For the past week, I've been reading Chris Scullion’s book Jumping for Joy: The History of Platform Video Games which ahem reignited my desire to check out some platforming classics I missed back in the day, including Spyro: Ripto’s Rage.

Despite playing and loving Toys for Bob’s Spyro the Dragon remake when I played it a few years ago, I deleted the collection to free up space on my PC before checking out the sequels. Jumping for Joy encouraged me to pick Spyro Reignited Trilogy back up and I’m glad I did, if only because it means I got to play Zephyr, which is probably the best level in the game.

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Taking place in a world that seems loosely themed around Jack and the Beanstalk, Zephyr is a little reminiscent of Bob-omb Battlefield from Super Mario 64. Like many levels in the game, Zephyr is one half of a pair. It tells one perspective of a war between the Land Blubbers and the Breezebuilders, with the other half told by Breeze Harbour, and has a Romeo and Juliet narrative nestled inside of it.

Spyro and Juliet

At the beginning of the level, you're greeted by a slug-like creature called Colonel Bub, who informs you that his army of invertebrates is locked in battle with the Breezebuilders, bipedal birds who hurl bombs at you if you get too close. As you progress through the level, there are turrets which Spyro can hop into to blow up barriers blocking off doors and cause munitions depots to go up in flames.

There's another part in the level where a rancher has lost his cowleks — droopy-eared cattle with the coloration of chocolate chip cookies — and asks you to bring them back to his pen. This sends Spyro all over the level looking for the little dudes, which isn't that exciting in and of itself. But, the search for the cowleks leads to a guy offering some magic seeds.

This is where things get interesting, tapping into the problem-solving that Ripto's Rage doesn't require nearly as often as its predecessor. When you receive the seed, there are two patches of dirt in the ground near you. But, bury it in the closest one and a leafy platform will sprout that's too short to be useful. Plant it in the other patch and it's too tall for Spyro to climb on. The result is that you need to start searching the level for another seed, so that you can use these two patches of dirt as stair steps to reach a third seed, then juggle all of them to access a higher portion of the level.

Spyro Zephyr Plants

This verticality is a big part of what makes Zephyr interesting. From the lower portion of the level, you can see that there's a layer above you. It plants ahem the idea in your head that you can get there, if only you figure out how. That’s a sensation that I love in 3D platformer, but also in games in general. It’s what draws me to games as varied as Elden Ring, Ori and the Blind Forest, the first Dragon Quest, Grim Fandango, and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Sure, the level’s rural fantasy battlefield theme is fun, but it’s the clear indication that there’s somewhere else you can reach if only you find out how that taps into something primal. Something deeply ahems so hard smoke comes out of my nose like if Spyro ate some spicy takeout rooted.

NEXT: Spyro The Dragon's Dream Weavers Is A Lesson In Open World Design