This is THE way to play the original Spyro. Obviously the graphics and art style are a beautiful, modernized take on the World of Dragons that still capture the spirit of the original, but even beyond that, there are quite a few improvements.
For one, you can have Sparx point you in the direction of missing gems with a simple push of the analog stick. This does WONDERS for making 100% completion more appealing to newcomers (like myself). Some might say that ruins the sense of discovery, but I think it’s pretty similar to the Shrine Meter in Breath of the Wild: it tells where to go, but not how to get there, meaning that you’ll still have to figure out the path for yourself.
The controls are a huge step up from the PS1 version. Fun fact: all modern consoles have analog sticks. That means this game uses analog control, as opposed to the janky D-pad buttons from the PS1, the latter of which is definitely not ideal for a 3D platformer. On top of that, I feel like the Supercharge works far better in this remake and is easier to control, which led to me actually completing the dreaded Tree Tops level for the first time.
One final praise: the story additions. The game still has the same excuse plot (go rescue the dragons and kick some Gnorc ass), but there’s a lot more detail this time around. Every single dragon has a unique design, which is super impressive and is one of those things that’s unnecessary, yet goes to show how much love Toys for Bob put into this project. We actually see Gnasty Gnorc watching the dragons’ interview on TV at the beginning, which explains how he knew they were shit-talking him. Gnasty Gnorc himself gets a moment of sympathy; when the dragons call him “ugly”, he gets puppy dog eyes and looks genuinely hurt by the insult, thus providing a slight bit of depth to his character that wasn’t there before. Also, his lair is filled with funny Gnorc-themed inspirational posters and love letters that he writes to himself in an effort to boost his self-esteem. Poor Gnasty Gnorc; bro just needs a hug.
I’ve got a lot more to say, but I’ll leave it at that until I review the whole trilogy. Needless to say, this is the definitive version of Spyro 1, and I highly recommend it to those who enjoy 3D platformers or simply want a chill game to play on a rainy night. Going for 100% was absolutely a fun and worthwhile endeavor.
For one, you can have Sparx point you in the direction of missing gems with a simple push of the analog stick. This does WONDERS for making 100% completion more appealing to newcomers (like myself). Some might say that ruins the sense of discovery, but I think it’s pretty similar to the Shrine Meter in Breath of the Wild: it tells where to go, but not how to get there, meaning that you’ll still have to figure out the path for yourself.
The controls are a huge step up from the PS1 version. Fun fact: all modern consoles have analog sticks. That means this game uses analog control, as opposed to the janky D-pad buttons from the PS1, the latter of which is definitely not ideal for a 3D platformer. On top of that, I feel like the Supercharge works far better in this remake and is easier to control, which led to me actually completing the dreaded Tree Tops level for the first time.
One final praise: the story additions. The game still has the same excuse plot (go rescue the dragons and kick some Gnorc ass), but there’s a lot more detail this time around. Every single dragon has a unique design, which is super impressive and is one of those things that’s unnecessary, yet goes to show how much love Toys for Bob put into this project. We actually see Gnasty Gnorc watching the dragons’ interview on TV at the beginning, which explains how he knew they were shit-talking him. Gnasty Gnorc himself gets a moment of sympathy; when the dragons call him “ugly”, he gets puppy dog eyes and looks genuinely hurt by the insult, thus providing a slight bit of depth to his character that wasn’t there before. Also, his lair is filled with funny Gnorc-themed inspirational posters and love letters that he writes to himself in an effort to boost his self-esteem. Poor Gnasty Gnorc; bro just needs a hug.
I’ve got a lot more to say, but I’ll leave it at that until I review the whole trilogy. Needless to say, this is the definitive version of Spyro 1, and I highly recommend it to those who enjoy 3D platformers or simply want a chill game to play on a rainy night. Going for 100% was absolutely a fun and worthwhile endeavor.