Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped

With the third Crash Bandicoot disc, Naughty Dog delivers exactly what we all expected: more of that derivative, 2 �-D, invisible walled, hopping, spinning, and sprinting platform madness that has made each of the previous Crash games insanely addictive and impossible to ignore.

While I, and legions of other Crash fans around the world, wait patiently for Naughty Dog to take our favorite marsupial mascot into a true 3-D game environment, it's hard not to feel both satisfied but also a little under-whelmed by this latest offering. Despite some snazzy new artwork, some cool new locations and some great new vehicular levels, Crash 3 is really just more of the same.

EVERYTHING OLD IS NEO AGAIN

In Crash Bandicoot 3 Warped, Crash's fiendish arch-nemesis, Dr. Neo Cortex, is back once again trying to gather those highly elusive crystals. Since Crash was able to gather all of the crystals and thwart Cortex' plans for world domination in the last episode, this time Cortex needs a little help. His prayers are answered when his evil boss, the sinister dark mask of Uka Uka (the evil twin of Crash's helpful mask friend, Aku Aku) is freed from his lair by a chunk of Cortex' destroyed space lab.

Uka Uka hatches a diabolical plan. Using his pal, N Tropy, and his powers of time travel, Uka Uka along with Cortex and the rest of the baddies in the game, set about gathering all of the crystals on the world from various points in time. By doing this, the baddies will end up beating Crash to the punch and subverting all of his crystal grabbing efforts that were documented in the Crash Bandicoot 2 adventure (just think about all of the time you spent doing that!). Psst - Not to mention, all this time travel stuff is the perfect set up for a new money-making videogame adventure featuring cool things like dinosaurs, giant robots and medieval magicians, etc.

'Course, things are never that simple for the bumbling Cortex. Before he can send his heinous henchmen out on their crystal gathering errands, Aku Aku (the good mask � pay attention!) sneaks Crash and Coco through the time portal and sends them on yet another mission to save the planet. A bandicoot's job is never done it would seem. At least not if Sony, Universal Interactive and Naughty Dog have their way.

TIME TO GROW UP?

At this stage it's kind of pointless whining about the limited 3-D scope of the Crash Bandicoot games. Both previous discs were huge international hits, welcomed home by millions of fans around the world. It's obvious that people really love this character and his games just they way they are. For the record, I love Crash too. Still, as a commentator on the videogame industry, I'd feel irresponsible if I didn't complain about the "been there, done that" feel of Crash 3.

Naughty Dog has gone on record saying that their choice to continue with 2 �-D gameplay has been a deliberate one because they don't ever want the player to feel lost or confused about where to go next in their game. While this response does sound like Naughty Dog has the best intentions of the player at heart, a case could be made that the company has chosen this linear gameplay path because it makes it easier to hit a guaranteed Christmas delivery date every year. Now, this is a smart business model, no question, but are game players really getting the best gameplay experience for their dollar? Are we seeing Crash in the best possible light? And more importantly, is Crash in danger of Sonic-ing out on us because of one too many repetitious adventures?

THE BIG PICTURE

Despite what the greater significance may be of Naughty Dog's decision to not fix what ain't broke, I can't deny the fact that Crash 3 is a great game. While the bouncy-wouncy, avoid the traps and baddies platform levels are overly familiar, there are enough new coats of paint on them to tickle your eyeballs. This time, the secret to Crash 3's charm, however, is all the new vehicles that Crash and his sister, Coco, get to pilot.

Finally outfitted for a little underwater action, Crash gets to scuba his way through the best looking aquatic levels I've seen on the PlayStation. The deep-sea environments positively sparkle in what looks like the PlayStation's highest resolution. The colorful cartoon sea enemies are wonderfully animated and the marine blue ambient lighting that's cast on the activities will take your breath away.

Another standout amusement in the game is the motorcycle race. Naughty Dog has built an animated raceway that would have looked right at home within the celluloid confines of Disney's Roger Rabbit. Crash's slicked back, 1950's hot-rod opponents are insanely cool looking but I'm crazy about those bubble cop cars that do little more than act as obstacles for Crash as he dodges, weaves and jumps his way to the finish line.

Meanwhile, Coco gets into the action with not one but two standout vehicles...

The jet-ski levels in Crash 3 positively embarrass the Jet Moto series. They show the world that had Naughty Dog been asked to do it, they could have easily crafted a game to take Nintendo's landmark Wave Race 64 down a few pegs. The water effects are spellbinding, the control is perfect and the whipping over water speed is sensational.

If that's not enough, Naughty Dog also takes us into the wild blue yonder for a rip-roaring biplane dogfighting sequence that will blow your ears back. Your mission here? Why, shoot down all of the Cortex dirigibles, of course!

The visuals throughout Crash Bandicoot 3 are state of the art for the PlayStation. Characters are big, bold, colorful and extremely well animated. All kinds of character deformations occur when you walk into baddies, squish 'em or blow 'em up with your apple bazooka. Also be on the lookout for electrifying lighting and smoke effects, subtle transparencies and beautiful reflections.

SATURDAY MORNING SYMPHONY

The music and sound effects in Crash 3 are as good as they've been since this franchise began. The television and film resources that Universal Interactive is privy to have really been a gift to the series. Elements like Clancy Brown (Highlander) as the voice of Dr. Neo Cortex and the high energy, diverse music of Mark Mothersbaugh (Devo) add production quality that other games can only wish for.

The hot-diggity, be-bop-bounce ditties that Mothersbaugh has constructed for Crash 3 represent the quirky animated environments in the game exceptionally well. A major part of the infectious charm that the Crash games have always had has been largely due to Mothersbaugh's ready for prime-time Saturday morning soundtracks. Once again, he doesn't let us down.

The zany sound effects are back in full force as well. The whine of the Tazmanian Devil spin, the recoil of Crash's crate bouncing, the drop-whistle falls and the various over-the-top death cries of our favorite orange protagonist are all back. Added to the sound effects palette are a healthy assortment of engine rumbles, the wail of diving aircraft and various high powered explosions. In case you hadn't figured it out, these new sounds correspond to the new vehicle levels.

CAN'T ARGUE WITH SUCCESS

The technical skill of the artists and programmers at Naughty Dog is truly sensational. As I expected, I was honestly charmed by Crash once again. I enjoyed Crash's new abilities (extended jumps, spins and that extremely useful bazooka). I just wish the platform jumping elements in Crash 3 were as original and exciting of the motorcycle, jet-ski and biplane sequences.

Instead of just coming up with new creatures for Crash to attack as he wanders down familiar feeling corridors, I think Naughty Dog should have tried to shock us with completely brand new level constructs. After all, how many times can Crash be chased by a huge fill in the blank (substitute rock, snowball, bear, dinosaur) as he runs into the screen? Perhaps fleshing out the vehicle levels even more, so that that they became the primary focus of the game this time out, would have been a cool direction to go.

Or maybe, instead of using the same 5 level hub system that was employed in Crash 2, I bet Naughty Dog could have killed making a seamless cartoon Metal Gear Solid-type of adventure with Crash infiltrating a huge Cortex facility. Imagine Crash moving from one area to the next without hopping out of the environment and setting up for that next zany "level".

I believe if you're a fan of the other Crash games, you're going to really enjoy this disc as well. However, no matter what your past Crash experience is, I bet that you'll be spending a lot more time tooling around underwater, on the road or in the air than you will be hopping from platform to familiar platform.

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