These days, you probably know the name Insomniac Games for superhero epics like Marvel’s Spider-Man and the upcoming Wolverine — or even for a furry feline named Ratchet. But before all that, Insomniac was responsible for crafting one of the most definitive mascot platformer series around, featuring an adorable, diminutive dragon named Spyro. While Spyro might have faded from the cultural zeitgeist, two decades later, the dragon can still lay claim to one of the most definitive platforming experiences ever made. Spyro: Year of the Dragon is one of the greatest masterpieces the genre has ever seen — a confluence of ingenuity and charm that rivals even the likes of Mario. It’s a reminder of how desperately we still need these kinds of experiences from PlayStation’s first-party studios.
Year of the Dragon is the third game in the Spyro series, and the last one to be developed by Insomniac. And while Spyro kept going for years, this third game is arguably the pinnacle of the series — where Insomniac really laid everything on the line. It’s like dialing all the fun from the first two games up to eleven, with the definitive challenge that captures the whimsy and adventure of Spyro.
