Spyro: Attack of the Rhynoc

“Spyro: Attack of the Rhynocs” (also known as “Spyro Adventure” in Europe) is a 2003 platform game developed by Digital Eclipse and published by Universal Interactive for the Game Boy Advance. This game marked the final Spyro release under the Universal Interactive label and was the last game in the series developed by Digital Eclipse before the transition to Amaze Entertainment for subsequent handheld titles.

The gameplay in “Spyro: Attack of the Rhynocs” builds upon its predecessors by enhancing role-playing elements and item collection, shifting the focus more towards RPG mechanics rather than pure platforming. Players continue to collect gems and other items, using portals to travel between levels.

The plot revolves around an incident in the Professor’s lab, where he introduces Spyro and Sparx to two new inventions. The first is a peephole projector machine for spying on the antagonist, Ripto. The second is Butler, a large mechanical bear that soon malfunctions due to the absence of an “off” switch. Spyro manages to deactivate Butler using a power generator, but this causes the peephole machine to malfunction as well, expanding a hole in the fabric of space.

The Professor explains that the only way to fix the situation is by collecting “Hearts,” magical objects with unique properties. Before he can give Spyro a warp device to collect these Hearts, Ripto appears and steals it, using it to conquer nearby lands. Ripto then sends Spyro, Sparx, and Butler to Dragon Shores.

Spyro eventually makes his way back to the Professor’s lab and into Ripto’s Chateau, where he confronts Ripto who is threatening the Professor over a pit of lava. After a battle, Ripto captures Spyro and Sparx but is eventually trapped by Butler under the Professor’s command. Ripto yields the final Heart, allowing the Professor to seal the space rift permanently, resolving the crisis. This game offers a blend of adventure and action with a greater emphasis on strategic role-playing elements, making it a unique entry in the Spyro series.