For a game that is kid-oriented, the mini-games seem to be incredibly tough. One surprising thing about A Hero's Tail is the difficulty of the mini-games. These are earned by completing various tasks (such as breaking down hidden walls or reactivating switches), or by completing assorted mini-games. There are only two different types of items that you're searching for - Dragon Eggs, which unlock concept art, mini-games and the like, and Light Gems, which are used to power up special gadgets and unlock specific doors to secret areas. Gems are now used as currency for buying powerups from Moneybags, rather than counting towards your percentage, which comes as a great relief. Fortunately, it's not as insane as searching for at least seven hundred gems in each level to get 100% completion. Nonetheless, you'll still be collecting objects throughout the game. It's a cleverly used progression mechanic, as it feels as though you're actually doing something as opposed to just amassing a huge amount of generic objects. Broken bridges will reconstruct, barren fields will spring back to life with flowers, frozen waterfalls will thaw and flood empty lakes, and the evil purple goop coming from the gems will disappear. As each Dark Gem is affecting the surrounding landscape, when you destroy one, all of the area near the gem will slowly restore to its former glory. The levels are varied and large, and the game's hook - destroying the Dark Gems in the levels - causes some clever effects.

In fact, gaping in awe at the fact that the ever-greedy Moneybags has decent facial features and recognizable characteristics only goes to remind me how visually awful Enter the Dragonfly was. Graphics have improved greatly since Enter the Dragonfly, but let's be fair - it wasn't too difficult to improve on that game. Phew, where do they get these creative names? Byrd the rocket-propelled Penguin, and Sparx the Dragonfly, who return from previous adventures, as well as Blink the Mole, who is appearing for the first time. Along for the ride are four of Spyro's allies - Hunter the Cheetah, Sgt. These gems have been planted by the mysterious (but evil!) dragon, Red, who was banished from the Realms long ago. In A Hero's Tail, Spyro needs to hunt around the Dragon Realms for the evil Dark Gems, which suck the life out of the land that surrounds them.

The Game Boy Advance has had around four separate Spyro titles published for it, while the GameCube has had two, including this newest one, A Hero's Tail.

Spyro a hero's tale