Crash Bandicoot
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- This article is about the character and the video game franchise. For the video game, see Crash Bandicoot (video game).
Crash Bandicoot, or simply Crash, is a popular video game character who stars in a video game franchise of the same name. Originally a straightforward platformer for the PlayStation, it has since expanded to the Game Boy Advance, GameCube, PlayStation 2, and Xbox with various spin-off games in different genres. With a few exceptions, Crash Bandicoot himself does not talk in his early games for PlayStation. However, he was voiced by Rob Paulsen in his later games.
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The platformers
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The first three Crash games, as well as several subsequent Crash games, were platform games.
Gameplay
In short, the player will be in control of Crash (in some scenarios, however, other characters may be available), and has to maneuver him through several levels. The scenarios differ from each other, depending on what kind of mission that is requested of Crash.
There are Aku Aku masks sparsely scattered throughout the levels. Collecting an Aku Aku mask while Crash already has one turns the one he has gold. Collecting another mask while Crash has a gold one grants Crash limited-time invincibility, after which the mask reverts to being gold. Getting hit will reduce the mask from gold to normal or from normal to nothing. If Crash gets hit when he does not have a mask, he will meet his end in a sometimes comical animation.
In some of the Crash platformers, not including the original, some levels have a skull platform. Stepping on it brings Crash to a difficult part of the level. To be able to use the platform, Crash must not have died before reaching it. The benefit to stepping on a skull platform is the acquisition of special game items called gems.
Obstacles in Crash's path include animal-like creatures and other badguys; Dr. Neo Cortex's henchmen, dressed in labcoats; various machinery; and physical barriers. To surmount these, Crash can use his jump move and his spin attack. In Crash platformers after the first, he can also do a body slam, slide, duck, crawl, and perform an extra-high jump by sliding or ducking and then jumping. In Crash platformers after the second, Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back, Crash can also collect a special move after defeating each boss.
Crates
There are crates scattered throughout the levels. Most crates contain some bonus. Some have wumpa fruits in them, and collecting 100 fruits gives the player an extra life. Others have Aku Aku masks.
The player can get one gem per level by breaking all of the crates in one level. Most gems are white, but some are colored. In the original Crash Bandicoot, but in none of its sequels, some gems acquired by breaking all of a level's boxes are colored. The remaining white and colored gems must be collected by finding and touching them. They are invariably positioned in an area that is difficult to reach.
In addition to crates that provide bonuses, there are also TNT crates. If Crash attacks one, he loses a life. If he jumps on one, a short countdown is started, after which the TNT crate explodes. Some TNT crates are useful to clear obtacles.
Some crates have on them an arrow pointing upwards. Landing on one will spring Crash into the air, much like a trampoline does.
With the exception of the original, there are Nitro crates in all Crash platformers. If crash touches one, he loses a life. Attacking a metal, green crate with an exclamation mark on it destroys all of a level's Nitro crates.
Also present in all Crash platformers except for the original are normal crates that are protected by a metal gridlock surrounding their edges normally destroyed by using the body slam move.
Beginning with the third Crash game, Crash Bandicoot: Warped, some crates are shifting crates. They shift among different kinds of crates. The rate at which a shifting crate changes gradually increases, until finally the crate becomes metal and indestructible.
Sony's old Mario?
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The original Crash Bandicoot was one of the earliest 3D platformers and was a major seller. Sony originally made Crash Bandicoot the mascot for the PlayStation. However, with the release of Crash games on other platforms, Sony eventually abandoned Crash as a mascot.
Crash Bandicoot is often compared to Mario, as both of them were mascots of their respective consoles. Both the original Crash Bandicoot and Super Mario 64 were early 3D platformers. After the first three Crash games, much like Mario before him, Crash branched out, starring in a kart racing game, analogous to Super Mario Kart, and a party game, analogous to Mario Party. All of this has contributed to the image that Crash is Sony's equivalent of Mario.
Crash Bandicoot was also extremely influential in reviving the character archetype of an obscure anthropomorphic animal starring in a platform game. This practice was pioneered by Sonic the Hedgehog a few years earlier, but achieved greater popularity during and after the Crash era with characters such as Blinx, Sly Cooper, and Spyro the Dragon.
Characters
- Crash Bandicoot: The "blunder from downunder" is the hero of the series. Fast, smart and funny, Crash spins his way through many different worlds. He lives with his sister, Coco.
- Dr. Neo Cortex: The big-headed (literally) scientist that transformed Crash in his present form, along with Coco. Cortex is very intelligent, but has to work for Uka Uka, an evil tiki mask. Cortex has several minions including N. Gin, Dingodile and Tiny Tiger.
- Coco Bandicoot: Crash's young, blonde-haired intelligent sister. She is usually found typing madly on a laptop or riding her scooter. Coco can take over levels herself instead of Crash.
- Crunch: A powerful bandicoot warrior created by Cortex in Crash Bandicoot: Wrath of Cortex. He teamed up with the Elementals, but each one was defeated. Crunch then decided to join Crash and is a ally to the crazy bandicoot.
- Tawna: Crash's ex-girlfriend. She was cut from the series for "political reasons."
- Aku Aku: This living witch doctor mask is Crash and Coco's mentor. He is wise and trustworthy, unlike his evil brother, Uka Uka. He has scatters replicas of himself to protect Crash/Coco from trouble.
- Uka Uka: Aku Aku's evil brother. He has his own temple-like dimension in the middle of space that he and Aku Aku can reach. Uka Uka works with Cortex to try at kill Crash, but they always fail.
- Dr. Nitrus Brio: Once Cortex's trusted assistant. Brio actually invented most of the weapons Cortex had, and Cortex took credit for them. This got Brio mad, so he betrayed Cortex. He was forced to work with Cortex in Crash Bash. He also has a stutter and and invented a potion powerful enough to turn the meek and fretful chemist into a horrible monster.
- Dr. N Gin: Cortex's new right-hand man who sounds like Igor. He is most famous for the missile implanted in the side of his head. He is also half cyborg, because of the freak accident he had with that missile. Enjoys creating mecha fighing robots, has a thing for pirates, and donned a goth-like appearance in Crash Tag Team Racing.
- Dr. Nefarious Tropy: Tropy is a master of time and one Cortex's friends. He created the Time Twister which he can use to distort and change time. Has a small accent which is sometimes believed to be British and blue skin for some strange reason.
- Dingodile: One of Cortex's creations. He is half dingo and half crocodile. He enjoys reading Shakespeare, playing chess, and burning a certain bandicoot with his powerful flamethrower.
- Tiny Tiger: Tiny is another of Cortex's creations. Strong, mean and wild, Tiny is not so tiny, in fact he is pretty big. Tiny is not dumb either, but just can't seem to crush Crash.
- Koala Kong: Koala was once a friendly and kind guy... until he took 50 steroids at once! He likes to eat eucalyptus trunks and enjoys throwing things, like rocks for example...big rocks!
- Papu Papu: Papu Papu is the leader of the native tribe on Crash's home island. He was easily defeated by Crash, so Cortex threw him off his evil team. Papu Papu returned to seek revenge in Crash Bash.
- Fake Crash: This guy was supposed to be an exact copy of Crash, but the eyebrows and bucked teeth gave it away. Cortex created him to impersonate Crash for evil, but he became good.
- Ripper Roo: This crazy creature loves to bounce about and has a thing for throwing dynamite about.
- Nitros Oxide: A weird alien who claims to be the best racer in the galaxy. He was proven wrong by our heroes and villains.
- Polar: This baby polar bear is Crash's pet and has mastered racing, running and controlling his steps on slippery surfaces.
- Pura: Pura is Coco's cute, bright-eyed pet tiger cub.
- N. Trance: This evil, purple mutant egg is from the 5th Dimension. He is able to hypnotise his enemies. He is good friends with Tropy and they two are partners in crime.
- Rokko: Rokko is one of the Elementals, a group of destructive masks that were put into hibernation when they caused havoc on the earth a couple of millenniums ago. Rokko is the Earth Elemental and is able to control landslides and earthquakes. He was the first to be defeated by Crash and Coco.
- Wawa: Wawa is the Water Elemental, meaning he is able to control water and create whirlpools, flood and tidal waves. He is very hot-headed and desperate to drown Crash. He was the second to be defeated by Crash and Coco.
- Pyro: Pyro is the Fire Elemental and leader of the Elementals. He is wise, wicked and powerful. After Rokko and Wawa were defeated, Pyro went after Crash with Crunch and tried to fry Crash with his fiery powers. He was defeated quickly.
- Lolo: Lolo is the Wind Elemental, meaning his can create tornadoes and control the wind currents around the world. He can also controls the weather, so he can make it rain, snow or a thunderstorm. He was the last Elemental to be defeated by Crash and Coco.
- Penta Penguin: Penta is one of Crash's old friends. He is good and racing and enjoys skiing and fishing.
- Rilla Roo: Rilla Roo is a evil gorilla-kangaroo hybrid who escaped from a circus train. He hates having his photo taken and has a powerful tail whip attack.
- Spyro the Dragon: Spyro is a famous puprle dragon who has his own video game series. His best friend is a dragonfly called Sparx. He has worked alongside with Crash once or twice.
- Emperor Velo the 27th: An evil alien emperor who wanted Crash and Cortex to race for him. They managed to overpower him in the end.
- Victor and Moritz: Two mutant parakeets who were abused by Cortex. They wanted revenge on him, but Crash had to help Cortex.
- Nina Cortex: Cortex's niece who was once kind, but Cortex changed her into a freaky goth-like child.
Developers
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The first four Crash Bandicoot games were developed by Naughty Dog. Crash Bash was developed by Eurocom, Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex and Crash Twinsanity were developed by Traveller's Tales, and the rest of the games were developed by Vicarious Visions.
Even though the games were originally published by Sony for the PlayStation, Vivendi Universal owns the copyrights to the games and characters, which is why multiple developers have worked with the property, and why games have been released for Nintendo and Microsoft consoles.
Installments
PlayStation
- Crash Bandicoot (1996)
- Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back (1997)
- Crash Bandicoot: Warped (1998)
- Crash Team Racing (CTR) (1999)
- Crash Bash (2000)
Game Boy Advance
- Crash Bandicoot: The Huge Adventure (2001)
- Crash Bandicoot: N-Tranced (2003)
- Crash Bandicoot Purple: Ripto's Rampage (2004)
Multiplatform
- Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex (2001)
- Crash Nitro Kart (2003)
- Crash Twinsanity (2004)
- Crash Tag Team Racing (2005)
External links
- Naughty Dog's Crash Bandicoot site (http://www.naughtydog.com/crash/)
- CrashBandicoot.com (http://www.crashbandicoot.com/)de:Crash Bandicoot