Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy

Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy brought to Xbox One a complete remake of the first three installments of the legendary platforming series from the PlayStation era, namely Crash Bandicoot, Cortex Strikes Back and Warped, together with dozens of levels and boss fights. The player again runs through linear levels, collects crates of Wumpa fruit, smashes crates and dodges traps, while the typical behind-the-character viewpoint and precise jumping remain the heart of the gameplay, and the game consistently punishes every careless step with the loss of a life. Besides the classic levels, there's no shortage of motorbike rides, diving, riding a boar or flying a plane, which add variety to the otherwise straightforward progress through a level and give the trilogy the pacing variety it needs.

The graphical overhaul by Vicarious Visions gave the games a modern look with detailed character models and environments full of particle effects, without losing the character of the originals, and on Xbox One it runs smoothly at a high resolution even during more demanding passages with many enemies on screen. The music and sound effects were also newly recorded, but retain the atmosphere of nineties platformers with colorful island scenery, volcanoes, Egyptian temples and Doctor Cortex's futuristic laboratories, between which the player moves via a clear world map.

The remake was received upon release as a well-made tribute to a classic, though it earned a reputation for its high difficulty, which faithfully mirrors the demands of the nineties originals and, in some respects, is even tougher thanks to more precise jumps. For many players it was a first encounter with the series, for those with fond memories it was a return to favorite characters in a modern coat, complemented by time trials and collectible gems for those who wanted to master the levels perfectly. The trilogy confirmed the lasting appeal of the 3D platformer genre and to this day remains among the titles worth trying both for nostalgia and for its honestly designed level design, which rewards patience and precision.

Why play it: For fans of the series both nostalgic and new, this is an honestly designed level design that rewards patience and precision, even though its high difficulty faithfully mirrors the demands of the tough nineties originals.