Dragon Temple

A cutscene shows you that you can expect to encounter some dangerous sheep, and then the stage begins.

Proceed forward and you'll notice numerous small green islands connected by log bridges. Hop to the right island and interact with the bridge icon to grab part of the bridge. Then jump left to that island and move to the gap. Now you can lay logs across to complete the bridge and keep going. This is a technique that you will need to rely on at several points as you work your way through the region.

After you cross that first bridge, turn around and interact with it to take a piece of the bridge with you. Head forward from there and you'll witness wind blowing up along the canyon wall. Head to the left there and you can find the start of another bridge. Lay more wood across to complete the structure so that you can cross to a small island and obtain the Grave Clobber Soul Gem, which teaches the Poseidon Lariat ability. Then head back to the right.

Where you saw the wind blowing a moment ago, you'll now need to push the circular blocks. You can push them to the sides, where the blue arrows indicate, and that frees up launch pads that you can use to ascend the high wall. At the top, travel to the right and break a large vase to reveal a pad. Step on it and it will carry you upward to a higher ledge. Here, you can play a mini-game to open a gate.

In this version of the familiar mini-game, you can slide over a dirk to give yourself a weapon. Then you can slide into the red Sensei to expel him from the board. Start by grabbing the hammer so that you can produce an opening in the wall of weak blocks. Then grab the dirk and make sure that you don't accidentally pass over the hammer again. Take out the red Sensei, then make a larger opening in the wall, if necessary. Combine the crystals, and then exit through the portal.

When the gate opens, you gain access to a balcony where you can grab the Bowslinger Imaginator Soul Gem, which teaches the Volley Storm ability. Then you should return the way you came, so that you are proceeding along the ledge leading left from the top of the high cliff face that you climbed a moment ago. From there, jump up to a low ledge to your right and trigger the arrival of several enemies, ahead of a sword embedded in stone. Defeat them, then view a cutscene that introduces a new enemy type: the Baabarion. He wields a huge sword and can strike a fair distance, but he moves slowly enough that you should be able to steer clear of his attacks until you can flank him.

Once you defeat that group of enemies, you can access a pad that launches you upward, at which point wind currents carry you to a much higher ledge. This is the Fork of Fire and Ice area. You can drop off the edge of a ledge here to find a lower area, where you can cross a metal bridge to find a Treasure Chest. Then you should return to the fork in the path. Spyro explains that you can next head through the fire door, or the ice door. You can only take one path on a single run through the level, and the challenges you find along each path are unique.

If you head through the fire door, you'll find a series of circular ledges that you must follow to cross a long chamber. They sway back and forth, though there are some stationary ones without circular rings. A lot of those will crumble apart a short time after you put weight on them, so tread cautiously. Partway through the area, you'll find a Selfie Spot. Magic-wielding enemies also appear on the wider ledge ahead of the exit door, so be ready for their arrival. Then, when they're defeated, you're good to exit the cave.

If you instead head through the ice door, it's not a bad idea to bring along a section of the metal bridge you just found a moment ago. When you enter, you find yourself positioned on a high stone ledge. This room is chilled, and there are several enemies encased in ice blocks on the floor below your vantage point. Start by dropping down to the right, and head slightly toward the lower left to find a Selfie Spot on a stone block. Defeat some enemies that appear, then turn your attention to the large blocks. Slide them into positions as indicated by the arrows on them and then use the pad along the left side of the area to launch overhead. Place the section of bridge where the icons indicate, if you brought it with you, and you can press left to find a Level Star. Then head back right and push the block so that it drops to the icy floor. Continue pushing the blocks around, and launch from them to higher ground. From there, you can exit the cave.

Whichever route you took at the fork in the path, you emerge from the cave along one edge of the Stepping-Stone Isles area. Start to the right from there, along a metal bridge. Then take a chunk of it with you so that you can cross the next gap you reach. From the end of that bridge, drop down to the grassy ledge and push a block to the left. It slides off the ledge where you are positioned and now the ledge rises a bit, so that you can hop to a platform to your upper right. In this area, you need to push blocks from several floating islands, then use the launch pads to reach still higher islands.

At the top of that series of islands, you'll initiate a Snail Challenge. This particular snail will speed along the ledge that ascends nearby. Follow it closely, collecting the Imaginite chunks and ignoring the enemies that appear and give chase. Once you collect all of the chunks, you can turn to face the foes that are chasing you. They tend to be weak enough that you can probably eliminate the whole lot of them fairly quickly.

You are now at the area known as The Fork of Brains and Brawn. You will have to make a decision soon about how to proceed, but first there are other points of interest. Defeat the enemies that attack, while steering clear of the two head-shaped carvings along the back side of the ledge.

Push the sliding block around so that you form steps of a sort, allowing you to ascend them and then leap down toward the bottom side of the screen. From there, you can hop across a gap to find an island with a pad on it. The launch pad carries you up and to the left, where you land on a ledge near the Bowslinger Legendary Selfie Frame. Grab it, then drop down and enter the left door if you want to proceed by solving puzzles, or the right door if you would prefer to advance through some large brawls.

If you follow the Trail of Brains, you can ascend an arcing staircase, destroying pots as you go. At the head of the stairs, you'll find a Troll Radio, as well as a locked gate. Play the gem mini-game to open it. Then ascend more stares to meet with Flynn for a game of Creation Clash. He's not a terribly difficult opponent, in this instance. Most of his cards are too weak to pose an actual threat. Defeat him, then pass through the new opening and ascend more stairs to reach the cave's exit.

If you instead follow the Trail of Brawn, you can ascend a curving staircase to reach a circular platform with a gate. To pass through the gate, you must defeat a group of foes. There are quite a few of them, and they like to mob you, so try get to the edge of the group and work your way inward, rather than letting them surround you. When you defeat the last of them, the gate drops and you can climb more stairs. At the top of this second set, there is a gong that you can hammer to trigger a Gong Battle. It summons another group of aggressive foes, so weigh your options carefully. When you are ready to exit the area, head up the stairs to the glowing patch of light that leads back outside.

Regardless of the path you followed through the cave, you now reach the Alpine Ascent trail. It is covered in snow. There is a healing item lying out in the open, in case you need it. Head along the bridge and find a pad that launches you to higher territory.

This part of the stage can be fairly tricky, so pay close attention to the instructions that will get you through it most smoothly. There are three types of bridge: plank, log, and metal. As usual, you can typically cross a bridge and then take a piece with you, for when you encounter a gap of the matching type. Take the following steps to get through the area:

Cross the first plank bridge and take a bundle of planks with you as you proceed.
Lay the planks down to create a new bridge that you can cross.
Grab a chunk of the metal bridge that is positioned against the back wall, and take it with you as you step on the launch pad (located near the right side of the plank bridge you created) to spring up to an overhead ledge.
Use the metal bundle to create a new bridge, then step on the pad to the right of your new bridge so that it returns you safely to the previous ledge.
Grab a bundle of logs from the bridge to the right and use the nearby launch pad to launch up to the higher platform once more.
Cross over your metal bridge, which is still in place, and set the bundle of logs down so that it completes the log bridge.
Backtrack to the lower platform and grab a bundle of planks from the plank bridge that is still in place there.
Return to the higher ledge with your bundle of planks, and cross the new log bridge that you just created.
Look carefully at the snow to the left, just past a trail head, to find a hole. Drop through the hole to a lower platform.
On that platform, there is a launch pad. To the right of the pad, use the planks to create a plank bridge leading in that direction.
Use the pad to return to the upper ledge, and backtrack as far as the metal bridge. Grab a bundle of metal.
Carry the metal back to the left and drop through the hole, then continue left on that lower ledge and use the metal that you are carrying to produce a new bridge.
Backtrack to the plank bridge you just created and grab a bundle of planks from it.
Take the planks with you back to the left and cross the metal bridge. Find the broken bridge there and use the planks to construct a new one.
Cross over your new bridge to the far ledge.

On the ledge you finally reach, a Treasure Chest is waiting. Once you have collected it, backtrack a short distance and spring from the launch pad to return to high ground. Then start back toward the right and you will see a snowy trail that you have been passing up to this point. Start along it to reach the Frozen Heights area.

Now you want to make sure that you are using a Skylander that is ready for a big brawl. When you're definitely ready, start forward on the trail and work your way toward the back side of the area. A swarm of enemies attacks. You have fought their like at numerous points during your ascent of the peak, but there are quite a few of them this time around and the battle can take its toll. Use your favorite crowd control techniques, and keep an eye on the large enemies so that they don't manage some sneak attacks. The magic users are good at hitting you from a distance if you don't pay attention, as well.

When you defeat that group of enemies, the nearby gate opens and you reach an area where you have to assemble a gong. Slide the blocks around as indicated and you will easily assemble it. Then you can interact with it to ring it, which opens the high wooden gate on the path ahead of you. Pass through the opening and continue along the stone path, leaping along ledges until you reach the far side of the area and pass through a new gate. Now you have reached the chamber where you battle the area boss.

Boss Battle: Bowslinger Doomlander

If you're not in a hurry, and if you pay attention to the simple attack patterns, this can be an easy fight.

In the first round, the Doomlander simply runs around the arena, pausing every now and then to fire a spread of arrows. You can easily dodge between them, then move in and strike with a melee weapon, or remain at a distance and fire shots of your own. If you do much damage all at once, your foe will warp to a new spot within the arena, but his actual attacks are very basic.

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In the second phase, the boss learns to use homing shots. These alternate with his standard spread shots. The homing shots will slowly follow you around the arena, but it's easy to stay ahead of them even while avoiding the occasional spread shot. Helpfully, you can also circle around one of the three columns positioned in a triangular formation at the center of the chamber. The homing arrows will hit those instead of you, and that eliminates them as a hazard so you can briefly focus more attention on your adversary.

During the third phase, the Bowslinger Doomlander is occasionally joined by mages. They tend to appear three at a time, and they move in a group. They are vulnerable to arrow attacks from the boss, and sometimes they drop healing items when defeated. When you get rid of all three, a decent amount of time often passes before more of the mages appear. As long as you're paying attention, you shouldn't have trouble winning this battle.

Grab your loot once you win, and then it's time for an extended cutscene that apparently can't be skipped. Once it concludes, dragon wings appear on the pedestal at the center of the chamber. Hop up and collect them, and then you can fly to the far wall. There are piles of gold to either side of the opening, but they're not really worth your trouble.

Once you emerge from the cave where you fought the boss, head forward along the dragon carving and you'll find a Selfie Spot. Take a shot, and then consider switching to a Skylander that needs a boost in money or experience. As you proceed through the Aerial Descent area, you can find a lot of Level Star items on the various ledges, as well as a number of piles of gold. You might as well make sure all of that wealth goes to a member of your group that can really use it.

As you descend, you can also fire from cannons to cross from one side of the area to the other, and you can even build a bridge to reach a small island, but there's really not much to see here. Just grab whatever loot you want and continue descending until you reach the lowest platform. From there, you can use another set of dragon wings to launch out toward an arc of coins that descends into a blanket of clouds and allows you to finally exit the stage and return to the level hub.