Game Description

Gnasty Gnorc was never taken seriously throughout his life. After all, it's not easy being ugly in a land filled with beautiful jewels and majestic dragons. So he started to dabble in magic, hoping to learn something that would make those dragons pay. He found it. Gnasty developed the perfect spell to cast over the peaceful land, turning all of those snooty dragons into crystal statues.

He even managed to transform some of the jewels into soldiers that would do his bidding! The magic wasn't perfect, however: Gnasty somehow missed a young dragon named Spyro. Now Spyro, along with his dragonfly companion Sparx, must embark on a quest to free his friends from captivity.

Take to the skies as a little purple dragon in this 3D action-adventure game by the developers of Disruptor. Spyro and dragonfly Sparx must travel to different worlds in order to end Gnasty's nefarious plans. Thirty free-roaming levels await players of all ages, and special treasure rounds will put their flying skills to the test. In total, there are 80 dragons to free, 10,000 pieces of treasure to find, and 12 mysterious Dragon Eggs to collect. Are you up to the task?

If so, you'll be able to traverse the following six areas: Artisans World, where you'll begin the game, is a world filled with rolling green hills, huge castles and several pillars to glide on; Peace Keepers offers desert-like terrain, enormous canyons and steep cliffs; Magic Crafters surrounds you with ice-capped mountains and sky platforms to leap from; Beast Makers consists of murky swamps, treetops and villages; Dream Weavers contains dark tunnels, haunted towers and bubbling lava; and Gnasty's World, your final destination, is where you'll be able to finally settle the score.

Spyro the Dragon also supports the Dual Shock Analog Controller so you can feel every hit, gallop and jump during your adventure. As the dragon, you'll be able to perform eight different moves: run, walk, glide, charge, roll, breathe fire, jump and fly. Players can also grab either the Fireball or Super Flame power-up to really make their enemies "feel the burn."

Music was composed by former Police band member Stewart Copeland and Spyro's speech is performed by Carlos Alazraqui, the voice behind Taco Bell's 1998 Chihuahua commercials. Many secrets and hidden areas are waiting to be discovered, but don't get too distracted -- your friends need you! ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

Roots & Influences

Spyro the Dragon was, for a time, Sony's mascot. The game sold for millions and is on the PlayStation list of classic games. It has its roots in Super Mario 64 and Gex, as well as the first Crash Bandicoot. Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage! became the sequel to this game. There are many more games similar to it, but there will always be one Spyro! ~ Cal Nguyen, All Game Guide

Review: Enjoyment

Those who hate collecting gems will go nuts trying to find them all, but the overall package is so well put together that you can't help but be drawn into this magical world. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

Production Credits

Developed by: Insomniac Games, Inc.

Produced by: Universal Interactive Studios

Producer: Michael John

Executive Producer: Mark Cerny

Production Coordinator: Jackie Evanochick

Soundtrack: Stewart Copeland

Soundtrack Engineer and Co-Producer: Jeff Seitz

Spyro and Dragon Designs: Charles Zembillas

Dragon Voices: Clancy Brown, Carlos Alazraqui, Michael Gough, Jamie Alcroft, Michael Connor

Spyro Voice: Carlos Alazraqui

Dialogue: Peter Kleiner

Sounds: Universal Sound, Mike Gollom, Ron Horwitz, Kevin Spears

Published by: Sony Computer Entertainment America

Producer: Seth Luisi

Senior Producer: Perry Rodgers

Assistant Producer: Jeffrey Ng

Sr. Marketing Manager: Ami Matsumura-Blaire

Sr. Public Relations Manager: Molly Smith

Product Marketing Specialist: Nemer Velasquez

QA Manager: Mark Pentek

Lead Analyst: Christian Davis

Assistant Lead Analysts: Randy Blake, Benjamin Briones, Christopher Keith

VP Marketing: Andrew House

Sr. Director of Marketing: Peter Dille

Director of Promotions: Sharon Shapiro

Licensing Manager: Taku Imasaki

Manual Copywriting: Hanshaw Ink

Package Front Design: Gregory Harsh, Beeline Group Inc.

Package & Manual Design: Katherine Lee, Beeline Group Inc. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

Review: Overall

Spyro the Dragon is a fantastic little character whose world is so enchanting that it will likely engross you from the start. It's not for everyone's tastes, however. The game relies more on exploration and discovery than intense fighting or tricky puzzles, so those expecting a game in the similar style of either Super Mario 64 or Gex: Enter the Gecko will likely walk away disappointed with the vast openness of the environments. Yet if you were fond of the collecting aspects of those games and enjoy searching every inch of those graphically rich worlds, then you'll have a lot of fun with this game.

The graphics are gorgeous, with none of the clipping or little white lines you see in many 3D PlayStation games released before 1998. And the camera (always a sticking point in similar games of this genre) rarely gets in the way of your actions -- which is no small accomplishment. Spyro is a cute purple dragon who is unique in the sense that he has four legs. In fact, I don't recall ever controlling a four-legged mascot before in a game, which took a little getting used to. Spyro "gallops" along and can be a little tricky to land on platforms since he is longer than your typical character.

Once you learn to take this into account, however, the control is excellent. There are a lot of moves that Spyro can perform, from quick rolls to running charges, gliding after jumps, and blasting impressive streaks of fire that shoot out in multiple directions. Nice touches, like flowers singeing after you snort at them, also help make the worlds seem real and all the more engaging. My only gripe is that Spyro doesn't sound very interesting -- his voice is similar to a small child with a stuffed-up nose. This is surprising since his speech is voiced by the same man behind Taco Bell's Chihuahua commercials: "Yo quiero Taco Bell." I expected a more humorous voice.

There are six primary worlds to explore (five of which are named after the type of dragons occupying them) that all have a certain amount of objects (dragons, jewels or eggs) to collect. Since each world is a gateway to five huge levels with their own set of objects to find, in order to access them you'll need to find a number of crystal dragons which are the equivalent of the stars in Super Mario 64. Simply touch the dragon statues after you find them and they will spring to life, offering some basic hints or tips to help you on what lies ahead. The dragons all speak in distinctive voices too, giving them a sense of personality of their own. After their short speech, they'll disappear and you'll be able to save your game.

Each world is populated by a number of harmless critters (like sheep or frogs) that turn into butterflies after you torch them. These butterflies will then serve as "food" for dragonfly Sparx, replenishing any damage he has suffered (Sparx is there to help absorb hits during the game, but he's gone if he takes more than three). Along with the cute animals, prancing about the levels are large "evil" creatures that are more amusing than scary.

Some will run when they see you, with a look of terror on their faces: Orcs challenge large bulls if you watch them from afar (complete with matador outfits!); a few will even moon you while others pick fights amongst themselves (wizards and druids don't like each other, you see). This game has the funniest enemies I've seen on the PlayStation since MDK! They are not too difficult to dispose of, but they make you feel like you're in a world that exists independently of your own actions.

And that's what elevates Spyro from typical platform games. You are in a living, breathing environment that almost beckons you to explore it. It doesn't hurt that the graphics, scenery, characters and control are some of the best you'll find on the PlayStation, either -- if not THE best at the time of its release. Moreover, everything has a certain polish that makes this game a pleasure to play: talented voice acting, beautiful levels, amazing flying segments, and comical enemies all add up to a rewarding experience.

Considering there are 10,000 jewels to find (not to mention 80 dragons), 12 eggs (held by thieves who run from you like the rabbit in Super Mario 64) and hidden secrets, the game will take some time to complete. The lack of difficulty is a concern however, as the title won't pose much of a challenge to those who have been weaned on action-platform games. While it won't satisfy those who expect a healthy dose of thumb-blistering action or edge-of-your-seat excitement, it is a captivating game that's well worth your time. Plus, how can you resist such a cute dragon? ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

Review: Graphics

The game is really impressive and shows off the PlayStation's capabilities. The worlds are as diverse as they are beautiful: from the rolling grass fields and castles to the desert canyons and murky swamps, you'll be amazed at the variety. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

Review: Sound

The music is calming and the voices are well done. Spyro sounds like a little kid with a cold, however. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

Review: Replay Value

The game has a lot to find for those who love exploration games. There is also a great demo of Crash Bandicoot: WARPED on the disc, which allows you to play a Jet Ski game. The game probably won't see much shelf life after you've seen everything, however. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

Review: Documentation

The manual is in full color and explains everything in an easy-to-read format. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

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