Crash Bandicoot 2: N-Tranced

Crash Bandicoot 2: N-Tranced built on the success of the previous handheld entry and, again from Vicarious Visions, brought another platforming adventure with Crash, Coco, and Doctor Neo Cortex to the Game Boy Advance, with Cortex this time teaming up with a new villain, N. Tranced, to hypnotize the island's inhabitants and once again threaten the world with an army of zombified creatures.

The game's structure sticks to the series' proven formula: the player moves through a set of themed levels divided by gates, collects wumpa fruit and crystals, and faces sequences where Crash runs away from the camera as well as classic side-view sections full of pitfalls and moving platforms. New motorcycle-riding sections and other gameplay variations were added, meant to ease the repetitiveness of pure jumping and crate-smashing and offer players a slightly different pace between levels. Just as in the first handheld entry, motivation here comes not only from finishing the story but also from collecting hidden gems, which unlock alternative endings and bonus content for players willing to go through the levels more thoroughly. Visually, the game once again managed to offer colorful, readable environments and smooth animation on the GBA's limited display, accompanied by lighthearted music in the spirit of the series' previous entries.

Reception was similar to the first handheld Crash - players and reviewers praised how the series' fun essence was preserved even on the smaller platform, though there were comments about the repetitive level design structure and less inventiveness compared to its predecessor. Today N-Tranced is valued as a reliable sequel for fans who came to love the pace and atmosphere of the handheld outings with the popular bandicoot after the first entry, and as proof that the console franchise could sustain itself on the GBA for several consecutive years without losing production quality.

Why play: For fans who enjoyed the first handheld Crash, it's a reliable sequel with the same atmosphere and pace, even though the level design no longer surprises much with new ideas.