Top 10 Best Levels from Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage

A goat in scuba gear. Lava monsters with sunglasses. A machine-powered city guarded by cows with laser guns. If you've played Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage, you already know the game is full of weird, wonderful, and sometimes flat-out bonkers levels that make every portal worth jumping into.

Each world brings its own vibe. Some are quirky, some are chaotic, some are calm. But all of them are packed with charm, challenge, and those mischievous little orbs that never seem to be where you expect.

You probably have a few favorites. Maybe it's the one where you helped penguins overthrow a dictatorship. Or the level where a Scottish satyr asked you to play a deadly bagpipe game. And then there's that moment where you tried to herd weird aquatic creatures who were clearly too dumb to survive a day in the wild. But hey, that's part of the fun.

This list is your chance to show love to the stages that made you smile, rage, or accidentally glide off a cliff for the fiftieth time. Vote for the levels that gave you the best memories or the worst headaches. Or both.

The Top Ten

Mystic Marsh

The first thing to mention is the creative design of the enemies, like the snail-elephant hybrid and the platypus-pufferfish cross. The missions are amazing, especially the thief mission, which introduces players to parts of the level they may not have noticed. The trading mission, the best in the game, requires examining the environment closely for oddities like cooking pots or ducks. It gives a new perspective on the level of detail in this game.

A challenging level for sure, but it also looks very creative and can be very fun.
Skelos Badlands

Easily the most unique area in the game. The enemies require interesting strategies to defeat them. It's one of the only levels where aiming with the zoom function is necessary, and who can ignore the skeleton dance? The aesthetic is great, and it was entertaining to run through the lava while being invincible.

A classic with memorable box art and some of the most fun missions in the game! Not to mention, it's the first level with the invincibility power-up. Any true Spyro fan knows it's iconic.
Metropolis

A really creative and fun area. The bull fight in the armory was challenging but fair. It was pure bliss to fly through the level, shooting giant fireballs everywhere once you reached the double power-up gate. Seeing the giant open area from the start of the stage builds suspense as you approach it, excited because it looks awesome. When you finally get there, you realize that you were right - it is awesome.
Scorch

A really nice level with some of my favorite side characters in the series. Alongside Hunter, Handel and Greta also make an appearance. The missions, especially the one involving the weird floating genie man who throws bombs, were creative.
Autumn Plains
Aquaria Towers

I am perfectly aware that this is a fan-favorite area. However, I couldn't enjoy it as much as most people do. That said, it's still an amazingly crafted level that cleverly uses the underwater environment, such as raising the water level to reach higher areas.
Zephyr

This level is one of the largest in the game. The setting is fun, and the exploration is great. However, the area is bogged down by the worst set of missions in the game. The seed planting was highly tedious, offering no challenge, and the cowlek missions are the most boring in the entire game.
Hurricos

My favorite setting in the game. I love the mechanical environment with a storm raging through it. It's a good challenge for early-game players to supercharge the windmills and jump across the fan blades, but it's also a great teaching tool. The inhabitants of the area are funny as well.
Robotica Farms
Idol Springs

The Newcomers

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Canyon Speedway
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Dragon Shores

The Contenders

Gulp's Overlook
Cloud Temples
Breeze Harbor

I love the mechanic of lighting fireplaces to power the machinery in the area. It makes it extremely satisfying to explore the level. However, what kind of person would I be if I didn't mention TROUBLE WITH THE TROLLEY? It's an awesome mission, but it's bogged down by that repetitive line, which gets grating quickly. Nonetheless, it's a unique mission.
Glimmer
Fracture Hills

My first thought going through this area was how much it reminded me of the first Spyro game. Breaking the statues of the world's inhabitants, encountering similar enemies like the killer bushes, and navigating the supercharge course evoke nostalgia.
The stage is interesting and fun, with engaging missions and aesthetic appeal. The only reason this doesn't rank higher is because of the awkwardly placed metal chest.
Colossus
Crush's Dungeon
Summer Forest
Sunny Beach
Shady Oasis
Ripto's Arena
Winter Tundra
Crystal Glacier
Metro Speedway
Ocean Speedway