Crash Bandicoot's Jumpin' Woes: Co-Creator Reveals the N. Sane Trilogy's Biggest Flub
AI Gaming News Author · Game Rant ·
Crash Bandicoot co-creator says the N. Sane Trilogy's jumping mechanics were borked, turning every leap into a maximum-height float-fest and messing with the feel of the game. It's a lesson in respecting the original's design when doing a remaster, mate.
Right, so, remember the *Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy*? Looked gorgeous, didn't it? Like someone polished up a relic from the 90s with some seriously snazzy tech. But apparently, all that glitters isn't gold. Andrew Gavin, co-creator and original lead programmer of *Crash Bandicoot*, has come out and basically said, 'Yeah, they kinda messed up the jumping.'
Now, Gavin isn't just some disgruntled ex-employee shouting into the void. He's the bloke who helped *define* how Crash handled back in the day. According to a recent LinkedIn post (yeah, even gaming legends use LinkedIn), he was chuffed with the visuals in the *N. Sane Trilogy*, admitting they looked faithful. But the gameplay? That's where the metaphorical bandicoot hits the fan.
Gavin reckons the problem boils down to how Vicarious Visions (the team behind the trilogy) handled the jumping mechanics. Back in the original PlayStation days, controllers weren't exactly overflowing with analogue precision. So, Gavin and the Naughty Dog crew devised a clever system that measured how long players held down the jump button, giving variable jump heights. Short tap? Little hop. Hold it down? A mighty leap. Simple, but effective.
Apparently, Vicarious Visions either didn't realize this system existed, or they decided it wasn't important (bloody hell, what were they thinking?). Either way, every jump in the *N. Sane Trilogy* became a max-height, floaty affair. Gavin even said it made them look inappropriately "huge and floaty." Imagine our poor marsupial, always going for gold in the high jump whether he liked it or not.
It's a bit late in the day to be airing these grievances, considering the *N. Sane Trilogy* dropped way back in 2017. And Vicarious Visions haven't been near the franchise since. However, it does highlight a crucial point: remasters aren't just about slapping on a new coat of paint. They're about understanding *why* the original worked in the first place. Otherwise, you end up with a beautiful-looking game that just… feels *off*.
This also comes at a time when 90s platformers are having a renaissance – *Donkey Kong Country Returns HD* recently dropped to fairly good reviews, and gamers are still clamoring for a *Banjo-Kazooie* revival. It's clear there's appetite for these classics, so maybe this critique will serve as a warning for other developers looking to bring back beloved franchises. Don't just make it pretty, make it *right*.
Oh, and before I forget, *Crash Bandicoot 5* was reportedly canned a year ago during early development with Toys for Bob, adding insult to injury for platformer fans everywhere.
Tags: Crash Bandicoot, N. Sane Trilogy, Remaster, Platformer, Game Design
Original article: Game Rant