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Sequel Showdown #11 - Crash Bandicoot


AstralSoul

Sequel Showdown #11 - Crash Bandicoot  

19 members have voted

  1. 1. What's your favorite Crash Bandicoot game?

    • Crash Bandicoot (PS1 or N Sane Trilogy)
    • Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back (PS1 or N Sane Trilogy)
    • Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped (PS1 or N Sane Trilogy)
    • Crash Bandicoot: Wrath of Cortex (PS2, GCN, Xbox)
      0
    • Crash Twinsanity (PS2, Xbox)
      0
    • Crash of the Titans (PS2, Xbox)
      0
    • Crash: Mind Over Mutant (PS2, Xbox)
      0
    • Crash Bandicoot: The HUGE Adventure (GBA)
      0
    • Crash Bandicoot 2: N-Tranced (GBA)
      0
    • Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time (PS4, XBO, Switch)
      0
    • I haven't played any or enough to judge
    • Too hard to pick! I love them all!
      0


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One of my absolute favorite series of all time. I'm willing to bet most people here haven't played any or many of them which is fine. But I strongly encourage people who love platformers to play the N Sane Trilogy, Crash 4 and Twinsanity. All of those are, in my opinion, just masterpieces. Ill go as far to say Crash is, overall, more fun than Mario. Crash has more duds than Mario (Crash of the Titans for instance) but it's hard to say why I love this series so much. I've heard people say it's like a 3D version of Donkey Kong Country which is another all time favorite game series of mine. I can see the comparison. 

Anyway I went with Crash 2 because I think it is overall the most balanced and we'll made game in the series. I almost went with Crash 1 because of the nostalgia and simplicity but I do miss certain moves you get in Crash 2. And Crash 4 is nearly as amazing but the difficulty is borderline unfair in many places in 4. And Twinsanity is easily the funniest and has by far the best soundtrack,one of the best soundtracks of any game in my opinion, but the overall game is unpolished. But regardless I love the series as a whole. I'd say Donkey Kong Country is the only series I love more, but not by much.

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Tough choice between 2 and 3 for me. Originally 3rd one added the time trials but with N. Sane Trilogy that's a moot point. 3rd one has more of the vehicle/riding stages for variety but they're not always that good. I think 2 has a bit tighter level design than 3. I think I'll go with Crash Bandicoot 2 N. Sane version for the added time trials.

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1 was an amazing game, but they took everything that worked and improved it for 2, which is the best in my opinion.  There is nothing wrong with 3, but it didn't improve on much, and the level design is a little boring which is why I can't rank it better than the first two.  3 is a good game, but just not great.  I haven't been able to get into any of the games since the first 3, but I want to eventually try 4.  

2>1>3

Edited by TDIRunner
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Since I didn't own any of the Sony consoles until long after their prime, Crash wasn't a series that I ever got much exposure to. I do have the original on PS and bought the Insane Trilogy and played about half-way into the first game...but I bet my total time spent playing Crash is less than 5 hours.

So...yeah, I don't exactly have the chops to rate any of the games. I like the first game well enough. The "over the shoulder" perspective of most stages is a little frustrating for a 3D platformer but I enjoy the uniqueness of its design. 6/10?

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2 hours ago, TDIRunner said:

1 was an amazing game, but they took everything that worked and improved it for 2, which is the best in my opinion.  There is nothing wrong with 3, but it didn't improve on much, and the level design is a little boring which is why I can't rank it better than the first two.  3 is a good game, but just not great.  I haven't been able to get into any of the games since the first 3, but I want to eventually try 4.  

2>1>3

I highly recommend Crash 4 since I think it's closest to Crash 2. Doesn't have many annoying vehicle levels like 3, and adds a few new features as well.  The gameplay is as great as it ever has been and the level design is spectacular. The only reason I can't give the edge to 4 over 2, is that 100%ing 4 is just plain ridiculous. Getting all the gems and boxes is one of the hardest tasks I've ever encountered in a game. Forgetting about collectibles, 4 is challenging still but nothing crazy. So yeah, I think you will love Crash 4, I was very impressed by it, as long as you don't plan on going for 100%. In between Crash 3 and 4, there are a few duds in there, but I also highly recommend Twinsanity as it changes the gameplay a bit, being more open world rather than linear level-to-level design but still retains the essence of what Crash is about. It's also hilarious and has a fantastic and unique soundtrack.

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49 minutes ago, AstralSoul said:

I highly recommend Crash 4 since I think it's closest to Crash 2. Doesn't have many annoying vehicle levels like 3, and adds a few new features as well.  The gameplay is as great as it ever has been and the level design is spectacular. The only reason I can't give the edge to 4 over 2, is that 100%ing 4 is just plain ridiculous. Getting all the gems and boxes is one of the hardest tasks I've ever encountered in a game. Forgetting about collectibles, 4 is challenging still but nothing crazy. So yeah, I think you will love Crash 4, I was very impressed by it, as long as you don't plan on going for 100%. In between Crash 3 and 4, there are a few duds in there, but I also highly recommend Twinsanity as it changes the gameplay a bit, being more open world rather than linear level-to-level design but still retains the essence of what Crash is about. It's also hilarious and has a fantastic and unique soundtrack.

I think that 100%ing Crash 1 is pretty crazy too since you have to finish each level without dieing.  I've only done it once and I never plan to try again because I don't think it's very fun (beating the game normally is still fun though).  On the other hand, 100%ing Crash 2 is a lot of fun because they removed the not dieing factor.  Technically, you have to 100% Crash 2 to say you've beaten it, which isn't the case with Crash 1.  I've never tried to 100% Crash 3, and I don't remember if it's required to technically beat the game.  

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2 hours ago, TDIRunner said:

I think that 100%ing Crash 1 is pretty crazy too since you have to finish each level without dieing.  I've only done it once and I never plan to try again because I don't think it's very fun (beating the game normally is still fun though).  On the other hand, 100%ing Crash 2 is a lot of fun because they removed the not dieing factor.  Technically, you have to 100% Crash 2 to say you've beaten it, which isn't the case with Crash 1.  I've never tried to 100% Crash 3, and I don't remember if it's required to technically beat the game.  

Yup Crash 3 had the same requirement. Yeah Crash 1 was hard to 100% but 4 is even harder. It's easier to 100% the original 3 in the N Sane Trilogy especially the first game.

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13 minutes ago, AstralSoul said:

Yup Crash 3 had the same requirement. Yeah Crash 1 was hard to 100% but 4 is even harder. It's easier to 100% the original 3 in the N Sane Trilogy especially the first game.

That's true.  The removed the requirement to finish the level with one life in Crash 1 which was a great update.  It's just a shame the ruined the entire remake with shitty controls.  I gave the remake several chances, but I'll stick with the originals.  

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Never played any of them, except an "excerpt" in Uncharted 4 (which was cool they did that, by the way).  As @Webhead123said, I also usually get Sony consoles when they are past their prime (and I always get the slim versions) that I never played the Crash games on the original PS1 at the time.  

I do have the N'Sane Trilogy on my radar, however.  Any differences in that compilation between the platforms (I have a Switch, XBox One, and a SLIM PS4)?

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4 hours ago, Sumer said:

I do have the N'Sane Trilogy on my radar, however.  Any differences in that compilation between the platforms (I have a Switch, XBox One, and a SLIM PS4)?

I'm not aware of differences between the platforms, but please note that if you've never played the originals, PLEASE don't use the N'Sane trilogy to rate the games.  That would be like saying you didn't like the theatrical version of Star Wars because you didn't care for the changes made to the Special Edition remaster.  

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OG for me. I played many Crash games and they’re mostly good but the first game is my favorite.

I remember my favorite mag, Game Players, doing an interview with Naughty Dog prior to the game’s release and every other question asked was: « how come this isn’t full 3D like SM64? »

And the person answering kept hammering that the game was 3D, but they had restricted roaming to focus on platforming and straightforward progression in levels. It was effectively brilliant design and it was a pretty bold move at the time.

 

Love it. Its one of the few PSX games I still have from the 90s.

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6 hours ago, Sumer said:

I do have the N'Sane Trilogy on my radar, however.  Any differences in that compilation between the platforms (I have a Switch, XBox One, and a SLIM PS4)?

The only difference that I'm aware of is graphical performance which, of course, is slightly inferior on the Switch. Even then, it's a very minor difference and the Switch version still looks pretty great. The game's cartoony, colorful art design goes a long way toward making it look good.

Edited by Webhead123
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6 hours ago, TDIRunner said:

I'm not aware of differences between the platforms, but please note that if you've never played the originals, PLEASE don't use the N'Sane trilogy to rate the games.  That would be like saying you didn't like the theatrical version of Star Wars because you didn't care for the changes made to the Special Edition remaster.  

Ok?  🙂

Did they change quite a bit besides the obvious graphical update?  You make it sound like they added or subtracted something that detracts from what the originals offered.  Let me know...as if it is a big addition/subtraction that ruins the perception of the franchise, I can just buy them for the PS1 someday!  Thanks for the heads up!

 

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12 minutes ago, Sumer said:

Ok?  🙂

Did they change quite a bit besides the obvious graphical update?  You make it sound like they added or subtracted something that detracts from what the originals offered.  Let me know...as if it is a big addition/subtraction that ruins the perception of the franchise, I can just buy them for the PS1 someday!  Thanks for the heads up!

 

When the N'Sane Trilogy was first released, a lot of first time Crash players were saying the franchise was garbage because of the game, but they weren't giving it a fair rating because the controls in the remake are crap.  

The controls in the remake are extremely sloppy which doesn't work in a game that requires extremely precise platform jumping (particularly the bridge levels).  If you've played the originals enough to develop muscle memory, the remake is almost unplayable.  I personally recommend avoiding it entirely and getting the originals.  

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1 hour ago, TDIRunner said:

When the N'Sane Trilogy was first released, a lot of first time Crash players were saying the franchise was garbage because of the game, but they weren't giving it a fair rating because the controls in the remake are crap.  

The controls in the remake are extremely sloppy which doesn't work in a game that requires extremely precise platform jumping (particularly the bridge levels).  If you've played the originals enough to develop muscle memory, the remake is almost unplayable.  I personally recommend avoiding it entirely and getting the originals.  

I never played Crash when it was on PS1. So when I bought the remake trilogy and realized I didn't like it, I figured the games themselves weren't my thing.

I kept getting frustrated because I was overshooting/underestimating jumps. Also I didn't like how the spin attack stopped so suddenly. Until I was able to get the timing down, it was a guessing game of whether or not using it was going to kill me or cost me my mask dude. I was just generally bad at the game and it pissed me off.

I guess I'll have to give the PS1 versions a shot.

 

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1 hour ago, Jono1874 said:

I never played Crash when it was on PS1. So when I bought the remake trilogy and realized I didn't like it, I figured the games themselves weren't my thing.

I kept getting frustrated because I was overshooting/underestimating jumps. Also I didn't like how the spin attack stopped so suddenly. Until I was able to get the timing down, it was a guessing game of whether or not using it was going to kill me or cost me my mask dude. I was just generally bad at the game and it pissed me off.

I guess I'll have to give the PS1 versions a shot.

 

When the game first came out and I was complaining about the controls, a few people accused me of just being "rusty" and not remembering how difficult the games were.  However, they didn't realize that I had played through the original two games the week before the N'Sane Trilogy was released.  I beat the original in a day and 100%'ed the second in two days.  I wasn't rusty.  The controls on the remake just suck.  

The N'Sane Trilogy was probably my biggest gaming disappointment in the past decade, if not ever.  It caused me to have super low expectations for the Shadow of the Colossus PS4 remake which came out later the same year.  Fortunately, the SOTC remake was a masterpiece.  

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Man, talk about a series that fell from grace. Crash was from crushing the PS1, even with a kart racer to shidding the bed on all fronts. It's crazy to think that it had such a large influence on the path platforming and then completely fell into obscurity.  

That said, I've played the first 4 games and #2 is my favorite. I actually played the shit out of it as a kid and have a lot of nostalgia tied to it.

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