Topic: The Official Spyro: The Eternal Night (GBA) Thread

[bosshogx]

I decree hence forth that all DS and GBA owners must venture forth on the 3rd of October and purchase The Legend of Spyro: The Eternal Night for the GBA.  It will be retailing for only $19.99!  I know what your thinking, Spyro?!  Seriously, this game looks too good.  Check out this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQkzlbThnpM

If that doesn't convince you, then you are a lost cause.  Get the word out and go pre-purchase your copy today.  Make sure not to mistakenly get the crappy DS version though.

[KDR_11k]

Uh, what's so impressive about that? Looked a bit like a Metroidvania game but then the level select showed up so I guess it's linear. Plus we don't know how well it is executed, there could be a lot of thigs wrong with it still.

[bosshogx]

Well, I guess I'm just a sucker for old-school action platformers.  The thing that hooked me was the amount of control that it looks like the player has over Spyro.  Also, the way you can string together long combos makes the combat look fresh and fun.  I guess it reminds me of a Metroidvania game with the combat of Viewtiful Joe.  The whole package just looks like it's filled to the brim with awesome sauce.  As long as the control is spot on, I think the game will be good.  We'll see....

[Infernal Monkey]

Love the level detail, the colours especially are pretty amazing. I still hate the dodgy half arsed DKC style rendered sprites basically every third party GBA game uses though. I've never understood why developers always went with this look for the system. They're blurry, badly animated, and stick out like a sore thumb.

Still, it does look like it could be pretty fun. Might be worth picking up in a bargain bin!  

[KDR_11k]

DKC-style sprites looked like butt in DKC already.

[bosshogx]

Ok everyone, today's the day.  Let's get out there and spread the good word.  I'm picking up my copy after work today and I'll put up a first impression review by this weekend.  Will Spyro live up to the hype?  Stay tuned...

[bosshogx]

Yeah, so Spyro is really good.  The control is spot on and the game runs smoothly.  It reminds me a lot of the Mega Man Zero series in terms of speed.  The game doesn't make you wait long before giving you some good upgrades either.  Within the first thirty minutes of playing, I already had a jump, attack, air launch, air juggle, double jump, glide, wall jump, extended ground combo, charging attack, and an air diving attack.  I just got into the breath weapons, which looks as though they can be upgraded to do different things.

Story wise, yeah, I don't really follow what's going on, but I also don't care.  The combat and level layouts more than make up for it.  The only real problem I see with this game is that it released the same week as Phantom Hourglass.  That being said, after you finish PH, go pick up a copy of Spyro.  It's been real good so far and definitely deserves a sequal (DS maybe?).  This game is extra good if played on the Gameboy Player with a Hori pad.  You did keep your GC didn't you?!  For shame if you didn't!  

[ShyGuy]

I gave my gamecube to my sister...

[KDR_11k]

I have a GC but no hori pad or GB player

[bosshogx]

Well shame on both of you.  

There is a great interview on Joystiq with Sean Epperson, the games producer.

http://www.dsfanboy.com/2007/10/15/ds-fanboy-interviews-the-legend-of-spyro-the-eternal-nights-se/

Also, there is a $5 off coupon at Gamestop when you purchase a kid's meal at Wendy's.  The game is only $20 to begin with, so go out and get a small lunch at Wendy's and hop over to Gamestop and pick up Spyro when your done.  This probably will be the last great GBA title ever made and you owe it to yourself to go get you some.

[KDR_11k]

A GB player would be a waste for me, I prefer my portable games portable because I commute by train.

It's 35€ here (5€ cheaper than a DS game...) and doesn't come out until November.

[bosshogx]

Quote
Originally posted by: KDR_11k
A GB player would be a waste for me, I prefer my portable games portable because I commute by train.

It's 35€ here (5€ cheaper than a DS game...) and doesn't come out until November.

Since it's a GBA title, you can have someone here in the states buy it and mail it to you.  According to the conversion calculator, 35 euros equals about about 50 US dollars.  Therefore, if you take out the $15 for the cost of the game (after coupon) and if the cost of shipping is less than $35 US dollars, you get the game early and save money.  It's a win-win situation for you.  Hell, since I'm pimping the game hard enough, I'll buy you a copy and mail it to you.    Yeah, I'm cool like that, just ask ShyGuy.  

Seriously though, PM if your interested.

[ziophaelin]

Hi there,

My name is Kris. I was the Lead Artist and partially responsible for design on this new spyro game. I thought you guys should NOT take his word for it. Instead read these two reviews before purchasing the game. Both score the game at 9/10.

http://www.racketboy.com/retro/nintendo/gba/2007/10/legend-of-spyro-eternal-night-gba-impressive-combo-filled-action.html

and the other

http://www.4colorrebellion.com/archives/2007/10/24/4cr-review-spyro-the-eternal-night-gba

[bosshogx]

Quote
Originally posted by: ziophaelin
Hi there,

My name is Kris. I was the Lead Artist and partially responsible for design on this new spyro game. I thought you guys should NOT take his word for it. Instead read these two reviews before purchasing the game. Both score the game at 9/10.

http://www.racketboy.com/retro/nintendo/gba/2007/10/legend-of-spyro-eternal-night-gba-impressive-combo-filled-action.html

and the other

http://www.4colorrebellion.com/archives/2007/10/24/4cr-review-spyro-the-eternal-night-gba[/q

Oh no, my good friend, they indeed SHOULD take my word for it.    This game rocks.  Sadly though, a friend of mine borrowed my copy early on and I haven't had a decent chance to really get into it.  From what I played, it was excellent.

So Kris, I noticed you have a "Evil Ryu" avatar, thus proving your love of Street Fighter.  Would it be obvious to say that you and the team were influenced by SF?  With the combo system combining ground attacks, specials, launchers, and juggles it seems like you borrowed heavily from SF3, Alpha 3, and VS series.  I was also curious to know if this game was actually something else all together, but changed to a Spyro title in order to have some kind of brand recognition.  That would be disappointing, but not surprising.  

[Kairon]

ARGH! I am a hypocrite! How could I miss this?!!??!?! Here I am trying to support third parties and I let my pre-conceptions about a Spyro license blind me to this thread for weeks upon weeks, so much so that I PHAILED TO PRE-ORDER!!!! FHAOJNDFAJNDFAJDAJDAJMDAKJMDLQANFJNKalnjdakljfnalknalkNFljnljNlnfljwasnflajnljnLnljfanjdnajlnlannndalNNFSLJ

I'm getting this game now.

[ziophaelin]

I was just being silly about taking your word for it.

I looooooooove StreetFighter games, as well as pretty much anything Capcom has put out the last 25 years with the exception of a few stinkers. We looked to a variety of places for our inspiration. Games like Super Smash Bros, Devil May Cry, Ninja Gaiden, River City Ransom, a slew of Treasure made games and a whole ton of stuff. We really wanted to make the best action game available in the little amount of time we had to make it. There are a few minor features that didn't make it in this time around, however, will be in the next game we do.

To answer your other question, this was always meant to be a Spyro game from the get go. We just decided up front we wanted to make it a Spyro game we would purchase and play ourselves. (Which many of us did, ran right out and got a bunch of copies, even tho we get our own for working on it, to hand out to people).

I noticed you mentioned you might be working on a review? It would be nice to get your thoughts on the game as well. Good and the bad. It will help me make an even better game the next time around. Sadly, this game isn't getting that many reviews because of the platform it's on I suppose and those reviews really help us make better games.

~Kris

[Kairon]

Your mention of River City Ransom makes you instantly awesome.