My First Mascot
When will we get a new crash game? Crash Bandicoot (BUY TRILOGY HERE) was my first mascot platformer ever, and it is a character I hold very close to my heart. This crazed spinning marsupial is one of the most iconic and beloved icons of the 1990s. Close to 30 years after his debut, he has seen many ups—and sadly, more downs. (Buy Crash Team Racing Here!)
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Back and Spinnin’
Crash is back and we’re ready for Crash 5! The original Naughty Dog-developed titles for the PS1 are the gold standard, considered amongst the best of the best of the console. However, once Naughty Dog decided to part ways, Crash would be helmed by various other developers with pretty limited success in comparison. Crash Bash, Wrath of Cortex, Twinsanity—all had the aesthetics, but not the spirit. Crash of the Titans and Mind Over Mutant should have just been a new IP entirely. Fast forward, the N. Sane Trilogy hits — it’s a tremendous success, we finally get a proper Crash 4— and then the franchise was just shoved aside.
New Crash Game Needs This Back in Motion!
For some reason, now that Microsoft is running the show, it seems that the momentum has stopped. Why? Crash 4 sold over 5 million copies, interest in the series has spiked, and yet Microsoft decided that live-service was the name of the game going forward. So, more COD and more Overwatch, leaving Crash to the wayside once again. Needless to say, corporate greed has struck again and left fans upset and disappointed. Now that we got all our grief out of the way, let’s liven up the mood! So let’s just pretend the industry will listen to us and actually give the fans what they want. Let us now discuss the potential for a Crash 5—and maybe even Crash 6! Okay, so Crash 4 was a great return to form. It looked and played like a Crash game. Be mindful, however, that the series was dormant for over a decade. If we are to have more installments with less time between them, things need to evolve. Obviously, they have to have Crash be Crash—his spin move, belly flop, and slide are all a must—but let’s expand things just a bit.
This Place Demands to Be Explored!
From a gameplay standpoint, give him some new moves and mechanics. Maybe some parkour and ledge climbing, an actual health bar, and—most importantly—expand the horizons, literally. While the Crash levels and environments have always been well-designed and vibrant, it’s time for a new perspective. Wide-open levels, to really get a sense of adventure and exploration—not like GTA or Red Dead, more like Jak and Daxter or Uncharted. Also, like Uncharted and Jak, I think the narrative needs to grow as well. Now, under no circumstances am I suggesting that Crash go full swing into some dark and gritty serious tone like Sonic tried—and failed. I’m talking maybe just to flesh out the narrative. Have more serious stakes, character growth, and arcs. For example, Cortex actually does take over the world and it is now a dystopian, dictatorial regime. Crash and Coco lead a group of resistance fighters, each with their own stats and strengths.
MAKE THIS HAPPEN!
Or perhaps the most in-demand game fans have been clamoring for—literally forever—a freaking crossover with Spyro the Dragon! Whether it be multiverses, living on different sides of the world, or just neighbors who didn’t know each other existed—make this happen! The possibilities are endless. Ripto and Uka Uka team up to form an unholy alliance to take down our heroes. Cortex has kidnapped all the dragon eggs to use as supersoldiers, or Gnasty Gnorc has his sights set on conquering N. Sanity Islands. Perhaps a co-op, or specific sections where you play as either character, utilizing their unique skills and assets. This needs to be a long and enduring game—at least 9–12 hours—with a 3-act structure and a compelling story. The fact that this was actually proposed and shot down just goes to show how out of touch these corporate bigwigs are.
We’ll Be Waiting
Crash is one of the all-time great mascots and deserves better. Microsoft, you need to get things straight. Crash, Spyro, Banjo—all these properties are just sitting there collecting dust. Given the nature of these characters and their games, the sky is literally the limit. Yes, live-service games are all the rage, but you can’t just sweep all these other properties under the rug because they aren’t COD. The recent Crash and Spyro games have sold cumulatively tens of millions of units. If you make them, people will play them. So please, hear our calls and make your fans happy. We all want to see Crash 5 and Spyro 4 under our Christmas tree for the holidays! To all the fans waiting—just keep spinning, just keep spinning.