Spyro the Dragon is a just a wonderfully unique platformer that separates itself from the pact with it's charm.
As the title suggests, you play as the pokey dragon named Spyro who becomes the unlikely hero when his dragon elders are turned into crystal by the evil Gnasty Gnorc. It's up to Spyro to free the dragons from their crystal prison, retrieve the treasure that Gnasty turned into enemies, and collect everything else insight to save the kingdom - in other words turn the player into a collectomanic! You won't do it alone of course, you got your trusty dragonfly pal Sparx accompanying you on your goose hunt. He may be unable to fight, but Sparx can pick up gems lying around and indicate how much health you have at the moment.
So yes, Spyro is a typical platformer in an era where platforming games were a dime a dozen, but Spyro has it's unique charm that sets it apart. Spyro can do three special actions: glide (double tap jump button), breath fire, and ram with his horns. Attacks have specific weaknesses: breathing fire usually gets the job done but it can't defeat enemies that wear steel armor like ramming does, and on the other hand ramming can't defeat giant enemies. Gliding is Spyro's specialty that takes patience and exact timing to land where you want. The worlds have been designed with Spyro's abilities in mind, so you'll use all abilities to defeat a variety of foes. In a few worlds there's an exclusive ability called Super Breath which can defeat any foe, but you're restricted to a time limit.
Spyro the Dragon offers a very deep challenge to those collect maniacs who want to see that 120% sign on their inventory. Yes, you read that right: 120%! Spyro the Dragon is bursting at the seams with replay value. There are nearly 100 dragons to rescue, 11 eggs to retrieve, and enough treasure laying around to pick up to make Wario pass out. There are six home worlds in all with plenty of giant sub worlds in each, including a flight level, so obtaining every single goodie takes a lot time, patience, searching, and plenty of gliding through the games many unique worlds.
By unique I really mean it; Spyro the Dragon has incomparable charm and uniqueness that sets it apart from the rest of the pact of same-y platformers from the 90's. Every sub world is different featuring it's own unique twists and fun soundtrack (the Wizard Peaks world even inspired the Amanda Show to play that world's soundtrack at the end credits of the show!). In one world you're fighting Gnorcs in military outfits that literary moon at you, and in the next world you're charging through a fairy tale castle at high speeds.
Spyro the Dragon has got to be played to be believed, and once you do play it you'll never forget it's unmatchable charm.