The Story Mode features The Buzz Lightyear Video Game featured in the second movie, and is for the most part true to its origin. Characters can jump, double jump, run, climb, throw objects, ride Bullseye(Woody's Horse), drive toy cars, charge&hit and do a smashing action by jumping and stomping. There are scenes in the game where teamwork is crucial but the majority of the Story Mode is so short that the game does not manage to make good use of the somewhat solid and fun mechanics featured in the game.
Buzz Lightyear is the strongest of the bunch, and he can throw objects and characters farther while Jessie the Yodeling Cowgirl can jump on to surfaces that are too small for any other toy in the player's control. Woody the Sheriff can use his pullstring to attach to certain background elements and pull himself to positions where others cannot reach. During the story mode you control three characters and each have their own skills. The story mode is relatively short, completing it would only take an hour or so for the hardened gamer. The Story Mode featured in the game vaguely follows the events of the movie, and during the gameboard scenes some of the characters give away spoilers concerning the motion picture. The game also features Co-Op (both split screen and online). There will also be a number of collectibles for the player to find, each of which unlocks something in Toy Box Mode. Players get to control Buzz Lightyear, Sheriff Woody, and Jessie, with each one having their own play-style. The Story Mode of Toy Story 3 has the player going through a story that's loosely based on the plot of the movie, introducing new (and classic) characters and locations from the Toy Story universe.