(Copied from the original article that I published a little while ago on Crashy News)
The success of Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy and the return of Crash Bandicoot as a whole has been quite significant to many fans and people like me who had been hoping for years after the slow demise of 2010 and hoping for Activision to consider reviving the bandicoot when those prayers were answered in 2016. To us, the series is dear to many who have played the games and loved the characters and to Activision, is that there’s a viable market, even if it’s for “nostalgia”.
However, there has been some discussion on the upcoming rumoured 2019 game, on what it could be, what it might get announced and what it could set the precedence for the franchise. To even begin, I personally felt that many people wanted a brand new game and a racer, something that we almost got in 2010 with Crash Landed (I Am Crash Bandicoot) by Radical Entertainment with Crash Team Racing by High Impact Games, both cancelled because of the February 2010 layoffs at Radical. Now what?
The current status
![[Image: cbt-x1_game-art_titled_hero-1920x1080-hero.jpg]](https://crashynews.files.wordpress.com/2018/06/cbt-x1_game-art_titled_hero-1920x1080-hero.jpg)
Right now, we’re at a state where the buzz has gone down, although it is not gone from the minds of the public. The game is doing great with the multiplatform release (Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Steam PC) and we have a lot of merchandise that has been released recently and more coming on the way. Regardless of how some people feel about N. Sane Trilogy or what they critique it as such, there’s no denying that the bandicoot has solidified his comeback that was first confirmed in Sony’s E3 2016 conference, after the PSX 2015 shirt tease by Shawn Layden.
Some people are speculating about his inclusion in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, although I personally don’t see this happening due to the way Masahiro Sakurai chooses characters based on several criteria alongside other parties. You can check out this video of the likeliness of the character making it into the brawler from Source Gaming. Not much discussion has gone through about a cartoon series, which was more heavily discussed due to the guest appearance in Skylanders Academy and potentially hinting at such. Time has passed and nothing has been confirmed or rumoured from a reliable source, unfortunately.
This leaves us at what we know for the next game, Crash Bandicoot 2019, thanks to the GB Eye blurb, work profiles listing “unannounced project” and the recent Vicarious Visions announcement of expanding the studio. Although we don’t know exactly what the new game will be (hence why there are two choices), we are very certain of those choices because employees from the company have consistently hinted at what they would like to work next for Crash Bandicoot after N. Sane Trilogy in several interviews by interviewees asking them about remaking Crash Team Racing or developing a brand new game if the remakes of the trilogy “N. Sane Trilogy” does well in sales. And with the demise of Alchemy Engine, the forthcoming of Unreal Engine 4 seems quite fitting, considering Spyro Reignited Trilogy is the first game from Toys for Bob to use it.
Let’s check out what each one could bring to the table and what I personally would like to see implemented if announced in the coming months, shall we?
Crash Team Racing Remake/Remaster
Or a brand new racer!
![[Image: bdc093f6-a0d5-49d1-a27d-905e9b2b35c8.png]](https://crashynews.files.wordpress.com/2018/08/bdc093f6-a0d5-49d1-a27d-905e9b2b35c8.png)
Everyone and their mothers have been recently pleading Vicarious Visions to take on Crash Team Racing, although we already them attempt a “sequel” many years back with Crash Nitro Kart, although it stayed faithful to the visuals, it was seen as an imitator of the ever-loved Crash Team Racing back in 2003. In addition, there was a new racer that was cancelled in 2010 by High Impact Games simply just named “Crash Team Racing” that has never gone beyond the initial prototype stage (gameplay video).
Things have changed over the years, however, and it is expected that the studio might approach this remake in a more serious manner after the success of N. Sane Trilogy. It’s also likely that online multiplayer will be one of the main key selling points of it, not to mention that it could be announced at PSX 2018, but not necessarily exclusive to PS4.
There are several things that this remake could or should have:
Finally!
![[Image: img_5929.png]](https://crashynews.files.wordpress.com/2018/08/img_5929.png)
This is the thing that me personally and many fans have been waiting to see for years, that screenshot is from Thumpin Wumpa Islands in Skylanders Imaginators. It has that iconic Crash look to it and besides, it’s colourful, vibrant and open-ended. Ever since Crash Mind Over Mutant was released (with its reception…), people have been wondering what the next game will be like and how dramatic the changes will be after the Titans/MOM games have fared with the fanbase and critics.
There was a game called “Crash Landed/I Am Crash Bandicoot” coming in 2010, but was cancelled due to layoffs at Radical Entertainment’s studio and not to mention the other bits surrounding the game. Anyways, the thing about this one is that there has been speculation a long time ago that Vicarious Visions would take the lead in the development of the forthcoming game after Radical Entertainment’s demise (the poster from 2013 was hailed as such, but ended up being a cancelled game from years prior to 2012). That ended up being true with them doing Thumpin Wumpa Islands in Skylanders Imaginators and Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy.
However, those two are brand new releases and some do not qualify them as a brand new platformer game since both are differently done. For the new game to do great, it needs to evolve or improve what people have loved about the franchise and make it fresh and fun, take some lessons from the other platformers that have come out over the last several years and try implementing some of those into the new game.
It is expected that the studio will go for the thing many fans wish to see in the new game, an evolution of the trilogy of games with modern sensibilities included by design, not to mention that it could be announced at PSX 2018, but not necessarily exclusive to PS4.
There are several things the new game could or should have:
The success of Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy and the return of Crash Bandicoot as a whole has been quite significant to many fans and people like me who had been hoping for years after the slow demise of 2010 and hoping for Activision to consider reviving the bandicoot when those prayers were answered in 2016. To us, the series is dear to many who have played the games and loved the characters and to Activision, is that there’s a viable market, even if it’s for “nostalgia”.
However, there has been some discussion on the upcoming rumoured 2019 game, on what it could be, what it might get announced and what it could set the precedence for the franchise. To even begin, I personally felt that many people wanted a brand new game and a racer, something that we almost got in 2010 with Crash Landed (I Am Crash Bandicoot) by Radical Entertainment with Crash Team Racing by High Impact Games, both cancelled because of the February 2010 layoffs at Radical. Now what?
The current status
Right now, we’re at a state where the buzz has gone down, although it is not gone from the minds of the public. The game is doing great with the multiplatform release (Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Steam PC) and we have a lot of merchandise that has been released recently and more coming on the way. Regardless of how some people feel about N. Sane Trilogy or what they critique it as such, there’s no denying that the bandicoot has solidified his comeback that was first confirmed in Sony’s E3 2016 conference, after the PSX 2015 shirt tease by Shawn Layden.
Some people are speculating about his inclusion in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, although I personally don’t see this happening due to the way Masahiro Sakurai chooses characters based on several criteria alongside other parties. You can check out this video of the likeliness of the character making it into the brawler from Source Gaming. Not much discussion has gone through about a cartoon series, which was more heavily discussed due to the guest appearance in Skylanders Academy and potentially hinting at such. Time has passed and nothing has been confirmed or rumoured from a reliable source, unfortunately.
This leaves us at what we know for the next game, Crash Bandicoot 2019, thanks to the GB Eye blurb, work profiles listing “unannounced project” and the recent Vicarious Visions announcement of expanding the studio. Although we don’t know exactly what the new game will be (hence why there are two choices), we are very certain of those choices because employees from the company have consistently hinted at what they would like to work next for Crash Bandicoot after N. Sane Trilogy in several interviews by interviewees asking them about remaking Crash Team Racing or developing a brand new game if the remakes of the trilogy “N. Sane Trilogy” does well in sales. And with the demise of Alchemy Engine, the forthcoming of Unreal Engine 4 seems quite fitting, considering Spyro Reignited Trilogy is the first game from Toys for Bob to use it.
Let’s check out what each one could bring to the table and what I personally would like to see implemented if announced in the coming months, shall we?
Crash Team Racing Remake/Remaster
Or a brand new racer!
Everyone and their mothers have been recently pleading Vicarious Visions to take on Crash Team Racing, although we already them attempt a “sequel” many years back with Crash Nitro Kart, although it stayed faithful to the visuals, it was seen as an imitator of the ever-loved Crash Team Racing back in 2003. In addition, there was a new racer that was cancelled in 2010 by High Impact Games simply just named “Crash Team Racing” that has never gone beyond the initial prototype stage (gameplay video).
Things have changed over the years, however, and it is expected that the studio might approach this remake in a more serious manner after the success of N. Sane Trilogy. It’s also likely that online multiplayer will be one of the main key selling points of it, not to mention that it could be announced at PSX 2018, but not necessarily exclusive to PS4.
There are several things that this remake could or should have:
- Penta Penguin being an unlockable character after winning a certain goal from the CTR cups, rather than just being unlocked via a cheat code.
- As well as potentially new characters in the mix, if possible
- Online leaderboards and multiplayer (duh!)
- Tight and fluid controls, little to no elastic banding and a great sense of speed and rushing adrenaline, like the original game
- A great remastered or remixed soundtrack with more oomph in it
- New courses, tournaments and cups added to the remakes and/or the course tracks from Crash Nitro Kart if possible
- Get Josh Mancell to compose the soundtrack and some of the original people who worked on the trilogy or the racing game
- Extended cinematic cutscenes for the intro, ending and many other things
- Skins, costumes and other customizations
- Better incentives for unlocking things
- Improved art style, models and stuff following N. Sane Trilogy
Finally!
This is the thing that me personally and many fans have been waiting to see for years, that screenshot is from Thumpin Wumpa Islands in Skylanders Imaginators. It has that iconic Crash look to it and besides, it’s colourful, vibrant and open-ended. Ever since Crash Mind Over Mutant was released (with its reception…), people have been wondering what the next game will be like and how dramatic the changes will be after the Titans/MOM games have fared with the fanbase and critics.
There was a game called “Crash Landed/I Am Crash Bandicoot” coming in 2010, but was cancelled due to layoffs at Radical Entertainment’s studio and not to mention the other bits surrounding the game. Anyways, the thing about this one is that there has been speculation a long time ago that Vicarious Visions would take the lead in the development of the forthcoming game after Radical Entertainment’s demise (the poster from 2013 was hailed as such, but ended up being a cancelled game from years prior to 2012). That ended up being true with them doing Thumpin Wumpa Islands in Skylanders Imaginators and Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy.
However, those two are brand new releases and some do not qualify them as a brand new platformer game since both are differently done. For the new game to do great, it needs to evolve or improve what people have loved about the franchise and make it fresh and fun, take some lessons from the other platformers that have come out over the last several years and try implementing some of those into the new game.
It is expected that the studio will go for the thing many fans wish to see in the new game, an evolution of the trilogy of games with modern sensibilities included by design, not to mention that it could be announced at PSX 2018, but not necessarily exclusive to PS4.
There are several things the new game could or should have:
- Tight controls, fun traversing throughout the levels
- Open-ended level design and lush environments
- Heavy focus on designing the game with the abilities that Crash has in the game, whether its out-of-the-box or unlockable ones
- Harder but fair platforming puzzles, better designed time trials in conjunction to the levels
- Get Josh Mancell to compose the soundtrack and some of the original people who worked on the trilogy or the racing game
- More story elements and perhaps other things to make the whole experience a bit sweeter
- More embellished cinematic cutscenes, like the ones in NST and Thumpin
- Less of the fluff and more of substance
- Meaning more platforming levels, gimmicky sections and levels that are fun to control and play through
- Less vehicle and other types that don’t make sense to have
- Balanced amount of variety, rather than going overboard, like in Warped and Wrath Of Cortex
- Skins, costumes, more customization options and other playable characters (if possible)
- New abilities, collectibles and features
- Improve the online leaderboards further with ghost trailing
- Perhaps include local and online Coop gameplay
- Improved art style, models and stuff following N. Sane Trilogy
