Spyro: Enter the Dragonfly
From Spyropedia
| Spyro: Enter the Dragonfly | |
 American Coverart | |
| Developer: | Digital Eclipse Software |
|---|---|
| Collectibles: |  7,000  90
|
| Release Date: |   November 5, 2002  November 8, 2002  November 29, 2002
|
| Platform: | Playstation 2 GameCube |
| Ratings: | ESRB: E for Everyone ELSPA: 3+ OFLC: G8+ |
Spyro: Enter the Dragonfly (Or Known As 'Spyro 4' By Some) is the fourth game in the Spyro (series), the first Spyro game for the sixth generation consoles, PlayStation 2 and Nintendo GameCube, and the first console Spyro game not developed by Insomniac Games. It is also the first game not to be exclusively released on one console.
Contents |
Story
Plot
The story begins shortly after Spyro: Year of the Dragon. The dragons are in celebration of a rite of passage for the young dragons, with the arrival of new dragonfly guardians for the young dragons. However, during the party, Ripto (who appears to have survived the events of Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage With no explanation) teleports in via a portal and disrupts the celebration, intent on capturing the new dragonflies to weaken the young dragons. However, his spell misfires, and the dragonflies become scattered throughout the Dragon Realm. Spyro is tasked with recovering the realm's new crop of dragonflies.
After Ripto disappears, Spyro goes to the different worlds connected to the Dragon Realms, in order to recapture the missing 90 Dragonflies (which is odd, considering there were 150 Dragons (151 if you count Yin Yang as two) and only 90 Dragonflies, suggesting that 61 of the dragonflies were saved by the Dragon Elders before they disappeared). When Spyro enters the Dragonfly Dojo, he discovers Ripto's new minions, the Riptocs have infested the Dragon Realms, and Spyro has to defeat them to recapture the stolen Dragonflies.
Eventually, Spyro clears all nine worlds attached to the Dragon Realms, and enters Ripto's portal with the combined magic of all of the Dragonflies. He enters Ripto's portal, and Ripto creates a shield for himself resistant to fire. Spyro destroys the shield and beats Ripto. But when Spyro thinks he has Ripto on the verge of defeat, Ripto uses a magic spell to grow twice his size. He then erects a flame barrier, making Spyro's flame breath useless.
Spyro now uses his Ice Breath to bring down the barrier, and freeze Ripto. Finally, in one last act of desperation, Ripto uses his magic to grow even bigger and incorporate pieces of Crush and Gulp into his body. Spyro easily brings down the monster with his Lightning Breath. As Ripto is defeated, he curses Spyro. Spyro discovers that Ripto's magic did not work properly because he was a dinosaur, and as such, their magical properties could not sustain the proper use of magic. This has lead to Ripto's hate of dragons, and is the reason why he is so relentless in destroying the dragons.
The Dragon Elders banish Ripto, and the Dragon Realms are safe again...
Gameplay
The Gameplay is similar to Previous Spyro games though there are some differences. The Object of the game is to progress through the 9 levels of the game and catch all 90 dragonflies or receive them for completing minigames. 10 dragonflies appear in each level, and can be acquired by locating them or as a reward for completing minigames. Spyro must chase and catch these dragonflies with his bubble breath, each dragonfly has a name. Just like previous titles, Gems lay scattered all over the levels, in crates and on the ground. You will need these gems to pay the pestering moneybags which is the only way to get through the levels. Catching dragonflies will open more levels and once Every level has been completed by reaching the end, Spyro may face Ripto.
Unlike older games, Enter the Dragonfly has only one homeworld. Instead of Portals, Spyro uses other means of transport to get to each realm, the means of transport varies on the theme of the level that Spyro is traveling to (eg. To go to the Honey land, Spyro rides on a Honeycomb). There is no other Playable characters in Spyro: Enter The Dragonfly, however, Spyro powers a few vehicles including Tanks, UFOs, Hunter's Manta ray, And A Battle Plane. Speedways Also return though they are situated Inside levels as minigames.
An addition in Enter the dragonfly is the use of breaths. Throughout the game, Spyro will learn breaths. Spyro can use these Breaths to destroy enemies, Open gates to new areas of the homeworld and complete minigames. However, Spyro's bubble breath, can only be used to catch dragonflies, nothing else.
Original content
The game was originally going to contain around 120 dragonflies to collect (not including Sparx), over 25 levels, a framerate of 60 frames per second, and fast loading times. However the game was rushed in order to be available by Winter (NH) 2002, and therefore suffers from an inconsistent framerate, long loading times, graphical glitches, sound issues, and lock-ups (freezes). Additionally, there are only 9 levels and only 90 dragonflies for the player collect.[1]
Reception
Several glitches and lack of content led to the game receiving negative reviews from critics, Though the game recieved a fairly Avarage score of 55% Avg Ratio for the PlayStation 2 version, and 49% Avg Ratio for the GameCube version.
The GameCube version was released a week after the PlayStation 2 version. This version has greatly reduced loading times, less jagged and more natural colored visuals, and no lock-ups. Generally the GameCube version is favored, but it was still criticized for having the same inconsistent framerate and occasional (though less) graphical glitches as the PlayStation 2 version.
Fans also Rejected the game for the same reasons.
Despite the mediocre response, the game has sold enough copies to receive Greatest Hits status for PlayStation 2 and Player's Choice status for GameCube.
Worlds and Levels
Dragon Realms
- Level I: Dragonfly Dojo
- Level II: Crop Circle Country
- Level III: Luau Island
- Level IV: Cloud 9
- Level V: Monkey Monastery
- Level VI: Honey Marsh
- Level VII: Thieves Den
- Level VIII: Jurassic Jungle
- Level IX: Ripto
Reviews
- Gamespot 2 / 10
- GamingTrend 56 / 100
- Playstation 2 Max UK 55 / 100
- XGP Gaming 6.5 / 10
- Games Master UK 60 / 100
- GF3K 7.8 / 10
- GamingWorld X 5 / 10
- Game Over Online 48 / 100
- PSM3 Magazine UK 68 / 100
- P2 Magazine UK 6 / 10
- PS2 Fantasy 4.5 / 10
- Play UK 73 / 100
- Playstation 2 Mag UK(OPM UK) 6 / 10
- GameBiz 61 / 100
- Gamer.tv 3.3 / 10
- PSE Magazine 85 / 100
- Game Power AU 3.5 / 10
- Video Gamers First 6.1 / 10
- PGNx Media 7.6 / 10
- Daily Game 5.5 / 10
- GamePro 4.5 / 5
- Gamer's Hell 6 / 10
- Game Raiders 85 / 100
- PSM Magazine 6 / 10
- Gamers Temple 50 / 100
- Game Chronicles 6.2 / 10
- Gaming Target 5.1 / 10
- Next Level Gaming 3 / 6
- GameNow C- Dec 9, 2002
- Worth Playing 3.4 / 10
- Game Rankings 35 / 100
- InsidePulse 2.5 / 10
- Official Playstation Magazine 3 / 5
- Cyber Gaming Net 2 / 5
- NTSC uk 3 / 10
- Gaming Horizon 6.1 / 10
- PSX Nation 5 / 10
- Play Magazine 1.5 / 5
- GameSpy 55 / 100
- DarkStation 3 / 10
- Media & Games Online 6.5 / 10
- GameZone 7 / 10
- TechTV 2 / 5
- IGN 6/10
- Gamershell 6 / 10
- Amazon 2.5 / 5
- PlaystationWeekly 4 / 10
- Nintendo Action 2.5 / 5
Trivia
- The level "Thieves' Den" is a parody of the tale, Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves.
- Some fans believe that the game takes place in a different year of the dragon (most likely the next one) than Spyro: Year of the Dragon instead of the same Year of the dragon. This allows room for a game to explain Ripto's resurrection and why there are only 90 dragonflies (instead of 151 dragonflies needed for the 151 dragons in Spyro: Year Of The Dragon) however, no game has yet to mentioned this.
- The only 90 dragonfly theory can be explained in many ways, one is that the dragon elders protected 61 dragonflies in a way that Ripto's spell didn't affect them, another reason is that when Ripto stuffed his spell up, it only affected 90/151 dragonflies.
