Crash Bandicoot 2: N-Tranced

"Comfortingly familiar, or lacking inspiration?"

Crash Bandicoot is one of the most popular Video Game characters in existence, having sold over 27 million games worldwide since his debut on the original Playstation in 1996. While some may not be fans of his linear style of platforming (particularly those raised on Mario), the PSone trilogy were still classic examples of how to create a well-balanced platform title. Recently, he went multiplatform in the average-at-best Wrath of Cortex, but his real return to form was in last year's Crash Bandicoot: XS on the GBA. Combining the distinct sights and sounds of the Crash universe with the simple, but highly addictive game play style and cramming it all into one tiny GBA cart was no mean feat, but Vicarious Visions pulled it off with aplomb, albeit at the cost of a dimension (Though the more cynical may argue that Crash Bandicoot has always been a pretty two dimensional affair...)

So, here comes the sequel. First things first, this doesn't radically reinvent the platforming genre, nor does it offer anything particularly new. The story is the usual waffle; Bad guys out to take over the world and Crash is the only one who can stop them. It won't win any Oscars, but it is told with some nicely rendered stills that break up the action nicely.

As usual, the bulk of the game is taken up by side scrolling platform sections. There are crates to smash, wumpa fruit to collect, bad guys to jump on and obstacles to traverse. These levels are good fun to play with a nice variety and will challenge your gaming skill to the limit. Each level has a gem to collect when you complete it, and there are also hidden gems to find if you look hard enough. Defeating a boss rewards you with a new ability, such as a super jump or sprinting ability, enabling you to go back and use them in completed levels to find hidden gems. It’s the same tried and tested Crash formula that’s been evident since Crash 2 on the Playstation, but it works and the determination to get that elusive 100 percent completion rating is still as strong as ever. Prepare for a lot of swearing and frustration as you fail that jump for the umpteenth time, only to find yourself trying it again, determined to master the level. Annoyingly, however, the collision detection seems to be a bit unreliable and the pseudo-3D perspective can cause some minor irritations, especially when trying to dodge ‘one-hit-and-you’re-out’ Nitro crates…

Other play modes are tossed into the mix, including some enjoyable water skiing levels (vaguely reminiscent of the boulder dash sequences in the original) and some confusing space levels where you play as Coco, Crash’s sister. These are the weakest sections, with a highly confusing play perspective and sluggish controls, but thankfully they are kept to a minimum. The most enjoyable of the bonus games is the atlasphere, where players must guide a ball through a maze. Think Super Monkey Ball with a Tony Hawk’s GBA perspective and you’ll get some idea of what it’s like. The controls in these sections are pin-sharp and the movement of a ball has been replicated perfectly. The first time through these levels you’ll want to take it slowly, but when you race against the clock in time trial mode they become very frantic.

Crash Bandicoot 2: N-Tranced is a superb looking game. The animation for Crash himself is outstanding, and the locations themselves are colourful and detailed. The enemies are a little poorly defined and can easily be mistaken for parts of the background, which is a bit of an annoyance, but overall it’s very impressive and even on a par with his Playstation efforts. The music is good and has been directly lifted from Crash 3: Warped on the Playstation, and the usual sound effects are crisp and sharp. There’s definitely nothing wrong with the presentational side of Crash.

As for lifespan, well, that’s debateable. The main game can be rushed through in about a week, but if you’re looking for a 100% completion rating (and the chance to fight the final boss) the time trials will keep you occupied for a long time. Whether you have the patience to finish the whole thing is another question. There are also some minor multiplayer modes and GCN link-up features to keep you busy, although these are really nothing to shout about

Crash Bandicoot 2: N-Tranced is nothing you haven’t seen before. It is however, a highly enjoyable, solid and good-looking platformer, which keeps the heart and soul of the Crash Bandicoot series in tact. If you’re looking for an innovative experience then this is perhaps not for you and it can also be just a little too familiar at times, but it’s still brilliant fun to play, so comes highly recommended.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 12/07/03