I know it from experience, as my little sister got this game for Christmas when it just came out, as for old times sake, I played it with her. I wouldn't give this give this game 4 stars in a review intended for older kids by any means the game had its issues, was simple, the voice acting cheesy in a way that would make any older person laugh, and there were definitely issues with the game in terms of controlling the characters. You cannot go where you want at will, but have to stick to your objectives and travel through each world one after the other, and though you still collect 'gems' or crystals, these are used to upgrade and strengthen your character(s) in a RPG (role play game for those who don't know) kind of style. Now, it is something quite different this game is a platformer, certainly, but it is not as open as it used to be. That was back when Spyro was simply an open platformer in which you run around collecting things, beating enemies, and saving eggs. It was my first step into the gaming world and I still cherish the memories of beating the first Spyro game for the first time in kindergarden and first grade.
Firstly, let me just say that I grew up with the Spyro series.