Spyro's design is just bad, it doesn't know what it wants to be. Is it trying to be realstic or cute? You can't tell. It's also way overdesigned, too many pointless things added like more spikes, those 2 teeth sticking out and way too many spots. It just looks tacky, way too rushed and unoriginal. Also add a money grabbing gimmick and pointless characters.
SUCH A WINING FORMULA
First off, I want to thank you for giving a proper reason why you don't like the design instead of just saying "it sucks because I said so". Since it's my nature, I'm going to respond to them.
I highly doubt it's trying to be cute, and that it's trying to be realistic. But I'm going to assume that you are correct and that they were trying to balance out the two. It's not cute if you ask me, it looks more like the pet of a demon. Frankly, I like that kind of stuff, so I guess that could be a reason why I like the design.
To say it's overdesigned is to say that Call of Duty or Uncharted is too detailed. It doesn't make much sense.
Personally, I think unoriginal would've been to copy the LoS or DotD design. At least these guys tried something new instead of playing it safe.
The only way you are going to get the Classic design that everybody wants is if you get Insomniac to make the games again. I would be shocked and glad if you manage to pull that off.
And yeah, it's a gimmick. So was Guitar Hero and the Wii. And look how those two turned out. I'm not going to say that the same will happen to this, or that it won't. I'm saying that I'm looking at it with an open mind, and it could actually turn out good.
And you can say that several LoS and Classic characters were pointless as well.
It's a winning formula is people are going to buy it. Just because you don't like it doesn't mean its sales are going into the crapper.
Oh, and for referring to me as a fantard, I find it strange you assume that when time and time again I've shown hatred for Activision and their business decisions, and how I constantly note that ETD was one of the worst games of all time. Yep, that stuff definately makes me a fantard. /sarcasm