Spyro the Dragon
Spyro the Dragon | |
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Developer(s) | Insomniac Games Universal Interactive Studios |
Publisher(s) | Sony Computer Entertainment |
Platform(s) | PlayStation, PlayStation Network |
Release | Sony PlayStation: PlayStation Network: |
Genre(s) | Platform |
Mode(s) | Single-player |
Spyro the Dragon is a platform game developed by Insomniac Games for the Sony PlayStation. It stars the title character, a young purple dragon named Spyro and his dragonfly friend, Sparx, and is the first game in the Spyro the Dragon series. The first game was massively popular at its initial release and would later become one of the most recognizable, popular and respected gaming icons for the PlayStation gaming console[weasel words].
Gameplay
The game is made up of many different levels, all connected together by hub worlds. The goal in each hub world is to collect a certain amount of items, be it gems, rescued dragons, or dragon eggs, to travel to the next hub world. Each hub world is progressevily more difficult than the last hub world. Each level contains a certain amount of gems and dragons for Spyro to rescue. The first half of the game also has dragon eggs to collect. The levels begin as small fields with few ways to die, but become harder. Many later levels focus on Spyro's ability to glide from platform to platform. Each world contains an optional boss to defeat, except for the final world where the boss is mandatory. Every hub world contains a flying level where Spyro's regular gliding ability is replaced with the ability to fly freely. The goal is to complete a certain number of obstacles (such as planes to blow up, rings to fly through) which each add a small amount of time to a countdown. When the count down ends the player must begin the course from the beginning.
Story
Before the game begins, the five Dragon families lived in harmony in their five worlds (these being Artisans, Peace Keepers, Magic Crafters, Beast Makers and Dream Weavers). Their lives were happy and peaceful until Gnasty Gnorc broke the rules. He was an unpleasant creature that the Dragons didn't like. Because of this Gnasty resented the Dragon families. More than anything, he detested their beautiful, shiny jewels. He hated them because every time he looked in them he would see reflections of his own ugly face. Gnasty became such a problem that he was banished to the Dragon junkyard, a world that they thought would perfectly suit Gnasty. As soon as he got there he renamed it "Gnasty's World" and overtook all the worlds located in it. He also built his home there, as well as an industrial settlement to keep all his stolen treasure. Gnasty began to experiment with magic spells and, after a while, he discovered two he wanted: a giant spell to trap all Dragons in crystal and a potion to animate the radiant gems and turn them into an army of Gnorc soldiers.
When the game begins Gnasty cast the freeze spell he had been working on after he heard the Dragons insulting him on a documentary style video. The spell trapped all the dragons in crystal halfway through the filming of their documentary. He then turned all the gems he could find into his willing minions. One thing he didn't consider was Spyro the Dragon. Spyro was so small that the spell shot straight over his head. Spyro, the only unfrozen dragon, travels the six worlds – including Gnasty’s deformed industrial world – releasing the Dragons and collecting the stolen treasure. In the meantime, Gnasty’s army of minions (transformed from the Dragons’ gems) are doing their best to stop him. As Spyro releases the trapped Dragons along the way, they return a favour by giving hints and tips up until the final conflict where Spyro battles with Gnasty. After Spyro defeats Gnasty another documentary is presented on Spyro. If the player collected all gems, saved all the dragons, and rescued all the eggs, than he is presented with an alternate ending.
Main characters
Download
The game is now available for download on PlayStation Store for PlayStation Portable and PlayStation 3 in North America, Japan, and PAL territories.
Reception
Aggregator | Score |
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GameRankings | 86%[1] |
Publication | Score |
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Electronic Gaming Monthly | 8.1 out of 10[7] |
GameRevolution | B+[5] |
GameSpot | 8.3 out of 10[2] |
IGN | 9.0 out of 10[3] |
Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine | 4 out of 5[4] |
PlayStation: The Official Magazine | 4 out of 5[6] |
The game had positive reviews and was praised by critics because of the use of fantasy and sci-fi in most of the Dragon Realms, a big, free-roam 3-D environment in each realm, incredible music that corresponds with the level's theme, and good graphics making it one of the first well-received fully-3D platformers for the Playstation.
External links
References
- ^ "Spyro the Dragon - PS". gamerankings.com. p. 1. Retrieved 2008-06-08.
- ^ Fielder, Joe (1998-09-09). "Spyro the Dragon". gamespot.com. p. 1. Retrieved 2008-06-08.
- ^ Harris, Craig (1999-01-01). "Spyro the Dragon". ign.com. p. 1. Retrieved 2008-06-08.
- ^ "Spyro the Dragon". Official PlayStation Magazine. 1999-03-20.
- ^ Dick, Kevin (1999-03-04). "Spyro the Dragon - PS". gamerevolution.com. p. 1. Retrieved 2008-06-08.
- ^ "Spyro the Dragon". PlayStation Magazine. 2002-05-07.
- ^ "Spyro the Dragon". Electronic Gaming Monthly. 2003-23-06.
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