1. A multi-platform gaming system for amusing or entertaining one or more game participants playing a game on a gaming platform comprising one or more video game consoles, home game consoles, hand-held game units, computer gaming devices, internet gaming devices or live-action gaming facilities, said gaming system comprising: a plurality of collectible toys depicting or representing one or more game characters or objects relevant to a game adapted to be played on a gaming platform, each of said plurality of collectible toys having associated therewith an RFID tag comprising a corresponding unique tag identification number, each said RFID tag comprising at least one antenna, integrated circuitry for wirelessly transmitting and receiving information to and from an associated RFID tag reader, and non-volatile programmable memory configured to store game-relevant information describing skills, abilities or attributes associated with one of said game characters or objects; each of said plurality of collectible toys having stored in the non-volatile programmable memory thereof game-relevant information pertaining to one of said game characters or objects and wherein at least a portion of said game-relevant information is encrypted; a portable reader device configured to wirelessly transmit and receive information to and from one or more of said plurality of collectible toys, said portable reader device comprising an RFID tag reader configured and adapted to wirelessly power and communicate with each said RFID tag when a corresponding one of said plurality of collectible toys is presented within a readable range of a portable reader device, said portable reader device further configured to communicate with said gaming platform such that game-relevant information can be communicated to and from each said presented collectible toy and said gaming platform and wherein said communicated information includes at least said unique tag identification number; and game software adapted to be executed by said gaming platform to carry out said game, said game software including program instructions for instructing said gaming platform to conduct an interactive character-based game in which said one or more game characters are visually and aurally represented by computer animation and wherein said one or more game participants are able to advance in the game at least in part by finding clues, solving puzzles or completing challenges presented by the game software and wherein said one or more game participants are further able to develop through game play progression skills, abilities or attributes associated with said one or more game characters or objects, said game software further including program instructions for causing said gaming platform to communicate selected character or object information pertaining to said developed skills, abilities or attributes to said portable reader device and for further causing said portable reader device to store corresponding character or object information or other game-relevant information in the programmable memory of the corresponding collectible toy, said game software further including program instructions comprising an encryption algorithm for encrypting at least some portion of said game-relevant information prior to said portable reader device storing said game-relevant information in the programmable memory of said corresponding collectible toy; whereby game participants are able to develop said skills, abilities or attributes of a particular game character or object represented by information stored on a collectible toy while playing a first game or first game session on said gaming platform and subsequently use the collectible toy to wirelessly communicate the stored information to the same or a different gaming platform and play a second game or second game session using substantially the same game character or object with some or all of said developed skills, abilities or attributes.