Spyro the Dragon
Posted: September 20th, 2019, 6:57 am
When I was four, I got a PS1 for Christmas and one of the games was Spyro the Dragon. While most kids on the neighborhood block got an N64 with Banjo-Kazooie or Super Mario 64, I was busy exploring an awesome 3-D world with collectibles placed all over the game. The fact that you get to play as a fire-breathing dragon is something that always intrigued me, and begged current me to ask "Why are dragons always reserved for boss fights or as companions for the protagonists and not the other way around?" Every nook and cranny I checked always had something in store. Every enemy you fought dropped a gem that made fighting off each very satisfying. Each level has something different to bring to the table. One level will have you out in an open field roasting a heard of sheep and another will have you chasing thieves across tree tops at incredible speeds! Each dragon you rescued would have a fun little quip or tell you important information relating to the gameplay mechanics.
The fun did not stop there. When I got a hold of the second and third games I knew right away that I was going to have a great time. Owning and playing through two more games of the purple dragon meant I got to experience much more fleshed out levels and interact with characters that all had their own unique charm. I especially loved Moneybags (not so hot on having to give up tons of in-game currency for the sake of progression) despite his shrewdness. It was always fun to see how many different ways Spyro could get insulted by Moneybags for choosing not paying the "small fee" whenever you met up. I should also add that Ripto, the villain of Spyro 2 is also great. I won't spoil too much about him. It is better to experience the game yourself if you have not yet. Then there is the third installment, Year of the Dragon. This game was basically the second game, but expanded on both the exploration and created a narrative that connected Spyro with all the characters in a way that they all contributed towards the story. I should mention that this game may contain a purple dragon doing skateboarding stunts that would make Tony Hawk weep.
As you can probably tell, I am extremely passionate about Spyro (the original trilogy). When I came across the news that Activision was working on remastering the entire trilogy, I could not begin to express my excitement. Not only did this mean I got to play my favorite childhood games with an updated look, it also meant that the purple dragon got a second chance to win the hearts of many gamers that never got to experience these games until now. I'm glad the VGC took the time to review the first game and hope that he looks into the other two or perhaps the remake (if he can tolerate the excessive digital updates required to play the collection in its entirety). If you were fortunate enough to experience any of the original trilogy or played the remastered version, I would love to hear your thoughts!
The fun did not stop there. When I got a hold of the second and third games I knew right away that I was going to have a great time. Owning and playing through two more games of the purple dragon meant I got to experience much more fleshed out levels and interact with characters that all had their own unique charm. I especially loved Moneybags (not so hot on having to give up tons of in-game currency for the sake of progression) despite his shrewdness. It was always fun to see how many different ways Spyro could get insulted by Moneybags for choosing not paying the "small fee" whenever you met up. I should also add that Ripto, the villain of Spyro 2 is also great. I won't spoil too much about him. It is better to experience the game yourself if you have not yet. Then there is the third installment, Year of the Dragon. This game was basically the second game, but expanded on both the exploration and created a narrative that connected Spyro with all the characters in a way that they all contributed towards the story. I should mention that this game may contain a purple dragon doing skateboarding stunts that would make Tony Hawk weep.
As you can probably tell, I am extremely passionate about Spyro (the original trilogy). When I came across the news that Activision was working on remastering the entire trilogy, I could not begin to express my excitement. Not only did this mean I got to play my favorite childhood games with an updated look, it also meant that the purple dragon got a second chance to win the hearts of many gamers that never got to experience these games until now. I'm glad the VGC took the time to review the first game and hope that he looks into the other two or perhaps the remake (if he can tolerate the excessive digital updates required to play the collection in its entirety). If you were fortunate enough to experience any of the original trilogy or played the remastered version, I would love to hear your thoughts!