Crash Bandicoot is a platformer game developed by Naughty Dog for the PlayStation. Designed as the mascot for the system in order to compete with Nintendo's Mario and Sega's Sonic, Crash Bandicoot ended up spawning several sequels. Considering that this was an early PlayStation game, the graphics manages to hold up okay. At the very least, it isn't a mess of pixels and you can still easily tell what everything is supposed to be. As this was the first game in the series, the gameplay is quite limited. The player controls Crash, who can only jump and spin. Some enemies can be defeated by either of these abilities and some only by one of those moves. Unfortunately, you cannot tell if an enemy is immune to either jumping or spinning until you actually try it, leading to a few deaths.
The trial and error gameplay extends to the platforming. Crash runs through linear levels, smashing open crates to get the Wumpa Fruits inside. Collect 100 of these and you get an extra life. The game requires patience from the player, you cannot rush through levels as the timing of some obstacles do not allow for that. You're also expected to die a few times in order to know what is coming and prepare for it. This type of gameplay isn't so bad if not for the fact that you have limited lives. Checkpoints are scattered through the level but you will be repeating the same platforming challenges again and again. The levels start off really easy but before the first island is up, the difficulty spikes up and a few sections certainly feel cheap. Lose all your lives and then it is back to your last save. Checkpoint will be thinly spread across the later harder levels. This artificially extends the length of the gave and is not fun when you passed those same challenges multiple times to get one more chance at the one you missed.
The hog levels are the worst in terms of forcing you to memorize the patterns. Since you're going forward at a fast speed and the corridors are so narrow, it can be hard to tell first time around which side of the moving enemy you are supposed to go through. You pretty much just keep dying and advancing one more obstacle each time. Going back to your last save wouldn't be much of a pain if not for the archaic save system. You can only save once you have either completed a bonus level, defeated a boss level, or complete a level breaking all boxes without dying. This means you might not have saved for several levels, it is a really stupid save system and does not make any sense at all.
When everything does go well and you execute a series of perfect jumps, it is rewarding. There are a few control quirks where due to the 3D nature of the game and how the level was designed, you might not be able to judge distances correctly the first time and fall to your death. The game is filled with tiny platforms to jump onto, requiring certain precision to get past them. The d-pad serves you well most of the time but when you require the finicky jumps then it is a freaking nightmare to use. It is too inaccurate and because spinning carries your momentum, all too often you'll accidentally spin a box and then fall off the ledge. Seriously, what is up with this horrendous design choice?
There are 32 levels in total, including boss levels, spread across three islands. Since the island is the only setting, there isn't a whole heap of variety in the scenery except for jungles and temples. The gameplay remains the same throughout the whole game but the obstacles get more numerous and dangerous. You might ride a hog or run towards the screen away from a boulder from time to time. In each level are boxes and some other secrets, collect all the boxes without dying and you get a gem which can unlock hidden paths.
Crash usually run forward in levels with the camera following behind him. Certain sections may swap the perspective to 2.5D. Another cheap way the game causes you to die is the horrendous camera angles that block what is ahead. You pretty much have to die at least once to know next time that you needed to jump. Crash dies in one hit which can be infuriating at times. He can gain Aku Aku masks that allow him to take one hit, collection two and he can take two hits, if you collect a third than Crash gains invincibility for a limited time.
As expected of a platformer, the story elements are light. There is an opening cutscene to show how Crash gained the ability to run, spin and jump. He has to travel across the islands to get to N. Cortex in order to save Tawna, a female bandicoot. Overall, Crash Bandicoot has its good moments but the later levels have too many unfair obstacles and checkpoints being spread too far apart. Yes, you are supposed to "git gud" but it is not fun and extremely repetitive when you are pit against the same challenges YOU HAVE ALREADY PASSED again and again and again and again in order to try once again at another one.
----------------------------------------------------
For other game reviews, have a look at this page.
