Threads
- I replayed the original Spyro games after many years, and they are still as iconic as ever.
- They were some of the best platformer games of the late 90s and early 2000s that I grew up playing.
- A new entry in the franchise has been long rumored but has yet to surface officially.
The era of classical games, when the industry was just solid creativity and away from political pushes and agendas, was a golden period for gaming. I am talking about the late 90s and early 2000s when innovation in gaming was at its peak.
Spyro The Dragon was one of my favorite game franchises. Launched in 1998 for the original PlayStation, Spyro is among the best platformers I’ve ever played. Playing the recently released Astro Bot sent a surge of nostalgia to me taking me back to Spyro.
There is something about Astro Bot that is very reminiscent of the classic platformer games that we used to have on the classic consoles. Although Spyro has had a bunch of games in the franchise, there were just 3 mainline entries.
Why it matters: Spyro The Dragon was THE game for me when I was growing up. It had almost everything for a perfect game: remarkable characters, decent storylines, and very fun gameplay.
One of The Best Original PlayStation Games
There are a lot of elements that made Spyro so great. For starters, it was simply fun. And for that time, the visuals were really good considering how colorful and vibrant the world looked, especially in Spyro 3: Year of The Dragon.
Then comes the gameplay, which at times was so difficult for the young me back then. The overall gameplay was fun and easy to learn, but it was really difficult to master. There were so many elements, including charge, flight, glide, and many more.
The boss battles that we got at the end of Spyro 3 after collecting the required number of dragon eggs were scary. You had to dodge, there were several different environmental things to use, and then the long life bar of the bosses all contributed to great combat.
Furthermore, there is the fact that how nicely the level designs were done. None of the games were too long to the point where it gets annoying. Plus, each world you travel to has something different to offer, making it even more interesting.
The soundscore was also so perfect. It contributed a lot to the overall experience. Just moving around randomly collecting the gems and exploring the world with those bright soundtracks was simply awesome.
Memorable And Masterfully Designed Characters
Spyro is one of the most memorable characters in the entire gaming industry, even over 20 years later. The young dragon also felt like the mascot for the first generation of PlayStation, making him so iconic.
Sparx The Dragonfly was always by your side and served as your life counter as well. Then there were the regular companions that you also played as at times. Hunter was one of my favorites, and so was Sheila the Kangaroo.
The Hunter parts had some cool elements. I especially enjoyed the skating rinks in Spyro 3, where you had to kill the lizards who had infested the areas. Other notable characters include Moneybags, Sgt. Bird, Bianca, and more.
One of the best parts about the characters was how well they were designed. Of course, the visuals at that time were far from what they are now. But, we can certainly appreciate the time spent on detailing all the characters so well.
Also, if you wish to play the game with a more modern touch, you can always play the Spyro: Reignited Trilogy, which is available on all major platforms, including the Nintendo Switch.
A New Spyro Game Is Long Due
The timeline we have for a new Spyro game is quite weird. There have been multiple rumours on and off that a new Spyro title, reportedly the next mainline game, is in development. Unfortunately, there has been no official announcement.
It was recently revealed that Crash Bandicoot 5 was canceled, which was supposed to be a crossover between Spyro and Crash. This scares me for the future of Spyro as well. Since we haven’t heard anything officially, the sequel might’ve been internally canceled.
However, considering how iconic the franchise is and how loved Spyro is, it would be a mistake to end the franchise like this. So, I would love to see a Spyro 4 in the future with all the elements that made it so great, but of course, with the modern touch.
Thank you! Please share your positive feedback. 🔋
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News Reporter
Abdullah is an avid gamer who primarily plays single-player titles. If you can’t find him anywhere, he’ll probably be at his desk playing The Witcher 3 for the millionth time. When he isn’t playing games, he’s either reading or writing about them.
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