Preston Ward Condra Ranks All 101 Spyro 1-3 Levels

by Preston Ward Condra

A project I made when I was 15 years old, during my sophomore year in High School in September 2009. I critiqued and ranked every single level from Spyro the Dragon, Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage and Spyro 3: Year of the Dragon in, one consolidated project from worst to best. It doesn't matter if you agree with my opinion or not. All that matters, is that this ended up getting finished.

67. 36: Sorceress's Lair

Here we have our first in awhile "boss battle" like level appearing in the countdown and in this case coming in at #36 on my countdown, is the semi-final boss battle level from Spyro 3 with the first of the two Sorceress battles of the game with of Sorceress's Lair. As a boss battle level to that overall in of the series, the battle of such with the Sorceress from Spyro 3, was a nice short, somewhat easy but rewarding and fun boss battle. While there are a few better and enjoyable boss battles levels out there like Ripto's Arena and even Gulp's Overlook left to rank in the countdown, there is no denying that the first showdown with the Sorceress, was a very solid and enjoyable experience to play through and brings back classic memories of such for me beating through for Spyro 3 for the first time. I miss those days back when I was a young 8 year old gamer. *sigh*

The main gameplay focus battle the player had to perform in of this boss battle level was focusing on using weapons that Spyro could occasional often use in of the level and defeat the Sorceress with in order such as cannons, hover-tanks and even flying saucers. All of main controls within of the objects you had to use in of this boss battle worked and controlled well since with the flying saucer near the end of the battle you access in of the level, you are able to free room around most of the main battlefield sections and attack the Sorceress whenever you could and you were given as unlimited time to attack the Sorceress in unless you were attacked by her.

The overall mechanic for using vehicles to take in part of taking down the Sorceress of this boss battle level worked well and the Sorceress would act smart enough whenever you could or could not attack her in for every time you play and face her in of Spyro 3, no two certain sections of the main boss battle action of this level played out the same and were varied well enough never to get boring in thanks to again how fairly smart the Sorceress would act in of this battle.

While Sorceress's Lair was a great level overall, the main reason of such why I do not have this level ranked any higher is that I felt that more variety coming out of the Sorceress attacking you in would be nice. The Sorceress again plays out smart well as a defender in of this battle but, as for offense power she could use, it was pretty weak of this boss fight. Aside from launching thunder ball attacks from her magic wand, The Sorceress didn't play out much for attacking you well in and it would of been nice haven't she attack the main player playing in of this level in more variety and unique ways like of the amazing Ripto's Arena boss battle level unlike of Sorceress's Lair being just a great boss level then an amazing one. She played well in defense of this fight but, poor offense power in this level. Odd, I know.

Still, Sorceress's Lair was a great boss level fitting well in for the Spyro series. Not the most entertaining out there but, you could easily do far worse then so for other boss levels already ranked in of the countdown. Overall, Sorceress's Lair was a another solid great level in of the countdown.