DESCRIPTION

Spyro the Dragon's second appearance on Game Boy Advance finds the purple fire-breather on a quest to regain his snuffed-out flame attack, through 25 levels of jumping and gliding action. Thanks to the evil dinosaur Ripto, all the dragons have lost their scorching power, paving the way for a surprise attack on Dragon Realms. Spyro is not helpless, however, as he can emit ice blasts to freeze his foes. To safely return to his fiery ways and to prevent the invasion, Spyro must locate a specific number of scattered fireflies — the secret to the dragons' power — in each realm.

Joining Spyro in his quest are a kangaroo named Sheila and a monkey known as Agent 9. Both characters are playable in their own distinct stages: Sheila bounces across squares while smashing enemies along the way, while Agent 9 blasts the opposition with laser guns in side-scrolling shooter levels. As in 2001's Season of Ice, Spyro's levels are played from a three-quarter perspective as the dragon gallops across various realms linked by portals. By finding the required number of fireflies, Spyro can access new regions and eventually regain his fire attack.

Other collectibles include multi-color gems tucked away in items like baskets, vases, and similar objects. These gems can be used to purchase new routes through the lands from a traveling salesman named Moneybags. To assist Spyro in navigating his surroundings, an atlas and map are available to show how many gems and fireflies are remaining in each world. In addition to the breath attacks, Spyro can hover, charge to break barriers or items, glide, and perform a super head-smash. Consuming butterflies replenishes lost health, and players are free to save their progress at any time via battery backup. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide