#5: Spyro 2: Ripto’s Rage (PS1, 1999)

Today, May 18th, marks my 22nd birthday and what better way to celebrate this week’s entry than talking about my favorite game of all time? So today, I am going to discuss Spyro 2, Ripto’s Rage and why not only is this an improved game over the original, but why this is the best sequel of all time.

The most improved part of Spyro 2 is the controls. In the very first entry I ever did for this blog, I talked about Spyro 1 and how its controls were a little finicky sometimes, especially when trying to platform. Spyro would feel heavy when dropping and some jumps that you thought you would make you wouldn’t. However, Insomniac completely overhauled the gameplay for Spyro 2. Now, platforming is no problem at all. If you fell or if you died, it was on you. This is the best controlling 3D platformer I think ever because of just how smooth the controls are. Even when using a D-Pad, Spyro moves great and some people actually prefer using the D-Pad, even though you are limited when using that compared to an analog stick, where you can move in full 360 degrees.

The story is also greatly improved. The new characters such as Hunter and Ripto became stables in the series and even the side characters that you only meet once in a level are interesting because of Insomniac’s greatest strength as a company; their sense of humor. This game has everything from slapstick to general humor that makes the game extremely fun to play. Fun fact, Ripto is actually named that way because when the first Spyro was ported to Japan, Spyro’s named is spelled just like Ripto in Japanese, which is a nice touch! Tom Kenny provides the voice for Spyro this time around and it’s such a good fit for the character. His Spyro voices makes the character relatable and likeable.

Spyro 2’s Japanese Cover; notice the Ripto!

 

The game is still a collect-a-thon, but each level has its own specific problem for you to solve in order to get a talisman or orb, the things you will be collecting to beat the game. There are also still tons of gems for you to obtain as well, which is always addicting to collect!

Winter Tundra; my favorite world in the game.

Spyro also has new abilities that drastically change up his gameplay compared to the original game. For example, in the first game, Spyro couldn’t swim. If he even touched water, he would die. However, not only can you swim in water, but you can dive underwater and explore the depths of the oceans. You can also climb ladders, headbash, and super-flame as well! All of these are used to their full potential and do not feel underused or gimmicky. I would say the only weird part of the game is ice-skating. So in one level, you have to play ice hockey with monks. The ice physics aren’t the greatest because you can’t stop or even jump. This makes the gameplay a little jarring from all the other gameplay modes, but that’s the only minor complaint I have about the game itself.

Stewart Copeland is back and in my opinion, this is his best work ever. The music is extremely atmospheric and you can seriously get lost in some of these tunes. They’re great pieces for studying or just relaxing at nighttime. Some of my favorites are Summer Forest, Winter Tundra, and Mystic Marsh, all of which can be heard on Youtube. There are also hard rocking pieces of music as well such as the boss themes, which gets you pumped up to defeat them.

But I believe the best part about Spyro 2 is just how much you can explore the environments and uncover every nook and cranny in each level. There’s a glitch in the game where you can double-jump and reach places you aren’t normally supposed to reach and that makes the game more open because now you can get to places you weren’t initially supposed to reach yet. This makes speedruns for this game amazing to watch because they just tear through this game and it’s really interesting to see a game that I spend years to beat as a kid get beat in less than 10 minutes.

Overall, this is my favorite game because it contains everything I love about games; a sense of humor, exploration, charming and creative levels, atmospheric and enjoyable music, and finally a main character that is likeable and relatable. As a kid, he was one of my heroes alongside Ash from Pokemon, Yugi from Yugioh, and Spiderman. Spyro as a franchise might come back one day and hopefully if the rumors of an HD remaster is true, hopefully a new generation will be able to enjoy these games like I did when I was their ages. I’ve beaten this game more times than I’s like to admit across multiple platforms, but I never get bored every time i start a new file. That is what truly creates a masterpiece.

Here’s an interview from PS Underground about the making of Spyro 2 which showcases the new abilities and hockey inspiration!

 

#1: Spyro the Dragon (PS1, 1998)

What better way of starting off this blog than with the very first video game I ever played; Spyro the Dragon! Growing up, I was limited when it came to game consoles. It was either one system or no system, so we got the Playstation and it was the only system I had until the PS2 many years later. At that time I was a small kid with no knowledge of video games or what a controller was. However, I still remember my first experience of playing Spyro the Dragon and it was an experience that changed my life forever.

 

Spyro himself!

The story of Spyro is a simple one; you play as a young purple dragon named Spyro who, after the evil Gnasty Gnorc traps all of the adult dragons in crystal, has to save the dragons, collect all of the treasure that was stolen by Gnasty’s henchmen, and restore peace to the dragon realms! There are five home worlds in the game with each containing roughly five levels per world. At the end you fight Gnasty, free the dragons, collect the treasure, and even stop a bunch of blue thieves from stealing tiny dragon eggs.

The graphics were revolutionary for the time. Draw distance for early 3D games were never amazing and most games covered the low draw distance by implementing fog or mist for example. But for Spyro, Insomniac Games created a unique engine that didn’t require the need for fog or mist in levels. It wasn’t perfect, but for their second ever game, Insomniac was already showing that they were pros in the game industry!

Just look that that skybox!

The gameplay is also extremely addicting and fun because of how it was designed. The main objective is to collect things, mainly gems, dragons, and dragon eggs. These collectibles are scattered all over the levels, so trying to find all of them becomes a really entertaining task. There wasn’t a level where I thought to myself “when is this going to end?” Each level is unique and greatly designed for you to glide around and explore each nook and cranny. The only gripe I have with the gameplay is how heavy Spyro can be sometimes. When you run and jump, Spyro will jump but then almost immediately fall back to the ground. This can be a pain sometimes when you are trying to perform some of the trickier platforming in later levels, so trying to master Spyro’s jump is key. His gliding can also be 50/50 sometimes because when Spyro glides, he descends slowly but surely, so when you’re trying to glide to a far away platform, you can sometimes miss it because you didn’t jump high enough or you thought you did but he just barely misses the edge and falls to his death. However, after getting used to it, it is manageable, but I prefer Spyro’s movement in the later games.

The great part about Spyro is the fact that it’s probably the most accessible game ever when it comes to newcomers of video games. As a kid first playing video games, I obviously had no idea what to do or where to go, but the first home world is mostly non-dangerous, unless you accidentally fall in water! The health system is also extremely generous because Spyro’s health is indicated by Sparx, a dragonfly who follows you around. Take one hit and he becomes blue, take two hits and he becomes green, take three hits and he’s gone, so you most likely know what happens if you take another hit. Some critics nowadays may say that it’s too easy because of this health system, but the real challenge of Spyro is one word: completion.

In order to fully beat the game, you need to collect every dragon, rescue every dragon egg, beat every boss, and obtain every bit of treasure. Now this may not seem so hard, but oh boy do some of the later levels become difficult to complete, especially “Tree Tops”. Some levels as a kid forced me to buy the strategy guide for the game as well! Remember, the internet was still in its infancy during the late 90’s and I had no idea how to even use a mouse let alone try to do research on how to beat specific levels! But it was all worth it to see that 120% completion on my screen, knowing that I was able to confront every obstacle and defeat the big baddy of the game. Seeing those credits gave me so much joy and every year when I go back to beat it, I feel nostalgic for the first time I ever completed this game.

I haven’t even talked about the music yet composed by the legendary Stewart Copeland! As the former drummer for the Police, drums are obviously a main focal point for the music, but during most levels there is an amazing electric guitar that still blows me away. It is seriously one of the best soundtracks in a video game and I encourage everyone to listen to some of the tracks for this game!

Overall, Spyro the Dragon was a great first step in my long history with video games. It’s a fun, charming, and addicting platformer collect-a-thon with incredible music and an innovative engine. However, Insomniac wasn’t done just yet; their magnum opus was launched just a year later with Spyro 2: Ripto’s Rage, my favorite game of all time.

Here’s an interview that Playstation Underground conducted with Insomniac Games from 1998 that goes more into detail about the engine that they created and how they were inspired to create the series in general!