EDIT - in the Spyro 3 section I refer to "Desert Ruins" as "Haunted Tomb." My bad, I need to be more careful in the future. Next up will be a critique on Jedi: Fallen Order that I've been putting off for far too long. But as always, let me know if there's anything you'd be curious to see covered! Got a few projects in the pipeline but always looking for recommendations to look at! If you're new to the channel; check out my Twitter - twitter.com/MontyZander - to have more of a say in the sort of stuff I cover, and I'm always looking for feedback on how to make this videos better so chuck them by way!

I never found Bianca as someone to hate. Seeing her be heckled by the Empress gave me the impression that Bianca wanted to emulate the Empress to feel in power again. Felt like someone who lost their way.

I remember when I was a kid and I would free the bigger dragons, they would disappear and tell me to find dragons and fight the boss and all that and I was like "where are you going? Why aren't you helping me?" I was, like, 4 at the time, so I was genuinely offended.

@ArcNine9Angel

Жыл бұрын

Yes! So much this!

@ElionMars

9 ай бұрын

"You will be required to save adults, and they won't help you after." Not the intended moral of the game, but a good one for kiddos to learn.

Personally, the third game is my favorite. I think the worlds and the music are the best in that one. I would also spend hours Skateboarding in that game.

@michaelbutler3982

4 ай бұрын

In the final battle with the sorceress, I learned you could shoot down sheep balloons with the UFO. I spent ridiculous amounts of time creating flocks of sheep that roam to the battlefield only to blast them with the ufo AOE.

The original PS1 Spyro game was the first game I ever owned and played. I've beaten all three games 110% more times than I can count. PS1-era Spyro is my childhood hero.

58:15 The destruction of Ripto's scepter is not what causes the anarchy in Avalar. Avalar had it's own problems before Ripto showed up, the Avalari are just using Ripto's presence as an excuse to settle their own agendas. Elora's narration does reveal that most of the chaos was caused by Ripto, presumedly during the week before Spyro was summoned and he lost his scepter, but some have nothing to do with Ripto like Shady Oasis and Scorch being at war and the Hippos hiring Handel and Greta to kill everyone in the Scorch compound.

Say what you will about The Sorceress, but she does one thing better than Gnasty and Ripto. She's a threat. The only reason it "had" to be Spyro to take down Gnasty was because he was a smaller target and Gnasty couldn't hit anything that wasn't the size of a barn unless it was literally right in front of him. Spyro fighting him was completely pointless aside from the other dragons wanting to give him a chance to prove himself right after Spyro freed the first dragon from Gnasty's curse. Literally any other dragon could have easily dealt with Gnasty (Except for that one jackass that managed to get himself trapped again somehow. Most likely sheer dumb luck on Gnasty's part actually managing to hit a single dragon that was aware of him.) Also side note. He managed to hit you during the fight as you were saying he doesn't fight back. He deserves a bit more credit than you gave him. .-. Ripto as great a personality as he is. He's only ever actually a threat to the four dufuses that brought him to Avalar in the first place. There are a whopping ZERO worlds in Avalar that are even remotely influenced by his actions or focused on him in any way shape or form. There is a ludonarrative dissonance in Ripto antagonizing the four dufuses in the homeworlds and the Monty Python esque and now for something completely different that is the plot of all the actual levels. Ripto means absolutely nothing to the plot of the individual worlds of Avalar aside from the vague he MIGHT pose a threat later if Spyro gave as much of a shit or lack thereof as the rest of Avalar about him. Ripto having only 2 actual minions affiliated with him was to his detriment as well for the same reason. Like seriously if Ripto had his way Avalar would have had to acknowledge him as their ruler, but aside from that he showed no interest in the actual people of Avalar save for he might have bullied random people occasionally if left to his own devices if and only if they themselves decided to bother with him like the aforementioned four dufuses. The only people the game shows him messing with them are those actively opposing him exclusively. Aside from that it doesn't give you any indication at all that he wouldn't just be content plastering his face everywhere, sitting on a throne and being a genral nuisance from time to time when he's bored, but otherwise calling it a day once he's "in charge". Also it was implied literally any dragon could have dealt with Ripto. It was even shown in the secret ending in the PS1 version. .-. The Sorceress on the other hand. Pretty much every level in year of the dragon reflects in it's narrative that she is an active threat to the way of life of the people of the forgotten realms and if she isn't the people in the individual levels are actively attempting to thwart her for the sake of the other worlds in some capacity. The Sorceress actually had her minions capture and torture inhabitants, occupy territories that didn't belong to them and force them to build monuments in her glory and she was just generally actively genocidal. Each of the worlds actually did have narratives if you paid attention to the dialog of the NPCs living in them rather than complaining that their woes weren't conveyed to you in a cutscene. I'll attempt to be breif in summary. In Sheila's Alps The Sorceress had her minions kick the billygoats out of their houses so she could hide eggs in them high enough that basically no one could get them save for the one person that she captured and most likely would have had executed at her leisure if Spyro didn't show up and free Sheila. In Sunny Villa The Sorceress was basically attempting to have her minions eat it's inhabitants out of house and home. In Cloud Spires she was attempting to stop the inhabitants from making new cloud and suns because she enjoyed lounging, but would cook in the sun if she stayed out in it (She wasn't aware the reason was because Moneybags sold her a bottle of cheap mayonnaise and just called it sunblock.) In Molten Crater she had her minions capture the Tiki Lodge and run rampant so she could use the harsh environment to better hide eggs. Seashell Shore is the first world we see that is actively opposing The Sorceress. There the seals are actively blowing up her bases and submarines and the seals are also developing superior navel technology in order to further openly oppoes her. Tangent warning. As for the bosses the reason Spyro has to deal with them is twofold. For one The Sorceress placed them strategically in places where Spyro would have to stop on his way in between homeworlds. Every one of the vehicles Spyro used took fuel of some sort or other to get from place to place and each vehicle was designed effectively as the only real way to successfully maneuver Spyro into the next homeworld. Second after Buzz (Because his creation was solely a test of Bianca's magical prowess in comparison to The Sorceress) the bosses where designed they wag they were to effectively eliminate both Spyro and the prisoners he saved from her Spyro not only stopped to refuel for Spike, but to bail Sgt. Bird out. James was actively fighting Spike up to the point when Spyro got to him and admitted he couldn't handle him himself due to his normal munitions having no effect on Spike and Similarly Scorch was created to counter Bentley. The reason why The Sorceress herself was kind of underwhelming was because the collectables, the DRAGON EGGS specifically were her source of power. The reason for her being locked behind you getting most then all of the dragon eggs save for one is because collecting the eggs weakened her. The first door was locked behind one hundred eggs because that was the difference in hers and Bianca's magical abilities. The second door was locked behind one hundred and fifty eggs because The Sorceress locked that portal at the height of her power. But like that was also why the first time Agent 9 working together with Spyro was enough to beat her and why Spyro alone was enough to beat her the second time. Also the reason she never really engaged Spyro was because all she saw him as was a nuisance first and potentially another young set of dragon wings for her immortality spell if she could successfully kill him. Spyro is not much more than stubborn prey she's attempting to bag to her. Anyway tangent over. Sgt. Bird's Base was the frontline resistance to The Sorceress, Icy Peak was an oddity in that the reason there were problems in the world was because one snowman was pranking another snowman, however the Sorceress again used the harsh conditions to her advantage for hiding eggs. Enchanted Towers was the main place where The Sorceress was having monuments of herself built by force because the goblins their were artsy hipsters unfortunately. Spooky Swamp was another harsh environment, but one where the Sorceress placed one of her more powerful minions in an attempt to further guard the eggs she hid there. Bamboo Terrace isn't as obvious as the other worlds, but essentially The Sorceress was on the side having the panda's bammboo stolen to make filaments for her backup plan of launching one of the eggs into orbit as a contingency so she'd never run out of magic even if Spyro found all the other eggs. Bentley's Outpost was another situation where she captured the only guy capable of surviving and traversing the environment that would also be capable of putting a stop to her plans in that world. Frozen Alters was another area The Sorceress tried to occupy. The inhabitants had a defense system of sorts, but they couldn't operate it themselves due to Moneybags scamming them. The Fireworks Factory is where she put the aforementioned launch an egg into orbit plan into action. The Lost Fleet was just a good place to hide eggs and scare away anyone who tried to find them by having her minions dress up as ghosts. Charmed Ridge had two things going on. There was the war between the cats and the fairies the Sorceress had Moneybags capitalize off of, but during the fighting she was also steeling the fairy rocket fuel. At Agent 9's Lab The Sorceress was attempting to steal The Professor's research. Most likely his dragon worlds portal research so she could easily go in and kill the dragons in their homeworlds if she had to. The Crystal Islands were also a world where the inhabitants were attempting to oppose her. The nomes even figured out how to do magic like The Sorceress and stole some of her tricks. Desert Ruins was yet another just generally harsh environment. The Haunted Tomb was legitimately haunted. Dino Mines was full of outlaws and one incompetent sheriff so The Sorceress just kind of exploited that situation for more egg hiding. And the Bugbot Factory was created last minute to do in Sparx so Spyro would be easier to kill. The point is all the worlds provided a tactical advantage to the antagonist in some way, shape or form and in the end it took almost everyone from the forgotten realms working together to take The Sorceress down. Also literally the only reason Spyro could stand up to her was because he fought her in a weakened state. We were shown The Sorceress could easily deal with a dragon at the height of her power due to her successfully banishing the dragons to the other side of the planet before the series even began. To date The Sorceress was the biggest threat out of the classic antagonists.

@mwahahaha2100

Жыл бұрын

One of the best comments I have ever read

@xdfeverdream8122

Жыл бұрын

@@mwahahaha2100 Thanks

@MrJd1252

Ай бұрын

that's a comment worty of my time

“Good, yeah, grand, fine” communicates the feeling of having something that’s ultimately GOOD not quite live up to expectations. Fantastic video, and I love your use of that phrase throughout to communicate that feeling. Keep it up, I can’t get enough of your video essays since I started watching a few days ago.

Spyro was literally the first game I ever played. I was two and I played it with my grandma. The first Spyro is the game that sparked my deep love games.

It wasn't even just the game manual that explained the gems into warriors thing. It's in the opening cutscene.

What an amazingly underrated channel. I love when a game reviewer can be objective, personal, actually funny, and passionate about a game! It makes the audience feel the same way. We need more Monty ✊ The WORLD needs more Monty...

@MontyZander

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much and happy new year! Seriously appreciate this 🧡

It hurts me to see some of those trash fortnite montages get more views than a video like this which probably took a hell of a lot of time to make. Can't wait for the fallen order video!

@MontyZander

3 жыл бұрын

Haha its all good! I appreciate you guys watching this stuff, that's what matters.

I think Spyro 3 must have suffered from crunch as well as a lack of new ideas. Figure, they probably said "I have like three more eggs for this world but I can't figure out a place to hide them." "Just stick one a little out of the way and the rest in a mini level, those are easier to program, we have leftover assets."

Spyro 3 is the one I played most as a child. I honestly didn't see a lot of the issues you pointed out. Nor do I think many of them are actual problems. I'm a casual gamer. I generally found Spyro too fast, so I never thought the "slow down" was intrusive. I have always hated flight levels, so Hunter's shenanigans with those were something I was never going to like. I understand what you're saying, but I honestly enjoyed Spyro 3 the most growing up.

@jaretco6423

10 ай бұрын

Yeah. Most of his issues he mentioned are very nitpicky and his own issue. Not the game itself.

In defense of Spyro 3, the different gameplay styles play a LOT better on the PS1. Probably because Sanzaru games did a lot of them for Reignited. The shark submarine fight is a perfect example. It’s a lot of fun and doesn’t have the weird (baffling) turning issues. Leave it to Sanzaru to fuck up everything they touch.

@scush

7 ай бұрын

i dunnnnoooo … i’ve been emulating all three games and i felt pretty much the way monty did about the tacked-on mechanics in 3. i’ve hundred percent-ed spyro 1 and spyro 2 but spyro 3 honestly feels like a chore to get through because i just do not give a shit about all the dumb side characters or vehicle sections and their half-assed implementations. like, i totally believe you that the sanzaru version is worse, but monty is spot on in criticising spyro 3 for this, even in the original. i really wish insomniac could have had more time and gusto for 3 but i also have a lot of sympathy for them burning out on a franchise. at least we got the amazing first ratchet and clank game after this. i think to me it’s just that spyro’s movement and integration with the levels around him is so fine-tuned, and insomniac actually made it super hard for themselves by yanking away those well-honed controls from the player and resetting them to something else with so many different characters each time in 3. it would have made way more sense for them to figure out organic ways to add more movement mechanics to spyro’s extant systems (despite ted price’s weird comment about not “burdening” spyro with more movement), which were already great, rather than arbitrarily forcing themselves to re-invent the wheel each time with one of your allies you have to play as. one thing i honestly still _love_ is the skateboarding. like, yeah, it’s stupid and pandering, but it’s the _one_ thing that i will actually defend as kind of making sense for spyro, and even hunter, as characters compared to so much other stuff in spyro 3. spyro is this iconic, snarky and cocky, “eat my shorts” bart-esque 90s figure-so it just feels natural that he would _eventually_ pick up a skateboard as the youthful, sanitised corporate symbol of rebellion he is supposed to be. and of all the new movement mechanics the skateboarding easily feels the most polished. it’s _so cool_ building up momentum and shooting up the half pipes and ramps once you’ve gotten used to the system. of course there are much better dedicated skateboarding games, but it’s still special to get to keep playing as SPYRO while you skateboard, and i really think that makes a difference. what would have been even cooler is if insomniac still managed to weave the skateboarding into the rest of the level instead of sectioning it off behind a portal-but, again, time constraints and burnout, totally get it. it’s still a good game, warts and all. but spyro 3 just has a lot of warts you gotta accept and i still think spyro 2 is just kind of an amazing masterclass of overall design. like, i can still take the playstation 2 sypro 2 and teach people elegance and cohesion in systems design with it to this day, because it was made with so much intent and care. that’s something hard to beat with any sequel. still, some of my favourite spyro levels ever are in 3! just … they _are_ *spyro* levels and not, you know, sergeant byrd or sparx levels …

@windy3935

3 ай бұрын

I understand everyone has their own opinion, but that will never change how much sense it doesn't make for people to have complete polar opposite opinions about the samething. For everything someone claims is bad or ruined, another says is good or better, bringing me to my point: Many have said the different gameplay styles are mechanically improved in S3R (and there's others on the other side too yes), but which actually is it? (Same for flying controls and especially swimming controls.)

You deserve more subs holy shit this was amazing

@MontyZander

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks so much! 🧡

I always wondered why I didn’t enjoy goodfellas as much as most people seem to, thanks for explaining it lol

Spyro 3 is a top 5 game for me. I have completed it to the maximum percentage twice. Pure comfort food. I played 2 when I was younger, but I don't have as many memories of it. Only playing 1 now for the first time.

A Peacekeepers Dragon explains the "treasure has been stolen, and turned against us"

I love Ripto's performance and chemistry with Spyro, but I always found it disappointing that he's... seemingly ineffectual? At least with Gnasty Gnorc and The Sorceress it's made pretty clear they have this army of minions running around causing problems for everyone. As far as I can tell, all of Avalar's problems don't seem to have anything to do with Ripto? You asserted in the video that his scepter being broken may have caused all the strange occurrences throughout Avalar, but I don't think that's ever explicitly stated in the game? Maybe that was one of those details that got buried in the PS1 case manual, but the game ought to have communicated that better if that was the case. All he does is squat in some empty castles. I might need to play OG Spyro 2 & 3, but I found swimming to be a lot more awkward and imprecise in the Reignited trilogy. The camera certainly needed to be improved. Sgt. Byrd also felt a little off too. I understand why Spyro 3 went with the Rynoc designs but it is disappointing to see the enemy designs become more samey compared to 2.

@ZebboGeesucks

2 жыл бұрын

2's manual actually did outright say he was the one making trouble all around Avalar, and a beta build dated from August 11th 1999 features narration by Elora in the level intro/outro cutscenes, explaining how Ripto caused the problem in the level. That said, nothing in the final game ever implies he has anything to do with, well, anything, and even in that prototype, Elora doesn't mention him in every level. I always thought it was neat that he wasn't the master of all the mooks, it made 2 feel distinct compared to 1 and especially 3, where the conflict of almost every level boils down to "the big bad's samey-looking goons are causing trouble, stop them." Avalar feels more like a world of dysfunctional micronations which Spyro gradually restores to order. After you beat Gulp, Elora even says something to the effect of "And now that you're here, the creatures of Avalar are finally starting to get along!" as if the land hasn't really been peaceful in quite some time. Even if he wasn't behind the conflict in any of the levels, I feel that they did a decent enough job of establishing that Ripto was at least causing trouble for the core cast, i.e. the people who enlist Spyro's help in the first place. He might be cowardly enough to barricade himself in the basement when he finds somebody who can actually stand up to him, but Spyro can't just leave or else he'll pop back out and keep making a nuisance of himself. I think it's safe to assume that in-universe he wasn't literally just sitting and doing nothing, he was probably making some "renovations" to the hubworlds, like smashing the bridge in Summer Forest, and perhaps creating the big cracks in the Autumn Plains castle. I never liked how some of the future games like Enter the Dragonfly gave him his own army of minions, I see him as more of an ineffectual and sympathetic villain. He's got motivation and dreams of grandeur, but no means to achieve them besides some unremarkable magic and two big oafs he's managed to impress into following him. You almost get the sense that Spyro is kinda picking on him in their cutscenes together. Every once in a while he might get a lucky break and make the heroes take him seriously, like when he steals the power crystal to boost his magic, or the epilogue of 3 implying he would team up with Gnasty Gnorc.

@talkkari5460

Жыл бұрын

@@ZebboGeesucks I like how you explained all of this. I always thought we are solving all of these problems in Avalar, so to unite them all against Ripto. They are so busy fighting the small fight they don't see the looming danger surrounding them. Ripto might be bigger problem when compared to npc's problems (side quests) but Spyro to resolve their minor disputes they are able to focus toward defeating Ripto. They provide you with their "world (level?) talisman" and reward your extra effort with other talismans. Edit: The Epiloque movie will see much of Avalar unite after disputes and fights are over. I liked that and truly missed it not being there in the remake.

Also to dodge the green attack that Gulp does just run in a tight circle, sounds mad but it worked to get me my no damage trophy after several attempts of running from them.

This was incredibly produced and edited, and such an insightful look at one of my favourite games series of all time. Like everyone else is saying this is criminally underrated, you've got a sub from me though!

I thought this was much more popular than it actually is, this video deserves so much more love! Great job

@MontyZander

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks so much!

Have not watched but spyro 3 is the best followed by 1 then 2. Fight me

@MontyZander

3 жыл бұрын

Those are fighting words...

@2mutchfreetime

3 жыл бұрын

@@MontyZander Spyro 3 let's you control a penguin, something the games industry has been very lacking in. Btw I'm a new sub after watching your bloodborne video love that politcs in gaming, I just cant get enough. Keep on keeping on :)

@MontyZander

3 жыл бұрын

@@2mutchfreetime hahaha, it's diversity at least - thanks that's dead kind!

Wow another excellent, detailed critique! No idea how you manage to put out such big projects so often, but I'm here for it. Ripto's Rage was always my favorite in the series, too. Watching your video makes me want to take a break from getting my soul crushed by Crash 4 and replay the Reignited Trilogy. Given that you mentioned Crash a few times, would be sweet to see you cover the N Sane Trilogy or Crash 4 in the future! My favorite childhood Spyro memory: When Spyro calls Ripto a wuss, my parents thought they heard "p***" and made me turn off the game lol

the biggest sin was giving long arms to the cowboy dinosaurs, in the original the launched the guns because they couldn't reach the them, and the dinamatie ones used the mouth. some redesigns also change a little too much, like the gnorks in the beginning, they looked kind of dumb/cute?, i remmebr feeling somewaht bad the first time, now they are just ugly, no mercy for uglyness

This is a pretty good summation of the three games. Though I think all of the third game didn't annoy me as much as the final fight in Spyro 1 did. And I guess I liked Bianca a lot as a character. You could see how Spyro and Hunter had an impact on her, so it was fun seeing her turn into an ally. One small detail I think you got wrong is the bossfight against gulp. His projectiles don't chase you down. It's been long since I played it, but I'm pretty sure they just aim for where you're running, and I was able to dodge them easily by running back and forth or in a small circle.

One thing they did do in the remakes to put a bandaid on the gems sometimes hiding in the long grass is the feature that makes Sparx point at the nearest gem. Originally it was an unlock from one of his levels in 3, in the remakes it's a basic feature for clicking the left stick in. Then they just don't tell you about it because games don't have manuals any more.

@Vaguer_Weevil

7 ай бұрын

Yeah Zoey doesn't even have dialogue for it when beating the corresponding level from the original, not even a "by the way, you can do this.." type of thing.

This game was made with so much love and so was the remaster. 2 is always my favourite but on the queen and Bianka it was written to show bullies are bullied too and the way to defeat a bully is to be kind

1:22:50 - If you pay attention to the dialogue at the end of Breeze Harbor, you can tell that Breeze Harbor is canonically before Zephyr. (The NPC at the end says "Now we can launch a counterattack on Zephyr.")

@Vaguer_Weevil

7 ай бұрын

Yeah Spyro shot himself in the foot with that one, having to later clear out the reinforcements that he himself helped get there

You are criminally under subscribed to. Really enjoying working through your longform critiques.

@MontyZander

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks so much man! I like to think I'm getting better with each one. I'm itching to redo the Bloodborne one every day. Maybe before the year's out haha.

… the question the reporter asks to get the “ugly” response is about Ganasty Gnork having the power to tern gems into warriors. So yer they know.

There's a green thief at the start of Tree Tops that, if you follow him, will lead you straight into the secret area.

I've just come across your channel after being recommended your Bioshock videos, and I have to say, I can't stop watching. I love longform video essays, and your channel has quickly become one of my favourites. I always put one of your videos on whilst cooking or cleaning. Keep it up man, this is great stuff 🤘

Eyebrows are great. No joke, eyebrows are so important for human communication that dogs evolved facial muscles to mimic them as one of the many ways dogs have adapted to be our best friends.

As much as I like Spyro 2, it is hella difficult compared to 1 and 3 to me. 1 is good with level design, music, and difficulty. Spyro 3 was a bit more difficult because there is so much within it that makes it lengthy but still good. It just has too many things in it. Spyro 2 made me wanna die more than retrying flight stages between all three games, vehicle levels, taking on GULP! Along with this, Spyro 2 is still better compared to 3 honestly.

I knew there was a reason I liked Spyro 2 so much more than 3 beyond "it's more fun," or something. I thought it had something to do with the double jump, but it held true in reignited, so it wasn't that. This sums up the Spyro trilogy beautifully. Props on figuring all this out, I wasn't able to, and I'd put Spyro 2 in my top 5 games of all time.

Honestly this is one of the best vids on this platform. And it’s on my favourite game of all time (spyro 3) Top on pal and I hope you get more recognition for your fantastic content.

@MontyZander

3 жыл бұрын

Appreciate it my dude!

After having watched almost all your videos and listening to almost every episode of Lore Dump, I thought I would come back to the video that started it all just a few weeks ago. Thank you for everything you have done and made Monty, they are informative, thought provoking and just slightly mad. The last few weeks have been tough for me personally and your content has been a shining light to keep me going. Thank you Monty, I cannot wait for your next content to drop ❤

The reason the dragons trashed talked on Gnasty Gnorc was because they didnt view him as a threat. Listen to the second dragon. He was wrong about Gnasty being a threat, but there wasn't any imminent threat from Gnasty before he rained down his bolts. I found that the dodge roll was very effective against the attack frogs

This was great but in the level in Spyro 2 where you mentioned the lack of projectile to combat flying enemies, I'm pretty sure there are cannons you are supposed to use.

@Gothmon

2 жыл бұрын

none of the cannons actually touch the birds

I have a lot of memories with Spyro, especially Ripto's Rage. I have probably 0-100%'d that game at least a dozen times, mostly so I could then do it *again* with the new game plus-esque infinite super flame. The original Spyro games are also the only games I could ever get my mom to enjoy. Also "TROUBLE WITH THE TROLLY, EH?" is practically burned into my brain.

Awesome! Playing Spyro growing up, this was a really good look comparing and contrasting the three games. I have to be honest though, I’d mostly played Year of the Dragon as a kid. It was the one I actually owned... it still holds a special place in my heart. :)

Hunter was my biggest complaint about the remake too. Excellent video!

@MontyZander

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks man!

Awrite fella. Just came across this review. Superb content. Spyro has so much nostalgia for me and I more or less had the same experience as yourself. Really appreciate the detail you went into. Have a sub! 👏🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

17:44 I feel like Gnorc's ability to turn gems into enemies is sort of a reverse of Bowser, who turned Toads and others into blocks. Specifically the power-up blocks, not normal blocks.

Wow, the extensive and polished nature of this video makes me surprised at how few views it has. This is great stuff and I'm only a few minutes in. I enjoy your presentation voice. Interesting point about the eyebrows lol. Anyway, as for this game, I never played the original and only got it because I like platformers/collect-a-thons. I ended up 100%ing all 3 games lol. I quite enjoyed it because it looks gorgeous and Spyro is just fun to control. Also the basic actions like collecting gems is very satisfying.

@MontyZander

3 жыл бұрын

Hey thanks so much! Appreciate it

@Chocolatepain

3 жыл бұрын

@@MontyZander I'm watching this in chunks since it's long and oh my god that Gulp battle. It took me so many times that I was getting frustrated. It wasn't until I figured out out how to juke the missiles that I won.

@MontyZander

3 жыл бұрын

@@Chocolatepain right? I remember it not being nearly as frustrating in the original, but maybe that's just with my dragon-tinted glasses on

Great video man, it was very well done and put together and while you brought up great points against Spyro 3, trust me I have some things that irk me about it, especially in the reignited trilogy because of the sloppy job they did with the good controls the original had, I've 100% the original trilogy many many times and they really did a lot of the controls dirty like the swimming air controls in the races, but I still think Year of the dragon is my favorite, followed closely by Spyro 1, then Riptos rage. And I started with Spyro 1 btw, it was one of my first games actually, I just enjoy the levels of 3 more tbh, and Spyro 1 has eerily serene lonely atmosphere, don't have a way to explain the feel of it but I really love it, and the ost really helps elevate that, I love the entire trilogy, all 3 games are fantastic but this is just my preference plus I don't want to write a book explaining all the reasons why I love 3 haha, but I at least wanted to say it. But I completely understand your gripes with it though

Brilliant video, absolutely love this game

I've got an exception to your second is best rule said at 1:34:10... Dark Souls 2. Although it has recently become my favourite in the trilogy for some ungodly reason.

@MontyZander

2 жыл бұрын

DAMN good point.

I beat reignited a few times now. I grew up with riptos rage. I would play 3 over 1 any day because I like collect-a-thons. But 2 is top no question

Well done video man. Remember if people disagree they can make their own.

I love the art style of the trilogy, I actually follow the artist who did a good portion of it.

love your videos man!

@MontyZander

3 жыл бұрын

Cheers man!

You've reminded me that I purchased this trilogy and haven't run it yet. >_ Fav Spyro game is the one where he and the female dragon are chained together. Can't recall the name right now and I know the love is partly because I let my Nephew play it when he was 3.

@SageofStars

Жыл бұрын

The Legend of Spyro: Dawn of the Dragon That's the one you're thinking of, and the dragoness was Cynder. that said, nice to see someone else had that happen to them. I bought it on release, physical copy and everything, and then didn't play it for well over a year after doing so. I think I got partway through one. Then I buckled down and tried out after someone linked me to a Spyro 20th Anniversary MAP(Multi Artist Project, animated music video). I can say, I still prefer the gameplay style of Legends, the beat 'em up brawler, to the collect-a-thon of the originals, but I do think they're quality stuff, and were quite fun once I got into them.

My relationship between the three Spyro games is a lot like my relationship with the Sly Cooper games; the first game is a classic, the second game improves on everything and everyone loves it the most (something I won't argue with), and the third game is still considered good and it's my personal favorite.

@SageofStars

Жыл бұрын

Eh, I'll admit, I do agree. Sly 3 had an ending, not just for itself, but for the franchise as a whole. It wrapped up the character arc that began all the way in the first game, and it did it masterfully, to the point of I was shocked it wasn't planned out...yeah it's a cartoony way to wrap it up, bonk on the head amnesia to the happy ending...but then again, Sly was a cartoon. That said, Sly 3 also had giant Carmelita. Which I think was the point Sucker Punch just gave up, and said, yes, this is furry bait...not that I'm complaining, the Mask of Darkearth remains the coolest antagonist just for being...for lack of a better word, inhuman. That said, Spyro 3 didn't hit the same cord with me. It felt like...it finished this adventure, but there were more to come. Then they came and...I still like Legends better, and am hoping for a remake of that, with tighter controls and better presentation.

I remember christmas morning 2000//2001 being 8 or so and getting a PS1 and a copy of Spyro 2 Ripto's Rage and having my dad set it up on the big screen for me so I could play it all morning with my new beanie babies. Spyro 2 will always be my favourite game for that memory alone

I am firmly convinced no one in the UK likes Year of The Dragon, and that really disappoints. The section was almost entirely petty nitpicks.

@shimmermilk

4 ай бұрын

I LOVE year of the dragon! Scottish through and through

@arthursimsa9005

4 ай бұрын

How is that nitpicking. That was very well put together analysis.

@Eob306

2 ай бұрын

I’m English and its my fave game

Lore wise in Spyro 1, I'd always assumed that the gnorcs and dragons lived alongside each other, and dragons were the big bossy ones that all the gnorcs, wizards, etc just had to put up with. When GG finally snaps and freezes all dragons, all the other animals want to stop spyro from freeing them as they prefer the world without dragons! Who's to say the dragons are the good guys? 😅

God bless youtube for chucking you my way. Those BioShock vids are iconic 👌🏻

5:15 this is the kinda thing i like, it gives characterization to vharacters who didn't previously. If nestor did that interview then the plot of spyro 1 wouldn't have happened

Probably pointless commenting this now but the dogs in Toasty are really easy if you get close and then in this order exactly: flame, jump flame.

@MontyZander

2 жыл бұрын

Never pointless!

i guess i get some money, year of the dragon wasn't my first spyro game but it is my favorite

I’m confident that Toys For Bob can make a really competent sequel. They seem to really care about what makes the original games so special. Hopefully if they do make an official 4th game they can give us some cool worlds, a menacing villain, and give us more of that world building that was so good in Spyro 2.

Just as a side note, Gulp's missiles aren't homing, when he shoots the missle it calculates where you are going and your speed so it will land where you are going to be. To avoid getting hit by them you can just tap left and right on the joystick at the right time and watch as the missiles land far away from you on either side. Had to figure this out the hard way during a damage-less run of the game I did. This rule for the missiles is the same for the original and the reignited trilogy.

Another thing that helped flesh out Spyro more is: In Spyro 1 he didn't acknowledge Sparx or even know Sparx's name, but in 2 him and Sparx are talking together about a vacation and Spyro calling Sparx "buddy", showing that over the course of the first game and some time in between the second they'd actually bonded and become good friends. Same as in Spyro 3 when Hunter no longer tries to out-perform Spyro, tease him and goof off doing his own thing but is instead helping out and sticking up for Spyro when the Rhynocs make fun of him behind his back. Hunter is also now more willing to deal with danger head-on unlike in Spyro 2, he's more confident in his abilities and will help people in need.. even if they don't deserve it. Instead of competing against Spyro he's become more like him, Spyro's heroism rubbing off on him. Seeing him and a little dragonfly take on Ripto and his cronies by themselves, helping a world they didn't even know existed must have earned Hunter's respect in the end.

This is now my favourite youtube video

I had the same nitpick with the Orbs not bouncing over 😅

If I'd have liked to see from Spyro 3 is a story that ties in the last two. So the Pre-Lore is that when Spyro returned from Avalar, he told the dragons what he'd seen, and two adult dragons went there as ambassadors. One would be a popular dragon from Spyro 1, and the other would become the Sorceress. In Avalar, the Sorceress learns more about Ripto's magic, and the magic of the entire realm, and gradually learns it. Then, a year later during the Year of the Dragon festival, she does "something" which triggers Spyro's return to Avalar. There's no Rhynocs, but instead the Sorceress has learned how to make her own Gnorcs, who work with the Avalar citizens who side with the Sorceress. This is why Hunter, Money Bags, The professor etc all somehow teleport to a completely different realm, because in this version of Spyro 3, its just Spyro returning to them. Then, a lot of the worlds in Spyro 3 can just be Avalar worlds, that are either new areas of the same worlds, or new worlds/portals. Like, the Skelos Badlands could have evolved into the Dino Mines world in Spyro 3, etc. So some of the interest of the game is "Ohh! This is *that world*!" as you explore different levels. Then hubworlds like Evening Lake could have the Autumn Plains castle in the background, like it's an extension Money Bags made during the year away. Most of all, the game would explore some of the consequences of Spyro's actions. Like Zephyr just isn't a world you can go to anymore, because it was blown of the map by the Breeze Builders, Sunny Beach became Seashell Shore because the turtles mostly moved out, leaving the Seals to take over a lot and add their own touch, etc. Then, the 4 allies you free, I'd change that a lot. The First ally you free is Agent 9, and in his level runs like his canon level, but he frees the Professor at the end, rather than just the lab. So, where canon had "x ally is captured, hahaha", this game would sometimes have the Professor missing, who's needed to help Spyro. Then in the first boss fight, the Professor tells Agent 9 to drop stuff in your arena. The Second ally you free is then Elora, and her ally level is a modified fracture hills. She wouldn't be too different to Sheila in terms of gameplay, but we now have a more personable connection, get to play as a well known character, and gets the lore drop. The Third ally would possibly be Sargent James Byrd, but I'm also thinking a turtle from Sunny Beach would be cool. Then they'd have an underwater gimmick rather than Byrd's flight. Then the Fourth and final ally is the 2nd dragon ambassador. Which means for his specific levels, you get to play as a full grown adult dragon. I'd make him a magic crafter dragon like Cosmos, then he'd have some special magic attack so he's not just "Spyro but bigger". Then during the final Sorceress battle, the first stage is you dodging her attacks, roughly based on the Gnasty Gnorc battle, where this time you have to do a bunch of platforming as the Sorceress chases you. Then the Professor and Cosmos work together to neutralise the Sorceress' magic, where you can then start to use powered up orbs like in Rypto's boss fight to level the playing field. In my mind, returning to Avalar, whilst using the enemies and dragons of Spyro 1 would be a better end to the trilogy, combining some of the best from the 2 prior games, while adding new stuff. And the funny thing is, very little of Spyro 3 actually has to change to fit these changes.

7:15 >prior to 1998 no mascot platformer had given a main character an audible voice Gex meanwhile was released in 1995.

@SageofStars

Жыл бұрын

It's tail time?

@vincentpresscod7531

Жыл бұрын

@@SageofStars a little tongue now, a big tail later...

It was shown. You weren’t paying attention in the opening cutscene XD

One point on the barrel roll: When fighting Toasty, the dogs can be hit with a flame, barrel roll, and hit them again when they land with a second flame, turning what (to a very young me) was a frustrating monster to something that made you feel pretty rad when you pulled out it off. The timing is so perfect, I can't help but feel either the dogs were designed for the roll, or vice versa. You've got monsters to flame, monsters to charge, and monsters to roll around. But since that's the ONLY enemy in the entire game to really benefit from the roll (projectiles can be easily jumped over or dashed around otherwise) I think it was something that got dropped for the later levels, though I don't know why.

I played all of the PS1 Spiyro games in order as they came out, but I still think 3 is my favorite. 2 is better as a work of art, but 3 is a cartoon that insomniac used as an excuse to try out a bunch of different game styles, and some wackier worlds. The Worlds from 1 and 2 are like paintings you can explore, but 3 just vibed better with my hyperactive autistic child brain

I'm a bit late but Left Click causes Sparx to show you which direction the nearest Gem is

The “nanananana” you did made me cackle in my aisle at work at 1:30 in the fucking morning 😂

You can use the cannons to kill the bombers in Zephyr. There is a cannon positioned perfectly in each area of the level. Just like the metal faces in Breeze harbor.

It will always be the first Spyro game that takes first place in my heart. Spyro 2 is a close second, it's tied with the remake of the first two games.

2 was the only one i had as a kid, and it never felt weird to play it alone, it felt super complete except it always felt super empty at the end, im glad to know him and elora got a little something for their trouble at the end of 3,

1:20:22 I have the solution, don't go in straight lines and try to predict the shots just runaround in a small circle, the shots will try to be were your going so going in a circle makes sure the shots always miss because your position is changing constantly on x and z axis. When I discovered this the fight became a joke

Year of the Dragon is my favorite. Perfects everything learned in the first two games. Hero's Tale was my first. I played the games in a very weird order. I'm also a little too late to be a 90s kid. PS2 was my first console, so that influenced my experience.

12:00 It's easy to say in hindsight but this was still the early days of 3d platforming and there were probably playtesting kids who just didn't get it, hence the tutorials. Let's not forget Insomniac once revealed during a commentated playthrough of Ratchet & Clank 2 that they made it a rule not to include any 90 degree angle hallways in the level assets because testers kept missing them and getting lost.

Fun fact: You CAN hit Ripto during the Gulp fight if you spit a rocket in his direction. It's even a skill point.

Great video. I'm really bummed that there was no mention of Jak and Daxter in this video, though. The Precursor Legacy is my favorite mascot platformer and one of my favorite games ever.

1:05 - felt the same way about Pulp Fiction. It was pivotal for the time, but by the time I had seen it, it had been imitated and influenced so many derivative works that its uniqueness became diluted.

My head canon from the mid 2000s was that the Dragon world must be part of the Ratchet and Clank universe, hence the news report. I'll admit that it was a case of seeing the news report in R&C and jumping to tenuous conclusions though.

Lmao how does this video only have 300 likes? Dude keep fighting the algorithm! Like smashed.

@MontyZander

Жыл бұрын

Thanks so much!

It gets even more fun, Gnasty himself seems to be a collaboration between the beastmakers and magiccrafters to create an intelligent creature. main clue? he poofs into gems too

Wildly hilarious... I started with Noobus Humanus, went to Lore Dump, and am now going through some Critiques. I have very strong nostalgia for Ripto's Rage from my childhood, so i was pumped. I watched this video for the first time today, and literally just now I saw that WIRED dropped a video today of Stewart Copeland answering Twitter questions. Jaw hit the floor. Also, completely agree how the remaster ruined our beloved dummy Hunter. I also remember Elora being much cuter and sassier when i was a kid.

My one complaint with the charge chests in Spyro 1, is they shouldn't have included a padlock on the design. I found a charge chest on the edge of a cliff when I first tried Spyro reignited I spent ages looking for a non-existent key, since I saw the padlock and went "Clearly they wouldn't make me charge on the edge of a cliff, so there must be a key somewhere." There was not a key, and they did want me to charge on the edge of that cliff. Even now, I can struggle to tell the different between the silver key chest, and the silver charge chest. partially because both have a padlock. I'd have either used the bluer tint of the charge vases in Spyro 3, or just removed the padlocks. Because if I as a long time Spyro fan can confuse the two, then a kid playing it for the first time may intuitively go "I need a key for the padlock" and may not try and charge it.

My biggest complaint about Spyro 3 is the fact that in Spyro 2, Sparx already has the ability to show you where gems are if you can't find some by pushing all four triggers. But in Spyro 3, Sparx doesn't have that ability and you have to play Sparx specific levels in order to unlock it. Like why would they take away something Sparx could do from the get-go of Spyro 2? It bothers me so much. Also, Spyro 3 is only game from the original trilogy that I haven't finished.

As a kid I always equated Spyro 3 to Crash 3. Not as good as 2 and just way to many vehicle sections. Loved the Spyro 3 section as you gave child me the validation he, apparently, was seeking!

The Original Spyro trilogy was also my first mascot franchise ❤ and it's my favorite franchise of all time 😊❤

I very much do not look back on Tree Tops with rose tinted glasses! It's an interesting level but very bad puzzle design as you point out. I had forgotten how bad it really was until I played the Reignited trilogy.

@eloujtimereaver4504

Жыл бұрын

I did not see it as a puzzle at all, just a very short traversal challenge. I do not remember it overly fondly, or overly aversely. It is a largely unremarkable level, it can be a bit fun, and it was kind of interesting, and it was pretty, odd to see it called out in particular, as particularly anything.

The Spyro game I remember the most is Dawn of the Dragon, which starred Elijah Wood as Spyro, along with Christina Ricci and Gary Oldman.

It makes sense why I enjoyed Spyro 2 the most even as a kid. It feels more alive, more vibrant, and more fully realized than the other two games in the trilogy. The first game didn’t have enough to do, but the third game had too much to do, and less of it felt interesting or well made compared to Riptos Rage.

Funnily enough, I always played Stone Hill first and Dark Hollow last

@MontyZander

2 жыл бұрын

Well there goes my whole argument!

Underrated channel

These videos are great. Gotta post a comment now before you blow up to big.

@MontyZander

3 жыл бұрын

I and the algorithm thank you!

I think your point about spyro being the first voiced mascot platformer needs a few qualifiers - in 3D and in involved plot driven cut scenes. Otherwise you can say Busby was a voices mascot platformer. Or Awesome Possum, which I believe had still image but voiced cut scenes on the mega drive. Also according to Mark Cerny, the repeated hints in apparent conflict with the game design are because universal tested the game with very young children, and whatever they got stuck on, Insomnia were asked to put in a hint to make it obvious.

Before watching the video, I just wanna say that I love the tumbnail cause RIPTO BEST VILLAIN (change my mind) and also second game best game

@MontyZander

3 жыл бұрын

Where have you guys all come from!? Did someone share this in a Reddit page? The views have jumped! (thanks for being here by the way.)

@rebecca_rh

3 жыл бұрын

@@MontyZander No probs man!! And I dunno it just appeared in my feed, cause i love spyro to death ahah, and yeah I'm now watching your video and i'm really enjoyng it!! keep up the good work ^^

@rebecca_rh

3 жыл бұрын

@@MontyZander You deserve way more Views really