Crash Bandicoot (PS1, 1996)
Graphics-7 Sound-6 Control-6.5 Challenge-7.5/9* Story-5?
Level Design-6.5 Frustration-8.5/9.5* Fun-7/5* Originality-4.5
Overall Score-6.5
*going for 100%
+
Mario-inspired gameplay (block switches, springs, hit boxes from below to get items, level paths that appear after collecting a certain item in another part of the world, etc.)
Some alternate paths through levels (pretty rare though)
Decent use of color overall
Many hidden boxes
Mid-level checkpoints (sometimes more; unfortunately they don't save your box opening progress (and even if you backtrack to get all boxes after dying the game skips the tally screen!) so if you're going for 100% you'll have to restart the level after dying)
Enemies can be bounced into objects or other enemies behind them
Temporary invincibility power up (collect three masks)
Exploding box puzzles
Some decent bosses (ripper roo, koala kong, nitrus, cortex) - most are pretty simple though
Replay beaten levels
Death animations
One alternate ending if you 100% the game (which isn't really worth it)
A few unlockable bonus levels (collect three cortex icons in a level)
+/-
Save feature (shows collecting stats and number of levels left to beat (the latter is a minor spoiler though) - However, you can't save unless you beat a bonus round (finding a gem or key only saves that item) and to get to one you need to find three cortex icons in a level
Optional collectathon element (have to get all boxes and not die in a level to get its gem - colored gems in turn unlock hidden areas in various levels (similar to the switches in Super Mario World), white gems unlock a second ending if all of them are collected)
Can't control the camera (the auto angles aren't always the best (especially when moving backwards in a level) and Crash easily ends up off screen if you stray just a bit from the path)
Very straightforward and linear levels overall
Can't jump on regular boxes without destroying them (could've been used to reach new places)
Fairly steep difficulty curve
Invisible charge/cooldown meter on your attacks (you can spin a couple of times in a row but then have to wait for a few seconds before you can spin again)
DKC-inspired setting (tropical islands)
Spinning into items makes them fly off screen
Loose slope momentum from jumping
You can remove the effect of a TNT box explosion by moving far enough away from it
-
Sometimes glitchy hit detection for the lowest boxes in bonus rounds (Crash won't always bounce off of and destroy a box when you land on it)
Somewhat hard to judge distances on the z-plane
Sometimes unforgiving hit detection/physics (shield enemies, first boss, some platform edges)
Some frustrating backwards/out of the screen segments (boulder chase)
So-so mid-air control after bouncing on a spring or box
Somewhat floaty movement controls (Crash takes an extra step after letting go of the button if you've built up some speed)
Can't view how many boxes you had left to find and open on a level when on the hub map (the game doesn't save your collecting progress for a finished level either)
No difficulty options
Somewhat bland bonus rounds (just a different location like in SMB1)
Can't access the volume controls from the pause menu
Can't move backwards after reaching the end of a bonus round
Some difficulty spikes (slippery climb level, boar ride - uneven framerate)
Some trial & error (parts of the lights out level, finding where a box was spawned by hitting a !-block, can't make enemies respawn, see camera angles, boss patterns (Crash can suddenly duck behind cover in the tommy gun boss fight), can still be eaten by plants while invincible)
Lots of pits and death traps
Some tedious vertical platforming
Tedious to collect all boxes in some segments
No alternate power ups
Levels don't flow as well as in Mario/DKC/Sonic
Awkward island transitions
Kind of repetitive
Generic art direction overall (some nice backgrounds though)
Douchy main character who also looks kind of weird in-game compared to later titles
Fairly stereotypical tribal theme with mostly forgettable music
Smudgy textures and blocky models compared to the sequels
Level Design-6.5 Frustration-8.5/9.5* Fun-7/5* Originality-4.5
Overall Score-6.5
*going for 100%
+
Mario-inspired gameplay (block switches, springs, hit boxes from below to get items, level paths that appear after collecting a certain item in another part of the world, etc.)
Some alternate paths through levels (pretty rare though)
Decent use of color overall
Many hidden boxes
Mid-level checkpoints (sometimes more; unfortunately they don't save your box opening progress (and even if you backtrack to get all boxes after dying the game skips the tally screen!) so if you're going for 100% you'll have to restart the level after dying)
Enemies can be bounced into objects or other enemies behind them
Temporary invincibility power up (collect three masks)
Exploding box puzzles
Some decent bosses (ripper roo, koala kong, nitrus, cortex) - most are pretty simple though
Replay beaten levels
Death animations
One alternate ending if you 100% the game (which isn't really worth it)
A few unlockable bonus levels (collect three cortex icons in a level)
+/-
Save feature (shows collecting stats and number of levels left to beat (the latter is a minor spoiler though) - However, you can't save unless you beat a bonus round (finding a gem or key only saves that item) and to get to one you need to find three cortex icons in a level
Optional collectathon element (have to get all boxes and not die in a level to get its gem - colored gems in turn unlock hidden areas in various levels (similar to the switches in Super Mario World), white gems unlock a second ending if all of them are collected)
Can't control the camera (the auto angles aren't always the best (especially when moving backwards in a level) and Crash easily ends up off screen if you stray just a bit from the path)
Very straightforward and linear levels overall
Can't jump on regular boxes without destroying them (could've been used to reach new places)
Fairly steep difficulty curve
Invisible charge/cooldown meter on your attacks (you can spin a couple of times in a row but then have to wait for a few seconds before you can spin again)
DKC-inspired setting (tropical islands)
Spinning into items makes them fly off screen
Loose slope momentum from jumping
You can remove the effect of a TNT box explosion by moving far enough away from it
-
Sometimes glitchy hit detection for the lowest boxes in bonus rounds (Crash won't always bounce off of and destroy a box when you land on it)
Somewhat hard to judge distances on the z-plane
Sometimes unforgiving hit detection/physics (shield enemies, first boss, some platform edges)
Some frustrating backwards/out of the screen segments (boulder chase)
So-so mid-air control after bouncing on a spring or box
Somewhat floaty movement controls (Crash takes an extra step after letting go of the button if you've built up some speed)
Can't view how many boxes you had left to find and open on a level when on the hub map (the game doesn't save your collecting progress for a finished level either)
No difficulty options
Somewhat bland bonus rounds (just a different location like in SMB1)
Can't access the volume controls from the pause menu
Can't move backwards after reaching the end of a bonus round
Some difficulty spikes (slippery climb level, boar ride - uneven framerate)
Some trial & error (parts of the lights out level, finding where a box was spawned by hitting a !-block, can't make enemies respawn, see camera angles, boss patterns (Crash can suddenly duck behind cover in the tommy gun boss fight), can still be eaten by plants while invincible)
Lots of pits and death traps
Some tedious vertical platforming
Tedious to collect all boxes in some segments
No alternate power ups
Levels don't flow as well as in Mario/DKC/Sonic
Awkward island transitions
Kind of repetitive
Generic art direction overall (some nice backgrounds though)
Douchy main character who also looks kind of weird in-game compared to later titles
Fairly stereotypical tribal theme with mostly forgettable music
Smudgy textures and blocky models compared to the sequels