distinct special abilities--on a "portal" and have characters appear in game.

Skylanders: Spyro's Adventures has been nominated for three awards at the 2012 Interactive Achievement Awards at D.I.C.E. 2012, including nods for Outstanding Innovation, Family Game of the Year, and Outstanding Achievement in Game Play Engineering. The award show will be broadcast live on GameSpot this Thursday, February 9.

For more on the Skylanders franchise, check out GameSpot's review of Skylanders: Spyro's Adventures.