Similar to its predecessors, the core gameplay of Imaginators revolves around solving puzzles, platforming, and fighting enemies.[1] Being a toys-to-life game, players can put a figurine onto a Portal of Power, which allows them to control the represented character in-game.[2] It also features Creation Clash, a remake of Skystones, which was introduced in Giants.[3] The game supports local multiplayer.
The game introduces "Imaginators", which are characters created by the player that can be shared with other players. At the beginning of the game, players can select a battle class (Knight, Smasher, Sentinel, Swashbuckler, Brawler, Sorcerer, Quickshot, Ninja, Bazooker, and Bowslinger) and elemental class, which determines their fighting style.[4] While the battle class cannot be reset within the game itself, unofficial methods exist to do so using older games on the Wii and Nintendo 3DS. Afterwards, players can customize the names, voices, fighting abilities, appearances, colors, and sizes of their Imaginators. The game also features the option to automatically generates an Imaginator randomly or use existing Skylanders featured in its predecessors. Imaginators created can be shared to other players. Body parts, which are classified into four types, Common, Rare, Epic, and Ultimate, can be found durng exploration and used to customize the Imaginators, which can be modified at any time.[5] Imaginators are stored in Creation Crystals, through which players can use their Imaginatiors on other video game consoles. In addition to Imaginators, the game also adds 31 typical Skylanders. These include "Senseis", powerful Skylanders who are refined in their respective classes. 11 of them are villains who had appeared in previous Skylanders games. They also have the ability to perform a special attack called "Sky Chi". These Senseis lead the Imaginators, and involve in helping them to unlock their abilities, techniques, weapons, and level-cap.[1]
Crash Bandicoot and Doctor Neo Cortex appear as guest characters with their own level, Thumpin' Wumpa Islands, which has features present in
