The Legend of Spyro : A New Beginning

The Legend of Spyro: A New Beginning for PlayStation 2 is a 2006 action-adventure game developed by Krome Studios and published by Sierra Entertainment. It opens The Legend of Spyro storyline, presenting a new continuity for the purple dragon rather than continuing the earlier PlayStation adventures. Released in North America in October 2006, the PS2 game recasts Spyro as a young dragon only beginning to understand who he is, placing cinematic story scenes and combat at the center of his journey.

The story starts with the Dragon Temple under attack and a purple egg carried away to safety. Spyro hatches in a swamp and grows up among dragonflies, believing he belongs with them alongside his quick-talking friend Sparx. When he discovers he can breathe fire, Spyro leaves home to seek the truth. His search brings him to Ignitus, the Fire Guardian, who reveals the danger facing the dragons and begins preparing Spyro for the conflict with the dark forces led by Cynder.

Play on PlayStation 2 moves through a succession of mostly linear environments, where exploration and jumping share space with frequent battles. Spyro combines close-range strikes with aerial attacks, using combo strings to keep pressure on groups of enemies. Defeated foes and breakable objects yield gems that help restore his health and breath energy, while a separate Fury meter builds toward especially powerful elemental attacks. This structure makes each encounter about managing resources as well as choosing when to press forward through the level.

Spyro begins with fire and gains command of electricity, ice, and earth as he rescues the other Dragon Guardians: Volteer, Cyril, and Terrador. Each element adds a pair of breath-based attacks with different ranges and uses, encouraging switches between powers during combat. Fire offers the first techniques learned from Ignitus, while the later disciplines broaden Spyro’s options against crowds and other threats. The upgrade system lets players spend progress on increasing the strength and variety of attacks, making Spyro’s growing command of the elements part of both the story and the action.

The PS2 version also mixes its ground stages with flying sequences, giving Spyro a change of pace between the larger confrontations. His route takes him from the Dragon Temple through hostile territory shaped by Cynder’s army, including open plains, industrial ruins, volcanic areas, and frozen mountain environments. At the end of the campaign, Spyro confronts Cynder’s connection to the Dark Master and learns why their fates are linked. Sparx remains at his side throughout, and the featured English voice cast includes Elijah Wood as Spyro, David Spade as Sparx, Gary Oldman as Ignitus, and Cree Summer as Cynder.

A New Beginning is distinct from the original collectathon-style Spyro games for its stronger focus on staged action, elemental powers, and an origin narrative. The console edition was made by Krome Studios, while the Nintendo DS release was separately developed by Amaze Entertainment and includes different features; it should not be confused with the PS2 version. The PlayStation 2 game was released alongside GameCube and Xbox versions, with a Game Boy Advance adaptation also handled by Krome. Its ending leads directly into The Legend of Spyro: The Eternal Night, making it the starting point for the three-game Legend of Spyro arc.