Crash Bandicoot

"The best 3D adventure game ever made."

Crash Bandicoot is an adventure game. It is a basic one, but this is what I like about the original Crash Bandicoot. Let me break it down for you.

Game play: The game is the best, what can I say? First your Crash, a bandicoot that can stand up. This may seem like a goofie game at first (well it never gets too serious...). Any ways, Crash can jump and spin, that is it. Now you may say...''What the hell is so good about a game with just that?'' Well for one, you would see if you played it that sometimes a simple game with basic things is all you need. Crash is not like the new games in which they artificially beef up the game with useless moves and out of wack vehicles, all you get in Crash is a wild pig... Now back to the game play. There is about 26 levels to explore, you go around in 3D jumping over pits, dodging tons of traps and ''spinning'' or jumping on enemies. In every level you break crates for goodies (not the TNT ones...) and collect fruit for extra lives. The bosses in this game are classic, and a great challenge. They are not too hard nor too easy, just perfectly done not to take any from this great game. This is definitely the best of the best! Outstanding

Challenge: Now what also makes the perfect game? A normal difficulty with and extra bonus challenge of doing something hard? This is exactly what Crash Bandicoot pulls off. The game has the best example of a perfectly pulled off increasing difficulty. First they have 2 to 3 versions of each level, each harder than the last and spread out. Like for instance there is a level ''Jungle Rollers'' where there is stones that go back in forth... Now the first version will have just one, the second will have one with pits, then the third will have 3 with pits and moving blocks to jump on... This goes on in many ways, and is what makes it so great. You will find yourself saving ''Oh damn, I got to jump 3 of these things before they light up now?'' then you will feel so relived. The bosses aren't that hard to complete, you shouldn't die more than 5 times on any one. Oh yeah, now the other hard part... Every level has a gem to be collected. To get a gem you must break every box and not die. This is a very hard thing to accomplish as check points don't work any more. Outstanding

Control: The control is perfect, in fact you only need 3 things... a way to move, a way to jump and a way to spin. The only thing a little lacking is some times you may fall off an edge if you don't jump to good, well it is just a lot easier in the sequels I guess... All and all there is nothing wrong with the control. Outstanding

Story: Hmm the story of Crash. Well first this is almost a pure adventure game, so you don't even need the story in the first place, but this game still has one. It starts of as the evil Neo Cortex is experimenting on all the little jungle animals (some you must kill...along with some of his lab workers). Any ways he has your female bandicoot friend and you must save her. Basic story for this game. No plot holes, no plot twisted and no cheese. Outstanding

Visuals: This game is great looking too. Every thing is good in this game, Crash, for being one of the Play Stations first 3D characters, looks almost perfect. Every thing is how it should be, extremely detailed and all. The first level along shows of its greatness with all the trees in the back round. Every the water in this game looks better than most boat games! Outstanding

Audio: From wacky jungle music to lab music this game also rocks in this area. Actually this game has better music than most Play Station 2 games. The ruin level especially are magnificent. Now that I thing about there is not a single bad theme to this whole entire game. The noise are also top notch, from flung enemies and a dying witch doctor. Outstanding

Re playability: This game is just the best thing to place over again after any game. Finding every gem and getting 100 percent will also take some long hard work. An alternative ending will speak for itself. Outstanding

Pros:
Fun addicting game
Tons of fun levels
Gems to be collected
No crappy gimmicks in this game
Passwords or a Memory card, for your needs

Cons:
Some body may not like just have one actual move...

This game is definitely worth your time and effort. I would go out buy this master piece even if you never tried it. Since this game is also about $3-7 bucks in stores so you will not even be paying a lot for some thing this great.

Remember Mario? He was like Nintendo... Remember Sonic? He was like Sega... Crash? Oh he is Playstation, the best combination! This is one of the best games in existences, it more than deserves a ten out of ten!

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 07/10/03, Updated 07/10/03