Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back

1997

Audio: English

platform
adventure
action
fantasy
science fiction
comedy
single player

The story

Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back is the second game in the Crash Bandicoot series, and the sequel to the original game. The gameplay is largely similar to that of the original, as players make their way through a limited environment whilst breaking crates that contains bonuses. The goal of the game is to gather 25 crystals for Crash's nemesis, Doctor Neo Cortex. The crystals are scattered between 25 different levels accessible via Warp Rooms, which are hub areas of the game. A level is cleared by collecting its respective crystal and reaching the end of its path, which returns Crash to the Warp Room.

What it’s like

Bright, saturated cartoon colour set against bold, chunky geometry: jungle greens and sunset oranges, icy blue snowfields, and the cool steel of Cortex's laboratory, all rendered with the crisp, slightly plasticky sheen of late-nineties polygon art. The camera trails the bandicoot from behind as he runs down winding paths, leaps across gaps and spins through crates that burst into fruit and wooden shards, and the frame stays tidy and readable even when the screen fills with spinning hazards. Sound is bouncy and chirpy: a cheerful, looping soundtrack of marimba-like tunes, springy boings, and the satisfying crunch of each broken box. Vibe: sunny, playful, low-anxiety, with the occasional sharp spike of frustration when a precise jump goes wrong. Pacing is quick and punchy in short bursts, with each level finished in minutes and a hub that invites hopping between them. Violence is cartoonish; enemies vanish in puffs and Crash is cheerfully knocked around, with nothing gory or frightening. It suits a comfort replay, a weekend afternoon with a controller, or a playful evening for players who want fun, colourful platforming with a mischievous mad scientist as the villain and no real stakes beyond getting one more crystal.

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