Considered to be the best Spyro game in the series

User Rating: 9 | Spyro 2: Gateway to Glimmer PS

During the days when the PlayStation was huge on console sales and its library of games with titles like Crash Bandicoot and Tomb Raider; the Spyro trilogy made a big impact for the platformer genre which game stood out most from Insomniac Games who developed the series? Spyro 2 was considered to be the best game in the series from both gamers and fans alike in the UK it’s called Spyro 2: Gateway to Glimmer and the US version was known as Ripto's Rage.

Basic story plot as well where Spyro and Spark are feeling tired of it raining all the time, deciding to take a vacation to Dragon Shores. Upon going through the portal, Spyro ends up in the fantasy realm of Avalar, having been summoned there by Elora, Hunter and a Professor. They explain that whilst experimenting with a large portal device and want Spyro to help them stop Ripto from taking over Avalar.

If you've played the first Spyro the Dragon gameplay controls are very straight forward and will feel very familiar on controls as you fight against various enemies and obstacles using flame breath, charge attack, and glide abilities. Like the previous game, Spiro’s health is indicated by the colour of his dragonfly partner, Sparx, who can replenish his health by eating butterflies. Bottled butterflies will both completely restore Sparx's health and give Spyro an extra life. Each level you come across you'll gain a Talisman when you reach the end of the level, but each will also contain a number of orbs which you can obtain on completing a challenge or a task, make sure you collect gems as well because you'll be needing them to spend on getting pass certain parts through certain levels requiring you to pay a small fee to crossing the bridge or borrowing a submarine; yet you can also use gems to buy new abilities including swimming underwater, climbing and headbash.

What makes Spyro 2 really stand out is that the graphics and visuals look amazing to look at even when it was first released back in 1999 it still stands out today as a fun platformer for the system, the layout designs and textures look flawless including the underwater layout makes the game itself stand out even more, can't really think what other platformer could pull this off around that time or even for the PlayStation itself. Some of the best moments can be found in various levels as you play through the game but Avalar is divided into three realms: Summer Forest, Autumn Plains, and Winter Tundra. In every realm, there is a castle that, during the course of the storyline, is captured by Ripto. Each realm features a number of different worlds, a speedway world, and a dungeon in which Ripto and his minions are hiding.

Clearing and beating the game 100% can take up to more than 6 hours and would highly recommend this on either on disc or downloading it through the PSN store to download on your PS3/PSP/PS Vita, you won't a good platformer as this when it comes to retro games or a trip down memory lane.