Crash of the Titans is this Bandicoot’s comeback special
Crash, like a lot of popular, iconic, gaming mascots, has suffered a bit of an image problem as of late. Like Sonic, Spyro, and Pac-Man, Crash just isn’t as cool as he once was. It seems the only gaming icon that has stood the test of time is Mario.
Part of problem with these other figureheads is that the genres they represent eventually run their course. Then they are forced into a multitude of different substandard games which eventually tarnishes their cred. That’s what happened to Crash. His last party game, Crash!Boom!Bang!, was a dog. And speaking of dog, original developer Naughty Dog is off its leash, having nothing to do with Crash of the Titans. In this case, it appears to be a good thing.
In an effort to compensate for Crash’s failing Q-rating, developers Amaze have given him a complete makeover. This time out, Crash is looking sleeker, hipper, and more dangerous than ever. His hair is a little more spiky, and he’s sporting tattoos on his arm. The only problem I have is that his attitude is a little ambiguous. He’s somewhere in between loveably goofy and maniacally deranged. It’s a combination that’s not easy to identify with. It doesn’t help that Crash is reduced to emitting an annoying stream of inane bleating like a broken squeak toy being run over by a freight train.
Crash of the Titans goes back to the game’s roots, but only for inspiration. It manages to come off as fresh and somewhat original, even though it maintains the platform elements that have become associated with the series. There’s a lot more to the gameplay than just smashing crates. Many familiar platform elements are incorporated such as platform jumping, collecting items, discovering secret areas, and combat, but these elements are more a means to an end. They are tools that aid you in your task, and not just part of the task itself, providing more depth to the gameplay.
Professional evil antagonist, Dr. Neo Cortex, has mutated all of the inhabitants of the island into bizarre and dangerous creatures. Crash deals with these creatures in unique ways while he attempts to collect all of the mojo-enhanced Tiki masks. While it’s abundantly clear that Crash possesses the largest assortment of moves, there are some skills that he doesn’t have. At the outset of the game, Crash starts out relatively weak and gradually begins to enhance his skills by collecting tokens. It’s not exactly RPG territory, but it works.
The skills that Crash doesn’t possess, such as being able to cross bodies of water and lavaor crashing through various obstacles, can be obtained by taking control of the various enemies. By stunning a particular creature, Crash is able to harness its skill by riding atop its back. This is called “Jacking.” It adds depth and fun to the gameplay since you can use these creatures for different purposes. You can use them for both transportation and combat. Each creature has a different skill that you can exploit. In many instances, you’ll have to change multiple creatures in order to pass a certain section. Hey, it’s not RTS territory either, but it works.
Combat takes a bit of practice. There isn’t as much smashing and stomping as in the original series. Instead, there is a lot of hand-to-hand combat in which you’ll be expected to throw a lot of kicks and punches. There is something more immediate and gratifying to this style of combat. If something pisses you off, you can react immediately, instead of having to position yourself, aim, jump, and land on the offender’s head. The DS offers good control, but my advice is to forgo the touch screen during the platform action. You’ll need all hands on the face buttons, and fortunately you can use the B button in place of the touch screen and the microphone. Those features are just too awkward to use when you’re in the heat of battle or otherwise attempting some tricky moves.
Mini-games are featured, which do put the touch screen and stylus to good use. In one such game you’ll use the touch screen to move a creature that’s positioned on a ball. The stylus lets you navigate your way through an obstacle course by dragging it left or right on the screen. You can also play the popular Japanese game of Pachinko with the stylus. Overall the commands are tight and responsive, which is essential for a good platformer. The game is linear, but there is just enough freedom in certain regions to let you explore for alternate paths and hidden items. All of these platform elements will keep you entertained, as well as challenged. Just trying to collect all of the items in any level will certainly test your mettle.
Crash of the Titans has a colorful, cartoon vibe to it that doesn’t skimp on detail. The levels are large and display plenty of 3D depth, even if some of the backgrounds aren’t totally interactive. The characters are artfully rendered with smooth animation. Crash moves gracefully, and his face displays expressions that his voice can’t. Much of the voice work is repeated, and the music is looped. The sound effects are the only reason to have the volume on.
Crash of the Titans is this Bandicoots comeback game. It’s arcade-style fun that is sure to please gamers of all ages and styles. It’s games like this that made us all gaming fans in the first place. My major criticism is that is only takes an afternoon to complete.
Features
RATING OUT OF 5 RATING DESCRIPTION 4.4 Graphics
Colorful looking graphics with plenty of detail and smooth animation. 4.0 Control
The controls are tight, but there’s no real need for the stylus or touch screen. 2.4 Music / Sound FX / Voice Acting
Good sound effects but the music and voice work is repetitive. 2.4
Play Value
You can extend the replay value by looking for alternative paths and collecting all of the collectibles.
3.9 Overall Rating – Good
Not an average. See Rating legend above for a final score breakdown.