Nostalgia Fever? |Crash Bandicoot N Sane Trilogy Review|
Intro:
Well, well, well. Many of us were struck right in the childhood when our favorite orange fur ball was announced for release with not one, not two, but three full remasters to drop just in time for summer. There have been significant visual changes but the game rings full of nostalgia for anyone who owned an original PlayStation. Not only has Crash Bandicoot made a return, but the developers have littered the game full of Easter eggs for die-hard fans. Though the games are fun and challenging, there are some issues that can affect playthrough thus making it frustrating. Crash Bandicoot brings both joy and pain in the N Sane Trilogy and here’s why
Overview/Story:
If you’re unfamiliar with the Crash Bandicoot series, here’s a little history for you before you jump into Crash Bandicoot N Sane Trilogy. This remaster holds three Crash Bandicoot games all on one disc or digital download if you’re in to that sort of thing. The first game on the list is the original itself, titled by the same name of the rascally bandicoot. Crash Bandicoot is a loveable platformer that chronicles’ the creation of Crash bandicoot by the hands of Dr. Cortex and Crash’s adventure to keep Cortex from obtaining world domination while also rescuing his girlfriend, Tawna, from his clutches.
Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back goes a different direction however. In this sequel, Crash helps to gather twenty-five crystals to help Dr. Cortex save the world. However, CoCo, based on Dr Cortex’s track record, doesn’t believe in his newfound good guy ways and tries to convince Crash to gather gems instead for planetary alignment to keep the Earth from being destroyed. With such a drastic change in story dynamic, it’s not surprising to see that in Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped, there would be another drastic change in storytelling. In this game Crash has to collect crystals while traveling through time prevent Cortex and Uka Uka from gathering them to use the energy to enslave the earth.
Granted the story isn’t deep and won’t blow your mind, but the nostalgia will be enough to hold your attention span to get through the game. Crash Bandicoot and the levels are usually the most interesting things in the games that feature him. If you’re looking for a good time with some admittedly frustrating challenges then the Crash Bandicoot N Sane Trilogy is for you!
Strengths:
In recent years, remasters have been the go to choice for many game developers, but very few of been almost completely redon like Crash Bandicoot’s three games in the N Sane Trilogy. It’s hard to imagine someone born in the 80s and 90s who wouldn’t be excited to see the return of the best bandicoot around. The graphics are amazing compared to the originally blocky PlayStation 1 style, but it’s not the best-looking game on the platform. They’ve been able to gracefully de-age Crash graphically.
This game is full of nostalgia and caters to the fans of the brand well. Not much has changed when it comes to how the game plays and how the story unravels. This makes it easy to introduce to the next generation of gamers as well. Many of us get hit right in the feels just seeing Crash Bandicoot available on this generations consoles and the nostalgia is what makes this game easy to sell. The formula of momentum platforming still works great and when you get into a groove the rewards feel amazing.
Weaknesses:
The following issues doesn’t mean the games aren’t any fun. The games are an amazing good time especially if you’re a fan of old-school platformers. The updates make the game feel like a fresh look into the past but there are issues to come across in the game. One issue specifically occurs in the Bee-Have level, where the player must escape angry bees by having Crash burrow underground. During my playthrough on several run throughs, Crash would either not respond to the command to burrow or would burrow underground, pop back up, and somehow end up way above the camera where the player couldn’t see.
This is just one of many issues reported throughout the game. Another issue that has been found throughout the game is Crash’s ability to jump and land in the new versions. It is insanely hard to get Crash to respond to the jump command in the new remasters. Crash and his sister Coco tend to slide off platforms even when the player isn’t touching the D-pad or the analog sticks. Redditor Tasty Carcass, shared that the collision being used for both characters are more likely pill or oval shaped instead of square and flat shaped. This makes it easier for the characters to make longer distance jumps by sliding halfway off the edge before pressing the jump button, but it makes it easier for the characters to slip off a platform even if part of them have landed on it.
Overall:
To see the return of the long last bandicoot warms my heart. The game isn’t perfect by any stretch of the imagination but it is worth the $39.99 it is currently being sold for. Three games pushed into one disc makes for a fun time, endless frustration, and hilarious moments to remember. Though there are game mechanic issues its not enough to keep any platform lover from enjoying this game whole heartedly. It is remaster with fully updated levels and graphics that can grasp your attention for hours at a time. Overall, I give this game a 7/10 and recommend it for purchase at its current price tag.
