Nostalgia can be a powerful thing, something which video game companies and studios have been tapping into the last few years. Remakes and remasters of beloved classics from years gone by have been hitting shelves like wildfire, from Sony's Demon's Souls to the upcoming Advance Wars 1+2 Re-Boot Camp on Nintendo Switch. For gamers who grew up in the 90s and 2000s, the Crash Bandicoot franchise ranks among the most iconic and memorable platformer series around.
Even Crash has been making a comeback recently, beginning with Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy and then Crash Team Racing: Nitro Fueled, both of which were snazzy new remakes of older titles. While it has been fantastic to relive these titles, hardcore Crash Bandicoot fans have noticed that one older game has yet to receive the same treatment: Crash Bash, a multiplayer action style game similar to Mario Party. With all the legwork already done on the prior remakes, it could be worthwhile for Activision to invest in this one as well.
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Crash Bash - Four Player Frenzy
Crash Bash was released on the PS1 in 2000 near the end of the fifth generation of consoles. While the series was created by Naughty Dog, this title was notable for being developed by Eurocom Entertainment instead (who would go on to also make Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex a few years later). Shifting away from the platformer style of the original trilogy and opting for something entirely different, Crash Bash was PlayStation's answer to Nintendo's Mario Party series at the time.
Crash, Coco and the rest of the gang are assembled together to compete in a tournament of champions to see who comes out on top. Game modes are varied and enjoyable, mostly consisting of four player co-op/competitive matches. Some of these levels are free for all battle stages, while others have creative ideas like trying to stay on top of a slippery glacier while trying to bump opponents off the edges. It isn't the most nuanced experienced, and may be rough around the edges, but a simple tune up in a modern game engine would work wonders for this classic title.
Crash Bash - The Mario Party Alternative
Furthermore, a comeback for Crash Bash could be an opportunity to provide gamers with an alternative to the Mario Party franchise, just as the original release intended to be two decades ago. Some liberties can even be taken to make this more of a reimagining to the original, rather than a straight-up carbon copy, similar to how Square Enix handled Final Fantasy 7 Remake. This would present a chance to add in new game modes, different characters, and other unlockable goodies to really help spice up the experience.
The aforementioned Crash Team Racing: Nitro Fueled took a similar approach by not only remaking the PS1 original, but also incorporating elements from later Crash Bandicoot racing games to make one complete package. A remake for Crash Bash could include newer characters introduced in Crash 4: It's About Time, as well as having bonus features like original concept art and developer videos (if these can be acquired, of course). This would make it a more compelling offer and add more incentive for gamers, new and old, to revisit this underrated entry in the Crash Bandicoot franchise.
Lastly, while it is never certain exactly how difficult any project can be, it would be difficult to imagine a remake for this being that challenging or expensive. Crash Bash is far simpler in scale and design even when compared to the original trilogy, and not nearly as ambitious as Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time. Remaking Crash Bash would feel like a nice extra treat for fans of the series, adding a sense of completion to revamping that era for current hardware.
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