Spyro Orange: The Cortex Conspiracy is a handheld crossover title with the Crash Bandicoot franchise. It is the first Spyro game developed by Vicarious Visions. The development team has given the dragon a more traditional side-scrolling environment for his overworld instead of taking him back to his isometric exploits. But the scrolling platformer is only part of the experience. Spyro Orange focuses on dozens of mini-challenges for its gameplay, like a vertical shooter where Spyro floats around blasting sheep or collecting gems, a rapid-button-tapping challenge involving tug-o-war and ice cube creation, or driving around in a tank, or knocking out a series of bad guys in a Breakout-style challenge. The game supports link cable play for multiplayer challenges.

Ripto and Dr. Cortex have combined their forces to take over the world once and for all. Right in the middle of it all our the heroes, Crash Bandicoot and Spyro the Dragon. Spyro now finds himself in both familiar and unfamiliar territory, passing through the realms into Crash's world as well as his own to defeat the evil that awaits. Spyro's usual abilities are available as always.