Spyro the Dragon
(1998, E For Everyone)
9/7/18
As much as I absolutely adored my Gameboy as a kid, I often found myself wishing for a home video game console. I was especially envious of my older cousins, who seemed to own every major Sega and Nintendo system under the sun at the time: Game Boy, Game Gear, NES, SNES, Genesis, N64, Saturn, you name it. But that all changed on Christmas Day, 1997, when my wish was granted in the form of a PlayStation. My eleven-year-old self rejoiced! :D We started out with Frogger and a few demo discs, but in time we would come to expand and personalize our game collection. About a year later, for the combined birthdays of my step-siblings and me, we each received our first personal PlayStation games. For my sports-loving stepbrother, Cool Boarders 2. For my lovably quirky stepsister, Crash Bandicoot: Warped. And for me? A game which not only featured my favorite mythical creature, but ultimately of one of the first games in my life of which I would truly feel like a master.
The Dragon Kingdom has long been a place of beauty and prosperity. Comprising it are five worlds, each one ruled by a family of dragons. With their own unique talents and gifts, each family protects the kingdom and lives in peaceful harmony with one another. The only blemish in this paradise is a sixth world ruled by Gnasty Gnorc, a repugnant, ill-tempered creature with a bad habit of dabbling in forbidden magic. Still, all goes well, until one rather arrogant dragon makes the foolish mistake of mocking Gnasty during a live T.V. interview, which, unfortunately, the latter just happens to be watching. In a fit of rage, the half-gnome/half-orc casts a magic spell to imprison all of the dragons inside crystal statues! What’s worse, not only does he steal and enchant the dragons’ gemstones, transforming them into his own personal soldiers and monsters, but he also invites thieves bent on stealing the dragons’ precious eggs! Little does Gnasty realize, however, that he hasn’t quite ensnared all of the dragons like he first thought. Spyro, the youngest, most mischievous dragon of all, is missed by the crystallization curse due to his small stature—as well as his playing hooky at the time. Now the only unfrozen dragon left, and joined by his best friend, Sparx the Dragonfly, Spyro sets out to free his elders and recover their treasure and their eggs before Gnasty and his armies take over the Dragon Kingdom forever.
With the exceptions of Pokemon Red and Blue, which I played avidly for several years, I’ve always preferred single-player platformers over larger role-playing games because I find them more straightforward and less overwhelming. That it was so approachable for me as a player was the first thing I grew to love about Spyro.
Spyro comes equipped with three primary abilities: fire-breathing (naturally!) and charging, for attacking enemies or barriers specific to each, and gliding for reaching areas too far for jumping. In addition, there is the Super Charge: running along specialized ramps with glowing arrows increases Spyro’s speed, giving him brief invincibility through a more powerful charge attack, as well as a huge boost in gliding distance. Plus, there are special levels in which Spyro can actually fly. Although, these function more like bonus rounds than levels in that they must be completed perfectly before a timer runs out. I think the decision to have Spyro fly only periodically is a good one because it keeps the game from becoming too easy and the pleasure of flight from becoming stale.
Spyro also has allies to aid him as well. There are the balloonists who transport Spyro from world to world after he accomplishes certain tasks. Though why their dialogue is presented through text boxes and not voices while everyone else talks, I don’t know. There are also the fairies, providing the game’s save options at the dragons’ crystal platforms; keeping Spyro from falling when his glides fail; or even literally fueling his flames with invincibility with a fairy kiss. ;)
But his greatest ally—and the cleverest game mechanic—is Sparx, who isn’t just a piece of wordplay on the term “dragon” (though I do think that is a cool idea). Sparx not only picks up nearby gems and other items that Spyro might miss, but he himself also acts as the player’s health meter. Through him, Spyro is able to take four hits before dying. At full health, Sparx shines a glittering gold; after one hit, his color dims into a flickering light blue; two hits, he is a dull, plain green; three hits, he disappears completely, leaving Spyro undefended from a final blow. Even now, I don’t think I’ve ever seen such an innovative health mechanic in a video game before. Not only does this rid the screen of the otherwise boring and intrusive health bar, it creatively demonstrates Sparx’s magical nature and his loyalty to his friend without him uttering a single word—aside from the occasional buzz or two.
Sparx can regain energy by eating butterflies, which appear whenever Spyro flames or charges smaller animals, like sheep, chickens, frogs, mice, or bats. A rather arbitrary design choice, but a fun one nonetheless, regardless of whether you actually need the butterflies or not.
Much of this game’s appeal comes exploring all the vastly different worlds and their levels. There are six levels scattered throughout each world, accessible via magical portals. The environments range from bright and cheerful, to dark and spooky, to strange and mysterious, and the dragons who inhabit them all reflect the nature of their respective cultures with their own unique designs and personalities, and vice versa. Also fleshing out these personal and geographical identities is the soundtrack. Former Police drummer, Stewart Copeland, composed the game’s music with a progressive-rock flare, utilizing synthesized guitar, sports organ, and rock drums. These songs are not only catchy as heck, they present players with a sense of contemporary action and fun, matching the spirit of the characters without sacrificing or clashing with the overall game’s signature fantasy vibe. There are:
- The Artisans, prim and proper dragons of culture and creative expression who come together in the lush, sunny valleys and rolling hillsides to share their artistic ideas and innovations
- The Peace Keepers, a race of warriors and battle strategists residing in dry deserts, rocky canyons, and icy caves, and whose brute strength is matched only by their unshakable sense of honor
- The Magic Crafters, wise and solitary guardians of all things mystical, who make their homes within the high, distant mountaintops in order to practice their art in peace
- The Beast Makers, genial swamp-, jungle-, and forest-dwellers who use plants and other earth materials to shape new creatures into being and maintain the natural order of life
- The Dream Weavers: soft-spoken, wistful, and whose minds remain ever literally and figuratively in the clouds, and who are responsible for providing their fellow dragons with pleasant dreams and restful nights
It is impressive how much insight we get into the characters of Spyro and the other dragons through cut scenes lasting a mere twenty seconds or less. Upon being freed, most dragons will offer the player hints and tips for progressing through the game. But it’s fine even if they don’t, because in fact, the real treat comes from seeing what exactly they’re going to do when they’re revealed—and Spyro’s reaction to it. In essence, Spyro is a kid, acting exactly how many kids do when surrounded by caring, albeit often silly adults. That’s not to say the older dragons are depicted as dumb compared to Spyro, nor does he ever act at all mean-spirited toward them. Their interactions with each other are humorously indicative of how some kids, while they may love their family, don’t always know how to respond to some of the random or outdated things they may do or say. Most of the elders are wise, stern and/or cautious, reminding Spyro to stay focused on his mission, like Nestor:
- NESTOR: Thank you for releasing me, Spyro. Free ten dragons in the Artisan world, then find the balloonist. He’ll transport you to the next world.
SPYRO: (Determined): What about Gnasty Gnorc? I’m going after him!
NESTOR: (Shaking a firm claw at him): Find dragons first! That’s all I can tell you.
Others can be a bit vain, especially regarding their own physical appearance or prowess, like Gavin:
GAVIN: Watch the dragonfly, Spyro. His color indicates his power. When he eats butterflies, he stays strong, (proudly) like me.
SPYRO: (Slowly as he rolls his eyes): Uh . . . sure.
Some are tempted to ramble on and on or start off a long and boring speech, like Astor:
ASTOR: After you’ve freed all the dragons, (frowns as he thinks) pass through this fancy vortex—uh, thing-a-ma-jigger. It’ll take you back to the Artisan home. But first, let me tell you a story . . .
SPYRO: (Quickly.) No thanks! See ya!
And there are some that are a wee bit overenthusiastic, like the Bubba:
BUBBA: I’ll tell you what to do with those creatures. (Loudly, stomping his feet) Smash them, Spyro! Stamp them out and squish them and squash them, ha ha ha!
SPYRO: (Awkwardly.) Uh-ha, how about, charge them and flame them? We are dragons, after all.
But the funniest are the ones that are forgetful, if not totally senile, like Altair. (I swear, this one cut scene alone just cracks me up every single time!):
ALTAIR: Thanks for releasing me, Spyro. You have no idea how long I've been trapped in crystal. And, uh . . . neither do I. (Suddenly confused.) Who are you again?
SPYRO: (Awkwardly.) Um . . . I’m outta here!
Then there are the monsters that try to hinder Spyro, though “hinder” might be a strong word. As the game progresses, they only get creatively funnier and funnier-looking, not to mention dumber, but I mean that in a good way. Among others, there are jerk shepherds and witch doctors who whack you over the head with their staffs; armor-wearing savages who charge at you only to head straight off a cliff if they miss; feather-brained wizards who literally run around in circles in panic if you catch them; and cannon-crazed soldiers who taunt the player with “mooning.” No. Seriously!
While the Playstation brand never established an official mascot the way Nintendo and Sega did, Spyro was a very close contender for the title. Such has been the funny, colorful, imaginative, nostalgic, kid/adult-friendly popularity of Spyro the Dragon. His name lives on through numerous sequels, reboots, and spinoffs, some better than others, but his very first adventure will always have a special place in my heart, as I first played it during a time when the sky really did feel like the limit.
MAIN THEME:
“The Call” – Briand Morrison and Roxann Berglund
The Dragon Kingdom has long been a place of beauty and prosperity. Comprising it are five worlds, each one ruled by a family of dragons. With their own unique talents and gifts, each family protects the kingdom and lives in peaceful harmony with one another. The only blemish in this paradise is a sixth world ruled by Gnasty Gnorc, a repugnant, ill-tempered creature with a bad habit of dabbling in forbidden magic. Still, all goes well, until one rather arrogant dragon makes the foolish mistake of mocking Gnasty during a live T.V. interview, which, unfortunately, the latter just happens to be watching. In a fit of rage, the half-gnome/half-orc casts a magic spell to imprison all of the dragons inside crystal statues! What’s worse, not only does he steal and enchant the dragons’ gemstones, transforming them into his own personal soldiers and monsters, but he also invites thieves bent on stealing the dragons’ precious eggs! Little does Gnasty realize, however, that he hasn’t quite ensnared all of the dragons like he first thought. Spyro, the youngest, most mischievous dragon of all, is missed by the crystallization curse due to his small stature—as well as his playing hooky at the time. Now the only unfrozen dragon left, and joined by his best friend, Sparx the Dragonfly, Spyro sets out to free his elders and recover their treasure and their eggs before Gnasty and his armies take over the Dragon Kingdom forever.
With the exceptions of Pokemon Red and Blue, which I played avidly for several years, I’ve always preferred single-player platformers over larger role-playing games because I find them more straightforward and less overwhelming. That it was so approachable for me as a player was the first thing I grew to love about Spyro.
Spyro comes equipped with three primary abilities: fire-breathing (naturally!) and charging, for attacking enemies or barriers specific to each, and gliding for reaching areas too far for jumping. In addition, there is the Super Charge: running along specialized ramps with glowing arrows increases Spyro’s speed, giving him brief invincibility through a more powerful charge attack, as well as a huge boost in gliding distance. Plus, there are special levels in which Spyro can actually fly. Although, these function more like bonus rounds than levels in that they must be completed perfectly before a timer runs out. I think the decision to have Spyro fly only periodically is a good one because it keeps the game from becoming too easy and the pleasure of flight from becoming stale.
Spyro also has allies to aid him as well. There are the balloonists who transport Spyro from world to world after he accomplishes certain tasks. Though why their dialogue is presented through text boxes and not voices while everyone else talks, I don’t know. There are also the fairies, providing the game’s save options at the dragons’ crystal platforms; keeping Spyro from falling when his glides fail; or even literally fueling his flames with invincibility with a fairy kiss. ;)
But his greatest ally—and the cleverest game mechanic—is Sparx, who isn’t just a piece of wordplay on the term “dragon” (though I do think that is a cool idea). Sparx not only picks up nearby gems and other items that Spyro might miss, but he himself also acts as the player’s health meter. Through him, Spyro is able to take four hits before dying. At full health, Sparx shines a glittering gold; after one hit, his color dims into a flickering light blue; two hits, he is a dull, plain green; three hits, he disappears completely, leaving Spyro undefended from a final blow. Even now, I don’t think I’ve ever seen such an innovative health mechanic in a video game before. Not only does this rid the screen of the otherwise boring and intrusive health bar, it creatively demonstrates Sparx’s magical nature and his loyalty to his friend without him uttering a single word—aside from the occasional buzz or two.
Sparx can regain energy by eating butterflies, which appear whenever Spyro flames or charges smaller animals, like sheep, chickens, frogs, mice, or bats. A rather arbitrary design choice, but a fun one nonetheless, regardless of whether you actually need the butterflies or not.
Much of this game’s appeal comes exploring all the vastly different worlds and their levels. There are six levels scattered throughout each world, accessible via magical portals. The environments range from bright and cheerful, to dark and spooky, to strange and mysterious, and the dragons who inhabit them all reflect the nature of their respective cultures with their own unique designs and personalities, and vice versa. Also fleshing out these personal and geographical identities is the soundtrack. Former Police drummer, Stewart Copeland, composed the game’s music with a progressive-rock flare, utilizing synthesized guitar, sports organ, and rock drums. These songs are not only catchy as heck, they present players with a sense of contemporary action and fun, matching the spirit of the characters without sacrificing or clashing with the overall game’s signature fantasy vibe. There are:
- The Artisans, prim and proper dragons of culture and creative expression who come together in the lush, sunny valleys and rolling hillsides to share their artistic ideas and innovations
- The Peace Keepers, a race of warriors and battle strategists residing in dry deserts, rocky canyons, and icy caves, and whose brute strength is matched only by their unshakable sense of honor
- The Magic Crafters, wise and solitary guardians of all things mystical, who make their homes within the high, distant mountaintops in order to practice their art in peace
- The Beast Makers, genial swamp-, jungle-, and forest-dwellers who use plants and other earth materials to shape new creatures into being and maintain the natural order of life
- The Dream Weavers: soft-spoken, wistful, and whose minds remain ever literally and figuratively in the clouds, and who are responsible for providing their fellow dragons with pleasant dreams and restful nights
It is impressive how much insight we get into the characters of Spyro and the other dragons through cut scenes lasting a mere twenty seconds or less. Upon being freed, most dragons will offer the player hints and tips for progressing through the game. But it’s fine even if they don’t, because in fact, the real treat comes from seeing what exactly they’re going to do when they’re revealed—and Spyro’s reaction to it. In essence, Spyro is a kid, acting exactly how many kids do when surrounded by caring, albeit often silly adults. That’s not to say the older dragons are depicted as dumb compared to Spyro, nor does he ever act at all mean-spirited toward them. Their interactions with each other are humorously indicative of how some kids, while they may love their family, don’t always know how to respond to some of the random or outdated things they may do or say. Most of the elders are wise, stern and/or cautious, reminding Spyro to stay focused on his mission, like Nestor:
- NESTOR: Thank you for releasing me, Spyro. Free ten dragons in the Artisan world, then find the balloonist. He’ll transport you to the next world.
SPYRO: (Determined): What about Gnasty Gnorc? I’m going after him!
NESTOR: (Shaking a firm claw at him): Find dragons first! That’s all I can tell you.
Others can be a bit vain, especially regarding their own physical appearance or prowess, like Gavin:
GAVIN: Watch the dragonfly, Spyro. His color indicates his power. When he eats butterflies, he stays strong, (proudly) like me.
SPYRO: (Slowly as he rolls his eyes): Uh . . . sure.
Some are tempted to ramble on and on or start off a long and boring speech, like Astor:
ASTOR: After you’ve freed all the dragons, (frowns as he thinks) pass through this fancy vortex—uh, thing-a-ma-jigger. It’ll take you back to the Artisan home. But first, let me tell you a story . . .
SPYRO: (Quickly.) No thanks! See ya!
And there are some that are a wee bit overenthusiastic, like the Bubba:
BUBBA: I’ll tell you what to do with those creatures. (Loudly, stomping his feet) Smash them, Spyro! Stamp them out and squish them and squash them, ha ha ha!
SPYRO: (Awkwardly.) Uh-ha, how about, charge them and flame them? We are dragons, after all.
But the funniest are the ones that are forgetful, if not totally senile, like Altair. (I swear, this one cut scene alone just cracks me up every single time!):
ALTAIR: Thanks for releasing me, Spyro. You have no idea how long I've been trapped in crystal. And, uh . . . neither do I. (Suddenly confused.) Who are you again?
SPYRO: (Awkwardly.) Um . . . I’m outta here!
Then there are the monsters that try to hinder Spyro, though “hinder” might be a strong word. As the game progresses, they only get creatively funnier and funnier-looking, not to mention dumber, but I mean that in a good way. Among others, there are jerk shepherds and witch doctors who whack you over the head with their staffs; armor-wearing savages who charge at you only to head straight off a cliff if they miss; feather-brained wizards who literally run around in circles in panic if you catch them; and cannon-crazed soldiers who taunt the player with “mooning.” No. Seriously!
While the Playstation brand never established an official mascot the way Nintendo and Sega did, Spyro was a very close contender for the title. Such has been the funny, colorful, imaginative, nostalgic, kid/adult-friendly popularity of Spyro the Dragon. His name lives on through numerous sequels, reboots, and spinoffs, some better than others, but his very first adventure will always have a special place in my heart, as I first played it during a time when the sky really did feel like the limit.
MAIN THEME:
“The Call” – Briand Morrison and Roxann Berglund
EPISODE SONG:
“Funky Tiger” - The Curellis
“Funky Tiger” - The Curellis
All other music and sound clips are from Spyro the Dragon (developed by Insomniac Games; published by Sony Computer Entertainment).
OST SONGS:
- “Artisans Homeworld”
- “Peace Keepers Homeworld”
- “Magic Crafters Homeworld”
- “Beast Makers Homeworld”
- “Dream Weavers Homeworld”
Download the full 15-minute episode here!
Spyro the Dragon on Wikipedia
Insomniac Games on Wikipedia
Spyro the Dragon Official Website
Spyro the Dragon on Fandom
Spyro the Dragon on Tv Tropes
Buy Spyro the Dragon on Amazon
Buy Spyro the Dragon on Ebay
^^ Back to Video Games, Simulations, and Other Interactive Experiences
OST SONGS:
- “Artisans Homeworld”
- “Peace Keepers Homeworld”
- “Magic Crafters Homeworld”
- “Beast Makers Homeworld”
- “Dream Weavers Homeworld”
Download the full 15-minute episode here!
Spyro the Dragon on Wikipedia
Insomniac Games on Wikipedia
Spyro the Dragon Official Website
Spyro the Dragon on Fandom
Spyro the Dragon on Tv Tropes
Buy Spyro the Dragon on Amazon
Buy Spyro the Dragon on Ebay
^^ Back to Video Games, Simulations, and Other Interactive Experiences