Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy

Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy
Developer(s)Vicarious Visions[a]
Publisher(s)Activision
Director(s)Dan Tanguay
Producer(s)Kara Massie
Designer(s)Dan Tanguay
Programmer(s)Dave Calvin
Artist(s)Dustin King
Composer(s)Josh Mancell[b]
SeriesCrash Bandicoot
EngineVicarious Visions Alchemy
Platform(s)
Release
  • PlayStation 4
  • June 30, 2017
  • NS, Windows, Xbox One
  • June 29, 2018
Genre(s)Platform
Mode(s)Single-player

Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy is a 2017 video game compilation developed by Vicarious Visions and published by Activision for the PlayStation 4. It includes remasters of the first three platform video games in the Crash Bandicoot series: Crash Bandicoot (1996), Cortex Strikes Back (1997), and Warped (1998); which were originally developed by Naughty Dog and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation. It was later ported to Nintendo Switch, Windows, and Xbox One in 2018.

The N. Sane Trilogy received generally positive reviews from critics, with praise for its faithful yet visually improved recreation of the original games, cohesive presentation, and nostalgic appeal, though the dated controls, inconsistent difficulty and some unpolished vehicle sections received criticism. The game had sold 20 million units by June 2024.

Gameplay

See also: Crash Bandicoot § Common gameplay elements

The Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy is a compilation of the first three Crash Bandicoot games - Crash Bandicoot (1996), Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back (1997), and Crash Bandicoot: Warped (1998) - originally developed for the PlayStation and remastered for modern platforms. The trilogy follows Crash Bandicoot, an anthropomorphic marsupial, as he navigates linear 3D platforming levels to thwart Doctor Neo Cortex and his henchmen.[1] Each game involves collecting Wumpa Fruit, smashing crates, and gathering crystals and gems while overcoming enemies and environmental hazards.[2] The compilation, described as a "remaster plus", is a reconstruction of the original games, retaining the level geometry but enhancing the visuals, audio, and adding quality-of-life features.[1] The visuals were completely rebuilt with enhanced lighting, detailed textures, and remade cutscenes, creating a cohesive aesthetic across all three games.[3][4][5] The audio includes a re-orchestrated soundtrack, updated sound effects, and re-recorded voice acting.[6][7] Crash's sister Coco is playable in most levels across all games, with unique animations but identical mechanics.[8] Time trials, a feature introduced in Warped, have been added to the previous two games along with online leaderboards.[9] The compilation includes a unified save system across all three games, including auto-saves after the completion of each level.[10] The loading screens include hints that guide players toward collectibles and alternate paths.[4]

Development and release

A comparison between the first level of the original game (top) and the N. Sane Trilogy version (bottom)

Prior to the announcement of the N. Sane Trilogy, the Crash Bandicoot franchise had been dormant, the last entry being the 2010 title Crash Bandicoot Nitro Kart 2.[11] In a Kotaku interview with then-Activision CEO Eric Hirshberg regarding the future of the Crash series, he said, "I don't have anything official to announce, but I can speak as an individual, I love Crash Bandicoot. Those were some of my favorite video games growing up. And I would love to find a way to bring him back, if we could."[12] Andy Gavin, co-founder of Naughty Dog and co-creator of Crash Bandicoot, expressed desire for an HD version of the first four games or a reboot of the series.[13] Fellow co-creator Jason Rubin said he was hopeful that Activision would "bring Crash back to their glory days and that the character is still very dear to fans between 18–49 years".[14] In June 2013, Gavin suggested a reboot for the franchise to regain its appeal, proposing a revisit of Crash's origin and original conflict with Cortex. He recommended adopting a modern, free-roaming gameplay style while maintaining the Looney Tunes-inspired animation and addictive action that made the original Crash games stand out. He emphasized that Crash was once "cool", with a whimsical yet smart tone, which he felt had been lost in later games.[15] In November 2013, an Activision representative confirmed the publisher's continued ownership of the Crash Bandicoot property, as well as their ongoing exploration of avenues to resurrect the series.[11] In July 2014, Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO Andrew House revealed that the publisher had considered reviving the Crash Bandicoot series, saying "It's never off the table."[16]

The compilation was developed by Vicarious Visions, using their Alchemy game engine.[17] Vicarious Visions coined the term "Remaster Plus" to describe the compilation, as they did not fully remake the original games, but rather used Naughty Dog's original level geometry to rebuild the gameplay from scratch. As the levels were coming together, they added their own art, animation, and audio.[18] Almost none of the source codes for the original games were available to the developers, as the game engines were specially written for the original PlayStation and Vicarious Visions could not find a way to use it on more powerful systems. Sony and Naughty Dog were able to provide various polygon meshes from the original, although many important elements from these were missing and the team found that "they were compressed in some wacky format that we had to decode". Vicarious Visions looked at various internet communities to make sure they had essences of the games captured.The team had some fans test the game and give notes about it compared to the originals.[19]

The N. Sane Trilogy was announced at E3 2016 on June 13, 2016.[20][21] In April 2017, there was a contest for fans to submit ideas for idle animations for the character, with the winners announced the following month.[22][23] The compilation was released for the PlayStation 4 on June 30, 2017. Following its release, Vicarious Visions expressed interest in making a new Crash Bandicoot game.[24] Two additional levels were added as post-launch downloadable content: Stormy Ascent, a level originally designed for the first game but was cut due to its difficulty,[25][26] and Future Tense, a brand new level created by Vicarious Visions for the third game.

After one year of timed exclusivity, the N. Sane Trilogy was ported to Nintendo Switch, Windows, and Xbox One on June 29, 2018;[27] which were developed by Toys for Bob, Iron Galaxy and Vicarious Visions, respectively.[28][29] The Switch port in particular was not originally intended until a lone engineer at Vicarious Visions successfully ported the game's first level to the platform, proving it was feasible to port the entire trilogy.[30] Sega published the Japanese Switch version on October 18, 2018, while Sony Interactive Entertainment published the Japanese PlayStation 4 version.[31][32]

Reception

Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy received "generally favorable" reviews across all platforms, according to review aggregator website Metacritic.[33][34][35][36]

The trilogy was lauded for its exceptional graphical update, with Alvaro Alonso of HobbyConsolas and Peter Brown of GameSpot comparing the vibrant, cartoon-like visuals to modern animated films.[c] Paula Croft of MeriStation, Jonathon Dornbush of IGN, and James Kozanitis of GameRevolution highlighted the lush environments, enhanced lighting, detailed textures, and expressive animations, which were said to breathe new life into the series while maintaining its nostalgic charm.[1][8][37] The sound design, including re-orchestrated music and updated sound effects, was generally praised for enhancing immersion, though Evan Slead of Electronic Gaming Monthly noted that the new soundtrack arrangements can feel less intense than the originals.[4][5][7][8][48] Jordan Helm of Hardcore Gamer felt that the sound effects and voice acting lacked some of the originals' personality and occasionally faltered due to insufficient mixing.[6] Reviewers highlighted the Switch version's portability and solid performance despite its lower resolution, reduced lighting contrast and occasional frame rate stutters.[d] Danielle Partis of Pocket Gamer lamented the omission of Crash's iconic victory dance,[46] while Louise Blain of GamesRadar+ was comforted by the politically correct adjustments made to the character Tawna.[40]

Reviewers appreciated the faithful recreation of the original games' level layouts and gameplay, with Cortex Strikes Back and Warped considered superior due to their improved level design, variety, and mechanics like sliding and double jumps.[e] The first game was often cited as the most difficult and least polished, with frustrating jumps due to imprecise hitboxes or camera angles.[f] Vicarious Visions' additions, such as extra checkpoints, auto-saving, and time trials across all games, were welcomed as quality-of-life improvements.[g] The dated controls and fixed camera angles were said to feel clunky by modern standards, particularly in the first game, leading to frustration for new players.[6][39][41][45] The vehicle levels, particularly in Warped, were criticized for their loose controls.[1][6][8][47][48]

The ability to play as Coco Bandicoot across all three games was a popular addition, though reviewers noted it as largely cosmetic, as her moveset mirrors Crash's; Slead suggested Coco could have had unique mechanics to differentiate her.[h] The time trials with online leaderboards and level hints on loading screens were appreciated for adding replayability and accessibility, particularly for newcomers.[4][8][9][48] The unified save system and seamless switching between games were praised for enhancing the package's cohesiveness,[1][9][10][40] though Epyon of Jeuxvideo.com and Sammy Barker of Push Square criticized the lack of smoother transitions between games due to loading times.[7][9]

The trilogy was regarded as an excellent nostalgic experience for fans that captures the charm of the original PlayStation era.[i] However, its appeal to new players was debated, with Partis, PC Gamer's Andy Kelly, and Polygon's Ashley Oh arguing that the dated mechanics and high difficulty may alienate those without nostalgic attachment.[45][46][47] The trilogy's linear, restrictive design contrasted with modern platformers, making it feel like a relic to some,[3][6][45][47] though Epyon and The Games Machine's Davide Mancini found its challenge timeless.[7][48] Kozanitis and Nintendo Life's Alex Olney suggested playing the games in reverse order to ease into the trilogy's difficulty before tackling the first game.[2][37]

Sales and awards

In the United States, the N. Sane Trilogy was the second best-selling game in its first month.[49] In the United Kingdom, the N. Sane Trilogy was the best-selling game for eight consecutive weeks since its initial release.[50] Its release also saw the biggest launch of a game in the first half of 2017, behind Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Wildlands.[51] The Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy sold over 2.5 million units in the first three months of its release,[52] increasing to 10 million by February 2019.[53] By June 2024, it had sold 20 million units.[54]

The Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy won the award for "Best Remake/Remaster" at IGN's 2017 awards,[55] while the readers and staff of Game Informer voted it as the "Best Remastered Action" and "Best Remastered/Remade" game in theirs.[56][57] It was also nominated for the Tappan Zee Bridge Award for "Best Remake" at the New York Game Awards 2018,[58] and won the award for "Game, Classic Revival" at the National Academy of Video Game Trade Reviewers Awards, whereas its other nomination was for the "Original Light Mix Score, Franchise" category.[59][60] It was also nominated for "People's Choice" at the Italian Video Game Awards.[61]

Notes

  1. ^ Original games developed by Naughty Dog. Ported to Nintendo Switch by Toys for Bob and Windows by Iron Galaxy.
  2. ^ Mancell was the composer of the original games; the music was arranged by uncredited members of Vicarious Visions' audio team. Mark Mothersbaugh is also listed as a composer but was only a music producer for the original games.
  3. ^ [1][3][4][5][6][7][9][39][44][46][48]
  4. ^ [2][38][41][42][43][44]
  5. ^ [1][7][8][9][5][41][48]
  6. ^ [2][5][8][37][40][47]
  7. ^ [2][3][8][9][10][40]
  8. ^ [1][3][4][8][9][10][47][48]
  9. ^ [7][5][39][40][41][44][48]

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