Throughout gaming’s history there always seemed to be a need for a “console mascot.” Sega had Sonic and Nintendo had Mario. As more consoles entered the market it became clear that not every console needed a mascot, but that didn’t stop marketers from trying. Now I’m not saying that Crash Bandicoot was touted to be the PlayStation mascot, but it kind of felt like he was the PlayStation mascot. Which wasn’t a bad thing, we got some incredibly fun games and even a few racing games from his existence.
As we progress through years we often seen Crash or some other characters being featured more than others. He we are many years and many consoles later and the original Crash Bandicoot games have been remastered and put on your Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch. No longer shackled to be a mascot to one console, Crash has crashed the parties of Microsoft and Nintendo and he is looking damn good. The Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy brings together Crash Bandicoot, Cortex Strikes Back and Warped in a collection from Vicarious Visions. Each game has been given more than just a new coat of paint. Visuals are more striking and the audio has been given an upgrade. Also added are some new features like time trials and manual/auto saves. While these might not seem like a big deal, they are. Older games didn’t offer quite so many save points.
The core game-play of each title remains largely intact. This is both good and bad because these games were definitely challenging. So while it’s nice to have these classic titles back with us, we also are getting the difficulties as well. It wouldn’t be a Crash title for those that have played the past games if it wasn’t as it was years ago. The original Crash Bandicoot is a strong platformer but suffers from being the first one out the gate. Crash doesn’t have the moves he does in the later games so the levels are built for a Crash that isn’t up to speed. That’s not to say that it’s a bad game, because it’s not. It’s just that putting it in a collection with its sequels really shows how far the Crash series has evolved and leaves you feeling a bit underwhelmed with the original.
The controls feel as smooth as ever with this port of the three games. All three games has Crash moving with precision while maintaining the classic platforming feel. This is a must have for anyone looking to ride a wave of nostalgia, or for some parent to show their kids just how hard we had it back in our day.
The price tag on the N. Sane Trilogy is… well insane. You’re getting three old school fun games at one hell of a bargain. Better graphics, better sound, better game-play. Once you get done staring at all the beautiful imagery and listing to the remixed audio, you can replay levels over and over to try to beat your time. It’s hard to call this a remaster because it feels more like a “definitive edition.”
Overall, Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy is an amazing package at an amazing price. It will even make for a great holiday gift. While many of us grew up playing the classics this title is something good for both adults who remember the classics and kids looking for a challenging game.
A review copy was provided by Activision for review purposes.
