10 Character Designs That RUINED Video Games

9. Spyro The Dragon - Skylanders

Being a spin-off of the Spyro the Dragon series, it was inevitable that the scaly little purple legend himself would appear prominently in Skylanders. True enough, he serves as the team’s leader in the absence of Master Eon, making him a crucial member of the crew. Sadly, though, this isn’t Spyro the Dragon as nostalgic fans remember him.

Again, those of us who grew up with this PlayStation legend have a special place in our hearts for him. They remember him as he was. Spyro was a huge part of Skylanders’ appeal, so it was crucial that they represented him accurately in the game itself. Where, then, did this little anti-Spyro abomination come from?

The design brief seemed to have been to make Spyro more threatening, more draconic. Perhaps I can see the reasoning behind this, but… that voice! Those scales! His all-around sinister nature! Far from the lovable little dragon-in-training from the original series, this take on Spyro looks more like the hideous lovechild of Barney the Dinosaur and Gollum from The Lord of the Rings. That’s not a thought we want to dwell on, so let’s move swiftly on.