Crash Bandicoot is a 3D Platformer originally released in 1996 for the Playstation. The version we’ll be taking a look at here is the remaster, which is made slightly easier in some ways, though is essentially the same game. We take on the role of Crash, a genetically altered mutant that is trying to save his girlfriend from the evil Dr. Neo Cortex. Our journey to free her from his grasps takes us across multiple islands, spanning many different levels to trudge through. You are not the only mutant out there, so even if none of his henchmen are around, the combination of those foes and a deadly environment full of endless chasms will make quite it a struggle to get through a stage.
Your control scheme is rather simple, only being able to move, jump, and attack via a rapid spin. Some enemies can only be defeated by jumping on their heads or attacking them when they are stunned. You, on the other hand, can not take any hits or be touched by a foe without meeting your end. This is circumvented with a floating mask companion you can free from a crate that will let you take one or two hits without dying, depending on how many you’ve collected. At its heart, Crash Bandicoot is a game with a strong focus on collecting things and completely clearing out a level by destroying all the boxes. Easier said than done since true to the time period when it was released, this game is hard as nails.
The outlandish environments full of platforms and traps will get lose you plenty more lives than any enemy ever will. There is little room for error or hesitation when trying to get across a level, making completely clearing it of all its crates a task for those with a will of iron. It starts off easy enough to get you accustomed to its mechanics and world, though once the gloves are off you’ll be happy just to have made it through a level at all. To further add to the intensity, there is a life system and seeing it tick down to zero from all your mistakes is as good a motivation as any to not be reckless. This is where the remaster makes it slightly easier. Once you lose enough lives, it will throw in an extra checkpoint so you can inch your way through the level. It is also nice enough to throw in some masks so you can take more damage. That won’t save you from a missed jump however.
From the overworld, you can now save the game, where as before you had to complete a bonus stage for that right. It is a change some may dislike, but I found the convenience of it to be welcome. Also via the overworld, you can now select Coco as a playable character on certain levels. She plays exactly the same as Crash and offers no differences to the stages, it is just a nice cosmetic change for those that prefer to play as a female. There are quite a few levels to make your way through and each does a decent job of keeping things unique. The camera angle changes quite often between them. At times you’ll have an over the back view, others will have it zoomed out from the side to appear nearly 2D, and some even have the camera facing at you while you run towards it. That last one, in particular, will annoy many, though it is in no way unmanageable.
When not on foot, you’ll find yourself riding a wild boar rampaging through the stage with your only control over it being turning left or right. It will require split-second reflexes or memorization of what lies ahead. It was interesting, to say the least, and is thankfully a rare occurrence. Finally, you have the bosses. These are spread out over the islands and will be quite a challenge, despite typically taking only a few hits to bring down. They are all cleverly designed with a charming style to them as they pulverize your supply of lives. Even after reaching and defeating the final one, you are encouraged to keep playing and acing every level as well as completing time trials. Most levels give you a crystal if you 100% them, though even after 22 years of playing this, I’d be lying if I said I knew what lies ahead of that very frustrating road.
As you no doubt noticed from the screenshots, Crash Bandicoot looks better than ever before. They did not go the lazy route with this remaster and merely upscale the resolution. Everything has been remade from scratch and has a ton of detail to it. Some levels have had added some visual hints to give you a warning before an enemy or hazard pops out. That makes it feel a lot less cheap and dependent on muscle memory to get through unscathed. The environments are as colorful and eye-catching as ever. There is a decent amount of variety, from trekking through the jungle to trying to avoid being crushed or disintegrated in industrial zones. It ran perfectly fine all throughout without a glitch in sight.
The first Crash Bandicoot game was an odd title that feels the effects of being an early 3D platformer. It at times felt like it really wanted to be a 2D game and in those sections, your three-dimensional movement feels wonky. Some sections of it felt experimental with a few not translating well from what they envisioned, like the boar or running toward the camera. Still, even if you don’t have nostalgia for this title it is all too clear to see why people love it so and is worth your time even if you weren’t yet born in the 90’s. This remastered version is the one to get. It has made enough small improvements as to make it more approachable while retaining most everything that made the original great. For a first shot at the genre it is a feat and considering the remaster comes with the other two games in the trilogy, I would not hesitate to recommend it.
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