GameR(e)view One!

So like I said yesterday, I'll be reviewing a game today, and that game is called

Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back

When I was kid, I used to play this on the PlayStation 1. It was really fun for me. All the Jumping, and Spinning, and Running made a very fun game! Actually I played it again recently and I still love it :))

So you're Crash Bandicoot, a bandicoot, which is a marsupial, and Dr. Neo Cortex tells you he needs your help. You need to collect 25 crystals around the world and give it to him to save the world using the Warp room, appropriately called 'cause you can "warp" to different worlds using the portals found here.

The aim of the game is to find the a crystal in each level and then finish. They're placed roughly in the middle of a level and it's hard for you to miss them. There are enemies on each level that are themed to that level. When you're in a jungle, like the first level, your enemies are animals like armadillos, turtles (with spikes or saw blades), and small moles that chase after you. Note, enemies don't actually try to attack you, they're just obstacles placed there. Other obstacles include Pits, Explosives, and more Enemies! Also note, there are no such things as Hit Points in this game only Lives. So if you touch an armadillo or fall down a hole... instant death and you lose one life.

You're thinking, "One hit death?! You can't finish a game like that!" It's not impossible, but some levels ARE hard. Luckily Crash has some tricks up his sleeve, even though he doesn't have a shirt. Crash can Run, Jump, Spin, Crawl, Slide, and Body Slam. That's all you can do in this game, but that's really all you need to know. Like Mario, jumping (and spinning) on an enemy can kill it in one hit, or at least remove it from screen so you can pass. Jumping on most enemies tends to kill them, unless they have spikes or their back or something. Spinning also kills most enemies, unless they have spikes on their sides :)). It's all common sense, jump or spin, take your pick!

But what about regaining life you ask? There are boxes scattered throughout the level. Most boxes break when you jump or spin on them. When you break a box, you'll be able to collect the Wumpa Fruit inside. Collect 100 Wumpa Fruits and you gain an extra life. Sounds too tedious just for one life? There are boxes that contain Life only too, these are somewhat rarer than normal boxes with only Wumpa Fruit. Some Boxes are "Question Mark" boxes, which are like mystery boxes because you don't know if you'll get Wumpa Fruits or another Life. Levels are really long and dying will cause you to restart from the beginning, unless you break open a Checkpoint box. Checkpoints help you so that when you Explode 'cause you touched a TNT box or Nitro box, you restart from the most recent Checkpoint box opened. There are also boxes with a mask picture, this is Aku-Aku, and he'll be of great help. When you have Aku-Aku with you (he'll be floating around Crash's shoulder) and you're hit by an enemy, Aku-Aku takes the hit for you, and he is gone until you find another box. When you collect 2 Aku-Aku boxes you have see him golden and he can take 2 hits for you. When you collect 3... you go become invincible! (For a period of time) The music changes and it when it stops you are automatically no longer invincible. You wear Aku-Aku as a MASK and then you can start running through everything, boxes, enemies, and other obstacles. Beware though, Aku-Aku cannot save you dying due to falling in a hole. He's just a wooden mask, I don't think he can save you even if he CAN float around.

So that's the whole game! It may sound really boring but there ARE 25 crystals to collect. If you think this review is long, the game takes 20x longer to play than when you read this review, and that's just collecting the crystals. After every five crystals there are also bosses to be fought, not to hard nor too easy. You can also collect gems, most only require you to break every single box in a level to get it, some have you going through a mini level to get it or fulfilling special objectives!

The levels are very nice for an old game. There are about 10+ different themes that have different obstacles, backgrounds, and music. Some enemies are cute, but deadly, some are just deadly and some are just really awesome to look at! The trees or the machinery in the background really makes it look like a jungle or a spaceship. The music is also different for each theme, and the music will really catch your attention because sometimes you stop playing just to listen to the music. The sound effects are cool too! You'll often here Crash jumping and spinning, falling, exploding, and floating to heaven as an angel! Sounds from enemies are well made too. When they're jumped on they go "poof!" Yes, this game is very child friendly. No blood, no violence just enemies going poof or flying off-screen and Crash falling into holes (there are A LOT so you better watch out!)

The levels are also pretty punny (pun intended). Some level names tell you what level it is, Turtle Woods, Rock-It, or Crash Dash. Some are even more punny like Sewer or Later, UnBearable, Bee-Having. There's also one level called Hang Eight. Not Hang Ten because most animated characters only have four fingers on each hand, and Crash is no exception! (Sorry for ruining the joke, I didn't get it when I was much younger. I only got it when I was playing thorough the game a few months ago.)

I hoped you like this review, it's rather long so I'll try to shorten my reviews if ever I do this again (I hope I get to do this again!). Crash Bandicoot 2 is really cool, I really miss it especially when compared to the Crash games of today which strayed from what Crash Bandicoot is supposed to be, "Jumpin', Spinnin', Dyin' Amazin'!"