Spyro the Dragon (series)

From Freepedia

Image:Spyro the dragon.jpg
Image:IN2.gif

Spyro the Dragon is a platform game series starring the video game character Spyro, which was originally released for the PlayStation. The Spyro series has gained substantial popularity since the first game and several sequels and spin-offs followed the original.

Contents

Spyro 1

Spyro the Dragon is a platform game developed by Insomniac Games and released for the PlayStation on September 10, 1998. It stars the titular dragon, and is considered by many to be one of the best PlayStation games. Reviews were mostly highly favorable. [1]

The game featured Spyro, a small purple dragon, his dragonfly companion, Sparx, and a multitude of fellow dragons. It takes place in the Dragon Realms, an imaginary fantasy world, which is itself divided in six worlds: Artisans, Peace Keepers, Magic Crafters, Beast Makers, Dream Weavers, and Gnasty's World.

At the beginning of the game the main antagonist, Gnasty Gnorc (a half gnome, half orc hybrid) seeks revenge against the dragons for banishing him and traps them in crystal. Spyro, the main protagonist of the game, was out playing hooky, and thus was spared from a crystal prison. The point of the game is to charge, glide, and flame your way through each world and defeat enemies, save dragons, and eventually face and take down Gnasty. This game, and those to follow also received acclaim for the score by Stewart Copeland

Two sequels were created for the PS1: Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage (Gateway To Glimmer in the UK and Australia) and Spyro 3: Year of the Dragon. Like the first game, both were developed by Insomniac Games.

Spyro 2

In Spyro 2, while looking for a holiday at Dragon Shores, Spyro and Sparx accidentally stumble upon the realm of Avalar, where the malicious wizard Ripto is taking over the once-peaceful lands. Spyro was looking forward to having some rest but instead is dragged into a new adventure. In this episode of the series, the small dragon also meets a number of new allies, including the Professor, Hunter the cheetah, Elora the faun, and Zoe the fairy, and must face a new foe: Ripto, a tiny mean Riptoc, equipped with a magic scepter, and protected by Crush and Gulp, two dim-witted dinosaurs. The worlds are Summer Forest, Autumn Plains, and Winter Tundra. The game introduces some new movements which Spyro can execute to advance in his quest, including hovering after a glide, swimming underwater, climbing ladders, and head-butting.

Spyro 3

In Spyro 3, the dragons are celebrating the coming of dragon eggs, an event that takes place every twelve years. A mysterious anthropomorphic rabbit girl, Bianca, comes by and steals all the eggs, along with an army of goons. Spyro, Sparx, and Hunter must follow her down a rabbit hole to the other side of the world - to the Forgotten Realms. There they meet many new allies, which are also playable characters - Sheila the kangaroo, Sgt. Byrd the flying, missle-shooting penguin, Bentley the kindly yeti, and Agent 9 the hyperactive, laser-wielding monkey. The worlds are Sunrise Spring, Midday Garden, Evening Lake, and Midnight Mountain. The worlds are named after times of the day, as apposed its predessor which the worlds were named after seasons. The third installment of the Spyro series also feature levels in which the player controls Sparx in a bird's eye view shooting game. Spyro and his new friends must find out why the Sorceress stole the eggs, what she plans to do with them, and how to stop her.

Spyro on other systems

Besides the three PS1 titles, there are seven Spyro games on other consoles, all published by Vivendi Universal Games.

Spyro: Enter the Dragonfly

Spyro: Enter the Dragonfly was the first game in the Spyro series for PlayStation 2 and Nintendo GameCube. It is considered by many the worst game in the series, due to the numerous glitches, lack of storyline, originality, and long load times. This could be because Insomniac the company responsible for the previous Spyro games, did not make this one.

The story kicks off right after the Sorceress was defeated in Spyro: Year of the Dragon. The baby dragons are now preparing to receive their dragonflies, a rite of passage in any dragon's life. It's a huge celebration, filled with joy and happiness, until Ripto, (from Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage) returns! He has come to capture the dragonflies, making the dragons helpless. He casts his spell but messes up. Instead, he scattered the dragonflies all over the Dragon Realms.

Spyro: A Hero's Tail

Spyro: A Hero's Tail (Fall 2004), the latest installment in the Spyro series, is available for all three next generation consoles (PlayStation 2, Xbox and GameCube). In it, Spyro fights Red the Dragon and Gnasty Gnorc again. It is considered by many as being much better than Enter the Dragonfly, but it is criticized for having a lack of originality, as old bosses keep coming back.

Game Boy Advance

  • Spyro: Season of Ice (known as Spyro Advance in Japan) (July 2001), probably the most challenging in the series as you are required to collect ALL of the missing "main items" in order to beat the game.
  • Spyro 2: Season of Flame (October 2002)
  • Spyro 3: Attack of the Rhynocs (known as Spyro: Adventure in Europe) (October 2003)
  • Spyro Orange: The Cortex Conspiracy (known as Spyro: Fusion in Europe) (June 2004)

Overall, the GBA games has been successful and pleased its fanbase. Although, the games have been criticized for having tough camera angles and the gliding jumps hindered by the graphics of the GBA.

Appearances in non-Spyro games

Spyro appears in several Crash games. In Crash Bandicoot: Warped, there is a demo of the first Spyro game; similarly, Spyro features a Crash Bandicoot: Warped demo. Crash Team Racing also contains a demo of Spyro 2 and vice versa. Crash Bash and Spyro 3 also contains demos of each other.

Crash Bandicoot Purple: Ripto's Rampage (known as Crash Bandicoot: Fusion in Europe) (2004), for the Game Boy Advance, also features worlds and characters from the Spyro universe, but Spyro isn't a playable character in the game. Likewise, Spyro Orange: The Cortex Conspiracy features Spyro in a universe familiar to the orange bandicoot.

In Crash Twinsanity, Spyro makes a small cameo protecting some of his treasure toward the end of the game.

Characters

  • Spyro, an eager, headstrong, purple dragon and the main protagonist.
  • Sparx is Spyro's constant companion. In the game, Sparx acts as a "living" health bar: his color indicates how many hit points Spyro has. (Yellow- full health, blue- 2 hit points, green-1 hit point. If Sparx is gone, Spyro has to take one more hit to lose a life). Sparx can get more hit points if Spyro kills various neutral animals (sheep, frogs, etc.), known as fodder.

In some Spyro games, Sparx can earn one extra hitpoint (he turns red) before disappearing.

  • Hunter was introduced in Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage. Helps the player learn different abilities and occasionally challenges Spyro to various races. He is dim-witted and forgetful.
  • Moneybags, a wealthy (and greedy) bear who sells Spyro the ability to climb, swim, etc. as well as unlock bridges and passageways. His prices for these services are usually absurdly high.
  • Sheila, a young outgoing kangaroo who acts like a mother to the three billy goats gruff in her home world.
  • Sgt. Byrd, a fearless military penguin who is able to fly.
  • Bentley, a mighty yeti with a heart of gold. He's very intelligent and has a big vocabulary.
  • The Professor, the creator of the Super-portal in Avalar. He is the genius of Avalar (and the Dragon Worlds, as of A Hero's Tail).
  • Elora, a faun and one of Spyro's friends. She's friendly and wise.
  • Bianca, an anthropomorphic rabbit who onced served the Sorceress; debuted in Year of the Dragon and has appeared in most games since. She's a training sorceress.
  • Ember, a small pink dragon that appears in A Hero's Tail. Not too much is known about her, except that she has a crush on Spyro.

See also

External links

Spyro the Dragon series
Spyro the Dragon | Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage! | Spyro: Year of the Dragon | Spyro: Enter the Dragonfly | Spyro: A Hero's Tail
Handheld titles
Spyro: Season of Ice | Spyro 2: Season of Flame | Spyro: Attack of the Rhynocs | Spyro Orange: The Cortex Conspiracy
Characters
Spyro | Sparx | Hunter | Moneybags | Sheila | Sgt. Byrd | Elora
Retrieved from "http://en.freepedia.org/Spyro_the_Dragon_%28series%29.html"


Views
Personal tools
In other languages
Similar Links