Where to Start · Spyro
Where to Start with Spyro
Spyro the Dragon is Insomniac Games' platformer franchise that defined the PS1 collect-a-thon era alongside Crash Bandicoot. The original trilogy — Spyro the Dragon, Ripto's Rage, and Year of the Dragon — ran from 1998 to 2000 and established the template: a small purple dragon gliding through colourful open worlds, collecting gems and freeing imprisoned dragons, with a world structure that rewards exploration and revisiting areas with new abilities.
The Reignited Trilogy (2018) remasters all three games with modern visuals while preserving the original gameplay and is the definitive way to play the series today.
If you only play one Spyro game
Play Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage (also called Gateway to Glimmer outside North America). It is the peak of the trilogy — better variety than the original, more interesting worlds, and the most refined collect-a-thon structure of the three games. You do not need to play Spyro 1 first — the story is minimal and each game is standalone. The Reignited Trilogy on PS4/Xbox/Switch/PC includes all three games and Ripto's Rage is the highlight.
The original trilogy
Spyro the Dragon (1998) is the foundation — 36 levels across six homeworlds, 12,000 gems to collect, and dragons to rescue. The original is the most focused of the three and the best showcase of the formula at its most pure. Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage (1999) adds NPCs, tasks, and more varied world objectives. Spyro: Year of the Dragon (2000) is the most ambitious — four playable characters including Sheila the Kangaroo, Sergeant Byrd, Bentley the Yeti, and Agent 9. All three are in the Reignited Trilogy.
The Reignited Trilogy
The Reignited Trilogy (2018) is the recommended way to play the series in 2026 — Toys for Bob rebuilt all three games from scratch with modern visuals while preserving the original level layouts, gem placements, and gameplay feel. The original PS1 versions are excellent but the Reignited versions are superior in every visual and audio respect while retaining what made the originals special. Available on PS4/Xbox/Switch/PC.
Skylanders — Spyro appears in the toys-to-life line, but that ecosystem is its own franchise — not where you go for the Insomniac-style trilogy loop.
After the original trilogy
Spyro: Enter the Dragonfly (2002) and Spyro: A Hero's Tail (2004) continued the franchise after Insomniac handed off development — both are weaker than the original trilogy and neither is recommended as an entry point. The Skylanders era (2011 onwards) reimagined Spyro as a supporting character in a toys-to-life franchise — entirely separate and optional. The Legend of Spyro trilogy (2006-2008) is a complete reimagining with a darker tone and different gameplay — decent standalone but not the classic Spyro experience.
What platforms you need
Spyro Reignited Trilogy — PS4/Xbox/Switch/PC. The original PS1 trilogy — physical copies, increasingly scarce. The Reignited Trilogy supersedes the originals for most players.
Recommended order
Spyro the Dragon → Ripto's Rage → Year of the Dragon via the Reignited Trilogy. All three are short — 8-12 hours each — and the trilogy is best experienced as a complete run.