Crash Bandicoot: Warped is the third game in the Crash Bandicoot series. It was developed by Naughty Dog and published by Sony for the PlayStation in 1998. Like the other games in the series, Warped is a 3D platform game. The previous two games were Crash Bandicoot (released in 1996) and Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back (released in 1997). Crash became the PlayStation's mascot though it was at a time when mascots were becoming increasingly unimportant. Also, since the Crash series later became multiplatform, he is not as recognizable as a Mascot as Mario for Nintendo or Sonic for Sega. Ironically, Crash is now owned by Activision which is owned by Microsoft.
This game picks up after the events of Cortex Strikes Back. Once again, as evil characters tend to do, Dr. Neo Cortex and his sidekick Dr. N. Tropy are again attempting to take over the world. Crash, along with his sister Coco Bandicoot and various other friends, must prevent Dr. Neo Cortex's plans with the "Time Twister" from coming to fruition. With a device called the "Time Twister", you know time travel will be involved. This game takes place in various historical time periods including the prehistoric age, medieval times, and ancient Egypt. Enemies feature not only Dr. Neo Cortex and Dr. N. Tropy but a variety of other bosses including the jester Dingodile, the armored dinosaur Pinstripe and others. The goal of the game is to defeat each boss and collect crystals necessary to defeat N. Tropy.
The basic game play elements are similar to the previous games in the series. Like in the other games, Crash can still jump, spin, etc. through the various platform levels. However, there are some new game play elements introduced in this game as well including riding a motorcycle, flying an airplane, exploring underwater, and more. Also, in addition to the standard moves, various power-ups are introduced including the Super Belly Flop, among others. The game is centered around a series of "warp rooms," each of which represents a different time period. These warp rooms act as hubs from which Crash can enter levels. This game makes good use of the time travel design to provide a wide variety of levels and bosses. As you might expect, there are also many secrets to unlock. To add to the variety, there are also mini-games.
The graphics were some of the best available on the PlayStation at the time. The graphics and sound did an excellent job of creating a cartoon-like atmosphere. The game also makes good use of the various time period to provide a wide variety of graphic settings. Likewise, the soundtrack is excellent with a variety of catchy and upbeat songs. For those that played Warped back in the day, I'm sure these tunes trigger a wave of Nostalgia.
Crash Bandicoot: Warped was probably the best game in the series up until that point. It is an excellent example of the capabilities of the PlayStation and overall, is an excellent platform game. If you like this style of game, then this is one you should at least try. The first two games in the series are worth playing as well. Warped was the last game in the main series to be released on the PlayStation though a racing game (Crash Team Racing) and a party game (Crash Bash) would be released for the PlayStation over the next couple of years. The main series would continue though it would become multiplatform series after Warped.
Check out some of my other recent posts:
Vintage Photos - Lot 3 (125-128)
https://ecency.com/photography/@darth-azrael/vintage-photos-lot-3-125
Compute!'s Gazette (December 1984)
https://ecency.com/retrocomputing/@darth-azrael/compute-s-gazette-december-1984
Vintage Photos - Lot 3 (121-124)
https://ecency.com/vintage/@darth-azrael/vintage-photos-lot-3-121
Vintage Photos - Lot 3 (117-120)
https://ecency.com/vintage/@darth-azrael/vintage-photos-lot-3-117
Three Tune Tuesday - Matthew Sweet
https://ecency.com/threetunetuesday/@darth-azrael/three-tune-tuesday-matthew-sweet
PC World (July 1985)
https://ecency.com/retrocomputing/@darth-azrael/pc-world-july-1985
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Books I am reading or have recently read:
Total Power by Vince Flynn
Fallen Founder: The Life of Aaron Burr by Nancy Isenberg
Republic of Thieves by Scott Lynch
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