History VideoGame / SpyroYearOfTheDragon

In the Year of the Dragon, a rare event that happens [[EasternZodiac every 12 years]], mass numbers of new dragon eggs are brought to the Dragon Realms. But they're stolen en route by a [[Literature/AliceInWonderland white rabbit thief who disappears into a strange hole]]. Spyro follows her and ends up in the Forgotten Worlds, where an evil sorceress rules. Now Spyro, with the help of his new friends [[KangaroosRepresentAustralia Sheila]], [[EverythingsBetterWithPenguins Sgt. Byrd]], [[BigfootSasquatchAndYeti Bentley]] and Agent 9, has to recover all the dragon eggs and make sure the baby dragons get home safely.

* AssInALionSkin: After beating the Cat Hockey challenge in Frozen Altars, Spyro is rewarded with a dragon egg... which hatches to reveal a sheep. But then it suddenly splits open to reveal a baby dragon, [[FridgeLogic which was somehow born wearing a sheep disguise]] (but to be fair, many of the other baby dragons that hatch throughout the game wear glasses and hats). It's also called 'Ba'ah'.

** In Sheila’s Alp, when a moose appears as an enemy, the goats comment that the last time they met him, he knocked Billy through a wall. One of the cutscenes in the initial ending has Billy stuck in a wall, with Sheila telling off the goats for teasing the moose again.

-->'''Agent 9:''' Quite a dancer isn't he? Not much stamina though. Too bad I had a lot more ammo left. ''*cackles manically*''

** Playing a cracked copy of ''Spyro: Year of the Dragon''? Zoe the Fairy appears at the latter part of Sunrise Spring [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqEx_euxPfA telling you]] that [[TheFourthWallWillNotProtectYou your copy is hacked and may be an illegal copy, which will lead you to experience "problems" you would not experience on a legal copy]]. And as a ShoutOut to ''Videogame/EarthBound'', the game recreates the "[[spoiler:save file erasure]]" thing from said game, although in a more subtle manner: instead of just [[spoiler: taking you back to an empty "select your save file" screen]], it just [[spoiler:stops the boss battle against the Sorceress and then a travel-between-worlds Saving-LoadingScreen appears, and after it, you return back to the Sunrise Spring Home with your hot air balloon, with the only difference that your save file has been written with a new status - namely, a big fat zero over everything you can collect]]. To sum it up, instead of [[spoiler:erasing your save file]], the game [[spoiler:resets it back to the beginning]]. It counts as a ShoutOut as both cases of CopyProtection interrupt the [[FinalBoss Final Bo]][[BossBattle ss Battle]]. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZT9O62ZNQSU You can even see it here.]]

* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: Bianca's reaction when the Sorceress [[spoiler: reveals her intention to kill the baby dragons for their wings.]]

* AdultFear: Everyone is asleep during Bianca and the rhynocs' infiltration of the Dragon Realms and theft of the eggs. By the time Bianca accidentally wakes Hunter up, there's only one left remaining and the dragon who launches after Bianca just misses grabbing it as she dives through a hole. The eggs are scattered across numerous perilous environments, nearly accidentally harmed by several [=NPCs=] and [[spoiler:then the Sorceress drops the bombshell on Bianca that she wants to slaughter all of them out of convenience when she was previously advised that they would just be raised in the Forgotten Realms]].

* BratsWithSlingshots: The rhynocs of Spooky Swamp.
* BrickJoke

** One that is specific to Sunny Villa; many characters make comments about the giant chickens around the levels, as well as the giant rhynocs all having giant chicken legs as clubs. If you destroy every Rhynoc, one will appear near the exit portal.

* CrapsaccharineWorld: The cutesy visuals remain, but most levels involve sorting out the problems caused by the oppressive rule of The Sorceress.

* CrystalLandscape: The Crystal Islands were once a regular, non-crystal based world. Unfortunately, the Magicians from there ended up [[PhlebotinumOverdose turning the inhabitants and the landscape into crystal with some of the Sorceress's magic that they stole]].

* DarkerAndEdgier: Compared to the two previous games, this one comes off as slightly darker: aside from exploring the [[MeaningfulName aptly-named]] "[[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Forgotten Worlds]]" having a relatively unnerving feeling, there's the fact that [[SecretCharacter other playable characters]] are [[UnlockableContent unlocked]] with what [[DeconstructedTrope boils down to a ransom]], TheDragon threatening you whenever you access a new world, a DerelictGraveyard made of SaharanShipwreck-ed ships surrounded by HollywoodAcid, giant {{snowlems}} sporting a SlasherSmile, cowboy dinosaurs (not making this up) throwing dynamite sticks - and shooting - at you, Spyro getting EatenAlive by a whale, and so on. Then there's [[VileVillainSaccharineShow The Sorceress]], who alone turns the dark-and-edgy-ness UpToEleven.

* DerelictGraveyard: The appropriately named Lost Fleet, filled with shipwrecks and ghosts haunting the grounds. [[spoiler:However, the ghosts turn out to be rhynocs in disguise.]]

* EvenEvilHasStandards: [[spoiler:Bianca's reaction to the Sorceress's rant]], [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_Uc5f3z8Xc&feature=related Cutscene 12]].

* {{Expy}}: The Rhynocs wearing tiny bucklers are this to the cowering gnorcs of the [[VideoGame/SpyroTheDragon1998 Artisans Home]].

* FriendlyFire: Sheila can trick the turrets of Seashell Shore into shooting rhynocs.

** The giant mooks of Haunted Tomb provide the means to permanently rid it of rhynocs.

* HornyVikings: The rhynocs of Cloud Spires wear horned helmets and have decidedly opera and Norse Mythology themes.

* ImGoingToDisneyWorld: Parodied near the end where Bentley asks Spyro "What are you gonna do next? Spend a week at Dragon Shores?"
* ImprobableWeaponUser: The red rhynocs of Sgt. Byrd's base use flower pots as weapons. And the [[BedsheetGhost Bedsheet Ghosts]] of Lost Fleet use flashlights.
* ImprovisedArmor: Some rhynocs of Seashell Shore wear the shells it was named for, though they cannot see through them.
* IneptMage: Crystal Islands got its name after thieves who stole magic from The Sorceress fled there and ended up encasing much of it in crystal by accident.

* KingMook: The Crawdad King and The Spider Queen. Just guess what they're the king mooks of. Also, the rhynoc wizard.

** The 2 kinds of Rhynocs go like this: the smaller ones are usually {{heavily armored|Mook}} or {{shield bearing|Mook}} which can withstand flame breath; Spyro needs to use HornAttack on them. The {{Giant Mook}}s can resist Spyro's horn charge, but tend not to be protected, so use his BreathWeapon on them.
** The giant armored rhynocs of the Fireworks Factory, who have to be flamed from behind. Some of them turn around too quickly for Spyro to hit, but with all the ''fireworks'' around there are other ways to deal with them...

* MookMaker: In the Sparx levels, boxes that crawdads and crabs come out of, then flower pots spiders come out of, then shells that starfish and eels come out of. Also, the ninja boxes of Fireworks Factory and the panic doors of Agent 9's Lab. Haunted Tomb has both the sarcophagi of mummy rhynocs and jars for cobra.
* {{Mooning}}: The coal-throwing Rhynocs in Frozen Altars turn around and lift their {{Loin Cloth}}s if you destroy their coal piles. You can freeze them in this position, which is a reference to some of the enemies from the first game.

** Nancy, the ice skater Spyro protects from hockey player rhynocs in Icy Peak, is likely named after figure skater Nancy Kerrigan, who was infamously attacked by hired goons sent by rival Tonya Harding in an attempt to cripple her.

* NeverSayDie: Averted. It's actually the Sorceress' intentions to kill the baby dragons that prompts [[spoiler:Bianca's HeelFaceTurn]]

'''Bianca:''' ''*hesitantly*'' Uhh... kill him?\\

* NeverSmileAtACrocodile: The rhynocs and fireflies of Spooky Swamp aren't friends but share a common disdain for the local gators... except for the rhynoc wizard, [[FlunkyBoss who is fond of conjuring them up.]]

* OurDragonsAreDifferent: The DualBoss fire dragons of Fireworks Factory are vaguely "Eastern" {{segmented serpent}}s that fly without wings. Given that dragons were banished from The Forgotten Worlds by The Sorceress, The Sorceress owns Fireworks Factory and the fire dragons are hostile to the resistance against The Sorceress, this raises a lot of question, though one could assume she created the pair.

* ParasolOfPain: Wielded by the rhynocs in Bamboo Terrace, [[ParasolParachute who parachute in with them]].

* RacingMinigame: Vs giant butterflies on the first available speedway. And this time you have to win. The difficulty ups to propeller planes in the second. Then giant bees, which are strangely harder than the planes, then blue-footed boobies whom you'll probably need the help of super charge to beat. Also, the skateboarding rhynocs of Lost Fleet.

* RepeatCut: Used for the final hit on Scorch to emphasize Spyro and Bentley managing to overcome the Sorceress's strongest monster.

* RhinoRampage: The Rhynocs - the soldier enemies of the game - are a race of anthropomorphic rhinoceros.

* SeaMine: The rhynocs littered Seashell Shore's Ultra-high-speed-super-fluidity tunnel with them. The enemy submarines of Lost Fleet also drop them.

* ShootTheMageFirst: In the Charmed Ridge level, there are cat mages who'll hinder you in many ways, one of them is [[MakeMyMonsterGrow enlarging the rhynoc Mooks]], making them invincible in the process. Hit the cat mage to make the mooks return to normal and killable.

* ShovelStrike: The small ground dwelling rhynocs of Seashell Shore wield shovels.
* SkateHeavenIsAPlaceOnEarth: The skating area in Sunny Villa was originally a training ground for gladiators before Hunter made it a skatepark, while the area in Lost Fleet was just another part of the ship-graveyard. No telling what the racetrack in the Super Bonus Round was meant for (especially considering the world was used exclusively to house the Sorceress’ treasure horde).

* SoundtrackDissonance: Original [=PlayStation=]/non-Greatest Hits/Platinum versions of the game (not counting the PAL version, which plays Spike's Arena) plays '''Sunrise Spring's theme''' when you're fighting [[BigBad The Sorceress]]. That's right, while the other bosses have imposing themes, the BigBad gets the music used for the first world.

* SuperNotDrowningSkills: The seals and the rhynoc of Seashell Shore use no breathing apparatus underwater. Also, while Spyro had to be taught how to go underwater, the baby dragons he rescues are apparently born with the ability. One even sneezes while submerged.

** The rhynoc wizard and the giant armed rhynocs of the Fireworks Factory throw {{cartoon bomb}}s.

* WhipItGood: The larger rhynocs of Molten Crater wield whips.
* WhyDidItHaveToBeSnakes: The giant hammer wielding rhynocs of Enchanted Towers are terrified of wolves, to the point they won't even bother to attack but just run away.

* WindFromBeneathMyWings: The larger rhynocs of Cloud Spires attack this way.

* GratutiousIambicPentameter: The Fireflies of Spooky Swamp speak entirely in haiku. Moneybags even adopts this manner of speech when he asks for gems to open a bridge in the level.

* StrangeSyntaxSpeaker: The Fireflies of Spooky Swamp speak entirely in haiku. Moneybags even adopts this manner of speech when he asks for gems to open a bridge in the level.

** Sheila's Alp = the Swiss Alps; inhabited by mountain goats.

*** The figure skating polar bear, Nancy, is named after Nancy Kerrigan, an American Olympic figure skater who, in a highly publicized story, was attacked by an assailant hired by a rival skater, Tonya Harding. It suddenly makes a lot of sense why Rhynocs were so bent on whacking her with hockey sticks.

* NinjaPirateZombieRobot: Some implausible combinations of concepts can be found in this game. Just among your playable companions alone, there's "a [[KangaroosRepresentAustralia kangaroo]] who lives in YodelLand", "a [[EverythingsBetterWithMonkeys monkey]] with a laser gun", "a GeniusBruiser yeti" and "a TuxedoAndMartini jetpack-wearing [[EverythingsBetterWithPenguins penguin]]". Then there's things like "Wild West gunslinger dinosaurs", "A cat wizard who rides a flying motorcycle", and "Hover tanks in AncientEgypt."

In the Year of the Dragon, a rare event that happens [[EasternZodiac every 12 years]], mass numbers of new dragon eggs are brought to the Dragon Realms. But they're stolen en route by a [[Literature/AliceInWonderland white rabbit thief who disappears into a strange hole]]. Spyro follows her and ends up in the Forgotten Worlds, where an evil sorceress rules. Now Spyro, with the help of his new friends [[KangaroosRepresentAustralia Sheila]], [[EverythingsBetterWithPenguins Sgt. Byrd]], [[BigfootSasquatchAndYeti Bentley]] and [[EverythingsBetterWithMonkeys Agent 9]], has to recover all the dragon eggs and make sure the baby dragons get home safely.

*** The two [[CanadaEh highly Canadian]] polar bears found in the main level share names with Bob and Doug [=McKenzie=] of ''Series/{{SCTV}}}'''s "Great White North" and ''Film/StrangeBrew'' fame.

*** The two [[CanadaEh highly Canadian]] polar bears found in the main level share names with Bob and Doug McKenzie of SCTV's "Great White North" fame.

* GameplayAndStorySegregation:
** When you free Sgt. Byrd, he clumsily claims that he couldn't free himself because he has a limited amount of ammo. Cue forward to his actual missions, and he has infinite ammo and never needs to replenish it. The discrepancy was kept in [[VideoGame/SpyroReignitedTrilogy the remake]].
** If you haven't freed Agent 9 before you challenge the Sorceress, he will still help you in battle, and it is never explained how he got released. If you leave the level before beating her, he will be imprisoned again.

* KickTheDog:

* TyrannosaurusRex: Cowboy ones in Dino Mines. Will either shoot you with deadly aim or throw dynamite sticks at you.

** When you free Sgt. Byrd, he claims that he couldn't free himself because he has a limited amount of ammo. Cue forward to his actual missions, and he has infinite ammo and never needs to replenish it. This glitch wasn’t fixed in [[VideoGame/SpyroReignitedTrilogy the Remake]].

** When you free Sgt. Byrd, he claims that he couldn't free himself because he has a limited amount of ammo. Cue forward to his actual missions, and he has infinite ammo and never needs to replenish it.

* KangaroosRepresentAustralia: Despite living in a [[FantasyCounterpartCulture Fantasy equivalent]] to the [[YodelLand Swedish Alps]], Sheila the Kangaroo has a stereotypically Australian name and an Australian accent.

* AntiFrustrationFeatures: Once you've reached the end portal of a regular level, you'll open a shortcut connecting it with the beginning portion of the level.

* InterspeciesRomance: [[spoiler:Hunter and Bianca ''(a cheetah and a rabbit)'' at the end.]] Doubles as CarnivoreConfusion. Also, Princess Ami and Prince Azrael, a fairy princess and a cat mage.
** Sgt Bird is also in a relationship with one of the fairies from Charmed Ridge.

* AncientGrome: Sunny Villa is the title image for this trope. The world is populated by a race of anthropomorphic lions dressed in togas and wreath-crowns who bred giant chickens before the Sorceress sent her Rhynoc hordes to invade the place. The Rhynoc enemies that populate it are all dressed like gladiators.

* AmbiguousGender: The cat-fairies of Cloud Spires. They have feminine voices and wear dresses, but their faces are masculine. The Spyro Wiki refers to them as males.

* AcidPool: Rivers and lakes of glowing green Acid can be found in Lost Fleet and purple ones throughout Midnight Mountain [[spoiler:and the Super Bonus Round]]. The InvincibilityPowerUp can allow Spyro the ability to swim through it for a limited time.

* AncientGrome: Sunny Villa

* AnIcePerson: The ice fairies of Frozen Altars.

%%* BubblegloopSwamp: Spooky Swamp.
%%* BubblyClouds: Cloud Spires.
%%* BuildLikeAnEgyptian: Haunted Tomb.

* DatingCatwoman: [[spoiler:Hunter gets a crush on the Sorceress' NumberTwo, Bianca. It soon becomes requited.]]

* EggMacGuffin: In the sense the eggs never get used...which is a good thing.

* FlunkyBoss: Spider Queen, Scorch and "that giant sting ray".

* GameBreakingBug: Flaming Fluffy, the cat-shaped fairy that gives the egg to Spyro upon completing Cloud Spires, at the same time he (or she) speaks with you will not trigger the cutscene. Speak with Fluffy again, and he'll act like the cutscene has played, but will not give out the egg and just disappear into an invisible portal. This will trick the game into thinking that the realm has not been completed. Entering and exiting the sub-level with the sun seeds will bring Fluffy back, but he cannot be spoken to. The only way to complete the realm is to exit and reenter Cloud Spires. The glitch was discovered in 2011, and dubbed the "Fluffy Glitch" by [=GastrodonAmy=]. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=156GVI5IQN0 Here is her video on the glitch]].

* GeniusBruiser: Bentley the Yeti.

* InterspeciesRomance: [[spoiler:Hunter and Bianca ''(a cheetah and a rabbit)'' at the end.]] Doubles as CarnivoreConfusion.

* {{Mooning}}: The coal-throwing Rhynocs in Frozen Altars turn around and lift their {{Loin Cloth}}s if you destroy their coal piles. You can freeze them in this position.
** Which is a reference to some of the enemies from the first game.

* RuinsForRuinsSake: Desert Ruins.

* ShiftingSandLand: Desert Ruins.

* SquishyWizard: Literally! Could be seen [[http://youtu.be/GgqMv8HZS7Q?t=21m58s here.]]

* TheFaceOfTheSun: The sun seeds and the miniature sun created by the lava fusion cauldron have smiling faces [[TheGogglesDoNothing with sunglasses]].
* TheMagicComesBack: The plot of the game centers around [[TheDragonsComeBack dragons]] bringing it back. Mostly for malevolent purposes with benevolent side effects.
* TheOverworld: Sunrise Spring, Midday Garden, Evening Lake and Midnight Mountain.
* TheWildWest: Dino Mines, dynamite and GunTwirling on display. There are even underwater gunslingers.

* TookALevelInJerkass: While Moneybags starts off relatively goofy compared to his appearance in the previous game, by the end of this one he starts charging excessively for even the simplest things like opening a door simply because he knows Spyro ''has'' to pay him, all whilst feigning ignorance and then actively gloating about Spyro's transaction afterwards. There's even a moment where he openly mocks Spyro by saying that the password to open a secret door is the word "gullible". This is in contrast to ''Spyro 2'' where, despite also charging Spyro a lot of Gems, he was a more polite gentlemen who usually upheld a "a deal's a deal" mentality.
* TotallyRadical: Hunter.

* {{Wutai}}: Bamboo Terrace and Fireworks Factory.
* YodelLand: Sheila's Alp