7. Spyro The Dragon (1998) (Playstation) (Developer: Insomniac Games)
As loveable dragon teen Spyro, players were immersed in a detailed world made up of “realms”, each of which contained items such as a gems and dragon eggs, – though most importantly these realms inhabited dragon who had been turned to stone and needed rescuing. Spyro The Dragon fully utilized the capabilities of the Playstation, granting players a platform experience that felt polished and intricate. The highlight came in the form of Spyro’s gliding ability, which gave the game a nice new edge that felt unique to the platforming genre.
8. Banjo-Kazooie (1998) (N64) (Developer: Rare)
Banjo-Kazooie gave players the chance to take on two animal characters simultaneously – one, a fuzzy bear with a backpack, and the other, an irritating bird who sits in said backpack making a racket. As in Nintendo’s own Super Mario 64, Banjo-Kazooie granted players the choice to explore its 3D environments in an order they saw fit, completing objects at their own pace. The game was colorful, frantic, fun, and had one hell of a soundtrack to boot. Though it may have taken various elements out of Super Mario 64 in an inspirational sense, many critics have agreed that Banjo-Kazooie is a far better game. One level in, it’s not difficult to see why.
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