DISCLAIMERS:
- the reviewer has not finished the game with 100% completion
- the game was played on the Nintendo Switch using the version of the game intended for United States audiences
Two console generations after the initial Crash Bandicoot trilogy the gameplay style of the originals finally returned with Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy. The “remastering” changed the originals more than that title implies. This review will judge the 2018 Switch version of the game on its own merits.
The gameplay of Crash Bandicoot is a combination of a 2D and 3D platformer. There are multiple other gameplay styles but none of them are particularly notable or well flushed out. Both gameplay styles basically play identical besides the difference in z-axis. Besides being about as simple as a 3D platformer could possibly be, Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy has many other problems. Poorly chosen camera angles make it difficult to judge jumps and spherical hitboxes make it easy to fall off seemingly flat surfaces despite holding exactly forward down. Level design is also rather lacking as there are hardly any innovative ideas, with the various secrets hidden in levels being easily their most impressive aspects. Overall Crash Bandicoot games are incredibly basic with many poor design choices and level design that does not make up for its shallow mechanics. Compared to its contemporaries Crash Bandicoot has little to nothing to offer
Playing the games in order of their release provides a poorly balanced experience as the games get progressively easier to the point that the final level of the final game is somewhat easier than the first level of the first game. One level in one of the final worlds of the last game can be beaten almost exclusively by holding left and forward. As the player moves on to later games they will also encounter Crash’s multiple unnecessary and poorly implemented new moves and mechanics and a variety of shallow game styles. Crash Bandicoot: Warped only barely edges out Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back by having slightly less poorly implemented mechanics and being less offensive to play in general.
In terms of sound Crash Bandicoot is about average. Sound effects are generally well made and memorable, but the majority of the music is extremely forgettable. Still, nothing about Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy‘s sound makes it worse to play so it being average is forgivable.
Technically Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy‘s Switch port is impressive. The game looks about the same as every other console but with less foliage and fur, a basically removed water effect, and a much lower resolution. It also runs at the same 30 FPS and holds it the majority of the time which brings into question why the other versions have the same cap.
Ignoring how impressive the Switch port is Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy‘s presentation is somewhat disappointing. Behind the excellently implemented visual effects the game is a bit lacking visually. Still, it is overall far from ugly.
The plot and world of Crash Bandicoot is similar to its sound in terms of quality. The majority of the characters and the areas Crash sees are not particularly well executed and are easily forgettable. Beyond Crash himself nothing in particular stands out.
Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy‘s greatest attribute is probably its value. Its budget price and inclusion of three arguably originally overly short games creates package with a surprising value for when it was released. However, the content is not particularly well designed and spending enough time in the game to match the amount of dollars it cost with the amount of hours played will mostly involve playing these levels repeatedly.
Overall the reviewer would give this game a 6.5 out of 10.
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