...I'm starting to realize I don't actually like Spyro lol
Once again the simple uninteresting platforming is the same as it always has been across these 3 games but this time in a classic case study of developers completely running out of new interesting ideas to inject for the third consecutive entry for their early 3D platforming franchise (see also: Crash 3 Warped), instead of improving the design or core gameplay in any way, they just tack on a handful of gimmicks and call it a day. Case in point for this game: the alternate playstyles. The game eventually thrusts 5 (not counting Hunter) additional playable extra characters on you in the hopes that you'll like at least one of them, and yeah they aren't really that fun. They're either mundane or at worst they slow the already slow pace to a crawl. The issue is that at least with Crash 3 they tried to improve the gameplay to some extent with the addition of upgrades to Crash's arsenal, and for the most part it actually worked because it ended up boosting his overall movement abilities (Crash Dash/Death Tornado Spin) and made stages/box hunting all the more fun to do so. Spyro 3's extra characters do literally nothing to enhance the gameplay. You're essentially playing the same game, but occasionally it just so happens to get even worse.
The progression structure is sort of a half and half from Spyro 1 and 2, unfortunately still leaning more towards 2's nonsense. On the one hand the main collectable (Dragon Eggs) can once again be collected by finding them scattered throughout levels or by completing a level, just like Spyro 1, allowing you to collect them at your own leisure. On the other hand, most of the time the eggs are handled in Spyro 2 fashion, though instead of completing some stupid side mission to get them, you instead often get to partake in minigames in order to earn them.
These minigames are the pits.
The skateboarding, the ice hockey, none of gimmicky minigames are really what I consider fun, they're just that: blatant gimmicks. Spyro doesn't get minigames exclusively either, sometimes the extra playable characters THEMSELVES get minigames, like the laughably bad boxing match for the yeti. Boss fights are slightly improved but that's not saying much.
I feel nothing but apathy at this point
Once again the simple uninteresting platforming is the same as it always has been across these 3 games but this time in a classic case study of developers completely running out of new interesting ideas to inject for the third consecutive entry for their early 3D platforming franchise (see also: Crash 3 Warped), instead of improving the design or core gameplay in any way, they just tack on a handful of gimmicks and call it a day. Case in point for this game: the alternate playstyles. The game eventually thrusts 5 (not counting Hunter) additional playable extra characters on you in the hopes that you'll like at least one of them, and yeah they aren't really that fun. They're either mundane or at worst they slow the already slow pace to a crawl. The issue is that at least with Crash 3 they tried to improve the gameplay to some extent with the addition of upgrades to Crash's arsenal, and for the most part it actually worked because it ended up boosting his overall movement abilities (Crash Dash/Death Tornado Spin) and made stages/box hunting all the more fun to do so. Spyro 3's extra characters do literally nothing to enhance the gameplay. You're essentially playing the same game, but occasionally it just so happens to get even worse.
The progression structure is sort of a half and half from Spyro 1 and 2, unfortunately still leaning more towards 2's nonsense. On the one hand the main collectable (Dragon Eggs) can once again be collected by finding them scattered throughout levels or by completing a level, just like Spyro 1, allowing you to collect them at your own leisure. On the other hand, most of the time the eggs are handled in Spyro 2 fashion, though instead of completing some stupid side mission to get them, you instead often get to partake in minigames in order to earn them.
These minigames are the pits.
The skateboarding, the ice hockey, none of gimmicky minigames are really what I consider fun, they're just that: blatant gimmicks. Spyro doesn't get minigames exclusively either, sometimes the extra playable characters THEMSELVES get minigames, like the laughably bad boxing match for the yeti. Boss fights are slightly improved but that's not saying much.
I feel nothing but apathy at this point