Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy is due for release this month, and the long wait is almost over. Gamers have been eagerly anticipating the return of one of the most iconic and original console characters of all time, and this revamped version is set to bring the powerful modern-day graphics of next generation consoles to the classic franchise of old. The game features all three original Crash games, including Crash Bandicoot, Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back, and Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped. It is sure to attract older gamers seeking nostalgia, as well as younger players purely because it’s such a great game. Hopefully, it will also lead to the return of other amazing characters from consoles past.
Naughty Dog gave players a cheeky reminder of Crash Bandicoot in Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End, when Nathan Drake challenged his wife at the platform game in their living room. Drake was having a go at the original PlayStation version, and it was apparent how amazingly advanced graphics have become when comparing it with the stunning visuals of Uncharted 4. The reboot of the game will, of course, be totally refined and make full use of the current technology available. The modern-day audience just wouldn’t be able to cope with the pixelated old-school graphics. The gameplay is sure to be tweaked as well, so that Crash’s movements are more responsive and realistic. Aside from that, it will still feature the mischievous marsupial, all the much-loved characters, and the engaging storylines of the ’90s adventure.
Gamers who remember the original PlayStation as one of their first consoles ever will be hoping that the return of Crash Bandicoot will spark a revival of a number of other hugely popular characters from that era. If there were to be more remakes, one obvious choice would be Spyro the Dragon. Like Crash Bandicoot, Spyro was also a trilogy back in the late ’90s.
The time is right for a Spyro return in some self-titled games, as the purple hero has cropped up in a number of places recently to remind players of the games of old, the first of which IGN awarded an impressive score of 9/10. Spyro has been a playable character in Activision’s Skylanders series, with the 2011 offering entitled Skylanders: Spyro’s Adventure focusing mainly on the friendly dragon. The lovable character has also clearly inspired films and other games as well. The 2010 DreamWorks animation How to Train Your Dragon features Toothless, an affable dragon which was obviously based on Spyro. Features of the ’90s platformer are even evident in iGaming, with Dragonz at 32Red owing a lot to the Insomniac title’s aesthetics. It even features some fire-breathing side games, and according to Oddschecker, there is a £32 bonus on every £10 deposited for new customers.
Developers could go two ways with bringing back these adored masterworks. They could go down the remastering path as they have done with Crash Bandicoot and give players a reminder of how good the games of old were. But they could also follow in the footsteps of Tomb Raider and give the franchise a complete overhaul for modern-day audiences. Tomb Raider and Rise of the Tomb Raider have received excellent critical acclaim, and were awarded scores of 10/10 and 9/10 on Steam, respectively. It remains to be seen what kind of reception the Crash Bandicoot revival will get, but perhaps if it doesn’t do as well as Tomb Raider then developers may consider a brand new story for games like Spyro the Dragon.
Audiences of today are clearly attracted to games that incorporate some kind of nostalgic element. Pokémon Go and the revival of the Nintendo Entertainment System proved that. The success of the latest Tomb Raider offerings and the hype around the release of Crash Bandicoot also support the fact that there is little risk in re-releasing popular games from twenty years ago. Spyro the Dragon would certainly be a hit, but what else could succeed? Tomba could be an option, as could Rayman. It just goes to show that great games can stand the test of time, and still attract players many years on.
