One of the artists responsible for shaping Crash Bandicoot’s original look believes some modern versions of the character have made “fundamental mistakes”.
Charles Zembillas, who worked on the original Crash Bandicoot games and helped establish the series’ distinctive character designs, has said there are elements of more recent Crash designs that he would change if given the opportunity.
Speaking in a recent interview with YouTuber 9Matt2, Zembillas explained that he generally feels positive about how Crash has evolved over the past 30 years, but admitted some design choices still immediately stand out to him.
“There are certain things about, like, the modern, the most recent version of Crash that I think are fundamental mistakes,” he said.
Zembillas was careful not to directly criticise the artists who have worked on Crash since his own involvement with the series ended, describing later versions as their own interpretations of the character.
Instead, he said he wishes developers would occasionally reach out and allow him to offer feedback on new designs.
“I wish that somebody would have gotten in touch with me,” Zembillas said. “I wish they would do that.”
He added that he believes relatively small changes could improve some modern interpretations.
“I could do little fine-tuning and I could absolutely make it better, but nobody ever contacts me.”
Crash’s changing look
Crash Bandicoot has been interpreted by numerous studios and artists since his original PlayStation appearances, with the character’s appearance changing considerably between different eras of the franchise.
Zembillas said his own preference remains closer to the earlier versions of Crash, particularly around the Crash Bandicoot 2 and Crash Bandicoot 3 era.
He also spoke about the earlier “Willie the Wombat” version of the character, noting that Crash originally had a longer, heavier nose that was intended to move more noticeably while he ran.
Over time, that design became more streamlined, but Zembillas said the earlier versions remain his favourites.
“I like that version of Crash probably the best,” he said.
He also stressed that he doesn’t like “getting down on people’s work”, pointing out that different teams have naturally developed their own interpretations of the character over the years.
That hasn’t stopped certain details from bothering him, however.
Zembillas said that when he sees what he considers a fundamental design flaw in Crash, it immediately jumps out at him.
“Every time I see Crash, that flaw, or whatever flaw happens to be in the design, just blares out at me,” he said, comparing it to “a beacon that I can’t turn off”.
Despite that, he said the franchise has generally evolved well and praised some of the artists who have taken his original characters in new directions. Dingodile was one example.
Zembillas said newer interpretations of the character have sometimes taken the direction he originally established and made it “far better” than what he produced himself.
“In general, I feel very positive about the evolution of Crash,” he said.
Crash Bandicoot has had several visual reinventions
Crash’s appearance has changed repeatedly since the Naughty Dog era.
The character underwent notable redesigns during the Crash of the Titans and Crash: Mind over Mutant period, before the original trilogy’s visual identity was revisited for Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy in 2017.
The series then received another major artistic overhaul for Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time in 2020.
Developer Toys for Bob introduced what Activision described as a “fresh take” on Crash and the wider cast, with a new art style created specifically for the sequel.
That continued a long history of different studios putting their own stamp on a character whose original design dates back to the mid-1990s.
Charles Zembillas ‘would be happy’ to return to Crash
Despite his reservations about some of Crash’s more recent designs, Zembillas hasn’t ruled out working on the franchise again.
Later in the same 9Matt2 interview, he was asked directly whether he would consider returning to the series as a character designer if given the opportunity.
“Yeah, sure,” Zembillas replied.
“I’d be happy to. It would be fun. I’d be happy to do it, but nobody invites me.”
Zembillas’ last direct involvement with Crash came through his work on Crash Nitro Kart with Vicarious Visions in the early 2000s.
Since then, he has continued to draw Crash and engage with the franchise’s fanbase, even while watching the series evolve without his direct involvement.
He said much of his continued connection to Crash now comes through those fans.
“I enjoy doing artwork for the fans. I enjoy interacting with the fans,” he said.
For now, though, any official return remains hypothetical.
