What is Spyro Reignited Trilogy?

Most people have heard the name Spyro or know of him. He’s a fiery little purple dragon with a snarky but loveable attitude who loves to bash and flame his enemies! He was originally developed for the PS1 in 1998 and 20 years later remade for the newer generation of gamers! But who is he? Here’s 15 things you should know about the Spyro Reignited Trilogy!

15. It’s 3 Games in 1

The Spyro Reignited Trilogy Cover

The Spyro Reignited Trilogy, to what may just be your surprise, is a trilogy! What does that mean? It’s three games. What does that mean? It means it’s three different items in one package, and for every third of the package, it is a different experience.

The first Spyro game, a personal favorite of mine, is a very down to earth platforming adventure where you play as (believe it or not) Spyro, a little purple dragon who’s fired up to flame some fools, both literally and figuratively, who’s accompanied by his dragonfly pal, Sparx. There’s not much to the first game, it’s a simple story with straightforward gameplay where you collect gems, rescue some eggs, and free your dragon brethren. Your dragon friends have all been crystalized by one Gnasty Gnorc, a grumpy green galoot of a guy who literally turned all of the dragons (except Spyro) into crystal because he was called “ugly” on television.

The second game, Spyro 2: Ripto’s Rage, takes place sometime after the first, where Spyro and Sparx go through a portal meant for Dragon Shores, where the two intended to go on a vacation. However the two end up in a place known as Avalar and are greeted by the first three new characters of the series: Elora, Hunter, and Professor, but you are soon greeted by the main antagonist, Ripto, who just looks like a runtly dragon. The gameplay is quite different, featuring minigames, different collectibles, and additions to your moveset, however it removes most of the collectibles from the previous game in favor of new ones which require a bit more effort.

The third game, Spyro 3: Year of the Dragon, takes a little bit of inspiration from both the first and second game, combining the goals and gameplay mechanics that both were missing from their respective entries. Now the goal is to save dragon eggs and the babies inside, but this time you have help with the introduction of more playable characters who are much more unique than the simple additions of Elora, Hunter, and Professor in the previous game. Spyro 3 takes the best of both previous games, and adds to it.

14. It’s Beautiful

Spyro Reignited Trilogy is full of all sorts of amazing details that make it stick out above most other games. From the movesets, to the minigames, to the collecting, the different aspects of its gameplay make it stand out in a very positive way, but one thing that certainly needs to be pointed out is the world.

Spyro Reignited Trilogy is full of lush landscapes, beautiful worlds, and upbeat music to make every world feel truly alive. Spyro is also very beautifully designed, as well as all other characters you come across. You don’t need to play the game to see that it’s clearly a project made from passion.

No matter which game you're playing, the worlds never fail to stick out, all having their own unique feel that was clearly crafted with its own self in mind, rather than the overall game. From the underwater world of Aquarius, to the swamps of the Beast Keepers, nothing feels copy and paste.

13. It’s A Simple Game

Gnasty's Reaction to being called "Simple" on television.

Spyro Reignited Trilogy is a game that calls you to relax, sit back, and play it to your heart’s content. After work, before school, doesn’t matter, because it’s a game about the game, not a game about the story. If you’ve come to the Spyro Reignited Trilogy expecting a complex story with intricate storylines, then you’ll be quite disappointed.

Spyro is a simple game, one that focuses on its gameplay and puts the fun of it above all else! This isn’t a bad thing, and it’s something that the gaming industry needs to see more in Triple A games or higher end titles. With games like Minecraft or The Sims, you of course have no story and it’s all gameplay, but these games are powered by your imagination, and not everyone likes to put that kind of effort into playing a game.

The only story you’ll get is from the first cutscene and the final actual level of the first game. Spyro 2 and 3 have a little more plot, but it only really culminates at a handful of moments throughout the game, and the rest is just about being a cute purple dragon and blasting things away with your fire or charge attacks.

Spyro is a fun game, so it’s about the fun game. And playing it from beginning to end, just enjoying the journey, is all you have to worry about. But if you feel you’ve run out of the fun just because you’ve completed each game: guess what? It’s not over.

12. It’s A Collectathon

The loading screen for Spyro 1 Reignited

Part of Spyro Reignited Trilogy’s appeal is that even if you beat the game, it’s not over! Many games nowadays that focus on singleplayer gameplay or story try to add this feature in too, and while many can do it well, few do it as well as Spyro!

Spyro’s way of making you come back for more is by using collectibles, a very common practice in gaming but one that a lot of people don’t enjoy, and for good reason. Many games make it to where the collectibles are too hard to find or there’s just way too much and yet somehow too much space between each one. Spyro doesn’t do this.

Instead, all three Spyro games in the Spyro Reignited Trilogy put all collectibles in plain sight as well as giving them sounds that they produce if you’re near it and can’t see it. All three games have you collect gems, and when you are really far away from a gem, getting a birds eye view but looking in its direction, it does this neat little “glare” so you can see it from a distance.

Some of the collectibles are a little hidden, but they make the hiding spots very visibly a hiding spot, and a quick YouTube tutorial doesn’t hurt every now and then if you’re really that stuck.Spyro makes collecting fun, and not just by making it easy.

Another feature Spyro Reignited Trilogy includes: satisfaction. With each collectible, the game uses special audio and visuals to make it feel like a very satisfying feat, and when you get all of the collectibles you’re properly rewarded, it’s not just a silly trophy/achievement you get. I won’t spoil the rewards for you, though, I’ll let you obtain them on your own! 

11. It’s Great For Speedrunning

The speedrunning leaderboard from Speedrun.com

Any good game also has a following of weirdos behind it. Be it that you dress as the characters, be it that you make a character of your own that you think would be a great fit for the game and its universe, or be it that you play the game for hours as fast as possible ultimately pushing yourself the brink of depression when all of your hours of effort get wasted by somebody beating your time by literally half of a second. Yup, Spyro is one of those games. 

As mentioned before, Spyro is a collectathon, but the difference between Spyro being one and many other games being one: in Spyro it is required that you get a lot of the collectibles to beat the game. That being said, it makes speedrunning the game a very precise art, one that already requires precision and quick thinking.

Spyro is not a game that requires you to be great because it’s an easy game,but if you’re the kind of person who enjoys not having fun while playing a very fun game, then this game is perfect for speedrunning, maybe not to get the world records but at least a personal record! The game times you too, so no timing software is needed!

It’s also worth noting that 103rd place is 1 hour and 34 minutes. 1st place removes over an hour from that time! 

10. It’s Got Tons of Enemies

A few odd shots of enemies from Spyro 1 Reignited

Despite not being a very difficult game, the creators put an insane amount of time and effort into enemy design! Throughout the game, you see beautiful landscapes and worlds, magnificently designed dragons and characters, but you don’t get a whole lot of time to look at the enemies. 

It’s a real shame, too, because enemies have so much to them! In every level, the enemies are different! Occasionally you get the same enemy reappearing in different worlds, but never in different regions! Every level has unique enemies and not just in looks! Most do have pretty basic attacks, but on top of the completely original designs of common grunts, a lot even have their own unique attacks.

In the first Spyro Reignited game alone, there are well over 50 unique enemy designs! And that’s just the enemies! In the first game, every individual dragon (over 70) has their own unique design as well, and then there’s the animals in each region that you can attack to regain any lost health. That is over 120 unique npc models in the first game alone!

9. It’s Very Diverse

Icy Peak from Spyro 3

While the amount of models for each individual character and enemy is impressive, it’s also worth noting that the worlds themselves are very unique as well! From level to level, you will find a large lack of repetition, and that’s a good thing because at the end of the day, the gameplay is very simple. There’s no tactics, there’s no strategy, and while there are puzzles and minigames of sorts, those don’t really shine until the second game.

There’s underwater worlds, beach worlds, grassland worlds, stormy worlds, icy worlds, desert worlds, and so much more! Of course there’s going to be different worlds based on weather and climate, as to be expected with a game so fantastical, but even if a theme repeats, it’s nothing like the previous version of the same theme. 

Spyro doesn’t hold up its standards in comparison to other games, including its own. It makes everything with the intention of being beautiful, and while it is a remake, it’s so much more than just a retexture.

8. You Can Play As Multiple Characters

Cover for Spyro 3 Reignited, showcasing most playable characters (excluding Hunter and Sparx)

Spyro is not the only playable character in Spyro Reignited Trilogy! In fact, there are six other playable characters in the trilogy, which is a big step up from just one playable character. With that being said, however, all six characters are only playable in Spyro 3: Year of the Dragon. 

In Spyro 3, you can play as:
Agent 9
Bentley the Yeti
Hunter the Cheetah (only in speedway challenges however)
Sgt. Byrd
Sheila the Kangaroo
Sparx (In minigames that allow you to upgrade him a little)
 

This roster each has their own move set and playstyle. They have their own individual levels, and make for a nice change of pace from the other two games!

7. It’s Old School

The three original covers for the PS1 version of the trilogy

Spyro Reignited Trilogy, as I’m sure you know, is a remake of the older Spyro games back in the PlayStation 1 days. Since then Spyro has been through many changes in ownership, starting with Insomniac Games (a Playstation exclusive dev team) with the original trilogy and trading hands with so many companies all the way until it made its way into Xbox’s domain. What was originally a PlayStation exclusive is now owned by its top competitor, which is quite an ironic twist. 

Because of its roots in the PS1 era, you can expect a lot of outdated concepts to be in the game, such as a life system and an assortment of odd minigames (including skating). Spyro Reignited Trilogy is a very well made remake and doesn’t behave like an old school game in terms of quality, controls, and graphics of course That is the point of the “Reignited” titles. However the amount of collecting, the way the levels are designed, and even the music all point back to its original creation.

In this age of gaming, we see plenty of games being remade or remastered for newer consoles and a newer generation, and Spyro is one of them. While most remakes and remasters are appreciated, cared for, and loved by many, Spyro truly takes the cake on being a game that was remade with love by the developers and stays true to the original versions and even makes it a very accessible game for newer audiences.

Spyro Reignited Trilogy is old school, and that’s what makes the game so great and worth your time. You will find all sorts of things in the game that you just don’t find in newer games, and that’s for the better. Enjoy this slice of gaming history in the present before the gaming world drowns out its uniqueness yet again. 

6. It’s For Everyone

Spyro Reignited Trilogy is lighthearted and fun in many aspects. People of all ages can enjoy the game, kids and adults alike. It’s a nostalgic game as well as a new game, so it covers most people who made video gaming a part of their lives. However when I say that it’s for everyone, I don’t just mean age groups.

The game is full of cool dragons but also other (real) animals that are designed just as well as the dragons, and many of the ones that appear even have more time put into them than all of the dragons from the first game! So if you love animal characters, I don’t think there’s much to think about with this one, it’s a buy! But this game caters to animal lovers, art lovers, kids, adults, parents, platformer lovers, casual gamers, speedrunners, completionists, and so much more!

Spyro was created at a time where the choices for gaming were much more limited than they are today, and that works out in its favor because it made sure to take a page from every book. There’s flight levels, skateboarding levels, aerial combat levels, puzzles, time trials, races, shooter levels, and more that I’m missing because there’s so much in these three games! If you have any interest in anything I’ve mentioned, at least one of the games in the trilogy caters to your preferences. 

5. It’s A Comedy

Spyro wearing his shades in the final cutscene of the first game

While most of the game is an adventure platformer that requires you to flame and charge your way through tons of baddies, the game isn’t an “action” game. It’s actually a comedy! This is shown right from the start of the first game all the way to the end of the third. 

The series begins with the first antagonist turning all of the dragons into statues just because one called him “simple” and “ugly” on television. The shot of Spyro in shades (at night) is an actual cutscene from the game, and just shows even more how the game grounds itself in humor despite its magical and whimsical nature. Spyro’s headstrong attitude is also a big part of the humor that is featured in the game, which oftentimes is very dry and subtle.

Most of the characters take themselves seriously, the only real exception being Hunter the Cheetah. The semi-serious nature of most characters is part of what makes the humor stick out when it does come around. So if you’re having a rough day and need to smile, you can jump onto Spyro and play a delightful game and get a few laughs in as well. 

4. It Has Many of its Original Voice Actors

Spyro the Dragon was originally voiced by Carlos Alazraqui in the original Spyro The Dragon title. However in Spyro 2, 3, and Enter the Dragonfly (not part of the Reignited Trilogy), he was voiced by the legendary Tom Kenny, a famous voice actor known for his roles as Spongebob from the animated series Spongebob Squarepants, Heffer from Rocko’s Modern Life, and Ice King from Adventure Time. The actor has many more names under his belt, but as a fan of all three shows, I’m happy to say that Spyro is one too.

In the Spyro Reignited Trilogy, Tom Kenny reprises the role of Spyro the Dragon, but he’s not alone. Professor is also voiced by Tom Kenny, Gnasty is voiced by Michael J. Gough, and Ripto is voiced by Greg Berger! That’s not to discredit the other incredibly talented voice actors in the game, but all that I’ve mentioned have been around since the original trilogy and then some. 

These actors aren’t the only ones to reappear either. There are plenty of recurring actors in the franchise for characters, Sparx included, and they deserve just as much love! The game wouldn’t be what it is without all of the talent included, from the audio department to the community managers, everyone’s role is important, but the voices that brought these characters to life in the first place is a great way to put the game back on the map where it belongs. 

3. It’s A Bang For Your Buck

As mentioned before at least once, Spyro Reignited Trilogy is a trilogy. It is three games. Getting your hands on this game (which, at full price, sells for less than the average full price game by the way) is an opportunity you don’t want to miss. You have tons of hours to pour into these games, all of which will be fun and memorable. 

The trilogy has everything from skateboarding to flying, from shooting to flaming. The designs are original, the music is beautiful, and the art is breathtaking. Every world, every moment, every enemy, every character- hours of love was clearly poured into these games and selling it for $40.00 USD is criminal, but not to the buyer. Having this game on your shelf is not only an achievement to the creators but to yourself.

All ages, all peoples, everyone is welcome, and everyone will find something they enjoy. And the best part is when you know you enjoy every single aspect the game has to offer, which makes it all the more fun. Getting Spyro Reignited Trilogy is more than a bang for your buck, it’s more than you bargained for, and you’d be happy you made the purchase. So journey into the World of Dragons! Adventure awaits…

2. Spyro is Featured in Crash Team Racing

Spyro, Gnasty, and Crash on Spyro Circuit in CTR:NF

Less than a year after the release of the Spyro Reignited Trilogy was released, another game you’ve likely heard of came out: Crash Team Racing: Nitro-Fueled. Crash, of course, is its own entity but like Spyro has been through the grinder of developers and sequels that didn’t quite take the cake only to be remade with love and passion from developers who wanted to see the classic game come to life for a new generation of gamers. And with that trilogy came a fourth remake, of sorts, with Crash Team Racing: Nitro Fueled. 

Now CTR has 56 playable racers, and among them is the legendary dragon himself: Spyro. Spyro is also accompanied by Hunter the Cheetah and Gnasty Gnorc, both big characters from the Spyro franchise. Though the game was released in June of 2019, Spyro had to wait a couple of months before making his debut, it is a Crash game after all. Even though it’s a crash game, it’s moments like these that you see some of the gaming legends go hand in hand in history.

Spyro himself is still voiced by the legendary Tom Kenny, and Hunter and Gnasty both keep their respective voice actors from Spyro Reignited Trilogy. The trio even come with their own unique power up: Sparx! Sparx acts as the Spyro trio’s very own Aku Aku invincibility power up, and even has his own music that goes with the power up as well. But that’s not all, a map called Spyro Circuit released with the trio and replaces the collectible Wumpa Fruits with gems, keeping with the Spyro theme in every way. 

1. It’s rumored to have a sequel…

The loading screen for when you continue a game from the start menu.

Spyro Reignited Trilogy was released in November of 2018. Spyro fans know that Spyro has been through the ringer, going through company after company, iteration after iteration, almost always falling short. While many people love the Spyro games that didn’t amount to the original trilogy that Insomniac Games created, the general consensus is that they just aren’t as good, even if there’s a lot of people willing to fight for the opinion that states otherwise. The company that developed the Spyro Reignited Trilogy is called Toys For Bob, and if that name sounds familiar then maybe it is because they also made another game you might be familiar with: Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time. 

With the clear imaginary connection between Spyro and Crash, you can see why many have begun to speculate that the Spyro Reignited Trilogy may get another number added to those three remakes. Crash underwent a similar process as Spyro, being traded through companies that just fell short of the Crash name, only to circle back around and take the gaming world by storm yet again! Spyro looks as though it may be undergoing the same treatment with a remake of the original trilogy, a solid appearance in the Crash Team Racing: Nitro-Fueled game, and several easter eggs even in the Crash Bandicoot 4 game. 

This is all credible evidence that Spyro may be getting an official “4” title in the coming years, some rumors even suggesting 2023, but it’s all speculation. While these are wonderful thoughts, and the game holds a special place in the hearts of many, this cycle that isn’t too dissimilar from Crash may just be an act of passion, not necessarily an act that tells of things to come. Spyro The Dragon will forever be a huge part of the history of gaming, so even if the franchise is at an end, the name Spyro The Dragon will never die. 

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