Let’s be real for a second. If you grew up playing the original Spyro the Dragon on PS1, or if you're just now tackling the Reignited Trilogy, Haunted Towers is the level that probably made you want to hurl your controller across the room. It’s infamous. Between the suit of armor enemies that you literally can't kill with normal fire and that one "impossible" supercharge ramp, it’s a total nightmare. Honestly, this Spyro walkthrough Haunted Towers guide is less about telling you where the gems are and more about helping you maintain your sanity while you navigate the most technical level in the Dream Weavers world.
You arrive in this gloomy, magical castle-scape and immediately realize something is wrong. The Green Wizards are back, and they aren't just standing there. They’re animating giant suits of armor. You flame them? Nothing. You charge them? You bounce off and take damage. It’s frustrating. But there’s a trick to it, and once you get the rhythm down, the level opens up in a way that feels incredibly rewarding.
The Secret to Killing the Metal Knights
You can't hurt the big guys. Not yet. The key to this Spyro walkthrough Haunted Towers is understanding the relationship between the Green Wizards and their puppets. If a wizard is nearby, he’s going to zaps a suit of armor into existence. If you kill the wizard, the armor falls apart. Simple, right? Except when it isn't.
Sometimes the armor is already "awake." In those cases, you need a Superflame power-up. Look for the fairy kiss. When a fairy kisses Spyro, his flame turns blue (or just super-powered in the remake). This is your only window to melt those metal jerks. Don’t waste it. The power-up is timed, so you have to move fast. I remember spending twenty minutes just trying to bait one knight into a corner so I could rush back to the fairy, get the kiss, and sprint back before the timer ran out. It’s a literal race against the clock.
The level design here is vertical. You aren't just walking; you’re climbing. Most players miss the gems hidden on the high ledges behind the starting whirlwind. Always look up. Insomniac Games loved hiding things just out of the camera's default field of view.
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That Ridiculous Supercharge Secret Area
We have to talk about it. The secret area. It’s the reason you’re likely reading this. To get 100% completion (or 120% if you're going for the full game clear), you have to find a hidden room that requires a triple-turn supercharge.
Basically, you find the supercharge ramp. You start running. But instead of just hitting a wall or jumping off a cliff, you have to navigate a series of tight corridors and ramps while maintaining your top speed. You have to burst through a specific wall at the end of a long, winding path. It’s brutal. You’ll fail. A lot. You’ll hit the grass, you’ll clip a corner, and you’ll lose your momentum.
Here is the professional tip: don’t hold the "charge" button the whole time if you're on the Reignited version. The analog stick sensitivity is higher than the original D-pad controls. Use wide arcs. If you try to turn too sharply, you’ll lose the supercharge spark. Once you break through that final door, you’ll find a whirlwind that takes you to a high tower. This is where the last dragon, Copano, is hiding. Without this specific supercharge path, you are stuck at 90% forever.
Clearing the Top Floors and Finding Gems
The upper levels of the towers are a maze of staircases and "surprise" knights. One thing most people forget is that the wizards can revive the knights even after you’ve knocked them down. If you don't take out the wizard, the knight comes back. It’s a cycle of pain.
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- Priority 1: Find the wizard.
- Priority 2: Use the environment. Many knights are standing near ledges; while you can't flame them, a well-placed charge can sometimes knock them off the edge, though it's risky.
- The metallic spiders are also a nuisance. Flame works, but they jump.
There are exactly 500 gems in this level. If you are at 498 and losing your mind, check the top of the towers where you rescued the dragons. There are often single gems tucked behind the pedestals. Also, check the very beginning of the level. There's a platform you have to glide to that seems like it leads to nothing, but it actually holds a handful of high-value gold gems.
Handling the "Infinite" Knight Spawns
In the room with the many "collapsed" suits of armor, the wizards will start a chain reaction. It feels overwhelming. The trick is to stay mobile. If you stand still, you’re dead. This part of the Spyro walkthrough Haunted Towers requires you to ignore the enemies for a split second and go straight for the guys in the green robes.
If you’re playing the Reignited Trilogy, the hitboxes are slightly more forgiving than the 1998 original, but the wizards' projectile speed is faster. You have to weave. Think of it like a dance. Charge, jump, flame the wizard, then spin around and mop up the gems.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Trying to "glitch" the supercharge: Many people try to glide to the secret area from the high bridge. It won't work. The collision physics will push you off. You must use the ramp.
- Forgetting the fairy: The Superflame isn't just for the knights. It can also break the reinforced metal chests that your headbutt can't crack.
- Leaving the level early: Haunted Towers is the "point of no return" for many casual players. If you leave without getting the dragon at the end of the supercharge, you have to redo the entire enemy layout when you come back because they all respawn.
Actionable Steps for 100% Completion
To finish Haunted Towers with your head held high, follow this sequence:
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First, clear the ground floor and rescue the first dragon. Don’t worry about the knights you can't kill yet. Just bypass them. Second, find the Superflame fairy and backtrack immediately to clear out the knights on the lower levels and break the metal chests. This clears your path.
Third, tackle the supercharge. This is the "skill check" of the level. Practice the turn radius three or four times before you actually try for the breakable wall. It takes muscle memory. Once you're through, ride the whirlwind, get the gems on the roof, and rescue Copano.
Finally, do a sweep of the outer walls. There are narrow paths along the castle exterior that hold the final purple and green gems. If the Sparx "gem finder" ability (holding the shoulder buttons) is pointing at a wall, there’s a 90% chance there is a hidden room or a ledge above you that you haven't seen.
Haunted Towers is a gauntlet. It’s designed to test everything you’ve learned about Spyro’s movement. But once that "Level Complete" screen pops up with 500/500 gems and all dragons saved, it’s one of the best feelings in the entire series.