Spyro: Attack of the Rhynocs

Spyro: Attack of the Rhynocs , also known in Europe and Australia as Spyro: Adventure, is a platform game released for the Game Boy Advance in 2003. It is the last Spyro game to be developed by Digital Eclipse. 
==Setting==
The game is situated in a different interpretion of the Dragon Realms. Spyro travels through Dragon Shores and enters various portals to access different worlds, the same as the previous Game Boy Advance games.
==Premise==
In a terrible mishap, Spyro, Sparx and the Professor inadvertantly tore open a rather large hole in the fabric of time and space between the Rhynoc and Dragon Realms. Now, at the command of the elusive Ripto, droves of Rhynocs are pouring into the Dragon Realms in yet another attempt to make everyone miserable. Spyro must help the Professor seal the hole quickly before Ripto and his ego seize complete control of the Dragon Realms.Spyro: Attack of the Rhynocs game manual, page 6
==Gameplay==
The gameplay is mostly similar to its two Game Boy Advance predecessors. Spyro must make his way through each world collecting its hearts, and other unique items that come in handy over the course of the adventure. Spyro must also engage in various "quests" to gain hearts of the worlds. Spyro utilizes his classic abilities, along with the power to breathe upgradable ice and whirlwind. Agent 9 and Sgt. James Byrd are also playable characters in side missions located in air vents which grant you colored key halves. Dragon Shores takes the main focus as you use the upgraded abilities to access different areas. You can use Quick Escape To get away from different battles. Animals are also used to transport such as "Knock Hedgehogs into Statues" and "Using A Mole" to get up cliffs. Phoenix Vision, an ability item can locate different transporters in means of getting extra gems.
==Synopsis==
===Story===
The game begins with Spyro, Sparx, and the Professor standing in the Professor's lab. The Professor informs the two that he has some "surprises" he wishes to show them. The first is a projector-like peephole machine through which Ripto is visible. The Professor explains that the peephole is actually a tiny rip in the very fabric of space itself, enabling them to always be able to keep an eye on what Ripto is up to. The Professor then says that his other surprise is not quite ready yet, and invites Spyro to try out his Virtual Playground. When Spyro gets back, the Professor displays his next new invention - Butler, a large mechanical bear designed to help him in his lab. Sparx suggests that the Professor make him do something, and the Professor obligingly tells Butler to get some milk and cookies for Spyro and Sparx. Unfortunately, this causes Butler to malfunction, and since the Professor failed to equip him with an "off" switch, he begins to rampage around the lab. Spyro finally manages to short Butler out by luring him into a power generator, and the Professor is thanking him when suddenly something starts to happen to the peephole machine.
Shorting out Butler appears to have overloaded it, and the hole in the fabric of space begins to expand rapidly. A terrified Professor tells Spyro about "Hearts" - magical objects with very special properties. He goes on to explain that he used the Heart of his secret lab to create the hole; now he will need all the other Hearts from the twelve worlds outside the lab to close it. Spyro agrees to help him find the hearts, and the Professor is about to give him a warp device that will allow him to travel to all the other lands, when, all of a sudden, Ripto appears through the hole and claims the device for his own. He then launches into a monologue about how he is now going to bring all his Rhynocs through the hole and warp them throughout the lands. Spyro angrily starts to threaten Ripto, but never gets to finish his sentence, as Ripto proceeds to warp him, Sparx, the Professor, Butler, and, oddly enough, the virtual playground, out of the lab. Spyro, Sparx, and the playground end up on a beach in the Dragon Shores. Now they must journey through all the twelve lands to find the Hearts, close the hole in space, stop Ripto, and save the worlds.
==Bosses==
*Butler
*Rhynocs in Flying Missions
*Ripto
==Worlds==
*Virtual Playground
*Dragon Shores
*Fairy Library
*Yeti Serengeti
*Byrd Barracks
*Thieves' Guild
*Rabbit Habitat
*Banana Savannah
*Kangaroo Hoodoos
*Moneybags' Mansion
*Cheetah Spot Spa
*Professor's Secret Lab
*Rhynocs n' Clocks
*Chateau Ripto
==Characters==
===Playable Characters===
*Spyro the Dragon
*Sgt. James Byrd the Penguin
*Agent 9 the Monkey
===Non-Playable Characters===
*Sparx the Dragonfly
*Hunter the Cheetah
*Bianca
*Professor
*Sheila the Kangaroo
*Bentley the Yeti
*Bartholomew
*Moneybags
*Minibags
*Rhynocs
*Ripto
::And other land inhabitants.
===Enemies===
*Chest-hiding Rhynocs
*Rhynoc Drummers
*Pogo-foot Rhynocs
*Periscope Rhynocs
*Apple-tossing Rhynocs
*Rhynoc Tap-dancers
*Imitation-dragon Rhynocs
*Flying Rhynoc Bombers
*Rhynoc Maids
*Vanishing Rhynocs
==Development==
Spyro: Attack of the Rhynocs originally involved collecting 100 different objects (as opposed to 100 fireflies, or 100 fairies). While this was a good enhancement, the items were predominantly random and had no real function in the game. As a result, about twenty-four items were used that the consumer sort of just... had. 
Despite the design being already signed off, and development already started, technical designer and programmer Darren Schebek began pushing for the addition of quests and was soon allowed to add them to the game. Universal Interactive however made Digital Eclipse "dumb down" several puzzles to satisfy their target audience. Due to severe time constraints, designing the quests was difficult. Darren had to come up with entirely new objects to replace all the random objects and group them into nine quests. All the items in each quest had to be themed and make sense. He then had to design the quests themselves, place all the objects in the world, and document all of it in three days. Darren stated that he really wanted to put the character Elora somewhere in the game, but their work load was too much, and Elora unfortunately fell through the cracks.Games I've Worked On - USA: Spyro: Attack of the Rhynocs (GBA)
==Reception==
Upon release, Spyro: Attack of the Rhynocs received mixed to average reviews. IGN notes the "collect-a-thon" mechanic is blantant and drags on, and the game doesn't feel much different from the previous GameBoy Advance games Spyro: Season of Ice and Spyro 2: Season of Flame.Spyro the Dragon: Attack of the Rhynocs. (Date Posted - Nov 11, 2003 4:55 pm). IGN. GameSpy praises the graphics and quests in the game, but criticizes the controls when maneuvering Spyro and inconsistent levels.Spyro: Attack of the Rhynocs. (Date Posted - Nov 19, 2003). GameSpy.
==Gallery==
SpyroAttackoftheRhynocs Sketches ElisabethWeinstein.jpg|Spyro: Attack of the Rhynocs Packaging Sketches by Elisabeth Miller Weinstein
Spyro AttackoftheRhynocs Clear Cover.jpg|The full cover of Spyro: Attack of the Rhynocs
==Trivia==
*Attack of the Rhynocs' is the last Spyro game to release under the Universal Interactive label.
==References==
ru:Spyro: Attack of the Rhynocs
Category:Games
Category:Spinoffs