Voice of London

*Queue Tiki sound when you get the mask*

Reporter: Ryan Yeo | Sub-Editor: Emre Gunes

Everyone’s favourite marsupial is but a spin, body slam and slide away. Set to release in 2017, 21 years after the original game was released, Crash Bandicoot: N-Sane Trilogy will feature the first three instalments remastered for PS4 – Crash Bandicoot, Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back and Crash Bandicoot: Warped

With improved graphics, gamers will be able to enjoy the nostalgia from Sony’s staple franchise with a modern twist. Gameplay mechanics have been tweaked as well, with Crash able to run in full 360 degree rotation, as opposed to the original eight directions. Additionally, a ‘save’ function has been added so you don’t have to restart the game when you run out of lives, and every level can be played with an optional time trial.

The developer also released a five minute gameplay video at Sony’s PSX event. The noticeable improvements include being able to see the wumpa fruit through the crates, while the sounds of spinning and falling to your death are happily familiar.

The franchise has gone through several developers over the years, with Naughty Dog creating the original three. However, despite still being owned by Sony, the newly remastered package was developed by Vicarious Visions (owned by Activision) – the same studio that develops the current Spyro spin-off franchise ‘Skylanders’.

This release follows the latest trend of ‘remastering’ video games. Naughty Dog remastered ‘The Last Of Us’ and ‘Uncharted’ in the past 2 years, with improved graphics for the PS4. Insomniac Games also remade ‘Ratchet & Clank’ – a re-envisioning of the original game released 14 years ago.

While Crash Bandicoot is also technically a remake, since the old coding and gameplay is too archaic to update, it’s a telling sign that while new technology allows for newer ways to play games, gamers also want to continue playing games they grew up with on newer consoles. Nostalgia, it seems, trumps technology.