Crash Bandicoot: Warped is a platform game made by Naughty Dog for the PlayStation. It is named after the main character, Crash Bandicoot. It was released in 1998. In it, Uka Uka, an evil mask, is freed and enlists the help of Dr. Neo Cortex and N. Tropy, who attempt to use a Time Twister machine to defeat Crash. In addition to Crash, one also plays as Coco, Crash's sister, in some of the levels.

Gameplay

Main article: Crash Bandicoot

The gameplay is characterized by a limited environment, and by the breaking of crates, most of which contain some bonus. Breaking all of a level's crates earns the player that level's white gem. The player can collect additional white and colored gems by finding and touching them. Colored gems activate secret areas. If one collects all of the gems in the game, the secret ending is activated. Stepping on a question-mark platform takes Crash to a bonus level.

Crash has several moves: jump, spin attack, body slam, slide, duck, crawl, and an extra-high jump performed by sliding or ducking and then jumping. Crash also collects a special ability after beating each boss.

After collecting a level's crystal, time trial is activated for that level. The player receives a relic upon performing especially well on a time trial. There are three relics to collect from each level, which are colored, in order of increasing difficulty, sapphire, gold, and platinum. After collecting every five relics, one of the five secret levels is activated.

Levels

Crash Bandicoot: Warped has 25 normal levels, arranged in five sets of levels, and five secret levels. Each set of levels contains five levels that may be played in any order. Each level has a crystal. Upon collecting the crystals of one set of levels, Crash must defeat a boss to proceed to the next set.

Each level has a particular theme. The game's levels include medieval, underwater, oriental, dinosaur, water boat, Egyptian, motorcycle, airplane, and future levels. Many of these themes do not adhere to the standard gameplay of the Crash platformers.

The boss levels feature the following characters, in order of appearance:

• Tiny Tiger
• Dingodile (part dingo, part crocodile)
• N. Tropy
• N. Gin
• Dr. Neo Cortex

Opinion

Some video game players and reviewers believe that Crash Bandicoot: Warped was the last "good" Crash platformer. It was the last one with any major innovation, and alongside newer 3-D platformers, many feel that the games' lack of expansiveness no longer fits the genre. However, some fans remain and continue to enjoy platformers from the Crash Bandicoot series.

References

• NickWhiz1 (2002). http://db.gamefaqs.com/console/psx/file/crash_bandicoot_3_c.txt. Retrieved Jan. 19, 2005.

See also

• Crash Bandicoot