| Spyro: A Hero's Tail | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | Eurocom Entertainment Software |
| Publisher(s) | Vivendi Universal Games[a] |
| Producer(s) |
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| Designer(s) |
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| Programmer(s) | Dave Pridmore |
| Artist(s) | Matt Dixon |
| Writer(s) | J. Stewart Burns |
| Composer(s) |
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| Series | Spyro |
| Engine | Engine X |
| Platform(s) | GameCube PlayStation 2 Xbox |
| Release | |
| Genre(s) | Platform, action-adventure |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
Spyro: A Hero's Tail is a 2004 platform game developed by Eurocom Entertainment Software and published by Vivendi Universal Games for the PlayStation 2, GameCube, and Xbox. It is the fifth console game in the original Spyro series and the ninth game in the series overall. Per usual, players act as the titular dragon collecting objects, platforming, flying, headbutting and breathing fire onto enemies to save the Dragon Realms. This time, he collects Dark Gems, which corrupt the land with maniacal creatures and deadly plants, planted by a banished Dragon Elder Red. Other characters, such as Sparx the Dragonfly, Hunter the Cheetah, Sgt. Byrd the Penguin, and newcomer Blink the Mole, are playable in mini-game stages.
Development began in early November 2002 under the working title Spyro: The Dark Realms and was announced by Vivendi to be completed on 4 October 2004; the final title was decided by the publisher in early 2004. The game was produced by Suzanne Watson and Jon Williams, who explained that the goal was simply "to create a game that was in keeping with the franchise," with acknowledgement of the problems of the critically-panned previous entry Enter the Dragonfly (2002). The earlier games, particularly their promotional renders, were referenced so that the art style was suitable with the series universe. Jak and Daxter also influenced the creation of the polygons and textures, choice of lighting methods, and style of cutscenes.
Spyro: A Hero's Tail garnered generally mixed reviews from professional critics. They agreed it was significantly better than Enter the Dragonfly, but argued its low difficulty meant only young gamers would enjoy it. They positively commented on the graphics, responsive controls, and incorporation of changing environments when Dark Gems are collected. However, they were disappointed in its lack of innovation and overemphasis on collecting, and had differing opinions on the mini-game sections.
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