HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Crash Bandicoot, our favorite orange marsupial, has maintained his status as a gaming icon for three decades. He crashed (pun intended) and spun his way into our hearts all the way back in 1996. To celebrate this gaming milestone, here is a list of all the Crash games (that I played), ranked in order. If a game didn’t make the list, it’s because I didn’t play it. Without further delay, let’s get started.

Crash of the Titans

Let me go on record here. I don’t hate this game. If this had been called literally anything else, it might have been a middle-of-the-road average platformer. The possession mechanics to control enemies was an interesting idea, but it grew stale really quickly. The idea to turn it into a beat-’em-up would have been fine if it wasn’t so half-baked. Character redesigns were questionable, and some were outright terrible. Uka Uka looked like an evil piñata. Tiny was redesigned to be an actual tiger, but giving him a nerdy voice was just silly, not funny.

I have to give credit where it’s due. While the plot is a simple world-domination trope, it tried to tell a more fleshed-out story with a pretty decent amount of dialogue. This is not a terrible game, just a terrible Crash game.

Crash Bash

I may get some hate for this, but this is not a good game. It’s an incredibly bland Mario Party clone. The story is just Aku Aku and Uka Uka arguing that their side is better. The Ancients (who are never seen or mentioned prior) will not allow them to battle. So, our favorite heroes and villains are summoned in a contest of good vs. evil.

The minigames are extremely repetitive and boring. Graphics are hideous and are a complete step back from CTR. All around, this is a game that really showed the series was doomed to be milked  for all it was worth in the wrong hands.

Crash Team Rumble

A huge missed opportunity. Crash Team Rumble tried to take the series into the competitive multiplayer scene. This had all the potential in the world but was squandered. The main game is collecting Wumpa Fruit and taking it to your dispenser. Whoever gets to the score limit first wins. Very self-explanatory, but that’s really all there is to it.

Yes, there is a good amount of characters to play as with unique power-ups. But that is not enough to save this. With only one real mode of play, it lost its spark very quickly. If this had a different variety of modes, like team deathmatch or free-for-all, and maybe had shooting mechanics, it could have been a great game.

Wrath of Cortex

The first main entry game not by Naughty Dog. I know that Traveller’s Tales had huge shoes to fill. I can imagine they were worried about deviating from what made the original trilogy so great. But that proved to be their undoing. They added absolutely nothing to the series whatsoever.

The mechanics and level design are basically identical to Warped. The power-ups are exactly the same, besides the tiptoe power-up, which gets my vote for the most useless ability in any game ever. All it does is allow you to tiptoe on inert Nitro crates.

The upside is it did introduce Crunch Bandicoot. However, he’s the boss of every section, albeit with a different elemental power. Crash is known for creative, memorable bosses and villains, and this game basically just has one.

Crash Twinsanity

Wonky so-so game with some really good ideas. Crash Twinsanity has Crash and Cortex working together to stop the Evil Twins from taking over the island. Up to this point, this might be the best story the series has told so far. It has clever and funny dialogue, memorable boss battles, and a huge variety of locations.

However, this game is a broken mess. It dropped the linear level design of previous titles for a more open-ended approach, like the first Jak and Daxter. However, one huge difference is how that plays out. In Jak and Daxter, you clear an area, and you can revisit it and walk around freely. In Twinsanity, it completely loops as if it’s the first time you played it. For example, you will fight the same boss and the same cutscenes will play every time.

That being said, the mechanics for when you utilize Crash and Cortex were pretty clever. Using Cortex as a hammer to smash enemies or as a snowboard rolling down a mountain. This is a game that demands a polished remake to show its full potential.

Crash Bandicoot

We all have to start somewhere. Crash is on a mission to save his girlfriend, Tawna, from the clutches of his creator and arch-nemesis, Dr. Neo Cortex. He washes up on N. Sanity Island.

Being that this is the first installment, the game is extraordinarily basic. Jump and spin are your only methods of attack. That being said, this is a bit of a rough one to revisit. The controls are wonky and a bit clunky. The platforming gets very frustrating toward the end, especially those infuriating bridge levels.

The bosses, on the other hand, are almost like a break between levels. While the bosses are well-designed from a cosmetic standpoint, they are far too easy. Even still, while dated, it’s still a certified classic that deserves praise for the franchise it started.

Check out full review here

Crash Bandicoot 2

Crash 2 has Crash stop Cortex (after initially helping him) from using all the world’s crystals to power his Cortex Vortex. Yes, the plot and twist are painfully predictable, but the story isn’t really this game’s main attraction.

Crash 2 is pretty much a perfect sequel in almost every way. Bigger, badder, smoother, and all-around a huge improvement. While still very much a challenge, collecting every item for 100 percent is nowhere near the headache as the first game. While certain gems still require not dying, however improved controls make it a much fairer challenge.

This title is packed to the brim with clever secret areas and challenges, some of which actually require some thought. For example, a group of Nitro crates that aren’t bouncing seems awfully suspicious.

The bosses are still quite simplistic, but I would say they are certainly an improvement. The only exception is the final boss, which is somehow even worse than the previous game. Besides that, this is a phenomenal sequel.

Check out full review here

Crash Team Racing

Oxide is an evil alien and self-proclaimed fastest driver in the universe. He threatens to take over the planet and enslave humanity if no one can defeat him in the upcoming race tournament.

Yes, it’s a Mario Kart clone, but it is far from a dull one. CTR has a beautiful assortment of levels, a stacked roster of characters, and a very upbeat and catchy soundtrack.

Adventure Mode is the main attraction, but multiplayer is a blast. You can do single races, a cup, or perhaps the most fun: Deathmatch. Deathmatch is exactly what it sounds like. Grab some power-ups and put the hurt on your opponents.

CTR was Naughty Dog’s swansong with the franchise, and a darn good one to boot.

Check out full review here

Crash Team Nitro-Fueled

A well-polished and well-presented remake of CTR. Everything that made CTR great is here and more! With the implementation of online multiplayer and kart customization, this was a remake that was able to stand on its own.

N. Sane Trilogy

The first three games were remade, and it’s the greatest they’ve ever been! A bit questionable, but for better or for worse, it maintains the original play style of each individual game. So, while 2 and 3 play just fine, 1 remains a bit janky and clunky.

However, they did fix the unforgiving difficulty of the original. You don’t have to worry about dying to collect the gems this time around (most of the gems, anyway). Even still, it’s quite a bit of a headache to 100 percent.

Even more questionable was the inclusion of time trials in the first two games. Crash 1 and 2 were emphatically not designed with those in mind. I couldn’t even imagine the burden of trying to complete the bridge levels with a time limit.

Crash Bandicoot 4

The first proper sequel in well over a decade. Crash 4 knocked it out of the park and exceeded everyone’s expectations.

Cortex and N. Trophy have escaped their prison in the past and are now on a quest for revenge against Crash and his family. What makes this so special is that they wanted a return to the formula without making it a retread.

While Crash 4 goes for the classic linear obstacle-course style of gameplay, the new masks and their unique abilities keep things fresh. While not particularly deep narratively, I would say it’s the best in the whole series. It actually tries to have character development and growth.

Fan favorites Dingodile and Tawna return. Dingo is now a reformed villain and business owner who is just trying to get home. Tawna in this game is from another universe and wants to save Crash and Coco from perishing as they did in her dimension.

The multiverse aspect, vast array of times and locations, playable characters, good boss fights, and a decent story help this stand above any post-Naughty Dog installment for sure.

Crash: Warped

The crème de la crème and golden standard of the series. Crash Warped took everything from the previous two titles and perfected it. It is revealed that Cortex the entire time was taking orders from the evil Uka Uka, who is now free from his prison. Utilizing a Time Twister machine, Uka Uka and Dr. Cortex send their henchmen throughout time to collect the crystals and thwart our heroes once and for all.

Warped takes us ALL throughout history: medieval times, the prehistoric era, the future, and even the First World War. This shows a huge level variety for any platformer of the time.

Vehicles are built upon from Crash 2 and are a blast to play. Coco gets to ride a jet ski and a baby tiger, while Crash gets a motorcycle and a dinosaur.

Another nifty feature is the introduction of the power-ups after you defeat each boss. Double jumps, spin gliding, and my personal favorite, the Wumpa Bazooka!

Crash: Warped has more than earned its place not only as the best Crash game but as one of the best games of all time in general.

Check out full review here

Hopeful Future?

There is our N. Sane list! Crash seems to be in a bit of a dormant phase at the moment, but if there is one thing this series has shown us, you can’t keep a good mascot down! With his inclusion in the newest season of Fortnite and the announcement of Spyro 4, there may be hope yet!

Did your favorite title make it? Did you like the list? Let us know why you agree or disagree!

Until then, stay N. Sane!