Spyro: Year of the Dragon

 PlayStation
  • Publisher: SCEA
  • Release Date: Oct 10, 2000
User Score
8.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 424 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 371 out of 424
  2. Mixed: 40 out of 424
  3. Negative: 13 out of 424
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  1. LasDealain249
    May 25, 2023
    10
    Best of the collect-a-thon games on the PlayStation, taking the best features of the previous games in the series to provide a great experience.
  2. CelioYT07
    Jul 28, 2022
    10
    One of the best PlayStation games out there. It’s the best platform adventure in the system, and one of the greatest games ever made
  3. GDsReviews
    Jul 9, 2022
    9
    An excellent game that wrapped up the excellent original trilogy of Spyro the Dragon. Soundtrack is especially fantastic.
  4. CelioYT
    Jun 6, 2022
    10
    Greatest Game of 2000. The game changes everything of platform including the Spyro franchise.
  5. hyrts
    Jun 4, 2022
    10
    This game has been ingrained in all our memories from the childhood. It's such a nice story.
  6. ElRagnarLocro
    Mar 31, 2022
    9
    Al igual que con Crash, las dos primeras entregas no se encuentran para valorar (7.9 y 8.2 en mi opinión).
    La tercera entrega de Spyro sin duda culmina la trilogía excediendo de calidad a sus dos predecesores por bastante. Todo es mejor en esta entrega, la historia, los diseños de niveles, los coleccionables, la jugabilidad, la variedad que aportan los nuevos personajes, Spyro 3 es sin    Al igual que con Crash, las dos primeras entregas no se encuentran para valorar (7.9 y 8.2 en mi opinión).
    La tercera entrega de Spyro sin duda culmina la trilogía excediendo de calidad a sus dos predecesores por bastante. Todo es mejor en esta entrega, la historia, los diseños de niveles, los coleccionables, la jugabilidad, la variedad que aportan los nuevos personajes, Spyro 3 es sin dudas el mejor Spyro que existe, y un muy buen exponente de los plataformeros tridimensionales.
    Nota final: 9    … Expand
  7. Degia
    Jan 31, 2022
    10
    King of Spyro games. The longest one in the original series but never boring thanks to the awesome soundtrack.
  8. Ardho
    Aug 31, 2021
    9
    this game no one knows here, i tried to play and it's crazy it's really good, fell in love right away
  9. sebastianali
    May 2, 2021
    8
    Spyro 3 es basicamente Spyro 2 pero con mapas mucho mas grandes y bastante variedad jugable, lo que lo convierte por esa sencilla razón en mi favorito de la trilogía. Bastante ambicioso para ser un juego de PS1 del año 2000, sencillamente estoy impresionado por como lograron hacer funcionar este juego en la consola, aunque la propia ambición del videojuego a veces juega en contra, con unaSpyro 3 es basicamente Spyro 2 pero con mapas mucho mas grandes y bastante variedad jugable, lo que lo convierte por esa sencilla razón en mi favorito de la trilogía. Bastante ambicioso para ser un juego de PS1 del año 2000, sencillamente estoy impresionado por como lograron hacer funcionar este juego en la consola, aunque la propia ambición del videojuego a veces juega en contra, con una distancia de dibujado que creo que es mas baja, controles medio torpes en algunos niveles que tengan variedad o la cámara que puede llegar a estorbar a veces. También no entiendo porque no incluyeron el mapa del Spyro 2 siendo que acá si que ayudaría bastante, pero en general, uno de los mejores plataformeros en 3d de toda la historia, asi como el mejor juego a mundo abierto de la PS1 (aunque no hayan tantos y la gran mayoría sean algo mediocres).… Expand
  10. FutureCoco2021
    Apr 24, 2021
    10
    El mejor juego de Spyro The Dragon hecho por el estudio de PlayStation Studios llamado Insomniac Games y les diré porque
    Gráficos: Para ser un juego de finales de la era de PS1, aprovecha muy bien el hardware de la consola, entornos semiabiertos en verdadero 3D, algo que creía imposible en un hardware limitado como la de PS1 con el follaje
    Contenido: Un doblaje muy bueno dado por Sony,    El mejor juego de Spyro The Dragon hecho por el estudio de PlayStation Studios llamado Insomniac Games y les diré porque
    Gráficos: Para ser un juego de finales de la era de PS1, aprovecha muy bien el hardware de la consola, entornos semiabiertos en verdadero 3D, algo que creía imposible en un hardware limitado como la de PS1 con el follaje
    Contenido: Un doblaje muy bueno dado por Sony, mundos semiabiertos para descansar y tareas bastante sencillas
    Jugabilidad: Dificultad sencilla, un montón de personajes con los cuales jugar, tareas divertidas y controles que envejecieron muy bien
    Banda sonora: El tema musical de los jefes son los mas recordables, una banda sonora que querrás volver a escuchar
    Historia: Es un juego para niños, por lo que no esperes una historia como los juegos grandes triple A, pero es un poco oscura
    Si tienes una PS1, una PS2, una PS3 para modo retrocompatibilidad o incluso tienes el remake de PS4, este juego es divertido para tus niños    … Expand
  11. Keitan
    Dec 5, 2020
    10
    Spyro 3: Year of The Dragon es una joya de arriba a abajo, desde el maravilloso Soundtrack hecho por Ryan Beveridge, los hermosos y numerosos mundos a los que nos dirigiamos y sus tan carismaticos habitantes, los diferentes minijuegos que habia en cada nivel hasta las maravillosas peleas con jefe que el juego tenia para ofrecer...

    Intentaria explicar lo que hace maravilloso a este juego    Spyro 3: Year of The Dragon es una joya de arriba a abajo, desde el maravilloso Soundtrack hecho por Ryan Beveridge, los hermosos y numerosos mundos a los que nos dirigiamos y sus tan carismaticos habitantes, los diferentes minijuegos que habia en cada nivel hasta las maravillosas peleas con jefe que el juego tenia para ofrecer...

    Intentaria explicar lo que hace maravilloso a este juego y sin duda uno de los mejores juegos para PS1, pero mis palabras no le harían justicia alguna, si tienes tiempo libre y la oportunidad de jugar Spyro: Year of the Dragon, hazlo, no te arrepentiras en lo absoluto.    … Expand
  12. KaleSungurCrane
    Nov 20, 2020
    9
    OVERALL - 90%

    Gameplay - 9/10 Graphics (for time) - 8/10 Story - 7/10 Game Length - 7/10 Characters - 7/10 Level/Area Design - 9/10 Atmosphere - 8/10 Sound Effects - 8/10 Soundtrack - 7/10 Replay Value - 9/10 As a child, all of my friends had this game and I always made excuses to visit theirs just to play this game. Great game for the time with a beautiful colour pallet,    OVERALL - 90%

    Gameplay - 9/10
    Graphics (for time) - 8/10
    Story - 7/10
    Game Length - 7/10
    Characters - 7/10
    Level/Area Design - 9/10
    Atmosphere - 8/10
    Sound Effects - 8/10
    Soundtrack - 7/10
    Replay Value - 9/10

    As a child, all of my friends had this game and I always made excuses to visit theirs just to play this game. Great game for the time with a beautiful colour pallet, level and character design.    … Expand
  13. rybakosmonavt
    Oct 7, 2020
    4
    This is the worst part of Spyro. The level design is soooooo bad and frustrating. The high difficulty of challenges (I'm not talking to enemies specifically) don't even related to the plot. Why TF do I have to play hockey to win eggs? What's the point if the plot is very simple to follow? Why do I have to spent hours to fly through loops and races if it's not even related to the story? IThis is the worst part of Spyro. The level design is soooooo bad and frustrating. The high difficulty of challenges (I'm not talking to enemies specifically) don't even related to the plot. Why TF do I have to play hockey to win eggs? What's the point if the plot is very simple to follow? Why do I have to spent hours to fly through loops and races if it's not even related to the story? I understand that it's a mini game, but why is it so badly designed? In first two games it was fine, I have no complains, but this is the worst part. And the level design is genuinely very bad. There are some good constructed levels, but most of them are badly performed and repetitive.
    I was very disappointed in this part.    … Expand
  14. Dan1ElPerro
    Aug 17, 2020
    10
    Simplemente hermoso, muy divertido, recomendado para niños y adultos, banda sonora espectacular, niveles muy variados, no te aburres jugándolo.
  15. sonicgum15
    Jul 16, 2020
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Spyro 3: Year of the Dragon is, without question, among the best platformers ever made. A game that is consistently fun and engaging throughout your entire playtime, that never feels like it's wasting your time, and above all else, leaves an impression that most other games wish they could do.
    With it's fantastic level design, with immersive, memorable and cohesive worlds. It's charming, likeable and compelling cast of characters, whether main, supporting, or NPC. The wonderful controls of Spyro himself, as well as all the different playable characters and minigames that you can take part in. The lovely and unforgettable music of Stewart Copeland and his crew. Practically everything about this game works.

    Though not every single minigame or challenge is consistently great or even that fun, the majority of them really help make the experience, with how diverse, plentiful, simple, and just how plain fun they are. Even some of the lesser ones that can be frustrating still have an element of fun and satisfaction that can be gained from them.

    The other playable characters beyond Spyro are, at the very least, really enjoyable. Though I wouldn't necessarily say they were equally as good as each other, they were all pleasantly enjoyable and satisfying to play. Each character has their own unique playstyle, their own unique challenges and minigames, and all of them feel, at least, really good to control. The amount of variety with this game means you will never get bored with doing the same thing twice, as you're always doing something different. Even if there is a mission or minigame that is somewhat similar, how it's layed out and/or controls is always different.
    The boss fights are great. They each they interesting and complex attack patterns. Plus, the way a certain side character that you saved from Moneybags is integrated is genius and really helps make the boss fights feel distinct and memorable.

    The characters in general are easily among the most charming, lovable, and charismatic the genre has ever seen. Each and every NPC has their own unique quirks, personality and charm to them. The fact that they are integrated into helping Spyro get to another part of the Forgotten Worlds is just wonderful and really makes the overall universe feel alive, and is just really sweet and charming to see. It genuinely makes for nice worldbuilding and storytelling.
    Speaking of storytelling, while it's story is not by any means the best that ever been told in a platformer, let alone a game in general, the story we do have here is great. Unlike the previous game, where events of the game's story would be static until you advance to another world, this story actually advances beyond the worlds you're exploring. It also provides interesting lore for the Spyro universe, as well as character development, particularly with Bianca. The dialogue is simply great, with a lot of fun banter, nice humour, alongside the aforementioned likeable and memorable characters.
    Eggs are scattered throughout the entire game, and you must find them with mix of the aforementioned minigames, challenges, and side characters, as well as the traditional platforming and traversal this trilogy is so adept at. Many of the eggs are very cleverly hidden, and you must use your ingenuity and skills to track down every one. The game is just awesome in how it makes the most out of your core abilities, and how it tests your awareness. Each level is layed out and structured in such a way that it never gets tiring or boring, not just for Spyro, but the other playable characters too.

    As for flaws; It's like I said before; Not every minigame or challenge is as consistently fun as each other. There are some particularly bad ones such as the Sheila escort mission with the fireflies in Spooky Swamp, or the waves of enemies as Sgt. Byrd in Charmed Ridge, or the tank tournament as Spyro in Haunted Tomb, or even the boxing match as Bentley in Frozen Altars. But even so, most of those are still at least fun and enjoyable on some level, even if there's some real frustration and annoyance involved. The Sheila escort mission is flat out terrible, though, no dispute about that.
    It's also a real shame that the game lacks the opening and ending cutscenes from the previous game. The game's world was already highly captivating as it is, even more so I'd say, but the lack of opening or ending cutscenes for each world does sting in that regard.
    Another thing is that the game tends to reuse music tracks, particularly from the Midnight Mountain hub world onwards. Insomniac was on a tight deadline with this game, and it shows in the music. Along with the aforementioned lack of opening and ending cutscenes in this game. Again, it's such a shame, given how good the music is already.

    Still, regardless of all that, Spyro 3 still stands tall as among the best the genre, and even games in general, have to offer. If you haven't played yet, for the love of God, do so now.    … Expand
  16. Dandys1
    Jun 21, 2020
    9
    Third and final installment from the original Insomniac's trilogy for the ps1. Spyro is without doubts one of the best platformers on ps1 along with Crash. Spyro is set in more of a "open" world than Crash's corridor levels. World maps which are actually hub allows you to access its respective levels. Worlds and levels themselves might not be any enormous by today's standards, but theyThird and final installment from the original Insomniac's trilogy for the ps1. Spyro is without doubts one of the best platformers on ps1 along with Crash. Spyro is set in more of a "open" world than Crash's corridor levels. World maps which are actually hub allows you to access its respective levels. Worlds and levels themselves might not be any enormous by today's standards, but they sure do feel full of collectibles, secrets and life! If you enjoy collectathons you are up for a treat with retrieving stolen dragon eggs and treasures throughout the game. Once again minigames made their comeback from previous entry and, besides a few irritating challenges, make you feel satisfied once you complete them and redeem your reward. Major addition to this title were sparx levels and more playable characters. Sparx levels were little forgettable and for me, personally, they were not that enjoyable along with its clunky controlls. Some characters from previous game are also back and one particular, love him or hate him, Moneybags is too. He is willing to set free captured playable characters, for a small fee of course. These characters, Sheila the kangaroo, sgt. Byrd and Bentley the yetti, are fun to play and provide more diverse gameplay with their own gimmicks. Evil Sorceress who ordered to steal dragon eggs is a main villain and boss battles against her "minions" are pretty enjoyable. Definitely playstation classic and must play!… Expand
  17. Sitheral
    Jun 14, 2020
    7
    So I have no idea why there is only the third one of the trilogy here, but its a tough one.
    Its the best and at the same time, the worst, the best because it has all the important additions from 2 and builds on top of that with stuff as crazy as other playable characters! So why its the worst? Because it lacks the polish 2 had and playing other characters, as fun as it might be always    So I have no idea why there is only the third one of the trilogy here, but its a tough one.
    Its the best and at the same time, the worst, the best because it has all the important additions from 2 and builds on top of that with stuff as crazy as other playable characters! So why its the worst? Because it lacks the polish 2 had and playing other characters, as fun as it might be always feels worse than playing Spyro. It feels like Insomniac was tired with the series, did not know what to with it or simply there wasn't enough time.    … Expand
  18. Ristamatt
    Feb 17, 2020
    10
    Best game of the original trilogy! Wonder, wonder and another wonder, but this third is the best one! Gem!
  19. Nameless2131
    Feb 6, 2020
    9
    10/10 --------------------------------------------------------------------------
  20. TheSpyro666
    Feb 2, 2020
    10
    Любимейшая серия игр детства! Огромное спасибо, Insomniac Games!
  21. jamesboy
    Feb 26, 2019
    9
    Spyro Year of the dragon is a terrific game, lots more levels to explore, a new cast of colorful characters, and extra variety of challenges and tasks to complete. However, as much as I adore this game, their is far to many vehicle sections. I can not stand the vehicles, the hunter challenges, and submarine vehicles suck. And not to **** but their are a lot more difficulty spikes thoroughSpyro Year of the dragon is a terrific game, lots more levels to explore, a new cast of colorful characters, and extra variety of challenges and tasks to complete. However, as much as I adore this game, their is far to many vehicle sections. I can not stand the vehicles, the hunter challenges, and submarine vehicles suck. And not to **** but their are a lot more difficulty spikes thorough out the game. I would honestly prefer Spyro 2 than this. In conclusion this is still a fantastic game. 9.5/10… Expand
  22. Ashadha
    Feb 16, 2019
    10
    By far the best Spyro in the collection. I enjoyed the immersive levels and the intricate puzzles in order to find all the secrets. A must-buy!
  23. BIGBOSS666
    Feb 10, 2019
    10
    ofcourse it's not as good as the legendary crash bandicoot but its still a superb platformer
  24. MillersWeeb
    Nov 17, 2018
    10
    Одна из лучших игр на пс1. Проше 100500 раз в свое время. Можно играть за кучу крутых персонажей.
  25. Kirivu
    Oct 10, 2018
    10
    Spyro: Year of the Dragon for the Ps1 is an inspiring and imaginative 3D platformer with beautifully open levels and worlds that are incredibly immersive despite the limitations of the console. I remember the first time I played this game, I got it for Christmas when I was young, and my older sister told me that it was one of her favourite games growing up. Together we played through itSpyro: Year of the Dragon for the Ps1 is an inspiring and imaginative 3D platformer with beautifully open levels and worlds that are incredibly immersive despite the limitations of the console. I remember the first time I played this game, I got it for Christmas when I was young, and my older sister told me that it was one of her favourite games growing up. Together we played through it and I became instantly invested. Since then I have completed it countless times and still find myself reaching for my Ps1 controller to play it again despite the more modern and updated games I now own.
    Generally I would say this game was originally aimed for a younger audience, but I would also argue that it certainly does appeal to a wider audience of perhaps those who are captivated by its charm and nostalgia. Upon its initial release the game was widely praised by both children and adults and the Spyro the Dragon series still has a cult following to this day. I would recommend Spyro: Year of the Dragon to those who have played either of the previous titles (Spyro the dragon and Spyro 2: Ripto’s Rage) as I would say that it is the best of the three; Insomniac Games definitely took the key aspects of this game’s predecessors and further developed them to make a near perfect Spyro game.
    When it comes to story, this game does what it needs to make the player’s actions have purpose. Although if you’re looking for an in depth and emotionally meaningful storyline this title may not be for you. This games simplicity in both controls and storyline, while some may see it as a negative thing, makes it easy to pick up and play no matter your age or experience with video games. You press the d pad to move, circle to flame and x to jump, nothing could be easier. However, don’t always let Spyro’s seemingly consistent easy gameplay fool you. For this game also has minigames and challenges that can be nothing short of excruciatingly difficult at times even for more ‘hardcore’ gamers, though these are not always needed to be completed to finish the game unless you are one for a challenge. Furthermore, what Spyro lacks in intricate storyline, it also makes up for with its fun and original characters. Spyro 3 is the first Spyro game to have other playable characters than just Spyro, you can play as Shelia, Sgt. Bird, Bently, Agent 9 and Sparx, which I think greatly adds to the diversity of the game.
    As for immersion, this game certainly finds a way of looking past the restricted graphics it had to have due to the platform. Not only does it manage to include many intricate details despite this, it also makes worlds seem more open by rendering objects further away with less polygons than objects up close, rather than just covering distant objects with fog or not having them there at all. This idea was a revolutionary one in its time.
    Arguably one of the elements that adds the most to the games overall sense of immersion is its soundtrack. Composed by Stuart Copeland, this games soundtrack really captures the feel of each level and turns it into a catchy, playful tune. And as for casting, I think Tom Kenny does a great job voicing the cocky, confident character of Spyro.
    Overall, I would say that Spyro: Year of the dragon is not only the best game of its original Playstation trilogy, but is also quite possibly one of the most influential and interesting games of its time. It is definitely must play for any fans of the genre or even fans of video games in general; its beautifully immersive worlds and charming characters make it a fantastic fantasy for players of all ages.    … Expand
  26. Diegochocho
    Jul 8, 2018
    9
    Gran juego de plataformas, competía con el Crash en su época, tiene música y escenarios muy llamativos y coloridos,
  27. AGoodGame
    May 31, 2018
    10
    Spyro 3 is one of my favourite 3D platformers of all time it's fun game play and awesome areas to explore just make for an amazing game, the soundtrack, boss battles and other gaming modes just make for a great time.
  28. Untitled94
    Jan 28, 2018
    8
    This isn't my favorite Spyro, but it's one of the best. The controls are pretty good, the story decent, the lines are funny, it's just an all around good game. I do like the 2nd one more than this one, but I still enjoy playing this game.
  29. FreedomFighters
    Jan 11, 2018
    10
    Rarely does a third game come along and become the best in the series, but that is exactly what "Spyro: Year of the Dragon" manages to do. And the funny thing is this: the game sold almost 3.75 million copies (according to VGChartz) despite being released 3 days before the PlayStation 2 was released in America. Imagine how much more it would have sold early in the PlayStation's lifespan.Rarely does a third game come along and become the best in the series, but that is exactly what "Spyro: Year of the Dragon" manages to do. And the funny thing is this: the game sold almost 3.75 million copies (according to VGChartz) despite being released 3 days before the PlayStation 2 was released in America. Imagine how much more it would have sold early in the PlayStation's lifespan.
    Regardless of sales numbers, "Spyro: Year of the Dragon" is a fantastic game that, to me, still stands as one of the PlayStation's best games. Featuring plenty of expansive environments, plenty of minigames, gorgeous visuals that still hold up to this day, the same lovable characters from previous games to go along with plenty of new characters, great voice acting and plenty of polish to the gameplay, "Spyro: Year of the Dragon" is one of the PlayStation's finest titles ever. If you missed out on this masterpiece, go ahead and give it a shot. After all, it is available on the PlayStation Network, so go ahead and pick it up. I guarantee you'll have a blast!
    Final rating: 10 out of 10 "Fantastic"    … Expand
  30. maestro_tim
    Sep 20, 2017
    10
    Games like Spyro: Year of the dragon are so rare these days. Just like Crash Bandicoot, this platformer was revolutionary. Game design was on top. Looking for the eggs was one of the best adventures I've ever had in my entire gamer's career! I wish developers would make a remake!
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Awards & Rankings

5
#5 Best PS1 Game of 2000
5
#5 Most Discussed PS1 Game of 2000
7
#7 Most Shared PS1 Game of 2000

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
91

Universal acclaim - based on 15 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 14 out of 15
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 15
  3. Negative: 0 out of 15
  1. Happy Puppy
    80
    Its true 3D exploratory gameplay, its vast and varied level designs, its colorful cast of characters, and its picture-perfect control create a fantastic atmosphere.
    Read full review
  2. Spank!
    70
    A good, solid 3D platformer that won't disappoint fans of the purple dragon, but may leave fans of the genre feeling a little empty.
  3. Daily Radar
    100
    More creative minigames, a slightly higher difficulty level, superb level design and some of the best realtime graphics the PlayStation has ever seen all make Year of the Dragon a winner.
See all critic reviews »