What Made Spyro 1 So GOOD?

[@iambecomeprinny7305]

I always attribute a lot of the magic to Spyro 1 as being similar to most '1st entries to classic gaming series', there's always something richer to the experience when the developers were designing these games before there were any fans, no defined lore to follow closely, no expectations and no pressure; heck the developers didn't even know if it would succeed yet so they could just let loose have fun with things, what makes it special is that once the game is popular that magic vanishes forever dood.

[@teslagrooms1165]

Spyro 1 is definitely my favorite of the 3. Between all the world and the platforming it's just the most fun for me. I could play through the entire game in one day and then, happily, do it again the next day. In fact I've done that before.

[@SuperWorldJumper]

I could talk about this game for hours, and I’m given a five minute video, lol. Spyro 1 to me, even playing it as a tiny tike, felt like an unfinished game in the best way possible! Like I was a game tester trying to break it and go places I probably shouldn’t. It made me feel smart and clever getting to places that were so well hidden that I just assumed that I shouldn’t have been able to get there, and yet I did. But that’s the charm and beauty of the game. The secrets felt more secret and it encouraged exploration from the get go. And this “Out of bounds” exploration idea followed me throughout my other games as well. It’s so much fun!

[@IllusionMaster17]

Wait, it is actually underappreciated!? How!? I LOVE Spyro 1! As the first game, it introduced us to the world of Spyro with a huge, funny and challenging platforming, inciting you to explore every corner for the fun to find everything. The soundtrack is the most unique of the whole trilogy, and the level design is simply atractive. Honestly, now I feel bad about it, maybe because, it was just Spyro and other adult dragons and maybe that's why I felt the world a little solitary. Spyro 1 deserves more love! Great video!

[@robertlauncher]

Agreed

[@alco_the_crocodile]

Appreciate your discussion. It's nice that you talked about mystery and danger with the worlds of Spyro 1, which we as fans wanted to explore thanks to plucky, brave Spyro. His enthusiasm rubbed off and we had a blast uncovering secrets. The sequels let us dive into worlds with more to do but some of the lonely adventuring is missed. It's a strong beginning to a fun franchise. Awesome video!

[@AlgerLandau]

The Spyro Trilogy is my absolute favourite video game series of ALL TIME!! Along with Dark Souls. Spyro has been so impactful in my life, even its soundtrack is actually an everyday playlist. And above all, my personal favourite is the first Spyro, and you described it perfectly. The fact that a little dragon is living such a huge (buy lonely) adventure into the most remote and dangerous landscapes is what made me feel like an actual hero. And the music... damn!! My favourite soundtrack of the entire series, things like the theme for the Magic Crafters, Wizard Peak, Town Square, Gnorc Cove or Dark Passage are symphonical-like pop songs that could've been greatests hits for any synth-pop or progressive band. Also, this is the most fantastic/magical/colorful of the three; at least for me. The fact that you are rescuing dragons that we can't get to see after the first game is so fascinating; their now legendary dialogues, their colours, their voices, their species, their distribution... Pfff!! The difficult you talk about here, where one most reach and solve through thoughtfulness and platforming mystery is such a great exercise of patience and logic, surrounded by a strong sense of imagination within each land. I even dare to say that the only weakness in this first game is... the boss fights, but that's it. Characters, enemies, levels, music... all into an addictive adventure I'm always fond to remember and always expecting to play, over and over and over. I consider it hard enough for a child, massive enough for an explorer and colourful enough for the fantasy genre. My love for this trilogy is just beyond description. Anyway, thanks for reading this 😅😅😅 LOVED THIS VIDEO! Love your channel! You do an awesome work! 👏👏👏 PD. I wish I could live in STONE HILL!!! That's my dream home and gardens! :3 what's your favourite world? where would you like to live?

[@holmesw25]

Reignited made me realise that Spyro 1 has the best designed levels. It really understood non-linearity, levels as a broad space to approach from different angles to find solutions, instead of being a straight gauntlet peppered with minigames. It was, of course, held back by its relative lack of polish, but reignited solving that issue with its remastered graphics (and glorious adult dragon designs) really highlighted its stronger understanding of core platforming. If I had a game to pick from the original trilogy, I'd pick Spyro 2, but from reignited I'd replay Spyro 1 every time. Did I mention the glorious reignited adult dragon designs? If they don't make gratuitous use of them in a Spyro 4 it would be an absolute tragedy.

[@DrRazernij]

Thanks for this video. It saddens me it's not as recognized as the future entries. It is my favorite one in the series and not by a short margin. True, Ripto introduced the most well known personalities, characters and overall feel of the series, then Year of the Dragon expanded on those same concepts. But the first one didn't need all the mini games, side-characters and fancy power ups. It had fantastic level design, incredible music, memorable moments and (for the time) amazing visuals. It truly felt like a magical experience in a far away land and I don't think any Spyro game since then has come even close to hitting that unique feeling. It was a clean full fledged adventure platformer, it is one of the comfiest games I've ever played and since that demo in PS1's volume 8 CD it has been one of my favorite games of all time.

[@Yuvallyly]

I always liked Spyro 1 more than any other game. It is still my favorite game to this day.

[@Kingofportals]

Spyro 1 is my favorite original Spyro game followed by Year of the Dragon and Ripto’s Rage! I think people judge Spyro 1 for having the least amount of replay ability, more Baron level design, lack of NPCs, the inability to swim, no side missions, a less compelling story, week villain, easy boss fights, and no mini games, but I still like it because it is the most pure of the original games, and the Reignited version even made the Balloonists NPCs giving them voices, with made the game feel more connected to the other 2 and more modern!

[@chuifongtam4703]

Enjoying your Spyro videos Miharu! This video is very informative. I'm a huge Spyro 2 & 3 fan (played when I was a kid). I played Spyro 1 only as an adult on the remaster Reignited and loved it also.

[@Dayoman]

I love spyro 1

[@MiharuTheFox]

NO WAY

[@gadpivs]

In terms of the vibe of the games, as much as I love the sequels, the first game feels more like a unified world with its own lore. Everything is inspired by medieval fantasy, with huge expansive landscapes, castles, snowy mountains, wizards, and of course, dragons. That was the whole point. You're a dragon because you're in a medieval fantasy setting. The sequels remove Spyro from his home, but instead of putting him into two other distinct worlds with their own unified lore, you get a bunch of random, unconnected levels. One minute you're in an Arabian desert with monkeys, the next you're dealing with nerdy scientists with machines and electricity. As far as immersion and atmosphere, the first game really made me feel like I was in some far off land with its openness and magical landscapes. Little kids doing backflips and karate moves didn't give me the same feeling, or robot farmers. And as fun as skateboarding could be in the third game, it really felt like an attempt to capitalize on the success of Tony Hawk, and left me thinking, how am I supposed to escape into a magical land from another time if I'm doing skateboard tricks??

[@literalcharlie4171]

Spyro was my childhood. I used to be scared of so many things in the first game lol

[@agsilverradio2225]

2:40 Yeah, I noticed that when I played Reignighted with the minimap turned on, and I was like "Huh, Am I nastalgia blind? I remember this place being bigger than that."

[@deftone330]

Spyro 1 is hands down my favorite game of all time. I loved the puzzles they gave us. It was challenging as a kid but never frustrating, so I never wanted to put the controller down. A lot of games today are challenging, but not in a fun way, in a 'never play this game again way,' (cough Crash 4) Plus the world building is amazing. They literally created a personality for each world that was truly unique!

[@greek1237]

Crash 4 is hard, but I felt it was still a great game.

[@deftone330]

Did you have fun getting 106% in Crash 4? I sure as hell didn't

[@jamess.2233]

I didn’t appreciate the first game as much when a kid. I had to re play it as an adult to see how awesome it really is

[@BammMJC]

While I would say Spyro 2 is probably the best of trilogy, I do find myself always more interested in returning to Spyro 1. It just has such a cool vibe that was lost in 2 and 3. Its one thing I remember liking about A Hero's Tail. Seemed like they were trying to recapture a bit of that. Mind you i haven't played it since it came out years ago, and my memory of it is probably hazy at best lol

[@tresheppard8942]

I love Spyro the Dragon (1998); the first game of Spyro franchise. It's all about six worlds of the Dragon Realms, and it's all about rescuing the dragons, recovering the dragon eggs, and reclaiming the treasure gems, and it's all about how to defeat the boss characters. 🙂 And don't get me started about my two least favorite flight levels like Wild Flight and Icy Flight because they are hard and difficult. But I like Spyro 1. It was decent.

[@Furry_Wall]

I think the more I replay and watch people play it, the more it becomes my favorite

[@Daedalus8K]

I also think it's better that most people give it credit for. I think the problem comes from most of the fans agreeing that 2 and 3 are better so they say "oh that must mean that 1 is less good" which leads to people thinking that it's bad when it most definitely is not. I'm of the mind that 2 and 3 are better but just because something is better doesn't mean that the other option is bad by any means. I think Crash Bandicoot also falls into this conundrum where the fans say that 2 and 3 are better than 1 so that means 1 must be bad when it's not (even though I don't like Crash 1 but that's besides the point). This tends to happen with games that have a really solid trilogy just like Jak and Daxter and Ratchet and Clank. Sorry for rambling XD

[@LukeManiaStudios]

There were 3 entry points to the OG Trilogy: Spyro 1, 2 and 3. Depending on which game you played first (and liked) that's the definitive spyro experience for you personally and every other entry is different from your headcanon's "spyro format". Spyro 1 is my favourite because that's all I knew of Spyro until years later when I found 2 and 3. It's literally impossible to choose which is better because the OG fanbase is just as different as the fanbase of OG, TLOS and Skylanders. I think a lot of people neglect just how different all 3 are.

[@themaccave08]

I think because Spyro the Dragon was more simplistic and easy to follow despite its issues is why I love like the others. It wasn’t mini games, it didn’t have much of a story other than saying, "A young dragon coming of age and charging (no pun intended) head first to save his kind." It’s not much but it’s honest work.

[@DesertFerret7]

Spryro 1 has been a classic and always will. The tree top level made me want to napalm carpet bomb the level to Oblivion. I need to visit this game again and experience what I missed since 1999.

[@greatsageclok-roo9013]

I've always loved the original Spyro the Dragon! It's such a simple and fun game; you can relax to it for the most part. I do like games that offer variety, but I think you described in this video why Spyro 1 is - to me at least - one of the best games I've ever played. It has one great and it executes it flawlessly! It's why I like the original Ratchet and Clank over all the other games in the series: it's built around it's simplicity to the point that you use everything you have at your disposal. Every weapon is "the best weapon" at a certain point in the game, and never overshadow one another. Especially after you've played the game a few times and know which weapons work best where! Maybe you could do a similar video about that game?

[@tabreezsiddique]

Spyro 1 is a game that can either be your favourite or least favourite game of the trilogy depending on what you value the most out of these games' Gameplay; a simple focus on the core mechanics or variety. After my recent playthroughs of the game; I'd consider it the 2nd best game of the trilogy personally. It could've done so much more but I am satisfied with what was accomplished here.

[@zenicehero9154]

Spyro 1 is a great classic platform game it was part of my childhood

[@slylanders1291]

I just finished the original Spyro 1 last month and started Spyro 2 last week, I can definitely see how the first is really great despite many people thinking it hard. It might seem harder than its sequels, like the jumping mechanic is a little hard to pull off when trying to reach the full height of it before gliding and then dropping down in midflight when you want to stop so you don't fall off a tall structure (not a fan of it). I liked the fact they changed it so you can hover to gain distance instead.

[@YamiSpyroX]

I think what you've just described about Spyro 1 is likely why I actually like the 1st Legend of Spyro. Cause you're going on a lone dangerous quest as one puny little dragon whom has no idea how special he is, going on a dangerous (Often quite frightening) journey, almost ignoring just how much his life was in danger. Doesn't help that Spyro is a massive breath of fresh air when we have books like Dawn Treader that make you think what it's like to be a dragon only to violently (And I mean it.) rip you out of it cause 'dragons can't be hero's silly!' BS. Man, am I dying for a new Spyro.

[@bobafett4265]

Yeah although Spyro 1 being an example of 1st game in a series syndrome, it still holds up better than a lot of other 1st games in a series like Crash 1 for example is an awkward game to comeback to after mastering the sequels, in my opinion, plus Spyro 1 really nailed ambience in the score that I still love to this day.

[@robertlauncher]

Spyro 1 is my favorite of the trilogy. I like the pure freedom of how you tackle levels. Nothing feels like a chore, you are just dragon, go dragon on these playgrounds. Reject monotony, return to dragon. But in all seriousness, the platforming is also fun, the glide is put to really good use in exploring, the difficulty isn’t as frustrating to me, about the only thing I prefer in the sequels are the bosses.

[@ECDT1089-EtheLamborghini]

Spyro 1 has a certain chill factor the sequels lack.

[@Ratchetti]

As a dumb kid I was overwhelmed by the freedom in Spyro 1 just like I was when I played GTA 3 for the first time. That was probably because I mostly played Crash games which were very linear. I think Spyro 2 and 3 had "better" level design for dumb kids like me who just wanted the game to guide you forward. Now when I play Spyro 1 I feel like it has this amazing feeling of freedom, which no other game has, it is really special

[@kingnewcomer2029]

Honestly, I think Spyro The Dragon is actually my personal second favorite game in the PlayStation trilogy with the third installment being my favorite, and 2 being my least favorite overall. 👍 Even though it does lack in most variety of play-styles compared to its successors, some may view that as a positive, which is why I highly recommend watching ExoParadigmGamer’s Remake Or Rebreak videos on the original Spyro trilogy as well as the Reignited Trilogy, mainly the first game, where he discusses the upsides, and downsides of both lacking of alternative gameplay mechanics, and variety play-styles that overstay their welcome, and trying to explain ways on developers attempt to find the perfect balance! 👍

[@aevenova9780]

Spyro is such a magical game. 🧡🙂

[@BrennySpain]

Definitely could not agree more! Both versions of Spyro 1 are amazing! Original and reignited. But I do think the ps1 has the this great charm to it. Same with crash 1. There’s something about it the next 2 games don’t have.

[@fabriziodavilaalva2.074]

Pues sí... ¡¡mi favorito es la 1era!! por 2 razones: - la 1era: tiene un aire increíble y fantástico (en sus niveles, peleas de jefes y el descubrimiento de ver más allá) - y la 2da: (me encanta más la voz de Carlos Alazraqui que la de Tom Kenny en las secuelas)

[@TheHulkfan]

Spyro 1 is a fantastic introduction for the purple dragon trilogy. Great levels, amazing soundtrack, simple but fun gameplay. The latter of course it's his greatest advantage over 2 and 3. While the sequels brought more variety and improved a lot of the controls, I will always appreciate how in the first game you could complete a level the first time, without forcing you to backtrack over and over again. Also, it had less distraction. While is cool to have different challenges and control other chracters, I will always prefer to play Spyro, possibly focusing more on adventure and less on having our purple boy to race villains or go on the skateboard.

[@KaousuShin]

Absolute favorite is and will always be spyro 2, but the best i can describe spyro 1 and why its my number 2 is that it is bliss. Playing through spyro 1 you feel at ease and just enjoy the game. The other games do that too but not to the level that spyro 1 has. Its why im not a super fan of crash, i like crash and his games but his games dont invoke that same good feeling of calm and peace that spyro games did.

[@matty_mather]

Spyro 1 felt like you were in a truly magical world. It’s whimsical, there’s dragons, castles etc. Spyro 2 & 3’s worlds are great, just different. I love Spyro 1’s soundtrack but for me Spyro 3 has some of the catchiest tunes. The main reason I like Spyro 1 the best though is that it’s all about exploration and collectibles and no mini games.

[@jonahabenhaim1223]

There’s still those Gliding missions

[@dndgeek4112]

I love Spyro 1 for how simple it is. I can be very stupid and still know how to play

[@PlanetZoidstar]

When I was younger Spyro 1 was my least favourite of the trilogy. The least polished, the least content, the shortest, and the weakest story... ..But post Reignited and having 120/100/117% the entire trilogy...Spyro 1 is the one I would sooner replay (and have since). Why? Because it's the most condensed and "pure" platformer out of the trilogy. It also has arguably the best and most immersive soundtrack, and the tone feels a bit darker. As Miharu stated previously, Spyro is for the most part, all alone in Spyro 1. No Elora, no Hunter, no Bianca. You have the Dragon Elders, but they don't stick around or give you the feeling they can offer any concrete help. Spyro 1 doesn't outstay its welcome or make you pull your hair out with tricky minigames, challenges or alternate playstyles. I love all three of the games and I love that each is a unique experience, but as I get older the Orb, Egg and Animal Buddy challenges feel like busywork to me alot of the time. The Speedways are Spyro 1's Flight levels but even more frustrating. Especially in Spyro 3. I am not a fan of the Skateboard levels, Trolley sections or Escort missions. I'm not trying to detract from anyone who likes either of the sequels more, just Spyro 1 is a game I can relax to (mostly), the sequels make me want to throw the controller at points. But character and story wise they are tops.

[@landonrush340]

Spyro 1 seemed more adventurous because there were no NPCs to lead you through the levels. Aside from occasional advice from a dragon. Secrets were way more intricate than in the sequels. 3 is still my favorite, though

[@franks8010]

Who do you like better as the voice of Spyro, Carlos Alazraqui or Tom Kenny? Why?

[@MiharuTheFox]

I think Tom Kenny captures Spyro's overall character better, but Carlos is great and fits very well for the first game specifically.

[@RidingWithRuffian]

Spyro the Dragon was my favorite out of the three! I spent HOURS figuring out how to get that final dragon in Haunted Towers and hours just frolicking around, appreciating the platforming for what it was, as simple as it may seem now. For some reason, the mini-games in Ripto's Rage and YOTD felt like a chore, sometimes even a burden. At times, I dreaded replaying those mini-games so bad that I couldn't enjoy the actually level simply because I knew I had a terrible mini-game on the horizon.. this is why i hate hate Fireworks Factory! The Agent 9 ninja rhinos shoot out and those terrible long dragons you had to destroy were the literal bane of my existance.. Nothing was enjoyable about either of those mini-games! I personally felt more at-ease with the original game

[@dawilal]

That footage looks great, was it emulation on PC or something else?

[@MrGamer07100]

I never had an annoyance with backtracking in the sequels. Like there’s never a moment in each game where I directly dreaded aspects of the game. Not that I recall. Maybe aside from a couple of mini games in Spyro 3. But I still understand the point of the video, and still love Spyro 1 for what it was for sure. I think it holds up better then Crash 1 for example.

[@aldeezy1]

I hate spyro games, that's why I play them over and over and over again just so I can get through all of them as quickly as possible, because I love them with all my heart. Especially S1. I vibe with everything you say, particularly the points on exploration and tricking the player into thinking the scope is much larger than in reality. As a child I dreamed of escaping the confines of the levels and exploring each world, but that was only possible because the devs were showing off distant platforms and vast landscapes much more often in 1 than in 2 and 3

[@jaxsonlambert9750]

Spyro 1 is personally my favorite of the trilogy!

[@Crest6680]

Spyro 1 is my favourite just for the simplicity, spyro 3 is my 2nd favourite

[@noir6467]

Not having any nostalgia for these games, I can certainly say that Spyro The Dragon is my favorite from the original trilogy. A pure platformer. The other two are too heavy on doing tasks or minigames to get orbs/eggs, a lot of them being frustating or boring (The worst offender for me being the one with the alchemist in Spyro 2, I'm glad I accidentaly glitched that one and it completed itself on the Reignited Trilogy.)

[@SpanishBear1994]

I like your channel

[@canneddip1452]

interesting. even as a kid I could never get into 2 or 3 as much as 1. I love 1 so much but the general consensus I saw on these games even back in early 2010s is that 2 and 3 are superior. obviously people are free to love, dislike and prefer whichever they want, but personally speaking, 1 is the only one I like to play nowadays.

[@GrungeMaster92]

Ohhhhh what a sound

[@BrennySpain]

But in the original Spyro 1, metalhead was so annoying at the end when you have to glide to get those set of gems at the very end next to the home portal. Did you find that too at all miharu?

[@MiharuTheFox]

Yes, they made the ledge a bit too tall and it can be hard to get to by just gliding straight across.

[@BrennySpain]

@@MiharuTheFox for sure! Practice makes perfect am I right?

[@samaron8970]

As a TLoS fan, I liked the first game the most out of the Reignited trilogy, I really don't like the minigames in the second two as they're tedious and immersion breaking for me. The first game also has a far more cohesive world in that everything feels like part of the same genre, whereas when the sci-fi stuff pops up in the other games, it really just pulls me out of the experiance. It also doesn't try too hard to have a story which to me makes it easier to not compare it to the TLoS trilogy, which means I don't think as much about how intherior the story is in the originals. IDK, I just find the first game the most charming and fun, I've 120% it twice and - other than the flight levels - I really enjoyed it, whereas I only wanted to play the other two games up until beating the main game.

[@slytorres5685]

Even tho I’m American but l like the PAL ver better than the NTSC cause they have the actual High Caves music, More Slowed Alternative PAL exclusive music like Town Square Alternative, Blowhard Remix, Beast Makers Remix, Metalhead Remix, Icy Flight Remix, & Jacques Remix,

[@mauricelong4678]

Crash bash remastered is coming

[@dragonbird9462]

So, I personally have always preferred 2 & 3 because of nostalgia and all that, but Spyro 1 always had a certain energy about it that was unlike the others. It's almost like those liminal space or The Backrooms concept. Spyro 1 had a ominous and wistful atmosphere that was unlike any other game. It always felt like something out of a dream. I think it's a combination of the music/soundfont, the palettes, the open spaces and skyboxes, and how unfriendly almost every creature you meet create a video game world that is entirely unique.

[@GrungeMaster92]

Awhhwwww helllllllll yaaaaa

[@Reigndolph]

Spyro 1 is a guilty pleasure game

[@MiharuTheFox]

Guilty? How so?

[@Reigndolph]

@@MiharuTheFox Spyro 1 is one of those games I like anyway despite how flawed it is in comparison to Spyro 2, Spyro 3, & even Spyro A Hero's Tail. The objectives are minimalistic, they could have done more with Gnasty Gnorc, & some of the dragons say the same thing. And this is coming from someone who played both the original ps1 version & the HD remaster

[@MiharuTheFox]

I suppose, but no game is without flaws. I thought a guilty pleasure was more like something that you know is bad but you like it anyway.

[@BLRavenWizard]

I agreed, But Spyro 2 Better!

[@DomtheDevilsRival]

Spyro 1 is very distinct compared to it's sequels. While I firmly believe 2 and 3 are better games, the first game laid the foundation and really kickstarted the realm of 3D open world platformers along with a few others like Banjo-Kazooie.

[@LUMINIZEDOG]

spyro 1 good

[@ElKnoppers]

I prefer Spyro 1 over 2 and 3 I fell they are way to linear compared with one not the biggest fan of some of the mini games i 2 and 3 and really dont like the other characters you play as And I like ost more in 1

[@greek1237]

Look if Spyro 1 was not a great game, there would not of been a 2 or 3 lol.

[@MiharuTheFox]

My point isn't just that it's a great game in general, tho. What I'm trying to say is that it deserves just as much respect as 2 and 3 get, even for being as simple as it is.

[@greek1237]

@@MiharuTheFox I think people forget that back in 98??? That Spyro 1 really took the world by storm. I played it way more than 1 or 2. I think Spyro 1 falls into the same situation as Crash 1 or Sonic 1 ete. The later games added improvements over the first game. but that should not take away the legacy of what the first game laid down.

[@MonkeyDSergio]

Spyro 2 is better