"Strangely, This Is Gonna Be Nicer" - PART 61 - Spyro: Year of the Dragon
1If you can believe it, anyway.
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Spyro: Year of the Dragon is a platformer video game developed by Insomniac Games and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation in 2000. Year of the Dragon is the third installment in the Spyro series. The game was the last Spyro game Insomniac developed; their next title would be Ratchet & Clank for the PlayStation 2. It was released in North America and for PAL regions in October and November 2000, respectively, but unlike the other two games, it was not given a Japanese release.
Named after the animal of the Chinese zodiac, which was the symbol at the time of the game's release, Year of the Dragon follows the titular purple dragon Spyro as he travels to the "Forgotten Worlds" after 150 magical dragon eggs are stolen from the land of the dragons by an evil sorceress. Players travel across thirty different worlds gathering gems and eggs. Year of the Dragon introduced new characters and minigames to the series, as well as offering improved graphics and music.
Upon release, the game sold more than two million units in the United States and received critical acclaim. Reviewers noted the game built on the successful formula of its predecessors by adding a large number of new activities and expansive environments, resulting in a massive amount of variety. It was followed by the multiplatform title Spyro: Enter the Dragonfly. It was later re-released under the Greatest Hits label, and received a remastered release as part of the Spyro Reignited Trilogy in November 2018.
The game opens with a celebration in the land of the dragons, where Spyro and his kin are celebrating the "Year of the Dragon", an event that occurs every twelve years when new dragon eggs are brought to the realm. During the celebration however, Bianca invades the Dragon Realms with an army of rhino-based creatures called Rhynocs and steals all of the Dragon eggs, bringing them back to the Sorceress, who spreads the eggs throughout several worlds. The worlds are split up into four home realms: Sunrise Spring, Midday Garden, Evening Lake, and Midnight Mountain.Spyro, Sparx, and Hunter are sent down a hole to find the thieves and recover the dragon eggs.
While pursuing the thief, Spyro discovers a world once inhabited by the dragons, but long abandoned and forgotten. This world is under the iron-fisted reign of the Sorceress and her Rhynoc army. Spyro meets with Shiela the Kangaroo, Sergeant Byrd the Penguin, Bentley the Yeti, and Agent 9 the Monkey who help him on his quest. Shiela in particular tells Spyro how when the dragons left the realm, the world's magic began to dry up. Spyro travels through each world in the forgotten realm, acquiring aid from the local inhabitants and rescuing the dragon eggs.
"I'll Torch Him!" by Laarx
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7pdBeY58xo