Spyro (character)
Encyclopedia
Spyro the Dragon is a fictional character
and the protagonist
of the Spyro the Dragon, Legend of Spyro, and Skylanders
video game series.
First introduced in the 1998 video game
Spyro the Dragon, Spyro is a young, purple Dragon
with red medium-sized wings, large, curved horns, a spiral-shaped spike on the tip of his tail, and spines resembling a mohawk
. He is noticeably smaller than most other dragons portrayed in the series; a characteristic that aids him in the first game in the series. In the original series most dragons are depicted as bipedal, however Spyro is depicted as quadrupedal.
, but the developers thought it was a bad idea because he would blend in with the grass areas, so they eventually changed him to purple
. In an interview, Ted Price
stated that they gave up the series after releasing Spyro: Year of the Dragon
because Spyro's actions were limited, due to not being able to hold anything in his hands. With the failure of sales with Disruptor, Spyro was Insomniac Games' last resort before going bankrupt. Stewart Copeland
was commissioned by Insomniac Games and Universal Interactive Studios (now Vivendi) in 1998 to make the musical scores for Spyro the Dragon.
The Legend of Spyro trilogy features an alternate incarnation of Spyro. In the trilogy, he is described as a compassionate young dragon, always willing to help his friends and strangers with whatever problems they may have.
In the Skylanders adaption, Spyro is described as a strong‐willed dragon who is young at heart. He is fearless and brave, and a true hero dedicated to defending his world from all things evil. Much like his Legend of Spyro incarnation, in Skylanders, Spyro came from a rare line of magical purple dragons.
Spyro's main attacks consist of ramming his opponents with his long horns or breathing fire at them. In later games, power-ups appear that let Spyro do much more powerful things like: fly, spit fire balls, and breathe ice. In every game past Spyro 2: Season of Flame
, Spyro is able to breathe fire and ice, with power-up gates letting him breath super fire, ice and lightning. In Spyro: Enter the Dragonfly
and Spyro: A Hero's Tail
, he is able to breathe fire, water, ice, and lightning.
In the Legend of Spyro series, Spyro controls the elements of Fire, Electricity, Ice, and Earth.
, Spyro seeks a vacation away from the dragon realms due to the prolonged rainy weather. When he attempts to go through a portal that is supposed to lead to a vacation, he ends up in Avalar, where Ripto, an evil wizard, has proclaimed himself ruler over the land, and Spyro must defeat him. After liberating each of the three kingdoms of Avalar, he defeats Ripto, and finally has his vacation. In Spyro: Year of the Dragon
, an anthropomorpic
bunny named Bianca, and her army of Rhynocs, steal dragon eggs. Because Spyro is the only dragon small enough to enter the hole Bianca created, he is tasked with saving the eggs (with help from Hunter, who was also able to get through with the help of an elder dragon). Later, after Bianca finds out what the sorceress plans on doing with the dragon eggs, she becomes friends with Spyro. After going through all four of the Forgotten Realms, he finds the sorceress, and fights her, with the help of Bianca, saving all of the eggs.
In Spyro: Enter the Dragonfly
, Spyro rescues all the dragonflies, which were stolen by the evil Ripto. When Spyro saves the dragonflies on a particular level, he unlocks new abilities. And at the end, Spyro battles Ripto and then defeats him. Spyro: A Hero's Tail
shows Spyro saving the Dragon realm from being plunged into darkness by an ancient dragon elder named Red using dark crystals, who has joined forces with Gnasty Gnorc.
states that Spyro was raised by a family of dragonflies in a swamp. After he discovers that he is a dragon, he travels to the dragon temple to find it under attack by Cynder, an evil dragon in the service of the Dark Master. After Spyro defeats Cynder in battle, the spell on her breaks, and she reverts to her normal self.
In The Legend of Spyro: The Eternal Night
, the dragons are attacked by Gaul, the Ape King, who is now trying to release the Dark Master. Spyro travels to the Mountain of Malefor to try to stop Gaul from releasing the Dark Master, as well as to rescue Cynder, whom the Apes had kidnapped. After Gaul is defeated, Spyro traps himself, Sparx, and Cynder in a giant crystal to protect them as the mountain crumbles.
In The Legend of Spyro: Dawn of the Dragon
, Spyro and Cynder are released from the crystal by Malefor's minions. They are attached by magic snakes and are attacked by a giant golem and must escape with the help of Hunter. They find out that Malefor, the Dark Master, has escaped and later released the Destroyer, a beast capable of destroying the world. They must travel to the Dragon city through the enchanted forest and then through Avalar (where they rescue Meadow). They then arrive at the Dragon city and must help protect the city and save the mole people. He and the four elder dragons slow down the beast, then Spyro and Cynder confront the Dark Master. During the battle, the three of them fall into the center of the earth, where Malefor is defeated. From there, Spyro repairs the damage the Destroyer caused to the planet, and he and Cynder are later seen flying together through the air.
, a group of heroes, including Spyro, called the Skylanders, are banished from their world of Skylands by a sinister Portal Master known as Kaos, and are frozen in the real world as toys. It is up to the players of Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure to get the Skylanders back into their world by embarking on a journey to save Skylands from Kaos.
and Spyro 2: Season of Flame
, Spyro works to save the Fairy Realm and Dragon Realm, respectively, after they are covered in ice by Ripto and the Rynocs. Spyro: Attack of the Rhynocs
shows Ripto trying to invade the Dragon Realm; Spyro sets out to repel the invasion. Spyro: Shadow Legacy
describes an invasion by a sorcerer who creates a dark version of the Dragon Realm, hoping to use this realm to conquer the Dragon Realm. Spyro sets out to free the sorcerer's captives and defeat the sorcerer. Skylanders: Spyro's Universe is an online version of the original Skylander video game.
Three games were made for mobile phones, pitting Spyro against previously established villains like Ripto. There is also a crossover game called Spyro Orange: The Cortex Conspiracy
, in which Spyro teams up with Crash Bandicoot
to defeat Ripto and Crash's nemesis, Doctor Neo Cortex.
and key chain—were packaged with kids' meal
s in a Wendy's
promotion for The Legend of Spyro: The Eternal Night.
There were also toys released at McDonald's
along with Crash Bandicoot toys in 2006.
criticized Spyro's voice in the first game, comparing it to the Taco Bell chihuahua
(who was also played by Carlos Alazraqui). IGN
praised Spyro's design, saying he is "cute but not sickeningly cute", and later said that he "is just a little bland, and not the kind of mascot that I would ever fall in love with", stating that "He's kind of like a blend between a big puppy and a donkey, painted purple." UGO.com listed Spyro on their list of "The Cutest Video Game Characters" stating "The purple little guy was cute, but not cute enough to win the Great Playstation Mascot War of 1998."
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
and the protagonist
Protagonist
A protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
of the Spyro the Dragon, Legend of Spyro, and Skylanders
Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure
Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure is a spin-off game in the Spyro series. It was published by Activision and developed by Toys for Bob. Vicarious Visions developed the Nintendo 3DS release. It was released on October 12, 2011 in Australia for the PC and October 13, 2011 on other consoles. The game was...
video game series.
First introduced in the 1998 video game
1998 in video gaming
-Events:*Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences hosts 1st Annual Interactive Achievement Awards; inducts Shigeru Miyamoto of Nintendo to the AIAS Hall of Fame*British Academy of Film and Television Arts hosts the 1st annual BAFTA Interactive Entertainment Awards...
Spyro the Dragon, Spyro is a young, purple Dragon
Dragon
A dragon is a legendary creature, typically with serpentine or reptilian traits, that feature in the myths of many cultures. There are two distinct cultural traditions of dragons: the European dragon, derived from European folk traditions and ultimately related to Greek and Middle Eastern...
with red medium-sized wings, large, curved horns, a spiral-shaped spike on the tip of his tail, and spines resembling a mohawk
Mohawk hairstyle
The mohawk is a hairstyle in which, in the most common variety, both sides of the head are shaven, leaving a strip of noticeably longer hair...
. He is noticeably smaller than most other dragons portrayed in the series; a characteristic that aids him in the first game in the series. In the original series most dragons are depicted as bipedal, however Spyro is depicted as quadrupedal.
Development
Spyro was created by Charles Zembillas for the game Spyro the Dragon. During the development of the game, Spyro was originally going to be greenGreen
Green is a color, the perception of which is evoked by light having a spectrum dominated by energy with a wavelength of roughly 520–570 nanometres. In the subtractive color system, it is not a primary color, but is created out of a mixture of yellow and blue, or yellow and cyan; it is considered...
, but the developers thought it was a bad idea because he would blend in with the grass areas, so they eventually changed him to purple
Purple
Purple is a range of hues of color occurring between red and blue, and is classified as a secondary color as the colors are required to create the shade....
. In an interview, Ted Price
Ted Price
Ted Price is the President and CEO of Insomniac Games, Inc. - an independent game developer which he founded in 1994. Since its inception the company has grown to approximately 210 people...
stated that they gave up the series after releasing Spyro: Year of the Dragon
Spyro: Year of the Dragon
Spyro: Year of the Dragon is a platform game, developed by Insomniac Games and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation video game console. The game was released in North America on October 23, 2000 and in Europe on November 10, 2000...
because Spyro's actions were limited, due to not being able to hold anything in his hands. With the failure of sales with Disruptor, Spyro was Insomniac Games' last resort before going bankrupt. Stewart Copeland
Stewart Copeland
Stewart Armstrong Copeland is an American musician, best known as the drummer for the band The Police. During the group's extended hiatus from the mid-1980s to 2007, he played in other bands and composed soundtracks...
was commissioned by Insomniac Games and Universal Interactive Studios (now Vivendi) in 1998 to make the musical scores for Spyro the Dragon.
Behavior
Throughout the original series, Spyro is portrayed as energetic and curious, with little regard for his own safety. He is also described as a courageous hero, despite his small size. Spyro is also known for his cocky attitude. But he can be stubborn at certain times.The Legend of Spyro trilogy features an alternate incarnation of Spyro. In the trilogy, he is described as a compassionate young dragon, always willing to help his friends and strangers with whatever problems they may have.
In the Skylanders adaption, Spyro is described as a strong‐willed dragon who is young at heart. He is fearless and brave, and a true hero dedicated to defending his world from all things evil. Much like his Legend of Spyro incarnation, in Skylanders, Spyro came from a rare line of magical purple dragons.
Spyro's main attacks consist of ramming his opponents with his long horns or breathing fire at them. In later games, power-ups appear that let Spyro do much more powerful things like: fly, spit fire balls, and breathe ice. In every game past Spyro 2: Season of Flame
Spyro 2: Season of Flame
Spyro 2: Season of Flame is a platform game published by Universal Interactive Studios and developed by Digital Eclipse for the Game Boy Advance. It was released in North America on September 25, 2002 and in the PAL region on October 25, 2002...
, Spyro is able to breathe fire and ice, with power-up gates letting him breath super fire, ice and lightning. In Spyro: Enter the Dragonfly
Spyro: Enter the Dragonfly
Spyro: Enter the Dragonfly is the fourth game in the Spyro series, developed by Check Six Games for the PlayStation 2 and Equinoxe for the Nintendo GameCube and published by Universal Interactive Studios. It is the first Spyro game for the sixth generation consoles, PlayStation 2 and GameCube, and...
and Spyro: A Hero's Tail
Spyro: A Hero's Tail
Spyro: A Hero's Tail, is the fifth and final console game in the original Spyro series, and the ninth game in the series in all. Developed by Eurocom, it was the first game in the series for the Xbox, as well as the second game in the series for the Nintendo GameCube and the PlayStation 2. It is...
, he is able to breathe fire, water, ice, and lightning.
In the Legend of Spyro series, Spyro controls the elements of Fire, Electricity, Ice, and Earth.
Original series
In Spyro the Dragon, Gnasty Gnorc attacks the dragon realms by using a magic spell that traps all the dragons in crystal, except for Spyro, who dodges the spell because of his small size. He then goes across the dragon realms saving the trapped dragons, who give hints and tips, until Spyro battles with Gnasty. In Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage!Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage!
Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage! is a video game for the PlayStation video game console. It was released in North America under this title on October 31, 1999, in Europe as Spyro 2: Gateway to Glimmer on November 5, 1999, and in Japan on March 16, 2000 as: Spyro X Sparx Tondemo Tours.Ripto's Rage is the...
, Spyro seeks a vacation away from the dragon realms due to the prolonged rainy weather. When he attempts to go through a portal that is supposed to lead to a vacation, he ends up in Avalar, where Ripto, an evil wizard, has proclaimed himself ruler over the land, and Spyro must defeat him. After liberating each of the three kingdoms of Avalar, he defeats Ripto, and finally has his vacation. In Spyro: Year of the Dragon
Spyro: Year of the Dragon
Spyro: Year of the Dragon is a platform game, developed by Insomniac Games and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation video game console. The game was released in North America on October 23, 2000 and in Europe on November 10, 2000...
, an anthropomorpic
Anthropomorphism
Anthropomorphism is any attribution of human characteristics to animals, non-living things, phenomena, material states, objects or abstract concepts, such as organizations, governments, spirits or deities. The term was coined in the mid 1700s...
bunny named Bianca, and her army of Rhynocs, steal dragon eggs. Because Spyro is the only dragon small enough to enter the hole Bianca created, he is tasked with saving the eggs (with help from Hunter, who was also able to get through with the help of an elder dragon). Later, after Bianca finds out what the sorceress plans on doing with the dragon eggs, she becomes friends with Spyro. After going through all four of the Forgotten Realms, he finds the sorceress, and fights her, with the help of Bianca, saving all of the eggs.
In Spyro: Enter the Dragonfly
Spyro: Enter the Dragonfly
Spyro: Enter the Dragonfly is the fourth game in the Spyro series, developed by Check Six Games for the PlayStation 2 and Equinoxe for the Nintendo GameCube and published by Universal Interactive Studios. It is the first Spyro game for the sixth generation consoles, PlayStation 2 and GameCube, and...
, Spyro rescues all the dragonflies, which were stolen by the evil Ripto. When Spyro saves the dragonflies on a particular level, he unlocks new abilities. And at the end, Spyro battles Ripto and then defeats him. Spyro: A Hero's Tail
Spyro: A Hero's Tail
Spyro: A Hero's Tail, is the fifth and final console game in the original Spyro series, and the ninth game in the series in all. Developed by Eurocom, it was the first game in the series for the Xbox, as well as the second game in the series for the Nintendo GameCube and the PlayStation 2. It is...
shows Spyro saving the Dragon realm from being plunged into darkness by an ancient dragon elder named Red using dark crystals, who has joined forces with Gnasty Gnorc.
The Legend of Spyro series
The Legend of Spyro trilogy serves as a reboot for the series. The Legend of Spyro: A New BeginningThe Legend of Spyro: A New Beginning
The Legend of Spyro: A New Beginning is the first game in The Legend of Spyro trilogy, a reboot of the Spyro the Dragon series. It was developed by Krome Studios for the PlayStation 2, Xbox, Nintendo GameCube and Game Boy Advance versions, Amaze Entertainment for the Nintendo DS version and The...
states that Spyro was raised by a family of dragonflies in a swamp. After he discovers that he is a dragon, he travels to the dragon temple to find it under attack by Cynder, an evil dragon in the service of the Dark Master. After Spyro defeats Cynder in battle, the spell on her breaks, and she reverts to her normal self.
In The Legend of Spyro: The Eternal Night
The Legend of Spyro: The Eternal Night
The Legend of Spyro: The Eternal Night is a video game in the Spyro the Dragon series. It is the second game in "The Legend of Spyro" trilogy, released for the PlayStation 2, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS and Wii...
, the dragons are attacked by Gaul, the Ape King, who is now trying to release the Dark Master. Spyro travels to the Mountain of Malefor to try to stop Gaul from releasing the Dark Master, as well as to rescue Cynder, whom the Apes had kidnapped. After Gaul is defeated, Spyro traps himself, Sparx, and Cynder in a giant crystal to protect them as the mountain crumbles.
In The Legend of Spyro: Dawn of the Dragon
The Legend of Spyro: Dawn of the Dragon
The Legend of Spyro: Dawn of the Dragon is the 3rd and final installment in The Legend of Spyro trilogy, as well as the tenth anniversary game of the series. It was released on October 21, 2008 for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Nintendo DS, Wii and PlayStation 2 for North America, Australia and Europe...
, Spyro and Cynder are released from the crystal by Malefor's minions. They are attached by magic snakes and are attacked by a giant golem and must escape with the help of Hunter. They find out that Malefor, the Dark Master, has escaped and later released the Destroyer, a beast capable of destroying the world. They must travel to the Dragon city through the enchanted forest and then through Avalar (where they rescue Meadow). They then arrive at the Dragon city and must help protect the city and save the mole people. He and the four elder dragons slow down the beast, then Spyro and Cynder confront the Dark Master. During the battle, the three of them fall into the center of the earth, where Malefor is defeated. From there, Spyro repairs the damage the Destroyer caused to the planet, and he and Cynder are later seen flying together through the air.
Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure
In Skylanders: Spyro's AdventureSkylanders: Spyro's Adventure
Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure is a spin-off game in the Spyro series. It was published by Activision and developed by Toys for Bob. Vicarious Visions developed the Nintendo 3DS release. It was released on October 12, 2011 in Australia for the PC and October 13, 2011 on other consoles. The game was...
, a group of heroes, including Spyro, called the Skylanders, are banished from their world of Skylands by a sinister Portal Master known as Kaos, and are frozen in the real world as toys. It is up to the players of Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure to get the Skylanders back into their world by embarking on a journey to save Skylands from Kaos.
Other media
A number of spin-off titles were also made. In Spyro: Season of IceSpyro: Season of Ice
Spyro: Season of Ice is a platform game published by Universal Interactive Studios and developed by Digital Eclipse. It was released for the Game Boy Advance in 2001 for North America and the PAL region and 2002 for Japan. This is the very first Spyro the Dragon game to not be developed by...
and Spyro 2: Season of Flame
Spyro 2: Season of Flame
Spyro 2: Season of Flame is a platform game published by Universal Interactive Studios and developed by Digital Eclipse for the Game Boy Advance. It was released in North America on September 25, 2002 and in the PAL region on October 25, 2002...
, Spyro works to save the Fairy Realm and Dragon Realm, respectively, after they are covered in ice by Ripto and the Rynocs. Spyro: Attack of the Rhynocs
Spyro: Attack of the Rhynocs
Spyro: Attack of the Rhynocs is platform game released for the Game Boy Advance for North America and the PAL regions in 2003. Just like Spyro 2: Season of Flame, it was not released in Japan...
shows Ripto trying to invade the Dragon Realm; Spyro sets out to repel the invasion. Spyro: Shadow Legacy
Spyro: Shadow Legacy
Spyro: Shadow Legacy is the fifth handheld game and tenth installment in the original Spyro the Dragon series of video games. It is designed for the Nintendo DS and takes place after Spyro: A Hero's Tail...
describes an invasion by a sorcerer who creates a dark version of the Dragon Realm, hoping to use this realm to conquer the Dragon Realm. Spyro sets out to free the sorcerer's captives and defeat the sorcerer. Skylanders: Spyro's Universe is an online version of the original Skylander video game.
Three games were made for mobile phones, pitting Spyro against previously established villains like Ripto. There is also a crossover game called Spyro Orange: The Cortex Conspiracy
Crash Bandicoot Purple: Ripto's Rampage and Spyro Orange: The Cortex Conspiracy
Crash Bandicoot Purple: Ripto's Rampage and Spyro Orange: The Cortex Conspiracy are two platform games published by Vivendi Universal Games and developed by Vicarious Visions for the Game Boy Advance...
, in which Spyro teams up with Crash Bandicoot
Crash Bandicoot (character)
Crash Bandicoot, or simply Crash, is a video game character and the primary protagonist of the Crash Bandicoot series of video games. Introduced in the 1996 video game Crash Bandicoot, Crash is an Eastern Barred Bandicoot that was genetically enhanced by the series antagonist Doctor Neo Cortex and...
to defeat Ripto and Crash's nemesis, Doctor Neo Cortex.
Merchandise
Five toys based on Spyro—including a checkerboardCheckerboard
A checkerboard or chequerboard is a board of chequered pattern on which English draughts is played. It is an 8×8 board and the 64 squares are of alternating dark and light color, often red and black....
and key chain—were packaged with kids' meal
Kids' meal
A Kids' meal is a meal specified to children, usually to preteens, sometimes younger. Most kids' meals come in bags or cardboard boxes with a special themed promotion, containing activities on the bag and a small prize...
s in a Wendy's
Wendy's
Wendy's is an international fast food chain restaurant founded by Dave Thomas on November 15, 1969, in Columbus, Ohio, United States. The company decided to move its headquarters to Dublin, Ohio, on January 29, 2006. It has been owned by Triarc since 2008...
promotion for The Legend of Spyro: The Eternal Night.
There were also toys released at McDonald's
McDonald's
McDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving around 64 million customers daily in 119 countries. Headquartered in the United States, the company began in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant operated by the eponymous Richard and Maurice McDonald; in 1948...
along with Crash Bandicoot toys in 2006.
In popular culture
- Spyro himself makes a brief appearance in Crash TwinsanityCrash TwinsanityCrash Twinsanity is an platform video game published by Vivendi Universal Games and developed by Traveller's Tales, for the PlayStation 2 and the Xbox. It was released in North America on October 1, 2004, in Europe on October 8, 2004 and in Japan on November 9, 2004...
. - Spyro also appeared in the advertisement for Ty the Tasmanian TigerTy the Tasmanian TigerTy the Tasmanian Tiger is a 3D platformer video game for the PlayStation 2, Xbox and GameCube. It was developed by Krome Studios and published by Electronic Arts...
in a hospital bed along with Crash BandicootCrash BandicootCrash Bandicoot may refer to:* Crash Bandicoot , a video game protagonist* Crash Bandicoot , a video game series* Crash Bandicoot , a 1996 PlayStation video game and first Crash Bandicoot...
and SonicSonic the Hedgehog (character), trademarked Sonic The Hedgehog, is a video game character and the main protagonist of the Sonic video game series released by Sega, as well as in numerous spin-off comics, cartoons, and a feature film. The first game was released on June 23, 1991, to provide Sega with a mascot to rival Nintendo's...
. - He appeared as a background character in the South ParkSouth ParkSouth Park is an American animated television series created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone for the Comedy Central television network. Intended for mature audiences, the show has become famous for its crude language, surreal, satirical, and dark humor that lampoons a wide range of topics...
special, Imagination Land with many other fictional characters.
Critical reception
Game RevolutionGame Revolution
Game Revolution or GR is a gaming website created in 1996. Based in Berkeley, California, the site includes reviews, previews, a gaming download area, cheats, and a merchandise store, as well as webcomics, screenshots, and videos...
criticized Spyro's voice in the first game, comparing it to the Taco Bell chihuahua
Taco Bell chihuahua
Gidget "The Taco Bell chihuahua" Chipperton was a popular advertising figure and mascot, voiced by Carlos Alazraqui, and developed by TBWA and used by Taco Bell, a division of Louisville, Kentucky -based Yum! Brands. The Chihuahua is a breed commonly associated with Mexico, as are the tacos the...
(who was also played by Carlos Alazraqui). IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
praised Spyro's design, saying he is "cute but not sickeningly cute", and later said that he "is just a little bland, and not the kind of mascot that I would ever fall in love with", stating that "He's kind of like a blend between a big puppy and a donkey, painted purple." UGO.com listed Spyro on their list of "The Cutest Video Game Characters" stating "The purple little guy was cute, but not cute enough to win the Great Playstation Mascot War of 1998."