Spyro 1 Best and Worst levels TIER LIST 

Everyone gonna hate on Loftly Castle. Level is an S tier for me. There is something extremely nostalgic about it. It gives off this childhood fever dream vibe and the music is some of the best in the game. Glad my favorite level is at the top though. Ice cavern is amazing.

Really enjoyed this. Its cool to see that even after thousands of hours speedrunning the game you can still think about the levels from a casual level even down to the brilliant skyboxes.

Easily the best detailed tier list on Spyro 1 levels. Even has homeworlds at the end.

My dark hollow was stone hill. Always seemed magical with the invisible barrier area and all the secrets i thought it had lol

Somebody please recruit this man to help design spyro 4

An hour long tier list? That’s how you know you’ve got that extensive knowledge of Spyro

Damn didn't fully understood how insomniac were on a time crunch while making this masterpiece. Wonder how it's full potential would've looked.

Lofty Castle S tier for best music.

Laughing so hard when Dayo mentioned the “Vote No” guy 😂😂😂

My brother and I actually discovered Sunny Flight the intended way from the dragon in wizards peak,, really cool moment as a kid!

I was NOT expecting Ice Cavern to be on S tier, but I'm so happy it made it. The music is also legit incredible.

So glad (and vindicated) to hear you talk about your earliest experience with games and how much friendlier Spyro was for a kid's literal first game - I was in the same boat and getting hurt or dying in a game would really affect me. Great video man and bravo with the WRs!

Dark Passage is an S Tier in my books. I absolutely love that level.

Thanks for the tierlist, Dayo! Haven't finished the vid at the time of writing, but anyway: you are absolutely correct about Dark Hollow. Spyro was my first videogame, actually. One of my childhood memories involves a 4-year-old me playing through Dark Hollow with my dad on a borrowed PS1. Now I'm slowly but surely getting through the game on my Vita. Thanks for a flood of memories lol.

Since I was a Child, Dark Passage just seemed to encapsulate everything that the game has been working towards. The first time in the game when you feel almost out of your depth, the spooky enemies, the distorted map design that unlike previous levels resembles nothing familiar to anything in real life, and also the more aggressive soundtrack indicating that you are getting closer to the finale. Definitely an S tier level for me, and its good to see that im not the only one. Enjoying the nostalgia content

This was such a treat to watch. I've been playing Spyro since I was 4 or 5, it's one of my favorite games in the world but I am definitely a casual player; I probably just replay for fun like half a dozen times a year or something haha. So it was really cool to hear your perspective as a speedrunner too; it totally gave new insight to certain levels I hadn't given much thought (like the way that Gnorc Cove could be so aggravating). Overall awesome ranking and I agree with most of your takes, I would definitely say that for me stuff like Wizard Peak, Tree Tops, Ice Cavern. and Twilight Harbor are some of the most impressive levels while Dry Canyon and Terrace Village are some of the most underwhelming, but I was SHOOK at how low Dark Passage was lol. Definitely was the thing that differs the most for me, but I can see how long, winding, enemy-laden hallways would be way less enjoyable for someone speedrunning. For me, I think the thing I always liked about it was the fact that it has that one gimmick where you reach the end of the level and realize that you're missing an insane amount of collectables and have to figure out where to go... and then the level just. keeps. going. And it had the absolute most horrifying enemies in the WORLD as a kid, I was terrified of it. The aesthetic of things being scarier and more threatening in the dark also just felt like such a whimsical yet creepy idea to evoke in a kid's game in a level that's focused on dreams. Super nightmarish, literally. So I still have a lot of affection for it as an adult, I think it's a really impressive one to navigate. Definitely feels like a major trial before you enter into the much more light and fanciful world of Dream Weavers. And as for Lofty Castle, that level SHAPED me as a kid and just hearing you talk about how polarizing it is made me nostalgic. People talk all the time about how difficult Tree Tops (which I did earnestly consider the hardest level in the game as a child) or Haunted Towers are, but Lofty Castle is one of the few levels I never managed to 100% as a kid. I will also play devil's advocate with Misty Bog and confess that I like the aesthetic of it, I think its palette stands out amongst the other Beast Makers levels as this unique other glimpse of what swamps can be like, the foggy, pale side of them, and I like the weird mysterious vibe that the sickly pale fogginess gives. The level always had a kind of surreal quality with the plants that come to life and the bright blue frogs and it's challenging as hell for me - During my last play through it was the first level in the game that I lost a life in, lol. Both Lofty Castle and Misty Bog would be pretty high up on a personal list I think. Thanks for sharing your insight. Love hearing thoughts from an absolute expert.

I completely agree on your Misty Bog placement. As a kid I played that level dozens of times trying to figure out the best ways to take on the enemies and just exploring the level in general. I also think it's nice that this level seems to be the only swamp level that takes place in the middle of the day. The gnorcs setting up cages to catch chickens and the fairy with the arrow sign were also some nice touches to the level that help me remember it more than others levels that have more acclaim than this one does.

Cool to see all the supercharge levels all high up. One thing I love about spyro is how well integrated the supercharging concept is. It starts off pretty basic, then it rapidly ramps up with different ways to interact with them and using them to platform and move around the level. The later spyro games have nothing like it and levels like tree tops and high caves are peak spyro imo.

I love the grassy and castle-like grounds from Spyro 1, especially 'in the evening'. It's cool that the stages in World 1 take place at such different times of the day

Tree tops is what 3D Sonic games should be

Bruh your dark hollow AUUGH was PERFECT LMAO

*the boys be vibing in dark hollow*

I don't think I can sit down and actually put levels in a tier list as I adore them all for various different reasons so it's nice to see you do it and give your perspectives!

Gonna listen to this while mowing outside. Thanks this will be fun!

I think Jacques is one of the best levels, now that I'm older to be honest. It's truly nightmarish in a way that not even Dark Hollow really hits on, seeing you do the speedrun of this level really shows me like, sort of how I imagine this level was meant to be played, with all these precarious platforms that you can quickly maneuver if you know what you're doing, instead of being kinda haphazard, and the fucking song is easily one of the best in the series in my opinion. Steward Copeland has put it on some of his best-of albums. edit: Jacques sucks as a boss though. Even if his design is kinda cool. Gnorc Cove I think you're way too biased toward. I think having a pseudo precise projectile in the barrels that you can mess around with using a charge is really fun design, I like that the dock workers are invincible otherwise, I like the music a lot, you got that twilight sort of... Daybreak/going into Nightfall blue/purple sky (which contrasts twilight harbour's burning sunset amazingly), you got maze-like sections and narrow walkways and areas, making you confront enemies head-on while watching your step, you have some of the nicest use of greens, these emeralds highlights, and the verdant grass hills that contrast with all the industry, the blue sky, the purple water, the very general sea-fairing vibe. You got that checkered stair-case descent into below sea-level with the treasure chest and all and the cool charges you can do there. And part of what I like about this level too is that it thematically connects to Twilight Harbour well too. It's the loading and cargo bay where everything gets shipped off to other levels and Gnorcs and stuff, and you're just busting in. I dunno, to me, it's at least a B-tier. I think the Gnasty's Loot is a little awkward as a level, I'd put it a bit lower, and when you compare it to Spyro 3's last level too I think it pales a tad. Dark Hollow is great, but, I don't know about S. It's a really simple design, and not as fun to go through after you know what you're doing. I think Misty Bog is actually pretty great, I like how it sort of uses a tune similar to the main theme, and I like the mistiness and calm murky water vibe, I think that aesthetic is a bit better than its given credit. Haunted I wanna point out, one of the hardest to find all the gems in. But I wouldn't really move its spot. Lofty meanwhile, I think is probably the best level, even with its small little hiccoughs. Dry Canyon deserves a better, it's really well designed. You pointed out all the clever exploration yourself, and it really well introduces the military vibe of Peace Keepers. Alpine Ridge, deserves a shout out for its song, and I love those scary beasts. And Wild Flight I like for being such a vibrant flight level, deep blues, and yellow-greens, chasing boats and skidding across the water under bridges, then soaring way up high in those tunnels, and the music. Those are all the ones I wanted to call attention to, I think.

I have this weird Mandela effect of flaming the portrait in Gnasty's Loot, and the whole thing burning up and Spyro repeating "You're Toast Gnorc!", still disappoints me every time I replay that I can't do that :(

Dayo: Crystal Flight. I'll actually put this as my favourite flight level. Night Flight in A tier: 👀

Ice Cavern was always so magical for me. I always loved the placement of the level in the little hole, and the music and the unique enemy skins made it really stand out. I know you wanted to move it down, but for me that level was really cool with the gems stuck on top of the light posts, and the cool glide for the extra life. For what I agree on, is pretty much everything. I think magic crafters should get S, and Shemp should get a B I just like the boss fight and noises I guess. Too many good memories.

Dark hollow SSS tier for atmosphere and music

Gnasty’s Loot has to be an S. That level just felt like the devs having fun and making a load of cool stuff because they wanted to, breaking all their own rules with the flying and the 2000 gems. That last room full of purples felt so good as a kid!

Artisans is also S tier because I’m sure anyone who grew up in the PS1 era in the early days of the internet heard the rumors of how if you beat the game or got 100% or did X, Y, or Z you could unlock the castle behind you where you start. ESPECIALLY since the homeworld already planted that seed of an idea with Sunny Flight. There’s something nostalgic about back when video games used to have mysticism to them and they weren’t fully explored and understood 1 hour after launch.

Always happy to see another upload Dayo.

Loot. Gnasty's Loot. Everything that Loot does that you never get to do in the base game. The otherworldly aesthetic. It feels like a fever dream, a shot of satisfaction to end the game. It feels like a TRUE completion bonus, and is, in my opinion, the best in the series, and among the best in all of video gaming. All that being said, I agree with A, since it is just not enough of a level. I've only played through it once, and I just desire more of that gameplay.

Misty Bog is definitely my favorite beast makers level. Really fun challenging level to run through. I'm glad that someone else appreciates it for it's good qualities. I thought I was alone on that. Great list man! Keep up the awesome content!

4:56 perfect impersonation lmao

Haunted Towers = All-Around Banger Great tune, amazing setting colors themes enemies, great challenges... it all absolutely drives you forward. Same with Ice Cavern... also loved Tree Tops They’re all dope but of course some are better than others. Spyro 1 is just awesome. I loved 2, but 3 I missed and even when playing later, I wasn’t a fan tbh. Edit 💥 Cliff Town outskirts was awesome as a kid... also, seems like what they did with Stone Hill but it actually works cause there’s a dragon challenging you to be brave and curious and adventurous etc

I'd be terrible at this because I'm a Simp for Spyro 1. I'd give all the levels S tier I just absolutely love the game. Best of the trilogy for me.

Good to see Ice Cavern getting the love that it deserves.

spyro 1 just hits different from any other spyro game

Dark passage is so iconic Not E! One of the more memorable levels from my childhood

Dr. Shemp's always been my favorite level as a kid. Dr. Shemp is just too cool for you.

The video I needed, but didn’t think I needed

When the dogs in Toasty jump at you, jump left or right and then flame it, that works

Yeah hit the nail on the head with Dark Hollow. That's the one level I remember the most when reminiscing about Spyro 1

Great video! Couple of thoughts I had: 1) I would have Haunted Towers even higher and I LOVE Gnorc Cove but that's speaking entirely on a casual level haha. I like Gnorc Cove's use of color in the underwater tunnels tho, love the music, the enemies are unique. I do agree it's a little awkward/directionless to navigate and invokes a fair amount of backtracking BUT as someone just playing casually I still enjoy it a lot. 2) I dig your combination of both casual perspectives and speedrunning ones here: I love the nostalgia and fondness you still have for first loading into Artisans as a kid, and I 1000% agree that this game really rewards just exploring the level and using context clues to figure out what to do, which is a big part of what makes it my favorite in the series; Dry Canyon, which is where you highlighted this, is a great example and was one of the most satisfying levels for me to figure out as a kid. I don't think I ever worked out Haunted Towers or Tree Tops - I eventually got old enough to learn how to use the Internet and looked them up - but I figured out Dry Canyon on a fresh save file because three of the red gems point you towards the right glide. Great moment. But the speedrun perspectives are also presented very accessibly to people who don't really know the run (like me), like which levels are more or less annoyingly dependent on cycles, the way levels like Blowhard fit into the overall pace of the run, how many levels start off in a more precise way than others, etc. 3) Dark Passage NOOOO from a casual perspective that one is my favorite. I also did not realize it was 2 islands until using the Worldviewer lmao so that's a fun commonality. But yeah from an aesthetic standpoint I think the whole thing is so fun and surreal and inspired and I like the way the gameplay and aesthetics blend together with the fools' lights. true that the turtles are annoying af though even casually. 4) Hot take but even casually I love Misty Bog and so I'd have it even higher. It's difficult but it's fair and I kind of like how much of an overall onslaught it is as a kid, vs. like the turtles in Dark Passage which are more weirdly hard compared to things around them and idk even as a kid who didn't know what a hitbox was they felt a little less fair to me. Plus the Misty Bog music is a banger too. 5) I actually enjoy the Beast Makers home a lot. It's dark and dreary but like purposefully so in a way that really deeply contrasts with Magic Crafters before it and then the triumphant Dream Weavers after it. It feels very imposing as a kid and like you're really getting into the more challenging portion of the game and I was always scared to spend too much time in it lol. 6) I started the video, saw the levels were in alphabetical order, and was like "Oh man I'm gonna have to wait til the very end to see Wizard Peak make S tier" then you started with it lol. great take 7) Good takes on Ice Cavern like how there are little areas you can go out to and see the entire level, it definitely is a unique design in that way, and on High Caves being more interesting than it first appears, I think it's a level that's grown on me over time as well.

Dang I love dark hollow. Great to hear the different reasons people love certain levels though.

Great tier list of one of my favourite games of all time, and the first game I ever played! Mostly agree with all of the placements and I really enjoyed your explanations for each. It would be cool to see one for the Reignited version and seeing how the modernized aesthetics would affect the final result, some of the levels (especially the Beast Makers ones) look and feel so much better on Reignited.

Twilight Harbor & Wizards Peak hands down the best. Different colors, different temperatures; one is high in the sky magic and the other is in your face get ready for the boss feel.

What's interesting is that I remember disliking Beast Makers as a kid, simply due to the fact that I didn't think it looked as good as other hub worlds. In the reignited version of the game, I think it's now my favorite. It looks absolutely incredible. Tree Tops will always be my favorite level overall.

“Whether it’s by the bananas or the NUTSACK of the bigger guys”. Hahahaha!

I still have the most vivid memory from like 2009 when I first got the game, once in Dark Hallow I would charge my head into the wall at the start of the level in the hedge area over a million times (idk why dumb kid me) and after a few minutes, the level exited me out and I didn't go in the menu or anything. It's one of the most mysterious things looking back I can't wrap my head around

Totally loved your analysis of why Artisans is the prefect homeworld. Makes me wonder how much of my love for games is for the same reason.

Haunted Towers is the reason Spyro 1 was the last one i 100% when i was a kid. I eventually figured it out but it literally took me years. S Tier level.

I remember using the bulls to get up to the higher area my first time playing through because i never thought to glide from the raised platform at the top of the steps. Town Square is a good time.

Tree Tops is goated idc what anyone says. Appreciate how different it is and I always contrast how I looked at the level and how it felt my first time in the level compared to now and it's fun to play

For me, Terrace Village is the most forgettable Spyro level. You just kinda do it and move on.

Blowhard's stage also has easily one of the best music tracks in the game.

From a casual perspective I agree that Dark Hollow and Cliff Town are fun and most importantly - memorable. I also agree that discovering Sunny Flight was epic, but when it comes to the level itself, it was a huge let down for me as a kid. All of the flights seemed to me like a chore and I avoided them at all cost. Probably because I was still quite young and struggled with controls on these type of levels. On the side note, I absolutely loved Skelos Badlands from Spyro 2. Still one of my favourite levels in Spyro overall. Do you ever plan on speedrunning other Spyro games?

Dark Hollow is THE Level that dont remember from my childhood because it would always freeze in the loading screen

This is the first time I've seen someone APPRECIATE difficulty! I'm just a casual, usually play the original 3 once a year. My favs are Tree Tops, Lofty Castle, Ice Cavern and Misty Bog. I love those levels. I think the difficulty of Spyro 2&3 makes me appreciate the tougher levels more! Love the list.

High Caves was my favorite when I was little. Then after a year or so I got to Lofty Castle. No going back!

Now THIS is top tier content

4:30 AGREED. Whenever I show anybody the Spyro Soundtrack this is my go-to. The vibes in this level are the GOAT, and I still remember how it felt to play this level it as a 7 year-old. Like the first time I got thwomped by the fat dude in armor. It blew my mind for some reason lol. Crazy times man.

I love that the Gnasty's World levels on this list make a huge zigzag across the whole thing

>Gnasty Gnorc is a trash easy boss fight >Me as a kid who couldn't beat him and had to have my uncle to finish him for me 🙃 Nice list regardless I always like hearing other people's thoughts about things they're passionate about. Especially with you making a note to point out all the different paths you can take through the levels.

Clearly the vote didn’t go his way. It’s a year later and the Union guy is still pissed.

I hated the enemies in Twilight Harbor, the yellow gnorcs that throw the grenades especially

Lofty Castle is difficult, but I don’t see how people can say. It’s the most difficult in the game. From a casual perspective, I would say haunted towers is much harder.

Gnorc Cove’s music is the only pro to its outnumbered cons.

Okay at least you didn't lie to me about ice cavern during stream lol

Awesome video! My brother hated the High Caves and Misty Bog levels. He was scared of those giant spiders in High Caves and those tree eating bunny plants in Misty Bog. He would always skip those levels. What's that song in 23:45?

Great detailed video! Interresting about Lofty Castle. Never heard anyone call it the hardest level. Always hear People say misty bog or Tree Tops This will be my list! S: Wizzard Peak, Tree Tops, Dark Passege, Lofty Castle, Haunted Towers A: Ice Cavern, Alpine Ridge, High Caves, B: Misty Bog, Gnorc Cove C: Blowhard, Metalhead, Jacques, Twilight Harbor, Dream Weavers, Stone Hill D: All fight levels, Peace Keepers, Magic Crafters, Town Squere, Dry Canyon, Gnastys Loot E: Dark Hollow, Cliff Town, Terrace Village, Gnasty Gnorc, Artisens, F: Toasty, DR Shemp, Beast Makers, Gnorc Knexus

God, how cool would it have been if the portrait in Gnasty's Loot took you to the 'real' final boss fight

Nice list. Here's mine. I rank mine in categories though S 1. Tree Tops (LOVE IT) 2. Ice Cavern (AMAZING music and the first point where you feel like the game is getting harder) 3. High Caves (Spiders are nightmare fuel but it's fun super flaming and super charging them) 1. Dream Weavers A 4. Dark Passage 5. Wizard Peak 2. Magic Crafters 1. Jacques B 6. Haunted Towers 7. Cliff Town 8. Dark Hollow 3. Artisans (Best song in the game in my opinion) 2. Toasty 3. Metalhead (I actually like it) C 9. Twilight Harbor 10. Town Square (nice little area) 4. Doctor Shemp (oh the hilarity, but bland otherwise) 1. Wild Flight (hate all of these but I like this the most) D 11. Lofty Castle (didn't care for it as much as the 10 ahead of it, i personally don't like the song that much after 10 seconds of hearing it and the enemies are really boring) 12. Dry Canyon 13. Alpine Ridge (Not as interesting second playthrough) 14. Stone Hill (fun little first level, but boring) 4. Peace Keepers 5. Beast Makers 5. Blowhard 2. Crystal Flight E 15. Misty Bog (BEAUTIFUL sky but that isn't saying too much because otherwise it's DISGUSTING, especially those nasty shrubs that chew you up and make nasty faces and spit you out) 6. Gnasty Gnorc 3. Night Flight F 16. Terrace Village (So bad) 17. Gnorc Cove (Even BADDER) 6. Gnorc Gnexus 4 Icy Flight 5. Sunny Flight

The High Caves music on the PAL version is so much better, and wasn’t on the reignited version 😢

Terrace Village's music is a total vibe though. Same as Dry Canyon.

heck misty bog. I love frogs so much. misty bog is giving frogs a bad name

Really Peace Keepers at D, my boi they run in their tents and moons you if burn the tent down. It's chaotic hub coming from Artisans. High C

I would bump stone hill to A because it reminds me of the windows xp background.

Dark Hollow and Ice Cavern supremacy

This is amazing thank you for blessing us with this video Dayo. Love you man ❤

Cool list dude. I kinda like sometimes when people do this kinda thing for their favorite games. I won't debate about what levels belong on what tier. But here are my favorite levels: Ice Cavern, Dark Passage, Terrace Village, Haunted Towers, Wixard Peak. Also Wild Flight for me is challenging but satisfying when you get 100% on it. My least favorite level is by far and away is Tree Tops. Fuck that level. It's the whole reason I'll never get 100% in Spyro 1. I'm happy if I get 2 dragons and half the treasure there. After I do that I'm out. Sorry but I don't have time for your BS Tree Tops(sorry but I had to vent there). I agree the final boss with Gnasty sucks. I mean, a chase level for your final boss? C'mon man. However I must say I have some of your speed runs Dayomar and I'm impressed with some of the things you pull off and how fast you do them. It just looks cool. Btw have you played Spyro 2 or 3? Which do you like better? Spyro 2 is my favorite of the trilogy but 1 is a close 2nd

Misty Bog is S+ because the frogs are cute

Haunted Towers deserved S tier for the music

ILY DAYO

Dark Passage has always been my favourite level, though I've always liked every level in dreamweavers. Not a speedrunner though.

Sound track tier list next there’s some bangers in the first game

ily

Best pro-union video I ever saw

I agreed with like 90-95% of your list

Congratulations on 5k

When it takes longer to rate the levels than do an any% run ^^

I needed this thx

Perfection.

Personally, high caves, wizards peek, haunted towers and lofty castle are in S tier for me

love the twilight harbor break down

Outside of Tree Tops, I don't remember most of Spyro 1's levels, which is in contrast to the levels in Spyro 2 and especially 3.

Jacques for me has the BEST music in the game, outside of the alternate version of the PAL High Caves song.

I loved dark passage as kid...

Oyea and cungrats on 5k