Insomniac Games are one of the biggest names in AAA game development and are currently well known for their fantastic Spider-Man games. Perhaps their most iconic franchise is Ratchet and Clank which after twenty years is still going strong. But for me their sophomore title, Spyro the Dragon, is one of the best games the studio has ever developed and the best 3D platformer on the original PlayStation.
When the brutish Gnasty Gnorc imprisons most of the citizens of the dragon kingdom in crystal, it falls to Spyro to rescue them, recover the dragon eggs, reclaim their treasure, and kick Gnasty’s butt!
As with most 3D platformers, story’s a little light in Spyro, but what is there serves as a solid enough framework for the outstanding gameplay.
Like most nineties 3D platformers, Spyro sees you tasked with picking up various collectibles to unlock new levels. The most common collectible is gems though these serve little purpose beyond contributing to total completion. Crystallised dragons are what you’re really after, with over eighty of them dotted around. You can’t progress unless you’ve collected enough of them, and each one freed comes with a unique cutscene as they give you advice or simply encourage you in your fight against Gnasty.
There’s also a handful of dragon eggs that you can collect. Again, they only count towards total completion, but unlike gems and dragons, the eggs can only be obtained by catching the thief that’s carrying it. Often requiring the solving of a puzzle or some nifty controller work to do so.
When the brutish Gnasty Gnorc imprisons most of the citizens of the dragon kingdom in crystal, it falls to Spyro to rescue them, recover the dragon eggs, reclaim their treasure, and kick Gnasty’s butt!
As with most 3D platformers, story’s a little light in Spyro, but what is there serves as a solid enough framework for the outstanding gameplay.
Like most nineties 3D platformers, Spyro sees you tasked with picking up various collectibles to unlock new levels. The most common collectible is gems though these serve little purpose beyond contributing to total completion. Crystallised dragons are what you’re really after, with over eighty of them dotted around. You can’t progress unless you’ve collected enough of them, and each one freed comes with a unique cutscene as they give you advice or simply encourage you in your fight against Gnasty.
There’s also a handful of dragon eggs that you can collect. Again, they only count towards total completion, but unlike gems and dragons, the eggs can only be obtained by catching the thief that’s carrying it. Often requiring the solving of a puzzle or some nifty controller work to do so.
There are five home worlds in Spyro, each with their own distinct look and enemy types. Each of these worlds has a wealth of collectibles as well as a number of levels that utilise the themes of the home world in different ways.
Spyro can only charge or use a burst of flame to take on his foes, as well as glide from platform to platform. Flying is restricted to specific time attack flight levels which are easily the game’s weakest aspect. Where most of the game’s levels are intricately designed and fun to navigate, the flying levels feel tacked on and like an afterthought.
The original PlayStation version of the game certainly looks dated now, but the ‘Reignited Trilogy’ from Toys for Bob has done wonders for the game visually and in its performance. The dragon kingdom is richly detailed and brightly coloured with a gorgeous art style that’s true to the original whilst also allowing Toys for Bob room to leave their own mark. It looks just like you remember it as a child, but obviously so much better.
The game runs at a smooth and consistent 60FPS no matter the system you’re on, and the improved camera makes the game a delight to play where the original could occasionally become frustrating.
The music is phenomenal too, each level has its own music, and each world has a distinct sound to it.
I adore Spyro the Dragon. It was one of my all-time favourite games as a child and when I replay it now as part of the Reignited Trilogy I can easily understand why. Whilst I don’t have much good to say about the flying missions, the rest of the game is so well crafted, with the perfect balance of fun and challenge. I can lose hours to this game and hardly even realise, and I plan to lose many more too as I do frequently revisit it. It’s just fun for all ages, and a total delight to play.
Spyro can only charge or use a burst of flame to take on his foes, as well as glide from platform to platform. Flying is restricted to specific time attack flight levels which are easily the game’s weakest aspect. Where most of the game’s levels are intricately designed and fun to navigate, the flying levels feel tacked on and like an afterthought.
The original PlayStation version of the game certainly looks dated now, but the ‘Reignited Trilogy’ from Toys for Bob has done wonders for the game visually and in its performance. The dragon kingdom is richly detailed and brightly coloured with a gorgeous art style that’s true to the original whilst also allowing Toys for Bob room to leave their own mark. It looks just like you remember it as a child, but obviously so much better.
The game runs at a smooth and consistent 60FPS no matter the system you’re on, and the improved camera makes the game a delight to play where the original could occasionally become frustrating.
The music is phenomenal too, each level has its own music, and each world has a distinct sound to it.
I adore Spyro the Dragon. It was one of my all-time favourite games as a child and when I replay it now as part of the Reignited Trilogy I can easily understand why. Whilst I don’t have much good to say about the flying missions, the rest of the game is so well crafted, with the perfect balance of fun and challenge. I can lose hours to this game and hardly even realise, and I plan to lose many more too as I do frequently revisit it. It’s just fun for all ages, and a total delight to play.