Almost exactly a year ago, a report debunked rumors that the reboot of the much-loved Crash Bandicoot franchise is soon happening.
What a difference a year makes. Activision has now revealed the release date for the Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy, which is not exactly a complete reboot but still features the quirky character that represented the PlayStation console in its early days.
'Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy' To Launch On June 30
Activision has announced that the Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy will launch for the PlayStation 4 on June 30, which leaves just over four months more of waiting for gamers who are excited to once again play as their favorite box-stomping, whirling marsupial.
The trilogy features reworked and remastered versions of the first three Crash Bandicoot games, namely Crash Bandicoot, Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back, and Crash Bandicoot: Warped. The collection has also been given a price tag of $39.99.
'Crash Bandicoot' Given A 'Remaster Plus' Treatment
As previously reported for the collection, developer Vicarious Visions have described the games as getting a "remaster plus" treatment, as opposed to a complete remake or a simple remaster into HD.
The developer first extracted the geometry of the original games that were created by Naughty Dog, and then built the games included in Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy from scratch. Vicarious Visions implemented their own layers of remastered graphics, as the developer rebuilt all the elements from the original games with high-definition versions of the characters, levels, and cut scenes.
The games included in Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy will also feature real-time lighting and a fully remastered soundtrack, with the cinematics of the titles enhanced to support 4K and the power of the PlayStation 4 Pro.
In addition to how the graphics of the games were heavily remastered, Vicarious Visions added several of the best features to the titles that were seen in later entries of the franchise. For example, there will be a unified checkpoint and saving system, which is a huge boon for the first Crash Bandicoot game.
The original Crash Bandicoot did not have a proper saving system upon its original release, instead requiring players to complete a major part of the game before being allowed to save their progress. As part of Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy, the first Crash Bandicoot will now have the checkpoint and saving system found in the later titles in the franchise.
Vicarious Visions also made improvements to the bonus levels and time trials of the games in the collection, along with a unified menu system, further adding value to the titles.
"This is a triple-A remaster," said game director Dan Tanguay, adding that the developer is giving Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy the love and attention to detail that is warranted for triple-A games.
One thing that might not sit well with gamers, however, is the fact that Crash will no longer be wearing jorts, or jeans shorts. They replaced Crash's bottoms with surfer shorts, which the developers felt was more related to the marsupial's '90s era persona. How can anything evoke a '90s era persona more than jorts though?
