There’s no denying that Crash Bandicoot is an iconic mascot and with the critical success of the Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy I suppose it was only a matter of time before we saw everyone’s favorite orange marsupial show up elsewhere outside of the Playstation but having the ability to play the first 3 Crash titles on the Nintendo Switch brought something more to the table than previously expected.
Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy was originally released back in 2017 and features the original 3 Crash titles from the good ol’ Playstation 1 era of gaming featuring remastered textures, new music, and a few quality of life touch ups. It was well met with acclaim for being an amazing remake of the originals. In March of 2018 it was revealed that Crash would see a release on Xbox One and PC but most importantly the Nintendo Switch. The last time we’ve seen a main series Crash game on a Nintendo console was Mind Over Mutant back in 2008 so there has been a bit of a gap of time for Crash to make up for. Luckily, the Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy on the Nintendo Switch works with all of the Switch’s strengths without displaying too many of the consoles weaknesses.
One of the biggest incentives of picking up this game on the Nintendo Switch is the obvious portability of the console itself. Whether you are at home or on the go, having this game with you is definitely worth it if you missed playing when it was released on Playstation last year. Owners of the Playstation version may think twice about picking this title up again if you’re looking for new content exclusive to the console other than portability.
Graphically, the game is above average on the Switch which says a lot for a game that was advertised as “Fur K” on other consoles with much higher graphical capabilities. The game on the Switch is noticeably behind with a bit of a color dim, lowered fur texture, and some blur effects to keep the game from melting the console but not too noticeable that it ruins the quality of the game. Each background looks very much like the original version with a steady 30 fps to boot, giving this game my technical stamp of approval for not immediately turning into a slow mess like other recent Switch ports.
Along with the Xbox, Switch, and PC release we also got a new packaging for the game that comes with 2 new levels including the originally cut level ‘Stormy Ascent’ and the brand new level ‘Future Tense’ which is a fantastic way to celebrate the legacy of the game. Stormy Ascent was a level originally planned for the first Crash game that was scrapped due to it’s extreme difficulty. Shortly after the N. Sane Trilogy’s release we got Stormy Ascent as a dlc level. The level is your typical “make your way up a wall of obstacles” type of deal but with the challenge of finishing it with all crates smashed or simply speedrunning through it to get a platinum relic. The level is incredibly frustrating to beat but will satisfy any completionist looking for an extra challenge and an extra Trophy/Achievement to add to their belt.
Future Tense is a brand new level released on the same day as the Xbox, Switch, and PC versions of the game and features a brand new level created by the team behind the N. Sane Trilogy. When speaking to some of the team members at E3 I was told that each member held this as an amazing opportunity to pay respect to the original level design that the series is known for while also offering a new challenge and it definitely shines as it’s own stand alone level. The level itself is fairly different compared to the rest of Crash Warped as you are encouraged to come back throughout the playthrough of the main game to reach certain areas and traverse through some obstacles. Some moves that are definitely necessary to complete the level are double jump, bazooka, and the Death Tornado. All together Future Tense was a nice level that offers something different but doesn’t lose the charm of the original Crash Bandicoot level design.
Altogether for 40 dollars, Crash N. Sane Trilogy cannot be beat. It is the perfect deal for those looking for a game with a lot of replayability and many strengths. The Switch version makes up for it’s graphical weakness by offering a portable version of the same game while not watering it down to the point of inconsistency. This version makes for a N. Sane recommendation.(Minus the bad pun)
Nuke The Fridge Score: 9/10