SDCC 14: First look: Guardians of the Galaxy playset for Disney Infinity 2.0

Many comic book-oriented games are making a trip to San Diego Comic-Con this year, where attendees of all ages can get their hands on said titles and get even more excited for their release. One of the bigger releases that made it to the show is Disney Infinity 2.0: Marvel Super Heroes, which is stationed just up on Fourth Street in a special showcase.

Along with the previously announced Avengers and Spider-Man collections, Disney also brought its recently announced Guardians of the Galaxy play set, which features two characters, Star-Lord and Gamora, as well as the option to add Groot, Rocket Raccoon and Drax to the mix via separate purchase. We recently got a chance to go hands-on with the game to see how it handled.

First off, the level design is taken straight from the essence of the forthcoming film, even though the art style matches more with the all-ages Disney Infinity motif. No biggie there, as Star-Lord and company fit into this universe with ease. You’ll be climbing up pipes, seeking out new missions from Cosmo and The Collector, and shooting (or swiping) away at enemies using any of the given characters in the game.    

If you’re looking for speed and practicality, Star-Lord is a sure-fire bet, with his pair of twin blasters and the ability to quickly roll out of harm’s way, which comes in handy with a mid-boss fight that appears over the course of the stage. Rocket Raccoon is also quite convenient, with plenty of firepower on his own end and a smaller body that makes it a little tougher for enemies to hit him.

Gamora is a terrific brawler/action sort of character, as she can cut through most enemies with ease; Drax and Groot are best left for melee-style situations, but they truly get the job done with it comes to brute force. Drax, for example, can put together combo hits that will leave cannons destroyed and soldiers laying, while Groot can use his limbs to knock foes around, and even implant a limb into the ground, only for it to come back up with a rocket-style punch attack. It’s real useful when you’re surrounded, and, in this particular set, you will be often.

No matter who you choose, the game offers a variety of missions, just like other Disney Infinity playsets, as you can go with the main story offering or several side missions to unlock new gear for the Toy Box, where you can still build levels however you see fit, using a number of pre-set tools and fellow builders to assist you. It’s completely optional, but well worth a shot, especially if you want to show your creative side.

We’ll go into more details about the characters and other essentials with Disney Infinity 2.0: Marvel Super Heroes when it nears its release later this year. In the meantime, be happy, comic book fans, because Disney appears to be on the right track.

“I AM GROOT!”