On Xbox and PlayStation, this required a USB portal. On the Switch, however, Nintendo built into the Joy-Con and Pro Controller. The Switch version of Imaginators exploits this by using an IR-based portal that doubles as a stand for the console in Tabletop mode.
While convenient, the Switch version has some drawbacks compared to other platforms: No Racing Mode Skylanders- Imaginators SWITCH NSP XCI -UPDATE-
Skylanders: Imaginators (Switch) – Update & Performance Notes On Xbox and PlayStation, this required a USB portal
Once scanned, characters are saved in the game’s internal memory, so you do not need to rescan them every time you play. On Xbox and PlayStation