Spyro: Year of the Dragon
A purple dragon recovers stolen eggs across the Forgotten Realms.
Spyro: Year of the Dragon is a 2000 platform game developed by Insomniac Games and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation. The third installment in the Spyro series, it follows the titular purple dragon as he travels to the Forgotten Realms to recover stolen dragon eggs. The game introduced new characters and minigames, and was the last Spyro title released for the original PlayStation.
Quick Facts
- Developer
- Insomniac Games
- Publisher
- Sony Computer Entertainment
- Writer
- Brian Hastings, Gavin Dodd
- Producer
- Grady Hunt
- Composer
- Stewart Copeland, Ryan Beveridge
- Series
- Spyro
- Platforms
- PlayStation
- Genre
- Platform
Facts from the source article.
Gameplay
Year of the Dragon is a platform video game played from a third person perspective. The main objective is to recover stolen dragon eggs scattered across 37 levels, either hidden or given as rewards for completing tasks. Worlds are linked by homeworlds or hubs, large areas containing gateways to other levels. To reach the next hub, the player must complete five worlds, gather a certain number of eggs, and defeat a boss. Not every egg is required to finish the main game; some can only be found by returning later. Gems are hidden in crates and jars and are used to bribe a bear named Moneybags to release captured characters or activate helpful items. Gems and eggs contribute to the total completion percentage, tracked by an atlas. The player controls Spyro, whose health is measured by his companion Sparx, a dragonfly that changes color and disappears after damage. Without Sparx, the next hit costs a life and restarts at the last checkpoint. Eating small wildlife regenerates Sparx. Spyro can breathe fire, swim, dive, glide, and headbutt, and can run through Powerup Gates for temporary abilities. New playable characters called critters are unlocked by paying Moneybags. Each critter has unique moves: Sheila the Kangaroo can double jump, while Sergeant Byrd uses rocket launchers and can fly.
Plot
The story begins during the Year of the Dragon, a celebration held once every twelve years when new dragon eggs appear in the Dragon Realms. Bianca, an apprentice to the Sorceress, leads a force of Rhynocs—rhino-like creatures—to steal every egg, scattering them across different worlds. Spyro, his dragonfly friend Sparx, and Hunter are sent through a hole to retrieve them. Spyro lands in the Forgotten Realms, a place dragons once lived but where magic is now fading, all under the Sorceress’s harsh rule. Along the way, he gets help from Sheila the Kangaroo, Sergeant Byrd the Penguin, Bentley the Yeti, and Agent 9 the Monkey. It turns out the Sorceress exiled the dragons without realizing they were the source of magic, and she plans to use the baby dragons’ wings for a spell to make herself immortal. When Bianca discovers this, she betrays the Sorceress and aids Spyro in defeating her. After the main story, players can hunt for more eggs and gems to unlock a true ending, where Spyro beats the Sorceress again to claim the final egg. He then returns all the babies to the Dragon Realms. Meanwhile, Hunter falls for Bianca, and they start a relationship, much to Spyro and Sparx’s dismay.
Development
Development of the third Spyro title spanned about ten and a half months, from November 1999 to September 2000. The team was influenced by games including Doom and Crash Bandicoot. The game was named Year of the Dragon because it released during the year of the Dragon in the Chinese zodiac. Feedback from fans highlighted the depth and variety of the previous games, and Insomniac CEO Ted Price described the goal as pulling out all the stops with new challenges and diverse gameplay. A feature called Auto Challenge Tuning was added to dynamically adjust difficulty, so skilled players would be challenged while less-skilled players would not be discouraged. Levels were made larger than those in Spyro 2 to add minigame areas, which loaded separately to avoid confusion. The addition of critters provided variety without adding more moves for Spyro. Price noted that their personalities freshened the story, which he considered more evolved and coherent than the original Spyro the Dragon plot, due to the studio's greater experience. The emphasis was on the new critters, but Spyro was not left behind. Gameplay programmers Brian Hastings and Gavin Dodd wrote the script and handled voice over direction.
Reception
Year of the Dragon received universal acclaim according to review aggregator Metacritic. Critics called it the best entry in the series and one of the PlayStation's best platformers. Reviewers noted that the game brought minor refinements but would please fans of the previous titles. The high level of polish was often highlighted. Game Informer said the gameplay was accessible for all ages while still offering a challenge. GamePro praised the automatic difficulty adjustment. Electronic Gaming Monthly found the camera the best of any 3D game played, though other reviewers faulted it for not keeping up with Spyro. Gamecenter appreciated optional camera modes but still found issues. The new playable characters and minigames were received favorably. Graphics were praised, with NextGen comparing the title to Donkey Kong Country as excellent graphics on outdated hardware, and AllGame calling it perhaps the best-looking platformer on the PlayStation. Frame rate issues were mostly absent, though GamePro noted infrequent slowdowns. Shoemaker considered the only flaws inherent to all PlayStation games, but well hidden. Music was thought to bring atmosphere, and voice acting was praised. GameRevolution found sound competently done but background music and effects fairly generic.
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