There’s an American saying that goes “the more things change, the more they stay the same“. This is particularly relevant now, as we have access to better technology than ever before. Or, as the Swedish saying goes, “there’s nothing new under the sun” (even if the expression isn’t originally Swedish). Throughout 2016 and 2017, a significant wave of nostalgia and retro gaming has emerged, to the point where it feels as though Sony’s original Playstation 1 has been revitalized through the PS4. We’ve seen remakes of Parappa The Rapper (and soon Patapon), WipEout, Tekken 7 (which isn’t a remake, but remains a game series strongly associated with the PSX), and anticipation builds for the eventual release of the Final Fantasy VII remake.
Crash Bandicoot became a de facto mascot for Sony in the 90s, conceived by the renowned studio Naughty Dog (then under Universal Interactive Entertainment). While successful, it arguably never reached the iconic status of platformers like Sega’s Sonic or Nintendo’s Mario. However, Crash Bandicoot – N.Sane Trilogy, developed by Vicarious Visions and published by Activision, aims to potentially change that. This remake meticulously recreates the original three PS1 games – Crash Bandicoot, Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex strikes Back, and Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped – with substantial graphical enhancements.
The remake delivers a significant upgrade in presentation, as expected. Crash is more vibrant and animated, with a more expressive character. The levels retain their original layouts but feature improved textures, details, colors, and higher resolution, allowing for immediate recognition while feeling fresh. The visual quality increases with each installment of the trilogy. Upon starting the first level of the third game (Toad City), the graphical fidelity is immediately apparent. It’s a visually impressive yet faithful recreation.
Vicarious Visions has also preserved the original games’ challenging moments and precise timing requirements. Crash Bandicoot was a difficult game then, and remains challenging by modern platforming standards. The Unity engine, used for the remake, introduces a slight change in collision physics, making it somewhat easier for Crash to slide off edges and platforms. Players may experience moments of both satisfaction and frustration as the bandicoot frequently succumbs to slight missteps or mistimed actions. The frame rate is locked to the original’s 30 fps, seemingly to maintain the original feel. However, a 60 fps option could have significantly improved the fluidity and modernized the experience. The question arises: should everything from a 21-year-old game be retained in a remake? A new feature in this remake is the ability to play as Crash’s sister, Coco, which is a welcome addition, though it doesn’t drastically alter the core gameplay.
The Crash Bandicoot games increase in enjoyment, visual appeal, variety, and dynamism with each installment of the trilogy. Playing through them in order is recommended. After experiencing the third game’s enhanced graphics and diverse gameplay, returning to the first game’s more demanding old-school platforming can be challenging. The charm of revisiting older levels for extra lives provides a nostalgic appeal. The decision to maintain the strict, fixed camera angles, which can lead to trial-and-error scenarios on certain levels, is a bold choice. However, some levels are difficult due to inherent design flaws, which can detract from the player’s skill and overall satisfaction.
For those who played and completed the original games on the PS1, Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy offers a nostalgic reunion in HD. Even after two decades, recalling the strategies for defeating specific bosses and the locations of hidden secrets speaks to the games’ lasting impact. However, it’s debatable whether a new generation of players will derive the same level of enjoyment. The level of innovation isn’t quite on par with Nintendo’s Super Mario 64, which was released around the same time, and one might ask if contemporary platformers are trending more towards titles like the remake (reboot) of Ratchet & Clank. Nevertheless, Crash Bandicoot N.Sane Trilogy is available for under 400 SEK and presents a collection of well-crafted platformers that demand player skill (mostly in a positive way). If you prefer adventure-focused platformers with open worlds and upgrade systems, consider waiting for the next Naughty Dog remake: the PS2 platform game Jak & Daxter trilogy, also coming to PS4 later this year.
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